salammbo-第53节

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undulated　over　the　plain　with　a　single　movement　and　came　beating

against　the　foot　of　the　walls　like　an　overflowing　sea。



They　moved　forward　the　rope　ladders；　straight　ladders；　and　sambucas；

the　latter　consisting　of　two　poles　from　which　a　series　of　bamboos

terminating　in　a　moveable　bridge　were　lowered　by　means　of　tackling。

They　formed　numerous　straight　lines　resting　against　the　wall；　and　the

Mercenaries　mounted　them　in　files；　holding　their　weapons　in　their

hands。　Not　a　Carthaginian　showed　himself；　already　two　thirds　of　the

rampart　had　been　covered。　Then　the　battlements　opened；　vomiting　flames

and　smoke　like　dragon　jaws；　the　sand　scattered　and　entered　the　joints

of　their　armour；　the　petroleum　fastened　on　their　garments；　the　liquid

lead　hopped　on　their　helmets　and　made　holes　in　their　flesh；　a　rain　of

sparks　splashed　against　their　faces；　and　eyeless　orbits　seemed　to　weep

tears　as　big　as　almonds。　There　were　men　all　yellow　with　oil；　with

their　hair　in　flames。　They　began　to　run　and　set　fire　to　the　rest。　They

were　extinguished　in　mantles　steeped　in　blood；　which　were　thrown　from

a　distance　over　their　faces。　Some　who　had　no　wounds　remained

motionless；　stiffer　than　stakes；　their　mouths　open　and　their　arms

outspread。



The　assault　was　renewed　for　several　days　in　succession；　the

Mercenaries　hoping　to　triumph　by　extraordinary　energy　and　audacity。



Sometimes　a　man　raised　on　the　shoulders　of　another　would　drive　a　pin

between　the　stones；　and　then　making　use　of　it　as　a　step　to　reach

further；　would　place　a　second　and　a　third；　and；　protected　by　the　edge

of　the　battlements；　which　stood　out　from　the　wall；　they　would

gradually　raise　themselves　in　this　way；　but　on　reaching　a　certain

height　they　always　fell　back　again。　The　great　trench　was　full　to

overflowing；　the　wounded　were　massed　pell…mell　with　the　dead　and　dying

beneath　the　footsteps　of　the　living。　Calcined　trunks　formed　black

spots　amid　opened　entrails；　scattered　brains；　and　pools　of　blood；　and

arms　and　legs　projecting　half　way　out　of　a　heap；　would　stand　straight

up　like　props　in　a　burning　vineyard。



The　ladders　proving　insufficient　the　tollenos　were　brought　into

requisition；instruments　consisting　of　a　long　beam　set　transversely

upon　another；　and　bearing　at　its　extremity　a　quadrangular　basket　which

would　hold　thirty　foot…soldiers　with　their　weapons。



Matho　wished　to　ascend　in　the　first　that　was　ready。　Spendius　stopped

him。



Some　men　bent　over　a　capstan；　the　great　beam　rose；　became　horizontal；

reared　itself　almost　vertically；　and　being　overweighted　at　the　end；

bent　like　a　huge　reed。　The　soldiers；　who　were　crowded　together；　were

hidden　up　to　their　chins；　only　their　helmet…plumes　could　be　seen。　At

last　when　it　was　twenty　cubits　high　in　the　air　it　turned　several　times

to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　and　then　was　depressed；　and　like　a　giant

