Melkarth；　in　violet　tunics；　took　the　western　side；　the　priests　of　the
  Abbadirs；　clasped　with　bands　of　Phrygian　stuffs；　placed　themselves　on
  the　east；　while　towards　the　south；　with　the　necromancers　all　covered
  with　tattooings；　and　the　shriekers　in　patched　cloaks；　were　ranged　the
  curates　of　the　Pataec　gods；　and　the　Yidonim；　who　put　the　bone　of　a
  dead　man　into　their　mouths　to　learn　the　future。　The　priests　of　Ceres；
  who　were　dressed　in　blue　robes；　had　prudently　stopped　in　the　street　of
  Satheb；　and　in　low　tones　were　chanting　a　thesmophorion　in　the　Megarian
  dialect。
  From　time　to　time　files　of　men　arrived；　completely　naked；　their　arms
  outstretched；　and　all　holding　one　another　by　the　shoulders。　From　the
  depths　of　their　breasts　they　drew　forth　a　hoarse　and　cavernous
  intonation；　their　eyes；　which　were　fastened　upon　the　colossus；　shone
  through　the　dust；　and　they　swayed　their　bodies　simultaneously；　and　at
  equal　distances；　as　though　they　were　all　affected　by　a　single
  movement。　They　were　so　frenzied　that　to　restore　order　the　hierodules
  compelled　them；　with　blows　of　the　stick；　to　lie　flat　upon　the　ground；
  with　their　faces　resting　against　the　brass　trellis…work。
  Then　it　was　that　a　man　in　a　white　robe　advanced　from　the　back　of　the
  square。　He　penetrated　the　crowd　slowly；　and　people　recognised　a　priest
  of　Taniththe　high…priest　Schahabarim。　Hootings　were　raised；　for　the
  tyranny　of　the　male　principle　prevailed　that　day　in　all　consciences；
  and　the　goddess　was　actually　so　completely　forgotten　that　the　absence
  of　her　pontiffs　had　not　been　noticed。　But　the　amazement　was　increased
  when　he　was　seen　to　open　one　of　the　doors　of　the　trellis…work　intended
  for　those　who　intended　to　offer　up　victims。　It　was　an　outrage　to　their
  god；　thought　the　priests　of　Moloch；　that　he　had　just　committed；　and
  they　sought　with　eager　gestures　to　repel　him。　Fed　on　the　meat　of　the
  holocausts；　clad　in　purple　like　kings；　and　wearing　triple…storied
  crowns；　they　despised　the　pale　eunuch；　weakened　with　his　macerations；
  and　angry　laughter　shook　their　black　beards；　which　were　displayed　on
  their　breasts　in　the　sun。
  Schahabarim　walked　on；　giving　no　reply；　and；　traversing　the　whole
  enclosure　with　deliberation；　reached　the　legs　of　the　colossus；　then；
  spreading　out　both　arms；　he　touched　it　on　both　sides；　which　was　a
  solemn　form　of　adoration。　For　a　long　time　Rabbet　had　been　torturing
  him；　and　in　despair；　or　perhaps　for　lack　of　a　god　that　completely
  satisfied　his　ideas；　he　had　at　last　decided　for　this　one。
  The　crowd；　terrified　by　this　act　of　apostasy；　uttered　a　lengthened
  murmur。　It　was　felt　that　the　last　tie　which　bound　their　souls　to　a
  merciful　divinity　was　breaking。
  But　owing　to　his　mutilation；　Schahabarim　could　take　no　part　in　the
  cult　of　the　Baal。　The　men　in　the　red　cloaks　shut　him　out　from　the
  enclosure；　then；　when　he　was　outside；　he　went　round　all　the　colleges
  in　succession；　and　the　priest；　henceforth　without　a　god；　disappeared
  into　the　crowd。　It　scattered　at　his　approach。
  Meanwhile　a　fire　of　aloes；　cedar；　and　laurel　was　burning　between　the
  legs　of　the　colossus。　The　tips　of　its　long　wings　dipped　into　the
  flame；　the　unguents　with　which　it　had　been　rubbed　flowed　like　sweat
  over　its　brazen　limbs。　Around　the　circular　flagstone　on　which　its　feet
  rested；　the　children；　wrapped　in　black　veils；　formed　a　motionless
  circle；　and　its　extravagantly　long　arms　reached　down　their　palms　to
  them　as　though　to　seize　the　crown　that　they　formed　and　carry　it　to　the
  sky。
  The　rich；　the　Ancients；　the　women；　the　whole　multitude；　thronged
  behind　the　priests　and　on　the　terraces　of　the　houses。　The　large
  painted　stars　revolved　no　longer；　the　tabernacles　were　set　upon　the
  ground；　and　the　fumes　from　the　censers　ascended　perpendicularly；
  spreading　their　bluish　branches　through　the　azure　like　gigantic　trees。
  Many　fainted；　others　became　inert　and　petrified　in　their　ecstasy。
  Infinite　anguish　weighed　upon　the　breasts　of　the　beholders。　The　last
  shouts　died　out　one　by　one；and　the　people　of　Carthage　stood
  breathless；　and　absorbed　in　the　longing　of　their　terror。
  At　last　the　high　priest　of　Moloch　passed　his　left　hand　beneath　the
  children's　veils；　plucked　a　lock　of　hair　from　their　foreheads；　and
  threw　it　upon　the　flames。　Then　the　men　in　the　red　cloaks　chanted　the
  sacred　hymn：
  〃Homage　to　thee；　Sun！　king　of　the　two　zones；　self…generating　Creator；
  Father　and　Mother；　Father　and　Son；　God　and　Goddess；　Goddess　and　God！〃
