salammbo-第7章

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the　soldiers；　he　made　a　sign；　the　litter　stopped；　and　Hanno；　supported

by　two　slaves；　put　his　tottering　feet　to　the　ground。



He　wore　boots　of　black　felt　strewn　with　silver　moons。　His　legs　were

swathed　in　bands　like　those　wrapped　about　a　mummy；　and　the　flesh　crept

through　the　crossings　of　the　linen；　his　stomach　came　out　beyond　the

scarlet　jacket　which　covered　his　thighs；　the　folds　of　his　neck　fell

down　to　his　breast　like　the　dewlaps　of　an　ox；　his　tunic；　which　was

painted　with　flowers；　was　bursting　at　the　arm…pits；　he　wore　a　scarf；　a

girdle；　and　an　ample　black　cloak　with　laced　double…sleeves。　But　the

abundance　of　his　garments；　his　great　necklace　of　blue　stones；　his

golden　clasps；　and　heavy　earrings　only　rendered　his　deformity　still

more　hideous。　He　might　have　been　taken　for　some　big　idol　rough…hewn　in

a　block　of　stone；　for　a　pale　leprosy；　which　was　spread　over　his　whole

body；　gave　him　the　appearance　of　an　inert　thing。　His　nose；　however；

which　was　hooked　like　a　vulture's　beak；　was　violently　dilated　to

breathe　in　the　air；　and　his　little　eyes；　with　their　gummed　lashes；

shone　with　a　hard　and　metallic　lustre。　He　held　a　spatula　of　aloe…wood

in　his　hand　wherewith　to　scratch　his　skin。



At　last　two　heralds　sounded　their　silver　horns；　the　tumult　subsided；

and　Hanno　commenced　to　speak。



He　began　with　an　eulogy　of　the　gods　and　the　Republic；　the　Barbarians

ought　to　congratulate　themselves　on　having　served　it。　But　they　must

show　themselves　more　reasonable；　times　were　hard；　〃and　if　a　master　has

only　three　olives；　is　it　not　right　that　he　should　keep　two　for

himself？〃



The　old　Suffet　mingled　his　speech　in　this　way　with　proverbs　and

apologues；　nodding　his　head　the　while　to　solicit　some　approval。



He　spoke　in　Punic；　and　those　surrounding　him　（the　most　alert；　who　had

hastened　thither　without　their　arms）；　were　Campanians；　Gauls；　and

Greeks；　so　that　no　one　in　the　crowd　understood　him。　Hanno；　perceiving

this；　stopped　and　reflected；　swaying　himself　heavily　from　one　leg　to

the　other。



It　occurred　to　him　to　call　the　captains　together；　then　his　heralds

shouted　the　order　in　Greek；　the　language　which；　from　the　time　of

Xanthippus；　had　been　used　for　commands　in　the　Carthaginian　armies。



The　guards　dispersed　the　mob　of　soldiers　with　strokes　of　the　whip；　and

the　captains　of　the　Spartan　phalanxes　and　the　chiefs　of　the　Barbarian

cohorts　soon　arrived　with　the　insignia　of　their　rank；　and　in　the

armour　of　their　nation。　Night　had　fallen；　a　great　tumult　was　spreading

throughout　the　plain；　fires　were　burning　here　and　there；　and　the

soldiers　kept　going　from　one　to　another　asking　what　the　matter　was；

and　why　the　Suffet　did　not　distribute　the　money？



He　was　setting　the　infinite　burdens　of　the　Republic　before　the

captains。　Her　treasury　was　empty。　The　tribute　to　Rome　was　crushing

her。　〃We　are　quite　at　a　loss　what　to　do！　She　is　much　to　be　pitied！〃



From　time　to　time　he　would　rub　his　limbs　with　his　aloe…wood　spatula；

or　perhaps　he　would　break　off　to　drink　a　ptisan　made　of　the　ashes　of　a

weasel　and　asparagus　boiled　in　vinegar　from　a　silver　cup　handed　to　him

by　a　slave；　then　he　would　wipe　his　lips　with　a　scarlet　napkin　and

resume：



〃What　used　to　be　worth　a　shekel　of　silver　is　now　worth　three　shekels

of　gold；　while　the　cultivated　lands　which　were　abandoned　during　the

war　bring　in　nothing！　Our　purpura　fisheries　are　nearly　gone；　and　even

pearls　are　becoming　exhorbitant；　we　have　scarcely　unguents　enough　for

the　service　of　the　gods！　As　for　the　things　of　the　table；　I　shall　say

nothing　about　them；　it　is　a　calamity！　For　want　of　galleys　we　are

