e soldiers who had served under the
Carthaginians in Sardinia and Sicily, upon peace being proclaimed,
returned to Africa; where, being dissatisfied with their pay, they
mutinied against the Carthaginians, and choosing two of their number,
Mato and Spendio, to be their leaders, seized and sacked many towns
subject to Carthage. The Carthaginians, being loath to use force until
they had tried all other methods for bringing them to reason, sent
Hasdrubal, their fellow-citizen, to mediate with them, thinking that
from formerly having commanded them he might be able to exercise some
influence over them. But on his arrival, Spendio and Mato, to extinguish
any hope these mutineers might have had of making peace with Carthage,
and so leave them no alternative but war, persuaded them that their best
course was to put Hasdrubal, with all the other Carthaginian citizens
whom they had taken prisoners, to death. Whereupon, they not only put
them to death, but first subjected them to an infinity of tortures;
crowning their wickedness by a proclamation to the effect that every
Carthaginian who might thereafter fall into their hands should meet a
like fate. This advice, therefore, and its consummation had the effect
of rendering these mutineers relentless and inveterate in their
hostility to the Carthaginians.

CHAPTER XXXIII.--_That to insure victory in battle you must inspire your
Men with confidence in one another and in you._

To insure an army being victorious in battle you must inspire it with
the conviction that it is certain to prevail. The causes which give
it this confidence are its being well armed and disciplined, and the
soldiers knowing one another. These conditions are only to be found
united in soldiers born and bred in the same country.

It is likewise essential that the army should think so well of its
captain as to trust implicitly to his prudence; which it will always do
if it see him careful of its welfare, attentive to discipline, brave in
battle, and otherwise supporting well and honourably the dignity of his
position. These conditions he fulfils when, while punishing faults, he
does not needlessly harass his men, keeps his word with them, shows them
that the path to victory is easy, and conceals from them, or makes light
of things which seen from a distance might appear to threaten danger.
The observance of these precautions will give an army great confidence,
and such confidence leads to victory.

This