  And　their　voices　were　lost　in　the　outburst　of　instruments　sounding
  simultaneously　to　drown　the　cries　of　the　victims。　The　eight…stringed
  scheminiths；　the　kinnors　which　had　ten　strings；　and　the　nebals　which
  had　twelve；　grated；　whistled；　and　thundered。　Enormous　leathern　bags；
  bristling　with　pipes；　made　a　shrill　clashing　noise；　the　tabourines；
  beaten　with　all　the　players'　might；　resounded　with　heavy；　rapid　blows；
  and；　in　spite　of　the　fury　of　the　clarions；　the　salsalim　snapped　like
  grasshoppers'　wings。
  The　hierodules；　with　a　long　hook；　opened　the　seven…storied
  compartments　on　the　body　of　the　Baal。　They　put　meal　into　the　highest；
  two　turtle…doves　into　the　second；　an　ape　into　the　third；　a　ram　into
  the　fourth；　a　sheep　into　the　fifth；　and　as　no　ox　was　to　be　had　for　the
  sixth；　a　tawny　hide　taken　from　the　sanctuary　was　thrown　into　it。　The
  seventh　compartment　yawned　empty　still。
  Before　undertaking　anything　it　was　well　to　make　trial　of　the　arms　of
  the　god。　Slender　chainlets　stretched　from　his　fingers　up　to　his
  shoulders　and　fell　behind；　where　men　by　pulling　them　made　the　two
  hands　rise　to　a　level　with　the　elbows；　and　come　close　together　against
  the　belly；　they　were　moved　several　times　in　succession　with　little
  abrupt　jerks。　Then　the　instruments　were　still。　The　fire　roared。
  The　pontiffs　of　Moloch　walked　about　on　the　great　flagstone　scanning
  the　multitude。
  An　individual　sacrifice　was　necessary；　a　perfectly　voluntary　oblation；
  which　was　considered　as　carrying　the　others　along　with　it。　But　no　one
  had　appeared　up　to　the　present；　and　the　seven　passages　leading　from
  the　barriers　to　the　colossus　were　completely　empty。　Then　the　priests；
  to　encourage　the　people；　drew　bodkins　from　their　girdles　and　gashed
  their　faces。　The　Devotees；　who　were　stretched　on　the　ground　outside；
  were　brought　within　the　enclosure。　A　bundle　of　horrible　irons　was
  thrown　to　them；　and　each　chose　his　own　torture。　They　drove　in　spits
  between　their　breasts；　they　split　their　cheeks；　they　put　crowns　of
  thorns　upon　their　heads；　then　they　twined　their　arms　together；　and
  surrounded　the　children　in　another　large　circle　which　widened　and
  contracted　in　turns。　They　reached　to　the　balustrade；　they　threw
  themselves　back　again；　and　then　began　once　more；　attracting　the　crowd
  to　them　by　the　dizziness　of　their　motion　with　its　accompanying　blood
  and　shrieks。
  By　degrees　people　came　into　the　end　of　the　passages；　they　flung　into
  the　flames　pearls；　gold　vases；　cups；　torches；　all　their　wealth；　the
  offerings　became　constantly　more　numerous　and　more　splendid。　At　last　a
  man　who　tottered；　a　man　pale　and　hideous　with　terror；　thrust　forward　a
  child；　then　a　little　black　mass　was　seen　between　the　hands　of　the
  colossus；　and　sank　into　the　dark　opening。　The　priests　bent　over　the
  edge　of　the　great　flagstone；and　a　new　song　burst　forth　celebrating
  the　joys　of　death　and　of　new　birth　into　eternity。
  The　children　ascended　slowly；　and　as　the　smoke　formed　lofty　eddies　as
  it　escaped；　they　seemed　at　a　distance　to　disappear　in　a　cloud。　Not　one
  stirred。　Their　wrists　and　ankles　were　tied；　and　the　dark　drapery
  prevented　them　from　seeing　anything　and　from　being　recognised。
  Hamilcar；　in　a　red　cloak；　like　the　priests　of　Moloch；　was　beside　the
  Baal；　standing　upright　in　front　of　the　great　toe　of　its　right　foot。
  When　the　fourteenth　child　was　brought　every　one　could　see　him　make　a
  great　gesture　of　horror。　But　he　soon　resumed　his　former　attitude；
  folded　his　arms；　and　looked　upon　the　ground。　The　high　pontiff　stood　on
  the　other　side　of　the　statue　as　motionless　as　he。　His　head；　laden　with
  an　Assyrian　mitre；　was　bent；　and　he　was　watching　the　gold　plate　on　his
  breast；　it　was　covered　with　fatidical　stones；　and　the　flame　mirrored
  in　it　formed　irisated　lights。　He　grew　pale　and　dismayed。　Hamilcar　bent
  his　brow；　and　they　were　both　so　near　the　funeral…pile　that　the　hems　of
  their　cloaks　brushed　it　as　they　rose　from　time　to　time。
  The　brazen　arms　were　working　more　quickly。　They　paused　no　longer。
  Every　time　that　a　child　was　placed　in　them　the　priests　of　Moloch
  spread　out　their　hands　upon　him　to　burden　him　with　the　crimes　of　the
  people；　vociferating：　〃They　are　not　men　but　oxen！〃　and　the　multitude
  round　about　repeated：　〃Oxen！　oxen！〃　The　devout　exclaimed：　〃Lord！　eat！〃
  and　the　priests　of　Proserpine；　complying　through　terror　with　the　needs
  of　Carthage；　muttered　the　Eleusinian　formula：　〃Pour　out　rain！　bring
  forth！〃
  The　victims；　when　scarcely　at　the　edge　of　the　opening；　disappeared