Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 29
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

24. With these instructions ambassadors were sent to Scipio by the king, and they met him at Syracuse. [2] Scipio had lost, to be sure, an important factor for the campaign in Africa and a high hope; nevertheless, sending the messengers back to Africa promptly, before the matter should be widely reported, he gave them a letter to the king. [3] In this he insistently admonished him not to prove false to the claims of a guest-friendship entered into with himself, nor to those of an alliance contracted with the Roman people, nor to divine law, to honour, to the clasped hands, to the gods as witnesses and arbiters of compacts. [4] But the arrival of the Numidians could not be kept secret, for they had roamed about the city and had showed themselves at headquarters;¹ [5] and if the object of their mission was passed over in silence there would be danger that the facts might of themselves transpire, all the more from the very attempt to conceal them, and that the fear of having to fight at the same time with the king and the Carthaginians might overtake the army. [6] For that reason Scipio diverted men's attention from the truth by preoccupation with false statements, and summoning the soldiers to an assembly, he told them that there must be no further delay; that the kings, their allies, were insisting that he cross over to Africa as soon as possible. [7] Masinissa, he said, had previously come in person to Gaius Laelius complaining because they were wasting time in hesitation; and now Syphax was sending ambassadors, stating that he also was at a loss to explain what was the reason for a delay so protracted, and [p. 303]demanding either that the army be at last² transported [8??] to Africa, or, if their plans had been changed, that he be informed, so that he on his part might take measures for himself and his kingdom. [9] Accordingly, since now everything had been duly fitted out and made ready and the situation admitted of no further delay, Scipio said [10??] it was his intention to shift his fleet to Lilybaeum and concentrate there all his infantry and cavalry forces, then on the first day that offered a passage to his ships to cross over with the blessing of the gods to Africa. [11] He sent a letter to Marcus Pomponius,³ requesting him, if he approved, to come to Lilybaeum, so that they might jointly decide which particular legions to transport to Africa and how large a number of men. [12] He likewise sent orders round the entire coastline to have all merchantmen pressed into the service and concentrated at Lilybaeum.

When all the soldiers and ships in Sicily had been brought together at Lilybaeum and the city could not contain the multitude of men nor the harbour the ships, such was the ardour of every man [13??] for the passage to Africa that it seemed as though they were being led, not to a war but to assured rewards of victory. [14] Especially the soldiers who were left of the army at Cannae believed that under that general and no other, by active duty for the state they could bring their ignominious service to an end.⁴