brave　men　of　Tunis　were　coming　with　large　reinforcements。
  Spendius　first　read　the　letter　three　times　in　succession；　and　held　up
  by　two　Cappadocians；　who　bore　him　seated　on　their　shoulders；　he　had
  himself　conveyed　from　place　to　place　and　re…read　it。　For　seven　hours
  he　harangued。
  He　reminded　the　Mercenaries　of　the　promises　of　the　Great　Council；　the
  Africans　of　the　cruelties　of　the　stewards；　and　all　the　Barbarians　of
  the　injustice　of　Carthage。　The　Suffet's　mildness　was　only　a　bait　to
  capture　them；　those　who　surrendered　would　be　sold　as　slaves；　and　the
  vanquished　would　perish　under　torture。　As　to　flight；　what　routes　could
  they　follow？　Not　a　nation　would　receive　them。　Whereas　by　continuing
  their　efforts　they　would　obtain　at　once　freedom；　vengeance；　and　money！
  And　they　would　not　have　long　to　wait；　since　the　people　of　Tunis；　the
  whole　of　Libya；　was　rushing　to　relieve　them。　He　showed　the　unrolled
  papyrus：　〃Look　at　it！　read！　see　their　promises！　I　do　not　lie。〃
  Dogs　were　straying　about　with　their　black　muzzles　all　plastered　with
  red。　The　men's　uncovered　heads　were　growing　hot　in　the　burning　sun。　A
  nauseous　smell　exhaled　from　the　badly　buried　corpses。　Some　even
  projected　from　the　earth　as　far　as　the　waist。　Spendius　called　them　to
  witness　what　he　was　saying；　then　he　raised　his　fists　in　the　direction
  of　Hamilcar。
  Matho；　moreover；　was　watching　him；　and　to　cover　his　cowardice　he
  displayed　an　anger　by　which　he　gradually　found　himself　carried　away。
  Devoting　himself　to　the　gods　he　heaped　curses　upon　the　Carthaginians。
  The　torture　of　the　captives　was　child's　play。　Why　spare　them；　and　be
  ever　dragging　this　useless　cattle　after　one？　〃No！　we　must　put　an　end
  to　it！　their　designs　are　known！　a　single　one　might　ruin　us！　no　pity！
  Those　who　are　worthy　will　be　known　by　the　speed　of　their　legs　and　the
  force　of　their　blows。〃
  Then　they　turned　again　upon　the　captives。　Several　were　still　in　the
  last　throes；　they　were　finished　by　the　thrust　of　a　heel　in　the　mouth
  or　a　stab　with　the　point　of　a　javelin。
  Then　they　thought　of　Gisco。　Nowhere　could　he　be　seen；　they　were
  disturbed　with　anxiety。　They　wished　at　once　to　convince　themselves　of
  his　death　and　to　participate　in　it。　At　last　three　Samnite　shepherds
  discovered　him　at　a　distance　of　fifteen　paces　from　the　spot　where
  Matho's　tent　lately　stood。　They　recognised　him　by　his　long　beard　and
  they　called　the　rest。
  Stretched　on　his　back；　his　arms　against　his　hips；　and　his　knees　close
  together；　he　looked　like　a　dead　man　laid　out　for　the　tomb。
  Nevertheless　his　wasted　sides　rose　and　fell；　and　his　eyes；　wide…opened
  in　his　pallid　face；　gazed　in　a　continuous　and　intolerable　fashion。
  The　Barbarians　looked　at　him　at　first　with　great　astonishment。　Since
  he　had　been　living　in　the　pit　he　had　been　almost　forgotten；　rendered
  uneasy　by　old　memories　they　stood　at　a　distance　and　did　not　venture　to
  raise　their　hands　against　him。
  But　those　who　were　behind　were　murmuring　and　pressed　forward　when　a
  Garamantian　passed　through　the　crowd；　he　was　brandishing　a　sickle；　all
  understood　his　thought；　their　faces　purpled；　and　smitten　with　shame
  they　shrieked：
  〃Yes！　yes！〃
  The　man　with　the　curved　steel　approached　Gisco。　He　took　his　head；　and；
  resting　it　upon　his　knee；　sawed　it　off　with　rapid　strokes；　it　fell；　to
  great　jets　of　blood　made　a　hole　in　the　dust。　Zarxas　leaped　upon　it；
  and　lighter　than　a　leopard　ran　towards　the　Carthaginians。
  Then　when　he　had　covered　two　thirds　of　the　mountain　he　drew　Gisco's
  head　from　his　breast　by　the　beard；　whirled　his　arm　rapidly　several
  times；and　the　mass；　when　thrown　at　last；　described　a　long　parabola
  and　disappeared　behind　the　Punic　entrenchments。
  Soon　at　the　edge　of　the　palisades　there　rose　two　crossed　standards；
  the　customary　sign　for　claiming　a　corpse。
  Then　four　heralds；　chosen　for　their　width　of　chest；　went　out　with
  great　clarions；　and　speaking　through　the　brass　tubes　declared　that
  henceforth　there　would　be　between　Carthaginians　and　Barbarians　neither
  faith；　pity；　nor　gods；　that　they　refused　all　overtures　beforehand；　and
  that　envoys　would　be　sent　back　with　their　hands　cut　off。
  Immediately　afterwards；　Spendius　was　sent　to　Hippo…Zarytus　to　procure
  provisions；　the　Tyrian　city　sent　them　some　the　same　evening。　They　ate
  greedily。　Then　when　they　were　strengthened　they　speedily　collected　the
  remains　of　their　baggage　and　their　broken　arms；　the　women　massed
  themselves　in　the　centre；　and　heedless　of　the　wounded　left　weeping
