salammbo-第23章
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perpetuated in the same families; people tolerated the oligarchy
because they hoped ultimately to share in it。
The societies of merchants; in which the laws were elaborated; chose
the inspectors of the exchequer; who on leaving office nominated the
hundred members of the Council of the Ancients; themselves dependent
on the Grand Assembly; or general gathering of all the rich。 As to the
two Suffets; the relics of the monarchy and the less than consuls;
they were taken from distinct families on the same day。 All kinds of
enmities were contrived between them; so that they might mutually
weaken each other。 They could not deliberate concerning war; and when
they were vanquished the Great Council crucified them。
The power of Carthage emanated; therefore; from the Syssitia; that is
to say; from a large court in the centre of Malqua; at the place; it
was said; where the first bark of Phoenician sailors had touched; the
sea having retired a long way since then。 It was a collection of
little rooms of archaic architecture; built of palm trunks with
corners of stone; and separated from one another so as to accommodate
the various societies separately。 The rich crowded there all day to
discuss their own concerns and those of the government; from the
procuring of pepper to the extermination of Rome。 Thrice in a moon
they would have their beds brought up to the lofty terrace running
along the wall of the court; and they might be seen from below at
table in the air; without cothurni or cloaks; with their diamond…
covered fingers wandering over the dishes; and their large earrings
hanging down among the flagons;all fat and lusty; half…naked;
smiling and eating beneath the blue sky; like great sharks sporting in
the sea。
But just now they were unable to dissemble their anxiety; they were
too pale for that。 The crowd which waited for them at the gates
escorted them to their palaces in order to obtain some news from them。
As in times of pestilence; all the houses were shut; the streets would
fill and suddenly clear again; people ascended the Acropolis or ran to
the harbour; and the Great Council deliberated every night。 At last
the people were convened in the square of Khamon; and it was decided
to leave the management of things to Hanno; the conqueror of
Hecatompylos。
He was a true Carthaginian; devout; crafty; and pitiless towards the
people of Africa。 His revenues equalled those of the Barcas。 No one
had such experience in administrative affairs。
He decreed the enrolment of all healthy citizens; he placed catapults
on the towers; he exacted exorbitant supplies of arms; he even ordered
the construction of fourteen galleys which were not required; and he
desired everything to be registered and carefully set down in writing。
He had himself conveyed to the arsenal; the pharos; and the treasuries
of the temples; his great litter was continually to be seen swinging
from step to step as it ascended the staircases of the Acropolis。 And
then in his palace at night; being unable to sleep; he would yell out
warlike manoeuvres in terrible tones so as to prepare himself for the
fray。
In their extremity of terror all became brave。 The rich ranged
themselves in line along the Mappalian district at cockcrow; and
tucking up their robes practised themselves in handling the pike。 But
for want of an instructor they had disputes about it。 They would sit
down breathless upon the tombs and then begin again。 Several even
dieted themselves。 Some imagined that it was necessary to eat a great
deal in order to acquire strength; while others who were
inconvenienced by their corpulence weakened themselves with fasts in
order to become thin。
Utica had already called several times upon Carthage for assistance;
but Hanno would not set out until the engines of war had been supplied
with the last screws。 He lost three moons more in equipping the one
hundred and twelve elephants that were lodged in the ramparts。 They
were the conquerors of Regulus; the people loved them; it was
impossible to treat such old friends too well。 Hanno had the brass
plates which adorned their breasts recast; their tusks gilt; their
towers enlarged; and caparisons; edged with very heavy fringes; cut
out of the handsomest purple。 Finally; as their drivers were called
Indians (after the first ones; no doubt; who came from the Indies) he
ordered them all to be costumed after the Indian fashion; that is to
say; with white pads round their temples; and small drawers of byssus;
which with their transverse folds looked like two valves of a shell
applied to the hips。
The army under Autaritus still remained before Tunis。 It was hidden
behind a wall made with mud from the lake; and protected on the top by
thorny brushwood。 Some Negroes had planted tall sticks here and there
bearing frightful faces;human masks made with birds' feathers; and
jackals' or serpents' heads;which gaped towards the enemy for the
purpose of terrifying him; and the Barbarians; reckoning themselves
invincible through these means; danced; wrestled; and juggled;
convinced that Carthage would perish before long。 Any one but Hanno
would easily have crushed such a multitude; hampered as it was with
herds and women。 Moreover; they knew nothing of drill; and Autaritus
was so disheartened that he had ceased to require it。
They stepped aside when he passed by rolling his big blue eyes。 Then
on reaching the edge of the lake he would draw back his sealskin
cloak; unfasten the cord which tied up his long red hair; and soak the
latter in the water。 He regretted that he had not deserted to the
Romans along with the two thousand Gauls of the temple of Eryx。
Often the sun would suddenly lose his rays in the middle of the day。
Then the gulf and the open sea would seem as motionless as molten
lead。 A cloud of brown dust stretching perpendicularly would speed
whirling along; the palm trees would bend and the sky disappear; while
stones would be heard rebounding on the animals' cruppers; and the
Gaul; his lips glued against the holes in his tent; would gasp with
exhaustion and melancholy。 His thoughts would be of the scent of the
pastures on autumn mornings; of snowflakes; or of the bellowing of the
urus lost in the fog; and closing his eyelids he would in imagination
behold the fires in long; straw…roofed cottages flickering on the
marshes in the depths of the woods。
Others regretted their native lands as well as he; even though they
might not be so far away。 Indeed the Carthaginian captives could
distinguish the velaria spread over the courtyards of their houses;
beyond the gulf on the slopes of Byrsa。 But sentries marched round
them continually。 They were all fastened to a common chain。 Each one
wore an iron carcanet; and the crowd was never weary of coming to gaze
at them。 The women would show their little children the handsome robes
hanging in tatters on their wasted limbs。
Whenever Autaritus looked at Gisco he was seized with rage at the
recollection of the insult that he had received; and he would have
killed him but for the oath which he had taken to Narr' Havas。 Then he
would go back into his tent and drink a mixture of barley and cumin
until he swooned away from intoxication;to awake afterwards in broad
daylight consumed with horrible thirst。
Matho; meanwhile; was besieging Hippo…Zarytus。 But the town was
protected by a lake; communicating with the sea。 It had three lines of
circumvallation; and upon the heights which surrounded it there
extended a wall fortified with towers。 He had never commanded in such
an enterprise before。 Moreover; he was beset with thoughts of
Salammbo; and he raved in the delight of her beauty as in the
sweetness of a vengeance that transported him with pride。 He felt an
acrid; frenzied; permanent want to see her again。 He even thought of
presenting himself as the bearer of a flag of truce; in the hope that
once within C