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his　hair；　had　collected　in　stalactites　at　the　end　of　his　tail；　which

hung　down　perfectly　straight　along　the　cross。　The　soldiers　made　merry

around；　they　called　him　consul；　and　Roman　citizen；　and　threw　pebbles

into　his　eyes　to　drive　away　the　gnats。



But　a　hundred　paces　further　on　they　saw　two　more；　and　then　there

suddenly　appeared　a　long　file　of　crosses　bearing　lions。　Some　had　been

so　long　dead　that　nothing　was　left　against　the　wood　but　the　remains　of

their　skeletons；　others　which　were　half　eaten　away　had　their　jaws

twisted　into　horrible　grimaces；　there　were　some　enormous　ones；　the

shafts　of　the　crosses　bent　beneath　them；　and　they　swayed　in　the　wind；

while　bands　of　crows　wheeled　ceaselessly　in　the　air　above　their　heads。

It　was　thus　that　the　Carthaginian　peasants　avenged　themselves　when

they　captured　a　wild　beast；　they　hoped　to　terrify　the　others　by　such

an　example。　The　Barbarians　ceased　their　laughter；　and　were　long　lost

in　amazement。　〃What　people　is　this；〃　they　thought；　〃that　amuses　itself

by　crucifying　lions！〃



They　were；　besides；　especially　the　men　of　the　North；　vaguely　uneasy；

troubled；　and　already　sick。　They　tore　their　hands　with　the　darts　of

the　aloes；　great　mosquitoes　buzzed　in　their　ears；　and　dysentry　was

breaking　out　in　the　army。　They　were　weary　at　not　yet　seeing　Sicca。

They　were　afraid　of　losing　themselves　and　of　reaching　the　desert；　the

country　of　sands　and　terrors。　Many　even　were　unwilling　to　advance

further。　Others　started　back　to　Carthage。



At　last　on　the　seventh　day；　after　following　the　base　of　a　mountain　for

a　long　time；　they　turned　abruptly　to　the　right；　and　there　then

appeared　a　line　of　walls　resting　on　white　rocks　and　blending　with

them。　Suddenly　the　entire　city　rose；　blue；　yellow；　and　white　veils

moved　on　the　walls　in　the　redness　of　the　evening。　These　were　the

priestesses　of　Tanith；　who　had　hastened　hither　to　receive　the　men。

They　stood　ranged　along　the　rampart；　striking　tabourines；　playing

lyres；　and　shaking　crotala；　while　the　rays　of　the　sun；　setting　behind

them　in　the　mountains　of　Numidia；　shot　between　the　strings　of　their

lyres　over　which　their　naked　arms　were　stretched。　At　intervals　their

instruments　would　become　suddenly　still；　and　a　cry　would　break　forth

strident；　precipitate；　frenzied；　continuous；　a　sort　of　barking　which

they　made　by　striking　both　corners　of　the　mouth　with　the　tongue。

Others；　more　motionless　than　the　Sphynx；　rested　on　their　elbows　with

their　chins　on　their　hands；　and　darted　their　great　black　eyes　upon　the

army　as　it　ascended。



Although　Sicca　was　a　sacred　town　it　could　not　hold　such　a　multitude；

the　temple　alone；　with　its　appurtenances；　occupied　half　of　it。

Accordingly　the　Barbarians　established　themselves　at　their　ease　on　the

plain；　those　who　were　disciplined　in　regular　troops；　and　the　rest

according　to　nationality　or　their　own　fancy。



The　Greeks　ranged　their　tents　of　skin　in　parallel　lines；　the　Iberians

placed　their　canvas　pavilions　in　a　circle；　the　Gauls　made　themselves

huts　of　planks；　the　Libyans　cabins　of　dry　stones；　while　the　Negroes

with　their　nails　hollowed　out　trenches　in　the　sand　to　sleep　in。　Many；

not　knowing　where　to　go；　wandered　about　among　the　baggage；　and　at

