Somnium Scipionis, Part IX

When I had come into Africa as tribune of the soldiers, to the fourth legion, to the consul Manius Manilius, as you know, there was nothing more important to me than that I visited Masinissa, a king very friendly to our family according to just reasons. As I came to whom, the old man, having embraced me, wept over me and a little afterwards he looked up to heaven and said, “I drive thanks to you, highest sun, and to you, remaining celestial ones, because, before I depart from this life, I see in my kingdom and these houses Publius Cornelius Scipio, by whose name itself I am rejuvenated; therefore the memory of that very good and most invincible man never departs from my mind.” Thereon I asked him about his kingdom, he asked me about our state, and with many words on this side and on that, that day was consumed by us.