salammbo-第18部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



thousand　talents；　twenty　thousand　oxen；　three　hundred　bags　of　gold

dust；　and　considerable　advances　of　grain　had　been　exacted　from　them；

and　the　chiefs　of　the　tribes　had　been　crucified　or　thrown　to　the

lions。



Tunis　especially　execrated　Carthage！　Older　than　the　metropolis；　it

could　not　forgive　her　her　greatness；　and　it　fronted　her　walls

crouching　in　the　mire　on　the　water's　edge　like　a　venomous　beast

watching　her。　Transportation；　massacres；　and　epidemics　did　not　weaken

it。　It　had　assisted　Archagathas；　the　son　of　Agathocles；　and　the　Eaters

of　Uncleanness　found　arms　there　at　once。



The　couriers　had　not　yet　set　out　when　universal　rejoicing　broke　out　in

the　provinces。　Without　waiting　for　anything　they　strangled　the

comptrollers　of　the　houses　and　the　functionaries　of　the　Republic　in

the　baths；　they　took　the　old　weapons　that　had　been　concealed　out　of

the　caves；　they　forged　swords　with　the　iron　of　the　ploughs；　the

children　sharpened　javelins　at　the　doors；　and　the　women　gave　their

necklaces；　rings；　earrings；　and　everything　that　could　be　employed　for

the　destruction　of　Carthage。　Piles　of　lances　were　heaped　up　in　the

country　towns　like　sheaves　of　maize。　Cattle　and　money　were　sent　off。

Matho　speedily　paid　the　Mercenaries　their　arrears；　and　owing　to　this；

which　was　Spendius's　idea；　he　was　appointed　commander…in…chiefthe

schalishim　of　the　Barbarians。



Reinforcements　of　men　poured　in　at　the　same　time。　The　aborigines

appeared　first；　and　were　followed　by　the　slaves　from　the　country；

caravans　of　Negroes　were　seized　and　armed；　and　merchants　on　their　way

to　Carthage；　despairing　of　any　more　certain　profit；　mingled　with　the

Barbarians。　Numerous　bands　were　continually　arriving。　From　the　heights

of　the　Acropolis　the　growing　army　might　be　seen。



But　the　guards　of　the　Legion　were　posted　as　sentries　on　the　platform

of　the　aqueduct；　and　near　them　rose　at　intervals　brazen　vats；　in　which

floods　of　asphalt　were　boiling。　Below　in　the　plain　the　great　crowd

stirred　tumultuously。　They　were　in　a　state　of　uncertainty；　feeling　the

embarrassment　with　which　Barbarians　are　always　inspired　when　they　meet

with　walls。



Utica　and　Hippo…Zarytus　refused　their　alliance。　Phoenician　colonies

like　Carthage；　they　were　self…governing；　and　always　had　clauses

inserted　in　the　treaties　concluded　by　the　Republic　to　distinguish　them

from　the　latter。　Nevertheless　they　respected　this　strong　sister　of

theirs　who　protected　them；　and　they　did　not　think　that　she　could　be

vanquished　by　a　mass　of　Barbarians；　these　would　on　the　contrary　be

themselves　exterminated。　They　desired　to　remain　neutral　and　to　live　at

peace。



But　their　position　rendered　them　indispensable。　Utica；　at　the　foot　of

the　gulf；　was　convenient　for　bringing　assistance　to　Carthage　from

without。　If　Utica　alone　were　taken；　Hippo…Zarytus；　six　hours　further

distant　along　the　coast；　would　take　its　place；　and　the　metropolis；

being　revictualled　in　this　way；　would　be　impregnable。



Spendius　wished　the　siege　to　be　undertaken　immediately。　Narr'　Havas

was　opposed　to　this：　an　advance　should　first　be　made　upon　the

frontier。　This　was　the　opinion　of　the　veterans；　and　of　Matho　himself；

and　it　was　decided　that　Spendius　should　go　to　attack　Utica；　and　Matho

