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wood。　All　the　tollenos　were　mounted　again；　and　in　the　centre；　a　little

further　back；　appeared　the　formidable　helepolis　of　Demetrius

Poliorcetes；　which　Spendius　had　at　last　reconstructed。　Of　pyramidical

shape；　like　the　pharos　of　Alexandria；　it　was　one　hundred　and　thirty

cubits　high　and　twenty…three　wide；　with　nine　stories；　diminishing　as

they　approached　the　summit；　and　protected　by　scales　of　brass；　they

were　pierced　with　numerous　doors　and　were　filled　with　soldiers；　and　on

the　upper　platform　there　stood　a　catapult　flanked　by　two　ballistas。



Then　Hamilcar　planted　crosses　for　those　who　should　speak　of　surrender；

and　even　the　women　were　brigaded。　The　people　lay　in　the　streets　and

waited　full　of　distress。



Then　one　morning　before　sunrise　（it　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　month

of　Nyssan）　they　heard　a　great　shout　uttered　by　all　the　Barbarians

simultaneously；　the　leaden…tubed　trumpets　pealed；　and　the　great

Paphlagonian　horns　bellowed　like　bulls。　All　rose　and　ran　to　the

rampart。



A　forest　of　lances；　pikes；　and　swords　bristled　at　its　base。　It　leaped

against　the　wall；　the　ladders　grappled　them；　and　Barbarians'　heads

appeared　in　the　intervals　of　the　battlements。



Beams　supported　by　long　files　of　men　were　battering　at　the　gates；　and；

in　order　to　demolish　the　wall　at　places　where　the　terrace　was　wanting；

the　Mercenaries　came　up　in　serried　cohorts；　the　first　line　crawling；

the　second　bending　their　hams；　and　the　others　rising　in　succession　to

the　last　who　stood　upright；　while　elsewhere；　in　order　to　climb　up；　the

tallest　advanced　in　front　and　the　lowest　in　the　rear；　and　all　rested

their　shields　upon　their　helmets　with　their　left　arms；　joining　them

together　at　the　edges　so　tightly　that　they　might　have　been　taken　for

an　assemblage　of　large　tortoises。　The　projectiles　slid　over　these

oblique　masses。



The　Carthaginians　threw　down　mill…stones；　pestles；　vats；　casks；　beds；

everything　that　could　serve　as　a　weight　and　could　knock　down。　Some

watched　at　the　embrasures　with　fisherman's　nets；　and　when　the

Barbarian　arrived　he　found　himself　caught　in　the　meshes；　and　struggled

like　a　fish。　They　demolished　their　own　battlements；　portions　of　wall

fell　down　raising　a　great　dust；　and　as　the　catapults　on　the　terrace

were　shooting　over　against　one　another；　the　stones　would　strike

together　and　shiver　into　a　thousand　pieces；　making　a　copious　shower

upon　the　combatants。



Soon　the　two　crowds　formed　but　one　great　chain　of　human　bodies；　it

overflowed　into　the　intervals　in　the　terrace；　and；　somewhat　looser　at

the　two　extremities；　swayed　perpetually　without　advancing。　They

clasped　one　another；　lying　flat　on　the　ground　like　wrestlers。　They

crushed　one　another。　The　women　leaned　over　the　battlements　and

shrieked。　They　were　dragged　away　by　their　veils；　and　the　whiteness　of

their　suddenly　uncovered　sides　shone　in　the　arms　of　the　Negroes　as　the

latter　buried　their　daggers　in　them。　Some　corpses　did　not　fall；　being

too　much　pressed　by　the　crowd；　and；　supported　by　the　shoulders　of

their　companions；　advanced　for　some　minutes　quite　upright　and　with

staring　eyes。　Some　who　had　both　temples　pierced　by　a　javelin　swayed

their　heads　about　like　bears。　Mouths；　opened　to　shout；　remained

gaping；　severed　hands　flew　through　the　air。　Mighty　blows　were　dealt；

