salammbo-第3节

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slaves　expiring　amid　the　broken　cups。　They　demanded　wine；　meat；　gold。

They　cried　out　for　women。　They　raved　in　a　hundred　languages。　Some

thought　that　they　were　at　the　vapour　baths　on　account　of　the　steam

which　floated　around　them；　or　else；　catching　sight　of　the　foliage；

imagined　that　they　were　at　the　chase；　and　rushed　upon　their　companions

as　upon　wild　beasts。　The　conflagration　spread　to　all　the　trees；　one

after　another；　and　the　lofty　mosses　of　verdure；　emitting　long　white

spirals；　looked　like　volcanoes　beginning　to　smoke。　The　clamour

redoubled；　the　wounded　lions　roared　in　the　shade。



In　an　instant　the　highest　terrace　of　the　palace　was　illuminated；　the

central　door　opened；　and　a　woman；　Hamilcar's　daughter　herself；　clothed

in　black　garments；　appeared　on　the　threshold。　She　descended　the　first

staircase；　which　ran　obliquely　along　the　first　story；　then　the　second；

and　the　third；　and　stopped　on　the　last　terrace　at　the　head　of　the

galley　staircase。　Motionless　and　with　head　bent；　she　gazed　upon　the

soldiers。



Behind　her；　on　each　side；　were　two　long　shadows　of　pale　men；　clad　in

white；　red…fringed　robes；　which　fell　straight　to　their　feet。　They　had

no　beard；　no　hair；　no　eyebrows。　In　their　hands；　which　sparkled　with

rings；　they　carried　enormous　lyres；　and　with　shrill　voice　they　sang　a

hymn　to　the　divinity　of　Carthage。　They　were　the　eunuch　priests　of　the

temple　of　Tanith；　who　were　often　summoned　by　Salammbo　to　her　house。



At　last　she　descended　the　galley　staircase。　The　priests　followed　her。

She　advanced　into　the　avenue　of　cypress；　and　walked　slowly　through　the

tables　of　the　captains；　who　drew　back　somewhat　as　they　watched　her

pass。



Her　hair；　which　was　powdered　with　violet　sand；　and　combined　into　the

form　of　a　tower；　after　the　fashion　of　the　Chanaanite　maidens；　added　to

her　height。　Tresses　of　pearls　were　fastened　to　her　temples；　and　fell

to　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　which　was　as　rosy　as　a　half…open

