salammbo-第17章

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perpetuated　in　the　same　families；　people　tolerated　the　oligarchy

because　they　hoped　ultimately　to　share　in　it。



The　societies　of　merchants；　in　which　the　laws　were　elaborated；　chose

the　inspectors　of　the　exchequer；　who　on　leaving　office　nominated　the

hundred　members　of　the　Council　of　the　Ancients；　themselves　dependent

on　the　Grand　Assembly；　or　general　gathering　of　all　the　rich。　As　to　the

two　Suffets；　the　relics　of　the　monarchy　and　the　less　than　consuls；

they　were　taken　from　distinct　families　on　the　same　day。　All　kinds　of

enmities　were　contrived　between　them；　so　that　they　might　mutually

weaken　each　other。　They　could　not　deliberate　concerning　war；　and　when

they　were　vanquished　the　Great　Council　crucified　them。



The　power　of　Carthage　emanated；　therefore；　from　the　Syssitia；　that　is

to　say；　from　a　large　court　in　the　centre　of　Malqua；　at　the　place；　it

was　said；　where　the　first　bark　of　Phoenician　sailors　had　touched；　the

sea　having　retired　a　long　way　since　then。　It　was　a　collection　of

little　rooms　of　archaic　architecture；　built　of　palm　trunks　with

corners　of　stone；　and　separated　from　one　another　so　as　to　accommodate

the　various　societies　separately。　The　rich　crowded　there　all　day　to

discuss　their　own　concerns　and　those　of　the　government；　from　the

procuring　of　pepper　to　the　extermination　of　Rome。　Thrice　in　a　moon

they　would　have　their　beds　brought　up　to　the　lofty　terrace　running

along　the　wall　of　the　court；　and　they　might　be　seen　from　below　at

table　in　the　air；　without　cothurni　or　cloaks；　with　their　diamond…

covered　fingers　wandering　over　the　dishes；　and　their　large　earrings

hanging　down　among　the　flagons；all　fat　and　lusty；　half…naked；

smiling　and　eating　beneath　the　blue　sky；　like　great　sharks　sporting　in

the　sea。



But　just　now　they　were　unable　to　dissemble　their　anxiety；　they　were

too　pale　for　that。　The　crowd　which　waited　for　them　at　the　gates

escorted　them　to　their　palaces　in　order　to　obtain　some　news　from　them。

As　in　times　of　pestilence；　all　the　houses　were　shut；　the　streets　would

fill　and　suddenly　clear　again；　people　ascended　the　Acropolis　or　ran　to

the　harbour；　and　the　Great　Council　deliberated　every　night。　At　last

the　people　were　convened　in　the　square　of　Khamon；　and　it　was　decided

to　leave　the　management　of　things　to　Hanno；　the　conqueror　of

Hecatompylos。



He　was　a　true　Carthaginian；　devout；　crafty；　and　pitiless　towards　the

people　of　Africa。　His　revenues　equalled　those　of　the　Barcas。　No　one

had　such　experience　in　administrative　affairs。



He　decreed　the　enrolment　of　all　healthy　citizens；　he　placed　catapults

on　the　towers；　he　exacted　exorbitant　supplies　of　arms；　he　even　ordered

the　construction　of　fourteen　galleys　which　were　not　required；　and　he

desired　everything　to　be　registered　and　carefully　set　down　in　writing。

He　had　himself　conveyed　to　the　arsenal；　the　pharos；　and　the　treasuries

of　the　temples；　his　great　litter　was　continually　to　be　seen　swinging

from　step　to　step　as　it　ascended　the　staircases　of　the　Acropolis。　And

then　in　his　palace　at　night；　being　unable　to　sleep；　he　would　yell　out

warlike　manoeuvres　in　terrible　tones　so　as　to　prepare　himself　for　the

fray。



In　their　extremity　of　terror　all　became　brave。　The　rich　ranged

themselves　in　line　along　the　Mappalian　district　at　cockcrow；　and

tucking　up　their　robes　practised　themselves　in　handling　the　pike。　But

for　want　of　an　instructor　they　had　disputes　about　it。　They　would　sit

down　breathless　upon　the　tombs　and　then　begin　again。　Several　even

dieted　themselves。　Some　imagined　that　it　was　necessary　to　eat　a　great

deal　in　order　to　acquire　strength；　while　others　who　were

