salammbo-第76章

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formed　a　convex　curve。　Then　came　the　burst　of　a　terrible　shock；　like

the　crash　of　two　fleets　in　collision。　The　first　rank　of　the　Barbarians

had　quickly　opened　up；　and　the　marksmen；　hidden　behind　the　others；

discharged　their　bullets；　arrows；　and　javelins。　The　curve　of　the

Carthaginians；　however；　flattened　by　degrees；　became　quite　straight；

and　then　bent　inwards；　upon　this；　the　two　sections　of　the　velites　drew

together　in　parallel　lines；　like　the　legs　of　a　compass　that　is　being

closed。　The　Barbarians；　who　were　attacking　the　phalanx　with　fury；

entered　the　gap；　they　were　being　lost；　Matho　checked　them；and　while

the　Carthaginian　wings　continued　to　advance；　he　drew　out　the　three

inner　ranks　of　his　line；　they　soon　covered　his　flanks；　and　his　army

appeared　in　triple　array。



But　the　Barbarians　placed　at　the　extremities　were　the　weakest；

especially　those　on　the　left；　who　had　exhausted　their　quivers；　and　the

troop　of　velites；　which　had　at　last　come　up　against　them；　was　cutting

them　up　greatly。



Matho　made　them　fall　back。　His　right　comprised　Campanians；　who　were

armed　with　axes；　he　hurled　them　against　the　Carthaginian　left；　the

centre　attacked　the　enemy；　and　those　at　the　other　extremity；　who　were

out　of　peril；　kept　the　velites　at　a　distance。



Then　Hamilcar　divided　his　horsemen　into　squadrons；　placed　hoplites

between　them；　and　sent　them　against　the　Mercenaries。



Those　cone…shaped　masses　presented　a　front　of　horses；　and　their

broader　sides　were　filled　and　bristling　with　lances。　The　Barbarians

found　it　impossible　to　resist；　the　Greek　foot…soldiers　alone　had

brazen　armour；　all　the　rest　had　cutlasses　on　the　end　of　poles；　scythes

taken　from　the　farms；　or　swords　manufactured　out　of　the　fellies　of

wheels；　the　soft　blades　were　twisted　by　a　blow；　and　while　they　were

engaged　in　straightening　them　under　their　heels；　the　Carthaginians

massacred　them　right　and　left　at　their　ease。



But　the　Etruscans；　riveted　to　their　chain；　did　not　stir；　those　who

were　dead；　being　prevented　from　falling；　formed　an　obstruction　with

their　corpses；　and　the　great　bronze　line　widened　and　contracted　in

turn；　as　supple　as　a　serpent；　and　as　impregnable　as　a　wall。　The

Barbarians　would　come　to　re…form　behind　it；　pant　for　a　minute；　and

then　set　off　again　with　the　fragments　of　their　weapons　in　their　hands。



Many　already　had　none　left；　and　they　leaped　upon　the　Carthaginians；

biting　their　faces　like　dogs。　The　Gauls　in　their　pride　stripped

themselves　of　the　sagum；　they　showed　their　great　white　bodies　from　a

distance；　and　they　enlarged　their　wounds　to　terrify　the　enemy。　The

voice　of　the　crier　announcing　the　orders　could　no　longer　be　heard　in

the　midst　of　the　Punic　syntagmata；　their　signals　were　being　repeated

by　the　standards；　which　were　raised　above　the　dust；　and　every　one　was

swept　away　in　the　swaying　of　the　great　mass　that　surrounded　him。



Hamilcar　commanded　the　Numidians　to　advance。　But　the　Naffurs　rushed　to

meet　them。



Clad　in　vast　black　robes；　with　a　tuft　of　hair　on　the　top　of　the　skull；

and　a　shield　of　rhinoceros　leather；　they　wielded　a　steel　which　had　no

handle；　and　which　they　held　by　a　rope；　and　their　camels；　which

bristled　all　over　with　feathers；　uttered　long；　hoarse　cluckings。　Each

blade　fell　on　a　precise　spot；　then　rose　again　with　a　smart　stroke

carrying　off　a　limb　with　it。　The　fierce　beasts　galloped　through　the

syntagmata。　Some；　whose　legs　were　broken；　went　hopping　along　like

wounded　ostriches。



The　Punic　infantry　turned　in　a　body　upon　the　Barbarians；　and　cut　them

off。　Their　maniples　wheeled　about　at　intervals　from　one　another。　The

more　brilliant　Carthaginian　weapons　encircled　them　like　golden　crowns；

there　was　a　swarming　movement　in　the　centre；　and　the　sun；　striking

down　upon　the　points　of　the　swords；　made　them　glitter　with　white

flickering　gleams。　However；　files　of　Clinabarians　lay　stretched　upon

the　plain；　some　Mercenaries　snatched　away　their　armour；　clothed

