salammbo-第46章

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All　the　roundway；　from　the　street　of　Khamon　as　far　as　the　Green

Market；　now　belonged　to　the　Barbarians；　and　the　Samnites　were

finishing　off　the　dying　with　blows　of　stakes；　or　else　with　one　foot　on

the　wall　were　gazing　down　at　the　smoking　ruins　beneath　them；　and　the

battle　which　was　beginning　again　in　the　distance。



The　slingers；　who　were　distributed　through　the　rear；　were　still

shooting。　But　the　springs　of　the　Acarnanian　slings　had　broken　from

use；　and　many　were　throwing　stones　with　the　hand　like　shepherds；　the

rest　hurled　leaden　bullets　with　the　handle　of　a　whip。　Zarxas；　his

shoulders　covered　with　his　long　black　hair；　went　about　everywhere；　and

led　on　the　Barbarians。　Two　pouches　hung　at　his　hips；　he　thrust　his

left　hand　into　them　continually；　while　his　right　arm　whirled　round

like　a　chariot…wheel。



Matho　had　at　first　refrained　from　fighting；　the　better　to　command　the

Barbarians　all　at　once。　He　had　been　seen　along　the　gulf　with　the

Mercenaries；　near　the　lagoon　with　the　Numidians；　and　on　the　shores　of

the　lake　among　the　Negroes；　and　from　the　back　part　of　the　plain　he

urged　forward　masses　of　soldiers　who　came　ceaselessly　against　the

ramparts。　By　degrees　he　had　drawn　near；　the　smell　of　blood；　the　sight

of　carnage；　and　the　tumult　of　clarions　had　at　last　made　his　heart

leap。　Then　he　had　gone　back　into　his　tent；　and　throwing　off　his

cuirass　had　taken　his　lion's　skin　as　being　more　convenient　for　battle。

The　snout　fitted　upon　his　head；　bordering　his　face　with　a　circle　of

fangs；　the　two　fore…paws　were　crossed　upon　his　breast；　and　the　claws

of　the　hinder　ones　fell　beneath　his　knees。



He　had　kept　on　his　strong　waist…belt；　wherein　gleamed　a　two…edged　axe；

and　with　his　great　sword　in　both　hands　he　had　dashed　impetuously

through　the　breach。　Like　a　pruner　cutting　willow…branches　and　trying

to　strike　off　as　much　as　possible　so　as　to　make　the　more　money；　he

marched　along　mowing　down　the　Carthaginians　around　him。　Those　who

tried　to　seize　him　in　flank　he　knocked　down　with　blows　of　the　pommel；

when　they　attacked　him　in　front　he　ran　them　through；　if　they　fled　he

clove　them。　Two　men　leaped　together　upon　his　back；　he　bounded

backwards　against　a　gate　and　crushed　them。　His　sword　fell　and　rose。　It

shivered　on　the　angle　of　a　wall。　Then　he　took　his　heavy　axe；　and　front

and　rear　he　ripped　up　the　Carthaginians　like　a　flock　of　sheep。　They

scattered　more　and　more；　and　he　was　quite　alone　when　he　reached　the

second　enclosure　at　the　foot　of　the　Acropolis。　The　materials　which　had

been　flung　from　the　summit　cumbered　the　steps　and　were　heaped　up

higher　than　the　wall。　Matho　turned　back　amid　the　ruins　to　summons　his

companions。



He　perceived　their　crests　scattered　over　the　multitude；　they　were

sinking　and　their　wearers　were　about　to　perish；　he　dashed　towards

them；　then　the　vast　wreath　of　red　plumes　closed　in；　and　they　soon

rejoined　him　and　surrounded　him。　But　an　enormous　crowd　was　discharging

from　the　side　streets。　He　was　caught　by　the　hips；　lifted　up　and

carried　away　outside　the　ramparts　to　a　spot　where　the　terrace　was

high。



Matho　shouted　a　command　and　all　the　shields　sank　upon　the　helmets；　he

leaped　upon　them　in　order　to　catch　hold　somewhere　so　as　to　re…enter

Carthage；　and；　flourishing　his　terrible　axe；　ran　over　the　shields；

which　resembled　waves　of　bronze；　like　a　marine　god；　with　brandished

trident；　over　his　billows。



However；　a　man　in　a　white　robe　was　walking　along　the　edge　of　the

rampart；　impassible；　and　indifferent　to　the　death　which　surrounded

him。　Sometimes　he　would　spread　out　his　right　hand　above　his　eyes　in

order　to　find　out　some　one。　Matho　happened　to　pass　beneath　him。

Suddenly　his　eyeballs　flamed；　his　livid　face　contracted；　and　raising

both　his　lean　arms　he　shouted　out　abuse　at　him。



Matho　did　not　hear　it；　but　he　felt　so　furious　and　cruel　a　look

entering　his　heart　that　he　uttered　a　roar。　He　hurled　his　long　axe　at

him；　some　people　threw　themselves　upon　Schahabarim；　and　Matho　seeing

him　no　more　fell　back　exhausted。



A　terrible　creaking　drew　near；　mingled　with　the　rhythm　of　hoarse

voices　singing　together。



It　was　the　great　helepolis　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　soldiers。　They

