modest gravity, rather excusing the change as necessary, than glorying
that the present opportunity had been eagerly seized as the first
which had occurred. "For he well knew," he said, "that the name of
a deserter was an object of execration to former allies, and of
suspicion to new ones; nor did he blame the conduct of mankind in
this respect, provided, however, that the cause, and not the name,
occasioned the twofold hatred." He then recounted the services they
had rendered the Carthaginian generals, and on the other hand their
rapacity and insolence, together with the injuries of every kind
committed against themselves and their countrymen. "On this account,"
he said, "his person only up to that time had been with them, his
heart had long since been on that side where he believed that
right and justice were respected. That people sought for refuge,
as suppliants, even with the gods when they could not endure the
oppression and injustice of men. What he had to entreat of Scipio
was, that their passing over to him might neither be the occasion of
a charge of fraud nor a ground for respect, but that he would estimate
their services according to what sort of men he should find them to be
from experience from that day." The Roman replied, that "he would do
so in every particular; nor would he consider those men as deserters
who did not look upon an alliance as binding where no law, divine or
human, was unviolated." Their wives and children were then brought
before them and restored to them; on which occasion they wept for joy.
On that day they were conducted to a lodging; on the following they
were received as allies, by a treaty, after which they were sent to
bring up their forces. From that time they had their tents in the same
camp with the Romans, until under their guidance they had reached the
enemy.

18. The army of Hasdrubal, which was the nearest of the Carthaginian