salammbo-第5章

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fell　asleep　with　their　faces　towards　the　stars。



In　the　middle　of　the　following　day　they　halted　on　the　bank　of　a　river；

amid　clumps　of　rose…bays。　Then　they　quickly　threw　aside　lances；

bucklers　and　belts。　They　bathed　with　shouts；　and　drew　water　in　their

helmets；　while　others　drank　lying　flat　on　their　stomachs；　and　all　in

the　midst　of　the　beasts　of　burden　whose　baggage　was　slipping　from

them。



Spendius；　who　was　seated　on　a　dromedary　stolen　in　Hamilcar's　parks；

perceived　Matho　at　a　distance；　with　his　arm　hanging　against　his

breast；　his　head　bare；　and　his　face　bent　down；　giving　his　mule　drink；

and　watching　the　water　flow。　Spendius　immediately　ran　through　the

crowd　calling　him；　〃Master！　master！〃



Matho　gave　him　but　scant　thanks　for　his　blessings；　but　Spendius　paid

no　heed　to　this；　and　began　to　march　behind　him；　from　time　to　time

turning　restless　glances　in　the　direction　of　Carthage。



He　was　the　son　of　a　Greek　rhetor　and　a　Campanian　prostitute。　He　had　at

first　grown　rich　by　dealing　in　women；　then；　ruined　by　a　shipwreck；　he

had　made　war　against　the　Romans　with　the　herdsmen　of　Samnium。　He　had

been　taken　and　had　escaped；　he　had　been　retaken；　and　had　worked　in　the

quarries；　panted　in　the　vapour…baths；　shrieked　under　torture；　passed

through　the　hands　of　many　masters；　and　experienced　every　frenzy。　At

last；　one　day；　in　despair；　he　had　flung　himself　into　the　sea　from　the

top　of　a　trireme　where　he　was　working　at　the　oar。　Some　of　Hamilcar's

sailors　had　picked　him　up　when　at　the　point　of　death；　and　had　brought

him　to　the　ergastulum　of　Megara；　at　Carthage。　But；　as　fugitives　were

to　be　given　back　to　the　Romans；　he　had　taken　advantage　of　the

confusion　to　fly　with　the　soldiers。



During　the　whole　of　the　march　he　remained　near　Matho；　he　brought　him

food；　assisted　him　to　dismount；　and　spread　a　carpet　in　the　evening

beneath　his　head。　Matho　at　last　was　touched　by　these　attentions；　and

by　degrees　unlocked　his　lips。



He　had　been　born　in　the　gulf　of　Syrtis。　His　father　had　taken　him　on　a

pilgrimage　to　the　temple　of　Ammon。　Then　he　had　hunted　elephants　in　the

forests　of　the　Garamantes。　Afterwards　he　had　entered　the　service　of

Carthage。　He　had　been　appointed　tetrarch　at　the　capture　of　Drepanum。

The　Republic　owed　him　four　horses；　twenty…three　medimni　of　wheat；　and

a　winter's　pay。　He　feared　the　gods；　and　wished　to　die　in　his　native

land。



Spendius　spoke　to　him　of　his　travels；　and　of　the　peoples　and　temples

that　he　had　visited。　He　knew　many　things：　he　could　make　sandals；　boar…

spears　and　nets；　he　could　tame　wild　beasts　and　could　cook　fish。



Sometimes　he　would　interrupt　himself；　and　utter　a　hoarse　cry　from　the

depths　of　his　throat；　Matho's　mule　would　quicken　his　pace；　and　others

would　hasten　after　them；　and　then　Spendius　would　begin　again　though

still　torn　with　agony。　This　subsided　at　last　on　the　evening　of　the

fourth　day。



They　were　marching　side　by　side　to　the　right　of　the　army　on　the　side

of　a　hill；　below　them　stretched　the　plain　lost　in　the　vapours　of　the

night。　The　lines　of　soldiers　also　were　defiling　below；　making

undulations　in　the　shade。　From　time　to　time　these　passed　over

eminences　lit　up　by　the　moon；　then　stars　would　tremble　on　the　points

of　the　pikes；　the　helmets　would　glimmer　for　an　instant；　all　would

disappear；　and　others　would　come　on　continually。　Startled　flocks

bleated　in　the　distance；　and　a　something　of　infinite　sweetness　seemed

to　sink　upon　the　earth。



Spendius；　with　his　head　thrown　back　and　his　eyes　half…closed；　inhaled

the　freshness　of　the　wind　with　great　sighs；　he　spread　out　his　arms；

moving　his　fingers　that　he　might　the　better　feel　the　cares　that

streamed　over　his　body。　Hopes　of　vengeance　came　back　to　him　and

