27.17
P.
Scipio had spent the whole winter in winning over the various Spanish tribes,
either by bribes or by restoring those of their countrymen who had been
taken as hostages or prisoners. At the commencement of summer Edesco, a
famous Spanish chieftain, came to visit him. His wife and children were in
the hands of the Romans, but that was not the only reason why he came. He
was influenced by the change which Fortune apparently was bringing about
over the whole of Spain in favour of Rome as against Carthage. The same
motive actuated Indibilis and Mandonius, who were beyond question the
most powerful chiefs in Spain. They abandoned Hasdrubal, with the whole of
their contingent, and withdrew to the hills above his camp and keeping along
the ridge of mountains made their way safely to the Roman headquarters.
When Hasdrubal saw that the enemy were receiving such accessions of
strength whilst his own forces were shrinking in equal proportion, he realised
that unless he made some bold move, the wastage would continue, so he
made up his mind to seize the first opportunity of fighting. Scipio was still
more anxious for a battle; his confidence had grown with success, and he
was unwilling to wait till the hostile armies had formed a junction, preferring
to engage each separately rather than all united. In case, however, he might
have to fight with their combined armies, he had augmented his strength by a
somewhat ingenious method. As the whole of the Spanish coast was now
clear of the enemy's ships, he had no further use for his own fleet, and after
beaching the vessels at Tarraco he brought up the crews to reinforce his land
army. Of arms and armament he had more than enough, what with those
taken in the capture of New Carthage, and those which the large body of
artisans had fabricated for him subsequently. Laelius, in whose absence he
would not undertake anything of importance, had now returned from Rome,
so in the early days of spring he left Tarraco with his composite army and
marched straight for the enemy.
The country through which he passed was everywhere peaceful;
each tribe as he approached gave him a friendly reception and escorted him
to their frontiers. On his route he was met by Indibilis and Mandonius. The
former, speaking for himself and his companion, addressed Scipio in grave
and dignified language, very unlike the rough and heedless speech of
barbarians. Instead of claiming credit for having seized the first opportunity
of going over to the side of Rome he rather pleaded that he had no
alternative. He was quite aware, he said, that the name of deserter was an
object of loathing to the old friends and of suspicion to the new ones, nor did
he find fault with this way of looking at it as long as the twofold odium
attached not merely to the name but to the motive. Then after dwelling on
the services they had both rendered to the Carthaginian generals and the
rapacity and insolence which the latter had exhibited and the innumerable
wrongs inflicted on them and their fellow-countrymen, he continued:
"Hitherto we have been associated with them so far as our bodily presence is
concerned, but our hearts and minds have long been where we believe justice
and right are cherished. Now we come as suppliants to the gods who cannot
permit violence and injustice, and we implore you, Scipio, not to regard our
change of sides, as either a crime or a merit; put us to the test from this day
forward, and as you find us, so judge and appraise our conduct." The Roman
general replied that this was just what he intended to do; he should not
regard as deserters men who did not consider an alliance binding where no
law, human or divine, was respected. Thereupon their wives and children
were brought out and restored to them amid tears of joy. For that day they
were the guests of the Romans, on the morrow a definite treaty of alliance
was concluded, and they were sent off to bring up their troops. On their
return they shared the Roman camp and acted as guides until they reached
the enemy.