1With affairs in Spain in this state, Publius Scipio came to his province, sent by the senate with his command extended after his consulship, with thirty warships and eight thousand soldiers and a large convoy of supplies. 2That fleet, made huge by its line of transports, was seen from far off and, to the great joy of citizens and allies, made the harbour of Tarraco from the open sea. 3There Scipio landed his soldiers, set out and joined his brother, and from then on they waged the war with a common purpose and common counsel. 4So, while the Carthaginians were occupied with the Celtiberian war, they crossed the Ebro without hesitation and, seeing no enemy, pressed on to Saguntum, because it was reported that the hostages from all Spain, handed over by Hannibal, were being kept there in the citadel under a modest guard.
5That pledge alone was holding back the minds of all the peoples of Spain, though they leaned towards alliance with Rome, for fear that the guilt of defection should be paid for with the blood of their children. 6From that bond one man set Spain free, by a plan more clever than loyal. 6There was at Saguntum a Spanish noble, Abelux, previously loyal to the Carthaginians, but then, as the character of barbarians usually is, he had changed his loyalty along with fortune. 7But thinking that a deserter coming over to the enemy without the betrayal of something important was nothing but one worthless and disreputable body, he was aiming to be of the greatest possible advantage to his new allies.
8So, having looked round at everything that fortune could put in his power, he set his mind above all on handing over the hostages, thinking that this one thing would most of all win the friendship of the leading men of Spain for the Romans. 9But since he knew well that the guards of the hostages would do nothing without the order of Bostar, the commander, he approaches Bostar himself with cunning. 10Bostar had his camp outside the city right on the shore, in order to cut off the Romans' approach on that side. 10There he takes him aside in private and advises him, as though he did not know, how matters stood: fear had held the minds of the Spaniards in check up to that day, because the Romans were far away; 11now there was a Roman camp this side of the Ebro, a safe stronghold and refuge for those who wanted revolution; 11so those whom fear did not hold must be bound by kindness and favour.
12When Bostar in surprise asked what this sudden gift of such importance could be, 'Send the hostages,' he said, 'back to their communities. 13That will be welcome both privately to their parents, whose names are greatest in their own communities, and publicly to the peoples. 14Everyone wants to be trusted, and trust shown generally binds trust in return. 14The task of returning the hostages to their homes I claim for myself, so that I may support my plan by the effort I spend on it too, and add as much further gratitude as I can to a thing welcome by its very nature.' 15When he had won over the man, 15who was not cunning by the standard of other Punic minds, he went out secretly by night to the enemy outposts, met some Spanish auxiliaries, was brought by them to Scipio and set out what he was bringing, and when pledges had been given and received and a place and time fixed for handing over the hostages, he returned to Saguntum.
16The following day he spent with Bostar receiving instructions for carrying out the business. 17Sent off, having arranged that he would go by night so as to evade the enemy's sentries, he roused the boys' guards at the hour agreed with the Romans, set out, and led them, as though unaware, into the trap prepared by his own deceit. 18They were brought into the Roman camp; 18everything else concerning the return of the hostages, as had been arranged with Bostar, was done through him in the same order as if it were being done in the name of the Carthaginians. 18The gratitude towards the Romans for the same deed was considerably greater than that towards the Carthaginians would have been.
19For it could have seemed that fortune and fear had softened them, men who had been found harsh and arrogant in prosperity; 20the Roman, unknown before, had made his beginning on his first arrival with an act of mercy and generosity; 20and Abelux, a shrewd man, seemed not to have changed allies for nothing. 21So with great unanimity all looked towards revolt; 21and arms would have been taken up at once, had not winter intervened, which forced the Romans and the Carthaginians too to retire under shelter.