were　dragging　it　with　both　hands；　hauling　it　with　ropes；　and　pushing

it　with　their　shoulders；for　the　slope　rising　from　the　plain　to　the

terrace；　although　extremely　gentle；　was　found　impracticable　for

machines　of　such　prodigious　weight。　However；　it　had　eight　wheels

banded　with　iron；　and　it　had　been　advancing　slowly　in　this　way　since

the　morning；　like　a　mountain　raised　upon　another。　Then　there　appeared

an　immense　ram　issuing　from　its　base。　The　doors　along　the　three　fronts

which　faced　the　town　fell　down；　and　cuirassed　soldiers　appeared　in　the

interior　like　pillars　of　iron。　Some　might　be　seen　climbing　and

descending　the　two　staircases　which　crossed　the　stories。　Some　were

waiting　to　dart　out　as　soon　as　the　cramps　of　the　doors　touched　the

walls；　in　the　middle　of　the　upper　platform　the　skeins　of　the　ballistas

were　turning；　and　the　great　beam　of　the　catapult　was　being　lowered。



Hamilcar　was　at　that　moment　standing　upright　on　the　roof　of　Melkarth。

He　had　calculated　that　it　would　come　directly　towards　him；　against

what　was　the　most　invulnerable　place　in　the　wall；　which　was　for　that

very　reason　denuded　of　sentries。　His　slaves　had　for　a　long　time　been

bringing　leathern　bottles　along　the　roundway；　where　they　had　raised

with　clay　two　transverse　partitions　forming　a　sort　of　basin。　The　water

was　flowing　insensibly　along　the　terrace；　and　strange　to　say；　it

seemed　to　cause　Hamilcar　no　anxiety。



But　when　the　helepolis　was　thirty　paces　off；　he　commanded　planks　to　be

placed　over　the　streets　between　the　houses　from　the　cisterns　to　the

rampart；　and　a　file　of　people　passed　from　hand　to　hand　helmets　and

amphoras；　which　were　emptied　continually。　The　Carthaginians；　however；

grew　indignant　at　this　waste　of　water。　The　ram　was　demolishing　the

wall；　when　suddenly　a　fountain　sprang　forth　from　the　disjointed

stones。　Then　the　lofty　brazen　mass；　nine　stories　high；　which　contained

and　engaged　more　than　three　thousand　soldiers；　began　to　rock　gently

like　a　ship。　In　fact；　the　water；　which　had　penetrated　the　terrace；　had

broken　up　the　path　before　it；　its　wheels　stuck　in　the　mire；　the　head

of　Spendius；　with　distended　cheeks　blowing　an　ivory　cornet；　appeared

between　leathern　curtains　on　the　first　story。　The　great　machine；　as

though　convulsively　upheaved；　advanced　perhaps　ten　paces；　but　the

ground　softened　more　and　more；　the　mire　reached　to　the　axles；　and　the

helepolis　stopped；　leaning　over　frightfully　to　one　side。　The　catapult

rolled　to　the　edge　of　the　platform；　and　carried　away　by　the　weight　of

its　beam；　fell；　shattering　the　lower　stories　beneath　it。　The　soldiers

who　were　standing　on　the　doors　slipped　into　the　abyss；　or　else　held　on

to　the　extremities　of　the　long　beams；　and　by　their　weight　increased

the　inclination　of　the　helepolis；　which　was　going　to　pieces　with

creakings　in　all　its　joints。



The　other　Barbarians　rushed　up　to　help　them；　massing　themselves　into　a

compact　crowd。　The　Carthaginians　descended　from　the　rampart；　and；

assailing　them　in　the　rear；　killed　them　at　leisure。　But　the　chariots

furnished　with　sickles　hastened　up；　and　galloped　round　the　outskirts

of　the　multitude。　The　latter　ascended　the　wall　again；　night　came　on；

and　the　Barbarians　gradually　retired。



Nothing　could　now　be　seen　on　the　plain　but　a　sort　of　perfectly　black；

swarming　mass；　which　extended　from　the　bluish　gulf　to　the　purely　white

