salammbo-第51部分

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walls；　in　the　middle　of　the　upper　platform　the　skeins　of　the　ballistas

were　turning；　and　the　great　beam　of　the　catapult　was　being　lowered。



Hamilcar　was　at　that　moment　standing　upright　on　the　roof　of　Melkarth。

He　had　calculated　that　it　would　come　directly　towards　him；　against

what　was　the　most　invulnerable　place　in　the　wall；　which　was　for　that

very　reason　denuded　of　sentries。　His　slaves　had　for　a　long　time　been

bringing　leathern　bottles　along　the　roundway；　where　they　had　raised

with　clay　two　transverse　partitions　forming　a　sort　of　basin。　The　water

was　flowing　insensibly　along　the　terrace；　and　strange　to　say；　it

seemed　to　cause　Hamilcar　no　anxiety。



But　when　the　helepolis　was　thirty　paces　off；　he　commanded　planks　to　be

placed　over　the　streets　between　the　houses　from　the　cisterns　to　the

rampart；　and　a　file　of　people　passed　from　hand　to　hand　helmets　and

amphoras；　which　were　emptied　continually。　The　Carthaginians；　however；

grew　indignant　at　this　waste　of　water。　The　ram　was　demolishing　the

wall；　when　suddenly　a　fountain　sprang　forth　from　the　disjointed

stones。　Then　the　lofty　brazen　mass；　nine　stories　high；　which　contained

and　engaged　more　than　three　thousand　soldiers；　began　to　rock　gently

like　a　ship。　In　fact；　the　water；　which　had　penetrated　the　terrace；　had

broken　up　the　path　before　it；　its　wheels　stuck　in　the　mire；　the　head

of　Spendius；　with　distended　cheeks　blowing　an　ivory　cornet；　appeared

between　leathern　curtains　on　the　first　story。　The　great　machine；　as

though　convulsively　upheaved；　advanced　perhaps　ten　paces；　but　the

ground　softened　more　and　more；　the　mire　reached　to　the　axles；　and　the

helepolis　stopped；　leaning　over　frightfully　to　one　side。　The　catapult

rolled　to　the　edge　of　the　platform；　and　carried　away　by　the　weight　of

its　beam；　fell；　shattering　the　lower　stories　beneath　it。　The　soldiers

who　were　standing　on　the　doors　slipped　into　the　abyss；　or　else　held　on

to　the　extremities　of　the　long　beams；　and　by　their　weight　increased

the　inclination　of　the　helepolis；　which　was　going　to　pieces　with

creakings　in　all　its　joints。



The　other　Barbarians　rushed　up　to　help　them；　massing　themselves　into　a

compact　crowd。　The　Carthaginians　descended　from　the　rampart；　and；

assailing　them　in　the　rear；　killed　them　at　leisure。　But　the　chariots

furnished　with　sickles　hastened　up；　and　galloped　round　the　outskirts

of　the　multitude。　The　latter　ascended　the　wall　again；　night　came　on；

and　the　Barbarians　gradually　retired。



Nothing　could　now　be　seen　on　the　plain　but　a　sort　of　perfectly　black；

swarming　mass；　which　extended　from　the　bluish　gulf　to　the　purely　white

lagoon；　and　the　lake；　which　had　received　streams　of　blood；　stretched

further　away　like　a　great　purple　pool。



The　terrace　was　now　so　laden　with　corpses　that　it　looked　as　though　it

had　been　constructed　of　human　bodies。　In　the　centre　stood　the

helepolis　covered　with　armour；　and　from　time　to　time　huge　fragments

broke　off　from　it；　like　stones　from　a　crumbling　pyramid。　Broad　tracks

made　by　the　streams　of　lead　might　be　distinguished　on　the　walls。　A

broken…down　wooden　tower　burned　here　and　there；　and　the　houses　showed

dimly　like　the　stages　of　a　ruined　ampitheatre。　Heavy　fumes　of　smoke

were　rising；　and　rolling　with　them　sparks　which　were　lost　in　the　dark

sky。



The　Carthaginians；　however；　who　were　consumed　by　thirst；　had　rushed　to

