The Romans chose this distressing juncture to declare war against them.
As one proof of their sincere desire for peace, they had previously delivered up to the Romans all their arms and warlike engines, of which they possessed prodigious magazines; thus leaving themselves still more defenceless than before.
23.

The wretched Carthaginians, finding that the conquerors would not desist from making demands, while the vanquished had any thing to give, attempted to soften the victors by submission; but they received orders to leave the city, which was to be levelled with the ground.
24.

This severe command they received with all the distress of a despairing people: they implored for a respite from such a hard sentence: they used tears and lamentations; but finding the consuls inexorable, they departed with a gloomy resolution, prepared to suffer the utmost extremities, and fight to the last for their seat of empire.
25.

Those vessels, therefore, of gold and silver, which their luxury had taken such pride in, were converted into arms.

The women parted also with their ornaments, and even cut off their hair to be converted into strings for the bowmen.