lagoon；　and　the　lake；　which　had　received　streams　of　blood；　stretched

further　away　like　a　great　purple　pool。



The　terrace　was　now　so　laden　with　corpses　that　it　looked　as　though　it

had　been　constructed　of　human　bodies。　In　the　centre　stood　the

helepolis　covered　with　armour；　and　from　time　to　time　huge　fragments

broke　off　from　it；　like　stones　from　a　crumbling　pyramid。　Broad　tracks

made　by　the　streams　of　lead　might　be　distinguished　on　the　walls。　A

broken…down　wooden　tower　burned　here　and　there；　and　the　houses　showed

dimly　like　the　stages　of　a　ruined　ampitheatre。　Heavy　fumes　of　smoke

were　rising；　and　rolling　with　them　sparks　which　were　lost　in　the　dark

sky。



The　Carthaginians；　however；　who　were　consumed　by　thirst；　had　rushed　to

the　cisterns。　They　broke　open　the　doors。　A　miry　swamp　stretched　at　the

bottom。



What　was　to　be　done　now？　Moreover；　the　Barbarians　were　countless；　and

when　their　fatigue　was　over　they　would　begin　again。



The　people　deliberated　all　night　in　groups　at　the　corners　of　the

streets。　Some　said　that　they　ought　to　send　away　the　women；　the　sick；

and　the　old　men；　others　proposed　to　abandon　the　town；　and　found　a

colony　far　away。　But　vessels　were　lacking；　and　when　the　sun　appeared

no　decision　had　been　made。



There　was　no　fighting　that　day；　all　being　too　much　exhausted。　The

sleepers　looked　like　corpses。



Then　the　Carthaginians；　reflecting　upon　the　cause　of　their　disasters；

remembered　that　they　had　not　dispatched　to　Phoenicia　the　annual

offering　due　to　Tyrian　Melkarth；　and　a　great　terror　came　upon　them。

The　gods　were　indignant　with　the　Republic；　and　were；　no　doubt；　about

to　prosecute　their　vengeance。



They　were　considered　as　cruel　masters；　who　were　appeased　with

supplications　and　allowed　themselves　to　be　bribed　with　presents。　All

were　feeble　in　comparison　with　Moloch　the　Devourer。　The　existence；　the

very　flesh　of　men；　belonged　to　him；　and　hence　in　order　to　preserve　it；

the　Carthaginians　used　to　offer　up　a　portion　of　it　to　him；　which

calmed　his　fury。　Children　were　burned　on　the　forehead；　or　on　the　nape

of　the　neck；　with　woollen　wicks；　and　as　this　mode　of　satisfying　Baal

brought　in　much　money　to　the　priests；　they　failed　not　to　recommend　it

as　being　easier　and　more　pleasant。



This　time；　however；　the　Republic　itself　was　at　stake。　But　as　every

profit　must　be　purchased　by　some　loss；　and　as　every　transaction　was

regulated　according　to　the　needs　of　the　weaker　and　the　demands　of　the

stronger；　there　was　no　pain　great　enough　for　the　god；　since　he

delighted　in　such　as　was　of　the　most　horrible　description；　and　all

were　now　at　his　mercy。　He　must　accordingly　be　fully　gratified。

Precedents　showed　that　in　this　way　the　scourge　would　be　made　to

disappear。　Moreover；　it　was　believed　that　an　immolation　by　fire　would

purify　Carthage。　The　ferocity　of　the　people　was　predisposed　towards

it。　The　choice；　too；　must　fall　exclusively　upon　the　families　of　the

great。



The　Ancients　assembled。　The　sitting　was　a　long　one。　Hanno　had　come　to

it。　As　he　was　now　unable　to　sit　he　remained　lying　down　near　the　door；

half　hidden　among　the　fringes　of　the　lofty　tapestry；　and　when　the

pontiff　of　Moloch　asked　them　whether　they　would　consent　to　surrender

their　children；　his　voice　suddenly　broke　forth　from　the　shadow　like

the　roaring　of　a　genius　in　the　depths　of　a　cavern。　He　regretted；　he

said；　that　he　had　none　of　his　own　bl