δι' ἐρημίας πολεμίων πορευόμενος → he marched on without finding any enemy, his route lay through a country bare of enemies
Maso: and Masso, ōnis, m.,
I a surname in the gens Papiria; e. g. C. Papirius Maso (Masso), Plin. 15, 29, 38, § 126; Fast. Capitol. ad a. 523; Cic. Balb. 23, 53.