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Salammbo



by　Gustave　Flaubert










CHAPTER　I



THE　FEAST



It　was　at　Megara；　a　suburb　of　Carthage；　in　the　gardens　of　Hamilcar。

The　soldiers　whom　he　had　commanded　in　Sicily　were　having　a　great　feast

to　celebrate　the　anniversary　of　the　battle　of　Eryx；　and　as　the　master

was　away；　and　they　were　numerous；　they　ate　and　drank　with　perfect

freedom。



The　captains；　who　wore　bronze　cothurni；　had　placed　themselves　in　the

central　path；　beneath　a　gold…fringed　purple　awning；　which　reached　from

the　wall　of　the　stables　to　the　first　terrace　of　the　palace；　the　common

soldiers　were　scattered　beneath　the　trees；　where　numerous　flat…roofed

buildings　might　be　seen；　wine…presses；　cellars；　storehouses；　bakeries；

and　arsenals；　with　a　court　for　elephants；　dens　for　wild　beasts；　and　a

prison　for　slaves。



Fig…trees　surrounded　the　kitchens；　a　wood　of　sycamores　stretched　away

to　meet　masses　of　verdure；　where　the　pomegranate　shone　amid　the　white

tufts　of　the　cotton…plant；　vines；　grape…laden；　grew　up　into　the

branches　of　the　pines；　a　field　of　roses　bloomed　beneath　the　plane…

trees；　here　and　there　lilies　rocked　upon　the　turf；　the　paths　were

strewn　with　black　sand　mingled　with　powdered　coral；　and　in　the　centre

the　avenue　of　cypress　formed；　as　it　were；　a　double　colonnade　of　green

obelisks　from　one　extremity　to　the　other。



Far　in　the　background　stood　the　palace；　built　of　yellow　mottled

Numidian　marble；　broad　courses　supporting　its　four　terraced　stories。

With　its　large；　straight；　ebony　staircase；　bearing　the　prow　of　a

vanquished　galley　at　the　corners　of　every　step；　its　red　doors

quartered　with　black　crosses；　its　brass　gratings　protecting　it　from

scorpions　below；　and　its　trellises　of　gilded　rods　closing　the

apertures　above；　it　seemed　to　the　soldiers　in　its　haughty　opulence　as

solemn　and　impenetrable　as　the　face　of　Hamilcar。



The　Council　had　appointed　his　house　for　the　holding　of　this　feast；　the

convalescents　lying　in　the　temple　of　Eschmoun　had　set　out　at　daybreak

and　dragged　themselves　thither　on　their　crutches。　Every　minute　others

were　arriving。　They　poured　in　ceaselessly　by　every　path　like　torrents

rushing　into　a　lake；　through　the　trees　the　slaves　of　the　kitchens

might　be　seen　running　scared　and　half…naked；　the　gazelles　fled

bleating　on　the　lawns；　the　sun　was　setting；　and　the　perfume　of　citron

trees　rendered　the　exhalation　from　the　perspiring　crowd　heavier　still。



Men　of　all　nations　were　there；　Ligurians；　Lusitanians；　Balearians；

Negroes；　and　fugitives　from　Rome。　Beside　the　heavy　Dorian　dialect　were

audible　the　resonant　Celtic　syllables　rattling　like　chariots　of　war；

while　Ionian　terminations　conflicted　with　consonants　of　the　desert　as

harsh　as　the　jackal's　cry。　The　Greek　might　be　recognised　by　his

slender　figure；　the　Egyptian　by　his　elevated　shoulders；　the　Cantabrian

by　his　broad　calves。　There　were　Carians　proudly　nodding　their　helmet

plumes；　Cappadocian　archers　displaying　large　flowers　painted　on　their

bodies　with　the　juice　of　herbs；　and　a　few　Lydians　in　women's　robes；

dining　in　slippers　and　earrings。　Others　were　ostentatiously　daubed

with　vermilion；　and　resembled　coral　statues。



They　stretched　themselves　on　the　cushions；　they　ate　squatting　round

large　trays；　or　lying　face　downwards　they　drew　out　the　pieces　of　meat

and　sated　themselves；　leaning　on　their　elbows　in　the　peaceful　posture

of　lions　tearing　their　prey。　The　last　comers　stood　leaning　against　the

trees　watching　the　low　tables　half　hidden　beneath　the　scarlet

coverings；　and　awaiting　their　turn。



Hamilcar's　kitchens　being　insufficient；　the　Council　had　sent　them

slaves；　ware；　and　beds；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　as　on　a

