Page 753 their Pay, they were in a fair way of losing both their Sovereign Authority and their Country together, for the Mercenaries resented the Injury to that degree, that they forthwith revolted, and brought the Carthaginians into miserable Distresses.
2. The Carthaginians sent a Trumpet to the Revolters, to desire liberty to bury them that were slain in the Battel. But Spondius, and the rest of the Captains of the Revolters, with barbarous Cruelty, not only deny'd that, but warn'd them upon their Peril not to send any more Messengers to them upon any account whatsoever, for if they did, they should suffer the same Punishment. And they then made an Order, that every Carthaginian they took Prisoner should be put to Death in the same manner as they before mentioned were, and that their Confederates which should be taken should have their Hands cut off, and so sent back to Carthage. This Cruelty of Spondius was the reason that Hamilcar was forc'd to cast off his former Lenity, and retaliate the same Cruelty upon the Prisoners taken by the Carthaginians: And therefore after he had first Rack'd and Tormented the Captives, he then cast them to the Elephants, who trod and trampled them under-foot, so as they dy'd most miserably.
3. The Hippacrineans and Uticans revolted from the Carthaginians, and kill'd the Carthaginian Garrison, and threw them over the Walls, and would not suffer them to be bury'd, though it was desir'd by the Carthaginians.
Hamilcar, Sirnam'd Barca, perform'd many great and excellent Services to the advantage of his Country, both against the Romans in Sicily, and in Africa against the Mercenaries and the Lybians, who revolted from the Carthaginians, and streightly besieg'd Carthage it self. For in both these Wars he perform'd noble Actions with great Valour and Prudence, and therefore was highly honour'd by all the Citizens. But after the War was ended in Africa, he got together a Body of Lewd Fellow; and having enrich'd himself with the Spoils of his Enemies, and by his Actions gain'd a great Interest and the Love of the People, he prevail'd so far as that he was created Generalissimo of all Lybia for a little time.
1. HAnnibal was naturally of a warlike Spirit, and Train'd up in Martial Affairs from a Child; and having been for many years together in several Expeditions with the greatest Captains, he learnt a great deal of Experience in matters of War, so that being by Nature prompt to Feats of Arms, and improv'd likewise by daily Exercise for a long time in the Wars, he look'd very big upon it, in expectation of doing great things.
2. Minucius being overcome by Hannibal, it was evident by the Event that he ruin'd all by his Imprudence and Unskilfulness; but Fabius by his Valour and Policy preserv'd the Common-wealth.
3. Dorimarchus the Provincial Governor of the Aetolians committed a most impious Fact; for he robb'd the Famous Temple of Jupiter Dodonaeus, and afterwards burnt the whole except the Treasury.
4. Hannibal's Army having for a long time together glutted themselves with the Riches and Pleasures of Campania, became wholly degenerated; for their Luxury, Soft Beds, Ointments, and all sorts of delicate Fare, took away their Courage, and made them unfit to endure hardship, and caus'd both their Bodies and Souls to degenerate into Effeminacy.
5. When Hannibal had spoken much against the cruelty and malice of the Romans, or rather their pride and arrogancy, he put to the Sword the Senators Sons, and their Relations (which he pickt out of the rest of the Captives,) in this manner revenging himself upon the Senate.
6. Hannibal being possess'd with an implacable Hatred against the Romans, pickt out from amongst the Captives such as he thought fittest for single Combat, and matcht them one with another, and commanded them to fight Brothers with Brothers, Fathers with Children, and Kinsmen with Kinsmen. In this barbarous Injunction, who cannot but justly abhor the cruelty of the Carthaginians, and admire the Piety, Patience and Constancy of the Romans, in the midst of their most grievous Sufferings! For tho' they were tormented with Fire-Goads and cruel stripes, yet none would be brought to lift up their hands against their Friends and Relations, but all unmovable dy'd in the Anguish of their Sufferings, keeping themselves pure and unspotted from the Guilt of destroying one another.