without　spices；　and　it　is　a　matter　of　great　difficulty　to　procure

silphium　on　account　of　the　rebellions　on　the　Cyrenian　frontier。

Sicily；　where　so　many　slaves　used　to　be　had；　is　now　closed　to　us！　Only

yesterday　I　gave　more　money　for　a　bather　and　four　scullions　than　I

used　at　one　time　to　give　for　a　pair　of　elephants！〃



He　unrolled　a　long　piece　of　papyrus；　and；　without　omitting　a　single

figure；　read　all　the　expenses　that　the　government　had　incurred；　so

much　for　repairing　the　temples；　for　paving　the　streets；　for　the

construction　of　vessels；　for　the　coral…fisheries；　for　the　enlargement

of　the　Syssitia；　and　for　engines　in　the　mines　in　the　country　of　the

Cantabrians。



But　the　captains　understood　Punic　as　little　as　the　soldiers；　although

the　Mercenaries　saluted　one　another　in　that　language。　It　was　usual　to

place　a　few　Carthaginian　officers　in　the　Barbarian　armies　to　act　as

interpreters；　after　the　war　they　had　concealed　themselves　through　fear

of　vengeance；　and　Hanno　had　not　thought　of　taking　them　with　him；　his

hollow　voice；　too；　was　lost　in　the　wind。



The　Greeks；　girthed　in　their　iron　waist…belts；　strained　their　ears　as

they　strove　to　guess　at　his　words；　while　the　mountaineers；　covered

with　furs　like　bears；　looked　at　him　with　distrust；　or　yawned　as　they

leaned　on　their　brass…nailed　clubs。　The　heedless　Gauls　sneered　as　they

shook　their　lofty　heads　of　hair；　and　the　men　of　the　desert　listened

motionless；　cowled　in　their　garments　of　grey　wool；　others　kept　coming

up　behind；　the　guards；　crushed　by　the　mob；　staggered　on　their　horses；

the　Negroes　held　out　burning　fir　branches　at　arm's　length；　and　the　big

Carthaginian；　mounted　on　a　grassy　hillock；　continued　his　harangue。



The　Barbarians；　however；　were　growing　impatient；　murmuring　arose；　and

every　one　apostrophized　him。　Hanno　gesticulated　with　his　spatula；　and

those　who　wished　the　others　to　be　quiet　shouted　still　more　loudly；

thereby　adding　to　the　din。



Suddenly　a　man　of　mean　appearance　bounded　to　Hanno's　feet；　snatched　up

a　herald's　trumpet；　blew　it；　and　Spendius　（for　it　was　he）　announced

that　he　was　going　to　say　something　of　importance。　At　this　declaration；

which　was　rapidly　uttered　in　five　different　languages；　Greek；　Latin；

Gallic；　Libyan　and　Balearic；　the　captains；　half　laughing　and　half

surprised；　replied：　〃Speak！　Speak！〃



Spendius　hesitated；　he　trembled；　at　last；　addressing　the　Libyans　who

were　the　most　numerous；　he　said　to　them：



〃You　have　all　heard　this　man's　horrible　threats！〃



Hanno　made　no　exclamation；　therefore　he　did　not　understand　Libyan；

and；　to　carry　on　the　experiment；　Spendius　repeated　the　same　phrase　in

the　other　Barbarian　dialects。



They　looked　at　one　another　in　astonishment；　then；　as　by　a　tacit

agreement；　and　believing　perhaps　that　they　had　understood；　they　bent

their　heads　in　token　of　assent。



Then　Spendius　began　in　vehement　tones：



〃He　said　first　that　all　the　Gods　of　the　other　nations　were　but　dreams

besides　the　Gods　of　Carthage！　He　called　you　cowards；　thieves；　liars；

dogs；　and　the　sons　of　dogs！　But　for　you　（he　said　that！）　the　Republic

would　not　be　forced　to　pay　excessive　tribute　to　the　Romans；　and

through　your　excesses　you　have　drained　it　of　perfumes；　aromatics；

slaves；　and　silphium；　for　you　are　in　league　with　the　nomads　on　the

Cyrenian　frontier！　But　the　guilty　shall　be　punished！　He　read　the

enumeration　of　their　torments；　they　shall　be　made　to　work　at　the

paving　of　the　streets；　at　the　equipment　of　the　vessels；　at　the

adornment　of　the　Syssitia；　while　the　rest　shall　be　sent　to　scrape　the

earth　in　the　mines　in　the　country　of　the　Cantabrians。〃



Spendius　repeated　the　same　statements　to　the　Gauls；　Greeks；　Campanians