the　cisterns。　They　broke　open　the　doors。　A　miry　swamp　stretched　at　the

bottom。



What　was　to　be　done　now？　Moreover；　the　Barbarians　were　countless；　and

when　their　fatigue　was　over　they　would　begin　again。



The　people　deliberated　all　night　in　groups　at　the　corners　of　the

streets。　Some　said　that　they　ought　to　send　away　the　women；　the　sick；

and　the　old　men；　others　proposed　to　abandon　the　town；　and　found　a

colony　far　away。　But　vessels　were　lacking；　and　when　the　sun　appeared

no　decision　had　been　made。



There　was　no　fighting　that　day；　all　being　too　much　exhausted。　The

sleepers　looked　like　corpses。



Then　the　Carthaginians；　reflecting　upon　the　cause　of　their　disasters；

remembered　that　they　had　not　dispatched　to　Phoenicia　the　annual

offering　due　to　Tyrian　Melkarth；　and　a　great　terror　came　upon　them。

The　gods　were　indignant　with　the　Republic；　and　were；　no　doubt；　about

to　prosecute　their　vengeance。



They　were　considered　as　cruel　masters；　who　were　appeased　with

supplications　and　allowed　themselves　to　be　bribed　with　presents。　All

were　feeble　in　comparison　with　Moloch　the　Devourer。　The　existence；　the

very　flesh　of　men；　belonged　to　him；　and　hence　in　order　to　preserve　it；

the　Carthaginians　used　to　offer　up　a　portion　of　it　to　him；　which

calmed　his　fury。　Children　were　burned　on　the　forehead；　or　on　the　nape

of　the　neck；　with　woollen　wicks；　and　as　this　mode　of　satisfying　Baal

brought　in　much　money　to　the　priests；　they　failed　not　to　recommend　it

as　being　easier　and　more　pleasant。



This　time；　however；　the　Republic　itself　was　at　stake。　But　as　every

profit　must　be　purchased　by　some　loss；　and　as　every　transaction　was

regulated　according　to　the　needs　of　the　weaker　and　the　demands　of　the

stronger；　there　was　no　pain　great　enough　for　the　god；　since　he

delighted　in　such　as　was　of　the　most　horrible　description；　and　all

were　now　at　his　mercy。　He　must　accordingly　be　fully　gratified。

Precedents　showed　that　in　this　way　the　scourge　would　be　made　to

disappear。　Moreover；　it　was　believed　that　an　immolation　by　fire　would

purify　Carthage。　The　ferocity　of　the　people　was　predisposed　towards

it。　The　choice；　too；　must　fall　exclusively　upon　the　families　of　the

great。



The　Ancients　assembled。　The　sitting　was　a　long　one。　Hanno　had　come　to

it。　As　he　was　now　unable　to　sit　he　remained　lying　down　near　the　door；

half　hidden　among　the　fringes　of　the　lofty　tapestry；　and　when　the

pontiff　of　Moloch　asked　them　whether　they　would　consent　to　surrender

their　children；　his　voice　suddenly　broke　forth　from　the　shadow　like

the　roaring　of　a　genius　in　the　depths　of　a　cavern。　He　regretted；　he

said；　that　he　had　none　of　his　own　blood　to　give；　and　he　gazed　at

Hamilcar；　who　faced　him　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　The　Suffet　was

so　much　disconcerted　by　this　look　that　it　made　him　lower　his　eyes。　All

successively　bent　their　heads　in　approval；　and　in　accordance　with　the

rites　he　had　to　reply　to　the　high　priest：　〃Yes；　be　it　so。〃　Then　the

Ancients　decreed　the　sacrifice　in　traditional　circumlocution；because

there　are　things　more　troublesome　to　say　than　to　perform。



The　decision　was　almost　immediately　known　in　Carthage；　and

lamentations　resounded。　The　cries　of　women　might　everywhere　be　heard；

their　husbands　consoled　them；　or　railed　at　them　with　remonstrances。



But　three　hours　afterwards　extraordinary　tidings　were　spread　abroad：

the　Suffet　had　discovered　springs　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff。　There　was

