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by　the　war；　had　allowed　all　the　returning　bands　to　accumulate　in　the

town。　Gisco；　their　general；　had　however　been　prudent　enough　to　send

them　back　severally　in　order　to　facilitate　the　liquidation　of　their

pay；　and　the　Council　had　believed　that　they　would　in　the　end　consent

to　some　reduction。　But　at　present　ill…will　was　caused　by　the　inability

to　pay　them。　This　debt　was　confused　in　the　minds　of　the　people　with

the　3200　Euboic　talents　exacted　by　Lutatius；　and　equally　with　Rome

they　were　regarded　as　enemies　to　Carthage。　The　Mercenaries　understood

this；　and　their　indignation　found　vent　in　threats　and　outbreaks。　At

last　they　demanded　permission　to　assemble　to　celebrate　one　of　their

victories；　and　the　peace　party　yielded；　at　the　same　time　revenging

themselves　on　Hamilcar　who　had　so　strongly　upheld　the　war。　It　had　been

terminated　notwithstanding　all　his　efforts；　so　that；　despairing　of

Carthage；　he　had　entrusted　the　government　of　the　Mercenaries　to　Gisco。

To　appoint　his　palace　for　their　reception　was　to　draw　upon　him

something　of　the　hatred　which　was　borne　to　them。　Moreover；　the　expense

must　be　excessive；　and　he　would　incur　nearly　the　whole。



Proud　of　having　brought　the　Republic　to　submit；　the　Mercenaries

thought　that　they　were　at　last　about　to　return　to　their　homes　with　the

payment　for　their　blood　in　the　hoods　of　their　cloaks。　But　as　seen

through　the　mists　of　intoxication；　their　fatigues　seemed　to　them

prodigious　and　but　ill…rewarded。　They　showed　one　another　their　wounds；

they　told　of　their　combats；　their　travels　and　the　hunting　in　their

native　lands。　They　imitated　the　cries　and　the　leaps　of　wild　beasts。

Then　came　unclean　wagers；　they　buried　their　heads　in　the　amphoras　and

drank　on　without　interruption；　like　thirsty　dromedaries。　A　Lusitanian

of　gigantic　stature　ran　over　the　tables；　carrying　a　man　in　each　hand

at　arm's　length；　and　spitting　out　fire　through　his　nostrils。　Some

Lacedaemonians；　who　had　not　taken　off　their　cuirasses；　were　leaping

with　a　heavy　step。　Some　advanced　like　women；　making　obscene　gestures；

others　stripped　naked　to　fight　amid　the　cups　after　the　fashion　of

gladiators；　and　a　company　of　Greeks　danced　around　a　vase　whereon

nymphs　were　to　be　seen；　while　a　Negro　tapped　with　an　ox…bone　on　a

brazen　buckler。



Suddenly　they　heard　a　plaintive　song；　a　song　loud　and　soft；　rising　and

falling　in　the　air　like　the　wing…beating　of　a　wounded　bird。



It　was　the　voice　of　the　slaves　in　the　ergastulum。　Some　soldiers　rose

at　a　bound　to　release　them　and　disappeared。



They　returned；　driving　through　the　dust　amid　shouts；　twenty　men；

distinguished　by　their　greater　paleness　of　face。　Small　black　felt　caps

of　conical　shape　covered　their　shaven　heads；　they　all　wore　wooden

shoes；　and　yet　made　a　noise　as　of　old　iron　like　driving　chariots。



They　reached　the　avenue　of　cypress；　where　they　were　lost　among　the

crowd　of　those　questioning　them。　One　of　them　remained　apart；　standing。

Through　the　rents　in　his　tunic　his　shoulders　could　be　seen　striped

with　long　scars。　Drooping　his　chin；　he　looked　round　him　with　distrust；

closing　his　eyelids　somewhat　against　the　dazzling　light　of　the

torches；　but　when　he　saw　that　none　of　the　armed　men　were　unfriendly　to

him；　a　great　sigh　escaped　from　his　breast；　he　stammered；　he　sneered

through　the　bright　tears　that　bathed　his　face。　At　last　he　seized　a

brimming　cantharus　by　its　rings；　raised　it　straight　up　into　the　air

with　his　outstretched　arms；　from　which　his　chains　hung　down；　and　then

