United States or Gibraltar ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Narr' Havas continued speaking. He called the gods to witness he cursed Carthage. In his imprecations he broke a javelin. All his men uttered simultaneously a loud howl, and Matho, carried away by so much passion, exclaimed that he accepted the alliance. A white bull and a black sheep, the symbols of day and night, were then brought, and their throats were cut on the edge of a ditch.
But instead of maintaining his position in order to cover the foot-soldiers, Narr' Havas turned abruptly to the right, as though he wished himself to be crushed by Hamilcar. His horsemen outstripped the elephants, which were slackening their speed; and all the horses, stretching out their unbridled heads, galloped at so furious a rate that their bellies seemed to graze the earth.
A man could be seen in front crowned with ostrich feathers, and galloping with a lance in each hand. "Narr' Havas!" exclaimed Matho. "What matter?" returned Spendius, and he leaped into the hole which they had just made by removing the flagstone. Matho at his command tried to thrust out one of the blocks. But he could not move his elbows for want of room.
They mended their weapons, greased their hair, and washed their bloodstained arms in the sea; the tents were closed; the beasts of burden were feeding; and in the distance the scythes of the chariots, which were all ranged in a semicircle, looked like a silver scimitar lying at the base of the mountains. Schahabarim's talk recurred to her memory. She was waiting for Narr' Havas, her betrothed.
The soldiers and Numidians pressed together so closely that they were unable to draw their swords. Matho advanced dealing great blows with his head. When he raised it, Narr' Havas had disappeared. He sought for him with his eyes. Salammbo also was gone. Then directing his looks to the palace he perceived the red door with the black cross closing far above, and he darted away.
Matho had said to himself that if he could pass between the walls and Narr' Havas's tents with such rapidity that the Numidians had not time to come out, he could fall upon the rear of the Carthaginian infantry, who would be caught between his division and those inside. He dashed out with his veterans.
But Narr' Havas, being too weak, was not going to make any venture alone; and the Suffet had the rampart raised twelve palms higher, all the material in the arsenals piled up in the Acropolis, and the machines repaired once more. Sinews taken from bulls' necks, or else stags' hamstrings, were commonly employed for the twists of the catapults.
Extraordinary to say, none of them touched him. Hamilcar pitched his camp on the south side; Narr' Havas, to his right, occupied the plain of Rhades, and Hanno the shore of the lake; and the three generals were to maintain their respective positions, so as all to attack the walls simultaneously. But Hamilcar wished first to show the Mercenaries that he would punish them like slaves.
Courage! exterminate them!" And Narr' Havas was rushing away when Salammbo appeared. She leaped down quickly from her horse. She opened her ample cloak and spreading out her arms displayed the zaimph. The leathern tent, which was raised at the corners, left visible the entire circuit of the mountain with its thronging soldiers, and as it was in the centre Salammbo could be seen on all sides.
Matho, who walked before her, waved them off with a gesture of his arm which raised his red mantle. Some kissed his hands; others bending their spines approached him to ask for orders, for he was now veritable and sole chief of the Barbarians; Spendius, Autaritus, and Narr' Havas had become disheartened, and he had displayed so much audacity and obstinacy that all obeyed him.
Word Of The Day