Hanno and his friends have determined to oppose the appointment of Hannibal to the army in Spain." The fisherman gave a grunt, which signified that the matter was one of which he knew nothing, and which affected him not in the slightest.
"Don't you see the importance of this ?" Malchus said.

"If Hannibal doesn't get the command our troops will be beaten, and we shall lose all our trade with Spain." The fisherman still appeared apathetic.
"My sons have all taken to fishing," he said indifferently, "and it matters nothing to them whether we lose the trade of Spain or not." "But it would make a difference," Malchus said, "if no more gold and silver came from Spain, because then, you know, people wouldn't be able to pay a good price for fish, and there would be bad times for you fishermen.

But that is not the worst of it.

The Romans are so alarmed by our progress in Spain that they are glad to keep friends with us, but if we were driven out from there they would soon be at war again.

You and your sons would be pressed for the ships of war, and like enough you might see the Roman fleets hovering on our coasts and picking up our fishing boats." "By Astarte," the fisherman exclaimed, "but that would be serious, indeed; and you say all this will happen unless Hannibal remains as general in Spain ?" "That is so," Malchus nodded.
"Then I tell you what, my boys," the fisherman said, rising and rubbing his hands, "we must put our oars into this business.