salammbo-第26章

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He　asked　for　Giddenem；　the　governor　of　the　slaved；　and　that　personage

appeared；　his　rank　being　displayed　in　the　richness　of　his　dress。　His

tunic；　which　was　slit　up　the　sides；　was　of　fine　purple；　his　ears　were

weighted　with　heavy　rings；　and　the　strips　of　cloth　enfolding　his　legs

were　joined　together　with　a　lacing　of　gold　which　extended　from　his

ankles　to　his　hips；　like　a　serpent　winding　about　a　tree。　In　his

fingers；　which　were　laden　with　rings；　he　held　a　necklace　of　jet　beads；

so　as　to　recognise　the　men　who　were　subject　to　the　sacred　disease。



Hamilcar　signed　to　him　to　unfasten　the　muzzles。　Then　with　the　cries　of

famished　animals　they　all　rushed　upon　the　flour；　burying　their　faces

in　the　heaps　of　it　and　devouring　it。



〃You　are　weakening　them！〃　said　the　Suffet。



Giddenem　replied　that　such　treatment　was　necessary　in　order　to　subdue

them。



〃It　was　scarcely　worth　while　sending　you　to　the　slaves'　school　at

Syracuse。　Fetch　the　others！〃



And　the　cooks；　butlers；　grooms；　runners；　and　litter…carriers；　the　men

belonging　to　the　vapour…baths；　and　the　women　with　their　children；　all

ranged　themselves　in　a　single　line　in　the　garden　from　the　mercantile

house　to　the　deer　park。　They　held　their　breath。　An　immense　silence

prevailed　in　Megara。　The　sun　was　lengthening　across　the　lagoon　at　the

foot　of　the　catacombs。　The　peacocks　were　screeching。　Hamilcar　walked

along　step　by　step。



〃What　am　I　to　do　with　these　old　creatures？〃　he　said。　〃Sell　them！　There

are　too　many　Gauls：　they　are　drunkards！　and　too　many　Cretans：　they　are

liars！　Buy　me　some　Cappadocians；　Asiatics；　and　Negroes。〃



He　was　astonished　that　the　children　were　so　few。　〃The　house　ought　to

have　births　every　year；　Giddenem。　You　will　leave　the　huts　open　every

night　to　let　them　mingle　freely。〃



He　then　had　the　thieves；　the　lazy；　and　the　mutinous　shown　to　him。　He

distributed　punishments；　with　reproaches　to　Giddenem；　and　Giddenem；

ox…like；　bent　his　low　forehead；　with　its　two　broad　intersecting

eyebrows。



〃See；　Eye　of　Baal；〃　he　said；　pointing　out　a　sturdy　Libyan；　〃here　is

one　who　was　caught　with　the　rope　round　his　neck。〃



〃Ah！　you　wish　to　die？〃　said　the　Suffet　scornfully。



〃Yes！〃　replied　the　slave　in　an　intrepid　tone。



Then；　without　heeding　the　precedent　or　the　pecuniary　loss；　Hamilcar

said　to　the　serving…men：



〃Away　with　him！〃



Perhaps　in　his　thoughts　he　intended　a　sacrifice。　It　was　a　misfortune

which　he　inflicted　upon　himself　in　order　to　avert　more　terrible　ones。



Giddenem　had　hidden　those　who　were　mutilated　behind　the　others。

Hamilcar　perceived　them。



〃Who　cut　off　your　arm？〃



〃The　soldiers；　Eye　of　Baal。〃



Then　to　a　Samnite　who　was　staggering　like　a　wounded　heron：



〃And　you；　who　did　that　to　you？〃



It　was　the　governor；　who　had　broken　his　leg　with　an　iron　bar。



This　silly　atrocity　made　the　Suffet　indignant；　he　snatched　the　jet

necklace　out　of　Giddenem's　hands。



〃Cursed　be　the　dog　that　injures　the　flock！　Gracious　Tanith；　to　cripple

slaves！　Ah！　you　ruin　your　master！　Let　him　be　smothered　in　the

dunghill。　And　those　that　are　missing？　Where　are　they？　Have　you　helped

the　soldiers　to　murder　them？〃



His　face　was　so　terrible　that　all　the　women　fled。　The　slaves　drew　back

and　formed　a　large　circle　around　them；　Giddenem　was　frantically

kissing　his　sandals；　Hamilcar　stood　upright　with　his　arms　raised　above

him。



But　with　his　understanding　as　clear　as　in　the　sternest　of　his　battles；

he　recalled　a　thousand　odious　things；　ignominies　from　which　he　had

turned　aside；　and　in　the　gleaming　of　his　wrath　he　could　once　more　see

all　his　disasters　simultaneously　as　in　the　lightnings　of　a　storm。　The

governors　of　the　country　estates　had　fled　through　terror　of　the

soldiers；　perhaps　through　collusion　with　them；　they　were　all　deceiving

him；　he　had　restrained　himself　too　long。



〃Bring　them　here！〃　he　cried；　〃and　brand　them　on　the　forehead　with　red…

hot　irons　as　cowards！〃



Then　they　brought　and　spread　out　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　fetters；

