salammbo-第18章

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

shall　become　kings！〃



But　how　was　it　that　the　possession　of　the　zaimph　did　not　give　them　the

victory？　According　to　Spendius　they　must　wait。



Matho　fancied　that　the　veil　affected　people　of　Chanaanitish　race

exclusively；　and；　in　his　Barbarian…like　subtlety；　he　said　to　himself：

〃The　zaimph　will　accordingly　do　nothing　for　me；　but　since　they　have

lost　it；　it　will　do　nothing　for　them。〃



Afterwards　a　scruple　troubled　him。　He　was　afraid　of　offending　Moloch

by　worshipping　Aptouknos；　the　god　of　the　Libyans；　and　he　timidly　asked

Spendius　to　which　of　the　gods　it　would　be　advisable　to　sacrifice　a

man。



〃Keep　on　sacrificing！〃　laughed　Spendius。



Matho；　who　could　not　understand　such　indifference；　suspected　the　Greek

of　having　a　genius　of　whom　he　did　not　speak。



All　modes　of　worship；　as　well　as　all　races；　were　to　be　met　with　in

these　armies　of　Barbarians；　and　consideration　was　had　to　the　gods　of

others；　for　they　too；　inspired　fear。　Many　mingled　foreign　practices

with　their　native　religion。　It　was　to　no　purpose　that　they　did　not

adore　the　stars；　if　a　constellation　were　fatal　or　helpful；　sacrifices

were　offered　to　it；　an　unknown　amulet　found　by　chance　at　a　moment　of

peril　became　a　divinity；　or　it　might　be　a　name　and　nothing　more；　which

would　be　repeated　without　any　attempt　to　understand　its　meaning。　But

after　pillaging　temples；　and　seeing　numbers　of　nations　and　slaughters；

many　ultimately　ceased　to　believe　in　anything　but　destiny　and　death；

and　every　evening　these　would　fall　asleep　with　the　placidity　of　wild

beasts。　Spendius　had　spit　upon　the　images　of　Jupiter　Olympius；

nevertheless　he　dreaded　to　speak　aloud　in　the　dark；　nor　did　he　fail

every　day　to　put　on　his　right　boot　first。



He　reared　a　long　quadrangular　terrace　in　front　of　Utica；　but　in

proportion　as　it　ascended　the　rampart　was　also　heightened；　and　what

was　thrown　down　by　the　one　side　was　almost　immediately　raised　again　by

the　other。　Spendius　took　care　of　his　men；　he　dreamed　of　plans　and

strove　to　recall　the　stratagems　which　he　had　heard　described　in　his

travels。　But　why　did　Narr'　Havas　not　return？　There　was　nothing　but

anxiety。



Hanno　had　at　last　concluded　his　preparations。　One　night　when　there　was

no　moon　he　transported　his　elephants　and　soldiers　on　rafts　across　the

Gulf　of　Carthage。　Then　they　wheeled　round　the　mountain　of　the　Hot

Springs　so　as　to　avoid　Autaritus；　and　continued　their　march　so　slowly

that　instead　of　surprising　the　Barbarians　in　the　morning；　as　the

Suffet　had　calculated；　they　did　not　reach　them　until　it　was　broad

daylight　on　the　third　day。



Utica　had　on　the　east　a　plain　which　extended　to　the　large　lagoon　of

Carthage；　behind　it　a　valley　ran　at　right　angles　between　two　low　and

abruptly　terminated　mountains；　the　Barbarians　were　encamped　further　to

the　left　in　such　a　way　as　to　blockade　the　harbour；　and　they　were

sleeping　in　their　tents　（for　on　that　day　both　sides　were　too　weary　to

fight　and　were　resting）　when　the　Carthaginian　army　appeared　at　the

turning　of　the　hills。



Some　camp　followers　furnished　with　slings　were　stationed　at　intervals

on　the　wings。　The　first　line　was　formed　of　the　guards　of　the　Legion　in

golden　scale…armour；　mounted　on　their　big　horses；　which　were　without

mane；　hair；　or　ears；　and　had　silver　horns　in　the　middle　of　their

foreheads　to　make　them　look　like　rhinoceroses。　Between　their　squadrons

were　youths　wearing　small　helmets　and　swinging　an　ashen　javelin　in

each　hand。　The　long　files　of　the　heavy　infantry　marched　behind。　All

these　traders　had　piled　as　many　weapons　upon　their　bodies　as　possible。

Some　might　be　seen　carrying　an　axe；　a　lance；　a　club；　and　two　swords

all　at　once；　others　bristled　with　darts　like　porcupines；　and　their

arms　stood　out　from　their　cuirasses　in　sheets　of　horn　or　iron　plates。

At　last　the　scaffoldings　of　the　lofty　engines　appeared：　carrobalistas；

onagers；　catapults　and　scorpions；　rocking　on　chariots　drawn　by　mules

and　quadrigas　of　oxen；　and　in　proportion　as　the　army　drew　out；　the

captains　ran　panting　right　and　left　to　deliver　commands；　close　up　the

files；　and　preserve　the　intervals。　Such　of　the　Ancients　as　held

commands　had　come　in　purple　cassocks；　the　magnificent　fringes　of　which

tangled　in　the　white　straps　of　their　cothurni。　Their　faces；　which　were

smeared　all　over　with　vermilion；　shone　beneath　enormous　helmets

surmounted　with　images　of　the　gods；　and；　as　they　had　shields　with

ivory　borders　covered　with　precious　stones；　they　might　have　been　taken

for　suns　passing　over　walls　of　brass。



But　the　Carthaginians　manoeuvred　so　clumsily　that　the　soldiers　in

derision　urged　them　to　sit　down。　They　called　out　that　they　were　just

going　to　empty　their　big　stomachs；　to　dust　the　gilding　of　their　skin；

and　to　give　them　iron　to　drink。



A　strip　of　green　cloth　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　pole　planted　before

