Whichever way you turn your eyes, all is hostility and danger.

Do you trust in the Numidians and Syphax?
Let it suffice to have trusted in them once.

Temerity is not always successful, and the fraudulent usually pave the way to confidence in small matters, that when an advantageous opportunity occurs, they may deceive with great gain.

Your father and uncle were not cut off by the arms of their enemies till they were duped by the treachery of their Celtiberian allies; nor were you yourself exposed to so much danger from Mago and Hasdrubal, the generals of your enemies, as from Indibilis and Mandonius, whom you had received into friendship.

Can you place any confidence in Numidians after having experienced a defection in your own soldiers?
Syphax and Masinissa would rather that they themselves should have the rule in Africa than the Carthaginians, but that the Carthaginians should rather than any other state.