Hippo…Zarytus；　while　in　the　third　place　the　main　body　should　rest　on

Tunis　and　occupy　the　plain　of　Carthage；　Autaritus　being　in　command。　As

to　Narr'　Havas；　he　was　to　return　to　his　own　kingdom　to　procure

elephants　and　to　scour　the　roads　with　his　cavalry。



The　women　cried　out　loudly　against　this　decision；　they　coveted　the

jewels　of　the　Punic　ladies。　The　Libyans　also　protested。　They　had　been

summoned　against　Carthage；　and　now　they　were　going　away　from　it！　The

soldiers　departed　almost　alone。　Matho　commanded　his　own　companions；

together　with　the　Iberians；　Lusitanians；　and　the　men　of　the　West；　and

of　the　islands；　all　those　who　spoke　Greek　had　asked　for　Spendius　on

account　of　his　cleverness。



Great　was　the　stupefaction　when　the　army　was　seen　suddenly　in　motion；

it　stretched　along　beneath　the　mountain　of　Ariana　on　the　road　to　Utica

beside　the　sea。　A　fragment　remained　before　Tunis；　the　rest　disappeared

to　re…appear　on　the　other　shore　of　the　gulf　on　the　outskirts　of　the

woods　in　which　they　were　lost。



They　were　perhaps　eighty　thousand　men。　The　two　Tyrian　cities　would

offer　no　resistance；　and　they　would　return　against　Carthage。　Already

there　was　a　considerable　army　attacking　it　from　the　base　of　the

isthmus；　and　it　would　soon　perish　from　famine；　for　it　was　impossible

to　live　without　the　aid　of　the　provinces；　the　citizens　not　paying

contributions　as　they　did　at　Rome。　Carthage　was　wanting　in　political

genius。　Her　eternal　anxiety　for　gain　prevented　her　from　having　the

prudence　which　results　from　loftier　ambitions。　A　galley　anchored　on

the　Libyan　sands；　it　was　with　toil　that　she　maintained　her　position。

The　nations　roared　like　billows　around　her；　and　the　slightest　storm

shook　this　formidable　machine。



The　treasury　was　exhausted　by　the　Roman　war　and　by　all　that　had　been

squandered　and　lost　in　the　bargaining　with　the　Barbarians。

Nevertheless　soldiers　must　be　had；　and　not　a　government　would　trust

the　Republic！　Ptolemaeus　had　lately　refused　it　two　thousand　talents。

Moreover　the　rape　of　the　veil　disheartened　them。　Spendius　had　clearly

foreseen　this。



But　the　nation；　feeling　that　it　was　hated；　clasped　its　money　and　its

gods　to　its　heart；　and　its　patriotism　was　sustained　by　the　very

constitution　of　its　government。



First；　the　power　rested　with　all；　without　any　one　being　strong　enough

to　engross　it。　Private　debts　were　considered　as　public　debts；　men　of

Chanaanitish　race　had　a　monopoly　of　commerce；　and　by　multiplying　the

profits　of　piracy　with　those　of　usury；　by　hard　dealings　in　lands　and

slaves　and　with　the　poor；　fortunes　were　sometimes　made。　These　alone

opened　up　all　the　magistracies；　and　although　authority　and　money　were

perpetuated　in　the　same　families；　people　tolerated　the　oligarchy

because　they　hoped　ultimately　to　share　in　it。



The　societies　of　merchants；　in　which　the　laws　were　elaborated；　chose

the　inspectors　of　the　exchequer；　who　on　leaving　office　nominated　the

hundred　members　of　the　Council　of　the　Ancients；　themselves　dependent

on　the　Grand　Assembly；　or　general　gathering　of　all　the　rich。　As　to　the

two　Suffets；　the　relics　of　the　monarchy　and　the　less　than　consuls；

they　were　taken　from　distinct　families　on　the　same　day。　All　kinds　of

enmities　were　contrived　between　them；　so　that　they　might　mutually

weaken　each　other。　They　could　not　deliberate　concerning　war；　and　when

