THE CITY IN BLACK. 129 



that the Carthaginian armament had been prepared 

 against Rome, and declared war. "When Carthage, in 

 the last stage of misery and prostration, prayed for 

 peace in the name of all the pitiful gods, it was 

 granted. But Rome had been put to some expense 

 on account of this intended war; they must therefore 

 pay an additional indemnity, and surrender Corsica 

 and Sardinia. Poor Carthage was made to bite the 

 dust indeed. 



Hamilcar Barca was appointed commander-in-chief. 

 He was the favourite of the people. He had to the 

 last remained unconquered in Sicily. He had saved 

 the city from the mutineers. His honour was un- 

 stained : his patriotism was pure. 



In that hour of calamity and shame, when the city 

 was hung with black ; when the spacious docks were 

 empty and bare ; when there was woe in every face, 

 and the memory of death in every house, faction was 

 forced to be silent, and the people were permitted to 

 be heard, and those who loved their country more 

 than their party rejoiced to see a Man at the head of 

 affairs. But Hamilcar knew well that he was hated 

 by the leaders of the Government, the politicians by 

 profession, those men who had devoured the gold 

 which was the very heart of Carthage, and had brought 

 upon her by their dishonesty this last distressing war ; 

 those men who, by their miserable suspicions and in- 

 trigues, had ever deprived their best generals of their 

 commands as soon as they began to succeed, and ap- 

 pointed generals whom they — and the enemy — had 

 no cause to fear. To him was intrusted by the 

 patriots the office of regenerating Carthage. But how 

 was it to be done ? Without money he was power- 

 less : without money he could not keep his army to- 

 I 



