+85.+ But when they had used up for food the captives in this horrible
manner, and then the bodies of their slaves, and still no one came to
their relief from Tunes, their sufferings became too dreadful to bear;
and the common soldiers broke out into open threats of violence against
their officers. Thereupon Autaritus, Zarzas, and Spendius decided
to put themselves into the hands of the enemy and to hold a parley
with Hamilcar, and try to make terms. They accordingly sent a herald
and obtained permission for the despatch of an embassy. It consisted
of ten ambassadors, who, on their arrival at the Carthaginian camp,
concluded an agreement with Hamilcar on these terms: “The Carthaginians
may select any ten men they choose from the enemy, and allow the rest
to depart with one tunic a-piece.” No sooner had these terms been
agreed to, than Hamilcar said at once that he selected, according
to the terms of the agreement, the ten ambassadors themselves. The
Carthaginians thus got possession of Autaritus, Spendius, and the other
most conspicuous officers. The Libyans saw that their officers were
arrested, and not knowing the terms of the treaty, believed that some
perfidy was being practised against them, and accordingly flew to seize
their arms. Hamilcar thereupon surrounded them with his elephants and
his entire force, and destroyed them to a man. This slaughter, by which
more than forty thousand perished, took place near a place called the
Saw, so named from its shape resembling that tool.
[Sidenote: Siege of Mathōs in Tunes.]
[Sidenote: Defeat and death of Hannibal.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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