salammbo-第59章

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bracelets；　it　was　thrice　as　thick　as　a　man's　body；　one　hundred　and

twenty　cubits　long；　and　under　the　crowd　of　naked　arms　pushing　it

forward　and　drawing　it　back；　it　moved　to　and　fro　with　a　regular

oscillation。



The　other　rams　before　the　other　gates　began　to　be　in　motion。　Men　might

be　seen　mounting　from　step　to　step　in　the　hollow　wheels　of　the

tympanums。　The　pulleys　and　caps　grated；　the　rope　curtains　were

lowered；　and　showers　of　stones　and　showers　of　arrows　poured　forth

simultaneously；　all　the　scattered　slingers　ran　up。　Some　approached　the

rampart　hiding　pots　of　resin　under　their　shields；　then　they　would　hurl

these　with　all　their　might。　This　hail　of　bullets；　darts；　and　flames

passed　above　the　first　ranks　in　the　form　of　a　curve　which　fell　behind

the　walls。　But　long　cranes；　used　for　masting　vessels；　were　reared　on

the　summit　of　the　ramparts；　and　from　them　there　descended　some　of

those　enormous　pincers　which　terminated　in　two　semicircles　toothed　on

the　inside。　They　bit　the　rams。　The　soldiers　clung　to　the　beam　and　drew

it　back。　The　Carthaginians　hauled　in　order　to　pull　it　up；　and　the

action　was　prolonged　until　the　evening。



When　the　Mercenaries　resumed　their　task　on　the　following　day；　the　tops

of　the　walls　were　completely　carpeted　with　bales　of　cotton；　sails；　and

cushions；　the　battlements　were　stopped　up　with　mats；　and　a　line　of

forks　and　blades；　fixed　upon　sticks；　might　be　distinguished　among　the

cranes　on　the　rampart。　A　furious　resistance　immediately　began。



Trunks　of　trees　fastened　to　cables　fell　and　rose　alternately　and

battered　the　rams；　cramps　hurled　by　the　ballistas　tore　away　the　roofs

of　the　huts；　and　streams　of　flints　and　pebbles　poured　from　the

platforms　of　the　towers。



At　last　the　rams　broke　the　gates　of　Khamon　and　Tagaste。　But　the

Carthaginians　had　piled　up　such　an　abundance　of　materials　on　the

inside　that　the　leaves　did　not　open。　They　remained　standing。



Then　they　drove　augers　against　the　walls；　these　were　applied　to　the

joints　of　the　blocks；　so　as　to　detach　the　latter。　The　engines　were

better　managed；　the　men　serving　them　were　divided　into　squads；　and

they　were　worked　from　morning　till　evening　without　interruption　and

with　the　monotonous　precision　of　a　weaver's　loom。



Spendius　returned　to　them　untiringly。　It　was　he　who　stretched　the

skeins　of　the　ballistas。　In　order　that　the　twin　tensions　might

completely　correspond；　the　ropes　as　they　were　tightened　were　struck　on

the　right　and　left　alternately　until　both　sides　gave　out　an　equal

sound。　Spendius　would　mount　upon　the　timbers。　He　would　strike　the

ropes　softly　with　the　extremity　of　his　foot；　and　strain　his　ears　like

a　musician　tuning　a　lyre。　Then　when　the　beam　of　the　catapult　rose；

when　the　pillar　of　the　ballista　trembled　with　the　shock　of　the　spring；

when　the　stones　were　shooting　in　rays；　and　the　darts　pouring　in

streams；　he　would　incline　his　whole　body　and　fling　his　arms　into　the

air　as　though　to　follow　them。



The　soldiers　admired　his　skill　and　executed　his　commands。　In　the

gaiety　of　their　work　they　gave　utterance　to　jests　on　the　names　of　the

machines。　Thus　the　plyers　for　seizing　the　rams　were　called　〃wolves；〃

and　the　galleries　were　covered　with　〃vines〃；　they　were　lambs；　or　they

were　going　to　gather　the　grapes；　and　as　they　loaded　their　pieces　they

would　say　to　the　onagers：　〃Come；　pick　well！〃　and　to　the　scorpions：

〃Pierce　them　to　the　heart！〃　These　jokes；　which　were　ever　the　same；

kept　up　their　courage。



Nevertheless　the　machines　did　not　demolish　the　rampart。　It　was　formed

of　two　walls　and　was　completely　filled　with　earth。　The　upper　portions

were　beaten　down；　but　each　time　the　besieged　raised　them　again。　Matho

ordered　the　construction　of　wooden　towers　which　should　be　as　high　as

the　towers　of　stone。　They　cast　turf；　stakes；　pebbles　and　chariots　with

their　wheels　into　the　trench　so　as　to　fill　it　up　the　more　quickly；　but

before　this　was　accomplished　the　immense　throng　of　the　Barbarians

