The populace must be stirred up.

We have a small majority in the council, but the middle class, the men who will vote, are with Hanno.

Some have been bought with his gold, some of the weak fools dream that Carthage can be great simply as a trading power without army or navy, and think only of the present advantage they would gain by remission of taxation.

It is these we have to fear, and we must operate upon them by means of the populace.
"If the people gather in the streets and shout for Hannibal, these cowards will hesitate.

They are accessible only in their moneybags, and rather than risk a riot they would vote for the destruction of Moloch's temple.