"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.