undulated　over　the　plain　with　a　single　movement　and　came　beating

against　the　foot　of　the　walls　like　an　overflowing　sea。



They　moved　forward　the　rope　ladders；　straight　ladders；　and　sambucas；

the　latter　consisting　of　two　poles　from　which　a　series　of　bamboos

terminating　in　a　moveable　bridge　were　lowered　by　means　of　tackling。

They　formed　numerous　straight　lines　resting　against　the　wall；　and　the

Mercenaries　mounted　them　in　files；　holding　their　weapons　in　their

hands。　Not　a　Carthaginian　showed　himself；　already　two　thirds　of　the

rampart　had　been　covered。　Then　the　battlements　opened；　vomiting　flames

and　smoke　like　dragon　jaws；　the　sand　scattered　and　entered　the　joints

of　their　armour；　the　petroleum　fastened　on　their　garments；　the　liquid

lead　hopped　on　their　helmets　and　made　holes　in　their　flesh；　a　rain　of

sparks　splashed　against　their　faces；　and　eyeless　orbits　seemed　to　weep

tears　as　big　as　almonds。　There　were　men　all　yellow　with　oil；　with

their　hair　in　flames。　They　began　to　run　and　set　fire　to　the　rest。　They

were　extinguished　in　mantles　steeped　in　blood；　which　were　thrown　from

a　distance　over　their　faces。　Some　who　had　no　wounds　remained

motionless；　stiffer　than　stakes；　their　mouths　open　and　their　arms

outspread。



The　assault　was　renewed　for　several　days　in　succession；　the

Mercenaries　hoping　to　triumph　by　extraordinary　energy　and　audacity。



Sometimes　a　man　raised　on　the　shoulders　of　another　would　drive　a　pin

between　the　stones；　and　then　making　use　of　it　as　a　step　to　reach

further；　would　place　a　second　and　a　third；　and；　protected　by　the　edge

of　the　battlements；　which　stood　out　from　the　wall；　they　would

gradually　raise　themselves　in　this　way；　but　on　reaching　a　certain

height　they　always　fell　back　again。　The　great　trench　was　full　to

overflowing；　the　wounded　were　massed　pell…mell　with　the　dead　and　dying

beneath　the　footsteps　of　the　living。　Calcined　trunks　formed　black

spots　amid　opened　entrails；　scattered　brains；　and　pools　of　blood；　and

arms　and　legs　projecting　half　way　out　of　a　heap；　would　stand　straight

up　like　props　in　a　burning　vineyard。



The　ladders　proving　insufficient　the　tollenos　were　brought　into

requisition；instruments　consisting　of　a　long　beam　set　transversely

upon　another；　and　bearing　at　its　extremity　a　quadrangular　basket　which

would　hold　thirty　foot…soldiers　with　their　weapons。



Matho　wished　to　ascend　in　the　first　that　was　ready。　Spendius　stopped

him。



Some　men　bent　over　a　capstan；　the　great　beam　rose；　became　horizontal；

reared　itself　almost　vertically；　and　being　overweighted　at　the　end；

bent　like　a　huge　reed。　The　soldiers；　who　were　crowded　together；　were

hidden　up　to　their　chins；　only　their　helmet…plumes　could　be　seen。　At

last　when　it　was　twenty　cubits　high　in　the　air　it　turned　several　times

to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　and　then　was　depressed；　and　like　a　giant

arm　holding　a　cohort　of　pigmies　in　its　hand；　it　laid　the　basketful　of

men　upon　the　edge　of　the　wall。　They　leaped　into　the　crowd　and　never

returned。



All　the　other　tollenos　were　speedily　made　ready。　But　a　hundred　times

as　many　would　have　been　needed　for　the　capture　of　the　town。　They　were

utilised　in　a　murderous　fashion：　Ethiopian　archers　were　placed　in　the

baskets；　then；　the　cables　having　been　fastened；　they　remained

suspended　and　shot　poisoned　arrows。　The　fifty　tollenos　commanding　the

battlements　thus　surrounded　Carthage　like　monstrous　vultures；　and　the

Negroes　laughed　to　see　the　guards　on　the　rampart　dying　in　grievous

convulsions。



Hamilcar　sent　hoplites　to　these　posts；　and　every　morning　made　them

drink　the　juice　of　certain　herbs　which　protected　them　against　the

poison。



One　evening　when　it　was　dark　he　embarked　the　best　of　his　soldiers　on

lighters　and　planks；　and　turning　to　the　right　of　the　harbour；

disembarked　on　the　Taenia。　Then　he　advanced　to　the　first　lines　of　the

Barbarians；　and　taking　them　in　flank；　made　a　great　slaughter。　Men

hanging　to　ropes　would　descend　at　night　from　the　top　of　the　wall　with

torches　in　their　hands；