第 9 节
作者:淋雨      更新:2021-02-21 13:47      字数:9322
  surprised; replied: 〃Speak! Speak!〃
  Spendius hesitated; he trembled; at last; addressing the Libyans who
  were the most numerous; he said to them:
  〃You have all heard this man's horrible threats!〃
  Hanno made no exclamation; therefore he did not understand Libyan;
  and; to carry on the experiment; Spendius repeated the same phrase in
  the other Barbarian dialects。
  They looked at one another in astonishment; then; as by a tacit
  agreement; and believing perhaps that they had understood; they bent
  their heads in token of assent。
  Then Spendius began in vehement tones:
  〃He said first that all the Gods of the other nations were but dreams
  besides the Gods of Carthage! He called you cowards; thieves; liars;
  dogs; and the sons of dogs! But for you (he said that!) the Republic
  would not be forced to pay excessive tribute to the Romans; and
  through your excesses you have drained it of perfumes; aromatics;
  slaves; and silphium; for you are in league with the nomads on the
  Cyrenian frontier! But the guilty shall be punished! He read the
  enumeration of their torments; they shall be made to work at the
  paving of the streets; at the equipment of the vessels; at the
  adornment of the Syssitia; while the rest shall be sent to scrape the
  earth in the mines in the country of the Cantabrians。〃
  Spendius repeated the same statements to the Gauls; Greeks; Campanians
  and Balearians。 The Mercenaries; recognising several of the proper
  names which had met their ears; were convinced that he was accurately
  reporting the Suffet's speech。 A few cried out to him; 〃You lie!〃 but
  their voices were drowned in the tumult of the rest; Spendius added:
  〃Have you not seen that he has left a reserve of his horse…soldiers
  outside the camp? At a given signal they will hasten hither to slay
  you all。〃
  The Barbarians turned in that direction; and as the crowd was then
  scattering; there appeared in the midst of them; and advancing with
  the slowness of a phantom; a human being; bent; lean; entirely naked;
  and covered down to his flanks with long hair bristling with dried
  leaves; dust and thorns。 About his loins and his knees he had wisps of
  straw and linen rags; his soft and earthy skin hung on his emaciated
  limbs like tatters on dried boughs; his hands trembled with a
  continuous quivering; and as he walked he leaned on a staff of olive…
  wood。
  He reached the Negroes who were bearing the torches。 His pale gums
  were displayed in a sort of idiotic titter; his large; scared eyes
  gazed upon the crowd of Barbarians around him。
  But uttering a cry of terror he threw himself behind them; shielding
  himself with their bodies。 〃There they are! There they are!〃 he
  stammered out; pointing to the Suffet's guards; who were motionless in
  their glittering armour。 Their horses; dazzled by the light of the
  torches which crackled in the darkness; were pawing the ground; the
  human spectre struggled and howled:
  〃They have killed them!〃
  At these words; which were screamed in Balearic; some Balearians came
  up and recognised him; without answering them he repeated:
  〃Yes; all killed; all! crushed like grapes! The fine young men! the
  slingers! my companions and yours!〃
  They gave him wine to drink; and he wept; then he launched forth into
  speech。
  Spendius could scarcely repress his joy; as he explained the horrors
  related by Zarxas to the Greeks and Libyans; he could not believe
  them; so appropriately did they come in。 The Balearians grew pale as
  they learned how their companions had perished。
  It was a troop of three hundred slingers who had disembarked the
  evening before; and had on that day slept too late。 When they reached
  the square of Khamon the Barbarians were gone; and they found
  themselves defenceless; their clay bullets having been put on the
  camels with the rest of the baggage。 They were allowed to advance into
  the street of Satheb as far as the brass sheathed oaken gate; then the
  people with a single impulse had sprung upon them。
  Indeed; the soldiers remembered a great shout; Spendius; who was
  flying at the head of the columns; had not heard it。
  Then the corpses were placed in the arms of the Pataec gods that
  fringed the temple of Khamon。 They were upbraided with all the crimes
  of the Mercenaries; their gluttony; their thefts; their impiety; their
  disdain; and the murder of the fishes in Salammbo's garden。 Their
