salammbo-第24章

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presenting　himself　as　the　bearer　of　a　flag　of　truce；　in　the　hope　that

once　within　Carthage　he　might　make　his　way　to　her。　Often　he　would

cause　the　assault　to　be　sounded　and　waiting　for　nothing　rush　upon　the

mole　which　it　was　sought　to　construct　in　the　sea。　He　would　snatch　up

the　stones　with　his　hands；　overturn；　strike；　and　deal　sword…thrusts

everywhere。　The　Barbarians　would　dash　on　pell…mell；　the　ladders　would

break　with　a　loud　crash；　and　masses　of　men　would　tumble　into　the

water；　causing　it　to　fly　up　in　red　waves　against　the　walls。　Finally

the　tumult　would　subside；　and　the　soldiers　would　retire　to　make　a

fresh　beginning。



Matho　would　go　and　seat　himself　outside　the　tents；　wipe　his　blood…

splashed　face　with　his　arm；　and　gaze　at　the　horizon　in　the　direction

of　Carthage。



In　front　of　him；　among　the　olives；　palms；　myrtles　and　planes；

stretched　two　broad　ponds　which　met　another　lake；　the　outlines　of

which　could　not　be　seen。　Behind　one　mountain　other　mountains　reared

themselves；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　immense　lake　rose　an　island

perfectly　black　and　pyramidal　in　form。　On　the　left；　at　the　extremity

of　the　gulf；　were　sand…heaps　like　arrested　waves；　large　and　pale；

while　the　sea；　flat　as　a　pavement　of　lapis…lazuli；　ascended　by

insensible　degrees　to　the　edge　of　the　sky。　The　verdure　of　the　country

was　lost　in　places　beneath　long　sheets　of　yellow；　carobs　were　shining

like　knobs　of　coral；　vine　branches　drooped　from　the　tops　of　the

sycamores；　the　murmuring　of　the　water　could　be　heard；　crested　larks

were　hopping　about；　and　the　sun's　latest　fires　gilded　the　carapaces　of

the　tortoises　as　they　came　forth　from　the　reeds　to　inhale　the　breeze。



Matho　would　heave　deep　sighs。　He　would　lie　flat　on　his　face；　with　his

nails　buried　in　the　soil；　and　weep；　he　felt　wretched；　paltry；

forsaken。　Never　would　he　possess　her；　and　he　was　unable　even　to　take　a

town。



At　night　when　alone　in　his　tent　he　would　gaze　upon　the　zaimph。　Of　what

use　to　him　was　this　thing　which　belonged　to　the　gods？and　doubt　crept

into　the　Barbarian's　thoughts。　Then；　on　the　contrary；　it　would　seem　to

him　that　the　vesture　of　the　goddess　was　depending　from　Salammbo；　and

that　a　portion　of　her　soul　hovered　in　it；　subtler　than　a　breath；　and

he　would　feel　it；　breathe　it　in；　bury　his　face　in　it；　and　kiss　it　with

sobs。　He　would　cover　his　shoulders　with　it　in　order　to　delude　himself

that　he　was　beside　her。



Sometimes　he　would　suddenly　steal　away；　stride　in　the　starlight　over

the　sleeping　soldiers　as　they　lay　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　spring