transported　him。　He　pressed　his　hand　upon　his　mouth　to　check　his　sobs；

and　half…swooning　with　intoxication；　let　go　the　halter　of　his

dromedary；　which　was　proceeding　with　long；　regular　steps。　Matho　had

relapsed　into　his　former　melancholy；　his　legs　hung　down　to　the　ground；

and　the　grass　made　a　continuous　rustling　as　it　beat　against　his

cothurni。



The　journey；　however；　spread　itself　out　without　ever　coming　to　an　end。

At　the　extremity　of　a　plain　they　would　always　reach　a　round…shaped

plateau；　then　they　would　descend　again　into　a　valley；　and　the

mountains　which　seemed　to　block　up　the　horizon　would；　in　proportion　as

they　were　approached；　glide　as　it　were　from　their　positions。　From　time

to　time　a　river　would　appear　amid　the　verdure　of　tamarisks　to　lose

itself　at　the　turning　of　the　hills。　Sometimes　a　huge　rock　would　tower

aloft　like　the　prow　of　a　vessel　or　the　pedestal　of　some　vanished

colossus。



At　regular　intervals　they　met　with　little　quadrangular　temples；　which

served　as　stations　for　the　pilgrims　who　repaired　to　Sicca。　They　were

closed　like　tombs。　The　Libyans　struck　great　blows　upon　the　doors　to

have　them　opened。　But　no　one　inside　responded。



Then　the　cultivation　became　more　rare。　They　suddenly　entered　upon

belts　of　sand　bristling　with　thorny　thickets。　Flocks　of　sheep　were

browsing　among　the　stones；　a　woman　with　a　blue　fleece　about　her　waist

was　watching　them。　She　fled　screaming　when　she　saw　the　soldiers'　pikes

among　the　rocks。



They　were　marching　through　a　kind　of　large　passage　bordered　by　two

chains　of　reddish　coloured　hillocks；　when　their　nostrils　were　greeted

with　a　nauseous　odour；　and　they　thought　that　they　could　see　something

extraordinary　on　the　top　of　a　carob　tree：　a　lion's　head　reared　itself

above　the　leaves。



They　ran　thither。　It　was　a　lion　with　his　four　limbs　fastened　to　a

cross　like　a　criminal。　His　huge　muzzle　fell　upon　his　breast；　and　his

two　fore…paws；　half…hidden　beneath　the　abundance　of　his　mane；　were

spread　out　wide　like　the　wings　of　a　bird。　His　ribs　stood　severally　out

beneath　his　distended　skin；　his　hind　legs；　which　were　nailed　against

each　other；　were　raised　somewhat；　and　the　black　blood；　flowing　through

his　hair；　had　collected　in　stalactites　at　the　end　of　his　tail；　which

hung　down　perfectly　straight　along　the　cross。　The　soldiers　made　merry

around；　they　called　him　consul；　and　Roman　citizen；　and　threw　pebbles

into　his　eyes　to　drive　away　the　gnats。



But　a　hundred　paces　further　on　they　saw　two　more；　and　then　there

suddenly　appeared　a　long　file　of　crosses　bearing　lions。　Some　had　been

so　long　dead　that　nothing　was　left　against　the　wood　but　the　remains　of

their　skeletons；　others　which　were　half　eaten　away　had　their　jaws

twisted　into　horrible　grimaces；　there　were　some　enormous　ones；　the

shafts　of　the　crosses　bent　beneath　them；　and　they　swayed　in　the　wind；

while　bands　of　crows　wheeled　ceaselessly　in　the　air　above　their　heads。

It　was　thus　that　the　Carthaginian　peasants　avenged　themselves　when

they　captured　a　wild　beast；　they　hoped　to　terrify　the　others　by　such

an　example。　The　Barbarians　ceased　their　laughter；　and　were　long　lost

in　amazement。　〃What　people　is　this；〃　they　thought；　〃that　amuses　itself

by　crucifying　lions！〃



They　were；　besides；　especially　the　men　of　the　North；　vaguely　uneasy；

troubled；　and　already　sick。　They　tore　their　hands　with　the　darts　of

the　aloes；　great　mosquitoes　buzzed　in　their　ears；　and　dysentry　was

breaking　out　in　the　army。　They　were　weary　at　not　yet　seeing　Sicca。

They　were　afraid　of　losing　themselves　and　of　reaching　the　desert；　the

country　of　sands　and　terrors。　Many　even　were　unwilling　to　advance

further。　Others　started　back　to　Carthage。



At　last　on　the　seventh　day；　after　following　the　base　of　a　mountain　for

a　long　time；　they　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　and　there　then

