prayers；　was　surrounding　the　town。　As　for　these；　they　were　given　wine
  mixed　with　mandrake；　and　were　then　slaughtered　in　their　sleep。　At　the
  same　time　the　Barbarians　arrived；　Magdassin　fled；　the　gates　were
  opened；　and　thenceforward　the　two　Tyrian　towns　displayed　an　obstinate
  devotion　to　their　new　friends　and　an　inconceivable　hatred　to　their
  former　allies。
  This　abandonment　of　the　Punic　cause　was　a　counsel　and　a　precedent。
  Hopes　of　deliverance　revived。　Populations　hitherto　uncertain　hesitated
  no　longer。　Everywhere　there　was　a　stir。　The　Suffet　learnt　this；　and　he
  had　no　assistance　to　look　for！　He　was　now　irrevocably　lost。
  He　immediately　dismissed　Narr'　Havas；　who　was　to　guard　the　borders　of
  his　kingdom。　As　for　himself；　he　resolved　to　re…enter　Carthage　in　order
  to　obtain　soldiers　and　begin　the　war　again。
  The　Barbarians　posted　at　Hippo…Zarytus　perceived　his　army　as　it
  descended　the　mountain。
  Where　could　the　Carthaginians　be　going？　Hunger；　no　doubt；　was　urging
  them　on；　and；　distracted　by　their　sufferings；　they　were　coming　in
  spite　of　their　weakness　to　give　battle。　But　they　turned　to　the　right：
  they　were　fleeing。　They　might　be　overtaken　and　all　be　crushed。　The
  Barbarians　dashed　in　pursuit　of　them。
  The　Carthaginians　were　checked　by　the　river。　It　was　wide　this　time　and
  the　west　wind　had　not　been　blowing。　Some　crossed　by　swimming；　and　the
  rest　on　their　shields。　They　resumed　their　march。　Night　fell。　They　were
  out　of　sight。
  The　Barbarians　did　not　stop；　they　went　higher　to　find　a　narrower
  place。　The　people　of　Tunis　hastened　thither；　bringing　those　of　Utica
  along　with　them。　Their　numbers　increased　at　every　bush；　and　the
  Carthaginians；　as　they　lay　on　the　ground；　could　hear　the　tramping　of
  their　feet　in　the　darkness。　From　time　to　time　Barca　had　a　volley　of
  arrows　discharged　behind　him　to　check　them；　and　several　were　killed。
  When　day　broke　they　were　in　the　Ariana　Mountains；　at　the　spot　where
  the　road　makes　a　bend。
  Then　Matho；　who　was　marching　at　the　head；　thought　that　he　could
  distinguish　something　green　on　the　horizon　on　the　summit　of　an
  eminence。　Then　the　ground　sank；　and　obelisks；　domes；　and　houses
  appeared！　It　was　Carthage。　He　leaned　against　a　tree　to　keep　himself
  from　falling；　so　rapidly　did　his　heart　beat。
  He　thought　of　all　that　had　come　to　pass　in　his　existence　since　the
  last　time　that　he　had　passed　that　way！　It　was　an　infinite　surprise；　it
  stunned　him。　Then　he　was　transported　with　joy　at　the　thought　of　seeing
  Salammbo　again。　The　reasons　which　he　had　for　execrating　her　returned
  to　his　recollection；　but　he　very　quickly　rejected　them。　Quivering　and
  with　straining　eyeballs　he　gazed　at　the　lofty　terrace　of　a　palace
  above　the　palm　trees　beyond　Eschmoun；　a　smile　of　ecstasy　lighted　his
  face　as　if　some　great　light　had　reached　him；　he　opened　his　arms；　and
  sent　kisses　on　the　breeze；　and　murmured：　〃Come！　come！〃　A　sigh　swelled
  his　breast；　and　two　long　tears　like　pearls　fell　upon　his　beard。
  〃What　stays　you？〃　cried　Spendius。　〃Make　haste！　Forward！　The　Suffet　is
  going　to　escape　us！　But　your　knees　are　tottering；　and　you　are　looking
  at　me　like　a　drunken　man！〃
  He　stamped　with　impatience　and　urged　Matho；　his　eyes　twinkling　as　at
  the　approach　of　an　object　long　aimed　at。
  〃Ah！　we　have　reached　it！　We　are　there！　I　have　them！〃
  He　had　so　convinced　and　triumphant　an　air　that　Matho　was　surprised
  from　his　torpor；　and　felt　himself　carried　away　by　it。　These　words；
  coming　when　his　distress　was　at　its　height；　drove　his　despair　to
  vengeance；　and　pointed　to　food　for　his　wrath。　He　bounded　upon　one　of
  the　camels　that　were　among　the　baggage；　snatched　up　its　halter；　and
  with　the　long　rope；　struck　the　stragglers　with　all　his　might；　running
  right　and　left　alternately；　in　the　rear　of　the　army；　like　a　dog
  driving　a　flock。
  At　this　thundering　voice　the　lines　of　men　closed　up；　even　the　lame
  hurried　their　steps；　the　intervening　space　lessened　in　the　middle　of
  the　isthmus。　The　foremost　of　the　Barbarians　were　marching　in　the　dust
  raised　by　the　Carthaginians。　The　two　armies　were　coming　close；　and
  were　on　the　point　of　touching。　But　the　Malqua　gate；　the　Tagaste　gate；
  and　the　great　gate　of　Khamon　threw　wide　their　leaves。　The　Punic　square
  divided；　three　columns　were　swallowed　up；　and　eddied　beneath　the
  porches。　Soon　the　mass；　being　too　tightly　packed；　could　advance　no
  further；　pikes　clashed　in　the　air；　and　the　arrows　of　the　Barbarians
  were　shivering　against　the　walls。
  Hamilcar　was　to　be　seen　on　the　threshold　of　Khamon。　He　turned　round
