§1.70.1στρατηγοὺς Μάθω καὶ Σπένδιον.
...generals Mathos and Spendius.
ὁ δὲ Γέσκων ἑώρα μὲν τὴν ὅλην ἀκαταστασίαν καὶ ταραχήν, περὶ πλείστου δὲ ποιούμενος τὸ τῇ πατρίδι συμφέρον καὶ θεωρῶν ὅτι τούτων ἀποθηριωθέντων κινδυνεύουσι προφανῶς οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι τοῖς ὅλοις πράγμασι, §1.70.2παρεβάλλετο καὶ προσεκαρτέρει, ποτὲ μὲν τοὺς προεστῶτας αὐτῶν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας λαμβάνων, ποτὲ δὲ κατὰ γένη συναθροίζων καὶ παρακαλῶν.
Gesco saw the overall instability and confusion, but, considering the interest of his country of the highest importance and seeing that if these men became utterly brutalized, the Carthaginians would face obvious danger in their entire fortune, he exposed himself to danger and held out persistently, sometimes treating with their leaders in person, and sometimes assembling and exhorting them according to their nationalities.
§1.70.3οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ τῶν Λιβύων οὐδέπω κεκομισμένων τὰς σιταρχίας, οἰομένων δὲ δεῖν ἀποδεδόσθαι σφίσι καὶ προσιόντων θρασέως, βουλόμενος ὁ Γέσκων ἐπιπλῆξαι τὴν προπέτειαν αὐτῶν, Μάθω τὸν στρατηγὸν ἀπαιτεῖν ἐκέλευεν.
Nevertheless, since the Libyans had not yet received their rations, and thinking that these ought to be given to them, they approached him insolently; Gesco, wishing to chastise their rashness, ordered them to demand them from Mathos their general.
§1.70.4οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον διωργίσθησαν ὥστʼ οὐδὲ τὸν τυχόντα χρόνον ἀναστροφὴν δόντες ὥρμησαν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐπὶ τὸ διαρπάζειν τὰ πρόχειρα τῶν χρημάτων, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα συλλαμβάνειν τόν τε Γέσκωνα καὶ τοὺς μετʼ αὐτοῦ Καρχηδονίους.
And they were so enraged at this that, without giving even a moment's respite, they rushed first of all to plunder the money close at hand, and after this to seize Gesco and the Carthaginians with him.
§1.70.5οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Μάθω καὶ τὸν Σπένδιον ὑπολαμβάνοντες τάχιστʼ ἂν οὕτως ἐκκαυθῆναι τὸν πόλεμον, εἰ παράνομόν τι πράξειαν καὶ παράσπονδον, συνήργουν ταῖς τῶν ὄχλων ἀπονοίαις καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀποσκευὴν τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἅμα τοῖς χρήμασι διήρπαζον, τὸν δὲ Γέσκωνα καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ δήσαντες ὑβριστικῶς εἰς φυλακὴν παρεδίδοσαν.
Mathos and Spendius and their party, supposing that in this way the war would be most quickly kindled, if they should commit some unlawful and treaty-breaking act, cooperated with the madness of the crowd, and plundered the baggage of the Carthaginians along with the money, and having bound Gesco and those with him in an insulting manner, committed them to prison.
§1.70.6καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπολέμουν ἤδη φανερῶς πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους, συνωμοσίας ἀσεβεῖς καὶ παρὰ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔθη ποιησάμενοι.
And henceforth they already waged war openly against the Carthaginians, having formed impious alliances contrary to the common customs of mankind.
§1.70.7ὁ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ξένους καὶ Λιβυκὸς ἐπικληθεὶς πόλεμος διὰ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαύτην ἔλαβε τὴν ἀρχήν.
The war, therefore, against the mercenaries, which was also called the Libyan War, for these reasons and in this manner had its beginning.
§1.70.8οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Μάθω συντελεσάμενοι τὰ προειρημένα παραυτίκα μὲν ἐξαπέστελλον πρέσβεις ἐπὶ τὰς κατὰ τὴν Λιβύην πόλεις, παρακαλοῦντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν καὶ δεόμενοι σφίσι βοηθεῖν καὶ συνεπιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν πραγμάτων.
And Mathos and his party, having accomplished the aforementioned things, immediately dispatched ambassadors to the cities throughout Libya, calling them to freedom, and begging them to assist them and take part in the cause.
§1.70.9μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πάντων σχεδὸν τῶν κατὰ τὴν Λιβύην ἑτοίμως συνυπακουσάντων αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἀπόστασιν καὶ τάς τε χορηγίας καὶ τὰς βοηθείας προθύμως ἐξαποστελλόντων, διελόντες σφᾶς πολιορκεῖν ἐνεχείρησαν οἱ μὲν τὴν Ἰτύκην, οἱ δὲ τοὺς Ἱππακρίτας, διὰ τὸ ταύτας τὰς πόλεις μὴ βού
After this, since almost all the cities in Libya readily listened to them for the rebellion against the Carthaginians and eagerly sent supplies and reinforcements, they divided their forces and undertook to besiege, some Utica, and others Hippacritae, because these cities did not wish...