grateful for it as they did for the restoration of
their daughter inviolate. As they were so earnest in their entreaties,
Scipio promised to accept it, and ordered it to be laid at his feet.
Then calling Allucius to him, he said: "To the dowry which you are
about to receive from your father-in-law, let these marriage presents
also from me be added;" bidding him take away the gold and keep it for
himself. Delighted with these presents and honours, he was dismissed
to his home, where he inspired his countrymen with the deserved
praises of Scipio, observing, "that a most godlike youth had come
among them, who conquered every thing, not only by arms, but by
kindness and generosity." Accordingly, making a levy among his
dependants, he returned to Scipio after a few days, with fourteen
hundred chosen horsemen.

51. Scipio kept Laelius with him until he had disposed of the
captives, hostages, and booty, in accordance with his advice; but when
all these matters were satisfactorily arranged, he gave him a
quinquereme; and selecting from the captives Mago, and about fifteen
senators who had been made prisoners at the same time with him, put
them on board, and sent him to Rome with the news of his victory. He
himself employed the few days he had resolved to stay at Carthage, in
exercising his naval and land forces. On the first day the legions
under arms performed evolutions through a space of four miles; on the
second day he ordered them to repair and clean their arms before their
tents; on the third day they engaged in imitation of a regular battle
with wooden swords, throwing javelins with the points covered with
balls; on the fourth day they rested; on the fifth they again
performed evolutions under arms. This succession of exercise and rest
they kept up as long as they staid at Carthage. The rowers and
mariners, pushing out to sea when the weather was calm, made trial of
the manageableness of their ships by mock sea-fights. Such exercises,
both by sea and land, without the city prepared their minds and bodies
for war. The city itself was all bustle with warlike preparations,
artificers of every description being collected together in a public
workshop. The general went round to all the works with equal
attention. At one time he was employed in the dock-yard with his
fleet, at another he exercised with the legions; sometimes he would
devote his time to the inspection of the works, which were every day
carried on with the gre