27.19
Hasdrubal had secured the war-chest
before the battle, and after sending on the elephants in advance and
collecting all the fugitives that he could, he directed his march along the
Tagus towards the Pyrenees. Scipio took possession of the enemy's camp,
and gave up all the plunder, with the exception of the prisoners, to his
troops. On counting the prisoners he found that they amounted to 10,000
infantry and 2000 cavalry. The Spanish prisoners were all released and sent
to their homes; the Africans were ordered to be sold by the quaestor. All the
Spaniards, those who had previously surrendered and those who had been
made prisoners the day before, now crowded round him, and with one
accord saluted him as "King." He ordered silence to be proclaimed, and then
told them that the title he valued most was the one his soldiers had given
him, the title of "Imperator." "The name of king," he said, "so great
elsewhere, is insupportable to Roman ears. If a kingly mind is in your eyes
the noblest thing in human nature, you may attribute it to me in thought, but
you must avoid the use of the word." Even the barbarians appreciated the
greatness of a man who stood so high that he could look down on a title the
splendour of which dazzled other men's eyes. Presents were then distributed
amongst the Spanish princes and chieftains, and Scipio invited Indibilis to
choose 300 horses out of the large number captured. Whilst the quaestor
was putting up the Africans to sale, he found amongst them a remarkably
handsome youth, and hearing that he was of royal blood, he sent him to
Scipio. Scipio questioned him as to who he was, what country he belonged
to, and why at his tender age he was in camp. He told him that he was a
Numidian, and his people called him Massiva. Left an orphan by his father,
he had been brought up by his maternal grandfather Gala, king of the
Numidians. His uncle Masinissa had come with his cavalry to assist the
Carthaginians, and he had accompanied him into Spain. Masinissa had
always forbidden him to take part in the fighting because he was so young,
but that day he had, unknown to his uncle, secured arms and a horse and
gone into action, but his horse fell and threw him, and so he had been made
prisoner. Scipio ordered the Numidian to be kept under guard, and when he
had transacted all the necessary business he left the tribunal and resumed to
his tent. Here he sent for his prisoner and asked him whether he would like
to return to Masinissa. The boy replied amid tears of joy that he should only
be too glad to do so. Scipio then presented him with a gold ring, a tunic with
a wide purple border, a Spanish cloak with a gold clasp, and a beautifully
caparisoned horse. He then ordered an escort of cavalry to accompany him
as far as he wanted to go, and dismissed him.
