salammbo-第14章

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Carthaginians　could　hear　the　bugle…flourishes　that　regulated　their

exercises。　At　last　the　Barbarians　drew　near。



To　crush　them　in　the　isthmus　it　would　have　been　necessary　for　two

armies　to　take　them　simultaneously　in　the　rear；　one　disembarking　at

the　end　of　the　gulf　of　Utica；　and　the　second　at　the　mountain　of　the

Hot　Springs。　But　what　could　be　done　with　the　single　sacred　Legion；

mustering　at　most　six　thousand　men？　If　the　enemy　bent　towards　the　east

they　would　join　the　nomads　and　intercept　the　commerce　of　the　desert。

If　they　fell　back　to　the　west；　Numidia　would　rise。　Finally；　lack　of

provisions　would　sooner　or　later　lead　them　to　devastate　the

surrounding　country　like　grasshoppers；　and　the　rich　trembled　for　their

fine　country…houses；　their　vineyards　and　their　cultivated　lands。



Hanno　proposed　atrocious　and　impracticable　measures；　such　as　promising

a　heavy　sum　for　every　Barbarian's　head；　or　setting　fire　to　their　camp

with　ships　and　machines。　His　colleague　Gisco；　on　the　other　hand；

wished　them　to　be　paid。　But　the　Ancients　detested　him　owing　to　his

popularity；　for　they　dreaded　the　risk　of　a　master；　and　through　terror

of　monarchy　strove　to　weaken　whatever　contributed　to　it　or　might　re…

establish　it。



Outside　the　fortification　there　were　people　of　another　race　and　of

unknown　origin；　all　hunters　of　the　porcupine；　and　eaters　of　shell…fish

and　serpents。　They　used　to　go　into　caves　to　catch　hyenas　alive；　and

amuse　themselves　by　making　them　run　in　the　evening　on　the　sands　of

Megara　between　the　stelae　of　the　tombs。　Their　huts；　which　were　made　of

mud　and　wrack；　hung　on　the　cliff　like　swallows'　nests。　There　they

lived；　without　government　and　without　gods；　pell…mell；　completely

naked；　at　once　feeble　and　fierce；　and　execrated　by　the　people　of　all

time　on　account　of　their　unclean　food。　One　morning　the　sentries

perceived　that　they　were　all　gone。



At　last　some　members　of　the　Great　Council　arrived　at　a　decision。　They

came　to　the　camp　without　necklaces　or　girdles；　and　in　open　sandles

like　neighbours。　They　walked　at　a　quiet　pace；　waving　salutations　to

the　captains；　or　stopped　to　speak　to　the　soldiers；　saying　that　all　was

finished　and　that　justice　was　about　to　be　done　to　their　claims。



Many　of　them　saw　a　camp　of　Mercenaries　for　the　first　time。　Instead　of

the　confusion　which　they　had　pictured　to　themselves；　there　prevailed

everywhere　terrible　silence　and　order。　A　grassy　rampart　formed　a　lofty

wall　round　the　army　immovable　by　the　shock　of　catapults。　The　ground　in

the　streets　was　sprinkled　with　fresh　water；　through　the　holes　in　the

tents　they　could　perceive　tawny　eyeballs　gleaming　in　the　shade。　The

piles　of　pikes　and　hanging　panoplies　dazzled　them　like　mirrors。　They

conversed　in　low　tones。　They　were　afraid　of　upsetting　something　with

their　long　robes。



The　soldiers　requested　provisions；　undertaking　to　pay　for　them　out　of

the　money　that　was　due。



Oxen；　sheep；　guinea　fowl；　fruit　and　lupins　were　sent　to　them；　with

smoked　scombri；　that　excellent　scombri　which　Carthage　dispatched　to

every　port。　But　they　walked　scornfully　around　the　magnificent　cattle；

and　disparaging　what　they　coveted；　offered　the　worth　of　a　pigeon　for　a

ram；　or　the　price　of　a　pomegranate　for　three　goats。　The　Eaters　of

Uncleanness　came　forward　as　arbitrators；　and　declared　that　they　were

being　duped。　Then　they　drew　their　swords　with　threats　to　slay。



Commissaries　of　the　Great　Council　wrote　down　the　number　of　years　for

which　pay　was　due　to　each　soldier。　But　it　was　no　longer　possible　to

know　how　many　Mercenaries　had　been　engaged；　and　the　Ancients　were

dismayed　at　the　enormous　sum　which　they　would　have　to　pay。　The　reserve

of　silphium　must　be　sold；　and　the　trading　towns　taxed；　the　Mercenaries

would　grow　impatient；　Tunis　was　already　with　them；　and　the　rich；

stunned　by　Hanno's　ragings　and　his　colleague's　reproaches；　urged　any

citizens　who　might　know　a　Barbarian　to　go　to　see　him　immediately　in

