were almost all flain, and the reft furrendered. Matho was taken alive and led in Triumph to Carthage. All Africk immediately return'd to its Obedience, except the two laft revolted and perfidious Cities; which were foon oblig'd to furrender at Discretion. THEN the victorious Army return'd to Carthage, and was receiv'd there with Shouts of Joy, and the Gratulations of the whole City. Matho and his Men, after they had adorn'd the publick Triumph, were led to Punishment, and finish'd by a Death equally ignominious and painful, a Life ftain'd with the blackeft Treasons, and the moft unexampled Barbarities. Such was the Conclufion of the War against the Mercenaries after a Contínuance of three Years and four Months. It furnish'd, fays Polybius, a Leffon of Instruction to all People not to employ in their Armies a greater Number of Mercenaries than Citizens, nor to repofe the Security of the State in the Arms of Men, who are ty'd to it neither by Interest nor Affection. I HAVE purpofely deferr'd faying any thing of the Tranfactions of Sardinia in the very Time that I have been treating of, and which were in a fort dependent, and confequent to the War fuftain'd in Africk against the Mercenaries. One fees in them the fame Violences used to promote the Rebellion, the fame Excufes of Fury and Cruelty, as if a Wind of Difcord and Madnefs had blown out of Africk into Sardinia. WHEN it was known there what Spendius and Matho were doing in Africk, the Mercenaries in that Ifle fhook off the Yoke in Imitation of those furious Incendiaries. They began with cutting the Throats of Boftar their General, and of all the Carthaginians in his Attendance. A Succeffor was fent, but all the Forces which he carry'd with him revolted to the Rebels, hung him from a Crofs, and in the whole Extent of the Ifle put all the Carthaginians to the Sword, after they had made them fuffer unspeakable Catilin. Torments. Falling upon one Place after another, they became in a fhort time Mafters of the whole Ifle. But Difcord happening between them and the Natives, the Mercenaries were entirely drove out of the Ifle, and took Sanctuary in Italy. Thus the Carthaginians loft Sardinia, an Ifle of great Importance to them by its Extent, Fertility and numerous Inhabitants. THE Romans, from the Time of their Treaty with the Carthaginians, had behay'd towards them with great Juftice and Moderation. A flight Quarrel on account of fome Roman Merchants arrefted at Carthage for fupplying the Enemy with Provifions, had imbroil'd them a little. But their Merchants being reftor'd on the firft Motion made to the Senate of Carthage, the Romans, who on every Occafion lov'd to difplay their Juftice and Generosity, made the Carthaginians a Return of their ancient Friendship, ferv'd them whenever it lay in their Power, forbad their Merchants to furnish any Provifions but to them, and then even refus'd to liften to the Propofals made by the Sardinian Rebels, who invited them to take Poffeffion of the Ifle. BUT this Delicacy wore off by degrees, and CaSalluft. far's advantageous Teftimony of their Honesty and Bello Plain-dealing, cou'd, with no good Confcience, be apply'd here," Tho', fays he, in all the Punick Wars the Carthaginians both in Peace and Truces had "committed a Number of the most deteftable Actions, the Romans cou'd never by any inviting Opportunity be brought to retaliate fuch Ufage: More " attentive to the Views of their own Glory, than “ to the Justice of Revenge upon fuch perfidious "Enemies." THE Mercenaries, who, as we faid, had retir'd into Italy, brought the Romans at laft to the Refolution of failing over into Sardinia, and rendering themfelves Masters of it. The Carthaginians with deep Concern receiv'd the unwelcome News. They pre 3 tended tended that Sardinia belong'd to them by a jufter Title than to the Romans; they therefore put themfelves in a Pofture to take a speedy and just Vengeance upon those who had arm'd the Ifland against them. But the Romans, pretending that these Preparations were made not against Sardinia, but themfelves, declar'd War against the Carthaginians. Thefe, exhausted all Ways, and fcarce beginning to recover, were in no Condition to fuftain a War. The Neceffity of the Time was therefore to be comply'd with, and the stronger to be yielded to. A new Treaty was made, by which they gave up Sardinia to the Romans, and oblig'd themselves to a new Payment of two hundred Talents, to redeem themselves from the War with the which they were threaten'd. It was this Injustice on the Part of the Romans which was the true Cause of