salammbo-第76部分

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into　the　crowd。　It　scattered　at　his　approach。



Meanwhile　a　fire　of　aloes；　cedar；　and　laurel　was　burning　between　the

legs　of　the　colossus。　The　tips　of　its　long　wings　dipped　into　the

flame；　the　unguents　with　which　it　had　been　rubbed　flowed　like　sweat

over　its　brazen　limbs。　Around　the　circular　flagstone　on　which　its　feet

rested；　the　children；　wrapped　in　black　veils；　formed　a　motionless

circle；　and　its　extravagantly　long　arms　reached　down　their　palms　to

them　as　though　to　seize　the　crown　that　they　formed　and　carry　it　to　the

sky。



The　rich；　the　Ancients；　the　women；　the　whole　multitude；　thronged

behind　the　priests　and　on　the　terraces　of　the　houses。　The　large

painted　stars　revolved　no　longer；　the　tabernacles　were　set　upon　the

ground；　and　the　fumes　from　the　censers　ascended　perpendicularly；

spreading　their　bluish　branches　through　the　azure　like　gigantic　trees。



Many　fainted；　others　became　inert　and　petrified　in　their　ecstasy。

Infinite　anguish　weighed　upon　the　breasts　of　the　beholders。　The　last

shouts　died　out　one　by　one；and　the　people　of　Carthage　stood

breathless；　and　absorbed　in　the　longing　of　their　terror。



At　last　the　high　priest　of　Moloch　passed　his　left　hand　beneath　the

children's　veils；　plucked　a　lock　of　hair　from　their　foreheads；　and

threw　it　upon　the　flames。　Then　the　men　in　the　red　cloaks　chanted　the

sacred　hymn：



〃Homage　to　thee；　Sun！　king　of　the　two　zones；　self…generating　Creator；

Father　and　Mother；　Father　and　Son；　God　and　Goddess；　Goddess　and　God！〃

And　their　voices　were　lost　in　the　outburst　of　instruments　sounding

simultaneously　to　drown　the　cries　of　the　victims。　The　eight…stringed

scheminiths；　the　kinnors　which　had　ten　strings；　and　the　nebals　which

had　twelve；　grated；　whistled；　and　thundered。　Enormous　leathern　bags；

bristling　with　pipes；　made　a　shrill　clashing　noise；　the　tabourines；

beaten　with　all　the　players'　might；　resounded　with　heavy；　rapid　blows；

and；　in　spite　of　the　fury　of　the　clarions；　the　salsalim　snapped　like

grasshoppers'　wings。



The　hierodules；　with　a　long　hook；　opened　the　seven…storied

compartments　on　the　body　of　the　Baal。　They　put　meal　into　the　highest；

two　turtle…doves　into　the　second；　an　ape　into　the　third；　a　ram　into

the　fourth；　a　sheep　into　the　fifth；　and　as　no　ox　was　to　be　had　for　the

sixth；　a　tawny　hide　taken　from　the　sanctuary　was　thrown　into　it。　The

seventh　compartment　yawned　empty　still。



Before　undertaking　anything　it　was　well　to　make　trial　of　the　arms　of

the　god。　Slender　chainlets　stretched　from　his　fingers　up　to　his

shoulders　and　fell　behind；　where　men　by　pulling　them　made　the　two

hands　rise　to　a　level　with　the　elbows；　and　come　close　together　against

the　belly；　they　were　moved　several　times　in　succession　with　little

abrupt　jerks。　Then　the　instruments　were　still。　The　fire　roared。



The　pontiffs　of　Moloch　walked　about　on　the　great　flagstone　scanning

the　multitude。



An　individual　sacrifice　was　necessary；　a　perfectly　voluntary　oblation；

which　was　considered　as　carrying　the　others　along　with　it。　But　no　one

had　appeared　up　to　the　present；　and　the　seven　passages　leading　from

the　barriers　to　the　colossus　were　completely　empty。　Then　the　priests；

to　encourage　the　people；　drew　bodkins　from　their　girdles　and　gashed

their　faces。　The　Devotees；　who　were　stretched　on　the　ground　outside；

were　brought　within　the　enclosure。　A　bundle　of　horrible　irons　was

thrown　to　them；　and　each　chose　his　own　torture。　They　drove　in　spits

