salammbo-第12节

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at　unequal　distances　by　the　public　squares；　and　was　cut　from　top　to

bottom　by　countless　intersecting　lanes。　The　enclosures　of　the　three

old　quarters　which　are　now　lost　might　be　distinguished；　they　rose　here

and　there　like　great　reefs；　or　extended　in　enormous　fronts；　blackened；

half…covered　with　flowers；　and　broadly　striped　by　the　casting　of

filth；　while　streets　passed　through　their　yawning　apertures　like

rivers　beneath　bridges。



The　hill　of　the　Acropolis；　in　the　centre　of　Byrsa；　was　hidden　beneath

a　disordered　array　of　monuments。　There　were　temples　with　wreathed

columns　bearing　bronze　capitals　and　metal　chains；　cones　of　dry　stones

with　bands　of　azure；　copper　cupolas；　marble　architraves；　Babylonian

buttresses；　obelisks　poised　on　their　points　like　inverted　torches。

Peristyles　reached　to　pediments；　volutes　were　displayed　through

colonnades；　granite　walls　supported　tile　partitions；　the　whole

mounting；　half…hidden；　the　one　above　the　other　in　a　marvellous　and

incomprehensible　fashion。　In　it　might　be　felt　the　succession　of　the

ages；　and；　as　it　were；　the　memorials　of　forgotten　fatherlands。



Behind　the　Acropolis　the　Mappalian　road；　which　was　lined　with　tombs；

extended　through　red　lands　in　a　straight　line　from　the　shore　to　the

catacombs；　then　spacious　dwellings　occurred　at　intervals　in　the

gardens；　and　this　third　quarter；　Megara；　which　was　the　new　town；

reached　as　far　as　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　where　rose　a　giant　pharos

