These two bodies constituted the Carthaginian legion, and formed but
a small proportion indeed of her armies, the rest of her forces
being entirely drawn from the tributary states. The fact that
Carthage, with her seven hundred thousand inhabitants, furnished
so small a contingent of the fighting force of the republic, was
in itself a proof of the weakness of the state. A country which relies
entirely for its defence upon mercenaries is rapidly approaching
decay.

She may for a time repress one tributary with the soldiers of the
others; but when disaster befalls her she is without cohesion and
falls to pieces at once. As the Roman orator well said of Carthage:
"She was a figure of brass with feet of clay" -- a noble and
imposing object to the eye, but whom a vigourous push would level
in the dust. Rome, on the contrary, young and vigourous, was a people
of warriors. Every one of her citizens who was capable of bearing
arms was a soldier. The manly virtues were held in the highest
esteem, and the sordid love of wealth had not as yet enfeebled
her strength or sapped her powers. Her citizens were men, indeed,
ready to make any sacrifice for their country; and such being the
case, her final victory over Carthage was a matter of certainty.

The news which afforded Malchus such delight was not viewed with
the same unmixed satisfaction by the members of his family. Thyra
had for the last year been betrothed to Adherbal, and he, too, was
to accompany Hamilcar to Spain, and none could say how long it
might be before they would return.

While the others were sitting round the festive board, Adherbal