It can readily be imagined that the Queen of Carthage, in her present position, both as regards her regality and widowhood would not be without suitors for her hand in a second marriage. Many surrounding Princes approached her court to obtain that honour, but all were respectfully rejected, not only in fulfilment of her oath, but from her idolatrous devotion to the memory of her murdered bridegroom. These Royal suitors received the refusal with the respect due to her station, and without any desire to inquire into the cause, or motive of her negative. There was one, however, who would not be satisfied with the simple denial,--but resolved that if she could not be won by the terms of peace, she should be conquered by the deeds of war;--even if, as at a later period, that war should be carried into Africa,--though the Catonian sentence "_Delenda est Carthago_" should be the motto of his advancing banners. This bold suitor was Jarbas, the powerful King of Getulia, who threatened to declare war against her new nation, if she persisted in refusing his solicitation of her widowed hand in marriage. To violate her oath was impossible,--it would have been a double perjury,--to the Gods and to the Dead: to have married in disregard of her oath, would have merged her own kingdom into that of her proposed husband's: if she suffered war to be made upon Carthage, her capital might be entirely destroyed,--her people enslaved,--and herself the violated victim of the Conqueror. In this dire extremity, she desired time from Jarbas for full consideration of the alternative; and, also, that the manes of her departed husband might be appeased by a necessary sacrifice! The King of Getulia at once was softened, and instantly yielded to her reasonable request. The Queen, however, before she made the proposal, had formed her resolution. There was but one way to save her name and people,--to keep her oath inviolate,--and to prove the heroism of Woman's devotion:--it was indeed by a Sacrifice to her Husband's departed Spirit,--but Death was to be the Priest,--her Country the Altar,--and her own Life the Offering!