salammbo-第16章

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〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Spendius。



Such　impassibility　exasperated　Matho　and　he　exclaimed：



〃Why！　the　fault　is　yours！　You　carry　me　away；　and　then　you　forsake　me；

coward　that　you　are！　Why；　pray；　should　I　obey　you？　Do　you　think　that

you　are　my　master？　Ah！　you　prostituter；　you　slave；　you　son　of　a

slave！〃　He　ground　his　teeth　and　raised　his　broad　hand　above　Spendius。



The　Greek　did　not　reply。　An　earthen　lamp　was　burning　gently　against

the　tent…pole；　where　the　zaimph　shone　amid　the　hanging　panoply。

Suddenly　Matho　put　on　his　cothurni；　buckled　on　his　brazen　jacket　of

mail；　and　took　his　helmet。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Spendius。



〃I　am　returning！　Let　me　alone！　I　will　bring　her　back！　And　if　they　show

themselves　I　will　crush　them　like　vipers！　I　will　put　her　to　death；

Spendius！　Yes；〃　he　repeated；　〃I　will　kill　her！　You　shall　see；　I　will

kill　her！〃



But　Spendius；　who　was　listening　eagerly；　snatched　up　the　zaimph

abruptly　and　threw　it　into　a　corner；　heaping　up　fleeces　above　it。　A

murmuring　of　voices　was　heard；　torches　gleamed；　and　Narr'　Havas

entered；　followed　by　about　twenty　men。



They　wore　white　woollen　cloaks；　long　daggers；　copper　necklaces；　wooden

earrings；　and　boots　of　hyena　skin；　and　standing　on　the　threshold　they

leaned　upon　their　lances　like　herdsmen　resting　themselves。　Narr'　Havas

was　the　handsomest　of　all；　his　slender　arms　were　bound　with　straps

ornamented　with　pearls。　The　golden　circlet　which　fastened　his　ample

garment　about　his　head　held　an　ostrich　feather　which　hung　down　behind

his　shoulder；　his　teeth　were　displayed　in　a　continual　smile；　his　eyes

seemed　sharpened　like　arrows；　and　there　was　something　observant　and

airy　about　his　whole　demeanour。



He　declared　that　he　had　come　to　join　the　Mercenaries；　for　the　Republic

had　long　been　threatening　his　kingdom。　Accordingly　he　was　interested

in　assisting　the　Barbarians；　and　he　might　also　be　of　service　to　them。



〃I　will　provide　you　with　elephants　（my　forests　are　full　of　them）；

wine；　oil；　barley；　dates；　pitch　and　sulphur　for　sieges；　twenty

thousand　foot…soldiers　and　ten　thousand　horses。　If　I　address　myself　to

you；　Matho；　it　is　because　the　possession　of　the　zaimph　has　made　you

chief　man　in　the　army。　Moreover；〃　he　added；　〃we　are　old　friends。〃



Matho；　however；　was　looking　at　Spendius；　who；　seated　on　the　sheep…

skins；　was　listening；　and　giving　little　nods　of　assent　the　while。

Narr'　Havas　continued　speaking。　He　called　the　gods　to　witness　he

cursed　Carthage。　In　his　imprecations　he　broke　a　javelin。　All　his　men

uttered　simultaneously　a　loud　howl；　and　Matho；　carried　away　by　so　much

passion；　exclaimed　that　he　accepted　the　alliance。



A　white　bull　and　a　black　sheep；　the　symbols　of　day　and　night；　were

then　brought；　and　their　throats　were　cut　on　the　edge　of　a　ditch。　When

the　latter　was　full　of　blood　they　dipped　their　arms　into　it。　Then

Narr'　Havas　spread　out　his　hand　upon　Matho's　breast；　and　Matho　did　the

same　to　Narr'　Havas。　They　repeated　the　stain　upon　the　canvas　of　their

tents。　Afterwards　they　passed　the　night　in　eating；　and　the　remaining

portions　of　the　meat　were　burnt　together　with　the　skin；　bones；　horns；

and　hoofs。



Matho　had　been　greeted　with　great　shouting　when　he　had　come　back

bearing　the　veil　of　the　goddess；　even　those　who　were　not　of　the

Chanaanitish　religion　were　made　by　their　vague　enthusiasm　to　feel　the

arrival　of　a　genius。　As　to　seizing　the　zaimph；　no　one　thought　of　it；

for　the　mysterious　manner　in　which　he　had　acquired　it　was　sufficient

in　the　minds　of　the　Barbarians　to　justify　its　possession；　such　were

