salammbo-第32节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



hot　irons　as　cowards！〃



Then　they　brought　and　spread　out　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　fetters；

carcanets；　knives；　chains　for　those　condemned　to　the　mines；　cippi　for

fastening　the　legs；　numellae　for　confining　the　shoulders；　and

scorpions　or　whips　with　triple　thongs　terminating　in　brass　claws。



All　were　placed　facing　the　sun；　in　the　direction　of　Moloch　the

Devourer；　and　were　stretched　on　the　ground　on　their　stomachs　or　on

their　backs；　those；　however；　who　were　sentenced　to　be　flogged　standing

upright　against　the　trees　with　two　men　beside　them；　one　counting　the

blows　and　the　other　striking。



In　striking　he　used　both　his　arms；　and　the　whistling　thongs　made　the

bark　of　the　plane…trees　fly。　The　blood　was　scattered　like　rain　upon

the　foliage；　and　red　masses　writhed　with　howls　at　the　foot　of　the

trees。　Those　who　were　under　the　iron　tore　their　faces　with　their

nails。　The　wooden　screws　could　be　heard　creaking；　dull　knockings

resounded；　sometimes　a　sharp　cry　would　suddenly　pierce　the　air。　In　the

direction　of　the　kitchens；　men　were　brisking　up　burning　coals　with

fans　amid　tattered　garments　and　scattered　hair；　and　a　smell　of　burning

flesh　was　perceptible。　Those　who　were　under　the　scourge；　swooning；　but

kept　in　their　positions　by　the　bonds　on　their　arms；　rolled　their　heads

upon　their　shoulders　and　closed　their　eyes。　The　others　who　were

watching　them　began　to　shriek　with　terror；　and　the　lions；　remembering

the　feast　perhaps；　stretched　themselves　out　yawning　against　the　edge

of　the　dens。



Then　Salammbo　was　seen　on　the　platform　of　her　terrace。　She　ran　wildly

about　it　from　left　to　right。　Hamilcar　perceived　her。　It　seemed　to　him

that　she　was　holding　up　her　arms　towards　him　to　ask　for　pardon；　with　a

gesture　of　horror　he　plunged　into　the　elephants'　park。



These　animals　were　the　pride　of　the　great　Punic　houses。　They　had

carried　their　ancestors；　had　triumphed　in　the　wars；　and　they　were

reverenced　as　being　the　favourites　of　the　Sun。



Those　of　Megara　were　the　strongest　in　Carthage。　Before　he　went　away

Hamilcar　had　required　Abdalonim　to　swear　that　he　would　watch　over

them。　But　they　had　died　from　their　mutilations；　and　only　three

remained；　lying　in　the　middle　of　the　court　in　the　dust　before　the

ruins　of　their　manger。



They　recognised　him　and　came　up　to　him。　One　had　its　ears　horribly

slit；　another　had　a　large　wound　in　its　knee；　while　the　trunk　of　the

third　was　cut　off。



They　looked　sadly　at　him；　like　reasonable　creatures；　and　the　one　that

had　lost　its　trunk　tried　by　stooping　its　huge　head　and　bending　its

hams　to　stroke　him　softly　with　the　hideous　extremity　of　its　stump。



At　this　caress　from　the　animal　two　tears　started　into　his　eyes。　He

rushed　at　Abdalonim。



〃Ah！　wretch！　the　cross！　the　cross！〃



Abdalonim　fell　back　swooning　upon　the　ground。



The　bark　of　a　jackal　rang　from　behind　the　purple　factories；　the　blue

smoke　of　which　was　ascending　slowly　into　the　sky；　Hamilcar　paused。



The　thought　of　his　son　had　suddenly　calmed　him　like　the　touch　of　a

god。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　prolongation　of　his　might；　an　indefinite

