148 THE ORDERS OF THE CONSULS. 



sails and departed from the coast. The roofs of the 

 palaces of Carthage were crowded with women who 

 watched those receding sails with straining eyes and 

 outstretched arms. Never more would they see their 

 beloved ones again. Yet they would not, perhaps, 

 .have grieved so much at the children leaving Carthage 

 had they known what was to come. 



The city gates again opened. The Senate sent its 

 council to the Roman camp. A company of venerable 

 men clad in purple, with golden chains, presented 

 themselves at head-quarters and requested to know 

 what were the " orders of the consuls." They were told 

 that Carthage must disarm. They returned to the 

 city and at once sent out to the camp all their fleet- 

 material and artillery, all the military stores in the 

 public magazines, and all the arms that could be found 

 in the possession of private individuals. Three thou- 

 sand catapults and two hundred thousand sets of 

 armour were given up. 



They again came out to the camp. The military 

 council was assembled to receive them. The old 

 men saluted the Roman ensigns, and bowed low to the 

 consuls, placing their hands upon their breasts. The 

 orders of the consuls, they said, had been obeyed. Was 

 there anything more that their lords had to command ? 



The senior consul rose up and said that there was 

 something more. He was instructed by the Roman 

 Senate to inform the senators of Carthage that the 

 city must be destroyed .... but that, in accord- 

 ance with the promise of the Roman Senate, their 

 country, their laws, their sepulchres, their liberties, 

 and their estates would be preserved, and they 

 might build another city. Only it must be without 

 walls, and at a distance of at least ten miles from the sea. 



