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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5128-0.txt b/5128-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bfb4db2 --- /dev/null +++ b/5128-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12027 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Carthaginian, by G.A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Carthaginian + A Story of The Times of Hannibal + +Author: G.A. Henty + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5128] +Posting Date: June 14, 2009 +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + +THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN + +A STORY OF THE TIMES OF HANNIBAL, + +By G. A. Henty + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS, + +When I was a boy at school, if I remember rightly, our sympathies were +generally with the Carthaginians as against the Romans. Why they were +so, except that one generally sympathizes with the unfortunate, I do +not quite know; certainly we had but a hazy idea as to the merits of +the struggle and knew but little of its events, for the Latin and Greek +authors, which serve as the ordinary textbooks in schools, do not treat +of the Punic wars. That it was a struggle for empire at first, and +latterly one for existence on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a +great and skilful general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake +Trasimenus, and Cannae, and all but took Rome, and that the Romans +behaved with bad faith and great cruelty at the capture of Carthage, +represents, I think, pretty nearly the sum total of our knowledge. + +I am sure I should have liked to know a great deal more about this +struggle for the empire of the world, and as I think that most of you +would also like to do so, I have chosen this subject for my story. +Fortunately there is no lack of authentic material from which to glean +the incidents of the struggle. Polybius visited all the passes of the +Alps some forty years after the event, and conversed with tribesmen who +had witnessed the passage of Hannibal, and there can be no doubt that +his descriptions are far more accurate than those of Livy, who wrote +somewhat later and had no personal knowledge of the affair. Numbers of +books have been written as to the identity of the passes traversed by +Hannibal. The whole of these have been discussed and summarized by +Mr. W. J. Law, and as it appears to me that his arguments are quite +conclusive I have adopted the line which he lays down as that followed +by Hannibal. + +In regard to the general history of the expedition, and of the manners, +customs, religion, and politics of Carthage, I have followed M. +Hennebert in his most exhaustive and important work on the subject. I +think that when you have read to the end you will perceive that although +our sympathies may remain with Hannibal and the Carthaginians, it was +nevertheless for the good of the world that Rome was the conqueror in +the great struggle for empire. At the time the war began Carthage was +already corrupt to the core, and although she might have enslaved many +nations she would never have civilized them. Rome gave free institutions +to the people she conquered, she subdued but she never enslaved them, +but rather strove to plant her civilization among them and to raise them +to her own level. Carthage, on the contrary, was from the first a cruel +mistress to the people she conquered. Consequently while all the peoples +of Italy rallied round Rome in the days of her distress, the tribes +subject to Carthage rose in insurrection against her as soon as the +presence of a Roman army gave them a hope of escape from their bondage. + +Had Carthage conquered Rome in the struggle she could never have +extended her power over the known world as Rome afterwards did, but +would have fallen to pieces again from the weakness of her institutions +and the corruption of her people. Thus then, although we may feel +sympathy for the failure and fate of the noble and chivalrous Hannibal +himself, we cannot regret that Rome came out conqueror in the strife, +and was left free to carry out her great work of civilization. + +Yours sincerely, + +G. A. Henty + + + +CHAPTER I: THE CAMP IN THE DESERT + + +It is afternoon, but the sun's rays still pour down with great power +upon rock and sand. How great the heat has been at midday may be seen +by the quivering of the air as it rises from the ground and blurs all +distant objects. It is seen, too, in the attitudes and appearance of a +large body of soldiers encamped in a grove. Their arms are thrown aside, +the greater portion of their clothing has been dispensed with. Some +lie stretched on the ground in slumber, their faces protected from any +chance rays which may find their way through the foliage above by little +shelters composed of their clothing hung on two bows or javelins. Some, +lately awakened, are sitting up or leaning against the trunks of the +trees, but scarce one has energy to move. + +The day has indeed been a hot one even for the southern edge of the +Libyan desert. The cream coloured oxen stand with their heads down, +lazily