salammbo-第7章

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relapsed　into　his　former　melancholy；　his　legs　hung　down　to　the　ground；

and　the　grass　made　a　continuous　rustling　as　it　beat　against　his

cothurni。



The　journey；　however；　spread　itself　out　without　ever　coming　to　an　end。

At　the　extremity　of　a　plain　they　would　always　reach　a　round…shaped

plateau；　then　they　would　descend　again　into　a　valley；　and　the

mountains　which　seemed　to　block　up　the　horizon　would；　in　proportion　as

they　were　approached；　glide　as　it　were　from　their　positions。　From　time

to　time　a　river　would　appear　amid　the　verdure　of　tamarisks　to　lose

itself　at　the　turning　of　the　hills。　Sometimes　a　huge　rock　would　tower

aloft　like　the　prow　of　a　vessel　or　the　pedestal　of　some　vanished

colossus。



At　regular　intervals　they　met　with　little　quadrangular　temples；　which

served　as　stations　for　the　pilgrims　who　repaired　to　Sicca。　They　were

closed　like　tombs。　The　Libyans　struck　great　blows　upon　the　doors　to

have　them　opened。　But　no　one　inside　responded。



Then　the　cultivation　became　more　rare。　They　suddenly　entered　upon

belts　of　sand　bristling　with　thorny　thickets。　Flocks　of　sheep　were

browsing　among　the　stones；　a　woman　with　a　blue　fleece　about　her　waist

was　watching　them。　She　fled　screaming　when　she　saw　the　soldiers'　pikes

among　the　rocks。



They　were　marching　through　a　kind　of　large　passage　bordered　by　two

chains　of　reddish　coloured　hillocks；　when　their　nostrils　were　greeted

with　a　nauseous　odour；　and　they　thought　that　they　could　see　something

extraordinary　on　the　top　of　a　carob　tree：　a　lion's　head　reared　itself

above　the　leaves。



They　ran　thither。　It　was　a　lion　with　his　four　limbs　fastened　to　a

cross　like　a　criminal。　His　huge　muzzle　fell　upon　his　breast；　and　his

two　fore…paws；　half…hidden　beneath　the　abundance　of　his　mane；　were

spread　out　wide　like　the　wings　of　a　bird。　His　ribs　stood　severally　out

beneath　his　distended　skin；　his　hind　legs；　which　were　nailed　against

each　other；　were　raised　somewhat；　and　the　black　blood；　flowing　through

his　hair；　had　collected　in　stalactites　at　the　end　of　his　tail；　which

hung　down　perfectly　straight　along　the　cross。　The　soldiers　made　merry

around；　they　called　him　consul；　and　Roman　citizen；　and　threw　pebbles

into　his　eyes　to　drive　away　the　gnats。



But　a　hundred　paces　further　on　they　saw　two　more；　and　then　there

suddenly　appeared　a　long　file　of　crosses　bearing　lions。　Some　had　been

so　long　dead　that　nothing　was　left　against　the　wood　but　the　remains　of

their　skeletons；　others　which　were　half　eaten　away　had　their　jaws

twisted　into　horrible　grimaces；　there　were　some　enormous　ones；　the

shafts　of　the　crosses　bent　beneath　them；　and　they　swayed　in　the　wind；

while　bands　of　crows　wheeled　ceaselessly　in　the　air　above　their　heads。

It　was　thus　that　the　Carthaginian　peasants　avenged　themselves　when

they　captured　a　wild　beast；　they　hoped　to　terrify　the　others　by　such

an　example。　The　Barbarians　ceased　their　laughter；　and　were　long　lost

in　amazement。　〃What　people　is　this；〃　they　thought；　〃that　amuses　itself

by　crucifying　lions！〃



They　were；　besides；　especially　the　men　of　the　North；　vaguely　uneasy；

troubled；　and　already　sick。　They　tore　their　hands　with　the　darts　of

the　aloes；　great　mosquitoes　buzzed　in　their　ears；　and　dysentry　was

breaking　out　in　the　army。　They　were　weary　at　not　yet　seeing　Sicca。

They　were　afraid　of　losing　themselves　and　of　reaching　the　desert；　the

country　of　sands　and　terrors。　Many　even　were　unwilling　to　advance

further。　Others　started　back　to　Carthage。



At　last　on　the　seventh　day；　after　following　the　base　of　a　mountain　for

a　long　time；　they　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　and　there　then

