influence. Rome looked with a jealous eye upon
its reviving power, and encouraged Masinissa to make repeated
aggressions upon its territory. At length the popular party, having
obtained more weight in the government, made a stand against these
repeated encroachments of Masinissa. Thereupon Cato recommended an
instant declaration of war against Carthage; but this met with
considerable opposition in the Senate, and it was at length arranged
that an embassy should be sent to Africa to gain information as to the
real state of affairs. The ten embassadors, of whom Cato was the chief,
offered their arbitration, which was accepted by Masinissa, but rejected
by the Carthaginians, who had no confidence in Roman justice. The
deputies accurately observed the warlike preparations and the defenses
of the frontier. They then entered the city, and saw the strength and
population it had acquired since the Second Punic War. Upon their return
Cato was the foremost in asserting that Rome would never be safe as long
as Carthage was so powerful, so hostile, and so near. One day he drew a
bunch of early ripe figs from beneath his robe, and, throwing it upon
the floor of the Senate-house, said to the assembled fathers, who were
astonished at the freshness and fineness of the fruit, "Those figs were
gathered but three days ago at Carthage; so close is our enemy to our
walls." From that time forth, whenever he was called upon for his vote
in the Senate, though the subject of debate bore no relation to
Carthage, his words were, "Delenda est Carthago," "Carthage must be
destroyed."[57]

Cato's opinion prevailed, and the Senate only waited for a favorable
opportunity to destroy the city. This soon occurred. The popular party
having driven into exile the powerful partisans of Masinissa, the old
Numidian king invaded the Carthaginian territory, and defeated the army
which had been raised to oppose him (B.C. 150). This led to a change in
the government, and the aristocratical party, once more restored to
power, hastened to make their submission to Rome. But the Romans had
resolved upon war, and, when the Carthaginian embassadors arrived at
Rome, the two Consuls were already levying troops. The embassadors,
knowing that resistance was hopeless, sought to appease the anger of the
Senate by unconditional obedience. They were ordered to send 300 youths
of the noblest families to meet the Consuls at Lilybaeum, and were told
that the Consuls would acquaint