salammbo-第29章

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impossible　for　it　to　advance；　there　was；　as　it　were；　an　ocean　wherein

leaped　red　crests　and　scales　of　brass；　while　the　bright　shields　rolled

like　silver　foam。　Sometimes　broad　currents　would　descend　from　one

extremity　to　the　other；　and　then　go　up　again；　while　a　heavy　mass

remained　motionless　in　the　centre。　The　lances　dipped　and　rose

alternately。　Elsewhere　there　was　so　quick　a　play　of　naked　swords　that

only　the　points　were　visible；　while　turmae　of　cavalry　formed　wide

circles　which　closed　again　like　whirlwinds　behind　them。



Above　the　voices　of　the　captains；　the　ringing　of　clarions　and　the

grating　of　tyres；　bullets　of　lead　and　almonds　of　clay　whistled　through

the　air；　dashing　the　sword　from　the　hand　or　the　brain　out　of　the

skull。　The　wounded；　sheltering　themselves　with　one　arm　beneath　their

shields；　pointed　their　swords　by　resting　the　pommels　on　the　ground；

while　others；　lying　in　pools　of　blood；　would　turn　and　bite　the　heels

of　those　above　them。　The　multitude　was　so　compact；　the　dust　so　thick；

and　the　tumult　so　great　that　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish

anything；　the　cowards　who　offered　to　surrender　were　not　even　heard。

Those　whose　hands　were　empty　clasped　one　another　close；　breasts

cracked　against　cuirasses；　and　corpses　hung　with　head　thrown　back

between　a　pair　of　contracted　arms。　There　was　a　company　of　sixty

Umbrians　who；　firm　on　their　hams；　their　pikes　before　their　eyes；

immovable　and　grinding　their　teeth；　forced　two　syntagmata　to　recoil

simultaneously。　Some　Epirote　shepherds　ran　upon　the　left　squadron　of

the　Clinabarians；　and　whirling　their　staves；　seized　the　horses　by　the

man；　the　animals　threw　their　riders　and　fled　across　the　plain。　The

Punic　slingers　scattered　here　and　there　stood　gaping。　The　phalanx

began　to　waver；　the　captains　ran　to　and　fro　in　distraction；　the

rearmost　in　the　files　were　pressing　upon　the　soldiers；　and　the

Barbarians　had　re…formed；　they　were　recovering；　the　victory　was

theirs。



But　a　cry；　a　terrible　cry　broke　forth；　a　roar　of　pain　and　wrath：　it

came　from　the　seventy…two　elephants　which　were　rushing　on　in　double

line；　Hamilcar　having　waited　until　the　Mercenaries　were　massed

together　in　one　spot　to　let　them　loose　against　them；　the　Indians　had

goaded　them　so　vigorously　that　blood　was　trickling　down　their　broad

ears。　Their　trunks；　which　were　smeared　with　mimium；　were　stretched

straight　out　in　the　air　like　red　serpents；　their　breasts　were

furnished　with　spears　and　their　backs　with　cuirasses；　their　tusks　were

lengthened　with　steel　blades　curved　like　sabres；and　to　make　them

more　ferocious　they　had　been　intoxicated　with　a　mixture　of　pepper；

wine；　and　incense。　They　shook　their　necklaces　of　bells；　and　shrieked；

and　the　elephantarchs　bent　their　heads　beneath　the　stream　of

phalaricas　which　was　beginning　to　fly　from　the　tops　of　the　towers。



In　order　to　resist　them　the　better　the　Barbarians　rushed　forward　in　a

compact　crowd；　the　elephants　flung　themselves　impetuously　upon　the

centre　of　it。　The　spurs　on　their　breasts；　like　ships'　prows；　clove

through　the　cohorts；　which　flowed　surging　back。　They　stifled　the　men

with　their　trunks；　or　else　snatching　them　up　from　the　ground　delivered

them　over　their　heads　to　the　soldiers　in　the　towers；　with　their　tusks

they　disembowelled　them；　and　hurled　them　into　the　air；　and　long

entrails　hung　from　their　ivory　fangs　like　bundles　of　rope　from　a　mast。

The　Barbarians　strove　to　blind　them；　to　hamstring　them；　others　would

slip　beneath　their　bodies；　bury　a　sword　in　them　up　to　the　hilt；　and

perish　crushed　to　death；　the　most　intrepid　clung　to　their　straps；　they

would　go　on　sawing　the　leather　amid　flames；　bullets；　and　arrows；　and

the　wicker　tower　would　fall　like　a　tower　of　stone。　Fourteen　of　the

animals　on　the　extreme　right；　irritated　by　their　wounds；　turned　upon

the　second　rank；　the　Indians　seized　mallet　and　chisel；　applied　the

latter　to　a　joint　in　the　head；　and　with　all　their　might　struck　a　great

blow。



Down　fell　the　huge　beasts；　falling　one　above　another。　It　was　like　a

mountain；　and　upon　the　heap　of　dead　bodies　and　armour　a　monstrous

elephant；　called　〃The　Fury　of　Baal；〃　which　had　been　caught　by　the　leg

in　some　chains；　stood　howling　until　the　evening　with　an　arrow　in　its

eye。



The　others；　however；　like　conquerors；　delighting　in　extermination；

overthrew；　crushed；　stamped；　and　raged　against　the　corpses　and　the

debris。　To　repel　the　maniples　in　serried　circles　around　them；　they

turned　about　on　their　hind　feet　as　they　advanced；　with　a　continual

rotatory　motion。　The　Carthaginians　felt　their　energy　increase；　and　the

battle　begin　again。



The　Barbarians　were　growing　weak；　some　Greek　hoplites　threw　away　all

their　arms；　and　terror　seized　upon　the　rest。　Spendius　was　seen

stooping　upon　his　dromedary；　and　spurring　it　on　the　shoulders　with　two

javelins。　Then　they　all　rushed　away　from　the　wings　and　ran　towards

Utica。



The　Clinabarians；　whose　horses　were　exhausted；　did　not　try　to　overtake

them。　The　Ligurians；　who　were　weakened　by　thirst；　cried　out　for　an

advance　towards　the　river。　But　the　Carthaginians；　who　were　posted　in

the　centre　of　the　syntagmata；　and　had　suffered　less；　stamped　their

feet　with　longing　for　the　vengeance　which　was　flying　from　them；　and

they　were　already　darting　forward　in　pursuit　of　the　Mercenaries　when

Hamilcar　appeared。



He　held　in　his　spotted　and　sweat…covered　horse　with　silver　reins。　The

bands　fastened　to　the　horns　on　his　helmet　flapped　in　the　wind　behind

him；　and　he　had　placed　his　oval　shield　beneath　his　left　thigh。　With　a

motion　of　his　triple…pointed　pike　he　checked　the　army。



The　Tarentines　leaped　quickly　upon　their　spare　horses；　and　set　off

right　and　left　towards　the　river　and　towards　the　town。



The　phalanx　exterminated　all　the　remaining　Barbarians　at　leisure。　When

the　swords　appeared　they　would　stretch　out　their　throats　and　close

their　eyelids。　Others　defended　themselves　to　the　last；　and　were

knocked　down　from　a　distance　with　flints　like　mad　dogs。　Hamilcar　had

