VANGUE

King Masinissa marries the Carthaginian princess Sophonisba. His unsuccessful rival, Syphax, allies himself with the Roman general Scipio, who is mustering troops to expel Hannibal from Italy and take the Punic War to Africa. Masinissa and his father- in-law, Hasdrubal, are appointed generals, and Masinissa defers his wedding night to go to war, with Sophonisba’s full approval. : The Carthaginian Senate votes to appease Syphax by giving him Sophonisba, because his army is larger than Masinissa’s; Hasdrubal is promised Masinissa’s kingdom in return for his connivance in poisoning his son-in-law, and Sophonisba is sent to Syphax’s palace. Gelosso, a senator who dissented from the decision, warns Masinissa. Syphax defects to Carthage, and the Romans are beaten; but Masinissa joins Scipio, and their combined troops march again on Carthage. The senators panic and quarrel. Syphax threatens to rape Sophonisba if she will not submit to him, and tells her that Masinissa is dead. He agrees to an hour’s respite while she fulfils her vow to sacrifice before touching a second husband. She gets the servant Vangue drunk, and he tells her that Syphax’s bedroom has a secret passage to enable escape from the palace in the event of a siege. Vangue collapses into an alcoholic stupor, and Sophonisba puts him into Syphax’s bed, then escapes through the passage. Coming to bed for sex with Sophonisba, Syphax finds Vangue and kills him. He then follows Sophonisba and recaptures her; she is taken back to his palace while he ===== PAGE 249 ===== 1605 consults Erichtho, a witch. Erichtho substitutes herself for Sophonisba and Syphax has sex with her before realizing her identity. The Romans defeat the Carthaginians in battle. Blamed by his people, Hasdrubal poisons himself, but his body is denied an honourable burial; his ghost appears to Syphax. Masinissa and Scipio march on Syphax’s palace, and Scipio agrees to allow Masinissa to take on his rival unaided: it is his fight. Syphax is beaten, but his life is spared. He tells Scipio that Sophonisba was the cause of his defection from Rome to Carthage, so the Roman general gives orders that she is to be handed over to Roman justice. Sophonisba prefers to die rather than be taken prisoner, and drinks poisoned wine; Masinissa fulfils his orders by handing over her body to Scipio. Scipio does him honour; he in turn does honour to dead Sophonisba.