salammbo-第66章

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very　ships　as　though　Carthage　wished　to　concentrate　herself　wholly

upon　a　single　thought　of　death　and　desolation。



Before　each　tabernacle　a　man　balanced　a　large　vase　of　smoking　incense

on　his　head。　Clouds　hovered　here　and　there；　and　the　hangings；

pendants；　and　embroideries　of　the　sacred　pavilions　might　be

distinguished　amid　the　thick　vapours。　These　advanced　slowly　owing　to

their　enormous　weight。　Sometimes　the　axles　became　fast　in　the　streets；

then　the　pious　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　touch　the　Baalim

with　their　garments；　which　they　preserved　afterwards　as　holy　things。



The　brazen　statue　continued　to　advance　towards　the　square　of　Khamon。

The　rich；　carrying　sceptres　with　emerald　balls；　set　out　from　the

bottom　of　Megara；　the　Ancients；　with　diadems　on　their　heads；　had

assembled　in　Kinisdo；　and　masters　of　the　finances；　governors　of

provinces；　sailors；　and　the　numerous　horde　employed　at　funerals；　all

with　the　insignia　of　their　magistracies　or　the　instruments　of　their

calling；　were　making　their　way　towards　the　tabernacles　which　were

descending　from　the　Acropolis　between　the　colleges　of　the　pontiffs。



Out　of　deference　to　Moloch　they　had　adorned　themselves　with　the　most

splendid　jewels。　Diamonds　sparkled　on　their　black　garments；　but　their

rings　were　too　large　and　fell　from　their　wasted　hands；nor　could

there　have　been　anything　so　mournful　as　this　silent　crowd　where

earrings　tapped　against　pale　faces；　and　gold　tiaras　clasped　brows

contracted　with　stern　despair。



At　last　the　Baal　arrived　exactly　in　the　centre　of　the　square。　His

pontiffs　arranged　an　enclosure　with　trellis…work　to　keep　off　the

multitude；　and　remained　around　him　at　his　feet。



The　priests　of　Khamon；　in　tawny　woollen　robes；　formed　a　line　before

their　temple　beneath　the　columns　of　the　portico；　those　of　Eschmoun；　in

linen　mantles　with　necklaces　of　koukouphas'　heads　and　pointed　tiaras；

posted　themselves　on　the　steps　of　the　Acropolis；　the　priests　of

Melkarth；　in　violet　tunics；　took　the　western　side；　the　priests　of　the

Abbadirs；　clasped　with　bands　of　Phrygian　stuffs；　placed　themselves　on

the　east；　while　towards　the　south；　with　the　necromancers　all　covered

with　tattooings；　and　the　shriekers　in　patched　cloaks；　were　ranged　the

curates　of　the　Pataec　gods；　and　the　Yidonim；　who　put　the　bone　of　a

dead　man　into　their　mouths　to　learn　the　future。　The　priests　of　Ceres；

who　were　dressed　in　blue　robes；　had　prudently　stopped　in　the　street　of

Satheb；　and　in　low　tones　were　chanting　a　thesmophorion　in　the　Megarian

dialect。



From　time　to　time　files　of　men　arrived；　completely　naked；　their　arms

outstretched；　and　all　holding　one　another　by　the　shoulders。　From　the

depths　of　their　breasts　they　drew　forth　a　hoarse　and　cavernous

intonation；　their　eyes；　which　were　fastened　upon　the　colossus；　shone

through　the　dust；　and　they　swayed　their　bodies　simultaneously；　and　at

equal　distances；　as　though　they　were　all　affected　by　a　single

movement。　They　were　so　frenzied　that　to　restore　order　the　hierodules

compelled　them；　with　blows　of　the　stick；　to　lie　flat　upon　the　ground；

with　their　faces　resting　against　the　brass　trellis…work。



Then　it　was　that　a　man　in　a　white　robe　advanced　from　the　back　of　the

square。　He　penetrated　the　crowd　slowly；　and　people　recognised　a　priest

of　Taniththe　high…priest　Schahabarim。　Hootings　were　raised；　for　the

tyranny　of　the　male　principle　prevailed　that　day　in　all　consciences；

and　the　goddess　was　actually　so　completely　forgotten　that　the　absence

of　her　pontiffs　had　not　been　noticed。　But　the　amazement　was　increased

when　he　was　seen　to　open　one　of　the　doors　of　the　trellis…work　intended

for　those　who　intended　to　offer　up　victims。　It　was　an　outrage　to　their

god；　thought　the　priests　of　Moloch；　that　he　had　just　committed；　and

they　sought　with　eager　gestures　to　repel　him。　Fed　on　the　meat　of　the

holocausts；　clad　in　purple　like　kings；　and　wearing　triple…storied

