Before Chrift 219. 99, 



clan had not .taught them to dig a canal to bring the water to her *. 

 The other one, intended only for the river, was about 300 feet long, 

 and above 45 feet broad, and had alfo a double bottom. But this was 

 not properly a Ihip, of which it had not even the form, but rather a 

 floating ifland, or pleafure palace, conllrudled upon two very large 

 fcows, probably fuch as the coal-barges on the Thames, which was con- 

 ceived by luxurious idlenefs, and executed by fuperabundant wealth. 



Though a peace had been concluded between Rome and Carthage, it 

 was not the intention of either party to keep it any longer than till it 

 fhould be convenient to renew the war. The Carthaginians were inlli- 

 gated by revenge for the unfair advantages' taken of them. It was a 

 maxim of the Romans never to be truely at peace with any nation, who 

 did not become fubjedl to them, even though poor ; and of all nations 

 the Carthaginians could beft pay for the labour of deftroying them. 

 The Romans, in fhort, were a people, whom it was neceflary to extermi- 

 nate, or to fubmit to. But this alternative, the only one they allowed 

 to the nations of the earth, though fo evident to every attentive reader 

 of hiflory, does not appear to have been fufficiently attended to by any 

 of the nations of antiquity, nor even by any individual whofe name is 

 recorded in hiflory, except the great Carthaginian general Amilcar, and 

 his fon, the greater Hannibal f. 



Since the conclufion of the firft war with Rome, the armies of Car- 

 thage had been confhantly exercifed for above twenty years in all the 

 duties and hardfhips of war ; and were in all refpeds fuperior to thofe 

 of Rome. Their dominions at this time extended along the fhores of 

 the Mediterranean from the confines of Cyrenaica, fubjed: to the kings 

 of Egypt, weftward to the Straits, and thence northward almoft to the 

 Pyrenaean mountains, and comprehended the iflands between Spain and 

 Africa, and thofe between Sicily and Africa. Now therefor Hannibal 

 thought it was the proper time to be revenged of the Romans; and hav- 

 ing taken Saguntum in order to begin the quarrel, he immediately 



* According to the allowance made by General mod 120 feet afunder ; a prodigious breadth aloft, 



Melville for the perpendicular height between the to be fupported upon only 57 feet of breadth at 



tires of oars, the uppermoll row-ports of this en- the water-line. [See above, p. 31, Note, and the 



ormous Ihip could not be Icfs than 52 feet from place.] 



the water. But with fuch a height the length of Pliny raifes Philopator's (hip to fifty tires of 

 the uppermoft oars, being only ^^{^ feet, allows oars ; and he afcribes one of forty to his grand- 

 nothing either for immerfioii in the water, or for father Pliiladelphus. But the authority of Cal- 

 the neceffary angle with the furface of it. It is lixenus and Mofepion, as handed down to us by 

 therefor pretty certain, that the great number of AtlieuKus, from wliom I have taken the account 

 the tires was intended merely for idle parade, and of thefe three fliips, appears to be preferable, 

 that it was effe6led, as the great length of the (liip f To thefe might be added Hcrennius, who fa- 

 would eafily permit, by placing them not quite ten gacioufly advifed his Ion Pontius, the general of 

 inches in perpendicular height above each-other, the Samnites, either to malTacre a Roman army. 

 And even with that height, and the uppermoft who were totally in his power, or generoufly to fet 

 oars fcarcely dipping in the water, the gunnels, them at liberty ; if the ilory were within the li- 

 as I find by a drawing made from a fcale, mull mils of authentic hiftory. \_Li'v. HlJ]. L.'i'X.,c. ^.'\ 



have been about 38 feet above the water, and al- 



N 2 