carcanets；　knives；　chains　for　those　condemned　to　the　mines；　cippi　for

fastening　the　legs；　numellae　for　confining　the　shoulders；　and

scorpions　or　whips　with　triple　thongs　terminating　in　brass　claws。



All　were　placed　facing　the　sun；　in　the　direction　of　Moloch　the

Devourer；　and　were　stretched　on　the　ground　on　their　stomachs　or　on

their　backs；　those；　however；　who　were　sentenced　to　be　flogged　standing

upright　against　the　trees　with　two　men　beside　them；　one　counting　the

blows　and　the　other　striking。



In　striking　he　used　both　his　arms；　and　the　whistling　thongs　made　the

bark　of　the　plane…trees　fly。　The　blood　was　scattered　like　rain　upon

the　foliage；　and　red　masses　writhed　with　howls　at　the　foot　of　the

trees。　Those　who　were　under　the　iron　tore　their　faces　with　their

nails。　The　wooden　screws　could　be　heard　creaking；　dull　knockings

resounded；　sometimes　a　sharp　cry　would　suddenly　pierce　the　air。　In　the

direction　of　the　kitchens；　men　were　brisking　up　burning　coals　with

fans　amid　tattered　garments　and　scattered　hair；　and　a　smell　of　burning

flesh　was　perceptible。　Those　who　were　under　the　scourge；　swooning；　but

kept　in　their　positions　by　the　bonds　on　their　arms；　rolled　their　heads

upon　their　shoulders　and　closed　their　eyes。　The　others　who　were

watching　them　began　to　shriek　with　terror；　and　the　lions；　remembering

the　feast　perhaps；　stretched　themselves　out　yawning　against　the　edge

of　the　dens。



Then　Salammbo　was　seen　on　the　platform　of　her　terrace。　She　ran　wildly

about　it　from　left　to　right。　Hamilcar　perceived　her。　It　seemed　to　him

that　she　was　holding　up　her　arms　towards　him　to　ask　for　pardon；　with　a

gesture　of　horror　he　plunged　into　the　elephants'　park。



These　animals　were　the　pride　of　the　great　Punic　houses。　They　had

carried　their　ancestors；　had　triumphed　in　the　wars；　and　they　were

reverenced　as　being　the　favourites　of　the　Sun。



Those　of　Megara　were　the　strongest　in　Carthage。　Before　he　went　away

Hamilcar　had　required　Abdalonim　to　swear　that　he　would　watch　over

them。　But　they　had　died　from　their　mutilations；　and　only　three

remained；　lying　in　the　middle　of　the　court　in　the　dust　before　the

ruins　of　their　manger。



They　recognised　him　and　came　up　to　him。　One　had　its　ears　horribly

slit；　another　had　a　large　wound　in　its　knee；　while　the　trunk　of　the

third　was　cut　off。



They　looked　sadly　at　him；　like　reasonable　creatures；　and　the　one　that

had　lost　its　trunk　tried　by　stooping　its　huge　head　and　bending　its

hams　to　stroke　him　softly　with　the　hideous　extremity　of　its　stump。



At　this　caress　from　the　animal　two　tears　started　into　his　eyes。　He

rushed　at　Abdalonim。



〃Ah！　wretch！　the　cross！　the　cross！〃



Abdalonim　fell　back　swooning　upon　the　ground。



The　bark　of　a　jackal　rang　from　behind　the　purple　factories；　the　blue

smoke　of　which　was　ascending　slowly　into　the　sky；　Hamilcar　paused。



The　thought　of　his　son　had　suddenly　calmed　him　like　the　touch　of　a

god。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　prolongation　of　his　might；　an　indefinite