inconvenienced　by　their　corpulence　weakened　themselves　with　fasts　in

order　to　become　thin。



Utica　had　already　called　several　times　upon　Carthage　for　assistance；

but　Hanno　would　not　set　out　until　the　engines　of　war　had　been　supplied

with　the　last　screws。　He　lost　three　moons　more　in　equipping　the　one

hundred　and　twelve　elephants　that　were　lodged　in　the　ramparts。　They

were　the　conquerors　of　Regulus；　the　people　loved　them；　it　was

impossible　to　treat　such　old　friends　too　well。　Hanno　had　the　brass

plates　which　adorned　their　breasts　recast；　their　tusks　gilt；　their

towers　enlarged；　and　caparisons；　edged　with　very　heavy　fringes；　cut

out　of　the　handsomest　purple。　Finally；　as　their　drivers　were　called

Indians　（after　the　first　ones；　no　doubt；　who　came　from　the　Indies）　he

ordered　them　all　to　be　costumed　after　the　Indian　fashion；　that　is　to

say；　with　white　pads　round　their　temples；　and　small　drawers　of　byssus；

which　with　their　transverse　folds　looked　like　two　valves　of　a　shell

applied　to　the　hips。



The　army　under　Autaritus　still　remained　before　Tunis。　It　was　hidden

behind　a　wall　made　with　mud　from　the　lake；　and　protected　on　the　top　by

thorny　brushwood。　Some　Negroes　had　planted　tall　sticks　here　and　there

bearing　frightful　faces；human　masks　made　with　birds'　feathers；　and

jackals'　or　serpents'　heads；which　gaped　towards　the　enemy　for　the

purpose　of　terrifying　him；　and　the　Barbarians；　reckoning　themselves

invincible　through　these　means；　danced；　wrestled；　and　juggled；

convinced　that　Carthage　would　perish　before　long。　Any　one　but　Hanno

would　easily　have　crushed　such　a　multitude；　hampered　as　it　was　with

herds　and　women。　Moreover；　they　knew　nothing　of　drill；　and　Autaritus

was　so　disheartened　that　he　had　ceased　to　require　it。



They　stepped　aside　when　he　passed　by　rolling　his　big　blue　eyes。　Then

on　reaching　the　edge　of　the　lake　he　would　draw　back　his　sealskin

cloak；　unfasten　the　cord　which　tied　up　his　long　red　hair；　and　soak　the

latter　in　the　water。　He　regretted　that　he　had　not　deserted　to　the

Romans　along　with　the　two　thousand　Gauls　of　the　temple　of　Eryx。



Often　the　sun　would　suddenly　lose　his　rays　in　the　middle　of　the　day。

Then　the　gulf　and　the　open　sea　would　seem　as　motionless　as　molten

lead。　A　cloud　of　brown　dust　stretching　perpendicularly　would　speed

whirling　along；　the　palm　trees　would　bend　and　the　sky　disappear；　while

stones　would　be　heard　rebounding　on　the　animals'　cruppers；　and　the

Gaul；　his　lips　glued　against　the　holes　in　his　tent；　would　gasp　with

exhaustion　and　melancholy。　His　thoughts　would　be　of　the　scent　of　the

pastures　on　autumn　mornings；　of　snowflakes；　or　of　the　bellowing　of　the

urus　lost　in　the　fog；　and　closing　his　eyelids　he　would　in　imagination

behold　the　fires　in　long；　straw…roofed　cottages　flickering　on　the

marshes　in　the　depths　of　the　woods。



Others　regretted　their　native　lands　as　well　as　he；　even　though　they

might　not　be　so　far　away。　Indeed　the　Carthaginian　captives　could

distinguish　the　velaria　spread　over　the　courtyards　of　their　houses；

beyond　the　gulf　on　the　slopes　of　Byrsa。　But　sentries　marched　round

them　continually。　They　were　all　fastened　to　a　common　chain。　Each　one

wore　an　iron　carcanet；　and　the　crowd　was　never　weary　of　coming　to　gaze

at　them。　The　women　would　show　their　little　children　the　handsome　robes

hanging　in　tatters　on　their　wasted　limbs。



Whenever　Autaritus　looked　at　Gisco　he　was　seized　with　rage　at　the

recollection　of　the　insult　that　he　had　received；　and　he　would　have

killed　him　but　for　the　oath　which　he　had　taken　to　Narr'　Havas。　Then　he

would　go　back　into　his　tent　and　drink　a　mixture　of　barley　and　cumin

until　he　swooned　away　from　intoxication；to　awake　afterwards　in　broad