appeared　a　line　of　walls　resting　on　white　rocks　and　blending　with

them。　Suddenly　the　entire　city　rose；　blue；　yellow；　and　white　veils

moved　on　the　walls　in　the　redness　of　the　evening。　These　were　the

priestesses　of　Tanith；　who　had　hastened　hither　to　receive　the　men。

They　stood　ranged　along　the　rampart；　striking　tabourines；　playing

lyres；　and　shaking　crotala；　while　the　rays　of　the　sun；　setting　behind

them　in　the　mountains　of　Numidia；　shot　between　the　strings　of　their

lyres　over　which　their　naked　arms　were　stretched。　At　intervals　their

instruments　would　become　suddenly　still；　and　a　cry　would　break　forth

strident；　precipitate；　frenzied；　continuous；　a　sort　of　barking　which

they　made　by　striking　both　corners　of　the　mouth　with　the　tongue。

Others；　more　motionless　than　the　Sphynx；　rested　on　their　elbows　with

their　chins　on　their　hands；　and　darted　their　great　black　eyes　upon　the

army　as　it　ascended。



Although　Sicca　was　a　sacred　town　it　could　not　hold　such　a　multitude；

the　temple　alone；　with　its　appurtenances；　occupied　half　of　it。

Accordingly　the　Barbarians　established　themselves　at　their　ease　on　the

plain；　those　who　were　disciplined　in　regular　troops；　and　the　rest

according　to　nationality　or　their　own　fancy。



The　Greeks　ranged　their　tents　of　skin　in　parallel　lines；　the　Iberians

placed　their　canvas　pavilions　in　a　circle；　the　Gauls　made　themselves

huts　of　planks；　the　Libyans　cabins　of　dry　stones；　while　the　Negroes

with　their　nails　hollowed　out　trenches　in　the　sand　to　sleep　in。　Many；

not　knowing　where　to　go；　wandered　about　among　the　baggage；　and　at

nightfall　lay　down　in　their　ragged　mantles　on　the　ground。



The　plain；　which　was　wholly　bounded　by　mountains；　expanded　around

them。　Here　and　there　a　palm　tree　leaned　over　a　sand　hill；　and　pines

and　oaks　flecked　the　sides　of　the　precipices：　sometimes　the　rain　of　a

storm　would　hang　from　the　sky　like　a　long　scarf；　while　the　country

everywhere　was　still　covered　with　azure　and　serenity；　then　a　warm　wind

would　drive　before　it　tornadoes　of　dust；　and　a　stream　would　descend　in

cascades　from　the　heights　of　Sicca；　where；　with　its　roofing　of　gold　on

its　columns　of　brass；　rose　the　temple　of　the　Carthaginian　Venus；　the

mistress　of　the　land。　She　seemed　to　fill　it　with　her　soul。　In　such

convulsions　of　the　soil；　such　alternations　of　temperature；　and　such

plays　of　light　would　she　manifest　the　extravagance　of　her　might　with

the　beauty　of　her　eternal　smile。　The　mountains　at　their　summits　were

crescent…shaped；　others　were　like　women's　bosoms　presenting　their

swelling　breasts；　and　the　Barbarians　felt　a　heaviness　that　was　full　of

delight　weighing　down　their　fatigues。



Spendius　had　bought　a　slave　with　the　money　brought　him　by　his

dromedary。　The　whole　day　long　he　lay　asleep　stretched　before　Matho's

tent。　Often　he　would　awake；　thinking　in　his　dreams　that　he　heard　the

whistling　of　the　thongs；　with　a　smile　he　would　pass　his　hands　over　the

scars　on　his　legs　at　the　place　where　the　fetters　had　long　been　worn；

and　then　he　would　fall　asleep　again。



Matho　accepted　his　companionship；　and　when　he　went　out　Spendius　would

escort　him　like　a　lictor　with　a　long　sword　on　his　thigh；　or　perhaps

Matho　would　rest　his　arm　carelessly　on　the　other's　shoulder；　for

Spendius　was　small。



One　evening　when　they　were　passing　together　through　the　streets　in　the

camp　they　perceived　some　men　covered　with　white　cloaks