arm　holding　a　cohort　of　pigmies　in　its　hand；　it　laid　the　basketful　of

men　upon　the　edge　of　the　wall。　They　leaped　into　the　crowd　and　never

returned。



All　the　other　tollenos　were　speedily　made　ready。　But　a　hundred　times

as　many　would　have　been　needed　for　the　capture　of　the　town。　They　were

utilised　in　a　murderous　fashion：　Ethiopian　archers　were　placed　in　the

baskets；　then；　the　cables　having　been　fastened；　they　remained

suspended　and　shot　poisoned　arrows。　The　fifty　tollenos　commanding　the

battlements　thus　surrounded　Carthage　like　monstrous　vultures；　and　the

Negroes　laughed　to　see　the　guards　on　the　rampart　dying　in　grievous

convulsions。



Hamilcar　sent　hoplites　to　these　posts；　and　every　morning　made　them

drink　the　juice　of　certain　herbs　which　protected　them　against　the

poison。



One　evening　when　it　was　dark　he　embarked　the　best　of　his　soldiers　on

lighters　and　planks；　and　turning　to　the　right　of　the　harbour；

disembarked　on　the　Taenia。　Then　he　advanced　to　the　first　lines　of　the

Barbarians；　and　taking　them　in　flank；　made　a　great　slaughter。　Men

hanging　to　ropes　would　descend　at　night　from　the　top　of　the　wall　with

torches　in　their　hands；　burn　the　works　of　the　Mercenaries；　and　then

mount　up　again。



Matho　was　exasperated；　every　obstacle　strengthened　his　wrath；　which

led　him　into　terrible　extravagances。　He　mentally　summoned　Salammbo　to

an　interview；　then　he　waited。　She　did　not　come；　this　seemed　to　him

like　a　fresh　piece　of　treachery；and　henceforth　he　execrated　her。　If

he　had　seen　her　corpse　he　would　perhaps　have　gone　away。　He　doubled　the

outposts；　he　planted　forks　at　the　foot　of　the　rampart；　he　drove

caltrops　into　the　ground；　and　he　commanded　the　Libyans　to　bring　him　a

whole　forest　that　he　might　set　it　on　fire　and　burn　Carthage　like　a　den

of　foxes。



Spendius　went　on　obstinately　with　the　siege。　He　sought　to　invent

terrible　machines　such　as　had　never　before　been　constructed。



The　other　Barbarians；　encamped　at　a　distance　on　the　isthmus；　were

amazed　at　these　delays；　they　murmured；　and　they　were　let　loose。



Then　they　rushed　with　their　cutlasses　and　javelins；　and　beat　against

the　gates　with　them。　But　the　nakedness　of　their　bodies　facilitating

the　infliction　of　wounds；　the　Carthaginians　massacred　them　freely；　and

the　Mercenaries　rejoiced　at　it；　no　doubt　through　jealousy　about　the

plunder。　Hence　there　resulted　quarrels　and　combats　between　them。　Then；

the　country　having　been　ravaged；　provisions　were　soon　scarce。　They

grew　disheartened。　Numerous　hordes　went　away；　but　the　crowd　was　so

great　that　the　loss　was　not　apparent。



The　best　of　them　tried　to　dig　mines；　but　the　earth；　being　badly

supported；　fell　in。　They　began　again　in　other　places；　but　Hamilcar

always　guessed　the　direction　that　they　were　taking　by　holding　his　ear

against　a　bronze　shield。　He　bored　counter…mines　beneath　the　path　along

which　the　wooden　towers　were　to　move；　and　when　they　were　pushed

forward　they　sank　into　the　holes。



At　last　all　recognised　that　the　town　was　impregnable；　unless　a　long

terrace　was　raised　to　the　same　height　as　the　walls；　so　as　to　enable

them　to　fight　on　the　same　level。　The　top　of　it　should　be　paved　so　that

the　machines　might　be　rolled　along。　Then　Carthage　would　find　it　quite

impossible　to　resist。



The　town　was　beginning　to　suffer　from　thirst。　The　water　which　was

worth　two　kesitahs　the　bath　at　the　opening　of　the　siege　was　now　sold

for　a　shekel　of　silver；　the　stores　of　meat　and　corn　were　also　becoming

exhausted；　there　was　a　dread　of　famine；　and　some　even　began　to　speak

of　useless　mouths；　which　terrified　every　one。



From　the　square　of　Khamon　to　the　temple　of　Melkarth　the　streets　were

cumbered　with　corpses；　and；　as　it　was　the　end　of　the　summer；　the

combatants　were　annoyed　by　great　black　flies。　Old　men　carried　off　the

wounded；　and　the　devout　continued　the　fictitious　funerals　for　their

relatives　and　friends　who　had　died　far　away　during　the　war。　Waxen

statues　with　clothes　and　hair　were　displayed　across　the　gates。　They

melted　in　the　heat　of　the　tapers　burning　beside　them；　the　paint　flowed

down　upon　their　shoulders；　and　tears　streamed　over　the　faces　of　the

living；　as　they　chanted　mournful　songs　beside　them。　The　crowd

meanwhile　ran　to　and　fro；　armed　bands　passed；　captains　shouted　orders；

while　the　shock　of　the　rams　beating　against　the　rampart　was　constantly

heard。



The　temperature　became　so　heavy　that　the　bodies　swelled　and　would　no

longer　fit　into　the　coffins。　They　were　burned　in　the　centre　of　the

courts。　But　the　fires；　being　too　much　confined；　kindled　the

neighbouring　walls；　and　long　flames　suddenly　burst　from　the　houses

like　blood　spurting　from　an　artery。　Thus　Moloch　was　in　possession　of

Carthage；　he　clasped　the　ramparts；　he　rolled　through　the　streets；　he

devoured　the　very　corpses。



Men　wearing　cloaks　made　of　collected　rags　in　token　of　despair；

stationed　themselves　at　the　corners　of　the　cross…ways。　They　declaimed

against　the　Ancients　and　against　Hamilcar；　predicted　complete　ruin　to

the　people；　and　invited　them　to　universal　destruction　and　license。　The

most　dangerous　were　the　henbane…drinkers；　in　their　crisis　they

believed　themselves　wild　beasts；　and　leaped　upon　the　passers…by　to

rend　them。　Mobs　formed　around　them；　and　the　defence　of　Carthage　was

forgotten。　The　Suffet　devised　the　payment　of　others　to　support　his

policy。



In　order　to　retain　the　genius　of　the　gods　within　the　town　their　images

had　been　covered　with　chains。　Black　veils　were　placed　upon　the　Pataec

gods；　and　hair…cloths　around　the　altars；　and　attempts　were　made　to

excite　the　pride　and　jealousy　of　the　Baals　by　singing　in　their　ears：

〃Thou　art　about　to　suffer　thyself　to　be　vanquished！　Are　the　others

perchance　more　strong？　Show　thyself！　aid　us！　that　the　peoples　may　not

say：　'Where　are　now　their　gods？'〃



The　colleges　of　the　pontiffs　were　agitated　by　unceasing　anxiety。　Those

of　Rabbetna　were　especially　afraidthe　restoration　of　the　zaimph

having　been　of　no　avail。　They　kept　themselves　shut　up　in　the　third

enclosure　which　was　as　impregnable　as　a　fortress。　Only　one　among　them；

the　high　priest　Schah