E IN THE
TOWN BEING IN FEAR OF CAPTURE SENT HERALDS TO THE CONSUL TO THE END
THAT HAVING BY SOME SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENT INDUCED HIM TO GO AWAY
THEY MIGHT AVOID THE DANGER OF THE MOMENT AND SO ESCAPE. BUT WHEN MANY
UNREASONABLE DEMANDS WERE MADE OF THEM, THEY DECIDED THAT THE TRUCE
WOULD MEAN THEIR UTTER SUBJUGATION AND PREPARED RATHER TO FIGHT.

[Sidenote: B.C. 255 (_a.u._ 499)] Regulus, however, who up to that
time was fortunate, became filled with boastfulness and conceit, so
much so that he even wrote to Rome that he had sealed up the gates of
Carthage with fear. His followers and the people of Rome thought the
same way, and this caused their undoing. Allies of various sorts came
to the Carthaginians, among them Xanthippus from Sparta. He assumed
the general superintendence of the Carthaginians, for the populace was
eager to entrust matters to his charge and Hamilcar together with the
other officials stepped aside voluntarily. The new leader, then,
disposed things excellently in every way, and particularly he brought
the Carthaginians down from the heights, where they were staying
through fear, into the level country, where their horses and elephants
were sure to develop greatest power. For some time he remained
inactive until at length he found the Romans encamped in a way that
betokened their contempt. They were very haughty over their victorious
progress and looked down upon Xanthippus as a "Graecus" (this is a name
they give to Hellenes and they use this epithet as a reproach to them
for their mean birth); [Sidenote: B.C. 255 (_a.u._ 499)] consequently
they had constructed their camp in a heedless fashion. While the
Romans were in this situation, Xanthippus assailed them, routed their
cavalry with his elephants, cut down many and captured many alive,
among them Regulus himself. This put the Carthaginians in high
spirits. They saved the lives of the captives in order that their own
citizens previously taken captive by the Romans might not be killed.
All the Roman prisoners were treated with consideration except
Regulus, whom they kept in a state of utter misery; they offered him
only just food enough to maintain existence and they would repeatedly
lead an elephant close up to him to frighten him, so that he might
have peace in neither body nor mind. After afflicting him in this way
for a good while they placed him in prison.

The manner in which the Carthaginians dealt with their allies forms a
chapter of grea