When Hanno had concluded, there was no occasion for any one to contend with
him in debate, to such a decree were almost all the senators devoted to Hannibal;
and they accused Hanno of having spoken with more malignity than Flaccus Valerius,
the Roman ambassador. It was then said in answer to the Roman ambassadors, "that
the war had been commenced by the Saguntines, not by Hannibal; and that the
Roman people acted unjustly if they preferred the Saguntines to the most ancient
alliance of the Carthaginians." Whilst the Romans
waste time in sending embassies, Hannibal, because his soldiers were fatigued
with the battles and the works, allowed them rest for a few days, parties being
stationed to guard the vineae and other works. In the mean time he inflames
their minds, now by inciting their anger against the enemy, now with the hope
of reward. But when he declared before the assembled army, that the plunder
of the captured city should be given to the soldiers, to such a degree were
they all excited, that if the signal had been immediately given, it appeared
that they could not have been resisted by any force. The Saguntines, as they
had a respite from fighting, neither for some days attacking nor attacked, so
they had not, by night or day, ever ceased from toiling, that they might repair
anew the wall in the quarter where the town had been exposed by the breach.
A still more desperate storming than the former then assailed them; nor whilst
all quarters resounded with various clamours, could they satisfactorily know
where first or principally they should lend assistance. Hannibal, as an encouragement,
was present in person, where a movable tower, exceeding in height all the fortifications
of the city, was urged forward. When being brought up it had cleared the walls
of their defenders by means of the catapultae and ballistae ranged through all
its stories, then Hannibal, thinking it a favourable opportunity, sends about
five hundred Africans with pickaxes to undermine the wall: nor was the work
difficult, since the unhewn stones were not fastened with lime, but filled in
their interstices with clay, after the manner of ancient building. It fell,
therefore, more extensively than it was struck, and through the open spaces
of the ruins troops of armed men rushed into the city. They also obtain possession
of a rising ground; and having collected thither catapultae and ballistae, so
that they might have a fort in the city itself, commanding it like a citadel,
they surround it with a wall: and the Saguntines raise an inner wall before
the part of the city which was not yet taken. On both sides they exert the utmost
vigour in fortifying and fighting: but the Saguntines, by erecting these inner
defences, diminish daily the size of their city. At the same time, the want
of all supplies increased through the length of the siege, and the expectation
of foreign aid diminished, since the Romans, their only hope, were at such a
distance, and all the country round was in the power of the enemy. The sudden
departure of Hannibal against the Oretani and Carpetani
revived for a little their drooping spirits; which two nations, though, exasperated
by the severity of the levy, they had occasioned, by detaining the commissaries,
the fear of a revolt, having been suddenly checked by the quickness of Hannibal,
laid down the arms they had taken up.
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