continuation　of　his　personality；　and　the　slaves　could　not　understand

whence　this　appeasement　had　come　upon　him。



As　he　bent　his　steps　towards　the　purple　factories　he　passed　before　the

ergastulum；　which　was　a　long　house　of　black　stone　built　in　a　square

pit　with　a　small　pathway　all　round　it　and　four　staircases　at　the

corners。



Iddibal　was　doubtless　waiting　until　the　night　to　finish　his　signal。

〃There　is　no　hurry　yet；〃　thought　Hamilcar；　and　he　went　down　into　the

prison。　Some　cried　out　to　him：　〃Return〃；　the　boldest　followed　him。



The　open　door　was　flapping　in　the　wind。　The　twilight　entered　through

the　narrow　loopholes；　and　in　the　interior　broken　chains　could　be

distinguished　hanging　from　the　walls。



This　was　all　that　remained　of　the　captives　of　war！



Then　Hamilcar　grew　extraordinarily　pale；　and　those　who　were　leaning

over　the　pit　outside　saw　him　resting　one　hand　against　the　wall　to　keep

himself　from　falling。



But　the　jackal　uttered　its　cry　three　times　in　succession。　Hamilcar

raised　his　head；　he　did　not　speak　a　word　nor　make　a　gesture。　Then　when

the　sun　had　completely　set　he　disappeared　behind　the　nopal　hedge；　and

in　the　evening　he　said　as　he　entered　the　assembly　of　the　rich　in　the

temple　of　Eschmoun：



〃Luminaries　of　the　Baalim；　I　accept　the　command　of　the　Punic　forces

against　the　army　of　the　Barbarians！〃







CHAPTER　VIII



THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　MACARAS



In　the　following　day　he　drew　two　hundred　and　twenty…three　thousand

kikars　of　gold　from　the　Syssitia；　and　decreed　a　tax　of　fourteen

shekels　upon　the　rich。　Even　the　women　contributed；　payment　was　made　in

behalf　of　the　children；　and　he　compelled　the　colleges　of　priests　to

furnish　moneya　monstrous　thing；　according　to　Carthaginian　customs。



He　demanded　all　the　horses；　mules；　and　arms。　A　few　tried　to　conceal

their　wealth；　and　their　property　was　sold；　and；　to　intimidate　the

avarice　of　the　rest；　he　himself　gave　sixty　suits　of　armour；　and

fifteen　hundred　gomers　of　meal；　which　was　as　much　as　was　given　by　the

Ivory　Company。



He　sent　into　Liguria　to　buy　soldiers；　three　thousand　mountaineers

accustomed　to　fight　with　bears；　they　were　paid　for　six　moons　in

advance　at　the　rate　of　four　minae　a　day。



Nevertheless　an　army　was　wanted。　But　he　did　not；　like　Hanno；　accept

all　the　citizens。　First　he　rejected　those　engaged　in　sedentary

occupations；　and　then　those　who　were　big…bellied　or　had　a

pusillanimous　look；　and　he　admitted　those　of　ill…repute；　the　scum　of

Malqua；　sons　of　Barbarians；　freed　men。　For　reward　he　promised　some　of

the　New　Carthaginians　complete　rights　of　citizenship。



His　first　care　was　to　reform　the　Legion。　These　handsome　young　fellows；

who　regarded　themselves　as　the　military　majesty　of　the　Republic；

governed　themselves。　He　reduced　their　officers　to　the　ranks；　he

treated　them　harshly；　made　them　run；　leap；　ascend　the　declivity　of

Byrsa　at　a　single　burst；　hurl　javelins；　wrestle　together；　and　sleep　in

the　squares　at　night。　Their　families　used　to　come　to　see　them　and　pity

them。



He　ordered　shorter　swords　and　stronger　buskins。　He　fixed　the　number　of

serving…men；　and　reduced　the　amount　of　baggage；　and　as　there　were

three　hundred　Roman　pila　kept　in　the　temple　of　Moloch；　he　took　them　in

spite　of　the　pontiff's　protests。



He　organised　a　phalanx　of　seventy…two　elephants　with　those　which　had

returned　from　Utica；　and　others　which　were　private　property；　and

rendered　them　formidable。　He　armed　their　drivers　with　mallet　and

chisel　to　enable　them　to　split　their　skulls　in　the　fight　if　they　ran

away。



He　would　not　allow　his　generals　to　be　nominated　by　the　Grand　Council。

The　Ancients　tried　to　urge　the　laws　in　objection；　but　he　set　them

aside；　no　one　ventured　to　murmur　again；　and　everything　yielded　to　the

violence　of　his　genius。



He　assumed　sole　charge　of　the　war；　the　government；　and　the　finances；

and　as　a　precaut