between　their　breasts；　they　split　their　cheeks；　they　put　crowns　of

thorns　upon　their　heads；　then　they　twined　their　arms　together；　and

surrounded　the　children　in　another　large　circle　which　widened　and

contracted　in　turns。　They　reached　to　the　balustrade；　they　threw

themselves　back　again；　and　then　began　once　more；　attracting　the　crowd

to　them　by　the　dizziness　of　their　motion　with　its　accompanying　blood

and　shrieks。



By　degrees　people　came　into　the　end　of　the　passages；　they　flung　into

the　flames　pearls；　gold　vases；　cups；　torches；　all　their　wealth；　the

offerings　became　constantly　more　numerous　and　more　splendid。　At　last　a

man　who　tottered；　a　man　pale　and　hideous　with　terror；　thrust　forward　a

child；　then　a　little　black　mass　was　seen　between　the　hands　of　the

colossus；　and　sank　into　the　dark　opening。　The　priests　bent　over　the

edge　of　the　great　flagstone；and　a　new　song　burst　forth　celebrating

the　joys　of　death　and　of　new　birth　into　eternity。



The　children　ascended　slowly；　and　as　the　smoke　formed　lofty　eddies　as

it　escaped；　they　seemed　at　a　distance　to　disappear　in　a　cloud。　Not　one

stirred。　Their　wrists　and　ankles　were　tied；　and　the　dark　drapery

prevented　them　from　seeing　anything　and　from　being　recognised。



Hamilcar；　in　a　red　cloak；　like　the　priests　of　Moloch；　was　beside　the

Baal；　standing　upright　in　front　of　the　great　toe　of　its　right　foot。

When　the　fourteenth　child　was　brought　every　one　could　see　him　make　a

great　gesture　of　horror。　But　he　soon　resumed　his　former　attitude；

folded　his　arms；　and　looked　upon　the　ground。　The　high　pontiff　stood　on

the　other　side　of　the　statue　as　motionless　as　he。　His　head；　laden　with

an　Assyrian　mitre；　was　bent；　and　he　was　watching　the　gold　plate　on　his

breast；　it　was　covered　with　fatidical　stones；　and　the　flame　mirrored

in　it　formed　irisated　lights。　He　grew　pale　and　dismayed。　Hamilcar　bent

his　brow；　and　they　were　both　so　near　the　funeral…pile　that　the　hems　of

their　cloaks　brushed　it　as　they　rose　from　time　to　time。



The　brazen　arms　were　working　more　quickly。　They　paused　no　longer。

Every　time　that　a　child　was　placed　in　them　the　priests　of　Moloch

spread　out　their　hands　upon　him　to　burden　him　with　the　crimes　of　the

people；　vociferating：　〃They　are　not　men　but　oxen！〃　and　the　multitude

round　about　repeated：　〃Oxen！　oxen！〃　The　devout　exclaimed：　〃Lord！　eat！〃

and　the　priests　of　Proserpine；　complying　through　terror　with　the　needs

of　Carthage；　muttered　the　Eleusinian　formula：　〃Pour　out　rain！　bring

forth！〃



The　victims；　when　scarcely　at　the　edge　of　the　opening；　disappeared

like　a　drop　of　water　on　a　red…hot　plate；　and　white　smoke　rose　amid　the

great　scarlet　colour。



Nevertheless；　the　appetite　of　the　god　was　not　appeased。　He　ever　wished

for　more。　In　order　to　furnish　him　with　a　larger　supply；　the　victims

were　piled　up　on　his　hands　with　a　big　chain　above　them　which　kept　them

in　their　place。　Some　devout　persons　had　at　the　beginning　wished　to

count　them；　to　see　whether　their　number　corresponded　with　the　days　of

the　solar　year；　but　others　were　brought；　and　it　was　impossible　to

distinguish　them　in　the　giddy　motion　of　the　horrible　arms。　This　lasted

for　a　long；　indefinite　time　until　the　evening。　Then　the　partitions

inside　assumed　a　darker　glow；　and　burning　flesh　could　be　seen。　Some

even　believed　that　they　could　descry　hair；　limbs；　and　whole　bodies。



Night　fell；　clouds　accumulated　above　the　Baal。　The　funeral…pile；　which

was　flameless　now；　formed　a　pyramid　of　coals　up　to　his　knees；

completely　red　like　a　giant　covered　with　blood；　he　looked；　with