Sicily and Sardinia have been lost; our allies in Africa have been goaded by their exactions again and again into rebellion, and Carthage has more than once lately been obliged to fight hard for her very existence.

The lower classes in the city are utterly disaffected; their earnings are wrung from them by the tax gatherers.
Justice is denied them by the judges, who are the mere creatures of the committee of five.

The suffetes are mere puppets in their hands.

Our vessels lie unmanned in our harbours, because the funds which should pay the sailors are appropriated by our tyrants to their own purposes.

How can a Carthaginian who loves his country remain silent ?" "All you say is true, Giscon," the general said gravely, "though I should be pressed to death were it whispered in Carthage that I said so; but at present we can do nothing.