Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 30
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

32. Arrived at their camps, they both ordered their soldiers to have arms and their spirits in readiness for the final conflict to make them victors, if success attended them, not for one day but forever. [2] Whether Rome or Carthage should give laws to the nations they would know the next day before nightfall. For not Africa, they said, or Italy but the whole world would be the reward of victory¹ —a reward matched by the danger for those whom the fortune of battle should not favour. [3] In fact the Romans had no way of escape open in a foreign and an unknown land,² and for Carthage, once it had poured out its last resources, immediate destruction seemed impending.

[4] [p. 487] For this decision on the following day³ two generals⁴ far and away the most distinguished and two of the bravest armies of the two wealthiest nations went forth,⁵ on that day either to crown the many distinctions heretofore won, or to bring them to naught. [5] Consequently a wavering between hope and fear confused their spirits; and as they surveyed now their own battle-line, now that of the enemy, while weighing their strength more by the eye than by calculation, the bright side and at the same time the dark was before their minds. What did not occur to the men themselves of their own accord the generals would suggest in admonition and exhortation. [6] The Carthaginian kept recalling to their minds the achievements of sixteen years in the land of Italy, so many Roman generals, so many armies wiped out completely, and brave deeds of individuals, whenever he came to a soldier distinguished in the record of some battle. [7] Scipio would recall the Spanish provinces and recent battles in Africa and the enemy's admission, in that on account of fear they could but sue for peace, and yet had been unable to abide by the peace on account of their ingrained perfidy. [8] Furthermore, as his conference with Hannibal had been in private and could be freely altered, he gave it the direction he desired. [9] He divined that as the Carthaginians went out into battle-line, the gods had given them the same omens as when their fathers fought at the Aegates Islands. [10] The end of the war and hardship was at hand, he said, the spoils of Carthage within reach, and the return home to their native city, to parents, children, [p. 489]wives and household gods. So erect did he stand⁶ as he spoke these words, and with so happy a look on his face that one would have believed him already the victor.

[11] Thereupon he drew up in the first line the hastati, behind them the principes, in the rear the triarii closing the formation.