whisking away with their tails the flies that torment them. The +horses standing near suffer more; the lather stands on their sides, +their flanks heave, and from time to time they stretch out their +extended nostrils in the direction from which, when the sun sinks a +little lower, the breeze will begin to blow. + +The occupants of the grove are men of varied races, and, although there +is no attempt at military order, it is clear at once that they are +divided into three parties. One is composed of men more swarthy than +the others. They are lithe and active in figure, inured to hardship, +accustomed to the burning sun. Light shields hang against the trees with +bows and gaily painted quivers full of arrows, and near each man are +three or four light short javelins. They wear round caps of metal, with +a band of the skin of the lion or other wild animal, in which are stuck +feathers dyed with some bright colour. They are naked to the waist, save +for a light breastplate of brass. A cloth of bright colours is wound +round their waist and drops to the knees, and they wear belts of leather +embossed with brass plates; on their feet are sandals. They are the +light armed Numidian horse. + +Near them are a party of men lighter in hue, taller and stouter in +stature. Their garb is more irregular, their arms are bare, but they +wear a sort of shirt, open at the neck and reaching to the knees, and +confined at the waist by a leather strap, from which hangs a pouch of +the same material. Their shirts, which are of roughly made flannel, are +dyed a colour which was originally a deep purple, but which has faded, +under the heat of the sun, to lilac. They are a company of Iberian +slingers, enlisted among the tribes conquered in Spain by the +Carthaginians. By them lie the heavy swords which they use in close +quarters. + +The third body of men are more heavily armed. On the ground near the +sleepers lie helmets and massive shields. They have tightly fitting +jerkins of well-tanned leather, their arms are spears and battleaxes. +They are the heavy infantry of Carthage. Very various is their +nationality; fair skinned Greeks lie side by side with swarthy negroes +from Nubia. Sardinia, the islands of the Aegean, Crete and Egypt, Libya +and Phoenicia are all represented there. + +They are recruited alike from the lower orders of the great city and +from the tribes and people who own her sway. + +Near the large grove in which the troops are encamped is a smaller one. +A space in the centre has been cleared of trees, and in this a large +tent has been erected. Around this numerous slaves are moving to and +fro. + +A Roman cook, captured in a sea fight in which his master, a wealthy +tribune, was killed, is watching three Greeks, who are under his +superintendence, preparing a repast. Some Libyan grooms are rubbing down +the coats of four horses of the purest breed of the desert, while +two Nubians are feeding, with large flat cakes, three elephants, who, +chained by the leg to trees, stand rocking themselves from side to side. + +The exterior of the tent is made of coarse white canvas; this is thickly +lined by fold after fold of a thin material, dyed a dark blue, to keep +out the heat of the sun, while the interior is hung with silk, purple +and white. The curtains at each end are looped back with gold cord to +allow a free passage of the air. + +A carpet from the looms of Syria covers the ground, and on it are spread +four couches, on which, in a position half sitting half reclining, +repose the principal personages of the party. The elder of these is a +man some fifty years of age, of commanding figure, and features which +express energy and resolution. His body is bare to the waist, save for +a light short sleeved tunic of the finest muslin embroidered round the +neck and sleeves with gold. + +A gold belt encircles his waist, below it hangs a garment resembling the +modern kilt, but reaching halfway between the knee and the ankle. It +is dyed a rich purple, and three bands of gold embroidery run round +the lower edge. On his feet he wears sandals with broad leather lacings +covered with gold. His toga, also of purple heavily embroidered with +gold, lies on the couch beside him; from one of the poles of the tent +hang his arms, a short heavy sword, with a handle of solid gold in a +scabbard incrusted with the same metal, and a baldrick, covered with +plates of gold beautifully worked and lined with the softest leather, by +which it is suspended over his shoulder. + +Two of his companions are young men of three or four and twenty, both +fair like himself, with features of almost Greek regularity of outline. +Their dress is similar to his in fashion, but the colours are gayer. +The fourth member of the party is a lad of some fifteen years old. His +figure, which is naked to the waist, is of a pure Grecian model, the +muscles, showing up clearly beneath the skin, testify to hard exercise +and a life of activity. + +Powerful as Carthage was, the events of the last few years had shown +that a life and death struggle with her great rival in Italy was +approaching. For many years she had been a conquering nation. Her +aristocracy were soldiers as well as traders, ready at once to embark on +the most distant and adventurous voyages, to lead the troops of Carthage +on toilsome expeditions against insurgent tribes of Numidia and Libya, +or to launch their triremes to engage the fleets of Rome. + +The severe checks which they had lately suffered at the hands of the +newly formed Roman navy, and the certainty that ere long a tremendous +struggle between the two powers must take place, had redoubled the +military ardour of the nobles. Their training to arms began from their +very childhood, and the sons of the noblest houses were taught, at the +earliest age, the use of arms and the endurance of fatigue and hardship. + +Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, the leader of the expedition in the +desert, had been, from his early childhood, trained by his father in the +use of arms. When he was ten years old Hamilcar had taken him with him +on a campaign in Spain; there, by a rigourous training, he had learned +to endure cold and hardships. + +In the depth of winter his father had made him pass the nights uncovered +and almost without clothing in the cold. He had bathed in the icy water +of the torrents from the snow clad hills, and had been forced to keep +up with the rapid march of the light armed troops in pursuit of the +Iberians. He was taught to endure long abstinence from food and to bear +pain without flinching, to be cheerful under the greatest hardships, +to wear a smiling face when even veteran soldiers were worn out and +disheartened. + +“It is incumbent upon us, the rulers and aristocracy of this great +city, my son, to show ourselves superior to the common herd. They must +recognize that we are not only richer and of better blood, but that we +are stronger, wiser, and more courageous than they. So, only, can we +expect them to obey us, and to make the sacrifices which war entails +upon them. It is not enough that we are of pure Phoenician blood, that +we come of the most enterprising race the world has ever seen, while +they are but a mixed breed of many people who have either submitted to +our rule or have been enslaved by us. + +“This was well enough in the early days of the colony when it was +Phoenician arms alone that won our battles and subdued our rivals. In +our days we are few and the populace are many. Our armies are composed +not of Phoenicians, but of the races conquered by us. Libya and Numidia, +Sicily, Sardinia, and Spain, all in turn conquered by us, now furnish us +with troops. + +“Carthage is a mighty city, but it is no longer a city of Phoenicians. +We form but a small proportion of the population. It is true that all +power rests in our hands, that from our ranks the senate is chosen, the +army officered, and the laws administered, but the expenses of the state +are vast. The conquered people fret under the heavy tributes which they +have to pay, and the vile populace murmur at the taxes. + +“In Italy, Rome looms greater and more powerful year by year. Her people +are hardy and trained to arms, and some day the struggle between us +and her will have to be fought out to the death. Therefore, my son, +it behooves us to use every effort to make ourselves worthy of our +position. Set before yourself the example of your cousin Hannibal, +who, young as he is, is already viewed as the greatest man in Carthage. +Grudge no hardship or suffering to harden your frame and strengthen your +arms. + +“Some day you too may lead armies in the field, and, believe me, they +will follow you all the better and more cheerfully if they know that in +strength and endurance, as well as in position, their commander is the +foremost man in his army.” + +Malchus had been an apt pupil, and had done justice to the pains which +his father had bestowed upon him and to the training he had undergone. +He could wield the arms of a man, could swim the coldest river, endure +hardship and want of food, traverse long distances at the top of his +speed, could throw a javelin with unerring aim, and send an arrow to the +mark as truly as the best of the Libyan archers. + +“The sun is going down fast, father,” the lad said, “the shadows are +lengthening and the heat is declining.” + +“We have only your word for the decline of the heat, Malchus,” one of +the younger men laughed; “I feel hotter than ever. This is the fifteenth +time that you have been to the door of the tent during the last half +hour. Your restlessness is enough to give one the fever.” + +“I believe that you are just as eager as I am, Adherbal,” the boy +replied laughing. “It's your first lion hunt as well as mine, and I am +sure you are longing to see whether the assault of the king of beasts is +more trying to the nerves than that of the Iberian tribesmen.” + +“I am looking forward to it, Malchus, certainly,” the young man replied; +“but as I know the lions will not quit their coverts until after +nightfall, and as no efforts on my part will hasten the approach of that +hour, I am well content to lie quiet and to keep myself as cool as may +be.” + +“Your cousin is right,” the general said, “and impatience is a fault, +Malchus. We must make