which　were　long　talked　of　by　the　survivors。



Meanwhile　arrows　darted　from　the　towers　of　wood　and　stone。　The

tollenos　moved　their　long　yards　rapidly；　and　as　the　Barbarians　had

sacked　the　old　cemetery　of　the　aborigines　beneath　the　Catacombs；　they

hurled　the　tombstones　against　the　Carthaginians。　Sometimes　the　cables

broke　under　the　weight　of　too　heavy　baskets；　and　masses　of　men；　all

with　uplifted　arms；　would　fall　from　the　sky。



Up　to　the　middle　of　the　day　the　veterans　had　attacked　the　Taenia

fiercely　in　order　to　penetrate　into　the　harbour　and　destroy　the　fleet。

Hamilcar　had　a　fire　of　damp　straw　lit　upon　the　roofing　of　Khamon；　and

as　the　smoke　blinded　them　they　fell　back　to　left；　and　came　to　swell

the　horrible　rout　which　was　pressing　forward　in　Malqua。　Some

syntagmata　composed　of　sturdy　men；　chosen　expressly　for　the　purpose；

had　broken　in　three　gates。　They　were　checked　by　lofty　barriers　made　of

planks　studded　with　nails；　but　a　fourth　yielded　easily；　they　dashed

over　it　at　a　run　and　rolled　into　a　pit　in　which　there　were　hidden

snares。　At　the　south…west　gate　Autaritus　and　his　men　broke　down　the

rampart；　the　fissure　in　which　had　been　stopped　up　with　bricks。　The

ground　behind　rose；　and　they　climbed　it　nimbly。　But　on　the　top　they

found　a　second　wall　composed　of　stones　and　long　beams　lying　quite　flat

and　alternating　like　the　squares　on　a　chess…board。　It　was　a　Gaulish

fashion；　and　had　been　adapted　by　the　Suffet　to　the　requirements　of　the

situation；　the　Gauls　imagined　themselves　before　a　town　in　their　own

country。　Their　attack　was　weak；　and　they　were　repulsed。



All　the　roundway；　from　the　street　of　Khamon　as　far　as　the　Green

Market；　now　belonged　to　the　Barbarians；　and　the　Samnites　were

finishing　off　the　dying　with　blows　of　stakes；　or　else　with　one　foot　on

the　wall　were　gazing　down　at　the　smoking　ruins　beneath　them；　and　the

battle　which　was　beginning　again　in　the　distance。



The　slingers；　who　were　distributed　through　the　rear；　were　still

shooting。　But　the　springs　of　the　Acarnanian　slings　had　broken　from

use；　and　many　were　throwing　stones　with　the　hand　like　shepherds；　the

rest　hurled　leaden　bullets　with　the　handle　of　a　whip。　Zarxas；　his

shoulders　covered　with　his　long　black　hair；　went　about　everywhere；　and

led　on　the　Barbarians。　Two　pouches　hung　at　his　hips；　he　thrust　his

left　hand　into　them　continually；　while　his　right　arm　whirled　round

like　a　chariot…wheel。



Matho　had　at　first　refrained　from　fighting；　the　better　to　command　the

Barbarians　all　at　once。　He　had　been　seen　along　the　gulf　with　the

Mercenaries；　near　the　lagoon　with　the　Numidians；　and　on　the　shores　of

the　lake　among　the　Negroes；　and　from　the　back　part　of　the　plain　he

urged　forward　masses　of　soldiers　who　came　ceaselessly　against　the

ramparts。　By　degrees　he　had　drawn　near；　the　smell　of　blood；　the　sight

of　carnage；　and　the　tumult　of　clarions　had　at　last　made　his　heart

leap。　Then　he　had　gone　back　into　his　tent；　and　throwing　off　his

cuirass　had　taken　his　lion's　skin　as　being　more　convenient　for　battle。

The　snout　fitted　upon　his　head；　bordering　his　face　with　a　circle　of

fangs；　the　two　fore…paws　were　crossed　upon　his　breast；　and　the　claws

of　the　hinder　ones　fell　beneath　his　knees。



He　had　kept　on　his　strong　waist…belt；　wherein　gleamed　a　two…edged　axe；

and　with　his　great　sword　in　both　hands　he　had　dashed　impetuously