crowns；　they　despised　the　pale　eunuch；　weakened　with　his　macerations；

and　angry　laughter　shook　their　black　beards；　which　were　displayed　on

their　breasts　in　the　sun。



Schahabarim　walked　on；　giving　no　reply；　and；　traversing　the　whole

enclosure　with　deliberation；　reached　the　legs　of　the　colossus；　then；

spreading　out　both　arms；　he　touched　it　on　both　sides；　which　was　a

solemn　form　of　adoration。　For　a　long　time　Rabbet　had　been　torturing

him；　and　in　despair；　or　perhaps　for　lack　of　a　god　that　completely

satisfied　his　ideas；　he　had　at　last　decided　for　this　one。



The　crowd；　terrified　by　this　act　of　apostasy；　uttered　a　lengthened

murmur。　It　was　felt　that　the　last　tie　which　bound　their　souls　to　a

merciful　divinity　was　breaking。



But　owing　to　his　mutilation；　Schahabarim　could　take　no　part　in　the

cult　of　the　Baal。　The　men　in　the　red　cloaks　shut　him　out　from　the

enclosure；　then；　when　he　was　outside；　he　went　round　all　the　colleges

in　succession；　and　the　priest；　henceforth　without　a　god；　disappeared

into　the　crowd。　It　scattered　at　his　approach。



Meanwhile　a　fire　of　aloes；　cedar；　and　laurel　was　burning　between　the

legs　of　the　colossus。　The　tips　of　its　long　wings　dipped　into　the

flame；　the　unguents　with　which　it　had　been　rubbed　flowed　like　sweat

over　its　brazen　limbs。　Around　the　circular　flagstone　on　which　its　feet

rested；　the　children；　wrapped　in　black　veils；　formed　a　motionless

circle；　and　its　extravagantly　long　arms　reached　down　their　palms　to

them　as　though　to　seize　the　crown　that　they　formed　and　carry　it　to　the

sky。



The　rich；　the　Ancients；　the　women；　the　whole　multitude；　thronged

behind　the　priests　and　on　the　terraces　of　the　houses。　The　large

painted　stars　revolved　no　longer；　the　tabernacles　were　set　upon　the

ground；　and　the　fumes　from　the　censers　ascended　perpendicularly；

spreading　their　bluish　branches　through　the　azure　like　gigantic　trees。



Many　fainted；　others　became　inert　and　petrified　in　their　ecstasy。

Infinite　anguish　weighed　upon　the　breasts　of　the　beholders。　The　last

shouts　died　out　one　by　one；and　the　people　of　Carthage　stood

breathless；　and　absorbed　in　the　longing　of　their　terror。



At　last　the　high　priest　of　Moloch　passed　his　left　hand　beneath　the

children's　veils；　plucked　a　lock　of　hair　from　their　foreheads；　and

threw　it　upon　the　flames。　Then　the　men　in　the　red　cloaks　chanted　the

sacred　hymn：



〃Homage　to　thee；　Sun！　king　of　the　two　zones；　self…generating　Creator；

Father　and　Mother；　Father　and　Son；　God　and　Goddess；　Goddess　and　God！〃

And　their　voices　were　lost　in　the　outburst　of　instruments　sounding

simultaneously　to　drown　the　cries　of　the　victims。　The　eight…stringed

scheminiths；　the　kinnors　which　had　ten　strings；　and　the　nebals　which

had　twelve；　grated；　whistled；　and　thundered。　Enormous　leathern　bags；

bristling　with　pipes；　made　a　shrill　clashing　noise；　the　tabourines；

beaten　with　all　the　players'　might；　resounded　with　heavy；　rapid　blows；

and；　in　spite　of　the　fury　of　the　clarions；　the　salsalim　snapped　like

grasshoppers'　wings。



The　hierodules；　with　a　long　hook；　opened　the　seven…storied

compartments　on　the　body　of　the　Baal。　They　put　meal　into　the　highest；

two　turtle…doves　into　the　second；　an　ape　into　the　third；　a　ram　into

the　fourth；　a　sheep　into　the　fifth；　and　as　no　ox　was　to　be　had　for　the

sixth；　a　tawny　hide　taken　from　the　sanctuary　was　thrown　into　it。　The

seventh　compartment　yawned　empty　still。



Before　undertaking　anything　it　was　well　to　make　trial　of　the　arms　of

the　god。　Slender　chainlets　stretched　from　his　fingers　up　to　his

shoulders　and　fell　behind；　where　men　by　pulling　them　made　the　two

hands　rise　to　a　level　with　the　elbows；　and　come　close　together　against

the　belly；　they　were　moved　several　times　in　succession　with　little

abrupt　jerks。　Then　the　instruments　were　still。　The　fire　roared。



The　pontiffs　of　Moloch　walked　about　on　the　great　flagstone　scanning

the　multitude。



An　individual　sacrifice　was　necessary；　a　perfectly　voluntary　oblation；

which　was　considered　as　carrying　the　others　along　with　it。　But　no　one

had　appeared　u