allowances for your impatience on the present +occasion, for the lion is a foe not to be despised, and he is truly +as formidable an antagonist when brought to bay as the Iberians on the +banks of the Ebro--far more so than the revolted tribesmen we have been +hunting for the past three weeks.” + +“Giscon says nothing,” Adherbal remarked; “he has a soul above even +the hunting of lions. I warrant that during the five hours we have been +reclining here his thoughts have never once turned towards the hunt we +are going to have tonight.” + +“That is true enough,” Giscon said, speaking for the first time. “I +own that my thoughts have been of Carthage, and of the troubles that +threaten her owing to the corruption and misgovernment which are sapping +her strength.” + +“It were best not to think too much on the subject, Giscon,” the general +said; “still better not to speak of it. You know that I lament, as you +do, the misgovernment of Carthage, and mourn for the disasters which +have been brought upon her by it. But the subject is a dangerous one; +the council have spies everywhere, and to be denounced as one hostile to +the established state of things is to be lost.” + +“I know the danger,” the young man said passionately. “I know that +hitherto all who have ventured to raise their voices against the +authority of these tyrants have died by torture--that murmuring has been +stamped out in blood. Yet were the danger ten times as great,” and the +speaker had risen now from his couch and was walking up and down the +tent, “I could not keep silent. What have our tyrants brought us to? +Their extravagance, their corruption, have wasted the public funds and +have paralyzed our arms. Sicily and Sardinia have been lost; our allies +in Africa have been goaded by their exactions again and again into +rebellion, and Carthage has more than once lately been obliged to fight +hard for her very existence. The lower classes in the city are utterly +disaffected; their earnings are wrung from them by the tax gatherers. +Justice is denied them by the judges, who are the mere creatures of the +committee of five. The suffetes are mere puppets in their hands. Our +vessels lie unmanned in our harbours, because the funds which should pay +the sailors are appropriated by our tyrants to their own purposes. How +can a Carthaginian who loves his country remain silent?” + +“All you say is true, Giscon,” the general said gravely, “though I +should be pressed to death were it whispered in Carthage that I said so; +but at present we can do nothing. Had the great Hamilcar Barca lived I +believe that he would have set himself to work to clear out this Augean +stable, a task greater than that accomplished by our great hero, the +demigod Hercules; but no less a hand can accomplish it. You know how +every attempt at revolt has failed; how terrible a vengeance fell on +Matho and the mercenaries; how the down trodden tribes have again and +again, when victory seemed in their hands, been crushed into the dust. + +“No, Giscon, we must suffer the terrible ills which you speak of until +some hero arises--some hero whose victories will bind not only the army +to him, but will cause all the common people of Carthage--all her allies +and tributaries--to look upon him as their leader and deliverer. + +“I have hopes, great hopes, that such a hero may be found in my nephew, +Hannibal, who seems to possess all the genius, the wisdom, and the +talent of his father. Should the dream which he cherished, and of which +I was but now speaking to you, that of leading a Carthaginian army +across the Ebro, over the Apennines, through the plains of lower Gaul, +and over the Alps into Italy, there to give battle to the cohorts of +Rome on their own ground,--should this dream be verified I say, should +success attend him, and Rome be humbled to the dust, then Hannibal would +be in a position to become the dictator of Carthage, to overthrow the +corrupt council, to destroy this tyranny--misnamed a republic--and to +establish a monarchy, of which he should be the first sovereign, and +under which Carthage, again the queen of the world, should be worthy +of herself and her people. And now let us speak of it no more. The very +walls have ears, and I doubt not but even among my attendants there are +men who are spies in the pay of the council. I see and lament as much +as any man the ruin of my country; but, until I see a fair hope of +deliverance, I am content to do the best I can against her enemies, to +fight her battles as a simple soldier.” + +There was silence in the tent. Malchus had thrown himself down on his +couch, and for a time forgot even the approaching lion hunt in the +conversation to which he had listened. + +The government of Carthage was indeed detestable, and was the chief +cause both of the misfortunes which had befallen her in the past, and +of the disasters which were in the future to be hers. The scheme of +government was not in itself bad, and in earlier and simpler times had +acted well. Originally it had consisted of three estates, which answered +to the king, lords, and commons. At the head of affairs were two +suffetes chosen for life. Below