salammbo-第56章

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The　Roman　people　threatened　the　Republic　with　immediate　hostilities

unless　she　gave　twelve　hundred　talents　with　the　whole　of　the　island　of

Sardinia。　They　had　accepted　the　alliance　of　the　Barbarians；　and　they

despatched　to　them　flat…bottomed　boats　laden　with　meal　and　dried　meat。

The　Carthaginians　pursued　these；　and　captured　five　hundred　men；　but

three　days　afterwards　a　fleet　coming　from　Byzacena；　and　conveying

provisions　to　Carthage；　foundered　in　a　storm。　The　gods　were　evidently

declaring　against　her。



Upon　this　the　citizens　of　Hippo…Zarytus；　under　pretence　of　an　alarm；

made　Hanno's　three　hundred　men　ascend　their　walls；　then　coming　behind

them　they　took　them　by　the　legs；　and　suddenly　threw　them　over　the

ramparts。　Some　who　were　not　killed　were　pursued；　and　went　and　drowned

themselves　in　the　sea。



Utica　was　enduring　the　presence　of　soldiers；　for　Magdassin　had　acted

like　Hanno；　and　in　accordance　with　his　orders　and　deaf　to　Hamilcar's

prayers；　was　surrounding　the　town。　As　for　these；　they　were　given　wine

mixed　with　mandrake；　and　were　then　slaughtered　in　their　sleep。　At　the

same　time　the　Barbarians　arrived；　Magdassin　fled；　the　gates　were

opened；　and　thenceforward　the　two　Tyrian　towns　displayed　an　obstinate

devotion　to　their　new　friends　and　an　inconceivable　hatred　to　their

former　allies。



This　abandonment　of　the　Punic　cause　was　a　counsel　and　a　precedent。

Hopes　of　deliverance　revived。　Populations　hitherto　uncertain　hesitated

no　longer。　Everywhere　there　was　a　stir。　The　Suffet　learnt　this；　and　he

had　no　assistance　to　look　for！　He　was　now　irrevocably　lost。



He　immediately　dismissed　Narr'　Havas；　who　was　to　guard　the　borders　of

his　kingdom。　As　for　himself；　he　resolved　to　re…enter　Carthage　in　order

to　obtain　soldiers　and　begin　the　war　again。



The　Barbarians　posted　at　Hippo…Zarytus　perceived　his　army　as　it

descended　the　mountain。



Where　could　the　Carthaginians　be　going？　Hunger；　no　doubt；　was　urging

them　on；　and；　distracted　by　their　sufferings；　they　were　coming　in

spite　of　their　weakness　to　give　battle。　But　they　turned　to　the　right：

they　were　fleeing。　They　might　be　overtaken　and　all　be　crushed。　The

Barbarians　dashed　in　pursuit　of　them。



The　Carthaginians　were　checked　by　the　river。　It　was　wide　this　time　and

the　west　wind　had　not　been　blowing。　Some　crossed　by　swimming；　and　the

rest　on　their　shields。　They　resumed　their　march。　Night　fell。　They　were

out　of　sight。



The　Barbarians　did　not　stop；　they　went　higher　to　find　a　narrower

place。　The　people　of　Tunis　hastened　thither；　bringing　those　of　Utica

along　with　them。　Their　numbers　increased　at　every　bush；　and　the

Carthaginians；　as　they　lay　on　the　ground；　could　hear　the　tramping　of

their　feet　in　the　darkness。　From　time　to　time　Barca　had　a　volley　of

arrows　discharged　behind　him　to　check　them；　and　several　were　killed。

When　day　broke　they　were　in　the　Ariana　Mountains；　at　the　spot　where

the　road　makes　a　bend。



Then　Matho；　who　was　marching　at　the　head；　thought　that　he　could

distinguish　something　green　on　the　horizon　on　the　summit　of　an

eminence。　Then　the　ground　sank；　and　obelisks；　domes；　and　houses

appeared！　It　was　Carthage。　He　leaned　against　a　tree　to　keep　himself

from　falling；　so　rapidly　did　his　heart　beat。



He　thought　of　all　that　had　come　to　pass　in　his　existence　since　the

last　time　that　he　had　passed　that　way！　It　was　an　infinite　surprise；　it

stunned　him。　Then　he　was　transported　with　joy　at　the　thought　of　seeing

Salammbo　again。　The　reasons　which　he　had　for　execrating　her　returned

to　his　recollection；　but　he　very　quickly　rejected　them。　Quivering　and

with　straining　eyeballs　he　gazed　at　the　lofty　terrace　of　a　palace

above　the　palm　trees　beyond　Eschmoun；　a　smile　of　ecstasy　lighted　his

face　as　if　some　great　light　had　reached　him；　he　opened　his　arms；　and

sent　kisses　on　the　breeze；　and　murmured：　〃Come！　come！〃　A　sigh　swelled

his　breast；　and　two　long　tears　like　pearls　fell　upon　his　beard。