daylight　consumed　with　horrible　thirst。



Matho；　meanwhile；　was　besieging　Hippo…Zarytus。　But　the　town　was

protected　by　a　lake；　communicating　with　the　sea。　It　had　three　lines　of

circumvallation；　and　upon　the　heights　which　surrounded　it　there

extended　a　wall　fortified　with　towers。　He　had　never　commanded　in　such

an　enterprise　before。　Moreover；　he　was　beset　with　thoughts　of

Salammbo；　and　he　raved　in　the　delight　of　her　beauty　as　in　the

sweetness　of　a　vengeance　that　transported　him　with　pride。　He　felt　an

acrid；　frenzied；　permanent　want　to　see　her　again。　He　even　thought　of

presenting　himself　as　the　bearer　of　a　flag　of　truce；　in　the　hope　that

once　within　Carthage　he　might　make　his　way　to　her。　Often　he　would

cause　the　assault　to　be　sounded　and　waiting　for　nothing　rush　upon　the

mole　which　it　was　sought　to　construct　in　the　sea。　He　would　snatch　up

the　stones　with　his　hands；　overturn；　strike；　and　deal　sword…thrusts

everywhere。　The　Barbarians　would　dash　on　pell…mell；　the　ladders　would

break　with　a　loud　crash；　and　masses　of　men　would　tumble　into　the

water；　causing　it　to　fly　up　in　red　waves　against　the　walls。　Finally

the　tumult　would　subside；　and　the　soldiers　would　retire　to　make　a

fresh　beginning。



Matho　would　go　and　seat　himself　outside　the　tents；　wipe　his　blood…

splashed　face　with　his　arm；　and　gaze　at　the　horizon　in　the　direction

of　Carthage。



In　front　of　him；　among　the　olives；　palms；　myrtles　and　planes；

stretched　two　broad　ponds　which　met　another　lake；　the　outlines　of

which　could　not　be　seen。　Behind　one　mountain　other　mountains　reared

themselves；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　immense　lake　rose　an　island

perfectly　black　and　pyramidal　in　form。　On　the　left；　at　the　extremity

of　the　gulf；　were　sand…heaps　like　arrested　waves；　large　and　pale；

while　the　sea；　flat　as　a　pavement　of　lapis…lazuli；　ascended　by

insensible　degrees　to　the　edge　of　the　sky。　The　verdure　of　the　country

was　lost　in　places　beneath　long　sheets　of　yellow；　carobs　were　shining

like　knobs　of　coral；　vine　branches　drooped　from　the　tops　of　the

sycamores；　the　murmuring　of　the　water　could　be　heard；　crested　larks

were　hopping　about；　and　the　sun's　latest　fires　gilded　the　carapaces　of

the　tortoises　as　they　came　forth　from　the　reeds　to　inhale　the　breeze。



Matho　would　heave　deep　sighs。　He　would　lie　flat　on　his　face；　with　his

nails　buried　in　the　soil；　and　weep；　he　felt　wretched；　paltry；

forsaken。　Never　would　he　possess　her；　and　he　was　unable　even　to　take　a

town。



At　night　when　alone　in　his　tent　he　would　gaze　upon　the　zaimph。　Of　what

use　to　him　was　this　thing　which　belonged　to　the　gods？and　doubt　crept

into　the　Barbarian's　thoughts。　Then；　on　the　contrary；　it　would　seem　to

him　that　the　vesture　of　the　goddess　was　depending　from　Salammbo；　and

that　a　portion　of　her　soul　hovered　in　it；　subtler　than　a　breath；　and

he　would　feel　it；　breathe　it　in；　bury　his　face　in　it；　and　kiss　it　with

sobs。　He　would　cover　his　shoulders　with　it　in　order　to　delude　himself

that　he　was　beside　her。



Sometimes　he　would　suddenly　steal　away；　stride　in　the　starlight　over

the　sleeping　soldiers　as　they　lay　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　spring

upon　a　horse　on　reaching　the　camp　gates；　and　two　hours　later　be　at

Utica　in　Spendius's　tent。



At　first　he　would　speak　of　the　siege；　but　his　coming　was　only　to　ease

his　sorrow　by　talking　about　Salammbo。　Spendius　exhorted　him　to　be

prudent。



〃Drive　away　these　trifles　from　your　soul；　which　is　degraded　by　them！

Formerly　you　were　used　to　obey；　now　you　command　an　army；　and　if

Carthage　is　not　conquered　we　shall　at　least　be　granted　provinces。　We

shall　become　kings！〃



But　how　wa