them was the senate, a very numerous +body, comprising all the aristocracy of Carthage. Below this was the +democracy, the great mass of the people, whose vote was necessary to +ratify any law passed by the senate. + +In time, however, all authority passed from the suffetes, the general +body of the senate and the democracy, into the hands of a committee of +the senate, one hundred in number, who were called the council, the real +power being invested in the hands of an inner council, consisting of +from twenty to thirty of the members. The deliberations of this body +were secret, their power absolute. They were masters of the life and +property of every man in Carthage, as afterwards were the council of ten +in the republic of Venice. For a man to be denounced by his secret +enemy to them as being hostile to their authority was to ensure his +destruction and the confiscation of his property. + +The council of a hundred was divided into twenty subcommittees, each +containing five members. Each of these committees was charged with the +control of a department--the army, the navy, the finances, the roads +and communications, agriculture, religion, and the relations with the +various subject tribes, the more important departments being entirely in +the hands of the members of the inner council of thirty. + +The judges were a hundred in number. These were appointed by the +council, and were ever ready to carry out their behest, consequently +justice in Carthage was a mockery. Interest and intrigue were paramount +in the law courts, as in every department of state. Every prominent +citizen, every successful general, every man who seemed likely, by his +ability or his wealth, to become a popular personage with the masses, +fell under the ban of the council, and sooner or later was certain to be +disgraced. The resources of the state were devoted not to the needs of +the country but to aggrandizement and enriching of the members of the +committee. + +Heavy as were the imposts which were laid upon the tributary peoples of +Africa for the purposes of the state, enormous burdens were added by the +tax gatherers to satisfy the cupidity of their patrons in the council. +Under such circumstances it was not to be wondered at that Carthage, +decaying, corrupt, ill governed, had suffered terrible reverses at the +hands of her young and energetic rival Rome, who was herself some day, +when she attained the apex of her power, to suffer from abuses no +less flagrant and general than those which had sapped the strength of +Carthage. + +With the impetuosity of youth Malchus naturally inclined rather to the +aspirations of his kinsman Giscon than to the more sober counsels of his +father. He had burned with shame and anger as he heard the tale of the +disasters which had befallen his country, because she had made money +her god, had suffered her army and her navy to be regarded as secondary +objects, and had permitted the command of the sea to be wrested from her +by her wiser and more far seeing rival. + +As evening closed in the stir in the neighbouring camp aroused Malchus +from his thoughts, and the anticipation of the lion hunt, in which he +was about to take part, again became foremost. + +The camp was situated twenty days' march from Carthage at the foot of +some hills in which lions and other beasts of prey were known to abound, +and there was no doubt that they would be found that evening. + +The expedition had been despatched under the command of Hamilcar to +chastise a small tribe which had attacked and plundered some of +the Carthaginian caravans on their way to Ethiopia, then a rich and +prosperous country, wherein were many flourishing colonies, which had +been sent out by Carthage. + +The object of the expedition had been but partly successful. The lightly +clad tribesmen had taken refuge far among the hills, and, although by +dint of long and fatiguing marches several parties had been surprised +and slain, the main body had evaded all the efforts of the Carthaginian +general. + +The expedition had arrived at its present camping place on the previous +evening. During the night the deep roaring of lions had been heard +continuously among the hills, and so bold and numerous were they that +they had come down in such proximity to the camp that the troops had +been obliged to rise and light great fires to scare them from making an +attack upon the horses. + +The general had therefore consented, upon the entreaties of his nephew +Adherbal, and his son, to organize a hunt upon the following night. As +soon as the sun set the troops, who had already received their orders, +fell into their ranks. The full moon rose as soon as the sun dipped +below the horizon, and her light was ample for the object they had in +view. + +The Numidian horse were to take their station on the plain; the infantry +in two columns, a mile apart, were to enter the mountains, and having +marched some distance, leaving detachments behind them, they were to +move along the crest of the hills until they met; then, forming a great +semicircle, they were to light torches, which they had prepared during +the day, and to advance towards the plain