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.
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