eager for innovation, Mandonius, together with
Indibilis, who had formerly been petty prince of the Ilergetes, having
stirred up their countrymen, came to lay waste the peaceful country of
the Roman allies, after the Romans had retired from the pass to the
sea-coast. A military tribune with some light-armed auxiliaries being
sent against these by Scipio, with a small effort put them all to the
rout, as being but a disorderly band: some having been captured and
slain, a great portion of them were deprived of their arms. This
disturbance, however, brought back Hasdrubal, who was retiring to the
ocean, to protect his allies on this side the Iberus. The Carthaginian
camp was in the territory of Ilercao, the Roman camp at the New Fleet,
when unexpected intelligence turned the war into another quarter. The
Celtiberians, who had sent the chief men of their country as
ambassadors to the Romans, and had given them hostages, aroused by a
message from Scipio, take up arms and invade the province of the
Carthaginians with a powerful army; take three towns by storm; and
after that, encountering Hasdrubal himself in two battles with,
splendid success, slew fifteen thousand and captured four thousand,
together with many military standards.

22. This being the state of affairs in Spain, Publius Scipio came into
his province, having been sent thither by the senate, his command
being continued to him after his consulate, with thirty long ships,
eight thousand soldiers, and a large importation of provisions. That
fleet, swelled to an enormous size by a multitude of transports, being
descried at a distance, entered safe the port of Tarraco, to the great
joy of the citizens and allies. Landing his troops there, Scipio set
out and formed a junction with his brother, and thenceforward they
prosecuted the war with united courage and counsels. While the
Carthaginians, therefore, were occupied with the Celtiberian war, they
promptly crossed the Iberus, and not seeing any enemy, pursue their
course to Saguntum; for it was reported that the hostages from every
part of Spain, having been consigned to custody, were kept in the
citadel of that place under a small guard. That pledge alone checked
the affections of all the people of Spain, which were inclined towards
an alliance with the Romans; lest the guilt of their defection should
be expiated with the blood of their children. One man, by a stratagem
more subtle than honourable, liberated the Spani