and　Balearians。　The　Mercenaries；　recognising　several　of　the　proper

names　which　had　met　their　ears；　were　convinced　that　he　was　accurately

reporting　the　Suffet's　speech。　A　few　cried　out　to　him；　〃You　lie！〃　but

their　voices　were　drowned　in　the　tumult　of　the　rest；　Spendius　added：



〃Have　you　not　seen　that　he　has　left　a　reserve　of　his　horse…soldiers

outside　the　camp？　At　a　given　signal　they　will　hasten　hither　to　slay

you　all。〃



The　Barbarians　turned　in　that　direction；　and　as　the　crowd　was　then

scattering；　there　appeared　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　advancing　with

the　slowness　of　a　phantom；　a　human　being；　bent；　lean；　entirely　naked；

and　covered　down　to　his　flanks　with　long　hair　bristling　with　dried

leaves；　dust　and　thorns。　About　his　loins　and　his　knees　he　had　wisps　of

straw　and　linen　rags；　his　soft　and　earthy　skin　hung　on　his　emaciated

limbs　like　tatters　on　dried　boughs；　his　hands　trembled　with　a

continuous　quivering；　and　as　he　walked　he　leaned　on　a　staff　of　olive…

wood。



He　reached　the　Negroes　who　were　bearing　the　torches。　His　pale　gums

were　displayed　in　a　sort　of　idiotic　titter；　his　large；　scared　eyes

gazed　upon　the　crowd　of　Barbarians　around　him。



But　uttering　a　cry　of　terror　he　threw　himself　behind　them；　shielding

himself　with　their　bodies。　〃There　they　are！　There　they　are！〃　he

stammered　out；　pointing　to　the　Suffet's　guards；　who　were　motionless　in

their　glittering　armour。　Their　horses；　dazzled　by　the　light　of　the

torches　which　crackled　in　the　darkness；　were　pawing　the　ground；　the

human　spectre　struggled　and　howled：



〃They　have　killed　them！〃



At　these　words；　which　were　screamed　in　Balearic；　some　Balearians　came

up　and　recognised　him；　without　answering　them　he　repeated：



〃Yes；　all　killed；　all！　crushed　like　grapes！　The　fine　young　men！　the

slingers！　my　companions　and　yours！〃



They　gave　him　wine　to　drink；　and　he　wept；　then　he　launched　forth　into

speech。



Spendius　could　scarcely　repress　his　joy；　as　he　explained　the　horrors

related　by　Zarxas　to　the　Greeks　and　Libyans；　he　could　not　believe

them；　so　appropriately　did　they　come　in。　The　Balearians　grew　pale　as

they　learned　how　their　companions　had　perished。



It　was　a　troop　of　three　hundred　slingers　who　had　disembarked　the

evening　before；　and　had　on　that　day　slept　too　late。　When　they　reached

the　square　of　Khamon　the　Barbarians　were　gone；　and　they　found

themselves　defenceless；　their　clay　bullets　having　been　put　on　the

camels　with　the　rest　of　the　baggage。　They　were　allowed　to　advance　into

the　street　of　Satheb　as　far　as　the　brass　sheathed　oaken　gate；　then　the

people　with　a　single　impulse　had　sprung　upon　them。



Indeed；　the　soldiers　remembered　a　great　shout；　Spendius；　who　was

flying　at　the　head　of　the　columns；　had　not　heard　it。



Then　the　corpses　were　placed　in　the　arms　of　the　Pataec　gods　that

fringed　the　temple　of　Khamon。　They　were　upbraided　with　all　the　crimes

of　the　Mercenaries；　their　gluttony；　their　thefts；　their　impiety；　their

disdain；　and　the　murder　of　the　fishes　in　Salammbo's　garden。　Their

bodies　were　subjected　to　infamous　mutilations；　the　priests　burned

their　hair　in　order　to　torture　their　souls；　they　were　hung　up　in

pieces　in　the　meat…shops；　some　even　buried　their　teeth　in　them；　and　in

the　evening　funeral…piles　were　kindled　at　the　cross…ways　to　finish

them。



These　were　the　flames　that　had　gleamed　from　a　distance　across　the

lake。　But　some　houses　having　taken　fire；　any　dead　or　dying　that

remained　were　speedily　thrown　over　the　walls；　Zarxas　had　remained

among　the　reeds　on　the　edge　of　the　lake　until　the　following　day；　then

he　had　wandered　about　through　the　country；