first　grown　rich　by　dealing　in　women；　then；　ruined　by　a　shipwreck；　he
  had　made　war　against　the　Romans　with　the　herdsmen　of　Samnium。　He　had
  been　taken　and　had　escaped；　he　had　been　retaken；　and　had　worked　in　the
  quarries；　panted　in　the　vapour…baths；　shrieked　under　torture；　passed
  through　the　hands　of　many　masters；　and　experienced　every　frenzy。　At
  last；　one　day；　in　despair；　he　had　flung　himself　into　the　sea　from　the
  top　of　a　trireme　where　he　was　working　at　the　oar。　Some　of　Hamilcar's
  sailors　had　picked　him　up　when　at　the　point　of　death；　and　had　brought
  him　to　the　ergastulum　of　Megara；　at　Carthage。　But；　as　fugitives　were
  to　be　given　back　to　the　Romans；　he　had　taken　advantage　of　the
  confusion　to　fly　with　the　soldiers。
  During　the　whole　of　the　march　he　remained　near　Matho；　he　brought　him
  food；　assisted　him　to　dismount；　and　spread　a　carpet　in　the　evening
  beneath　his　head。　Matho　at　last　was　touched　by　these　attentions；　and
  by　degrees　unlocked　his　lips。
  He　had　been　born　in　the　gulf　of　Syrtis。　His　father　had　taken　him　on　a
  pilgrimage　to　the　temple　of　Ammon。　Then　he　had　hunted　elephants　in　the
  forests　of　the　Garamantes。　Afterwards　he　had　entered　the　service　of
  Carthage。　He　had　been　appointed　tetrarch　at　the　capture　of　Drepanum。
  The　Republic　owed　him　four　horses；　twenty…three　medimni　of　wheat；　and
  a　winter's　pay。　He　feared　the　gods；　and　wished　to　die　in　his　native
  land。
  Spendius　spoke　to　him　of　his　travels；　and　of　the　peoples　and　temples
  that　he　had　visited。　He　knew　many　things：　he　could　make　sandals；　boar…
  spears　and　nets；　he　could　tame　wild　beasts　and　could　cook　fish。
  Sometimes　he　would　interrupt　himself；　and　utter　a　hoarse　cry　from　the
  depths　of　his　throat；　Matho's　mule　would　quicken　his　pace；　and　others
  would　hasten　after　them；　and　then　Spendius　would　begin　again　though
  still　torn　with　agony。　This　subsided　at　last　on　the　evening　of　the
  fourth　day。
  They　were　marching　side　by　side　to　the　right　of　the　army　on　the　side
  of　a　hill；　below　them　stretched　the　plain　lost　in　the　vapours　of　the
  night。　The　lines　of　soldiers　also　were　defiling　below；　making
  undulations　in　the　shade。　From　time　to　time　these　passed　over
  eminences　lit　up　by　the　moon；　then　stars　would　tremble　on　the　points
  of　the　pikes；　the　helmets　would　glimmer　for　an　instant；　all　would
  disappear；　and　others　would　come　on　continually。　Startled　flocks
  bleated　in　the　distance；　and　a　something　of　infinite　sweetness　seemed
  to　sink　upon　the　earth。
  Spendius；　with　his　head　thrown　back　and　his　eyes　half…closed；　inhaled
  the　freshness　of　the　wind　with　great　sighs；　he　spread　out　his　arms；
  moving　his　fingers　that　he　might　the　better　feel　the　cares　that
  streamed　over　his　body。　Hopes　of　vengeance　came　back　to　him　and
  transported　him。　He　pressed　his　hand　upon　his　mouth　to　check　his　sobs；
  and　half…swooning　with　intoxication；　let　go　the　halter　of　his
  dromedary；　which　was　proceeding　with　long；　regular　steps。　Matho　had
  relapsed　into　his　former　melancholy；　his　legs　hung　down　to　the　ground；
  and　the　grass　made　a　continuous　rustling　as　it　beat　against　his
  cothurni。
  The　journey；　however；　spread　itself　out　without　ever　coming　to　an　end。
  At　the　extremity　of　a　plain　they　would　always　reach　a　round…shaped
  plateau；　then　they　would　descend　again　into　a　valley；　and　the
  mountains　which　seemed　to　block　up　the　horizon　would；　in　proportion　as
  they　were　approached；　glide　as　it　were　from　their　positions。　From　time
  to　time　a　river　would　appear　amid　the　verdure　of　tamarisks　to　lose
  itself　at　the　turning　of　the　hills。　Sometimes　a　huge　rock　would　tower
  aloft　like　the　prow　of　a　vessel　or　the　pedestal　of　some　vanished
  colossus。
  At　regular　intervals　they　met　with　little　quadrangular　temples；　which
  served　as　stations　for　the　pilgrims　who　repaired　to　Sicca。　They　were
  closed　like　tombs。　The　Libyans　struck　great　blows　upon　the　doors　to
  have　them　opened。　But　no　one　inside　responded。
  Then　the　cultivation　became　more　rare。　They　suddenly　entered　upon
  belts　of　sand　bristling　with　thorny　thickets。　Flocks　of　sheep　were
  browsing　among　the　stones；　a　woman　with　a　blue　fleece　about　her　waist
  was　watching　them。　She　fled　screaming　when　she　saw　the　soldiers'　pikes
  among　the　rocks。
  They　were　marching　through　a　kind　of　large　passage　bordered　by　two
  chains　of　reddish　coloured　hillocks；　when　their　nostrils　were　greeted
  with　a　nauseous　odour；　and　they　thought　that　they　could　see　something
  extraordinary　on　the　top　of　a　carob　tree：　a　lion's　head　reared　itself
  above　the　leaves。