Spendius's　tent：　it　was　the　signal。　The　Carthaginian　army　replied　to

it　with　a　great　noise　of　trumpets；　cymbals；　flutes　of　asses'　bones；

and　tympanums。　The　Barbarians　had　already　leaped　outside　the

palisades；　and　were　facing　their　enemies　within　a　javelin's　throw　of

them。



A　Balearic　slinger　took　a　step　forward；　put　one　of　his　clay　bullets

into　his　thong；　and　swung　round　his　arm。　An　ivory　shield　was　shivered；

and　the　two　armies　mingled　together。



The　Greeks　made　the　horses　rear　and　fall　back　upon　their　masters　by

pricking　their　nostrils　with　the　points　of　their　lances。　The　slaves

who　were　to　hurl　stones　had　picked　such　as　were　too　big；　and　they

accordingly　fell　close　to　them。　The　Punic　foot…soldiers　exposed　the

right　side　in　cutting　with　their　long　swords。　The　Barbarians　broke

their　lines；　they　slaughtered　them　freely；　they　stumbled　over　the

dying　and　dead；　quite　blinded　by　the　blood　that　spurted　into　their

faces。　The　confused　heap　of　pikes；　helmets；　cuirasses　and　swords

turned　round　about；　widening　out　and　closing　in　with　elastic

contractions。　The　gaps　increased　more　and　more　in　the　Carthaginian

cohorts；　the　engines　could　not　get　out　of　the　sand；　and　finally　the

Suffet's　litter　（his　grand　litter　with　crystal　pendants）；　which　from

the　beginning　might　have　been　seen　tossing　among　the　soldiers　like　a

bark　on　the　waves；　suddenly　foundered。　He　was　no　doubt　dead。　The

Barbarians　found　themselves　alone。



The　dust　around　them　fell　and　they　were　beginning　to　sing；　when　Hanno

himself　appeared　on　the　top　of　an　elephant。　He　sat　bare…headed　beneath

a　parasol　of　byssus　which　was　carried　by　a　Negro　behind　him。　His

necklace　of　blue　plates　flapped　against　the　flowers　on　his　black

tunic；　his　huge　arms　were　compressed　within　circles　of　diamonds；　and

with　open　mouth　he　brandished　a　pike　of　inordinate　size；　which　spread

out　at　the　end　like　a　lotus；　and　flashed　more　than　a　mirror。

Immediately　the　earth　shook；and　the　Barbarians　saw　all　the　elephants

of　Carthage；　with　their　gilt　tusks　and　blue…painted　ears；　hastening　up

in　single　line；　clothed　with　bronze　and　shaking　the　leathern　towers

which　were　placed　above　their　scarlet　caparisons；　in　each　of　which

were　three　archers　bending　large　bows。



The　soldiers　were　barely　in　possession　of　their　arms；　they　had　taken

up　their　positions　at　random。　They　were　frozen　with　terror；　they　stood

undecided。



Javelins；　arrows；　phalaricas；　and　masses　of　lead　were　already　being

showered　down　upon　them　from　the　towers。　Some　clung　to　the　fringes　of

the　caparisons　in　order　to　climb　up；　but　their　hands　were　struck　off

with　cutlasses　and　they　fell　backwards　upon　the　swords'　points。　The

pikes　were　too　weak　and　broke；　and　the　elephants　passed　through　the

phalanxes　like　wild　boars　through　tufts　of　grass；　they　plucked　up　the

stakes　of　the　camp　with　their　trunks；　and　traversed　it　from　one　end　to

the　other；　overthrowing　the　tents　with　their　breasts。　All　the

Barbarians　had　fled。　They　were　hiding　themselves　in　the　hills

