those liberties are thought precarious or in danger. That foreign
soldiers are dangerous to liberty, we may produce examples from all
countries and all ages; but we shall instance only one, because it
is eminent above all the rest.

The Carthaginians, in their wars, did very much use mercenary and
foreign troops; and when the peace was made between them and the
Romans, after a long dispute for the dominion of Sicily, they
brought their army home to be paid and disbanded, which Gesco, their
General, had the charge of embarking, who did order all his part
with great dexterity and wisdom. But the State of Carthage wanting
money to clear arrears, and satisfy the troops, was forced to keep
them up longer than was designed. The army consisted of Gauls,
Ligurians, Baleareans, and Greeks. At first they were insolent in
their quarters in Carthage, and were prevailed upon to remove to
Sicca, where they were to remain and expect their pay. There they
grew presently corrupted with ease and pleasure, and fell into
mutinies and disorder, and to making extravagant demands of pay and
gratuities; and in a rage, with their arms in their hands, they
marched 20,000 of them towards Carthage, encamping within fifteen
miles of the city; and chose Spendius and Matho, two profligate
wretches, for their leaders, and imprisoned Gesco, who was deputed
to them from the commonwealth. Afterwards they caused almost all
the Africans, their tributaries, to revolt; they grew in a short
time to be 70,000 strong; they fought several battles with Hanno and
Hamilcar Barcas. During these transactions, the mercenaries that
were in garrison in Sardinia mutinied likewise, murdering their
commander and all the Carthaginians; while Spendius and Matho, to
render their accomplices more desperate, put Gesco to a cruel death,
presuming afterwards to lay siege to Carthage itself. They met with