The Roman general both occupied himself with preparations for the siege of Utica and now, on hearing that <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syphax&groupId=993&placeId=1751">Syphax</a> remained faithful and that the Carthaginians were again collecting an army, led out his own forces and encamped before that city.
He also at the same time distributed the booty, but sent about their business the merchants who were making too good an affair of it; for as their recent success had made them form a rosy picture of the future, the soldiers attached no value to their actual booty and were very ready to dispose of it to the merchants for a song.
The Numidian prince and his friends had at first decided to continue their retreat and seek their homes,
but when they were met near Abba by the Celtiberians who had been hired by the Carthaginians and who numbered over four thousand, the reliance they placed on this additional force made them halt and pluck up a little courage.
And when at the same time the young girl, who was, as I have said, the daughter of the general, Hasdrubal, and wife of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syphax&groupId=993&placeId=1751">Syphax</a>, begged and entreated him to remain and not desert the Carthaginians at such a critical time, the Numidian prince suffered himself to be persuaded and yielded to her prayers.
The Celtiberian contributed also not a little to inspire the Carthaginians with hope. For instead of four thousand it was announced that they were ten thousand, and that their personal courage and their armament rendered them invincible in the field.
These reports and the vulgar gossip of the rabble raised so much the spirits of the Carthaginians that their confidence in being able to take the field once more against the enemy was redoubled.
Finally in thirty days they encamped and entrenched themselves on the so‑called Great Plain together with the Numidians and Celtiberians, the whole force numbering not less than thirty thousand.
Walbank Commentary