While　the　Barbarians　deliberated　in　uncertainty；　the　Suffet　increased
  his　defences：　he　had　a　second　trench　dug　within　the　palisades；　a
  second　wall　raised；　and　wooden　towers　constructed　at　the　corners；　and
  his　slaves　went　as　far　as　the　middle　of　the　outposts　to　drive　caltrops
  into　the　ground。　But　the　elephants；　whose　allowances　were　lessened；
  struggled　in　their　shackles。　To　economise　the　grass　he　ordered　the
  Clinabarians　to　kill　the　least　strong　among　the　stallions。　A　few
  refused　to　do　so；　and　he　had　them　decapitated。　The　horses　were　eaten。
  The　recollection　of　this　fresh　meat　was　a　source　of　great　sadness　to
  them　in　the　days　that　followed。
  From　the　bottom　of　the　ampitheatre　in　which　they　were　confined　they
  could　see　the　four　bustling　camps　of　the　Barbarians　all　around　them　on
  the　heights。　Women　moved　about　with　leathern　bottles　on　their　heads；
  goats　strayed　bleating　beneath　the　piles　of　pikes；　sentries　were　being
  relieved；　and　eating　was　going　on　around　tripods。　In　fact；　the　tribes
  furnished　them　abundantly　with　provisions；　and　they　did　not　themselves
  suspect　how　much　their　inaction　alarmed　the　Punic　army。
  On　the　second　day　the　Carthaginians　had　remarked　a　troop　of　three
  hundred　men　apart　from　the　rest　in　the　camp　of　the　nomads。　These　were
  the　rich　who　had　been　kept　prisoners　since　the　beginning　of　the　war。
  Some　Libyans　ranged　them　along　the　edge　of　the　trench；　took　their
  station　behind　them；　and　hurled　javelins；　making　themselves　a　rampart
  of　their　bodies。　The　wretched　creatures　could　scarcely　be　recognised；
  so　completely　were　their　faces　covered　with　vermin　and　filth。　Their
  hair　had　been　plucked　out　in　places；　leaving　bare　the　ulcers　on　their
  heads；　and　they　were　so　lean　and　hideous　that　they　were　like　mummies
  in　tattered　shrouds。　A　few　trembled　and　sobbed　with　a　stupid　look；　the
  rest　cried　out　to　their　friends　to　fire　upon　the　Barbarians。　There　was
  one　who　remained　quite　motionless　with　face　cast　down；　and　without
  speaking；　his　long　white　beard　fell　to　his　chain…covered　hands；　and
  the　Carthaginians；　feeling　as　it　were　the　downfall　of　the　Republic　in
  the　bottom　of　their　hearts；　recognised　Gisco。　Although　the　place　was　a
  dangerous　one　they　pressed　forward　to　see　him。　On　his　head　had　been
  placed　a　grotesque　tiara　of　hippopotamus　leather　incrusted　with
  pebbles。　It　was　Autaritus's　idea；　but　it　was　displeasing　to　Matho。
  Hamilcar　in　exasperation；　and　resolved　to　cut　his　way　through　in　one
  way　or　another；　had　the　palisades　opened；　and　the　Carthaginians　went
  at　a　furious　rate　half　way　up　the　hill　or　three　hundred　paces。　Such　a
  flood　of　Barbarians　descended　upon　them　that　they　were　driven　back　to
  their　lines。　One　of　the　guards　of　the　Legion　who　had　remained　outside
  was　stumbling　among　the　stones。　Zarxas　ran　up　to　him；　knocked　him
  down；　and　plunged　a　dagger　into　his　throat；　he　drew　it　out；　threw
  himself　upon　the　woundand　gluing　his　lips　to　it　with　mutterings　of
  joy；　and　startings　which　shook　him　to　the　heels；　pumped　up　the　blood
  by　breastfuls；　then　he　quietly　sat　down　upon　the　corpse；　raised　his
  face　with　his　neck　thrown　back　the　better　to　breathe　in　the　air；　like
  a　hind　that　has　just　drunk　at　a　mountain　stream；　and　in　a　shrill　voice
  began　to　sing　a　Balearic　song；　a　vague　melody　full　of　prolonged
  modulations；　with　interruptions　and　alternations　like　echoes　answering
  one　another　in　the　mountains；　he　called　upon　his　dead　brothers　and
  invited　them　to　a　feast；then　he　let　his　hands　fall　between　his　legs；
  slowly　bent　his　head；　and　wept。　This　atrocious　occurrence　horrified
  the　Barbarians；　especially　the　Greeks。
  From　that　time　forth　the　Carthaginians　did　not　attempt　to　make　any
  sally；　and　they　had　no　thought　of　surrender；　certain　as　they　were　that
  they　would　perish　in　tortures。
  Nevertheless　the　provisions；　in　spite　of　Hamilcar's　carefulness；
  diminished　frightfully。　There　was　not　left　per　man　more　than　ten
  k'hommers　of　wheat；　three　hins　of　millet；　and　twelve　betzas　of　dried
  fruit。　No　more　meat；　no　more　oil；　no　more　salt　food；　and　not　a　grain
  of　barley　for　the　horses；　which　might　be　seen　stretching　down　their
  wasted　necks　seeking　in　the　dust　for　blades　of　trampled　straw。　Often
  the　sentries　on　vedette　upon　the　terrace　would　see　in　the　moonlight　a
  dog　belonging　to　the　Barbarians　coming　to　prowl　beneath　the
  entrenchment　among　the　heaps　of　filth；　it　would　be　knocked　down　with　a
  stone；　and　then；　after　a　descent　had　been　effected　along　the　palisades
