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regiments　into　column　in　order　to　climb　the　mountain　which　separates

the　two　valleys。　They　were　descending　at　sunset　into　its　hollow；

funnel…shaped　summit；　when　they　perceived　on　the　level　of　the　ground

before　them　bronze　she…wolves　which　seemed　to　be　running　across　the

grass。



Suddenly　large　plumes　arose　and　a　terrible　song　burst　forth；

accompanied　by　the　rhythm　of　flutes。　It　was　the　army　under　Spendius；

for　some　Campanians　and　Greeks；　in　their　execration　of　Carthage；　had

assumed　the　ensigns　of　Rome。　At　the　same　time　long　pikes；　shields　of

leopard's　skin；　linen　cuirasses；　and　naked　shoulders　were　seen　on　the

left。　These　were　the　Iberians　under　Matho；　the　Lusitanians；

Balearians；　and　Gaetulians；　the　horses　of　Narr'　Havas　were　heard　to

neigh；　they　spread　around　the　hill；　then　came　the　loose　rabble

commanded　by　AutaritusGauls；　Libyans；　and　Nomads；　while　the　Eaters

of　Uncleanness　might　be　recognised　among　them　by　the　fish　bones　which

they　wore　in　their　hair。



Thus　the　Barbarians；　having　contrived　their　marches　with　exactness；

had　come　together　again。　But　themselves　surprised；　they　remained

motionless　for　some　minutes　in　consultation。



The　Suffet　had　collected　his　men　into　an　orbicular　mass；　in　such　a　way

as　to　offer　an　equal　resistance　in　every　direction。　The　infantry　were

surrounded　by　their　tall；　pointed　shields　fixed　close　to　one　another

in　the　turf。　The　Clinabarians　were　outside　and　the　elephants　at

intervals　further　off。　The　Mercenaries　were　worn　out　with　fatigue；　it

was　better　to　wait　till　next　day；　and　the　Barbarians　feeling　sure　of

their　victory　occupied　themselves　the　whole　night　in　eating。



They　lighted　large　bright　fires；　which；　while　dazzling　themselves；

left　the　Punic　army　below　them　in　the　shade。　Hamilcar　caused　a　trench

fifteen　feet　broad　and　ten　cubits　deep　to　be　dug　in　Roman　fashion

round　his　camp；　and　the　earth　thrown　out　to　be　raised　on　the　inside

into　a　parapet；　on　which　sharp　interlacing　stakes　were　planted；　and　at

sunrise　the　Mercenaries　were　amazed　to　perceive　all　the　Carthaginians

thus　entrenched　as　if　in　a　fortress。



They　could　recognise　Hamilcar　in　the　midst　of　the　tents　walking　about

and　giving　orders。　His　person　was　clad　in　a　brown　cuirass　cut　in

little　scales；　he　was　followed　by　his　horse；　and　stopped　from　time　to

time　to　point　out　something　with　his　right　arm　outstretched。



Then　more　than　one　recalled　similar　mornings　when；　amid　the　din　of

clarions；　he　passed　slowly　before　them；　and　his　looks　strengthened

them　like　cups　of　wine。　A　kind　of　emotion　overcame　them。　Those；　on　the

contrary；　who　were　not　acquainted　with　Hamilcar；　were　mad　with　joy　at

having　caught　him。



Nevertheless　if　all　attacked　at　once　they　would　do　one　another　mutual

injury　in　the　insufficiency　of　space。　The　Numidians　might　dash

through；　but　the　Clinabarians；　who　were　protected　by　cuirasses；　would

crush　them。　And　then　how　were　the　palisades　to　be　crossed？　As　to　the

elephants；　they　were　not　sufficiently　well　trained。



〃You　are　all　cowards！〃　exclaimed　Matho。



And　with　the　best　among　them　he　rushed　against　the　entrenchment。　They

were　repulsed　by　a　volley　of　stones；　for　the　Suffet　had　taken　their

abandoned　catapults　on　the　bridge。



This　want　of　success　produced　an　abrupt　change　in　the　fickle　minds　of

the　Barbarians。　Their　extreme　bravery　disappeared；　they　wished　to

conquer；　but　with　the　smallest　possible　risk。　According　to　Spendius

they　ought　to　maintain　carefully　the　position　that　they　held；　and

starve　out　the　Punic　army。　But　the　Carthaginians　began　to　dig　wells；

and　as　there　were　mountains　surrounding　the　hill；　they　discovered

water。



From　the　summit　of　their　palisade　they　launched　arrows；　earth；　dung；

and　pebbles　which　they　gathered　from　the　ground；　while　the　six

catapults　rolled　incessantly　throughout　the　length　of　the　terrace。



But　the　springs　would　dry　up　of　themselves；　the　provisions　would　be

exhausted；　and　the　catapults　worn　out；　the　Mercenaries；　who　were　ten