appeared　a　line　of　walls　resting　on　white　rocks　and　blending　with

them。　Suddenly　the　entire　city　rose；　blue；　yellow；　and　white　veils

moved　on　the　walls　in　the　redness　of　the　evening。　These　were　the

priestesses　of　Tanith；　who　had　hastened　hither　to　receive　the　men。

They　stood　ranged　along　the　rampart；　striking　tabourines；　playing

lyres；　and　shaking　crotala；　while　the　rays　of　the　sun；　setting　behind

them　in　the　mountains　of　Numidia；　shot　between　the　strings　of　their

lyres　over　which　their　naked　arms　were　stretched。　At　intervals　their

instruments　would　become　suddenly　still；　and　a　cry　would　break　forth

strident；　precipitate；　frenzied；　continuous；　a　sort　of　barking　which

they　made　by　striking　both　corners　of　the　mouth　with　the　tongue。

Others；　more　motionless　than　the　Sphynx；　rested　on　their　elbows　with

their　chins　on　their　hands；　and　darted　their　great　black　eyes　upon　the

army　as　it　ascended。



Although　Sicca　was　a　sacred　town　it　could　not　hold　such　a　multitude；

the　temple　alone；　with　its　appurtenances；　occupied　half　of　it。

Accordingly　the　Barbarians　established　themselves　at　their　ease　on　the

plain；　those　who　were　disciplined　in　regular　troops；　and　the　rest

according　to　nationality　or　their　own　fancy。



The　Greeks　ranged　their　tents　of　skin　in　parallel　lines；　the　Iberians

placed　their　canvas　pavilions　in　a　circle；　the　Gauls　made　themselves

huts　of　planks；　the　Libyans　cabins　of　dry　stones；　while　the　Negroes

with　their　nails　hollowed　out　trenches　in　the　sand　to　sleep　in。　Many；

not　knowing　where　to　go；　wandered　about　among　the　baggage；　and　at

nightfall　lay　down　in　their　ragged　mantles　on　the　ground。



The　plain；　which　was　wholly　bounded　by　mountains；　expanded　around

them。　Here　and　there　a　palm　tree　leaned　over　a　sand　hill；　and　pines

and　oaks　flecked　the　sides　of　the　precipices：　sometimes　the　rain　of　a

storm　would　hang　from　the　sky　like　a　long　scarf；　while　the　country

everywhere　was　still　covered　with　azure　and　serenity；　then　a　warm　wind

would　drive　before　it　tornadoes　of　dust；　and　a　stream　would　descend　in

cascades　from　the　heights　of　Sicca；　where；　with　its　roofing　of　gold　on

its　columns　of　brass；　rose　the　temple　of　the　Carthaginian　Venus；　the

mistress　of　the　land。　She　seemed　to　fill　it　with　her　soul。　In　such

convulsions　of　the　soil；　such　alternations　of　temperature；　and　such

plays　of　light　would　she　manifest　the　extravagance　of　her　might　with

the　beauty　of　her　eternal　smile。　The　mountains　at　their　summits　were

crescent…shaped；　others　were　like　women's　bosoms　presenting　their

swelling　breasts；　and　the　Barbarians　felt　a　heaviness　that　was　full　of

delight　weighing　down　their　fatigues。



Spendius　had　bought　a　slave　with　the　money　brought　him　by　his

dromedary。　The　whole　day　long　he　lay　asleep　stretched　before　Matho's

tent。　Often　he　would　awake；　thinking　in　his　dreams　that　he　heard　the

whistling　of　the　thongs；　with　a　smile　he　would　pass　his　hands　over　the

scars　on　his　legs　at　the　place　where　the　fetters　had　long　been　worn；

and　then　he　would　fall　asleep　again。



Matho　accepted　his　companionship；　and　when　he　went　out　Spendius　would

escort　him　like　a　lictor　with　a　long　sword　on　his　thigh；　or　perhaps

Matho　would　rest　his　arm　carelessly　on　the　other's　shoulder；　for

Spendius　was　small。



One　evening　when　they　were　passing　together　through　the　streets　in　the

camp　they　perceived　some　men　covered　with　white　cloaks；　among　them　was

Narr'　Havas；　the　prince　of　the　Numidians。　Matho　started。



〃Your　sword！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　kill　him！〃



〃Not　yet！〃　said　Spendius；　restraining　him。　Narr'　Havas　was　already

advancing　towards　him。



He　kissed　both　thumbs　in　token　of　alliance；　showing　nothing　of　the

anger　which　he　had　experienced　at　the　drunkenness　of　the　feast；　then

he　spoke　at　length　against　Carthage；　but　did　not　say　what　brought　him

among　the　Barbarians。



〃Was　it　to　betray　them；　or　else　the　Republic？〃　Spendius　asked　himself；

and　as　he　expected　to　profit　by　every　disorder；　he　felt　grateful　to

Narr'　Havas　for　the　future　perfidies　of　which　he　suspected　him。



The　chief　of　the　Numidians　remained　amongst　the　Mercenaries。　He

appeared　desirous　of　attaching　Matho　to　himself。　He　sent　him　fat

goats；　gold　dust；　and　ostrich　feathers。　The　Libyan；　who　was　amazed　at

such　caresses；　was　in　doubt　whether　to　respond　to　them　or　to　become

exasperated　at　them。　But　Spendius