But when day dawned, and the enemy had all either perished or were in headlong flight, Scipio exhorted his officers and at once started in pursuit.
The Carthaginian commander at first remained where he was, although he had received notice of the approach of the Romans; it was his confidence in the strength of the town in which he was that made him act thus.
But afterwards, when he saw that the inhabitants of the place were disaffected, the prospect of being attacked by Scipio dismayed him and he continued his flight with all those who had escaped, and who consisted of not less than five hundred horse and about two thousand foot.
Upon this the inhabitants with one accord surrendered at discretion to the Romans.
Scipio spared them, but gave up two of the neighbouring towns to his soldiers to pillage and after this returned to his original camp.
The Carthaginians, now that the prospect of success in their original design had been reversed, were deeply dejected.
For they had hoped to shut in the Romans on the cape adjacent to Utica, which they made their winter quarters, besieging them by land with their armies and by sea with their navy and had made all preparations for this purpose; so that now when by a strange and unexpected disaster they had not only been obliged to abandon to the enemy the command of the open country but expected that at any moment they themselves and their city would be in imminent peril, they became thoroughly dismayed and faint-hearted.
The situation, however, demanded that they should take precautions and deliberate as to the future, and when the senate assembled it was full of perplexity and the most divergent and tumultuary suggestions abounded.
Some held that they should send to Hannibal and recall him from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Italy&groupId=656&placeId=1199">Italy</a>, their only remaining hope being in that general and his army,
others proposed sending an embassy to Scipio to ask for a truce and speak to him about terms of peace, while others said they should pluck up courage and communicate with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syphax&groupId=993&placeId=1751">Syphax</a>,
who had retired to Abba quite near by, and collect the troops who had escaped from the disaster. This was the counsel which finally prevailed.
The Carthaginians, then, began to assemble their forces, dispatching Hasdrubal to do so, and at the same time sent to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syphax&groupId=993&placeId=1751">Syphax</a> entreating him to help them and to remain firm to his first engagements, assuring him that Hasdrubal would at once join him with his army.
Walbank Commentary