looking　to　heaven；　and　still　holding　the　cup　he　said：



〃Hail　first　to　thee；　Baal…Eschmoun；　the　deliverer；　whom　the　people　of

my　country　call　Aesculapius！　and　to　you；　genii　of　the　fountains；

light；　and　woods！　and　to　you；　ye　gods　hidden　beneath　the　mountains　and

in　the　caverns　of　the　earth！　and　to　you；　strong　men　in　shining　armour

who　have　set　me　free！〃



Then　he　let　fall　the　cup　and　related　his　history。　He　was　called

Spendius。　The　Carthaginians　had　taken　him　in　the　battle　of　Aeginusae；

and　he　thanked　the　Mercenaries　once　more　in　Greek；　Ligurian　and　Punic；

he　kissed　their　hands；　finally；　he　congratulated　them　on　the　banquet；

while　expressing　his　surprise　at　not　perceiving　the　cups　of　the　Sacred

Legion。　These　cups；　which　bore　an　emerald　vine　on　each　of　their　six

golden　faces；　belonged　to　a　corps　composed　exclusively　of　young

patricians　of　the　tallest　stature。　They　were　a　privilege；　almost　a

sacerdotal　distinction；　and　accordingly　nothing　among　the　treasures　of

the　Republic　was　more　coveted　by　the　Mercenaries。　They　detested　the

Legion　on　this　account；　and　some　of　them　had　been　known　to　risk　their

lives　for　the　inconceivable　pleasure　of　drinking　out　of　these　cups。



Accordingly　they　commanded　that　the　cups　should　be　brought。　They　were

in　the　keeping　of　the　Syssitia；　companies　of　traders；　who　had　a　common

table。　The　slaves　returned。　At　that　hour　all　the　members　of　the

Syssitia　were　asleep。



〃Let　them　be　awakened！〃　responded　the　Mercenaries。



After　a　second　excursion　it　was　explained　to　them　that　the　cups　were

shut　up　in　a　temple。



〃Let　it　be　opened！〃　they　replied。



And　when　the　slaves　confessed　with　trembling　that　they　were　in　the

possession　of　Gisco；　the　general；　they　cried　out：



〃Let　him　bring　them！〃



Gisco　soon　appeared　at　the　far　end　of　the　garden　with　an　escort　of　the

Sacred　Legion。　His　full；　black　cloak；　which　was　fastened　on　his　head

to　a　golden　mitre　starred　with　precious　stones；　and　which　hung　all

about　him　down　to　his　horse's　hoofs；　blended　in　the　distance　with　the

colour　of　the　night。　His　white　beard；　the　radiancy　of　his　head…dress；

and　his　triple　necklace　of　broad　blue　plates　beating　against　his

breast；　were　alone　visible。



When　he　entered；　the　soldiers　greeted　him　with　loud　shouts；　all

crying：



〃The　cups！　The　cups！〃



He　began　by　declaring　that　if　reference　were　had　to　their　courage；

they　were　worthy　of　them。



The　crowd　applauded　and　howled　with　joy。



HE　knew　it；　he　who　had　commanded　them　over　yonder；　and　had　returned

with　the　last　cohort　in　the　last　galley！



〃True！　True！〃　said　they。



Nevertheless；　Gisco　continued；　the　Republic　had　respected　their

national　divisions；　their　customs；　and　their　modes　of　worship；　in

Carthage　they　were　free！　As　to　the　cups　of　the　Sacred　Legion；　they

were　private　property。　Suddenly　a　Gaul；　who　was　close　to　Spendius；

sprang　over　the　tables　and　ran　straight　up　to　Gisco；　gesticulating　and

threatening　him　with　two　naked　swords。



Without　interrupting　his　speech；　the　General　struck　him　on　the　head

with　his　heavy　ivory　staff；　and　the　Barbarian　fell。　The　Gauls　howled；

and　their　frenzy；　which　was　spreading　to　the　others；　would　soon　have

swept　away　the　legionaries。　Gisco　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　he　saw

them　growing　pale。　He　thought　that　his　courage　would　be　useless

against　these　exasperated　brute　beasts。　It　would　be　better　to　revenge

himself　upon　them　by　some　artifice　later；　accordingly；　he　signed　to

his　soldiers　and　slowly　withdrew。　T