  by　means　of　the　straps　of　a　shield；　it　would　be　eaten　without　a　word。
  Sometimes　horrible　barkings　would　be　heard　and　the　man　would　not　come
  up　again。　Three　phalangites；　in　the　fourth　dilochia　of　the　twelfth
  syntagmata；　killed　one　another　with　knives　in　a　dispute　about　a　rat。
  All　regretted　their　families；　and　their　houses；　the　poor　their　hive…
  shaped　huts；　with　the　shells　on　the　threshold　and　the　hanging　net；　and
  the　patricians　their　large　halls　filled　with　bluish　shadows；　where　at
  the　most　indolent　hour　of　the　day　they　used　to　rest　listening　to　the
  vague　noise　of　the　streets　mingled　with　the　rustling　of　the　leaves　as
  they　stirred　in　their　gardens；to　go　deeper　into　the　thought　of　this；
  and　to　enjoy　it　more；　they　would　half　close　their　eyelids；　only　to　be
  roused　by　the　shock　of　a　wound。　Every　minute　there　was　some
  engagement；　some　fresh　alarm；　the　towers　were　burning；　the　Eaters　of
  Uncleanness　were　leaping　across　the　palisades；　their　hands　would　be
  struck　off　with　axes；　others　would　hasten　up；　an　iron　hail　would　fall
  upon　the　tents。　Galleries　of　rushen　hurdles　were　raised　as　a
  protection　against　the　projectiles。　The　Carthaginians　shut　themselves
  up　within　them　and　stirred　out　no　more。
  Every　day　the　sun　coming　over　the　hill　used；　after　the　early　hours；　to
  forsake　the　bottom　of　the　gorge　and　leave　them　in　the　shade。　The　grey
  slopes　of　the　ground；　covered　with　flints　spotted　with　scanty　lichen；
  ascended　in　front　and　in　the　rear；　and　above　their　summits　stretched
  the　sky　in　its　perpetual　purity；　smoother　and　colder　to　the　eye　than　a
  metal　cupola。　Hamilcar　was　so　indignant　with　Carthage　that　he　felt
  inclined　to　throw　himself　among　the　Barbarians　and　lead　them　against
  her。　Moreover；　the　porters；　sutlers；　and　slaves　were　beginning　to
  murmur；　while　neither　people；　nor　Great　Council；　nor　any　one　sent　as
  much　as　a　hope。　The　situation　was　intolerable；　especially　owing　to　the
  thought　that　it　would　become　worse。
  At　the　news　of　the　disaster　Carthage　had　leaped；　as　it　were；　with
  anger　and　hate；　the　Suffet　would　have　been　less　execrated　if　he　had
  allowed　himself　to　be　conquered　from　the　first。
  But　time　and　money　were　lacking　for　the　hire　of　other　Mercenaries。　As
  to　a　levy　of　soldiers　in　the　town；　how　were　they　to　be　equipped？
  Hamilcar　had　taken　all　the　arms！　and　then　who　was　to　command　them？　The
  best　captains　were　down　yonder　with　him！　Meanwhile；　some　men
  despatched　by　the　Suffet　arrived　in　the　streets　with　shouts。　The　Great
  Council　were　roused　by　them；　and　contrived　to　make　them　disappear。
  It　was　an　unnecessary　precaution；　every　one　accused　Barca　of　having
  behaved　with　slackness。　He　ought　to　have　annihilated　the　Mercenaries
  after　his　victory。　Why　had　he　ravaged　the　tribes？　The　sacrifices
  already　imposed　had　been　heavy　enough！　and　the　patricians　deplored
  their　contributions　of　fourteen　shekels；　and　the　Syssitia　their　two
  hundred　and　twenty…three　thousand　gold　kikars；　those　who　had　given
  nothing　lamented　like　the　rest。　The　populace　was　jealous　of　the　New
  Carthaginians；　to　whom　he　had　promised　full　rights　of　citizenship；　and
  even　the　Ligurians；　who　had　fought　with　such　intrepidity；　were
  confounded　with　the　Barbarians　and　cursed　like　them；　their　race　became
  a　crime；　the　proof　of　complicity。　The　traders　on　the　threshold　of
  their　shops；　the　workmen　passing　plumb…line　in　hand；　the　vendors　of
  pickle　rinsing　their　baskets；　the　attendants　in　the　vapour　baths　and
  the　retailers　of　hot　drinks　all　discussed　the　operations　of　the
  campaign。　They　would　trace　battle…plans　with　their　fingers　in　the
  dust；　and　there　was　not　a　sorry　rascal　to　be　found　who　could　not　have
  corrected　Hamilcar's　mistakes。
  It　was　a　punishment；　said　the　priests；　for　his　long…continued　impiety。
  He　had　offered　no　holocausts；　he　had　not　purified　his　troops；　he　had
  even　refused　to　take　augurs　with　him；　and　the　scandal　of　sacrilege
  strengthened　the　violence　of　restrained　hate；　and　the　rage　of　betrayed
  hopes。　People　recalled　the　Sicilian　disasters；　and　all　the　burden　of
  his　pride　that　they　had　borne　for　so　long！　The　colleges　of　the
  pontiffs　could　not　forgive　him　for　having　seized　their　treasure；　and
  they　demanded　a　pledge　from　the　Great　Council　to　crucify　him　should　he
  ever　return。
  The　heats　of　the　month　of　Eloul；　which　were　excessive　in　that　year；
  were　another　calamity。　Sickening　smells　rose　from　the　borders　of　the
  Lake；　and　were　wafted　through　the　air　together　with　the　fumes　of　the
  aromatics　that　eddied　at　the　corners　of　the　streets。　The　s