  and　shouted　to　his　men　to　move　aside。　He　dismounted　from　his　horse；
  and　pricking　it　on　the　croup　with　the　sword　which　he　held；　sent　it
  against　the　Barbarians。
  It　was　a　black　stallion；　which　was　fed　on　balls　of　meal；　and　would
  bend　its　knees　to　allow　its　master　to　mount。　Why　was　he　sending　it
  away？　Was　this　a　sacrifice？
  The　noble　horse　galloped　into　the　midst　of　the　lances；　knocked　down
  men；　and；　entangling　its　feet　in　its　entrails；　fell　down；　then　rose
  again　with　furious　leaps；　and　while　they　were　moving　aside；　trying　to
  stop　it；　or　looking　at　it　in　surprise；　the　Carthaginians　had　united
  again；　they　entered；　and　the　enormous　gate　shut　echoing　behind　them。
  It　would　not　yield。　The　Barbarians　came　crushing　against　it；and　for
  some　minutes　there　was　an　oscillation　throughout　the　army；　which
  became　weaker　and　weaker；　and　at　last　ceased。
  The　Carthaginians　had　placed　soldiers　on　the　aqueduct；　they　began　to
  hurl　stones；　balls；　and　beams。　Spendius　represented　that　it　would　be
  best　not　to　persist。　The　Barbarians　went　and　posted　themselves　further
  off；　all　being　quite　resolved　to　lay　siege　to　Carthage。
  The　rumour　of　the　war；　however；　had　passed　beyond　the　confines　of　the
  Punic　empire；　and　from　the　pillars　of　Hercules　to　beyond　Cyrene
  shepherds　mused　on　it　as　they　kept　their　flocks；　and　caravans　talked
  about　it　in　the　light　of　the　stars。　This　great　Carthage；　mistress　of
  the　seas；　splendid　as　the　sun；　and　terrible　as　a　god；　actually　found
  men　who　were　daring　enough　to　attack　her！　Her　fall　even　had　been
  asserted　several　times；　and　all　had　believed　it　for　all　wished　it：　the
  subject　populations；　the　tributary　villages；　the　allied　provinces；　the
  independent　hordes；　those　who　execrated　her　for　her　tyranny　or　were
  jealous　of　her　power；　or　coveted　her　wealth。　The　bravest　had　very
  speedily　joined　the　Mercenaries。　The　defeat　at　the　Macaras　had　checked
  all　the　rest。　At　last　they　had　recovered　confidence；　had　gradually
  advanced　and　approached；　and　now　the　men　of　the　eastern　regions　were
  lying　on　the　sandhills　of　Clypea　on　the　other　side　of　the　gulf。　As
  soon　as　they　perceived　the　Barbarians　they　showed　themselves。
  They　were　not　Libyans　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Carthage；　who　had　long
  composed　the　third　army；　but　nomads　from　the　tableland　of　Barca；
  bandits　from　Cape　Phiscus　and　the　promontory　of　Dernah；　from　Phazzana
  and　Marmarica。　They　had　crossed　the　desert；　drinking　at　the　brackish
  wells　walled　in　with　camels'　bones；　the　Zuaeces；　with　their　covering
  of　ostrich　feathers；　had　come　on　quadrigae；　the　Garamantians；　masked
  with　black　veils；　rode　behind　on　their　painted　mares；　others　were
  mounted　on　asses；　onagers；　zebras；　and　buffaloes；　while　some　dragged
  after　them　the　roofs　of　their　sloop…shaped　huts　together　with　their
  families　and　idols。　There　were　Ammonians　with　limbs　wrinkled　by　the
  hot　water　of　the　springs；　Atarantians；　who　curse　the　sun；　Troglodytes；
  who　bury　their　dead　with　laughter　beneath　branches　of　trees；　and　the
  hideous　Auseans；　who　eat　grass…hoppers；　the　Achyrmachidae；　who　eat
  lice；　and　the　vermilion…painted　Gysantians；　who　eat　apes。
  All　were　ranged　along　the　edge　of　the　sea　in　a　great　straight　line。
  Afterwards　they　advanced　like　tornadoes　of　sand　raised　by　the　wind。　In
  the　centre　of　the　isthmus　the　throng　stopped；　the　Mercenaries　who　were
  posted　in　front　of　them；　close　to　the　walls；　being　unwilling　to　move。
  Then　from　the　direction　of　Ariana　appeared　the　men　of　the　West；　the
  people　of　the　Numidians。　In　fact；　Narr'　Havas　governed　only　the
  Massylians；　and；　moreover；　as　they　were　permitted　by　custom　to　abandon
  their　king　when　reverses　were　sustained；　they　had　assembled　on　the
  Zainus；　and　then　had　crossed　it　at　Hamilcar's　first　movement。　First
  were　seen　running　up　all　the　hunters　from　Malethut…Baal　and　Garaphos；
  clad　in　lions'　skins；　and　with　the　staves　of　their　pikes　driving　small
  lean　horses　with　long　manes；　then　marched　the　Gaetulians　in　cuirasses
  of　serpents'　skin；　then　the　Pharusians；　wearing　lofty　crowns　made　of
  wax　and　resin；　and　the　Caunians；　Macarians；　and　Tillabarians；　each
  holding　two　javelins　and　a　round　shield　of　hippopotamus　leather。　They
  stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　Catacombs　among　the　first　pools　of　the
  Lagoon。
  But　when　the　Libyans　had　moved　away；　the　multitude　of　the　Negroes
  appeared　like　a　cloud　on　a　level　with　the　ground；　in　the　place　which
  the　others　had　occupied。　They　were　t