nightfall　lay　down　in　their　ragged　mantles　on　the　ground。



The　plain；　which　was　wholly　bounded　by　mountains；　expanded　around

them。　Here　and　there　a　palm　tree　leaned　over　a　sand　hill；　and　pines

and　oaks　flecked　the　sides　of　the　precipices：　sometimes　the　rain　of　a

storm　would　hang　from　the　sky　like　a　long　scarf；　while　the　country

everywhere　was　still　covered　with　azure　and　serenity；　then　a　warm　wind

would　drive　before　it　tornadoes　of　dust；　and　a　stream　would　descend　in

cascades　from　the　heights　of　Sicca；　where；　with　its　roofing　of　gold　on

its　columns　of　brass；　rose　the　temple　of　the　Carthaginian　Venus；　the

mistress　of　the　land。　She　seemed　to　fill　it　with　her　soul。　In　such

convulsions　of　the　soil；　such　alternations　of　temperature；　and　such

plays　of　light　would　she　manifest　the　extravagance　of　her　might　with

the　beauty　of　her　eternal　smile。　The　mountains　at　their　summits　were

crescent…shaped；　others　were　like　women's　bosoms　presenting　their

swelling　breasts；　and　the　Barbarians　felt　a　heaviness　that　was　full　of

delight　weighing　down　their　fatigues。



Spendius　had　bought　a　slave　with　the　money　brought　him　by　his

dromedary。　The　whole　day　long　he　lay　asleep　stretched　before　Matho's

tent。　Often　he　would　awake；　thinking　in　his　dreams　that　he　heard　the

whistling　of　the　thongs；　with　a　smile　he　would　pass　his　hands　over　the

scars　on　his　legs　at　the　place　where　the　fetters　had　long　been　worn；

and　then　he　would　fall　asleep　again。



Matho　accepted　his　companionship；　and　when　he　went　out　Spendius　would

escort　him　like　a　lictor　with　a　long　sword　on　his　thigh；　or　perhaps

Matho　would　rest　his　arm　carelessly　on　the　other's　shoulder；　for

Spendius　was　small。



One　evening　when　they　were　passing　together　through　the　streets　in　the

camp　they　perceived　some　men　covered　with　white　cloaks；　among　them　was

Narr'　Havas；　the　prince　of　the　Numidians。　Matho　started。



〃Your　sword！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　kill　him！〃



〃Not　yet！〃　said　Spendius；　restraining　him。　Narr'　Havas　was　already

advancing　towards　him。



He　kissed　both　thumbs　in　token　of　alliance；　showing　nothing　of　the

anger　which　he　had　experienced　at　the　drunkenness　of　the　feast；　then

he　spoke　at　length　against　Carthage；　but　did　not　say　what　brought　him

among　the　Barbarians。



〃Was　it　to　betray　them；　or　else　the　Republic？〃　Spendius　asked　himself；

and　as　he　expected　to　profit　by　every　disorder；　he　felt　grateful　to

Narr'　Havas　for　the　future　perfidies　of　which　he　suspected　him。



The　chief　of　the　Numidians　remained　amongst　the　Mercenaries。　He

appeared　desirous　of　attaching　Matho　to　himself。　He　sent　him　fat

goats；　gold　dust；　and　ostrich　feathers。　The　Libyan；　who　was　amazed　at

such　caresses；　was　in　doubt　whether　to　respond　to　them　or　to　become

exasperated　at　them。　But　Spendius　pacified　him；　and　Matho　allowed

himself　to　be　ruled　by　the　slave；　remaining　ever　irresolute　and　in　an

unconquerable　torpor；　like　those　who　have　once　taken　a　draught　of

which　they　are　to　die。



One　morning　when　all　three　went　out　lion…hunting；　Narr'　Havas

concealed　a　dagger　in　his　cloak。　Spendius　kept　continually　behind　him；

and　when　they　returned　the　dagger　had　not　been　drawn。



Another　time　Narr'　Havas　took　them　a　long　way　off；　as　far　as　the

boundaries　of　his　kingdom。　They　came　to　a　narrow　gorge；　and　Narr'

