salammbo-第25章

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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　tympanums。　The　Barbarians　had　already　leaped　outside　the

palisades；　and　were　facing　their　enemies　within　a　javelin's　throw　of

them。



A　Balearic　slinger　took　a　step　forward；　put　one　of　his　clay　bullets

into　his　thong；　and　swung　round　his　arm。　An　ivory　shield　was　shivered；

and　the　two　armies　mingled　together。



The　Greeks　made　the　horses　rear　and　fall　back　upon　their　masters　by

pricking　their　nostrils　with　the　points　of　their　lances。　The　slaves

who　were　to　hurl　stones　had　picked　such　as　were　too　big；　and　they

accordingly　fell　close　to　them。　The　Punic　foot…soldiers　exposed　the

right　side　in　cutting　with　their　long　swords。　The　Barbarians　broke

their　lines；　they　slaughtered　them　freely；　they　stumbled　over　the

dying　and　dead；　quite　blinded　by　the　blood　that　spurted　into　their

faces。　The　confused　heap　of　pikes；　helmets；　cuirasses　and　swords

turned　round　about；　widening　out　and　closing　in　with　elastic

contractions。　The　gaps　increased　more　and　more　in　the　Carthaginian

cohorts；　the　engines　could　not　get　out　of　the　sand；　and　finally　the

Suffet's　litter　（his　grand　litter　with　crystal　pendants）；　which　from

the　beginning　might　have　been　seen　tossing　among　the　soldiers　like　a

bark　on　the　waves；　suddenly　foundered。　He　was　no　doubt　dead。　The

Barbarians　found　themselves　alone。



The　dust　around　them　fell　and　they　were　beginning　to　sing；　when　Hanno

himself　appeared　on　the　top　of　an　elephant。　He　sat　bare…headed　beneath

a　parasol　of　byssus　which　was　carried　by　a　Negro　behind　him。　His

necklace　of　blue　plates　flapped　against　the　flowers　on　his　black

tunic；　his　huge　arms　were　compressed　within　circles　of　diamonds；　and

with　open　mouth　he　brandished　a　pike　of　inordinate　size；　which　spread

out　at　the　end　like　a　lotus；　and　flashed　more　than　a　mirror。

Immediately　the　earth　shook；and　the　Barbarians　saw　all　the　elephants

of　Carthage；　with　their　gilt　tusks　and　blue…painted　ears；　hastening　up

in　single　line；　clothed　with　bronze　and　shaking　the　leathern　towers

which　were　placed　above　their　scarlet　caparisons；　in　each　of　which

were　three　archers　bending　large　bows。



The　soldiers　were　barely　in　possession　of　their　arms；　they　had　taken

up　their　positions　at　random。　They　were　frozen　with　terror；　they　stood

undecided。



Javelins；　arrows；　phalaricas；　and　masses　of　lead　were　already　being

showered　down　upon　them　from　the　towers。　Some　clung　to　the　fringes　of

the　caparisons　in　order　to　climb　up；　but　their　hands　were　struck　off

with　cutlasses　and　they　fell　backwards　upon　the　swords'　points。　The

pikes　were　too　weak　and　broke；　and　the　elephants　passed　through　the

phalanxes　like　wild　boars　through　tufts　of　grass；　they　plucked　up　the

stakes　of　the　camp　with　their　trunks；　and　traversed　it　from　one　end　to

the　other；　overthrowing　the　tents　with　their　breasts。　All　the

Barbarians　had　fled。　They　were　hiding　themselves　in　the　hills

bordering　the　valley　by　which　the　Carthaginians　had　come。



The　victorious　Hanno　presented　himself　before　the　gates　of　Utica。　He

had　a　trumpet　sounded。　The　three　Judges　of　the　town　appeared　in　the

opening　of　the　battlements　on　the　summit　of　a　tower。



But　the　people　of　Utica　would　not　receive　such　well…armed　guests。

Hanno　was　furious。　At　last　they　consented　to　admit　him　with　a　feeble

escort。



The　streets　were　too　narrow　for　the　elephants。　They　had　to　be　left

outside。



As　soon　as　the　Suffet　was　in　the　town　the　principal　men　came　to　greet

him。　He　had　himself　taken　to　the　vapour　baths；　and　called　for　his

cooks。



Three　hours　afterwards　he　was　still　immersed　in　the　oil　of　cinnamomum

with　which　the　basin　had　been　filled；　and　while　he　bathed　he　ate

flamingoes'　tongues　with　honied　poppy…seeds　on　a　spread　ox…hide。

Beside　him　was　his　Greek　physician；　motionless；　in　a　long　yellow　robe；

directing　the　re…heating　of　the　bath　from　time　to　time；　and　two　young