  bodies were subjected to infamous mutilations; the priests burned
  their hair in order to torture their souls; they were hung up in
  pieces in the meat…shops; some even buried their teeth in them; and in
  the evening funeral…piles were kindled at the cross…ways to finish
  them。
  These were the flames that had gleamed from a distance across the
  lake。 But some houses having taken fire; any dead or dying that
  remained were speedily thrown over the walls; Zarxas had remained
  among the reeds on the edge of the lake until the following day; then
  he had wandered about through the country; seeking for the army by the
  footprints in the dust。 In the morning he hid himself in caves; in the
  evening he resumed his march with his bleeding wounds; famished; sick;
  living on roots and carrion; at last one day he perceived lances on
  the horizon; and he had followed them; for his reason was disturbed
  through his terrors and miseries。
  The indignation of the soldiers; restrained so long as he was
  speaking; broke forth like a tempest; they were going to massacre the
  guards together with the Suffet。 A few interposed; saying that they
  ought to hear him and know at least whether they should be paid。 Then
  they all cried: 〃Our money!〃 Hanno replied that he had brought it。
  They ran to the outposts; and the Suffet's baggage arrived in the
  midst of the tents; pressed forward by the Barbarians。 Without waiting
  for the slaves; they very quickly unfastened the baskets; in them they
  found hyacinth robes; sponges; scrapers; brushes; perfumes; and
  antimony pencils for painting the eyesall belonging to the guards;
  who were rich men and accustomed to such refinements。 Next they
  uncovered a large bronze tub on a camel: it belonged to the Suffet who
  had it for bathing in during his journey; for he had taken all manner
  of precautions; even going so far as to bring caged weasels from
  Hecatompylos; which were burnt alive to make his ptisan。 But; as his
  malady gave him a great appetite; there were also many comestibles and
  many wines; pickle; meats and fishes preserved in honey; with little
  pots of Commagene; or melted goose…fat covered with snow and chopped
  straw。 There was a considerable supply of it; the more they opened the
  baskets the more they found; and laughter arose like conflicting
  waves。
  As to the pay of the Mercenaries it nearly filled two esparto…grass
  baskets; there were even visible in one of them some of the leathern
  discs which the Republic used to economise its specie; and as the
  Barbarians appeared greatly surprised; Hanno told them that; their
  accounts being very difficult; the Ancients had not had leisure to
  examine them。 Meanwhile they had sent them this。
  Then everything was in disorder and confusion: mules; serving men;
  litter; provisions; and baggage。 The soldiers took the coin in the
  bags to stone Hanno。 With great difficulty he was able to mount an
  ass; and he fled; clinging to its hair; howling; weeping; shaken;
  bruised; and calling down the curse of all the gods upon the army。 His
  broad necklace of precious stones rebounded up to his ears。 His cloak
  which was too long; and which trailed behind him; he kept on with his
  teeth; and from afar the Barbarians shouted at him; 〃Begone coward!
  pig! sink of Moloch! sweat your gold and your plague! quicker!
  quicker!〃 The routed escort galloped beside him。
  But the fury of the Barbarians did not abate。 They remembered that
  several of them who had set out for Carthage had not returned; no
  doubt they had been killed。 So much injustice exasperated them; and
  they began to pull up the stakes of their tents; to roll up their
  cloaks; and to bridle their horses; every one took his helmet and
  sword; and instantly all was ready。 Those who had no arms rushed into
  the woods to cut staves。
  Day dawned; the people of Sicca were roused; and stirring in the
  streets。 〃They are going to Carthage;〃 said they; and the rumour of
  this soon spread through the country。
  From every path and every ravine men arose。 Shepherds were seen
  running down from the mountains。
  Then; when the Barbarians had set out; Spendius circled the plain;
  riding on a Punic stallion; and attended by his slave; who led a third
  horse。
  A single tent remained。 Spendius entered it。
  〃Up; master! rise! we are departing!〃
  〃And where are you going?〃 asked Matho。
  〃To Carthage!〃 cried Spendius。
  Matho bounded upon the horse which the slave held at the door。
  CHAPTER III
  SALAM