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