salammbo-第55章

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of　the　desert。　They　sought　for　a　place　of　refuge；　no　matter　where。

Utica　and　Hippo…Zarytus　alone　had　not　betrayed　them；　but　Hamilcar　was

encompassing　these　two　towns。　Then　they　went　northwards　at　haphazard

without　even　knowing　the　various　routes。　Their　many　miseries　had

confused　their　understandings。



The　only　feeling　left　them　was　one　of　exasperation；　which　went　on

developing；　and　one　day　they　found　themselves　again　in　the　gorges　of

Cobus　and　once　more　before　Carthage！



Then　the　actions　multiplied。　Fortune　remained　equal；　but　both　sides

were　so　wearied　that　they　would　willingly　have　exchanged　these

skirmishes　for　a　great　battle；　provided　that　it　were　really　the　last。



Matho　was　inclined　to　carry　this　proposal　himself　to　the　Suffet。　One

of　his　Libyans　devoted　himself　for　the　purpose。　All　were　convinced　as

they　saw　him　depart　that　he　would　not　return。



He　returned　the　same　evening。



Hamilcar　accepted　the　challenge。　The　encounter　should　take　place　the

following　day　at　sunrise；　in　the　plain　of　Rhades。



The　Mercenaries　wished　to　know　whether　he　had　said　anything　more；　and

the　Libyan　added：



〃As　I　remained　in　his　presence；　he　asked　me　what　I　was　waiting　for。

'To　be　killed！'　I　replied。　Then　he　rejoined：　'No！　begone！　that　will　be

to…morrow　with　the　rest。'〃



This　generosity　astonished　the　Barbarians；　some　were　terrified　by　it；

and　Matho　regretted　that　the　emissary　had　not　been　killed。



He　had　still　remaining　three　thousand　Africans；　twelve　hundred　Greeks；

fifteen　hundred　Campanians；　two　hundred　Iberians；　four　hundred

Etruscans；　five　hundred　Samnites；　forty　Gauls；　and　a　troop　of　Naffurs；

nomad　bandits　met　with　in　the　date　regionin　all　seven　thousand　two

hundred　and　nineteen　soldiers；　but　not　one　complete　syntagmata。　They

had　stopped　up　the　holes　in　their　cuirasses　with　the　shoulder…blades

of　quadrupeds；　and　replaced　their　brass　cothurni　with　worn　sandals。

Their　garments　were　weighted　with　copper　or　steel　plates；　their　coats

of　mail　hung　in　tatters　about　them；　and　scars　appeared　like　purple

threads　through　the　hair　on　their　arms　and　faces。



The　wraiths　of　their　dead　companions　came　back　to　their　souls　and

increased　their　energy；　they　felt；　in　a　confused　way；　that　they　were

the　ministers　of　a　god　diffused　in　the　hearts　of　the　oppressed；　and

were　the　pontiffs；　so　to　speak；　of　universal　vengeance！　Then　they　were

enraged　with　grief　at　what　was　extravagant　injustice；　and　above　all　by

the　sight　of　Carthage　on　the　horizon。　They　swore　an　oath　to　fight　for

one　another　until　death。



The　beasts　of　burden　were　killed；　and　as　much　as　possible　was　eaten　so

as　to　gain　strength；　afterwards　they　slept。　Some　prayed；　turning

towards　different　constellations。



The　Carthaginians　arrived　first　in　the　plain。　They　rubbed　the　edges　of

their　shields　with　oil　to　make　the　arrows　glide　off　them　easily；　the

foot…soldiers　who　wore　long　hair　took　the　precaution　of　cutting　it　on

the　forehead；　and　Hamilcar　ordered　all　bowls　to　be　inverted　from　the

fifth　hour；　knowing　that　it　is　disadvantageous　to　fight　with　the

stomach　too　full。　His　army　amounted　to　fourteen　thousand　men；　or　about

double　the　number　of　the　Barbarians。　Nevertheless；　he　had　never　felt

such　anxiety；　if　he　succumbed　it　would　mean　the　annihilation　of　the

Republic；　and　he　would　perish　on　the　cross；　if；　on　the　contrary；　he

triumphed；　he　would　reach　Italy　by　way　of　the　Pyrenees；　the　Gauls；　and

the　Alps；　and　the　empire　of　the　Barcas　would　become　eternal。　Twenty

times　during　the　night　he　rose　to　inspect　everything　himself；　down　to

the　most　trifling　details。　As　to　the　Carthaginians；　they　were

