din　of　shrill　female　voices。
  Every　day　men　came　flocking　in　nearly　naked；　and　with　grass　on　their
  heads　to　protect　them　from　the　sun；　they　were　the　debtors　of　the　rich
  Carthaginians　and　had　been　forced　to　till　the　lands　of　the　latter；　but
  had　escaped。　Libyans　came　pouring　in　with　peasants　ruined　by　the
  taxes；　outlaws；　and　malefactors。　Then　the　horde　of　traders；　all　the
  dealers　in　wine　and　oil；　who　were　furious　at　not　being　paid；　laid　the
  blame　upon　the　Republic。　Spendius　declaimed　against　it。　Soon　the
  provisions　ran　low；　and　there　was　talk　of　advancing　in　a　body　upon
  Carthage；　and　calling　in　the　Romans。
  One　evening；　at　supper…time；　dull　cracked　sounds　were　heard
  approaching；　and　something　red　appeared　in　the　distance　among　the
  undulations　of　the　soil。
  It　was　a　large　purple　litter；　adorned　with　ostrich　feathers　at　the
  corners。　Chains　of　crystal　and　garlands　of　pearls　beat　against　the
  closed　hangings。　It　was　followed　by　camels　sounding　the　great　bells
  that　hung　at　their　breasts；　and　having　around　them　horsemen　clad　from
  shoulder　to　heel　in　armour　of　golden　scales。
  They　halted　three　hundred　paces　from　the　camp　to　take　their　round
  bucklers；　broad　swords；　and　Boeotian　helmets　out　of　the　cases　which
  they　carried　behind　their　saddles。　Some　remained　with　the　camels；
  while　the　others　resumed　their　march。　At　last　the　ensigns　of　the
  Republic　appeared；　that　is　to　say；　staves　of　blue　wood　terminated　in
  horses'　heads　or　fir　cones。　The　Barbarians　all　rose　with　applause；　the
  women　rushed　towards　the　guards　of　the　Legion　and　kissed　their　feet。
  The　litter　advanced　on　the　shoulders　of　twelve　Negroes　who　walked　in
  step　with　short；　rapid　strides；　they　went　at　random　to　right　or　left；
  being　embarrassed　by　the　tent…ropes；　the　animals　that　were　straying
  about；　or　the　tripods　where　food　was　being　cooked。　Sometimes　a　fat
  hand；　laden　with　rings；　would　partially　open　the　litter；　and　a　hoarse
  voice　would　utter　loud　reproaches；　then　the　bearers　would　stop　and
  take　a　different　direction　through　the　camp。
  But　the　purple　curtains　were　raised；　and　a　human　head；　impassible　and
  bloated；　was　seen　resting　on　a　large　pillow；　the　eyebrows；　which　were
  like　arches　of　ebony；　met　each　other　at　the　points；　golden　dust
  sparkled　in　the　frizzled　hair；　and　the　face　was　so　wan　that　it　looked
  as　if　it　had　been　powdered　with　marble　raspings。　The　rest　of　the　body
  was　concealed　beneath　the　fleeces　which　filled　the　litter。
  In　the　man　so　reclining　the　soldiers　recognised　the　Suffet　Hanno；　he
  whose　slackness　had　assisted　to　lose　the　battle　of　the　Aegatian
  islands；　and　as　to　his　victory　at　Hecatompylos　over　the　Libyans；　even
  if　he　did　behave　with　clemency；　thought　the　Barbarians；　it　was　owing
  to　cupidity；　for　he　had　sold　all　the　captives　on　his　own　account；
  although　he　had　reported　their　deaths　to　the　Republic。
  After　seeking　for　some　time　a　convenient　place　from　which　to　harangue
  the　soldiers；　he　made　a　sign；　the　litter　stopped；　and　Hanno；　supported
  by　two　slaves；　put　his　tottering　feet　to　the　ground。
  He　wore　boots　of　black　felt　strewn　with　silver　moons。　His　legs　were
  swathed　in　bands　like　those　wrapped　about　a　mummy；　and　the　flesh　crept
  through　the　crossings　of　the　linen；　his　stomach　came　out　beyond　the
  scarlet　jacket　which　covered　his　thighs；　the　folds　of　his　neck　fell
  down　to　his　breast　like　the　dewlaps　of　an　ox；　his　tunic；　which　was
  painted　with　flowers；　was　bursting　at　the　arm…pits；　he　wore　a　scarf；　a
  girdle；　and　an　ample　black　cloak　with　laced　double…sleeves。　But　the
  abundance　of　his　garments；　his　great　necklace　of　blue　stones；　his
  golden　clasps；　and　heavy　earrings　only　rendered　his　deformity　still
  more　hideous。　He　might　have　been　taken　for　some　big　idol　rough…hewn　in
  a　block　of　stone；　for　a　pale　leprosy；　which　was　spread　over　his　whole
  body；　gave　him　the　appearance　of　an　inert　thing。　His　nose；　however；
  which　was　hooked　like　a　vulture's　beak；　was　violently　dilated　to
  breathe　in　the　air；　and　his　little　eyes；　with　their　gummed　lashes；
  shone　with　a　hard　and　metallic　lustre。　He　held　a　spatula　of　aloe…wood
  in　his　hand　wherewith　to　scratch　his　skin。
  At　last　two　heralds　sounded　their　silver　horns；　the　tumult　subsided；
  and　Hanno　commenced　to　speak。
  He　began　with　an　eulogy　of　the　gods　and　the　Republic；　the　Barbarians
  ought　to　congratulate　themselves　on　having　served　it。　But　they　must
  show　themselves　more　reasonable；　times　were　hard；　〃and　if　a　master　has
