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appointed　day。



For　its　protection　it　had　its　aboriginal　population；　twelve　thousand

Mercenaries；　and；　in　addition；　all　the　Eaters　of　Uncleanness；　for　like

Matho　they　were　riveted　to　the　horizon　of　Carthage；　and　plebs　and

schalischim　gazed　at　its　lofty　walls　from　afar；　looking　back　in

thought　to　boundless　enjoyments。　With　this　harmony　of　hatred；

resistance　was　briskly　organised。　Leathern　bottles　were　taken　to　make

helmets；　all　the　palm…trees　in　the　gardens　were　cut　down　for　lances；

cisterns　were　dug；　while　for　provisions　they　caught　on　the　shores　of

the　lake　big　white　fish；　fed　on　corpses　and　filth。　Their　ramparts；

kept　in　ruins　now　by　the　jealousy　of　Carthage；　were　so　weak　that　they

could　be　thrown　down　with　a　push　of　the　shoulder。　Matho　stopped　up　the

holes　in　them　with　the　stones　of　the　houses。　It　was　the　last　struggle；

he　hoped　for　nothing；　and　yet　he　told　himself　that　fortune　was　fickle。



As　the　Carthaginians　approached　they　noticed　a　man　on　the　rampart　who

towered　over　the　battlements　from　his　belt　upwards。　The　arrows　that

flew　about　him　seemed　to　frighten　him　no　more　than　a　swarm　of

swallows。　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。　He　had　the　ten　ambassadors　crucified　beside　one

another　on　a　hillock　in　front　of　the　town。



At　the　sight　of　this　the　besieged　forsook　the　rampart。



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。



Narr'　Havas　perceived　him；　he　crossed　the　shore　of　the　lake；　and　came

to　warn　Hanno　to　dispatch　men　to　Hamilcar's　assistance。　Did　he　believe

Barca　too　weak　to　resist　the　Mercenaries？　Was　it　a　piece　of　treachery

or　folly？　No　one　could　ever　learn。



Hanno；　desiring　to　humiliate　his　rival；　did　not　hesitate。　He　shouted

orders　to　sound　the　trumpets；　and　his　whole　army　rushed　upon　the

Barbarians。　The　latter　returned；　and　ran　straight　against　the

Carthaginians；　they　knocked　them　down；　crushed　them　under　their　feet；

and；　driving　them　back　in　this　way；　reached　the　tent　of　Hanno；　who　was

then　surrounded　by　thirty　Carthaginians；　the　most　illustrious　of　the

Ancients。



He　appeared　stupefied　by　their　audacity；　he　called　for　his　captains。

Every　one　thrust　his　fist　under　his　throat；　vociferating　abuse。　The

crowd　pressed　on；　and　those　who　had　their　hands　on　him　could　scarce

retain　their　hold。　However；　he　tried　to　whisper　to　them：　〃I　will　gave

you　whatever　you　want！　I　am　rich！　Save　me！〃　They　dragged　him　along；

heavy　as　he　was　his　feet　did　not　touch　the　ground。　The　Ancients　had

been　carried　off。　His　terror　increased。　〃You　have　beaten　me！　I　am　your

captive！　I　will　ransom　myself！　Listen　to　me；　my　friends！〃　and　borne

along　by　all　those　shoulders　which　were　pressed　against　his　sides；　he

repeated：　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？　What　do　you　want？　You　can　see