Havas　smiled　as　he　declared　that　he　had　forgotten　the　way。　Spendius

found　it　again。



But　most　frequently　Matho　would　go　off　at　sunrise；　as　melancholy　as　an

augur；　to　wander　about　the　country。　He　would　stretch　himself　on　the

sand；　and　remain　there　motionless　until　the　evening。



He　consulted　all　the　soothsayers　in　the　army　one　after　the　other；

those　who　watch　the　trail　of　serpents；　those　who　read　the　stars；　and

those　who　breathe　upon　the　ashes　of　the　dead。　He　swallowed　galbanum；

seseli；　and　viper's　venom　which　freezes　the　heart；　Negro　women；

singing　barbarous　words　in　the　moonlight；　pricked　the　skin　of　his

forehead　with　golden　stylets；　he　loaded　himself　with　necklaces　and

charms；　he　invoked　in　turn　Baal…Khamon；　Moloch；　the　seven　Kabiri；

Tanith；　and　the　Venus　of　the　Greeks。　He　engraved　a　name　upon　a　copper

plate；　and　buried　it　in　the　sand　at　the　threshold　of　his　tent。

Spendius　used　to　hear　him　groaning　and　talking　to　himself。



One　night　he　went　in。



Matho；　as　naked　as　a　corpse；　was　lying　on　a　lion's　skin　flat　on　his

stomach；　with　his　face　in　both　his　hands；　a　hanging　lamp　lit　up　his

armour；　which　was　hooked　on　to　the　tent…pole　above　his　head。



〃You　are　suffering？〃　said　the　slave　to　him。　〃What　is　the　matter　with

you？　Answer　me？〃　And　he　shook　him　by　the　shoulder　calling　him　several

times；　〃Master！　master！〃



At　last　Matho　lifted　large　troubled　eyes　towards　him。




〃Listen！〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a　finger　on　his　lips。　〃It

is　the　wrath　of　the　Gods！　Hamilcar's　daughter　pursues　me！　I　am　afraid

of　her；　Spendius！〃　He　pressed　himself　close　against　his　breast　like　a

child　terrified　by　a　phantom。　〃Speak　to　me！　I　am　sick！　I　want　to　get

well！　I　have　tried　everything！　But　you；　you　perhaps　know　some　stronger

gods；　or　some　resistless　invocation？〃



〃For　what　purpose？〃　asked　Spendius。



Striking　his　head　with　both　his　fists；　he　replied：



〃To　rid　me　of　her！〃



Then　speaking　to　himself　with　long　pauses　he　said：



〃I　am　no　doubt　the　victim　of　some　holocaust　which　she　has　promised　to

the　gods？She　holds　me　fast　by　a　chain　which　people　cannot　see。　If　I

walk；　it　is　she　that　is　advancing；　when　I　stop；　she　is　resting！　Her

eyes　burn　me；　I　hear　her　voice。　She　encompasses　me；　she　penetrates　me。

It　seems　to　me　that　she　has　become　my　soul！



〃And　yet　between　us　there　are；　as　it　were；　the　invisible　billows　of　a

boundless　ocean！　She　is　far　away　and　quite　inaccessible！　The　splendour

of　her　beauty　forms　a　cloud　of　light　around　her；　and　at　times　I　think

that　I　have　never　seen　herthat　she　does　not　existand　that　it　is

all　a　dream！〃



Matho　wept　thus　in　the　darkness；　the　Barbarians　were　sleeping。

Spendius；　as　he　looked　at　him；　recalled　the　young　men　who　once　used　to

entreat　him　with　golden　cases　in　their　hands；　when　he　led　his　herd　of

courtesans　through　the　towns；　a　feeling　of　pity　moved　him；　and　he

said



〃Be　strong；　my　master！　Summon　your　will；　and　beseech　the　gods　no　more；

for　they　turn　not　aside　at　the　cries　of　men！　Weeping　like　a　coward！

And　you　are　not　humiliated　that　a　woman　can　cause　you　so　much

suffering？〃



〃Am　I　a　child？〃　said　Matho。　〃Do　you　think　that　I　am　moved　by　their

faces　and　songs？　We　kept　them　at　Drepanum　to　sweep　out　our　stables。　I

have　embraced　them　amid　assaults；　beneath　falling　ceilings；　and　while

the　catapult　was　still　vibrating！But　she；　Spendius；　she！〃



The　slave　interrupted　him：



〃If　she　were　not　Han