  only　three　olives；　is　it　not　right　that　he　should　keep　two　for
  himself？〃
  The　old　Suffet　mingled　his　speech　in　this　way　with　proverbs　and
  apologues；　nodding　his　head　the　while　to　solicit　some　approval。
  He　spoke　in　Punic；　and　those　surrounding　him　（the　most　alert；　who　had
  hastened　thither　without　their　arms）；　were　Campanians；　Gauls；　and
  Greeks；　so　that　no　one　in　the　crowd　understood　him。　Hanno；　perceiving
  this；　stopped　and　reflected；　swaying　himself　heavily　from　one　leg　to
  the　other。
  It　occurred　to　him　to　call　the　captains　together；　then　his　heralds
  shouted　the　order　in　Greek；　the　language　which；　from　the　time　of
  Xanthippus；　had　been　used　for　commands　in　the　Carthaginian　armies。
  The　guards　dispersed　the　mob　of　soldiers　with　strokes　of　the　whip；　and
  the　captains　of　the　Spartan　phalanxes　and　the　chiefs　of　the　Barbarian
  cohorts　soon　arrived　with　the　insignia　of　their　rank；　and　in　the
  armour　of　their　nation。　Night　had　fallen；　a　great　tumult　was　spreading
  throughout　the　plain；　fires　were　burning　here　and　there；　and　the
  soldiers　kept　going　from　one　to　another　asking　what　the　matter　was；
  and　why　the　Suffet　did　not　distribute　the　money？
  He　was　setting　the　infinite　burdens　of　the　Republic　before　the
  captains。　Her　treasury　was　empty。　The　tribute　to　Rome　was　crushing
  her。　〃We　are　quite　at　a　loss　what　to　do！　She　is　much　to　be　pitied！〃
  From　time　to　time　he　would　rub　his　limbs　with　his　aloe…wood　spatula；
  or　perhaps　he　would　break　off　to　drink　a　ptisan　made　of　the　ashes　of　a
  weasel　and　asparagus　boiled　in　vinegar　from　a　silver　cup　handed　to　him
  by　a　slave；　then　he　would　wipe　his　lips　with　a　scarlet　napkin　and
  resume：
  〃What　used　to　be　worth　a　shekel　of　silver　is　now　worth　three　shekels
  of　gold；　while　the　cultivated　lands　which　were　abandoned　during　the
  war　bring　in　nothing！　Our　purpura　fisheries　are　nearly　gone；　and　even
  pearls　are　becoming　exhorbitant；　we　have　scarcely　unguents　enough　for
  the　service　of　the　gods！　As　for　the　things　of　the　table；　I　shall　say
  nothing　about　them；　it　is　a　calamity！　For　want　of　galleys　we　are
  without　spices；　and　it　is　a　matter　of　great　difficulty　to　procure
  silphium　on　account　of　the　rebellions　on　the　Cyrenian　frontier。
  Sicily；　where　so　many　slaves　used　to　be　had；　is　now　closed　to　us！　Only
  yesterday　I　gave　more　money　for　a　bather　and　four　scullions　than　I
  used　at　one　time　to　give　for　a　pair　of　elephants！〃
  He　unrolled　a　long　piece　of　papyrus；　and；　without　omitting　a　single
  figure；　read　all　the　expenses　that　the　government　had　incurred；　so
  much　for　repairing　the　temples；　for　paving　the　streets；　for　the
  construction　of　vessels；　for　the　coral…fisheries；　for　the　enlargement
  of　the　Syssitia；　and　for　engines　in　the　mines　in　the　country　of　the
  Cantabrians。
  But　the　captains　understood　Punic　as　little　as　the　soldiers；　although
  the　Mercenaries　saluted　one　another　in　that　language。　It　was　usual　to
  place　a　few　Carthaginian　officers　in　the　Barbarian　armies　to　act　as
  interpreters；　after　the　war　they　had　concealed　themselves　through　fear
  of　vengeance；　and　Hanno　had　not　thought　of　taking　them　with　him；　his
  hollow　voice；　too；　was　lost　in　the　wind。
  The　Greeks；　girthed　in　their　iron　waist…belts；　strained　their　ears　as
  they　strove　to　guess　at　his　words；　while　the　mountaineers；　covered
  with　furs　like　bears；　looked　at　him　with　distrust；　or　yawned　as　they
  leaned　on　their　brass…nailed　clubs。　The　heedless　Gauls　sneered　as　they
  shook　their　lofty　heads　of　hair；　and　the　men　of　the　desert　listened
  motionless；　cowled　in　their　garments　of　grey　wool；　others　kept　coming
  up　behind；　the　guards；　crushed　by　the　mob；　staggered　on　their　horses；
  the　Negroes　held　out　burning　fir　branches　at　arm's　length；　and　the　big
  Carthaginian；　mounted　on　a　grassy　hillock；　continued　his　harangue。
  The　Barbarians；　however；　were　growing　impatient；　murmuring　arose；　and
  every　one　apostrophized　him。　Hanno　gesticulated　with　his　spatula；　and
  those　who　wished　the　others　to　be　quiet　shouted　still　more　loudly；
  thereby　adding　to　the　din。
  Suddenly　a　man　of　mean　appearance　bounded　to　Hanno's　feet；　snatched　up
  a　herald's　trumpet；　blew　it；　and　Spendius　（for　it　was　he）　announced
  that　he　was　going　to　say　something　of　importance。　At　this　declaration；
  which　was　rapidly　uttered　in　five　different　languages；　Greek；　Latin；
  Gallic；　Libyan　and　Balearic；　the　captains；　half　laughing　and　half
  surprised；　replied：　〃Speak！　Speak！〃
  Spendius　hesitated；　he　trembled；　at　last；　addressing　the　Libyans　who
  were　the　most　numerous；　h