  behind　them；　they　set　out　along　the　edge　of　the　shore　like　a　herd　of
  wolves　taking　its　departure。
  They　were　marching　upon　Hippo…Zarytus；　resolved　to　take　it；　for　they
  had　need　of　a　town。
  Hamilcar；　as　he　perceived　them　at　a　distance；　had　a　feeling　of　despair
  in　spite　of　the　pride　which　he　experienced　in　seeing　them　fly　before
  him。　He　ought　to　have　attacked　them　immediately　with　fresh　troops。
  Another　similar　day　and　the　war　was　over！　If　matters　were　protracted
  they　would　return　with　greater　strength；　the　Tyrian　towns　would　join
  them；　his　clemency　towards　the　vanquished　had　been　of　no　avail。　He
  resolved　to　be　pitiless。
  The　same　evening　he　sent　the　Great　Council　a　dromedary　laden　with
  bracelets　collected　from　the　dead；　and　with　horrible　threats　ordered
  another　army　to　be　despatched。
  All　had　for　a　long　time　believed　him　lost；　so　that　on　learning　his
  victory　they　felt　a　stupefaction　which　was　almost　terror。　The　vaguely
  announced　return　of　the　zaimph　completed　the　wonder。　Thus　the　gods　and
  the　might　of　Carthage　seemed　now　to　belong　to　him。
  None　of　his　enemies　ventured　upon　complaint　or　recrimination。　Owing　to
  the　enthusiasm　of　some　and　the　pusillanimity　of　the　rest；　an　army　of
  five　thousand　men　was　ready　before　the　interval　prescribed　had
  elapsed。
  This　army　promptly　made　its　way　to　Utica　in　order　to　support　the
  Suffet's　rear；　while　three　thousand　of　the　most　notable　citizens
  embarked　in　vessels　which　were　to　land　them　at　Hippo…Zarytus；　whence
  they　were　to　drive　back　the　Barbarians。
  Hanno　had　accepted　the　command；　but　he　intrusted　the　army　to　his
  lieutenant；　Magdassin；　so　as　to　lead　the　troops　which　were　to　be
  disembarked　himself；　for　he　could　no　longer　endure　the　shaking　of　the
  litter。　His　disease　had　eaten　away　his　lips　and　nostrils；　and　had
  hollowed　out　a　large　hole　in　his　face；　the　back　of　his　throat　could　be
  seen　at　a　distance　of　ten　paces；　and　he　knew　himself　to　be　so　hideous
  that　he　wore　a　veil　over　his　head　like　a　woman。
  Hippo…Zarytus　paid　no　attention　to　his　summonings　nor　yet　to　those　of
  the　Barbarians；　but　every　morning　the　inhabitants　lowered　provisions
  to　the　latter　in　baskets；　and　shouting　from　the　tops　of　the　towers
  pleaded　the　exigencies　of　the　Republic　and　conjured　them　to　withdraw。
  By　means　of　signs　they　addressed　the　same　protestations　to　the
  Carthaginians；　who　were　stationed　on　the　sea。
  Hanno　contented　himself　with　blockading　the　harbour　without　risking　an
  attack。　However；　he　permitted　the　judges　of　Hippo…Zarytus　to　admit
  three　hundred　soldiers。　Then　he　departed　to　the　Cape　Grapes；　and　made
  a　long　circuit　so　as　to　hem　in　the　Barbarians；　an　inopportune　and　even
  dangerous　operation。　His　jealousy　prevented　him　from　relieving　the
  Suffet；　he　arrested　his　spies；　impeded　him　in　all　his　plans；　and
  compromised　the　success　of　the　enterprise。　At　last　Hamilcar　wrote　to
  the　Great　Council　to　rid　himself　of　Hanno；　and　the　latter　returned　to
  Carthage　furious　at　the　baseness　of　the　Ancients　and　the　madness　of
  his　colleague。　Hence；　after　so　many　hopes；　the　situation　was　now　still
  more　deplorable；　but　there　was　an　effort　not　to　reflect　upon　it　and
  even　not　to　talk　about　it。
  As　if　all　this　were　not　sufficient　misfortune　at　one　time；　news　came
  that　the　Sardinian　Mercenaries　had　crucified　their　general；　seized　the
  strongholds；　and　everywhere　slaughtered　those　of　Chanaanitish　race。
  The　Roman　people　threatened　the　Republic　with　immediate　hostilities
  unless　she　gave　twelve　hundred　talents　with　the　whole　of　the　island　of
  Sardinia。　They　had　accepted　the　alliance　of　the　Barbarians；　and　they
  despatched　to　them　flat…bottomed　boats　laden　with　meal　and　dried　meat。
  The　Carthaginians　pursued　these；　and　captured　five　hundred　men；　but
  three　days　afterwards　a　fleet　coming　from　Byzacena；　and　conveying
  provisions　to　Carthage；　foundered　in　a　storm。　The　gods　were　evidently
  declaring　against　her。
  Upon　this　the　citizens　of　Hippo…Zarytus；　under　pretence　of　an　alarm；
  made　Hanno's　three　hundred　men　ascend　their　walls；　then　coming　behind
  them　they　took　them　by　the　legs；　and　suddenly　threw　them　over　the
  ramparts。　Some　who　were　not　killed　were　pursued；　and　went　and　drowned
  themselves　in　the　sea。
  Utica　was　enduring　the　presence　of　soldiers；　for　Magdassin　had　acted
  like　Hanno；　and　in　accordance　with　his　orders　and　deaf　to　Hamilcar's
  prayers；　was　surrounding　the　town。　As　for　these；　they　were　given　wine
  mixed　with　mandrake；　and　were　then