upon　a　horse　on　reaching　the　camp　gates；　and　two　hours　later　be　at

Utica　in　Spendius's　tent。



At　first　he　would　speak　of　the　siege；　but　his　coming　was　only　to　ease

his　sorrow　by　talking　about　Salammbo。　Spendius　exhorted　him　to　be

prudent。



〃Drive　away　these　trifles　from　your　soul；　which　is　degraded　by　them！

Formerly　you　were　used　to　obey；　now　you　command　an　army；　and　if

Carthage　is　not　conquered　we　shall　at　least　be　granted　provinces。　We

shall　become　kings！〃



But　how　was　it　that　the　possession　of　the　zaimph　did　not　give　them　the

victory？　According　to　Spendius　they　must　wait。



Matho　fancied　that　the　veil　affected　people　of　Chanaanitish　race

exclusively；　and；　in　his　Barbarian…like　subtlety；　he　said　to　himself：

〃The　zaimph　will　accordingly　do　nothing　for　me；　but　since　they　have

lost　it；　it　will　do　nothing　for　them。〃



Afterwards　a　scruple　troubled　him。　He　was　afraid　of　offending　Moloch

by　worshipping　Aptouknos；　the　god　of　the　Libyans；　and　he　timidly　asked

Spendius　to　which　of　the　gods　it　would　be　advisable　to　sacrifice　a

man。



〃Keep　on　sacrificing！〃　laughed　Spendius。



Matho；　who　could　not　understand　such　indifference；　suspected　the　Greek

of　having　a　genius　of　whom　he　did　not　speak。



All　modes　of　worship；　as　well　as　all　races；　were　to　be　met　with　in

these　armies　of　Barbarians；　and　consideration　was　had　to　the　gods　of

others；　for　they　too；　inspired　fear。　Many　mingled　foreign　practices

with　their　native　religion。　It　was　to　no　purpose　that　they　did　not

adore　the　stars；　if　a　constellation　were　fatal　or　helpful；　sacrifices

were　offered　to　it；　an　unknown　amulet　found　by　chance　at　a　moment　of

peril　became　a　divinity；　or　it　might　be　a　name　and　nothing　more；　which

would　be　repeated　without　any　attempt　to　understand　its　meaning。　But

after　pillaging　temples；　and　seeing　numbers　of　nations　and　slaughters；

many　ultimately　ceased　to　believe　in　anything　but　destiny　and　death；

and　every　evening　these　would　fall　asleep　with　the　placidity　of　wild

beasts。　Spendius　had　spit　upon　the　images　of　Jupiter　Olympius；

nevertheless　he　dreaded　to　speak　aloud　in　the　dark；　nor　did　he　fail

every　day　to　put　on　his　right　boot　first。



He　reared　a　long　quadrangular　terrace　in　front　of　Utica；　but　in

proportion　as　it　ascended　the　rampart　was　also　heightened；　and　what

was　thrown　down　by　the　one　side　was　almost　immediately　raised　again　by

the　other。　Spendius　took　care　of　his　men；　he　dreamed　of　plans　and

strove　to　recall　the　stratagems　which　he　had　heard　described　in　his

travels。　But　why　did　Narr'　Havas　not　return？　There　was　nothing　but

anxiety。



Hanno　had　at　last　concluded　his　preparations。　One　night　when　there　was

no　moon　he　transported　his　elephants　and　soldiers　on　rafts　across　the

Gulf　of　Carthage。　Then　they　wheeled　round　the　mountain　of　the　Hot

Springs　so　as　to　avoid　Autaritus；　and　continued　their　march　so　slowly

that　instead　of　surprising　the　Barbarians　in　the　morning；　as　the

Suffet　had　calculated；　they　did　not　reach　them　until　it　was　broad

daylight　on　the　third　day。



Utica　had　on　the　east　a　plain　which　extended　to　the　large　lagoon　of

Carthage；　behind　it　a　valley　ran　at　right　angles　between　two　low　and

abruptly　terminated　mountains；　the　Barbarians　were　encamped　further　to

the　left　in　such　a　way　as　to　blockade　the　harbour；　and　they　were

sleeping　in　their　tents　（for　on　that　day　both　sides　were　too　weary　to

fight　and　were　resting）　when　the　Carthaginian　army　appeared　at　the

turning　of　the　hills。



Some　camp　followers　furnished　with　slings　were　stationed　at　intervals

on　the　wings。　The　first　line　was　formed　of　the　guards　of　the　Legion　in

golden　scale…armour；　mounted　on　their　big　horses；　which　were　without

mane；　hair；　or　ears；　and　had　silver　horns　in　the　middle　of　their

foreheads　to　make　them　look　like　rhinoceroses。　Between　their　squadrons

were　youths　wearing　small　helmets　and　swinging　an　ashen　javelin　in

each　hand。　The　long　files　of　the　heavy　infantry　marched　behind。　All

these　traders　had　piled　as　many　weapons　upon　their　bodies　as　possible。

Some　might　be　seen　carrying　an　axe；　a　lance；　a　club；　and　two　swords

all　at　once；　others　bristled　with　darts　like　porcupines；　and　their

arms　stood　out　from　their　cuirasses　in　sheets　of　horn　or　iron　plates。

At　last　the　scaffoldings　of　the　lofty　engines　appeared：　carrobalistas；

onagers；　catapults　and　scorpions；　rocking　on　chariots　drawn　by　mules

and　quadrigas　of　oxen；　and　in　proportion　as　the　army　drew　out；　the

captains　ran　panting　right　and　left　to　deliver　commands；　close　up　the

files；　and　preserve　the　intervals。　Such　of　the　Ancients　as　held

commands　had　come　in　purple　cassocks；　the　magnificent　fringes　of　which

tangled　in　the　white　straps　of　their　cothurni。　Their　faces；　which　were

smeared　all　over　with　vermilion；　shone　beneath　enormous　helmets

surmounted　with　images　of　the　gods；　and；　as　they　had　shields　with

ivory　borders　covered　with　precious　stones；　they　might　have　been　taken

for　suns　passing　over　walls　of　brass。



But　the　Carthaginians　manoeuvred　so　clumsily　that　the　soldiers　in

derision　urged　them　to　sit　down。　They　called　out　that　they　were　just

going　to　empty　their　big　stomachs；　to　dust　the　gilding　of　their　skin；

and　to　give　them　iron　to　drink。



A　strip　of　green　cloth　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　pole　planted　before

Spendius's　tent：　it　was　the　signal。　The　Carthaginian　army　replied　to

it　with　a　great　noise　of　trumpets；　cymbals；　flutes　of　asses'　bones；

and