exasperated　by　their　lengthened　terror。　Narr'　Havas　suspected　the

fidelity　of　his　Numidians。　Moreover；　the　Barbarians　might　vanquish

them。　A　strange　weakness　had　come　upon　him；　every　moment　he　drank

large　cups　of　water。



But　a　man　whom　he　did　not　know　opened　his　tent　and　laid　on　the　ground

a　crown　of　rock…salt；　adorned　with　hieratic　designs　formed　with

sulphur；　and　lozenges　of　mother…of…pearl；　a　marriage　crown　was

sometimes　sent　to　a　betrothed　husband；　it　was　a　proof　of　love；　a　sort

of　invitation。



Nevertheless　Hamilcar's　daughter　had　no　tenderness　for　Narr'　Havas。



The　recollection　of　Matho　disturbed　her　in　an　intolerable　manner；　it

seemed　to　her　that　the　death　of　this　man　would　unburden　her　thoughts；

just　as　people　to　cure　themselves　of　the　bite　of　a　viper　crush　it　upon

the　wound。　The　king　of　the　Numidians　was　depending　upon　her；　he

awaited　the　wedding　with　impatience；　and；　as　it　was　to　follow　the

victory；　Salammbo　made　him　this　present　to　stimulate　his　courage。　Then

his　distress　vanished；　and　he　thought　only　of　the　happiness　of

possessing　so　beautiful　a　woman。



The　same　vision　had　assailed　Matho；　but　he　cast　it　from　him

immediately；　and　his　love；　that　he　thus　thrust　back；　was　poured　out

upon　his　companions　in　arms。　He　cherished　them　like　portions　of　his

own　person；　of　his　hatred；and　he　felt　his　spirit　higher；　and　his

arms　stronger；　everything　that　he　was　to　accomplish　appeared　clearly

before　him。　If　sighs　sometimes　escaped　him；　it　was　because　he　was

thinking　of　Spendius。



He　drew　up　the　Barbarians　in　six　equal　ranks。　He　posted　the　Etruscans

in　the　centre；　all　being　fastened　to　a　bronze　chain；　the　archers　were

behind；　and　on　the　wings　he　distributed　the　Naffurs；　who　were　mounted

on　short…haired　camels；　covered　with　ostrich　feathers。



The　Suffet　arranged　the　Carthaginians　in　similar　order。　He　placed　the

Clinabarians　outside　the　infantry　next　to　the　velites；　and　the

Numidians　beyond；　when　day　appeared；　both　sides　were　thus　in　line　face

to　face。　All　gazed　at　each　other　from　a　distance；　with　round　fierce

eyes。　There　was　at　first　some　hesitation；　at　last　both　armies　moved。



The　Barbarians　advanced　slowly　so　as　not　to　become　out　of　breath；

beating　the　ground　with　their　feet；　the　centre　of　the　Punic　army

formed　a　convex　curve。　Then　came　the　burst　of　a　terrible　shock；　like

the　crash　of　two　fleets　in　collision。　The　first　rank　of　the　Barbarians

had　quickly　opened　up；　and　the　marksmen；　hidden　behind　the　others；

discharged　their　bullets；　arrows；　and　javelins。　The　curve　of　the

Carthaginians；　however；　flattened　by　degrees；　became　quite　straight；

and　then　bent　inwards；　upon　this；　the　two　sections　of　the　velites　drew

together　in　parallel　lines；　like　the　legs　of　a　compass　that　is　being

closed。　The　Barbarians；　who　were　attacking　the　phalanx　with　fury；

entered　the　gap；　they　were　being　lost；　Matho　checked　them；and　while

the　Carthaginian　wings　continued　to　advance；　he　drew　out　the　three

inner　ranks　of　his　line；　they　soon　covered　his　flanks；　and　his　army

appeared　in　triple　array。



But　the　Barbarians　placed　at　the　extremities　were　the　weakest；

especially　those　on　the　left；　who　had　exhausted　their　quivers；　and　the

troop　of　velites；　which　had　at　last　come　up　against　them；　was　cutting

them　up　greatly。



Matho　made　them　fall　back。　His　right　comprised　Campanians；　who　were

armed　with　axes；　he　hurled　them　against　the　Carthaginian　left；　the

centre　attacked　the　enemy；　and　those　at　the　other　extremity；　who　were

out　of　peril；　kept　the　velites　at　a　distance。



Then　Hamilcar　divided　his　horsemen　into　squadrons；　placed　hoplites