desired　the　taking　of　prisoners；　but　the　Carthaginians　obeyed　him

grudgingly；　so　much　pleasure　did　they　derive　from　plunging　their

swords　into　the　bodies　of　the　Barbarians。　As　they　were　too　hot　they

set　about　their　work　with　bare　arms　like　mowers；　and　when　they

desisted　to　take　breath　they　would　follow　with　their　eyes　a　horseman

galloping　across　the　country　after　a　fleeing　soldier。　He　would　succeed

in　seizing　him　by　the　hair；　hold　him　thus　for　a　while；　and　then　fell

him　with　a　blow　of　his　axe。



Night　fell。　Carthaginians　and　Barbarians　had　disappeared。　The

elephants　which　had　taken　to　flight　roamed　in　the　horizon　with　their

fired　towers。　These　burned　here　and　there　in　the　darkness　like　beacons

nearly　half　lost　in　the　mist；　and　no　movement　could　be　discerned　in

the　plain　save　the　undulation　of　the　river；　which　was　heaped　with

corpses；　and　was　drifting　them　away　to　the　sea。



Two　hours　afterwards　Matho　arrived。　He　caught　sight　in　the　starlight

of　long；　uneven　heaps　lying　upon　the　ground。



They　were　files　of　Barbarians。　He　stooped　down；　all　were　dead。　He

called　into　the　distance；　but　no　voice　replied。



That　very　morning　he　had　left　Hippo…Zarytus　with　his　soldiers　to　march

upon　Carthage。　At　Utica　the　army　under　Spendius　had　just　set　out；　and

the　inhabitants　were　beginning　to　fire　the　engines。　All　had　fought

desperately。　But；　the　tumult　which　was　going　on　in　the　direction　of

the　bridge　increasing　in　an　incomprehensible　fashion；　Matho　had　struck

across　the　mountain　by　the　shortest　road；　and　as　the　Barbarians　were

fleeing　over　the　plain　he　had　encountered　nobody。



Facing　him　were　little　pyramidal　masses　rearing　themselves　in　the

shade；　and　on　this　side　of　the　river　and　closer　to　him　were　motionless

lights　on　the　surface　of　the　ground。　In　fact　the　Carthaginians　had

fallen　back　behind　the　bridge；　and　to　deceive　the　Barbarians　the

Suffet　had　stationed　numerous　posts　upon　the　other　bank。



Matho；　still　advancing；　thought　that　he　could　distinguish　Punic

engines；　for　horses'　heads　which　did　not　stir　appeared　in　the　air

fixed　upon　the　tops　of　piles　of　staves　which　could　not　be　seen；　and

further　off　he　could　hear　a　great　clamour；　a　noise　of　songs；　and

clashing　of　cups。



Then；　not　knowing　where　he　was　nor　how　to　find　Spendius；　assailed　with

anguish；　scared；　and　lost　in　the　darkness；　he　returned　more

impetuously　by　the　same　road。　The　dawn　as　growing　grey　when　from　the

top　of　the　mountain　he　perceived　the　town　with　the　carcases　of　the

engines　blackened　by　the　flames　and　looking　like　giant　skeletons

leaning　against　the　walls。



All　was　peaceful　amid　extraordinary　silence　and　heaviness。　Among　his

soldiers　on　the　verge　of　the　tents　men　were　sleeping　nearly　naked；

each　upon　his　back；　or　with　his　forehead　against　his　arm　which　was

supported　by　his　cuirass。　Some　were　unwinding　bloodstained　bandages

from　their　legs。　Those　who　were　doomed　to　die　rolled　their　heads　about

gently；　others　dragged　themselves　along　and　brought　them　drink。　The

sentries　walked　up　and　down　along　the　narrow　paths　in　order　to　warm

themselves；　or　stood　in　a　fierce　attitude　with　their　faces　turned

towards　the　horizon；　and　their　pikes　on　their　shoulders。　Matho　found

Spendius　sheltered　beneath　a　rag　of　canvas；　supported　by　two　sticks

set　in　the　ground；　his　knee　in　his　hands　and　his　head　cast　down。



They　remained　for　a　long　time　without　speaking。



At　last　Matho　murmured：　〃Conquered！〃



Spendius　rejoined　in　a　gloomy　voice：　〃Yes；　conquered！〃



And　to　all　questions　he　replied　by　gestures　of　despair。



Meanwhile　sighs　and　death…rattles　reached　them。　Matho　partially　opened

the　canvas。　Then　the　sight　of　the　soldiers　reminded　him　of　another

disaster　on　the　same　spot；　and　he　ground　his　teeth：　〃Wretch！　once

already〃



Spendius　interrupted　him：　〃You　were　not　there　either。〃



〃It　is　a　curse！〃　exclaimed　Matho。　〃Nevertheless；　in　the　end　I　will

get　at　him！　I　will　conquer　him！　I　will　slay　him！　Ah！　if　I　had　been

there！〃　The　thought　of　having　missed　the　battle　rendered　him　even

more　desperate　than　the　defeat。　He　snatched　up　his　sword　and　threw　it

upon　the　ground。　〃But　how　did　the　Carthaginians　beat　you？〃



The　former　slave　began　to　describe　the　manoeuvres。　Matho　seemed　to　see

them；　and　he　grew　angry。　The　army　from　Utica　ought　to　have　taken

Hamilcar　in　the　rear　instead　of　hastening　to　the　bridge。



〃Ah！　I　know！〃　said　Spendius。



〃You　ought　to　have　made　your　ranks　twice　as　deep；　avoided　exposing　the

velites　against　the　phalanx；　and　given　free　passage　to　the　elephants。

Everything　might　have　been　recovered　at　the　last　moment；　there　was　no

necessity　to　fly。〃



Spendius　replied：



〃I　saw　him　pass　along　in　his　large　red　cloak；　with　uplifted　arms　and

higher　than　the　dust；　like　an　eagle　flying　upon　the　flank　of　the

cohorts；　and　at　every　nod　they　closed　up　or　darted　forward；　the　throng

carried　us　towards　each　other；　he　looked　at　me；　and　I　felt　the　cold