continuation　of　his　personality；　and　the　slaves　could　not　understand

whence　this　appeasement　had　come　upon　him。



As　he　bent　his　steps　towards　the　purple　factories　he　passed　before　the

ergastulum；　which　was　a　long　house　of　black　stone　built　in　a　square

pit　with　a　small　pathway　all　round　it　and　four　staircases　at　the

corners。



Iddibal　was　doubtless　waiting　until　the　night　to　finish　his　signal。

〃There　is　no　hurry　yet；〃　thought　Hamilcar；　and　he　went　down　into　the

prison。　Some　cried　out　to　him：　〃Return〃；　the　boldest　followed　him。



The　open　door　was　flapping　in　the　wind。　The　twilight　entered　through

the　narrow　loopholes；　and　in　the　interior　broken　chains　could　be

distinguished　hanging　from　the　walls。



This　was　all　that　remained　of　the　captives　of　war！



Then　Hamilcar　grew　extraordinarily　pale；　and　those　who　were　leaning

over　the　pit　outside　saw　him　resting　one　hand　against　the　wall　to　keep

himself　from　falling。



But　the　jackal　uttered　its　cry　three　times　in　succession。　Hamilcar

raised　his　head；　he　did　not　speak　a　word　nor　make　a　gesture。　Then　when

the　sun　had　completely　set　he　disappeared　behind　the　nopal　hedge；　and

in　the　evening　he　said　as　he　entered　the　assembly　of　the　rich　in　the

temple　of　Eschmoun：



〃Luminaries　of　the　Baalim；　I　accept　the　command　of　the　Punic　forces

against　the　army　of　the　Barbarians！〃







CHAPTER　VIII



THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　MACARAS



In　the　following　day　he　drew　two　hundred　and　twenty…three　thousand

kikars　of　gold　from　the　Syssitia；　and　decreed　a　tax　of　fourteen

shekels　upon　the　rich。　Even　the　women　contributed；　payment　was　made　in

behalf　of　the　children；　and　he　compelled　the　colleges　of　priests　to

furnish　moneya　monstrous　thing；　according　to　Carthaginian　customs。



He　demanded　all　the　horses；　mules；　and　arms。　A　few　tried　to　conceal

their　wealth；　and　their　property　was　sold；　and；　to　intimidate　the

avarice　of　the　rest；　he　himself　gave　sixty　suits　of　armour；　and

fifteen　hundred　gomers　of　meal；　which　was　as　much　as　was　given　by　the

Ivory　Company。



He　sent　into　Liguria　to　buy　soldiers；　three　thousand　mountaineers

accustomed　to　fight　with　bears；　they　were　paid　for　six　moons　in

advance　at　the　rate　of　four　minae　a　day。



Nevertheless　an　army　was　wanted。　But　he　did　not；　like　Hanno；　accept

all　the　citizens。　First　he　rejected　those　engaged　in　sedentary

occupations；　and　then　those　who　were　big…bellied　or　had　a

pusillanimous　look；　and　he　admitted　those　of　ill…repute；　the　scum　of

Malqua；　sons　of　Barbarians；　freed　men。　For　reward　he　promised　some　of

the　New　Carthaginians　complete　rights　of　citizenship。



His　first　care　was　to　reform　the　Legion。　These　handsome　young　fellows；

who　regarded　themselves　as　the　military　majesty　of　the　Republic；

governed　themselves。　He　reduced　their　officers　to　the　ranks；　he

treated　them　harshly；　made　them　run；　leap；　ascend　the　declivity　of

Byrsa　at　a　single　burst；　hurl　javelins；　wrestle　together；　and　sleep　in

the　squares　at　night。　Their　families　used　to　come　to　see　them　and　pity

them。



He　ordered　shorter　swords　and　stronger　buskins。　He　fixed　the　number　of

serving…men；　and　reduced　the　amount　of　baggage；　and　as　there　were

three　hundred　Roman　pila　kept　in　the　temple　of　Moloch；　he　took　them　in

spite　of　the　pontiff's　protests。



He　organised　a　phalanx　of　seventy…two　elephants　with　those　which　had

returned　from　Utica；　and　others　which　were　private　property；　and

rendered　them　formidable。　He　armed　their　drivers　with　mallet　and

chisel　to　enable　them　to　split　their　skulls　in　the　fight　if　they　ran

away。



He　would　not　allow　his　generals　to　be　nominated　by　the　Grand　Council。

The　Ancients　tried　to　urge　the　laws　in　objection；　but　he　set　them

aside；　no　one　ventured　to　murmur　again；　and　everything　yielded　to　the

violence　of　his　genius。



He　assumed　sole　charge　of　the　war；　the　government；　and　the　finances；

and　as　a　precaution　against　accusations　he　demanded　the　Suffet　Hanno

as　examiner　of　his　accounts。




He　set　to　work　upon　the　ramparts；　and　had　the　old　and　now　useless

inner　walls　demolished　in　order　to　furnish　stones。　But　difference　of

fortune；　replacing　the　hierarchy　of　race；　still　kept　the　sons　of　the

vanquished　and　those　of　the　conquerors　apart；　thus　the　patricians

viewed　the　destruction　of　these　ruins　with　an　angry　eye；　while　the

plebeians；　scarcely　knowing　why；　rejoiced。



The　troops　defiled　under　arms　through　the　streets　from　morning　till

night；　every　moment　the　sound　of　trumpets　was　heard；　chariots　passed

bearing　shields；　tents；　and　pikes；　the　courts　were　full　of　women

engaged　in　tearing　up　linen；　the　enthusiasm　spread　from　one　to

another；　and　Hamilcar's　soul　filled　the　Republic。



He　had　divided　his　soldiers　into　even　numbers；　being　careful　to　place

a　strong　man　and　a　weak　one　alternately　throughout　the　length　of　his

files；　so　that　he　who　was　less　vigorous　or　more　cowardly　might　be　at

once　led　and　pushed　forward　by　two　others。　But　with　his　three　thousand

Ligurians；　and　the　best　in　Carthage；　he　could　form　only　a　simple

phalanx　of　four　thousand　and　ninety…six　hoplites；　protected　by　bronze

helmets；　and　handling　ashen　sarissae　fourteen　cubits　long。



There　were　two　thousand　young　men；　each　equipped　with　a　sling；　a

dagger；　and　sandals。　He　reinforced　them　with　eight　hundred　others

armed　with　round　shields　and　Roman　swords。



The　heavy　cavalry　was　composed　of　the　nineteen　hundred　remaining

guardsmen　of　the　Legion；　covered　with　plates　of　vermilion　bronze；　like

the　Assyrian　Clinabarians。　He　had　further　four　hundred　mounted

archers；　of　those　that　were　called　Tarentines；　with　caps　of　weasel's

skin；　two…edged　axes；　and　leathern　tunics。　Finally　there　were　twelve

hundred　Negroes　from　the　quarter　of　the　caravans；　who　were　mingled

with　the　Clinabarians；　and　were　to　run　beside　the　stallions　with　one

hand　resting　on　the　manes。　All　wa