that　I　am　not　obstanite！　I　have　always　been　good…natured！〃



A　gigantic　cross　stood　at　the　gate。　The　Barbarians　howled：　〃Here！

here！〃　But　he　raised　his　voice　still　higher；　and　in　the　names　of　their

gods　he　called　upon　them　to　lead　him　to　the　schalischim；　because　he

wished　to　confide　to　him　something　on　which　their　safety　depended。



They　paused；　some　asserting　that　it　was　right　to　summon　Matho。　He　was

sent　for。



Hanno　fell　upon　the　grass；　and　he　saw　around　him　other　crosses　also；

as　though　the　torture　by　which　he　was　about　to　perish　had　been

multiplied　beforehand；　he　made　efforts　to　convince　himself　that　he　was

mistaken；　that　there　was　only　one；　and　even　to　believe　that　there　were

none　at　all。　At　last　he　was　lifted　up。



〃Speak！〃　said　Matho。



He　offered　to　give　up　Hamilcar；　then　they　would　enter　Carthage　and

both　be　kings。



Matho　withdrew；　signing　to　the　others　to　make　haste。　It　was　a

stratagem；　he　thought；　to　gain　time。



The　Barbarian　was　mistaken；　Hanno　was　in　an　extremity　when

consideration　is　had　to　nothing；　and；　moreover；　he　so　execrated

Hamilcar　that　he　would　have　sacrificed　him　and　all　his　soldiers　on　the

slightest　hope　of　safety。



The　Ancients　were　languishing　on　the　ground　at　the　foot　of　the

crosses；　ropes　had　already　been　passed　beneath　their　armpits。　Then　the

old　Suffet；　understanding　that　he　must　die；　wept。



They　tore　off　the　clothes　that　were　still　left　on　himand　the　horror

of　his　person　appeared。　Ulcers　covered　the　nameless　mass；　the　fat　on

his　legs　hid　the　nails　on　his　feet；　from　his　fingers　there　hung　what

looked　like　greenish　strips；　and　the　tears　streaming　through　the

tubercles　on　his　cheeks　gave　to　his　face　an　expression　of　frightful

sadness；　for　they　seemed　to　take　up　more　room　than　on　another　human

face。　His　royal　fillet；　which　was　half　unfastened；　trailed　with　his

white　hair　in　the　dust。



They　thought　that　they　had　no　ropes　strong　enough　to　haul　him　up　to

the　top　of　the　cross；　and　they　nailed　him　upon　it；　after　the　Punic

fashion；　before　it　was　erected。　But　his　pride　awoke　in　his　pain。　He

began　to　overwhelm　them　with　abuse。　He　foamed　and　twisted　like　a

marine　monster　being　slaughtered　on　the　shore；　and　predicted　that　they

would　all　end　more　horribly　still；　and　that　he　would　be　avenged。



He　was。　On　the　other　side　of　the　town；　whence　there　now　escaped　jets

of　flame　with　columns　of　smoke；　the　ambassadors　from　the　Mercenaries

were　in　their　last　throes。



Some　who　had　swooned　at　first　had　just　revived　in　the　freshness　of　the

wind；　but　their　chins　still　rested　upon　their　breasts；　and　their

bodies　had　fallen　somewhat；　in　spite　of　the　nails　in　their　arms；　which

were　fastened　higher　than　their　heads；　from　their　heels　and　hands

blood　fell　in　big；　slow　drops；　as　ripe　fruit　falls　from　the　branches

of　a　tree；and　Carthage；　gulf；　mountains；　and　plains　all　appeared　to

them　to　be　revolving　like　an　immense　wheel；　sometimes　a　cloud　of　dust；

rising　from　the　ground；　enveloped　them　in　its　eddies；　they　burned　with

horrible　thirst；　their　tongues　curled　in　their　mouths；　and　they　felt

an　icy　sweat　flowing　over　them　with　their　departing　souls。



Nevertheless　they　had　glimpses；　at　an　infinite　depth；　of　streets；

marching　soldiers；　and　the　swinging　of　swords；　and　the　tumult　of

battle　reached　them　dimly　like　the　noise　of　the　sea　to　shipwrecked　men

dying　on　the　masts　of　a　ship。　The　Italiotes；　who　were　sturdier　than

the　rest；　were　still　shrieking。　The　Lacedaemonians　were　silent；　with

eyelids　closed；　Zarxas；　once　so　vigorous；　was　bending　like　a　broken

reed；　the　Ethiopian　beside　him　had　his　head　thrown　back　over　the　a