battle…field　when　they　burn　the　dead；　large　bright　fires　might　be

seen；　at　which　oxen　were　roasting。　Anise…sprinkled　loaves　alternated

with　great　cheeses　heavier　than　discuses；　crateras　filled　with　wine；

and　cantharuses　filled　with　water；　together　with　baskets　of　gold

filigree…work　containing　flowers。　Every　eye　was　dilated　with　the　joy

of　being　able　at　last　to　gorge　at　pleasure；　and　songs　were　beginning

here　and　there。



First　they　were　served　with　birds　and　green　sauce　in　plates　of　red

clay　relieved　by　drawings　in　black；　then　with　every　kind　of　shell…fish

that　is　gathered　on　the　Punic　coasts；　wheaten　porridge；　beans　and

barley；　and　snails　dressed　with　cumin　on　dishes　of　yellow　amber。



Afterwards　the　tables　were　covered　with　meats；　antelopes　with　their

horns；　peacocks　with　their　feathers；　whole　sheep　cooked　in　sweet　wine；

haunches　of　she…camels　and　buffaloes；　hedgehogs　with　garum；　fried

grasshoppers；　and　preserved　dormice。　Large　pieces　of　fat　floated　in

the　midst　of　saffron　in　bowls　of　Tamrapanni　wood。　Everything　was

running　over　with　wine；　truffles；　and　asafoetida。　Pyramids　of　fruit

were　crumbling　upon　honeycombs；　and　they　had　not　forgotten　a　few　of

those　plump　little　dogs　with　pink　silky　hair　and　fattened　on　olive

lees；a　Carthaginian　dish　held　in　abhorrence　among　other　nations。

Surprise　at　the　novel　fare　excited　the　greed　of　the　stomach。　The　Gauls

with　their　long　hair　drawn　up　on　the　crown　of　the　head；　snatched　at

the　water…melons　and　lemons；　and　crunched　them　up　with　the　rind。　The

Negroes；　who　had　never　seen　a　lobster；　tore　their　faces　with　its　red

prickles。　But　the　shaven　Greeks；　whiter　than　marble；　threw　the

leavings　of　their　plates　behind　them；　while　the　herdsmen　from　Brutium；

in　their　wolf…skin　garments；　devoured　in　silence　with　their　faces　in

their　portions。



Night　fell。　The　velarium；　spread　over　the　cypress　avenue；　was　drawn

back；　and　torches　were　brought。



The　apes；　sacred　to　the　moon；　were　terrified　on　the　cedar　tops　by　the

wavering　lights　of　the　petroleum　as　it　burned　in　the　porphyry　vases。

They　uttered　screams　which　afforded　mirth　to　the　soldiers。



Oblong　flames　trembled　in　cuirasses　of　brass。　Every　kind　of

scintillation　flashed　from　the　gem…incrusted　dishes。　The　crateras　with

their　borders　of　convex　mirrors　multiplied　and　enlarged　the　images　of

things；　the　soldiers　thronged　around；　looking　at　their　reflections

with　amazement；　and　grimacing　to　make　themselves　laugh。　They　tossed

the　ivory　stools　and　golden　spatulas　to　one　another　across　the　tables。

They　gulped　down　all　the　Greek　wines　in　their　leathern　bottles；　the

Campanian　wine　enclosed　in　amphoras；　the　Cantabrian　wines　brought　in

casks；　with　the　wines　of　the　jujube；　cinnamomum　and　lotus。　There　were

pools　of　these　on　the　ground　that　made　the　foot　slip。　The　smoke　of　the

meats　ascended　into　the　foliage　with　the　vapour　of　the　breath。

Simultaneously　were　heard　the　snapping　of　jaws；　the　noise　of　speech；

songs；　and　cups；　the　crash　of　Campanian　vases　shivering　into　a

thousand　pieces；　or　the　limpid　sound　of　a　large　silver　dish。



In　proportion　as　their　intoxication　increased　they　more　and　more

recalled　the　injustice　of　Carthage。　The　Republic；　in　fact；　exhausted

by　the　war；　had　allowed　all　the　returning　bands　to　accumulate　in　the

town。　Gisco；　their　general；　had　however　been　prudent　enough　to　send

them　back　severally　in　order　to　facilitate　the　liquidation　of　their

pay；　and　the　Council　had　believed　that　they　would　in　the　end　consent

to　some　reduction。　But　at　present　ill…will　was　caused　by　the　inability

to　pay　them。　This　debt　was　confused　in　the　minds　of　the　people　with

the　3200　Euboic　talents　exacted　by　Lutatius；　and　equally　with　Rome

they　were　regarded　as　enemies　to　Carthage。　The　Mercenaries　understood

this；　and　their　indignation　found　vent　in　threats　and　outbreaks。　At

last　they　demanded　permission　to　assemble　to　celebrate　one　of　their

victories；　and　the　peace　party　yielded；　at　the　same　time　revenging

themselves　on　Hamilcar　who　had　so　strongly　upheld　the　war。　It　had　been

terminated　notwithstanding　all　his　efforts；　so　that；　despairing　of

Carthage；　he　had　entrusted　the　government　of　the　Mercenaries　to　Gisco。

To　appoint　his　palace　for　their　reception　was　to　draw　upon　him

something　of　the　hatred　which　was　borne　to　them。　Moreover；　the　expense

must　be　excessive；　and　he　would　incur　nearly　the　whole。



Proud　of　having　brought　the　Republic　to　submit；　the　Mercenaries

thought　that　they　were　at　last　about　to　return　to　their　homes　with　the

payment　for　their　blood　in　the　hoods　of　their　cloaks。　But　as　seen

through　the　mists　of　intoxication；　their　fatigues　seemed　to　them

prodigious　and　but　ill…rewarded。　They　showed　one　another　their　wounds；

they　told　of　their　combats；　their　travels　and　the　hunting　in　their

native　lands。　They　imitated　the　cries　and　the　leaps　of　wild　beasts。

Then　came　unclean　wagers；　they　buried　their　heads　in　the　amphoras　and

drank　on　without　interruption；　like　thirsty　dromedaries。　A　Lusitanian

of　gigantic　stature　ran　over　the　tables；　carrying　a　man　in　each　hand

at　arm's　length；　and　spitting　out　fire　through　his　nostrils。　Some

Lacedaemonians；　who　had　not　taken　off　their　cuirasses；　were　leaping

with　a　heavy　step。　Some　advanced　like　women；　making　obscene　gestures；

others　strippe