stones. Then the lofty brazen mass, nine stories high, which contained
and engaged more than three thousand soldiers, began to rock gently

like a ship. In fact, the water, which had penetrated the terrace, had
broken up the path before it; its wheels stuck in the mire; the head

of Spendius, with distended cheeks blowing an ivory cornet, appeared
between leathern curtains on the first story. The great machine, as

though convulsively upheaved, advanced perhaps ten paces; but the
ground softened more and more, the mire reached to the axles, and the

helepolis stopped, leaning over frightfully to one side. The catapult
rolled to the edge of the platform, and carried away by the weight of

its beam, fell, shattering the lower stories beneath it. The soldiers
who were standing on the doors slipped into the abyss, or else held on

to the extremities of the long beams, and by their weight increased
the inclination of the helepolis, which was going to pieces with

creakings in all its joints.
The other Barbarians rushed up to help them, massing themselves into a

compact crowd. The Carthaginians descended from the rampart, and,
assailing them in the rear, killed them at leisure. But the chariots

furnished with sickles hastened up, and galloped round the outskirts
of the multitude. The latter ascended the wall again; night came on;

and the Barbarians gradually retired.
Nothing could now be seen on the plain but a sort of perfectly black,

swarming mass, which extended from the bluish gulf to the purely white
lagoon; and the lake, which had received streams of blood, stretched

further away like a great purple pool.
The terrace was now so laden with corpses that it looked as though it

had been constructed of human bodies. In the centre stood the
helepolis covered with armour; and from time to time huge fragments

broke off from it, like stones from a crumbling pyramid. Broad tracks
made by the streams of lead might be distinguished on the walls. A

broken-down wooden tower burned here and there, and the houses showed
dimly like the stages of a ruined ampitheatre. Heavy fumes of smoke

were rising, and rolling with them sparks which were lost in the dark
sky.

The Carthaginians, however, who were consumed by thirst, had rushed to
the cisterns. They broke open the doors. A miry swamp stretched at the

bottom.
What was to be done now? Moreover, the Barbarians were countless, and

when their fatigue was over they would begin again.
The people deliberated all night in groups at the corners of the

streets. Some said that they ought to send away the women, the sick,
and the old men; others proposed to abandon the town, and found a

colony far away. But vessels were lacking, and when the sun appeared
no decision had been made.

There was no fighting that day, all being too much exhausted. The
sleepers looked like corpses.

Then the Carthaginians, reflecting upon the cause of their disasters,
remembered that they had not dispatched to Phoenicia the annual

offering due to Tyrian Melkarth, and a great terror came upon them.
The gods were indignant with the Republic, and were, no doubt, about

to prosecute their vengeance.
They were considered as cruel masters, who were appeased with

supplications and allowed themselves to be bribed with presents. All
were feeble in comparison with Moloch the Devourer. The existence, the

very flesh of men, belonged to him; and hence in order to preserve it,
the Carthaginians used to offer up a portion of it to him, which

calmed his fury. Children were burned on the forehead, or on the nape
of the neck, with woollen wicks; and as this mode of satisfying Baal

brought in much money to the priests, they failed not to recommend it
as being easier and more pleasant.

This time, however, the Republic itself was at stake. But as every
profit must be purchased by some loss, and as every transaction was

regulated according to the needs of the weaker and the demands of the
stronger, there was no pain great enough for the god, since he

delighted in such as was of the most horribledescription, and all
were now at his mercy. He must accordingly be fully gratified.

Precedents showed that in this way the scourge would be made to
disappear. Moreover, it was believed that an immolation by fire would

purify Carthage. The ferocity of the people was predisposed towards
it. The choice, too, must fall exclusively upon the families of the

great.
The Ancients assembled. The sitting was a long one. Hanno had come to

it. As he was now unable to sit he remained lying down near the door,
half hidden among the fringes of the lofty tapestry; and when the

pontiff of Moloch asked them whether they would consent to surrender
their children, his voice suddenly broke forth from the shadow like

the roaring of a genius in the depths of a cavern. He regretted, he
said, that he had none of his own blood to give; and he gazed at

Hamilcar, who faced him at the other end of the hall. The Suffet was
so much disconcerted by this look that it made him lower his eyes. All

successively bent their heads in approval; and in accordance with the
rites he had to reply to the high priest: "Yes; be it so." Then the

Ancients decreed the sacrifice in traditional circumlocution,--because
there are things more troublesome to say than to perform.

The decision was almost immediately known in Carthage, and
lamentations resounded. The cries of women might everywhere be heard;

their husbands consoled them, or railed at them with remonstrances.
But three hours afterwards extraordinarytidings were spread abroad:

the Suffet had discovered springs at the foot of the cliff. There was
a rush to the place. Water might be seen in holes dug in the sand, and

some were already lying flat on the ground and drinking.
Hamilcar did not himself know whether it was by the determination of

the gods or through the vague recollection of a revelation which his
father had once made to him; but on leaving the Ancients he had gone

down to the shore and had begun to dig the gravel with his slaves.
He gave clothing, boots, and wine. He gave all the rest of the corn

that he was keeping by him. He even let the crowd enter his palace,
and he opened kitchens, stores, and all the rooms,--Salammbo's alone

excepted. He announced that six thousand Gaulish Mercenaries were
coming, and that the king of Macedonia was sending soldiers.

But on the second day the springs diminished, and on the evening of
the third they were completely dried up. Then the decree of the

Ancients passed everywhere from lip to lip, and the priests of Moloch
began their task.

Men in black robes presented themselves in the houses. In many
instances the owners had deserted them under pretence of some

business, or of some dainty that they were going to buy; and the
servants of Moloch came and took the children away. Others themselves

surrendered them stupidly. Then they were brought to the temple of
Tanith, where the priestesses were charged with their amusement and

support until the solemn day.
They visited Hamilcar suddenly and found him in his gardens.

"Barca! we come for that that you know of--your son!" They added that
some people had met him one evening during the previous moon in the

centre of the Mappalian district being led by an old man.
He was as though suffocated at first. But speedily understanding that

any denial would be in vain, Hamilcar bowed; and he brought them into
the commercial house. Some slaves who had run up at a sign kept watch

all round about it.
He entered Salammbo's room in a state of distraction. He seized

Hannibal with one hand, snatched up the cord of a trailing garment
with the other, tied his feet and hands with it, thrust the end into

his mouth to form a gag, and hid him under the bed of the ox-hides by
letting an ample drapery fall to the ground.

Afterwards he walked about from right to left, raised his arms,
wheeled round, bit his lips. Then he stood still with staring eyelids,

and panted as though he were about to die.
But he clapped his hands three times. Giddenem appeared.

"Listen!" he said, "go and take from among the slaves a male child
from eight to nine years of age, with black hair and swelling

forehead! Bring him here! make haste!"
Giddenem soon entered again, bringing forward a young boy.

He was a miserable child, at once lean and bloated; his skin looked