the　thoughts　of　the　soldiers　of　the　African　race。　The　others；　whose

hatred　was　not　of　such　long　standing；　did　not　know　how　to　make　up

their　minds。　If　they　had　had　ships　they　would　immediately　have

departed。



Spendius；　Narr'　Havas；　and　Matho　despatched　men　to　all　the　tribes　on

Punic　soil。



Carthage　was　sapping　the　strength　of　these　nations。　She　wrung

exorbitant　taxes　from　them；　and　arrears　or　even　murmurings　were

punished　with　fetters；　the　axe；　or　the　cross。　It　was　necessary　to

cultivate　whatever　suited　the　Republic；　and　to　furnish　what　she

demanded；　no　one　had　the　right　of　possessing　a　weapon；　when　villages

rebelled　the　inhabitants　were　sold；　governors　were　esteemed　like　wine…

presses；　according　to　the　quantity　which　they　succeeded　in　extracting。

Then　beyond　the　regions　immediately　subject　to　Carthage　extended　the

allies　roamed　the　Nomads；　who　might　be　let　loose　upon　them。　By　this

system　the　crops　were　always　abundant；　the　studs　skilfully　managed；

and　the　plantations　superb。



The　elder　Cato；　a　master　in　the　matters　of　tillage　and　slaves；　was

amazed　at　it　ninety…two　years　later；　and　the　death…cry　which　he

repeated　continually　at　Rome　was　but　the　exclamation　of　jealous　greed。



During　the　last　war　the　exactions　had　been　increased；　so　that　nearly

all　the　towns　of　Libya　had　surrendered　to　Regulus。　To　punish　them；　a

thousand　talents；　twenty　thousand　oxen；　three　hundred　bags　of　gold

dust；　and　considerable　advances　of　grain　had　been　exacted　from　them；

and　the　chiefs　of　the　tribes　had　been　crucified　or　thrown　to　the

lions。



Tunis　especially　execrated　Carthage！　Older　than　the　metropolis；　it

could　not　forgive　her　her　greatness；　and　it　fronted　her　walls

crouching　in　the　mire　on　the　water's　edge　like　a　venomous　beast

watching　her。　Transportation；　massacres；　and　epidemics　did　not　weaken

it。　It　had　assisted　Archagathas；　the　son　of　Agathocles；　and　the　Eaters

of　Uncleanness　found　arms　there　at　once。



The　couriers　had　not　yet　set　out　when　universal　rejoicing　broke　out　in

the　provinces。　Without　waiting　for　anything　they　strangled　the

comptrollers　of　the　houses　and　the　functionaries　of　the　Republic　in

the　baths；　they　took　the　old　weapons　that　had　been　concealed　out　of

the　caves；　they　forged　swords　with　the　iron　of　the　ploughs；　the

children　sharpened　javelins　at　the　doors；　and　the　women　gave　their

necklaces；　rings；　earrings；　and　everything　that　could　be　employed　for

the　destruction　of　Carthage。　Piles　of　lances　were　heaped　up　in　the

country　towns　like　sheaves　of　maize。　Cattle　and　money　were　sent　off。

Matho　speedily　paid　the　Mercenaries　their　arrears；　and　owing　to　this；

which　was　Spendius's　idea；　he　was　appointed　commander…in…chiefthe

schalishim　of　the　Barbarians。



Reinforcements　of　men　poured　in　at　the　same　time。　The　aborigines

appeared　first；　and　were　followed　by　the　slaves　from　the　country；

caravans　of　Negroes　were　seized　and　armed；　and　merchants　on　their　way

to　Carthage；　despairing　of　any　more　certain　profit；　mingled　with　the

Barbarians。　Numerous　bands　were　continually　arriving。　From　the　heights

of　the　Acropolis　the　growing　army　might　be　seen。



But　the　guards　of　the　Legion　were　posted　as　sentries　on　the　platform

of　the　aqueduct；　and　near　them　rose　at　intervals　brazen　vats；　in　which

floods　of　asphalt　were　boiling。　Below　in　the　plain　the　great　crowd

stirred　tumultuously。　They　were　in　a　state　of　uncertainty；　feeling　the

embarrassment　with　which　Barbarians　are　always　inspired　when　they　meet

with　walls。



Utica　and　Hippo…Zarytus　refused　their　alliance。　Phoenician　colonies

like　Carthage；　they　were　self…governing；　and　always　had　clauses

inserted　in　the　treaties　concluded　by　the　Republic　to　distinguish　them