shouting and dashing their +arms, so as to drive all the wild animals inclosed in the arc down into +the plain. + +The general with the two young officers and his son, and a party of +fifty spearmen, were to be divided between the two groves in which the +camps were pitched, which were opposite the centre of the space facing +the line inclosed by the beaters. Behind the groves the Numidian horse +were stationed, to give chase to such animals as might try to make their +escape across the open plain. The general inspected the two bodies +of infantry before they started, and repeated his instructions to the +officers who commanded them, and enjoined them to march as noiselessly +as possible until the semicircle was completed and the beat began in +earnest. + +The troops were to be divided into groups of eight, in order to be able +to repel the attacks of any beasts which might try to break through the +line. When the two columns had marched away right and left towards the +hills, the attendants of the elephants and baggage animals were ordered +to remove them into the centre of the groves. The footmen who remained +were divided into two parties of equal strength. The general with +Malchus remained in the grove in which his tent was fixed with one of +these parties, while Adherbal and Giscon with the others took up their +station in the larger grove. + +“Do you think the lions are sure to make for these groves?” Malchus +asked his father as, with a bundle of javelins lying by his side, his +bow in his hand, and a quiver of arrows hung from his belt in readiness, +he took his place at the edge of the trees. + +“There can be no certainty of it, Malchus; but it seems likely that the +lions, when driven out of their refuges among the hills, will make +for these groves, which will seem to offer them a shelter from their +pursuers. The fires here will have informed them of our presence last +night; but as all is still and dark now they may suppose that the groves +are deserted. In any case our horses are in readiness among the trees +close at hand, and if the lions take to the plains we must mount and +join the Numidians in the chase.” + +“I would rather meet them here on foot, father.” + +“Yes, there is more excitement, because there is more danger in it, +Malchus; but I can tell you the attack of a wounded lion is no joke, +even for a party of twenty-five well armed men. Their force and fury are +prodigious, and they will throw themselves fearlessly upon a clump of +spears in order to reach their enemies. One blow from their paws is +certain death. Be careful, therefore, Malchus. Stir not from my side, +and remember that there is a vast difference between rashness and +bravery.” + + + +CHAPTER II: A NIGHT ATTACK + + +The time seemed to Malchus to pass slowly indeed as he sat waiting the +commencement of the hunt. Deep roars, sounding like distant thunder, +were heard from time to time among the hills. Once or twice Malchus +fancied that he could hear other sounds such as would be made by a heavy +stone dislodged from its site leaping down the mountain side; but he was +not sure that this was not fancy, or that the sound might not be caused +by the roaring of lions far away among the hills. + +His father had said that three hours would probably elapse before the +circuit would be completed. The distance was not great, but the troops +would have to make their way with the greatest care along the rocky +hills through brushwood and forest, and their advance would be all the +more slow that they had to take such pains to move noiselessly. + +It was indeed more than three hours after the column had left the camp +when the sound of a distant horn was heard far up the hillside. Almost +instantaneously lights burst out in a great semicircle along the +hillside, and a faint confused sound, as of the shouting of a large body +of men, was heard on the still night air. + +“That is very well done,” the general said in a tone of satisfaction. “I +had hardly expected it to be so well managed; for the operation on such +broken and difficult ground was not easy to carry out, even with the +moon to help them.” + +“But see, father!” Malchus said, “there are many patches of darkness in +the line, and the lions might surely escape through these.” + +“It would not be possible, Malchus, to place the parties at equal +distances over such broken ground. Nor are the lions likely to discover +the gaps in the line; they will be far too much terrified by the uproar +and sudden blaze of light to approach the troops. Hark, how they are +roaring! Truly it is a majestic and terrible sound, and I do not +wonder that the wild natives of these mountains regard the animals with +something of the respect which we pay to the gods. And now do you keep +a sharp eye along the foot of the hills. There is no saying how soon the +beasts may break cover.” + +Slowly the semicircle of light was seen to contract as the soldiers +who formed it moved forward towards the foot of the hill; but although +Malchus kept his eyes strained upon the fringe of trees at its foot, he +could see no signs of movement. + +The roaring still continued at intervals, and it was