order　to　win　back　his　friendship；　and　to　speak　him　fair。　Such　a　show

of　confidence　would　soothe　them。



Traders；　scribes；　workers　in　the　arsenal；　and　whole　families　visited

the　Barbarians。



The　soldiers　allowed　all　the　Carthaginians　to　come　in；　but　by　a　single

passage　so　narrow　that　four　men　abreast　jostled　one　another　in　it。

Spendius；　standing　against　the　barrier；　had　them　carefully　searched；

facing　him　Matho　was　examining　the　multitude；　trying　to　recognise　some

one　whom　he　might　have　seen　at　Salammbo's　palace。



The　camp　was　like　a　town；　so　full　of　people　and　of　movement　was　it。

The　two　distinct　crowds　mingled　without　blending；　one　dressed　in　linen

or　wool；　with　felt　caps　like　fir…cones；　and　the　other　clad　in　iron　and

wearing　helmets。　Amid　serving　men　and　itinerant　vendors　there　moved

women　of　all　nations；　as　brown　as　ripe　dates；　as　greenish　as　olives；

as　yellow　as　oranges；　sold　by　sailors；　picked　out　of　dens；　stolen　from

caravans；　taken　in　the　sacking　of　towns；　women　that　were　jaded　with

love　so　long　as　they　were　young；　and　plied　with　blows　when　they　were

old；　and　that　died　in　routs　on　the　roadsides　among　the　baggage　and　the

abandoned　beasts　of　burden。　The　wives　of　the　nomads　had　square；　tawny

robes　of　dromedary's　hair　swinging　at　their　heels；　musicians　from

Cyrenaica；　wrapped　in　violet　gauze　and　with　painted　eyebrows；　sang；

squatting　on　mats；　old　Negresses　with　hanging　breasts　gathered　the

animals'　dung　that　was　drying　in　the　sun　to　light　their　fires；　the

Syracusan　women　had　golden　plates　in　their　hair；　the　Lusitanians　had

necklaces　of　shells；　the　Gauls　wore　wolf　skins　upon　their　white

bosoms；　and　sturdy　children；　vermin…covered；　naked　and　uncircumcised；

butted　with　their　heads　against　passers…by；　or　came　behind　them　like

young　tigers　to　bite　their　hands。



The　Carthaginians　walked　through　the　camp；　surprised　at　the　quantities

of　things　with　which　it　was　running　over。　The　most　miserable　were

melancholy；　and　the　rest　dissembled　their　anxiety。



The　soldiers　struck　them　on　the　shoulder；　and　exhorted　them　to　be　gay。

As　soon　as　they　saw　any　one；　they　invited　him　to　their　amusements。　If

they　were　playing　at　discus；　they　would　manage　to　crush　his　feet；　or

if　at　boxing　to　fracture　his　jaw　with　the　very　first　blow。　The

slingers　terrified　the　Carthaginians　with　their　slings；　the　Psylli

with　their　vipers；　and　the　horsemen　with　their　horses；　while　their

victims；　addicted　as　they　were　to　peaceful　occupations；　bent　their

heads　and　tried　to　smile　at　all　these　outrages。　Some；　in　order　to　show

themselves　brave；　made　signs　that　they　should　like　to　become　soldiers。

They　were　set　to　split　wood　and　to　curry　mules。　They　were　buckled　up

in　armour；　and　rolled　like　casks　through　the　streets　of　the　camp。

Then；　when　they　were　about　to　leave；　the　Mercenaries　plucked　out　their

hair　with　grotesque　contortions。



But　many；　from　foolishness　or　prejudice；　innocently　believed　that　all

the　Carthaginians　were　very　rich；　and　they　walked　behind　them

entreating　them　to　grant　them　something。　They　requested　everything

that　they　thought　fine：　a　ring；　a　girdle；　sandals；　the　fringe　of　a

robe；　and　when　the　despoiled　Carthaginian　cried〃But　I　have　nothing

left。　What　do　you　want？〃　they　would　reply；　〃Your　wife！〃　Others　even

said；　〃Your　life！〃



The　military　accounts　were　handed　to　the　captains；　read　to　the

soldiers；　and　definitively　approved。　Then　they　claimed　tents；　they

received　them。　Next　the　polemarchs　of　the　Greeks　demanded　some　of　the

handsome　suits　of　armour　that　were　manufactured　at　Carthage；　the　Great

Council　voted　sums　of　money　for　their　purchase。　But　it　was　only　fair；

so　the　horsemen　pretended；　that　the　Republic　should　indemnify　them　for

their　horses；　one　had　lost　three　at　such　a　siege；　another；　five　during

such　a　march；　another；　fourteen　in　the　precipices。　Stallions　from

Hecatompylos　were　offered　to　them；　but　they　preferred　money。



Next　they　demanded　that　they　should　be　paid　in　money　（in　pieces　of

money；　and　not　in　leathern　coins）　for　all　the　corn　tha