emed
probable, when people recollected the former war, which had not more
been carried on than at first set on foot by the efforts of that
single man. Besides, he had by a recent act provoked the resentment of
many men in power.

46. The order of judges possessed, at that time, absolute power in
Carthage; and this was owing chiefly to their holding the office
during life. The property, character, and life of every man was in
their disposal. He who incurred the displeasure of one of that order,
found an enemy in every one of them; nor were accusers wanting in a
court where the justices were disposed to condemn. While they were
in possession of this despotism, (for they did not exercise their
exorbitant power constitutionally,) Hannibal was elected praetor and
he summoned the quaestor before him. The quaestor disregarded the
summons, for he was of the opposite faction; and besides, as the
practice was that, after the quaestorship men were advanced into the
order of judges, the most powerful of all, he already assumed a spirit
suited to the powers which he was shortly to possess. Hannibal, highly
offended Hereat, sent an officer to apprehend the quaestor; and,
bringing him forth into an assembly of the people, he made heavy
charges not against him alone, but on the whole order of judges; in
consequence of whose arrogance and power neither the magistracy nor
the laws availed any thing. Then perceiving that his discourse was
with willing ears attended to, and that the conduct of those men was
incompatible with the freedom of the lowest classes, he proposed a
law, and procured it to be enacted, that the "judges should be
elected annually; and that no person should hold the office two years
successively." But, whatever degree of favour he acquired among
the commons by this proceeding, he roused, in a great part of the
nobility, an equal degree of resentment. To this he added another act,
which, while it was for the advantage of the people, provoked personal
enmity against himself. The public revenues were partly wasted through
neglect, partly embezzled, and divided among some leading men and
magistrates; insomuch, that there was not money sufficient for the
regular annual payment of the tribute to the Romans, so that private
persons seemed to be threatened with a heavy tax.

47. When Hannibal had informed himself of the amount of the revenues
arising from taxes and port duties, for what purposes they were
issued from the tr