through　the　breach。　Like　a　pruner　cutting　willow…branches　and　trying

to　strike　off　as　much　as　possible　so　as　to　make　the　more　money；　he

marched　along　mowing　down　the　Carthaginians　around　him。　Those　who

tried　to　seize　him　in　flank　he　knocked　down　with　blows　of　the　pommel；

when　they　attacked　him　in　front　he　ran　them　through；　if　they　fled　he

clove　them。　Two　men　leaped　together　upon　his　back；　he　bounded

backwards　against　a　gate　and　crushed　them。　His　sword　fell　and　rose。　It

shivered　on　the　angle　of　a　wall。　Then　he　took　his　heavy　axe；　and　front

and　rear　he　ripped　up　the　Carthaginians　like　a　flock　of　sheep。　They

scattered　more　and　more；　and　he　was　quite　alone　when　he　reached　the

second　enclosure　at　the　foot　of　the　Acropolis。　The　materials　which　had

been　flung　from　the　summit　cumbered　the　steps　and　were　heaped　up

higher　than　the　wall。　Matho　turned　back　amid　the　ruins　to　summons　his

companions。



He　perceived　their　crests　scattered　over　the　multitude；　they　were

sinking　and　their　wearers　were　about　to　perish；　he　dashed　towards

them；　then　the　vast　wreath　of　red　plumes　closed　in；　and　they　soon

rejoined　him　and　surrounded　him。　But　an　enormous　crowd　was　discharging

from　the　side　streets。　He　was　caught　by　the　hips；　lifted　up　and

carried　away　outside　the　ramparts　to　a　spot　where　the　terrace　was

high。



Matho　shouted　a　command　and　all　the　shields　sank　upon　the　helmets；　he

leaped　upon　them　in　order　to　catch　hold　somewhere　so　as　to　re…enter

Carthage；　and；　flourishing　his　terrible　axe；　ran　over　the　shields；

which　resembled　waves　of　bronze；　like　a　marine　god；　with　brandished

trident；　over　his　billows。



However；　a　man　in　a　white　robe　was　walking　along　the　edge　of　the

rampart；　impassible；　and　indifferent　to　the　death　which　surrounded

him。　Sometimes　he　would　spread　out　his　right　hand　above　his　eyes　in

order　to　find　out　some　one。　Matho　happened　to　pass　beneath　him。

Suddenly　his　eyeballs　flamed；　his　livid　face　contracted；　and　raising

both　his　lean　arms　he　shouted　out　abuse　at　him。



Matho　did　not　hear　it；　but　he　felt　so　furious　and　cruel　a　look

entering　his　heart　that　he　uttered　a　roar。　He　hurled　his　long　axe　at

him；　some　people　threw　themselves　upon　Schahabarim；　and　Matho　seeing

him　no　more　fell　back　exhausted。



A　terrible　creaking　drew　near；　mingled　with　the　rhythm　of　hoarse

voices　singing　together。



It　was　the　great　helepolis　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　soldiers。　They

were　dragging　it　with　both　hands；　hauling　it　with　ropes；　and　pushing

it　with　their　shoulders；for　the　slope　rising　from　the　plain　to　the

terrace；　although　extremely　gentle；　was　found　impracticable　for

machines　of　such　prodigious　weight。　However；　it　had　eight　wheels

banded　with　iron；　and　it　had　been　advancing　slowly　in　this　way　since

the　morning；　like　a　mountain　raised　upon　another。　Then　there　appeared

an　immense　ram　issuing　from　its　base。　The　doors　along　the　three　fronts

which　faced　the　town　fell　down；　and　cuirassed　soldiers　appeared　in　the

interior　like　pillars　of　iron。　Some　might　be　seen　climbing　and

descending　the　two　staircases　which　crossed　the　stories。　Some　were

waiting　to　dart　out　as　soon　as　the　cramps　of　the　doors　touched　the

walls；　in　the　middle　of　the　upper　platform　the　skeins　of　the　ballistas

were　turning；　and　the　great　beam　of　the　catapult　was　being　lowered。