ccounts of the resources of
Carthage. The Romans compelled the Carthaginians to destroy their timber
and the materials they had in abundance for building a new fleet. Still
the Senate, having the control of the foreign relations, and having become
a mere assembly of kings, with the great power which the government of
provinces gave to it, was filled with renewed jealousy. Cato never made a
speech without closing with these words: "_Carthago est delenda._" A blind
hatred animated that vindictive and narrow old patrician, who headed a
party with the avowed object of the destruction of Carthage. And it was
finally determined to destroy the city.

(M894) The Romans took the Carthaginians to account for the war with
Masinissa, and not contented with the humiliation of their old rival,
aimed at her absolute ruin, though she had broken no treaties. The
Carthaginians, broken-hearted, sent embassy after embassy, imploring the
Senate to preserve peace, to whom the senators gave equivocal answers. The
situation of Carthage was hopeless and miserable--stripped by Masinissa of
the rich towns of Emporia, and on the eve of another conflict with the
mistress of the world.

(M895) Had the city been animated by the spirit which Hannibal had sought
to infuse, she was still capable of a noble defense. She ruled over three
hundred Libyan cities, and had a population of seven hundred thousand. She
had accumulated two hundred thousand stand of arms, and two thousand
catapults. And she had the means to manufacture a still greater amount.
But she had, unfortunately, on the first demand of the Romans, surrendered
these means of defense.

(M896) At last Rome declared war, B.C. 149--the wickedest war in which she
ever engaged--and Cato had the satisfaction of seeing, at the age of
eighty-five, his policy indorsed against every principle of justice and
honor. A Roman army landed in Africa unopposed, and the Carthaginians were
weak enough to surrender, not only three hundred hostages from the noblest
families, but the arms already enumerated. Nothing but infatuation can
account for this miserable concession of weakness to strength, all from a
blind confidence in the tender mercies of an unpitying and unscrupulous
foe. Then, when the city was defenseless, the hostages in the hands of the
Romans, and they almost at the gates, it was coolly announced that it was
the will of the Senate that the city should be destroyed.

(M897) Too late, the doomed c