that　blazed　forth　every　night。



In　this　fashion　was　Carthage　displayed　before　the　soldiers　quartered

in　the　plain。



They　could　recognise　the　markets　and　crossways　in　the　distance；　and

disputed　with　one　another　as　to　the　sites　of　the　temples。　Khamon's；

fronting　the　Syssitia；　had　golden　tiles；　Melkarth；　to　the　left　of

Eschmoun；　had　branches　of　coral　on　its　roofing；　beyond；　Tanith's

copper　cupola　swelled　among　the　palm　trees；　the　dark　Moloch　was　below

the　cisterns；　in　the　direction　of　the　pharos。　At　the　angles　of　the

pediments；　on　the　tops　of　the　walls；　at　the　corners　of　the　squares；

everywhere；　divinities　with　hideous　heads　might　be　seen；　colossal　or

squat；　with　enormous　bellies；　or　immoderately　flattened；　opening　their

jaws；　extending　their　arms；　and　holding　forks；　chains　or　javelins　in

their　hands；　while　the　blue　of　the　sea　stretched　away　behind　the

streets　which　were　rendered　still　steeper　by　the　perspective。



They　were　filled　from　morning　till　evening　with　a　tumultuous　people；

young　boys　shaking　little　bells；　shouted　at　the　doors　of　the　baths；

the　shops　for　hot　drinks　smoked；　the　air　resounded　with　the　noise　of

anvils；　the　white　cocks；　sacred　to　the　Sun；　crowed　on　the　terraces；

the　oxen　that　were　being　slaughtered　bellowed　in　the　temples；　slaves

ran　about　with　baskets　on　their　heads；　and　in　the　depths　of　the

porticoes　a　priest　would　sometimes　appear；　draped　in　a　dark　cloak；

barefooted；　and　wearing　a　pointed　cap。



The　spectacle　afforded　by　Carthage　irritated　the　Barbarians；　they

admired　it　and　execrated　it；　and　would　have　liked　both　to　annihilate

it　and　to　dwell　in　it。　But　what　was　there　in　the　Military　Harbour

defended　by　a　triple　wall？　Then　behind　the　town；　at　the　back　of

Megara；　and　higher　than　the　Acropolis；　appeared　Hamilcar's　palace。



Matho's　eyes　were　directed　thither　every　moment。　He　would　ascend　the

olive　trees　and　lean　over　with　his　hand　spread　out　above　his　eyebrows。

The　gardens　were　empty；　and　the　red　door　with　its　black　cross　remained

constantly　shut。



More　than　twenty　times　he　walked　round　the　ramparts；　seeking　some

breach　by　which　he　might　enter。　One　night　he　threw　himself　into　the

gulf　and　swam　for　three　hours　at　a　stretch。　He　reached　the　foot　of　the

Mappalian　quarter　and　tried　to　climb　up　the　face　of　the　cliff。　He

covered　his　knees　with　blood；　broke　his　nails；　and　then　fell　back　into

the　waves　and　returned。



His　impotence　exasperated　him。　He　was　jealous　of　this　Carthage　which

contained　Salammbo；　as　if　of　some　one　who　had　possessed　her。　His

nervelessness　left　him　to　be　replaced　by　a　mad　and　continual　eagerness

for　action。　With　flaming　cheek；　angry　eyes；　and　hoarse　voice；　he　would

walk　with　rapid　strides　through　the　camp；　or　seated　on　the　shore　he

would　scour　his　great　sword　with　sand。　He　shot　arrows　at　the　passing

vultures。　His　heart　overflowed　into　frenzied　speech。



〃Give　free　course　to　your　wrath　like　a　runaway　chariot；〃　said

Spendius。　〃Shout；　blaspheme；　ravage　and　slay。　Grief　is　allayed　with

blood；　and　since　you　cannot　sate　your　love；　gorge　your　hate；　it　will

sustain　you！〃



Matho　resumed　the　command　of　his　soldiers。　He　drilled　them　pitilessly。

He　was　respected　for　his　courage　and　especially　for　his　strength。

Moreover　he　inspired　a　sort　of　mystic　dread；　and　it　was　believed　that

he　conversed　at　night　with　phantoms。　The　other　captains　were　animated

by　his　example。　The　army　soon　grew　disciplined。　From　their　houses　the

Carthaginians　could　hear　the　bugle…flourishes　that　regulated　their

exercises。　At　last　the　Barbarians　drew　near。



To　crush　them　in　the　isthmus　it　would　have　been　necessary　for　two

armies　to　take　them　simultaneously　in　the　rear；　one　disembarking　at

the　end　of　the　gulf　of　Utica；　and　the　second　at　the　mountain　of　the

Hot　Springs。　But　what　could　be　done　with　the　single　sacred　Legion；

mustering　at　most　six　thousand　men？　If　the　enemy　bent　towards　the　east

they　would　join　the　nomads　and　intercept　the　commerce　of　the　desert。

If　they　fell　back　to　the　west；　Numidia　would　rise。　Finally；　lack　of

provisions　would　sooner　or　later　lead　them　to　devastate　the

surrounding　country　like　grasshoppers；　and　the　rich　trembled　for　their

fine　country…houses；　their　vineyards　and　their　cultivated　lands。



Hanno　proposed　atrocious　and　impracticable　measures；　such　as　promising

a　heavy　sum　for　every　Barbarian's　head；　or　setting　fire　to　their　camp

with　ships　and　machines。　His　colleague　Gisco；　on　the　other　hand；

wished　them　to　be　paid。　But　the　Ancients　detested　him　owing　to　his

popularity；　for　they　dreaded　the　risk　of　a　master；　and　through　terror

of　monarchy　strove　to　weaken　whatever　contributed　to　it　or　might　re…

establish　it。



Outside　the　fortification　there　were　people　of　another　race　and　of

unknown　origin；　all　hunters　of　the　porcupine；　and　eaters　of　shell…fish

and　serpents。　They　used　to　go　into　caves　to　catch　hyenas　alive；　and

amuse　themselves　by　making　them　run　in　the　evening　on　the　sands　of

Megara　between　the　stelae　of　the　tombs。　Their　huts；　which　were　made　of

mud　and　wrack；　hung　on　the　cliff　like　swallows'　nests。　There　they

lived；　without　government　and　without　gods；　pell…mell；　completely

naked；　at　once　feeble　and　fierce；　and　execrated　by　the　people　of　all

time　on　account　of　their　unclean　food。　One　morning　the　sentries

perceived　that　they　were　all　gone。



At　last　some　members　of　the　Great　Council　arrived　at　a　decision。　They

came　to　the　camp　without　necklaces　or　girdles；　and　in　open　sandles

like　neighbours。　They　walked　at　a　quiet　pace；　waving　salutations　to

the　captains；　or　stopped　to　speak　to　the　soldiers；　saying　that　all　was

finished　and　that　justice　was　about　to　be　done　to　their　claims。



Many　of　them　saw　a　camp　of　Mercenaries　for　the　first　time。　Instead　of

the　confusion　which　they　had　pictured　to　themselves；　there　prevailed

everywhere　terrible　silence　and　order。　A　grassy　rampart　formed　a　lofty

wall　round　the　army　immovable　by　the　shock　of　catapults。　The　ground　in

the　streets　was　sprinkled　with　fresh　water；　through　the　holes　in　the

tents　they　could　perceive　tawny　eyeballs　gleaming　in　the　shade。　The

piles　of　pikes　and　hanging　panoplies　dazzled　them　like　mirrors。　They

conversed　in　low　tones。　They　were　afraid　of　upsetting　something　with

their　long　robes。



The　soldiers　requested　provisions；　undertaking　to　pay　for　them　out　of

the　money　that　was　due。



Oxen；　sheep；　guinea　fowl；　fruit　and　lupins　were　sent　to　them；　with

smoked　scombri；　that　excellent　scombri　which　Carthage　dispatched　to

every　port。　But　they　walked　scornfully　around　the　magnificent　cattle；

and　disparaging　what　they　coveted；　offered　the　worth　of　a　pigeon　for　a

ram；　or　the　price　of　a　pomegranate　for　three　goats。　The　Eaters　of

Uncleanness　came　forward　as　arbitrators；　and　declared　that　they　were

being　duped。　Then　they　drew　their　swords　with　threats　to　slay。



Commissaries　of　the　Great　Council　wrote　down　the　number　of　years　for

which　pay　was　due　to　each　soldier。　But　it　was　no　longer　possible　to

know　how　many　Mercenaries　had　been　engaged；　and　the　Ancients　were

dismayed　at　the　enormous　sum　which　they　would　have　to　pay。　The　reserve

of　silphium　must　be　sold；　and　the　trading　towns　taxed；　the　Mercenaries

would　grow　impatient；　Tunis　was　already　with　them；　and　the　rich；

stunned　by　Hanno's　ragings　and　his　colleague's　reproaches；　urged　any

citizens　who　might　know　a　Barbarian　to　go　to　see　him　immediately　in

order　to　win　back　his　friendship；　and　to　speak　him　fair。　Such　a　show

of　confidence　would　soothe　them。



Traders；　scribes