meet　them。
  Clad　in　vast　black　robes；　with　a　tuft　of　hair　on　the　top　of　the　skull；
  and　a　shield　of　rhinoceros　leather；　they　wielded　a　steel　which　had　no
  handle；　and　which　they　held　by　a　rope；　and　their　camels；　which
  bristled　all　over　with　feathers；　uttered　long；　hoarse　cluckings。　Each
  blade　fell　on　a　precise　spot；　then　rose　again　with　a　smart　stroke
  carrying　off　a　limb　with　it。　The　fierce　beasts　galloped　through　the
  syntagmata。　Some；　whose　legs　were　broken；　went　hopping　along　like
  wounded　ostriches。
  The　Punic　infantry　turned　in　a　body　upon　the　Barbarians；　and　cut　them
  off。　Their　maniples　wheeled　about　at　intervals　from　one　another。　The
  more　brilliant　Carthaginian　weapons　encircled　them　like　golden　crowns；
  there　was　a　swarming　movement　in　the　centre；　and　the　sun；　striking
  down　upon　the　points　of　the　swords；　made　them　glitter　with　white
  flickering　gleams。　However；　files　of　Clinabarians　lay　stretched　upon
  the　plain；　some　Mercenaries　snatched　away　their　armour；　clothed
  themselves　in　it；　and　then　returned　to　the　fray。　The　deluded
  Carthaginians　were　several　times　entangled　in　their　midst。　They　would
  stand　stupidly　motionless；　or　else　would　back；　surge　again；　and
  triumphant　shouts　rising　in　the　distance　seemed　to　drive　them　along
  like　derelicts　in　a　storm。　Hamilcar　was　growing　desperate；　all　was
  about　to　perish　beneath　the　genius　of　Matho　and　the　invincible　courage
  of　the　Mercenaries。
  But　a　great　noise　of　tabourines　burst　forth　on　the　horizon。　It　was　a
  crowd　of　old　men；　sick　persons；　children　of　fifteen　years　of　age；　and
  even　women；　who；　being　unable　to　withstand　their　distress　any　longer；
  had　set　out　from　Carthage；　and；　for　the　purpose　of　placing　themselves
  under　the　protection　of　something　formidable；　had　taken　from
  Hamilcar's　palace　the　only　elephant　that　the　Republic　now　possessed；
  that　one；　namely；　whose　trunk　had　been　cut　off。
  Then　it　seemed　to　the　Carthaginians　that　their　country；　forsaking　its
  walls；　was　coming　to　command　them　to　die　for　her。　They　were　seized
  with　increased　fury；　and　the　Numidians　carried　away　all　the　rest。
  The　Barbarians　had　set　themselves　with　their　backs　to　a　hillock　in　the
  centre　of　the　plain。　They　had　no　chance　of　conquering；　or　even　of
  surviving；　but　they　were　the　best；　the　most　intrepid；　and　the
  strongest。
  The　people　from　Carthage　began　to　throw　spits；　larding…pins　and
  hammers；　over　the　heads　of　the　Numidians；　those　whom　consuls　had
  feared　died　beneath　sticks　hurled　by　women；　the　Punic　populace　was
  exterminating　the　Mercenaries。
  The　latter　had　taken　refuge　on　the　top　of　the　hill。　Their　circle
  closed　up　after　every　fresh　breach；　twice　it　descended　to　be
  immediately　repulsed　with　a　shock；　and　the　Carthaginians　stretched
  forth　their　arms　pell…mell；　thrusting　their　pikes　between　the　legs　of
  their　companions；　and　raking　at　random　before　them。　They　slipped　in
  the　blood；　the　steep　slope　of　the　ground　made　the　corpses　roll　to　the
  bottom。　The　elephant；　which　was　trying　to　climb　the　hillock；　was　up　to
  its　belly；　it　seemed　to　be　crawling　over　them　with　delight；　and　its
  shortened　trunk；　which　was　broad　at　the　extremity；　rose　from　time　to
  time　like　an　enormous　leech。
  Then　all　paused。　The　Carthaginians　ground　their　teeth　as　they　gazed　at
  the　hill；　where　the　Barbarians　were　standing。
  At　last　they　dashed　at　them　abruptly；　and　the　fight　began　again。　The
  Mercenaries　would　often　let　them　approach；　shouting　to　them　that　they
  wished　to　surrender；　then；　with　frightful　sneers；　they　would　kill
  themselves　at　a　blow；　and　as　the　dead　fell；　the　rest　would　mount　upon
  them　to　defend　themselves。　It　was　a　kind　of　pyramid；　which　grew　larger
  by　degrees。
  Soon　there　were　only　fifty；　then　only　twenty；　only　three；　and　lastly
  only　twoa　Samnite　armed　with　an　axe；　and　Matho　who　still　had　his
  sword。
  The　Samnite　with　bent　hams　swept　his　axe　alternately　to　the　right　and
  left；　at　the　same　time　warning　Matho　of　the　blows　that　were　being
  aimed　at　him。　〃Master；　this　way！　that　way！　stoop　down！〃
  Matho　had　lost　his　shoulder…pieces；　his　helmet；　his　cuirass；　he　was
  completely　naked；　and　more　livid　than　the　dead；　with　his　hair　quite
  erect；　and　two　patches　of　foam　at　the　corners　of　his　lips；and　his
  sword　whirled　so　rapidly　that　it　formed　an　aureola　around　him。　A　stone
  broke　it　near　the　guard；　the　Samnite　was　killed　and　the　flood　of
  Carthaginians　closed　in；　they　touched　Matho。　Then　he　raised　both　his