bordering　the　valley　by　which　the　Carthaginians　had　come。



The　victorious　Hanno　presented　himself　before　the　gates　of　Utica。　He

had　a　trumpet　sounded。　The　three　Judges　of　the　town　appeared　in　the

opening　of　the　battlements　on　the　summit　of　a　tower。



But　the　people　of　Utica　would　not　receive　such　well…armed　guests。

Hanno　was　furious。　At　last　they　consented　to　admit　him　with　a　feeble

escort。



The　streets　were　too　narrow　for　the　elephants。　They　had　to　be　left

outside。



As　soon　as　the　Suffet　was　in　the　town　the　principal　men　came　to　greet

him。　He　had　himself　taken　to　the　vapour　baths；　and　called　for　his

cooks。



Three　hours　afterwards　he　was　still　immersed　in　the　oil　of　cinnamomum

with　which　the　basin　had　been　filled；　and　while　he　bathed　he　ate

flamingoes'　tongues　with　honied　poppy…seeds　on　a　spread　ox…hide。

Beside　him　was　his　Greek　physician；　motionless；　in　a　long　yellow　robe；

directing　the　re…heating　of　the　bath　from　time　to　time；　and　two　young

boys　leaned　over　the　steps　of　the　basin　and　rubbed　his　legs。　But

attention　to　his　body　did　not　check　his　love　for　the　commonwealth；　for

he　was　dictating　a　letter　to　be　sent　to　the　Great　Council；　and　as　some

prisoners　had　just　been　taken　he　was　asking　himself　what　terrible

punishment　could　be　devised。



〃Stop！〃　said　he　to　a　slave　who　stood　writing　in　the　hollow　of　his

hand。　〃Let　some　of　them　be　brought　to　me！　I　wish　to　see　them！〃



And　from　the　bottom　of　the　hall；　full　of　a　whitish　vapour　on　which　the

torches　cast　red　spots；　three　Barbarians　were　thrust　forward：　a

Samnite；　a　Spartan；　and　a　Cappadocian。



〃Proceed！〃　said　Hanno。



〃Rejoice；　light　of　the　Baals！　your　Suffet　has　exterminated　the

ravenous　hounds！　Blessings　on　the　Republic！　Give　orders　for　prayers！〃

He　perceived　the　captives　and　burst　out　laughing：　〃Ah！　ha！　my　fine

fellows　of　Sicca！　You　are　not　shouting　so　loudly　to…day！　It　is　I！　Do

you　recognise　me？　And　where　are　your　swords？　What　really　terrible

fellows！〃　and　he　pretended　to　be　desirous　to　hide　himself　as　if　he

were　afraid　of　them。　〃You　demanded　horses；　women；　estates；

magistracies；　no　doubt；　and　priesthoods！　Why　not？　Well；　I　will　provide

you　with　the　estates；　and　such　as　you　will　never　come　out　of！　You

shall　be　married　to　gibbets　that　are　perfectly　new！　Your　pay？　it　shall

be　melted　in　your　mouths　in　leaden　ingots！　and　I　will　put　you　into

good　and　very　exalted　positions　among　the　clouds；　so　as　to　bring　you

close　to　the　eagles！〃



The　three　long…haired　and　ragged　Barbarians　looked　at　him　without

understanding　what　he　said。　Wounded　in　the　knees；　they　had　been　seized

by　having　ropes　thrown　over　them；　and　the　ends　of　the　great　chains　on

their　hands　trailed　upon　the　pavement。　Hanno　was　indignant　at　their

impassibility。



〃On　your　knees！　on　your　knees！　jackals！　dust！　vermin！　excrements！　And

they　make　no　reply！　Enough！　be　silent！　Let　them　be　flayed　alive！　No！

presently！〃



He　was　breathing　like　a　hippopotamus　and　rolling　his　eyes。　The

perfumed　oil　overflowed　beneath　the