Kabanata Kabanata 14 · THE PASS OF THE HATCHET

. THE PASS OF THE HATCHET

The Carthaginians had not re-entered their houses when the clouds

accumulated more thickly; those who raised their heads towards the

colossus could feel big drops on their foreheads, and the rain fell.

It fell the whole night plentifully, in floods; the thunder growled; it

was the voice of Moloch; he had vanquished Tanith; and she, being now

fecundated, opened up her vast bosom in heaven’s heights. Sometimes

she could be seen in a clear and luminous spot stretched upon cushions

of cloud; and then the darkness would close in again as though she

were still too weary and wished to sleep again; the Carthaginians, all

believing that water is brought forth by the moon, shouted to make her

travail easy.

The rain beat upon the terraces and overflowed them, forming lakes in

the courts, cascades on the staircases, and eddies at the corners of the

streets. It poured in warm heavy masses and urgent streams; big frothy

jets leaped from the corners of all the buildings; and it seemed

as though whitish cloths hung dimly upon the walls, and the washed

temple-roofs shone black in the gleam of the lightning. Torrents

descended from the Acropolis by a thousand paths; houses suddenly gave

way, and small beams, plaster, rubbish, and furniture passed along in

streams which ran impetuously over the pavement.

Amphoras, flagons, and canvases had been placed out of doors; but the

torches were extinguished; brands were taken from the funeral-pile of

the Baal, and the Carthaginians bent back their necks and opened their

mouths to drink. Others by the side of the miry pools, plunged their

arms into them up to the armpits, and filled themselves so abundantly

with water that they vomited it forth like buffaloes. The freshness

gradually spread; they breathed in the damp air with play of limb, and

in the happiness of their intoxication boundless hope soon arose. All

their miseries were forgotten. Their country was born anew.

They felt the need, as it were, of directing upon others the extravagant

fury which they had been unable to employ against themselves. Such a

sacrifice could not be in vain; although they felt no remorse they found

themselves carried away by the frenzy which results from complicity in

irreparable crimes.

The Barbarians had encountered the storm in their ill-closed tents; and

they were still quite chilled on the morrow as they tramped through the

mud in search of their stores and weapons, which were spoiled and lost.

Hamilcar went himself to see Hanno, and, in virtue of his plenary

powers, intrusted the command to him. The old Suffet hesitated for a

few minutes between his animosity and his appetite for authority, but he

accepted nevertheless.

Hamilcar next took out a galley armed with a catapult at each end.

He placed it in the gulf in front of the raft; then he embarked

his stoutest troops on board such vessels as were available. He was

apparently taking to flight; and running northward before the wind he

disappeared into the mist.

But three days afterwards, when the attack was about to begin again,

some people arrived tumultuously from the Libyan coast. Barca had

come among them. He had carried off provisions everywhere, and he was

spreading through the country.

Then the Barbarians were indignant as though he were betraying them.

Those who were most weary of the siege, and especially the Gauls, did

not hesitate to leave the walls in order to try and rejoin him. Spendius

wanted to reconstruct the helepolis;