boys　leaned　over　the　steps　of　the　basin　and　rubbed　his　legs。　But

attention　to　his　body　did　not　check　his　love　for　the　commonwealth；　for

he　was　dictating　a　letter　to　be　sent　to　the　Great　Council；　and　as　some

prisoners　had　just　been　taken　he　was　asking　himself　what　terrible

punishment　could　be　devised。



〃Stop！〃　said　he　to　a　slave　who　stood　writing　in　the　hollow　of　his

hand。　〃Let　some　of　them　be　brought　to　me！　I　wish　to　see　them！〃



And　from　the　bottom　of　the　hall；　full　of　a　whitish　vapour　on　which　the

torches　cast　red　spots；　three　Barbarians　were　thrust　forward：　a

Samnite；　a　Spartan；　and　a　Cappadocian。



〃Proceed！〃　said　Hanno。



〃Rejoice；　light　of　the　Baals！　your　Suffet　has　exterminated　the

ravenous　hounds！　Blessings　on　the　Republic！　Give　orders　for　prayers！〃

He　perceived　the　captives　and　burst　out　laughing：　〃Ah！　ha！　my　fine

fellows　of　Sicca！　You　are　not　shouting　so　loudly　to…day！　It　is　I！　Do

you　recognise　me？　And　where　are　your　swords？　What　really　terrible

fellows！〃　and　he　pretended　to　be　desirous　to　hide　himself　as　if　he

were　afraid　of　them。　〃You　demanded　horses；　women；　estates；

magistracies；　no　doubt；　and　priesthoods！　Why　not？　Well；　I　will　provide

you　with　the　estates；　and　such　as　you　will　never　come　out　of！　You

shall　be　married　to　gibbets　that　are　perfectly　new！　Your　pay？　it　shall

be　melted　in　your　mouths　in　leaden　ingots！　and　I　will　put　you　into

good　and　very　exalted　positions　among　the　clouds；　so　as　to　bring　you

close　to　the　eagles！〃



The　three　long…haired　and　ragged　Barbarians　looked　at　him　without

understanding　what　he　said。　Wounded　in　the　knees；　they　had　been　seized

by　having　ropes　thrown　over　them；　and　the　ends　of　the　great　chains　on

their　hands　trailed　upon　the　pavement。　Hanno　was　indignant　at　their

impassibility。



〃On　your　knees！　on　your　knees！　jackals！　dust！　vermin！　excrements！　And

they　make　no　reply！　Enough！　be　silent！　Let　them　be　flayed　alive！　No！

presently！〃



He　was　breathing　like　a　hippopotamus　and　rolling　his　eyes。　The

perfumed　oil　overflowed　beneath　the　mass　of　his　body；　and　clinging　to

the　scales　on　his　skin；　made　it　look　pink　in　the　light　of　the　torches。



He　resumed：



〃For　four　days　we　suffered　greatly　from　the　sun。　Some　mules　were　lost

in　crossing　the　Macaras。　In　spite　of　their　position；　the　extraordinary

courage　Ah！　Demonades！　how　I　suffer！　Have　the　bricks　reheated；　and

let　them　be　red…hot！〃



A　noise　of　rakes　and　furnaces　was　heard。　The　incense　smoked　more

strongly　in　the　large　perfuming　pans；　and　the　shampooers；　who　were

quite　naked　and　were　sweating　like　sponges；　crushed　a　paste　composed

of　wheat；　sulphur；　black　wine；　bitch's　milk；　myrrh；　galbanum　and

storax　upon　his　joints。　He　was　consumed　with　incessant　thirst；　but　the

yellow…robed　man　did　not　yield　to　this　inclination；　and　held　out　to

him　a　golden　cup　in　which　viper　broth　was　smoking。



〃Drink！〃　said　he；　〃that　strength　of　sun…born　serpents　may　penetrate

into　the　marrow　of　your　bones；　and　take　courage；　O　reflection　of　the

gods！　You　know；　moreover；　that　a　priest　of　Eschmoun　watches　those

cruel　stars　round　the　Dog　from　which　your　malady　is　derived。　They　are

growing　pale　like　the　spots　on　your　skin；　and　you　are　not　to　die　from

them。〃



〃Oh！　yes；　that　is　so；　is　it　not？〃　repeated　the　Suffet；　〃I　am　not　to

die　from　them！〃　And　his　violaceous　lips　gave　forth　a　breath　more

nauseous　than　the　exhalation　from　a　corpse。　Two　coals　seemed　to　burn

in　the　place　of　his　eyes；　which　had　lost　their　eyebrows；　a　mass　of

wrinkled　skin　hung　over　his　forehead；　both　his　ears　stood　out　from　his

head　and　were　beginning　to　increase　in　size；　and　the　deep　lines

forming　semicircles　round　his　nostrils　gave　him　a　strange　and

terrifying　appearance；　the　look　of　a　wild　beast。　His　unnatural　voice

was　like　a　roar；　he　said：



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Demonades。　In　fact　there　are　many　ulcers　here

which　have　closed。　I　feel　robust。　Here！　look　how　I　am　eating！〃



And　less　from　greediness　than　from　ostentation；　and　the