between　them；　and　sent　them　against　the　Mercenaries。



Those　cone…shaped　masses　presented　a　front　of　horses；　and　their

broader　sides　were　filled　and　bristling　with　lances。　The　Barbarians

found　it　impossible　to　resist；　the　Greek　foot…soldiers　alone　had

brazen　armour；　all　the　rest　had　cutlasses　on　the　end　of　poles；　scythes

taken　from　the　farms；　or　swords　manufactured　out　of　the　fellies　of

wheels；　the　soft　blades　were　twisted　by　a　blow；　and　while　they　were

engaged　in　straightening　them　under　their　heels；　the　Carthaginians

massacred　them　right　and　left　at　their　ease。



But　the　Etruscans；　riveted　to　their　chain；　did　not　stir；　those　who

were　dead；　being　prevented　from　falling；　formed　an　obstruction　with

their　corpses；　and　the　great　bronze　line　widened　and　contracted　in

turn；　as　supple　as　a　serpent；　and　as　impregnable　as　a　wall。　The

Barbarians　would　come　to　re…form　behind　it；　pant　for　a　minute；　and

then　set　off　again　with　the　fragments　of　their　weapons　in　their　hands。



Many　already　had　none　left；　and　they　leaped　upon　the　Carthaginians；

biting　their　faces　like　dogs。　The　Gauls　in　their　pride　stripped

themselves　of　the　sagum；　they　showed　their　great　white　bodies　from　a

distance；　and　they　enlarged　their　wounds　to　terrify　the　enemy。　The

voice　of　the　crier　announcing　the　orders　could　no　longer　be　heard　in

the　midst　of　the　Punic　syntagmata；　their　signals　were　being　repeated

by　the　standards；　which　were　raised　above　the　dust；　and　every　one　was

swept　away　in　the　swaying　of　the　great　mass　that　surrounded　him。



Hamilcar　commanded　the　Numidians　to　advance。　But　the　Naffurs　rushed　to

meet　them。



Clad　in　vast　black　robes；　with　a　tuft　of　hair　on　the　top　of　the　skull；

and　a　shield　of　rhinoceros　leather；　they　wielded　a　steel　which　had　no

handle；　and　which　they　held　by　a　rope；　and　their　camels；　which

bristled　all　over　with　feathers；　uttered　long；　hoarse　cluckings。　Each

blade　fell　on　a　precise　spot；　then　rose　again　with　a　smart　stroke

carrying　off　a　limb　with　it。　The　fierce　beasts　galloped　through　the

syntagmata。　Some；　whose　legs　were　broken；　went　hopping　along　like

wounded　ostriches。



The　Punic　infantry　turned　in　a　body　upon　the　Barbarians；　and　cut　them

off。　Their　maniples　wheeled　about　at　intervals　from　one　another。　The

more　brilliant　Carthaginian　weapons　encircled　them　like　golden　crowns；

there　was　a　swarming　movement　in　the　centre；　and　the　sun；　striking

down　upon　the　points　of　the　swords；　made　them　glitter　with　white

flickering　gleams。　However；　files　of　Clinabarians　lay　stretched　upon

the　plain；　some　Mercenaries　snatched　away　their　armour；　clothed

themselves　in　it；　and　then　returned　to　the　fray。　The　deluded

Carthaginians　were　several　times　entangled　in　their　midst。　They　would

stand　stupidly　motionless；　or　else　would　back；　surge　again；　and

triumphant　shouts　rising　in　the　distance　seemed　to　drive　them　along

like　derelicts　in　a　storm。　Hamilcar　was　growing　desperate；　all　was

about　to　perish　beneath　the　genius　of　Matho　and　the　invincible　courage

of　the　Mercenaries。



But　a　great　noise　of　tabourines　burst　forth　on　the　horizon。　It　was　a

crowd　of　old　men；　sick　persons；　children　of　fifteen　years　of　age；　and

even　women；　who；　being　unable　to　withstand　their　distress　any　longer；

had　set　out　from　Carthage；　and；　for　the　purpose　of　placing　themselves

under　the　protection　of　something　formidable；　had　taken　from

Hamilcar's　palace　the　only　elephant　that　the　Republic　now　possessed；

that　one；　namely；　whose　trunk　had　been　cut　off。



Then　it　seemed　to　the　Carthaginians　that　their　country；　forsaking　its

walls；　was　coming　to　command　them　to　die　for　her。　They　were　seized

with　increased　fury；　and　the　Numidians　carried　aw