the fecond Punic War, as will be feen afterwards. The fecond Punick War. THE fecond Punick War which I am going to treat of, is one of the most memorable of which there is any Mention in Hiftory, and most deferving the Attention of the curious Reader, whether we regard the Boldness of the Actions, and the Wisdom in the Methods of their Execution; the Obftinacy of two rival Nations, and the ready Refources in the loweft Ebb of their Fortune; the Variety of ftrange Events, and the uncertain Iffue of fo long and bloody a War; or laftly, the Concert of the moft perfect Models in every kind of Merit, and the moft inftructive Leffons that are to be met with in History either for War, Policy, or Government. Never did two greater Cities or Nations wage War together, and never had thefe two feen themselves in greater Power or Glory. Rome and Carthage were, out of all difpute, the two firft Cities of the World. They had meafur'd their Strength in the first Punick War, War, and fo made Trial of each other's Abilities, and perfectly knew what either cou'd do. In this fecond War the Fate of Arms was fo equally ballanc'd, and the Succefs fo full of Viciffitudes and Varieties, that the Victory fell to that Side which had been nearest Ruin. Great as the Forces of these two People were, it may almost be faid that their mutual Hatred were still greater. The Romans on one hand cou'd with no Patience fee the vanquish'd lifting up their Heads against them, and the Carthaginians on the other were provok'd beyond Measure at the erqually vigorous and fordid Treatment which they pretended to have receiv'd from the Victor. THE Plan which I follow permits me not to enter into an exact Detail of this War, of which Italy, Sicily, Spain, Africk, were the Theatres, and which has a still clofer Connection with the Roman History than with that of which I am now treating. I fhall confine my self therefore principally to what regards the Carthaginians, and endeavour as much as I can to give my Reader an Idea of the Genius and Character of Hannibal, the greatest Warrior which perhaps Antiquity has to boast of, The remote and nearer Caufes of the Second Punick BEFORE I Come to fpeak of the Declaration of the War betwixt the Romans and Carthaginians, I think my self oblig'd to lay before my Reader the true Caufes, and to point out by what Steps this Rupture betwixt thofe People was fo long forming and conducting before it broke out into an open Flame. A MAN wou'd extremely deceive himself, fays Polybius, who fhou'd afcribe the fecond Punick War to the taking of Saguntum as to its true Caufe. The Regret of the Carthaginians that they had fo tamely given up Sicily by the Treaty which termi nated nated the first Punick War; the Injuftice and Violence of the Romans, who moreover took Advantage from the Troubles excited in Africk, to wreft Sardinia from the Carthaginians, and to impofe a new Tribute the happy Succefs and Conquefts of the latter in Spain: These were the Caufes of the Violation of the Peace fubfifting betwixt thefe two Nations, as Livy, following herein the Plan of Polybius, infinuates in a few Words in the Beginning of his Hiftory of the fecond Punick War. In a word, Amilcar, firnam'd Barcas, bore with the greatest Uneafinefs the laft Treaty which the Neceffity of the Times had oblig'd the Carthaginians to fubmit to; and he meditated the Defign of forming juft, but diftant Meafures for breaking it upon the first favourable Occafion. WHEN the Troubles of Africk were compos'd, he was fent upon an Expedition against the Numidians, in which giving fresh Proofs of his Ability and Courage, his Merit rais'd him to the Command of the Army which was to act in Spain. Hannibal his Polyb.l.: Son, then only nine Years of Age, demanded with p. 126. the greatest Importunity to attend him in this Ex- Ed. Gr. pedition, and for that Purpose employ'd every Art and Flattery common to his Age, and prevalent with a Father who lov'd him tenderly. Amilcar cou'd not refuse him, and after having fworn him upon Altars that he wou'd declare himself an Enemy to the Romans as foon as his Age wou'd allow, he took him with him. AMILCAR was furnifh'd with all the Qualities requifite to a great General. To an invincible Courage, and the most confummate Prudence, he joyned a Behaviour the most popular and infinuating. He fubdu'd in a very fhort time the greatest Part of the Angebat ingentis fpiritus & Sardiniam inter motum Avirum ficilia Sardiniaque amiffe: Nam & Siciliam nimis celeri defperatione rerum conceffam; Q4 fricæ fraude Romanorum,ftipen Liv. 1. 21 n. I. |