from　the　latter。　Nevertheless　they　respected　this　strong　sister　of

theirs　who　protected　them；　and　they　did　not　think　that　she　could　be

vanquished　by　a　mass　of　Barbarians；　these　would　on　the　contrary　be

themselves　exterminated。　They　desired　to　remain　neutral　and　to　live　at

peace。



But　their　position　rendered　them　indispensable。　Utica；　at　the　foot　of

the　gulf；　was　convenient　for　bringing　assistance　to　Carthage　from

without。　If　Utica　alone　were　taken；　Hippo…Zarytus；　six　hours　further

distant　along　the　coast；　would　take　its　place；　and　the　metropolis；

being　revictualled　in　this　way；　would　be　impregnable。



Spendius　wished　the　siege　to　be　undertaken　immediately。　Narr'　Havas

was　opposed　to　this：　an　advance　should　first　be　made　upon　the

frontier。　This　was　the　opinion　of　the　veterans；　and　of　Matho　himself；

and　it　was　decided　that　Spendius　should　go　to　attack　Utica；　and　Matho

Hippo…Zarytus；　while　in　the　third　place　the　main　body　should　rest　on

Tunis　and　occupy　the　plain　of　Carthage；　Autaritus　being　in　command。　As

to　Narr'　Havas；　he　was　to　return　to　his　own　kingdom　to　procure

elephants　and　to　scour　the　roads　with　his　cavalry。



The　women　cried　out　loudly　against　this　decision；　they　coveted　the

jewels　of　the　Punic　ladies。　The　Libyans　also　protested。　They　had　been

summoned　against　Carthage；　and　now　they　were　going　away　from　it！　The

soldiers　departed　almost　alone。　Matho　commanded　his　own　companions；

together　with　the　Iberians；　Lusitanians；　and　the　men　of　the　West；　and

of　the　islands；　all　those　who　spoke　Greek　had　asked　for　Spendius　on

account　of　his　cleverness。



Great　was　the　stupefaction　when　the　army　was　seen　suddenly　in　motion；

it　stretched　along　beneath　the　mountain　of　Ariana　on　the　road　to　Utica

beside　the　sea。　A　fragment　remained　before　Tunis；　the　rest　disappeared

to　re…appear　on　the　other　shore　of　the　gulf　on　the　outskirts　of　the

woods　in　which　they　were　lost。



They　were　perhaps　eighty　thousand　men。　The　two　Tyrian　cities　would

offer　no　resistance；　and　they　would　return　against　Carthage。　Already

there　was　a　considerable　army　attacking　it　from　the　base　of　the

isthmus；　and　it　would　soon　perish　from　famine；　for　it　was　impossible

to　live　without　the　aid　of　the　provinces；　the　citizens　not　paying

contributions　as　they　did　at　Rome。　Carthage　was　wanting　in　political

genius。　Her　eternal　anxiety　for　gain　prevented　her　from　having　the

prudence　which　results　from　loftier　ambitions。　A　galley　anchored　on

the　Libyan　sands；　it　was　with　toil　that　she　maintained　her　position。

The　nations　roared　like　billows　around　her；　and　the　slightest　storm

shook　this　formidable　machine。



The　treasury　was　exhausted　by　the　Roman　war　and　by　all　that　had　been

squandered　and　lost　in　the　bargaining　with　the　Barbarians。

Nevertheless　soldiers　must　be　had；　and　not　a　government　would　trust

the　Republic！　Ptolemaeus　had　lately　refused　it　two　thousand　talents。

Moreover　the　rape　of　the　veil　disheartened　them。　Spendius　had　clearly

foreseen　this。



But　the　nation；　feeling　that　it　was　hated；　clasped　its　money　and　its

gods　to　its　heart；　and　its　patriotism　was　sustained　by　the　very

constitution　of　its　government。



First；　the　power　rested　with　all；　without　any　one　being　strong　enough

to　engross　it。　Private　debts　were　considered　as　public　debts；　men　of

Chanaanitish　race　had　a　monopoly　of　commerce；　and　by　multiplying　the

profits　of　piracy　with　those　of　usury；　by　hard　dealings　in　lands　and

slaves　and　with　the　poor；　fortunes　were　sometimes　made。　These　alone

opened　up　all　the　magistracies；　and　although　authority　and　money　were

perpetuated　in　the　same　families；　people　tolerated　the　oligarchy

because　t