times　as　numerous；　would　triumph　in　the　end。　The　Suffet　devised

negotiations　so　as　to　gain　time；　and　one　morning　the　Barbarians　found

a　sheep's　skin　covered　with　writing　within　their　lines。　He　justified

himself　for　his　victory：　the　Ancients　had　forced　him　into　the　war；　and

to　show　them　that　he　was　keeping　his　word；　he　offered　them　the

pillaging　of　Utica　or　Hippo…Zarytus　at　their　choice；　in　conclusion；

Hamilcar　declared　that　he　did　not　fear　them　because　he　had　won　over

some　traitors；　and　thanks　to　them　would　easily　manage　the　rest。



The　Barbarians　were　disturbed：　this　proposal　of　immediate　booty　made

them　consider；　they　were　apprehensive　of　treachery；　not　suspecting　a

snare　in　the　Suffet's　boasting；　and　they　began　to　look　upon　one

another　with　mistrust。　Words　and　steps　were　watched；　terrors　awaked

them　in　the　night。　Many　forsook　their　companions　and　chose　their　army

as　fancy　dictated；　and　the　Gauls　with　Autaritus　went　and　joined

themselves　with　the　men　of　Cisalpine　Gaul；　whose　language　they

understood。



The　four　chiefs　met　together　every　evening　in　Matho's　tent；　and

squatting　round　a　shield；　attentively　moved　backwards　and　forwards　the

little　wooden　figures　invented　by　Pyrrhus　for　the　representation　of

manoeuvres。　Spendius　would　demonstrate　Hamilcar's　resources；　and　with

oaths　by　all　the　gods　entreat　that　the　opportunity　should　not　be

wasted。　Matho　would　walk　about　angry　and　gesticulating。　The　war

against　Carthage　was　his　own　personal　affair；　he　was　indignant　that

the　others　should　interfere　in　it　without　being　willing　to　obey　him。

Autaritus　would　divine　his　speech　from　his　countenance　and　applaud。

Narr'　Havas　would　elevate　his　chin　to　mark　his　disdain；　there　was　not

a　measure　he　did　not　consider　fatal；　and　he　had　ceased　to　smile。　Sighs

would　escape　him　as　though　he　were　thrusting　back　sorrow　for　an

impossible　dream；　despair　for　an　abortive　enterprise。



While　the　Barbarians　deliberated　in　uncertainty；　the　Suffet　increased

his　defences：　he　had　a　second　trench　dug　within　the　palisades；　a

second　wall　raised；　and　wooden　towers　constructed　at　the　corners；　and

his　slaves　went　as　far　as　the　middle　of　the　outposts　to　drive　caltrops

into　the　ground。　But　the　elephants；　whose　allowances　were　lessened；

struggled　in　their　shackles。　To　economise　the　grass　he　ordered　the

Clinabarians　to　kill　the　least　strong　among　the　stallions。　A　few

refused　to　do　so；　and　he　had　them　decapitated。　The　horses　were　eaten。

The　recollection　of　this　fresh　meat　was　a　source　of　great　sadness　to

them　in　the　days　that　followed。



From　the　bottom　of　the　ampitheatre　in　which　they　were　confined　they

could　see　the　four　bustling　camps　of　the　Barbarians　all　around　them　on

the　heights。　Women　moved　about　with　leathern　bottles　on　their　heads；

goats　strayed　bleating　beneath　the　piles　of　pikes；　sentries　were　being

relieved；　and　eating　was　going　on　around　tripods。　In　fact；　the　tribes

furnished　them　abundantly　with　provisions；　and　they　did　not　themselves

suspect　how　much　their　inaction　alarmed　the　Punic　army。



On　the　second　day　the　Carthaginians　had　remarked　a　troop　of　three

hundred　men　apart　from　the　rest　in　the　camp　of　the　nomads。　These　were

the　rich　who　had　been　kept　prisoners　since　the　beginning　of　the　war。

Some　Libyans　ranged　them　along　the　edge　of　the　trench；　took　their

station　behind　them；　and　hurled　javelins；　making　themselves　a　rampart

of　their　bodies。　The　wretched　creatures　could　scarcely　be　recognised；

so　completely　were　their　faces　covered　with　vermin　and　filth。　Their

hair　had　been　plucked　out　in　places；　leaving　bare　the　ulcers　on　their

heads；　and　they　were　so　lean　and　hideous　that　they　were　like　mummies

in　tattered　shrouds。　A　few　trembled　and　sobbed　with　a　stupid　look；　the

rest　cried　out　to　their　friends　to　fire　upon　the　Barbarians。　There　was

one　who　remained　quite　motionless　with　face　cast　down；　and　without

speaking；　his　long　white　beard　fell　to　his　chain…covered　hands；　and

the　Carthaginians；　feeling　as　it　were　the