pomegranate。　On　her　breast　was　a　collection　of　luminous　stones；　their

variegation　imitating　the　scales　of　the　murena。　Her　arms　were　adorned

with　diamonds；　and　issued　naked　from　her　sleeveless　tunic；　which　was

starred　with　red　flowers　on　a　perfectly　black　ground。　Between　her

ankles　she　wore　a　golden　chainlet　to　regulate　her　steps；　and　her　large

dark　purple　mantle；　cut　of　an　unknown　material；　trailed　behind　her；

making；　as　it　were；　at　each　step；　a　broad　wave　which　followed　her。



The　priests　played　nearly　stifled　chords　on　their　lyres　from　time　to

time；　and　in　the　intervals　of　the　music　might　be　heard　the　tinkling　of

the　little　golden　chain；　and　the　regular　patter　of　her　papyrus

sandals。



No　one　as　yet　was　acquainted　with　her。　It　was　only　known　that　she　led

a　retired　life；　engaged　in　pious　practices。　Some　soldiers　had　seen　her

in　the　night　on　the　summit　of　her　palace　kneeling　before　the　stars

amid　the　eddyings　from　kindled　perfuming…pans。　It　was　the　moon　that

had　made　her　so　pale；　and　there　was　something　from　the　gods　that

enveloped　her　like　a　subtle　vapour。　Her　eyes　seemed　to　gaze　far　beyond

terrestrial　space。　She　bent　her　head　as　she　walked；　and　in　her　right

hand　she　carried　a　little　ebony　lyre。



They　heard　her　murmur：



〃Dead！　All　dead！　No　more　will　you　come　obedient　to　my　voice　as　when；

seated　on　the　edge　of　the　lake；　I　used　to　through　seeds　of　the

watermelon　into　your　mouths！　The　mystery　of　Tanith　ranged　in　the

depths　of　your　eyes　that　were　more　limpid　than　the　globules　of

rivers。〃　And　she　called　them　by　their　names；　which　were　those　of　the

months〃Siv！　Sivan！　Tammouz；　Eloul；　Tischri；　Schebar！　Ah！　have　pity

on　me；　goddess！〃



The　soldiers　thronged　about　her　without　understanding　what　she　said。

They　wondered　at　her　attire；　but　she　turned　a　long　frightened　look

upon　them　all；　then　sinking　her　head　beneath　her　shoulders；　and　waving

her　arms；　she　repeated　several　times：



〃What　have　you　done？　what　have　you　done？



〃Yet　you　had　bread；　and　meats　and　oil；　and　all　the　malobathrum　of　the

granaries　for　your　enjoyment！　I　had　brought　oxen　from　Hecatompylos；　I

had　sent　hunters　into　the　desert！〃　Her　voice　swelled；　her　cheeks

purpled。　She　added；　〃Where；　pray；　are　you　now？　In　a　conquered　town；　or

in　the　palace　of　a　master？　And　what　master？　Hamilcar　the　Suffet；　my

father；　the　servant　of　the　Baals！　It　was　he　who　withheld　from　Lutatius

those　arms　of　yours；　red　now　with　the　blood　of　his　slaves！　Know　you　of

any　in　your　own　lands　more　skilled　in　the　conduct　of　battles？　Look！

our　palace　steps　are　encumbered　with　our　victories！　Ah！　desist　not！

burn　it！　I　will　carry　away　with　me　the　genius　of　my　house；　my　black

serpent　slumbering　up　yonder　on　lotus　leaves！　I　will　whistle　and　he

will　follow　me；　and　if　I　embark　in　a　galley　he　will　speed　in　the　wake

of　my　ship　over　the　foam　of　the　waves。〃



Her　delicate　nostrils　were　quivering。　She　crushed　her　nails　against

the　gems　on　her　bosom。　Her　eyes　drooped；　and　she　resumed：



〃Ah！　poor　Carthage！　lamentable　city！　No　longer　hast　thou　for　thy

protection　the　strong　men　of　former　days　who　went　beyond　the　oceans　to

build　temples　on　their　shores。　All　the　lands　laboured　about　thee；　and

the　sea…plains；　ploughed　by　thine　oars；　rocked　with　thy　harvests。〃

Then　she　began　to　sing　the　adventures　of　Melkarth；　the　god　of　the

Sidonians；　and　the　father　of　her　family。



She　told　of　the　ascent　of　the　mountains　of　Ersiphonia；　the　journey　to

Tartessus；　and　the　war　against　Masisabal　to　avenge　the　queen　of　the

serpents：



〃He　pursued　the　female　monster；　whose　tail　undulated　over　the　dead

leaves　like　a　silver　brook；　into　the　forest；　and　came　to　a　plain　where

women　with　dragon…croups　were　round　a　great　fire；　standing　erect　on

the　points　of　their　tails。　The　blood…coloured　moon　was　shining　within

a　pale　circle；　and　their　scarlet　tongues；　cloven　like　the　harpoons　of

fishermen；　reached　curling　forth　to　the　very　edge　of　the　flame。〃



Then　Salammbo；　without　pausing；　related　how　Melkarth；　after

vanquishing　Masisabal；　placed　her　severed　head　on　the　prow　of　his

ship。　〃At　each　throb　of　the　waves　it　sank　beneath　the　foam；　but　the

sun　embalmed　it；　it　became　harder　than　gold；　nevertheless　the　eyes

ceased　not　to　weep；　and　the　tears　fell　into　the　water　continually。〃



She　sang　all　this　in　an　old　Chanaanite　idiom；　which　the　Barbarians　did

not　understand。　They　asked　one　another　what　she　could　be　saying　to

them　with　those　frightful　gestures　which　accompanied　her　speech；　and

mounted　round　about　her　on　the　tables；　beds；　and　sycamore　boughs；　they

strove　with　open　mouths　and　craned　necks　to　grasp　the　vague　stories

hovering　before　their　imaginations；　through　the　dimness　of　the

theogonies；　like　phantoms　wrapped　in　cloud。



Only　the　beardless　priests　understood　Salammbo；　their　wrinkled　hands；

which　hung　over　the　strings　of　their　lyres；　quivered；　and　from　time　to

time　they　would　draw　forth　a　mournful　chord；　for；　feebler　than　old

women；　they　trembled　at　once　with　mystic　emotion；　and　with　the　fear

inspired　by　men。　The　Barbarians　heeded　them　not；　but　listened

continually　to　the　maiden's　song。



None　gazed　at　her　like　a　young　Numidian　chief；　who　was　placed　at　the

captains'　tables　among　soldiers　of　his　own　nation。　His　girdle　so

bristled　with　darts　that　it　formed　a　swelling　in　his　ample　cloak；

which　was　fastened　on　his　temples　with　a　leather　lace。　The　cloth

parted　asunder　as　it　fell　upon　his　shoulders；　and　enveloped　his

countenance　in　shadow；　so　that　only　the　fires　of　his　two　fixed　eyes

could　be　seen。　It　was　by　chance　that　he　was　at　the　feast；　his　father

having　domiciled　him　with　the　Barca　family；　according　to　the　custom　by

which　kings　used　to　send　their　children　into　the　households　of　the

great　in　order　to　pave　the　way　for　alliances；　but　Narr'　Havas　had

lodged　there　fox　six　months　without　having　hitherto　seen　Salammbo；　and

now；　seated　on　his　heels；　with　his　head　brushing　the　handles　of　his

javelins；　he　was　watching　her　with　dilated　nostrils；　like　a　leopard

crouching　among　the　bamboos。



On　the　other　side　of　the　tables　was　a　Libyan　of　colossal　stature；　and

with　short　black　curly　hair。　He　had　retained　only　his　military　jacket；

the　brass　plates　of　which　were　tearing　the　purple　of　the　couch。　A

necklace　of　silver　moons　was　tangled　in　his　hairy　breast。　His　face　was

stained　with　splashes　of　blood；　he　was　leaning　on　his　left　elbow　with

a　smile　on　his　large；　open　mouth。



Salammbo　had　abandoned　the　sacred　rhythm。　With　a　woman's　subtlety　she

was　simultaneously　employing　all　the　dialects　of　the　Barbarians　in

order　to　appease　their　anger。　To　the　Greeks　she　spoke　Greek；　then　she

turned　to　the　Ligurians；　the　Campanians；　the　Negroes；　and　listening　to

her　each　one　found　again　in　her　voice　the　sweetness　of　his　native

land。　She　now；　carried　away　by　the　memories　of　Carthage；　sang　of　the

ancient　battles　against　Rome；　they　applauded。　She　kindled　at　the

gleaming　of　the　naked　swords；　and　cried　aloud　with　outstretched　arms。

Her　lyre　fell；　she　was　silent；　and；　pressing