Three things must be noticed in regard to the Carthaginians. First, among them the means of life of private
persons are supplied by the produce of the land; secondly, all
public expenses for war material and stores are discharged
from the tribute paid by the people of
Libya; and thirdly, it is
their regular custom to carry on war by means of mercenary
troops. At this moment they not only found themselves unexpectedly deprived of all these resources at once, but saw
each one of them actually employed against
themselves.
Such an unlooked-for event
naturally reduced them to a state of great
discouragement and despair. After the long agony of the
Sicilian war they were in hopes, when the peace was ratified,
that they might obtain some breathing space and some period
of settled content. The very reverse was now befalling them.
They were confronted by an outbreak of war still more difficult
and formidable. In the former they were disputing with
Rome
for the possession of
Sicily: but this was a domestic war, and
the issue at stake was the bare existence of themselves and
their county. Besides, the many battles in which they had
been engaged at sea had naturally left them ill supplied with
arms, sailors, and vessels. They had no store of provisions
ready, and no expectation whatever of external assistance from
friends or allies. They were indeed now thoroughly taught
the difference between a foreign war, carried on beyond the
seas, and a domestic insurrection and disturbance.
