Polybius - "The Histories (Book I)" (Chap. 86) lyrics

1 By this achievement Hamilcar again made the Carthaginians very hopeful of better fortune, although by this time they had nearly given up all for lost. In conjunction with Naravas and Hannibal he now raided the country and its towns. 2 The Libyans in general gave in and went over to them owing to the recent victory, and after reducing most of the cities, the Carthaginians reached Tunis and began to besiege Mathos. 3 Hannibal encamped on the side of the town next Carthage and Hamilcar on the opposite side. 4 Their next step was to take Spendius and the other prisoners up to the walls and crucify them there in the sight of all. 5 Mathos noticed that Hannibal was guilty of negligence and over-confidence, and attacking his camp, put many Carthaginians to the sword and drove them all out of the camp. All the baggage fell into the rebels'º hands and they made Hannibal himself prisoner. 6 Taking him at once to Spendius' cross they tortured him cruelly there, and then, taking Spendius down from the cross, they crucified Hannibal alive on it and slew round the body of Spendius thirty Carthaginians of the highest rank. 7 Thus did Fortune, as if it were her design to compare them, give both the belligerents in turn cause and opportunity for inflicting on each other the cruellest punishments. 8 Owing to the distance between the two camps it was some time before Hamilcar heard of the sortie and attack, and even then he was slow to give a**istance owing to the difficult nature of the interjacent ground. 9 He therefore broke up his camp before Tunis and on reaching the river Macaras, encamped at its mouth by the seaside.