themselves　in　it；　and　then　returned　to　the　fray。　The　deluded

Carthaginians　were　several　times　entangled　in　their　midst。　They　would

stand　stupidly　motionless；　or　else　would　back；　surge　again；　and

triumphant　shouts　rising　in　the　distance　seemed　to　drive　them　along

like　derelicts　in　a　storm。　Hamilcar　was　growing　desperate；　all　was

about　to　perish　beneath　the　genius　of　Matho　and　the　invincible　courage

of　the　Mercenaries。



But　a　great　noise　of　tabourines　burst　forth　on　the　horizon。　It　was　a

crowd　of　old　men；　sick　persons；　children　of　fifteen　years　of　age；　and

even　women；　who；　being　unable　to　withstand　their　distress　any　longer；

had　set　out　from　Carthage；　and；　for　the　purpose　of　placing　themselves

under　the　protection　of　something　formidable；　had　taken　from

Hamilcar's　palace　the　only　elephant　that　the　Republic　now　possessed；

that　one；　namely；　whose　trunk　had　been　cut　off。



Then　it　seemed　to　the　Carthaginians　that　their　country；　forsaking　its

walls；　was　coming　to　command　them　to　die　for　her。　They　were　seized

with　increased　fury；　and　the　Numidians　carried　away　all　the　rest。



The　Barbarians　had　set　themselves　with　their　backs　to　a　hillock　in　the

centre　of　the　plain。　They　had　no　chance　of　conquering；　or　even　of

surviving；　but　they　were　the　best；　the　most　intrepid；　and　the

strongest。



The　people　from　Carthage　began　to　throw　spits；　larding…pins　and

hammers；　over　the　heads　of　the　Numidians；　those　whom　consuls　had

feared　died　beneath　sticks　hurled　by　women；　the　Punic　populace　was

exterminating　the　Mercenaries。



The　latter　had　taken　refuge　on　the　top　of　the　hill。　Their　circle

closed　up　after　every　fresh　breach；　twice　it　descended　to　be

immediately　repulsed　with　a　shock；　and　the　Carthaginians　stretched

forth　their　arms　pell…mell；　thrusting　their　pikes　between　the　legs　of

their　companions；　and　raking　at　random　before　them。　They　slipped　in

the　blood；　the　steep　slope　of　the　ground　made　the　corpses　roll　to　the

bottom。　The　elephant；　which　was　trying　to　climb　the　hillock；　was　up　to

its　belly；　it　seemed　to　be　crawling　over　them　with　delight；　and　its

shortened　trunk；　which　was　broad　at　the　extremity；　rose　from　time　to

time　like　an　enormous　leech。



Then　all　paused。　The　Carthaginians　ground　their　teeth　as　they　gazed　at

the　hill；　where　the　Barbarians　were　standing。



At　last　they　dashed　at　them　abruptly；　and　the　fight　began　again。　The

Mercenaries　would　often　let　them　approach；　shouting　to　them　that　they

wished　to　surrender；　then；　with　frightful　sneers；　they　would　kill

themselves　at　a　blow；　and　as　the　dead　fell；　the　rest　would　mount　upon

them　to　defend　themselves。　It　was　a　kind　of　pyramid；　which　grew　larger

by　degrees。



Soon　there　were　only　fifty；　then　only　twenty；　only　three；　and　lastly

only　twoa　Samnite　armed　with　an　axe；　and　Matho　who　still　had　his

sword。



The　Samnite　with　bent　hams　swept　his　axe　alternately　to　the　right　and

left；　at　the　same　time　warning　Matho　of　the　blows　that　were　being

aimed　at　him。　〃Master；　this　way！　that　way！　stoop　down！〃



Matho　had　lost　his　shoulder…pieces；　his　helmet；　his　cuirass；　he　was

completely　naked；　and　more　livid　than　the　dead；　with　his　hair　quite

erect；　and　two　patches　of　foam　at　the　corners　of　his　lips；and　his

sword　whirled　so　rapidly　that　it　formed　an　aureola　around　him。　A　stone

broke　it　near　the　guard；　the　Samnite　was　killed　and　the　flood　of

Carthaginians　closed　in；　they　touched　Matho。　Then　he　raised　both　his

empty　hands　towards　heaven；　closed　his　eyes；　and；　opening　out　his　arms

like　a　man　throwing　himself　from　the　summit　of　a　promontory　into　the

sea；　hurled　himself　among　the　pikes。



They　moved　away　before　him。　Several　times　he　ran　against　the

Carthaginians。　But　they　always　drew　back　and　turned　their　weapons

aside。



His　foot　struck　against　a　sword。　Matho　tried　to　seize　it。　He　felt

himself　tied　by　the　wrists　and　knees；　and　fell。



Narr'　Havas　had　been　following　him　for　some　time；　step　by　step；　with

one　of　the　large　nets　used　for　capturing　wild　beasts；　and；　taking

advantage　of　th