that they were betrayed, and thereupon immediately took up arms.
But Hamilcar, having surrounded them, brought forward his elephants; and
either trod them all under foot, or cut them to pieces, they being upwards
of forty thousand.

The consequence of this victory was, the reduction of almost all the
cities of Africa, which immediately returned to their allegiance.
Hamilcar, without loss of time, marched against Tunis, which, ever since
the beginning of the war, had been the asylum of the rebels, and their
place of arms. He invested it on one side, whilst Hannibal, who was joined
in the command with him, besieged it on the other. Then advancing near the
walls, and ordering crosses to be set up, he hung Spendius on one of them,
and his companions who had been seized with him on the rest, where they
all expired. Matho, the other chief, who commanded in the city, saw
plainly by this what he himself might expect; and for that reason was much
more attentive to his own defence. Perceiving that Hannibal, as being
confident of success, was very negligent in all his motions, he made a
sally, attacked his quarters, killed many of his men, took several
prisoners, among whom was Hannibal himself, and plundered his camp. Then
taking Spendius from the cross, he put Hannibal in his place, after having
made him suffer inexpressible torments; and sacrificed round the body of
Spendius thirty citizens of the first quality in Carthage, as so many
victims of his vengeance. One would conclude, that there had been a mutual
emulation betwixt the contending parties, which of them should outdo the
other in acts of the most barbarous cruelty.

Barca being at that time at a distance, it was long before the news of his
colleague's misfortune reached him; and besides, the road lying betwixt
the two camps being impassable, it was impossible for him to advance
hastily to his assistance. This disastrous accident caused a great
consternation in Carthage. The reader may have observed, in the course of
this war, a continual vicissitude of prosperity and adversity, of security
and fear, of joy and grief; so various and inconstant were the events on
either side.

In Carthage it was thought advisable to make one bold effort. Accordingly,
all the youth capable of bearing arms were pressed into the service. Hanno
was sent to join Hamilcar; and thirty senators were deputed to conjure
those generals, in the name of the republic, to forget past quarrels, and
s