Bellum Africum 43

B. Afr. 43.1Interim Cōnsidius, quī Acyllam… et VIII cohortibus stīpendiāriīs Numidīs Gaetūlīsque obsidēbat, ubi C. Messius cohortibus praeerat, diū multumque expertus magnīsque operibus saepe admōtīs et hīs ab oppidānīs incēnsīs cum prōficeret nihil, subitō nūntiō dē equestrī proeliō adlātō commōtus frūmentō, cuius in castrīs cōpiam habuerat, incēnsō, vīnō, oleō cēterīsque rēbus, quae ad vīctum parārī solent, corruptīs Acyllam, quam obsidēbat, dēseruit atque itinere per regnum Iubae factō cōpiās cum Scīpiōne partītus Hadrūmētum sē recēpit.

Meanwhile Considius, who was besieging Acylla … with eight cohorts of tribute-paying Numidians and Gaetulians, where Gaius Messius was in command of the cohorts, tried long and hard; he often moved up great siege works, but these were set on fire by the townspeople and he was making no progress; then, suddenly shaken by news of the cavalry battle, he burned the grain of which he had had a supply in camp, spoiled the wine, oil and everything else usually got ready for food, abandoned Acylla, which he had been besieging, marched through Juba's kingdom, divided his forces with Scipio and withdrew to Hadrumetum.

Note. There is a gap in the text after Acyllam. cum prōficeret nihil: 'since he was making no progress'. cōpiās cum Scīpiōne partītus: partior is deponent, 'sharing out'; he handed part of his forces over to Scipio.