The Carthaginians endeavoured to pacify the Romans by
surrendering to them their cities, lands, rivers, &c., in short, by a
complete surrender of whatever they possessed, as well as of themselves. At
first the Romans appeared disposed to abstain from war on these conditions;
and the Carthaginians actually delivered up all their arms and warlike
engines, and witnessed the burning of their fleet; but the Romans, having
thus degraded them, and stript them in a great measure of the means of
defence, now insisted that Carthage itself should be destroyed, and that
the inhabitants should build a city at the distance of five leagues from,
the sea. Indignant at these demands, they resolved to sustain a siege; and,
in a very short time, they made immense preparations for defending their
city. At first they gained some success over the Romans; for their fleet
having come very near the shore, to transport the troops, who were
suffering from the vicinity of the marshes, to a healthier spot, the
Carthaginians fitted out a great number of fire ships, filled with tar,
sulphur, bitumen, &c., and taking advantage of a favourable wind, they sent
them among the Roman fleet, great part of which was thus destroyed.
But these and other successes did not ultimately avail them: Scipio who had
been chosen consul, arrived in Africa, and Carthage was immediately
strictly blocked up by sea and land.
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