promised to be governed by Scipio; whom he nevertheless entreated, to think upon his faith given to Sophonisba, that she should not be delivered into the Roman power. So he departed to his own tent, where, after some time spent in agony, he called unto him a servant of his, that had the custody of his poison, (which princes used then to have in readiness against all mischances that might make them unwilling to live,) and tempering a potion for Sophonisba, sent it unto her with this message,-That gladly he would have had her to live with him as his wife; but since they, who had power to hinder him of his desire, would not yield thereto, he sent her a cup that should preserve her from falling alive into the hands of the Romans; willing her to remember her birth and estate, and accordingly to take order for herself.

At the receipt of this message and present, she only said, that if her husband had no better token to send unto his new wife, she must accept of this, adding, that she might have died more honourably, if she had not wedded so lately before her funeral: and herewithal she boldly drank off the poison. Thus Livy reporteth. But Appian varies from this; and sets it down agreeably to that which hath been spoken before, concerning the pre-contract between Masinissa and Sophonisba. He saith, that after the taking of Syphax, embassadors from Cirta met with Lælius and Masinissa upon their way thither, yielding up their city and the king's palace; and that Sophonisba, for her own private, sent messengers to excuse her marriage with Syphax, as made against her will, by compulsion of those in whose power she was. Masinissa readily admitted of this excuse, and ac cepted her to wife. But when Scipio had received information from Syphax how cunning in persuasion Sophonisba was, and that all her thoughts laboured for the good of Carthage, he fell out about her

with Masinissa at his return, and challenged her as a part of the booty belonging to the Romans. Masinissa said she was his own wife, and unto him betrothed many years before. But Scipio would not hear of this; or if it were true, yet he said it was no reason that Masinissa should keep her in possession as long as it was disputable unto whom she might appertain. Wherefore, he willed him, first of all, to produce her, and then afterwards to make his claim unto her, wherein he should have no wrong. Herewithal he sent to fetch her away; and Masinissa accompanied the messengers, as it were to deliver her; but, making her acquainted with the necessity, gave unto her a cup of poison, wherewith she ended her life before they came that should have apprehended her. So he shewed unto the Romans her dead body, which he royally interred. The sudden violence of Masinissa's love, and the ready consent of Sophonisba to marry with him, add not so much credit unto this relation of Appian, as doth the want of all other evident cause (which Livy notes') of the sudden falling out between him and the Carthaginians, under whom he had been trained up, and done them great service. Howsoever it were, Scipio, hearing of this tragical accident, sent for Masinissa, and comforted him as well as he could, lest his melancholy should lead him to some inconvenience. Having therefore gently rebuked him for his rashness, he brought him forth in presence of the army, where, extolling his noble acts, and shewing how highly he had deserved of the city of Rome, he proclaimed him king, and gave unto him a crown of gold, with other royal ornaments. This was indeed the ready way to divert his thoughts from the sad remembrance of that which was passed, unto the

1 Lib. xxviii.

more cheerful contemplation of good fortune that began to smile upon him.

This was the first time that the Romans, took upon them to create or proclaim a king. Which honour, though Masinissa well deserved, yet would not the title have redounded unto his great benefit; neither should he have been much beholden to them for it, if he had not, by their means, recovered possession of his country, together with the greatest part of Syphax's dominions. It seems not unlikely, that had he remained a neuter in these wars, and sustained himself with his troop of horse in such sort as he did before the coming of the Romans, he might nevertheless have recovered his proper inheritance by the love of his own subjects, without other help, when Syphax had once or twice been vanquished. As for the enlargement of his kingdom, it was not more than he deserved; neither were the Romans then in case to make a conquest of Numidia for themselves; neither could they have wished a fitter opportunity, than of such a man, upon whom to bestow it, that was their assured friend, and passable withal among the Numidians, as being (for the Masæsili were a Numidian tribe) a great prince of the same nation. Yet this liberality of the Romans was noised abroad as very glorious; and the Romans themselves, in a politic sort of gravity, took highly upon them, as if even their saluting him by the name of king had been a matter of great consequence. He thrived indeed well after it, and by their maintenance waxed mighty in times following, encroaching upon his neighbours on all sides; but most of all upon the state of Carthage, whereat they were little displeased. Hence it grew, that Vermina, the son of Syphax, (of whom we shall shortly speak more,) which held some piece of his father's kingdom, desiring friendship of the Romans, and promising by all means to deserve their love, requested thereVOL. V.

K K

withal that they would call him king. But though it were so, that never any before him had made this a matter of suit, yet the Roman senate was punctilious herein, and answered very gravely, that it was not their custom to give the honour of that appellation, save only unto such kings as had greatly deserved of their city. Thus they made it a matter of state; and in process of time grew so proud of this their imaginary prerogative, that they imputed as a singular benefit unto kings, that no way depended upon them, the salutation by that name 3, though it were not accompanied with any other favour or profit thence redounding.

SECT. XIX.

The Carthaginians desire truce, and break it.

THE Carthaginians were extremely dismayed when they heard of the great calamity that was befallen their good friend Syphax, and understood that Masinissa, their mortal enemy, had got possession of his kingdom. To increase their fear, Scipio returned again to Tunis, in view of their city, where he made an end of that fortification which he had begun at his last being there. The Carthaginians had neither forces nor courage to withstand him; but their hearts so failed them, that they sent forth unto him thirty ambassadors, princes of the city, which were their privy-council, to make suit for peace. These being admitted into the presence of Scipio, did not only prostrate themselves on the ground, but kissed the feet of him, and of those that sat in council with him'.

Answerable to this base adoration was their speech that followed. They confessed themselves to have unjustly broken the peace between them and Rome, and to have deserved whatsoever punishment it should please the Romans to inflict upon them. Yet they humbly besought Scipio and the rest, that, in common regard of those misfortunes whereto all men are subject, they would shew mercy unto the city of Carthage, and let it remain as a monument of their clemency, which, by the folly of her citizens, had now twice deserved to be overthrown. Herewithal

they did not forget to lay the blame upon Hannibal, who, without their appointment, had begun the war, and was maintained in his doings by a faction, without the good-liking of the whole city. By this it appears that these embassadors were no Barchines, but rather that they were Hanno, and the choice of his company, who had now their long-desired work in hand, of suing unto the Romans for peace. Whatsoever they were, it must needs be that they were most insolent men over those that were subject unto their power; for they would not have made such adoration to the Romans, in their own necessity, unless they themselves had expected the like where they had the advantage.

It was not unknown to Scipio, or to his assailants, in what poor case the city of Rome then was, and how unable to defray the charges of continuing the war. Neither were the Carthaginians, notwithstanding the loss of so many armies, in such ill case as the Romans themselves had very lately been. For they had money enough wherewith to wage more men: they had a city far stronger than Rome, and they had the sea free. But they wanted the Roman resolution, and therefore distrusted the walls of Carthage; though Utica; a weaker city, had all this while held out against Scipio, and could not yet be forced by him and his army, though so often victo