〃What　stays　you？〃　cried　Spendius。　〃Make　haste！　Forward！　The　Suffet　is

going　to　escape　us！　But　your　knees　are　tottering；　and　you　are　looking

at　me　like　a　drunken　man！〃



He　stamped　with　impatience　and　urged　Matho；　his　eyes　twinkling　as　at

the　approach　of　an　object　long　aimed　at。



〃Ah！　we　have　reached　it！　We　are　there！　I　have　them！〃



He　had　so　convinced　and　triumphant　an　air　that　Matho　was　surprised

from　his　torpor；　and　felt　himself　carried　away　by　it。　These　words；

coming　when　his　distress　was　at　its　height；　drove　his　despair　to

vengeance；　and　pointed　to　food　for　his　wrath。　He　bounded　upon　one　of

the　camels　that　were　among　the　baggage；　snatched　up　its　halter；　and

with　the　long　rope；　struck　the　stragglers　with　all　his　might；　running

right　and　left　alternately；　in　the　rear　of　the　army；　like　a　dog

driving　a　flock。



At　this　thundering　voice　the　lines　of　men　closed　up；　even　the　lame

hurried　their　steps；　the　intervening　space　lessened　in　the　middle　of

the　isthmus。　The　foremost　of　the　Barbarians　were　marching　in　the　dust

raised　by　the　Carthaginians。　The　two　armies　were　coming　close；　and

were　on　the　point　of　touching。　But　the　Malqua　gate；　the　Tagaste　gate；

and　the　great　gate　of　Khamon　threw　wide　their　leaves。　The　Punic　square

divided；　three　columns　were　swallowed　up；　and　eddied　beneath　the

porches。　Soon　the　mass；　being　too　tightly　packed；　could　advance　no

further；　pikes　clashed　in　the　air；　and　the　arrows　of　the　Barbarians

were　shivering　against　the　walls。



Hamilcar　was　to　be　seen　on　the　threshold　of　Khamon。　He　turned　round

and　shouted　to　his　men　to　move　aside。　He　dismounted　from　his　horse；

and　pricking　it　on　the　croup　with　the　sword　which　he　held；　sent　it

against　the　Barbarians。



It　was　a　black　stallion；　which　was　fed　on　balls　of　meal；　and　would

bend　its　knees　to　allow　its　master　to　mount。　Why　was　he　sending　it

away？　Was　this　a　sacrifice？



The　noble　horse　galloped　into　the　midst　of　the　lances；　knocked　down

men；　and；　entangling　its　feet　in　its　entrails；　fell　down；　then　rose

again　with　furious　leaps；　and　while　they　were　moving　aside；　trying　to

stop　it；　or　looking　at　it　in　surprise；　the　Carthaginians　had　united

again；　they　entered；　and　the　enormous　gate　shut　echoing　behind　them。



It　would　not　yield。　The　Barbarians　came　crushing　against　it；and　for

some　minutes　there　was　an　oscillation　throughout　the　army；　which

became　weaker　and　weaker；　and　at　last　ceased。



The　Carthaginians　had　placed　soldiers　on　the　aqueduct；　they　began　to

hurl　stones；　balls；　and　beams。　Spendius　represented　that　it　would　be

best　not　to　persist。　The　Barbarians　went　and　posted　themselves　further

off；　all　being　quite　resolved　to　lay　siege　to　Carthage。



The　rumour　of　the　war；　however；　had　passed　beyond　the　confines　of　the

Punic　empire；　and　from　the　pillars　of　Hercules　to　beyond　Cyrene

shepherds　mused　on　it　as　they　kept　their　flocks；　and　caravans　talked

about　it　in　the　light　of　the　stars。　This　great　Carthage；　mistress　of

the　seas；　splendid　as　the　sun；　and　terrible　as　a　god；　actually　found

men　who　were　daring　enough　to　attack　her！　Her　fall　even　had　been

asserted　several　times；　and　all　had　believed　it　for　all　wished　it：　the

subject　populations；　the　tributary　villages；　the　allied　provinces；　the

independent　hordes；　those　who　execrated　her　for　her　tyranny　or　were

jealous　of　her　power；　or　coveted　her　wealth。　The　bravest　had　very

speedily　joined　the　Mercenaries。　The　defeat　at　the　Macaras　had　checked

all　the　rest。　At　last　they　had　recovered　confidence；　had　gradually

advanced　and　approached；　and　now　the　men　of　the　eastern　regions　were

lying　on　the　sandhills　of　Clypea　on　the　other　side　of　the　gulf。　As

soon　as　they　perceived　the　Barbarians　they　showed　themselves。



They　were　not　Libyans　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Carthage；　who　had　long

composed　the　third　army；　but　nomads　from　the　tableland　of　Barca；

bandits　from　Cape　Phiscus　and　the　promontory　of　Dernah；　from　Phazzana

and　Marmarica。　They　had　crossed　the　desert；　drinking　at　the　brackish

wells　walled　in　with　camels'　bones