  They　ran　thither。　It　was　a　lion　with　his　four　limbs　fastened　to　a
  cross　like　a　criminal。　His　huge　muzzle　fell　upon　his　breast；　and　his
  two　fore…paws；　half…hidden　beneath　the　abundance　of　his　mane；　were
  spread　out　wide　like　the　wings　of　a　bird。　His　ribs　stood　severally　out
  beneath　his　distended　skin；　his　hind　legs；　which　were　nailed　against
  each　other；　were　raised　somewhat；　and　the　black　blood；　flowing　through
  his　hair；　had　collected　in　stalactites　at　the　end　of　his　tail；　which
  hung　down　perfectly　straight　along　the　cross。　The　soldiers　made　merry
  around；　they　called　him　consul；　and　Roman　citizen；　and　threw　pebbles
  into　his　eyes　to　drive　away　the　gnats。
  But　a　hundred　paces　further　on　they　saw　two　more；　and　then　there
  suddenly　appeared　a　long　file　of　crosses　bearing　lions。　Some　had　been
  so　long　dead　that　nothing　was　left　against　the　wood　but　the　remains　of
  their　skeletons；　others　which　were　half　eaten　away　had　their　jaws
  twisted　into　horrible　grimaces；　there　were　some　enormous　ones；　the
  shafts　of　the　crosses　bent　beneath　them；　and　they　swayed　in　the　wind；
  while　bands　of　crows　wheeled　ceaselessly　in　the　air　above　their　heads。
  It　was　thus　that　the　Carthaginian　peasants　avenged　themselves　when
  they　captured　a　wild　beast；　they　hoped　to　terrify　the　others　by　such
  an　example。　The　Barbarians　ceased　their　laughter；　and　were　long　lost
  in　amazement。　〃What　people　is　this；〃　they　thought；　〃that　amuses　itself
  by　crucifying　lions！〃
  They　were；　besides；　especially　the　men　of　the　North；　vaguely　uneasy；
  troubled；　and　already　sick。　They　tore　their　hands　with　the　darts　of
  the　aloes；　great　mosquitoes　buzzed　in　their　ears；　and　dysentry　was
  breaking　out　in　the　army。　They　were　weary　at　not　yet　seeing　Sicca。
  They　were　afraid　of　losing　themselves　and　of　reaching　the　desert；　the
  country　of　sands　and　terrors。　Many　even　were　unwilling　to　advance
  further。　Others　started　back　to　Carthage。
  At　last　on　the　seventh　day；　after　following　the　base　of　a　mountain　for
  a　long　time；　they　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　and　there　then
  appeared　a　line　of　walls　resting　on　white　rocks　and　blending　with
  them。　Suddenly　the　entire　city　rose；　blue；　yellow；　and　white　veils
  moved　on　the　walls　in　the　redness　of　the　evening。　These　were　the
  priestesses　of　Tanith；　who　had　hastened　hither　to　receive　the　men。
  They　stood　ranged　along　the　rampart；　striking　tabourines；　playing
  lyres；　and　shaking　crotala；　while　the　rays　of　the　sun；　setting　behind
  them　in　the　mountains　of　Numidia；　shot　between　the　strings　of　their
  lyres　over　which　their　naked　arms　were　stretched。　At　intervals　their
  instruments　would　become　suddenly　still；　and　a　cry　would　break　forth
  strident；　precipitate；　frenzied；　continuous；　a　sort　of　barking　which
  they　made　by　striking　both　corners　of　the　mouth　with　the　tongue。
  Others；　more　motionless　than　the　Sphynx；　rested　on　their　elbows　with
  their　chins　on　their　hands；　and　darted　their　great　black　eyes　upon　the
  army　as　it　ascended。
  Although　Sicca　was　a　sacred　town　it　could　not　hold　such　a　multitude；
  the　temple　alone；　with　its　appurtenances；　occupied　half　of　it。
  Accordingly　the　Barbarians　established　themselves　at　their　ease　on　the
  plain；　those　who　were　disciplined　in　regular　troops；　and　the　rest
  according　to　nationality　or　their　own　fancy。
  The　Greeks　ranged　their　tents　of　skin　in　parallel　lines；　the　Iberians
  placed　their　canvas　pavilions　in　a　circle；　the　Gauls　made　themselves
  huts　of　planks；　the　Libyans　cabins　of　dry　stones；　while　the　Negroes
  with　their　nails　hollowed　out　trenches　in　the　sand　to　sleep　in。　Many；
  not　knowing　where　to　go；　wandered　about　among　the　baggage；　and　at
  nightfall　lay　down　in　their　ragged　mantles　on　the　ground。
  The　plain；　which　was　wholly　bounded　by　mountains；　expanded　around
  them。　Here　and　there　a　palm　tree　leaned　over　a　sand　hill；　and　pines
  and　oaks　flecked　the　sides　of　the　precipices：　sometimes　the　rain　of　a
  storm　would　hang　from　the　sky　like　a　long　scarf；　while　the　country
  everywhere　was　still　covered　with　azure　and　serenity；　then　a　warm　wind
  would　drive　before　it　tornadoes　of　dust；　and　a　stream　would　descend　in
  cascades　from　the　heights　of　Sicca；　where；　with　its　roofing　of　gold　on
  its　columns　of　brass；　rose　the　temple　of　the　Carthaginian　Venus；　the
  mistress　of　the　land。　She　seemed　to　fill　it　with　her　soul。　In　such
  convulsions　of　the　soil；　such　alternations　of　temperature；　and　such
  plays　of　light　would　she　manifest　the　extravagance　of　her　might　with
  t