The Mutineers Resolve to Murder Gesco
This conspiracy of Mathōs and Spendius caused an
outbreak about this same time in another
quarter.
For the mercenaries who were in
garrison in
Sardinia, inspired by their example,
attacked the Carthaginians in the island; beleaguered Bostarus,
the commander of the foreign contingent, in the citadel; and
finally put him and his compatriots to the sword. The
Carthaginians thereupon sent another army into the island
under Hanno. But the men deserted to the mutineers; who
then seized Hanno and crucified him, and exercising all their
ingenuity in the invention of tortures racked to death every
Carthaginian in the island. Having got the towns into their
power, they thenceforth kept forcible possession of the island;
until they quarrelled with the natives and were driven by them
into
Italy. This was the way in which
Carthage lost
Sardinia,
an island of first-rate importance from its size, the number of
its inhabitants, and its natural products. But as many have
described it at great length, I do not think that I need repeat
statements about which there is no manner of dispute.
To return to
Libya. The indulgence shown by Hamilcar
B. C. 239. Plan of Spendius for doing away with the good impression made by the leniency of Barcas. |
to the captives alarmed Mathōs and Spendius
and Autaritus Gaul. They were afraid that
conciliatory treatment of this sort would induce
the Libyans, and the main body of the mercenaries, to embrace with eagerness the impunity
thus displayed before their eyes. They consulted together, therefore, how they might by some new act
of infamy inflame to the highest pitch of fury the feelings of
their men against the Carthaginians. They finally determined
upon the following plan. They summoned a meeting of the
soldiers; and when it was assembled, they introduced a bearer
of a despatch which they represented to have been sent by
their fellow conspirators in
Sardinia. The despatch warned
them to keep a careful watch over Gesco and all his fellow
prisoners (whom, as has been stated, they had treacherously
seized in Tunes), as certain persons in the camp were secretly
negotiating with the Carthaginians for their release. Taking
this as his text, Spendius commenced by urging the men not
to put any trust in the indulgence shown by the Carthaginian
general to the prisoners of war, "For," said he, "it is with no
intention of saving their lives that he adopted this course in
regard to the prisoners; his aim was, by releasing them, to get
us into his power, that punishment might not be confined to
some of us, but might fall on all at once." He went on to
urge them to be on their guard, lest by letting Gesco's party
go they should teach their enemies to despise them; and should
also do great practical damage to their own interests, by suffering a man to escape who was an excellent general, and likely
to be a most formidable enemy to themselves. Before he had
finished this speech another courier arrived, pretending to
have been sent by the garrison at Tunes, and bearing a
despatch containing warnings similar to that from
Sardinia.