a　rush　to　the　place。　Water　might　be　seen　in　holes　dug　in　the　sand；　and

some　were　already　lying　flat　on　the　ground　and　drinking。



Hamilcar　did　not　himself　know　whether　it　was　by　the　determination　of

the　gods　or　through　the　vague　recollection　of　a　revelation　which　his

father　had　once　made　to　him；　but　on　leaving　the　Ancients　he　had　gone

down　to　the　shore　and　had　begun　to　dig　the　gravel　with　his　slaves。



He　gave　clothing；　boots；　and　wine。　He　gave　all　the　rest　of　the　corn

that　he　was　keeping　by　him。　He　even　let　the　crowd　enter　his　palace；

and　he　opened　kitchens；　stores；　and　all　the　rooms；Salammbo's　alone

excepted。　He　announced　that　six　thousand　Gaulish　Mercenaries　were

coming；　and　that　the　king　of　Macedonia　was　sending　soldiers。



But　on　the　second　day　the　springs　diminished；　and　on　the　evening　of

the　third　they　were　completely　dried　up。　Then　the　decree　of　the

Ancients　passed　everywhere　from　lip　to　lip；　and　the　priests　of　Moloch

began　their　task。



Men　in　black　robes　presented　themselves　in　the　houses。　In　many

instances　the　owners　had　deserted　them　under　pretence　of　some

business；　or　of　some　dainty　that　they　were　going　to　buy；　and　the

servants　of　Moloch　came　and　took　the　children　away。　Others　themselves

surrendered　them　stupidly。　Then　they　were　brought　to　the　temple　of

Tanith；　where　the　priestesses　were　charged　with　their　amusement　and

support　until　the　solemn　day。



They　visited　Hamilcar　suddenly　and　found　him　in　his　gardens。



〃Barca！　we　come　for　that　that　you　know　ofyour　son！〃　They　added　that

some　people　had　met　him　one　evening　during　the　previous　moon　in　the

centre　of　the　Mappalian　district　being　led　by　an　old　man。



He　was　as　though　suffocated　at　first。　But　speedily　understanding　that

any　denial　would　be　in　vain；　Hamilcar　bowed；　and　he　brought　them　into

the　commercial　house。　Some　slaves　who　had　run　up　at　a　sign　kept　watch

all　round　about　it。



He　entered　Salammbo's　room　in　a　state　of　distraction。　He　seized

Hannibal　with　one　hand；　snatched　up　the　cord　of　a　trailing　garment

with　the　other；　tied　his　feet　and　hands　with　it；　thrust　the　end　into

his　mouth　to　form　a　gag；　and　hid　him　under　the　bed　of　the　ox…hides　by

letting　an　ample　drapery　fall　to　the　ground。



Afterwards　he　walked　about　from　right　to　left；　raised　his　arms；

wheeled　round；　bit　his　lips。　Then　he　stood　still　with　staring　eyelids；

and　panted　as　though　he　were　about　to　die。



But　he　clapped　his　hands　three　times。　Giddenem　appeared。



〃Listen！〃　he　said；　〃go　and　take　from　among　the　slaves　a　male　child

from　eight　to　nine　years　of　age；　with　black　hair　and　swelling

forehead！　Bring　him　here！　make　haste！〃



Giddenem　soon　entered　again；　bringing　forward　a　young　boy。



He　was　a　miserable　child；　at　once　lean　and　bloated；　his　skin　looked

greyish；　like　the　infected　rag　hanging　to　his　sides；　his　head　was　sunk

between　his　shoulders；　and　with　the　back　of　his　hand　he　was　rubbing

his　eyes；　which　were　filled　with　flies。



How　could　he　ever　be　confounded　with　Hannibal！　and　there　was　no　time

to　choose　another。　Hamilcar　looked　at　Giddenem；　he　felt　inclined　to

strangle　him。



〃Begone！〃　he　cried；　and　the　master　of　t