21.2
Smarting
under these wrongs, he made it quite clear from his conduct of the African
War which followed immediately upon the conclusion of peace with Rome,
and from the way in which he strengthened and extended the rule of
Carthage during the nine years' war with Spain, that he was meditating a far
greater war than any he was actually engaged in, and that had he lived longer
it would have been under his command that the Carthaginians effected the
invasion of Italy, which they actually carried out under Hannibal. The death
of Hamilcar, occurring as it did most opportunely, and the tender years of
Hannibal delayed the war. Hasdrubal, coming between father and son, held
the supreme power for eight years. He is said to have become a favourite of
Hamilcar's owing to his personal beauty as a boy; afterwards he displayed
talents of a very different order, and became his son-in-law. Through this
connection he was placed in power by the influence of the Barcine party,
which was unduly preponderant with the soldiers and the common people,
but his elevation was utterly against the wishes of the nobles. Trusting to
policy rather than to arms, he did more to extend the empire of Carthage by
forming connections with the petty chieftains and winning over new tribes by
making friends of their leading men than by force of arms or by war. But
peace brought him no security. A barbarian whose master he had put to
death murdered him in broad daylight, and when seized by the bystanders he
looked as happy as though he had escaped. Even when put to the torture, his
delight at the success of his attempt mastered his pain and his face wore a
smiling expression. Owing to the marvellous tact he had shown in winning
over the tribes and incorporating them into his dominions, the Romans had
renewed the treaty with Hasdrubal. Under its terms, the River Ebro was to
form the boundary between the two empires, and Saguntum, occupying an
intermediate position between them, was to be a free city.