  empty　hands　towards　heaven；　closed　his　eyes；　and；　opening　out　his　arms
  like　a　man　throwing　himself　from　the　summit　of　a　promontory　into　the
  sea；　hurled　himself　among　the　pikes。
  They　moved　away　before　him。　Several　times　he　ran　against　the
  Carthaginians。　But　they　always　drew　back　and　turned　their　weapons
  aside。
  His　foot　struck　against　a　sword。　Matho　tried　to　seize　it。　He　felt
  himself　tied　by　the　wrists　and　knees；　and　fell。
  Narr'　Havas　had　been　following　him　for　some　time；　step　by　step；　with
  one　of　the　large　nets　used　for　capturing　wild　beasts；　and；　taking
  advantage　of　the　moment　when　he　stooped　down；　had　involved　him　in　it。
  Then　he　was　fastened　on　the　elephants　with　his　four　limbs　forming　a
  cross；　and　all　those　who　were　not　wounded　escorted　him；　and　rushed
  with　great　tumult　towards　Carthage。
  The　news　of　the　victory　had　arrived　in　some　inexplicable　way　at　the
  third　hour　of　the　night；　the　clepsydra　of　Khamon　had　just　completed
  the　fifth　as　they　reached　Malqua；　then　Matho　opened　his　eyes。　There
  were　so　many　lights　in　the　houses　that　the　town　appeared　to　be　all　in
  flames。
  An　immense　clamour　reached　him　dimly；　and　lying　on　his　back　he　looked
  at　the　stars。
  Then　a　door　closed　and　he　was　wrapped　in　darkness。
  On　the　morrow；　at　the　same　hour；　the　last　of　the　men　left　in　the　Pass
  of　the　Hatchet　expired。
  On　the　day　that　their　companions　had　set　out；　some　Zuaeces　who　were
  returning　had　tumbled　the　rocks　down；　and　had　fed　them　for　some　time。
  The　Barbarians　constantly　expected　to　see　Matho　appear；and　from
  discouragement；　from　languor；　and　from　the　obstinacy　of　sick　men　who
  object　to　change　their　situation；　they　would　not　leave　the　mountain；
  at　last　the　provisions　were　exhausted　and　the　Zuaeces　went　away。　It
  was　known　that　they　numbered　scarcely　more　than　thirteen　hundred　men；
  and　there　was　no　need　to　employ　soldiers　to　put　an　end　to　them。
  Wild　beasts；　especially　lions；　had　multiplied　during　the　three　years
  that　the　war　had　lasted。　Narr'　Havas　had　held　a　great　battue；　and
  after　tying　goats　at　intervalshad　run　upon　them　and　so　driven　them
  towards　the　Pass　of　the　Hatchet；and　they　were　now　all　living　in　it
  when　a　man　arrived　who　had　been　sent　by　the　Ancients　to　find　out　what
  there　was　left　of　the　Barbarians。
  Lions　and　corpses　were　lying　over　the　tract　of　the　plain；　and　the　dead
  were　mingled　with　clothes　and　armour。　Nearly　all　had　the　face　or　an
  arm　wanting；　some　appeared　to　be　still　intact；　others　were　completely
  dried　up；　and　their　helmets　were　filled　with　powdery　skulls；　feet
  which　had　lost　their　flesh　stood　out　straight　from　the　knemides；
  skeletons　still　wore　their　cloaks；　and　bones；　cleaned　by　the　sun；　made
  gleaming　spots　in　the　midst　of　the　sand。
  The　lions　were　resting　with　their　breasts　against　the　ground　and　both
  paws　stretched　out；　winking　their　eyelids　in　the　bright　daylight；
  which　was　heightened　by　the　reflection　from　the　white　rocks。　Others
  were　seated　on　their　hind…quarters　and　staring　before　them；　or　else
  were　sleeping；　rolled　into　a　ball　and　half　hidden　by　their　great
  manes；　they　all　looked　well　fed；　tired；　and　dull。　They　were　as
  motionless　as　the　mountain　and　the　dead。　Night　was　falling；　the　sky
  was　striped　with　broad　red　bands　in　the　west。
  In　one　of　the　heaps；　which　in　an　irregular　fashion　embossed　the　plain；
  something　rose　up　vaguer　than　a　spectre。　Then　one　of　the　lions　set
  himself　in　motion；　his　monstrous　form　cutting　a　black　shadow　on　the
  background　of　the　purple　sky；　and　when　he　was　quite　close　to　the　man；
  he　knocked　him　down　with　a　single　blow　of　his　paw。
  Then；　stretching　himself　flat　upon　him；　he　slowly　drew　out　the
  entrails　with　the　edge　of　his　teeth。
  Afterwards　he　opened　his　huge　jaws；　and　for　some　minutes　uttered　a
  lengthened　roar　which　was　repeated　by　the　echoes　in　the　mountain；　and
  was　finally　lost　in　the　solitude。
  Suddenly　some　small　gravel　rolled　down　from　above。　The　rustling　of
  rapid　steps　was　heard；　and　in　the　direction　of　the　portcullis　and　of
  the　gorge　there　appeared　pointed　muzzles　and　straight　ears；　with
  gleaming；　tawny　eyes。　These　were　the　jackals　coming　to　eat　what　was
  left。
  The　Carthaginian；　who　was　leaning　over　the　top　of　the　precipice　to
  look；　went　back　again。
  CHAPTER　XV
  MATHO
  There　were　rejoicings　at　Carthage；rejoicings　deep；　universal；
  extravagant；　frantic；　the　holes　of　the　ruins　had　been　stopped　up；　the
  statues　of　the　gods　had　been　repainted；　the　streets　were　strewn　with
  myrtle　branche