# CHAPTER XXXII —_Of the methods which some have used to make Peace

CHAPTER XXXII.—_Of the methods which some have used to make Peace
impossible_.


The towns of Cære and Velitræ, two of her own colonies, revolted from
Rome in expectation of being protected by the Latins. But the Latins
being routed and all hopes of help from that quarter at an end, many of
the townsmen recommended that envoys should be sent to Rome to make
their peace with the senate. This proposal, however, was defeated by
those who had been the prime movers of the revolt, who, fearing that
the whole punishment might fall on their heads, to put a stop to any
talk of an adjustment, incited the multitude to take up arms and make a
foray into the Roman territory.

And, in truth, when it is desired that a prince or people should banish
from their minds every thought of reconciliation, there is no surer or
more effectual plan than to incite them to inflict grave wrong on him
with whom you would not have them be reconciled; for, then, the fear of
that punishment which they will seem to themselves to have deserved,
will always keep them apart. At the close of the first war waged by the
Romans against Carthage, the soldiers who had served under the
Carthaginians in Sardinia and Sicily, upon peace being proclaimed,
returned to Africa; where, being dissatisfied with their pay, they
mutinied against the Carthaginians, and choosing two of their number,
Mato and Spendio, to be their leaders, seized and sacked many towns
subject to Carthage. The Carthaginians, being loath to use force until
they had tried all other methods for bringing them to reason, sent
Hasdrubal, their fellow-citizen, to mediate with them, thinking that
from formerly having commanded them he might be able to exercise some
influence over them. But on his arrival, Spendio and Mato, to
extinguish any hope these mutineers might have had of making peace with
Carthage, and so leave them no alternative but war, persuaded them that
their best course was to put Hasdrubal, with all the other Carthaginian
citizens whom they had taken prisoners, to death. Whereupon, they not
only put them to death, but first subjected them to an infinity of
tortures; crowning their wickedness by a proclamation to the effect
that every Carthaginian who might thereafter fall into their hands
should meet a like fate. This advice, therefore, and its consummation
had the effect of rendering these mutineers relentless and inveterate
in their hostility to the Carthaginians.