they　were　vanquished　the　Great　Council　crucified　them。



The　power　of　Carthage　emanated；　therefore；　from　the　Syssitia；　that　is

to　say；　from　a　large　court　in　the　centre　of　Malqua；　at　the　place；　it

was　said；　where　the　first　bark　of　Phoenician　sailors　had　touched；　the

sea　having　retired　a　long　way　since　then。　It　was　a　collection　of

little　rooms　of　archaic　architecture；　built　of　palm　trunks　with

corners　of　stone；　and　separated　from　one　another　so　as　to　accommodate

the　various　societies　separately。　The　rich　crowded　there　all　day　to

discuss　their　own　concerns　and　those　of　the　government；　from　the

procuring　of　pepper　to　the　extermination　of　Rome。　Thrice　in　a　moon

they　would　have　their　beds　brought　up　to　the　lofty　terrace　running

along　the　wall　of　the　court；　and　they　might　be　seen　from　below　at

table　in　the　air；　without　cothurni　or　cloaks；　with　their　diamond…

covered　fingers　wandering　over　the　dishes；　and　their　large　earrings

hanging　down　among　the　flagons；all　fat　and　lusty；　half…naked；

smiling　and　eating　beneath　the　blue　sky；　like　great　sharks　sporting　in

the　sea。



But　just　now　they　were　unable　to　dissemble　their　anxiety；　they　were

too　pale　for　that。　The　crowd　which　waited　for　them　at　the　gates

escorted　them　to　their　palaces　in　order　to　obtain　some　news　from　them。

As　in　times　of　pestilence；　all　the　houses　were　shut；　the　streets　would

fill　and　suddenly　clear　again；　people　ascended　the　Acropolis　or　ran　to

the　harbour；　and　the　Great　Council　deliberated　every　night。　At　last

the　people　were　convened　in　the　square　of　Khamon；　and　it　was　decided

to　leave　the　management　of　things　to　Hanno；　the　conqueror　of

Hecatompylos。



He　was　a　true　Carthaginian；　devout；　crafty；　and　pitiless　towards　the

people　of　Africa。　His　revenues　equalled　those　of　the　Barcas。　No　one

had　such　experience　in　administrative　affairs。



He　decreed　the　enrolment　of　all　healthy　citizens；　he　placed　catapults

on　the　towers；　he　exacted　exorbitant　supplies　of　arms；　he　even　ordered

the　construction　of　fourteen　galleys　which　were　not　required；　and　he

desired　everything　to　be　registered　and　carefully　set　down　in　writing。

He　had　himself　conveyed　to　the　arsenal；　the　pharos；　and　the　treasuries

of　the　temples；　his　great　litter　was　continually　to　be　seen　swinging

from　step　to　step　as　it　ascended　the　staircases　of　the　Acropolis。　And

then　in　his　palace　at　night；　being　unable　to　sleep；　he　would　yell　out

warlike　manoeuvres　in　terrible　tones　so　as　to　prepare　himself　for　the

fray。



In　their　extremity　of　terror　all　became　brave。　The　rich　ranged

themselves　in　line　along　the　Mappalian　district　at　cockcrow；　and

tucking　up　their　robes　practised　themselves　in　handling　the　pike。　But

for　want　of　an　instructor　they　had　disputes　about　it。　They　would　sit

down　breathless　upon　the　tombs　and　then　begin　again。　Several　even

dieted　themselves。　Some　imagined　that　it　was　necessary　to　eat　a　great

deal　in　order　to　acquire　strength；　while　others　who　were

inconvenienced　by　their　corpulence　weakened　themselves　with　fasts　in

order　to　become　thin。



Utica　had　already　called　several　times　upon　Carthage　for　assistance；

but　Hanno　would　not　set　out　until　the　engines　of　war　had　been　supplied

with　the　last　screws。　He　lost　three　moons　more　in　equipping　the　one

hundred　and　twelve　elephants　that　were　lodged　in　the　ramparts。　They

were　the　conquerors　of　Regul