evident that the +beasts inclosed in the arc had descended to the lower slopes of the +hill. + +“They may be upon us sooner than you expect, Malchus. Their colour well +nigh matches with that of the sand, and you may not see them until they +are close upon us.” + +Presently a Numidian soldier standing behind Malchus touched him on the +shoulder and said in a whisper: “There they are!” pointing at the same +time across the plain. + +Malchus could for a time see nothing; then he made out some indistinct +forms. + +“There are six of them,” the general said, “and they are making for this +grove. Get your bows ready.” + +Malchus could now clearly see the lions approaching. They were advancing +slowly, turning occasionally to look back as if reluctant to quit +the shelter of the hills; and Malchus could hardly resist a start of +uneasiness as one of them suddenly gave vent to a deep, threatening +roar, so menacing and terrible that the very leaves of the trees seemed +to quiver in the light of the moon under its vibrations. The lions +seemed of huge dimensions, especially the leader of the troop, who +stalked with a steady and majestic step at their head. When within fifty +yards of the grove the lions suddenly paused; their leader apparently +scented danger. Again the deep terrible roar rose in the air, answered +by an angry snarling noise on the part of the females. + +“Aim at the leader,” the general whispered, “and have your brands in +readiness.” + +Immediately behind the party a fire was burning; it had been suffered +to die down until it was a mere pile of glowing embers, and in this the +ends of a dozen stakes of dried wood were laid. The glow of the fire was +carefully hidden by a circle of sticks on which thick cloths had been +hung. The fire had been prepared in readiness in case the lions should +appear in numbers too formidable to be coped with. The leading lion was +within twenty-five paces of the spot where the party was standing when +Hamilcar gave the word, and a volley of arrows shot forth from their +hiding place. + +The lion gave a roar of rage and pain, then, crouching for a moment, +with a few tremendous bounds he reached the edge of the wood. He could +see his enemies now, and with a fierce spring threw himself upon them. +But as soon as they had discharged their arrows the soldiers had caught +up their weapons and formed in a close body, and the lion was received +upon the points of a dozen spears. + +There was a crashing of wood and a snarling growl as one of the soldiers +was struck dead with a blow of the mighty paw of the lion, who, ere he +could recover himself, received half a dozen javelins thrust deep into +his flanks, and fell dead. + +The rest of the troop had followed him as he sprang forward, but some of +the soldiers, who had been told off for the purpose, seized the lighted +brands and threw them over the head of the leader among his followers. +As the glowing brands, after describing fiery circles in the air, fell +and scattered at their feet, the lions paused, and turning abruptly off +dashed away with long bounds across the front of the grove. + +“Now, Malchus, to horse!” Hamilcar exclaimed. And the general and his +son, leaping upon their steeds, dashed out from the grove in pursuit of +the troop of lions. These, passing between the two clumps of trees, were +making for the plain beyond, when from behind the other grove a dark +band of horsemen rode out. + +“Let them pass,” Hamilcar shouted; “do not head them back.” + +The cavalry reined up until the troop of lions had passed. Hamilcar rode +up to the officer in command. + +“Bring twenty of your men,” he said; “let the rest remain here. There +will doubtless be more of them yet.” + +Then with the twenty horsemen he rode on in pursuit of the lions. + +The chase was an exciting one. For a time the lions, with their long +bounds, kept ahead of the horsemen; but the latter, splendidly mounted +on their well bred steeds, soon began to gain. When they were within +a hundred yards of them one of the lions suddenly faced round. The +Numidians, well accustomed to the sport, needed no orders from their +chief. They scattered at once and broke off on each flank so as to +encircle the lion, who had taken his post on a hummock of sand and lay +couched on his haunches, with his tail lashing his sides angrily, like a +great cat about to make his spring. + +The horsemen circled round him, dashing up to within five-and-twenty +yards, discharging their arrows, and then wheeling away. Each time the +lion was struck he uttered a sharp, angry growl, and made a spring in +the direction of the horsemen, and then fell back to his post. + +One of the soldiers, thinking that the lion was now nearly crippled, +ventured to ride somewhat closer; he discharged his arrow, but before he +could wheel his horse the lion with two tremendous springs was upon him. + +A single blow of his paw brought the horse to the ground. Then the lion +seized the soldier by the shoulder, shook him as a cat would a mouse, +and throwing him on the sand lay with his paw across him. At this moment +Malchus galloped past at full speed, his bow drawn to the arrow head and +fixed. The arrow struck the lion just behind its shoulder. The fierce +beast, which was in the act of rising, sank down quietly again; its +majestic head drooped between its forepaws on to the body of the Numidian, +and there it lay as if overtaken with a sudden sleep. Two more arrows +were fired into it, but there was no movement. + +“The brave beast is dead,” Malchus said. “Here is the arrow with which I +slew it.” + +“It was well done, Malchus, and the hide is yours. Let us set off after +the others.” + +But the stand which the lion had made had been sufficiently long to +enable the rest of the troop to escape. Leaving two or three of their +comrades to remove the body of the soldier, the horsemen scattered in +various directions; but although they rode far over the plain, they +could see no signs of the troop they had pursued. + +After a time they gave up the pursuit and rode back towards the camp. +When they reached it they found that another troop of lions, eight in +number, had approached the other grove, where two had been killed by the +party commanded by Adherbal and Giscon, and the rest of the cavalry were +still in pursuit of the others. They presently returned, bringing in +four more skins; so that eight lions in all had fallen in the night's +work. + +“Well, Malchus, what do you think of lion hunting?” Adherbal asked as +they gathered again in the general's tent. + +“They are terrible beasts,” Malchus said. “I had not thought that any +beast could make so tremendous a roar. Of course I have heard those +in captivity in Carthage, but it did not seem nearly so terrible as it +sounded here in the stillness of the desert.” + +“I own that it made my blood run cold,” Adherbal said; “and their charge +is tremendous--they broke through the hedge of spears as if they had +been reeds. Three of our men were killed.” + +“Yes,” Malchus agreed; “it seemed almost like a dream for a minute when +the great beast was among us. I felt very glad when he rolled over on to +his side.” + +“It is a dangerous way of hunting,” Hamilcar said. “The chase on +horseback in the plains has its dangers, as we saw when that Numidian +was killed; but with proper care and skill it is a grand sport. But this +work on foot is too dangerous, and has cost the republic the loss of +five soldiers. Had I had nets with me I would have adopted the usual +plan of stretching one across the trees ten paces in front of us. This +breaks the lion's spring, he becomes entangled in its meshes, and can be +destroyed with but little danger. But no skill or address avails against +the charge of a wounded lion. But you are wounded, Giscon.” + +“It is a mere nothing,” Giscon said. + +“Nay,” Hamilcar replied, “it is an ugly scratch, Giscon; he has laid +open your arm from the shoulder to the elbow as if it were by the cut of +a knife.” + +“It served me right for being too rash,” Giscon said. “I thought he +was nearly dead, and approached with my sword to give him a finishing +thrust. When he struck viciously at me I sprang back, but one of his +claws caught my shoulder. A few inches nearer and he would have stripped +the flesh from my arm, and perhaps broken the limb and shoulder bone.” + +While he was speaking a slave was washing the wound, which he then +carefully bandaged up. A few minutes later the whole party lay down to +sleep. Malchus found it difficult to close his eyes. His pulse was still +throbbing with excitement, and his mind was busy with the brief but +stirring scene of the conflict. + +Two or three hours passed, and he felt drowsiness creeping over him, +when he heard a sudden challenge, followed instantly by a loud and +piercing yell from hundreds of throats. He sprang in an instant to his +feet, as did the other occupants of the tent. + +“To arms!” Hamilcar cried; “the enemy are upon us.” + +Malchus caught up his shield and sword, threw his helmet on his head, +and rushed out of the tent with his father. + +A tremendous din had succeeded the silence which had just before reigned +in the desert, and the yells of the barbarians rose high in the air, +answered by shouts and loud words of command from the soldiers in the +other grove. The elephants in their excitement were trumpeting loudly; +the horses stamped the ground; the draught cattle, terrified by the din, +strove to break away. + +Large numbers of dark figures occupied the space some two hundred yards +wide between the groves. The general's guards, twenty in number, +had already sprung to their feet and stood to arms; the slaves and +attendants, panic stricken at the sudden attack, were giving vent to +screams and cries and were running about in confusion. + +Hamilcar sternly ordered silence. + +“Let each man,” he said, “take a weapon of some kind and stand steady. +We are cut off from the main body and shall have to fight for our lives. +Do you,” he said to the soldiers, “lay aside your spears and shoot +quickly among them. Fire fast. The great object is to conceal from them +the smallness of our number.” + +Moving round the little grove Hamilcar posted the slaves at short +distances apart, to give warning should the enemy be attempting an +attack upon the other sides, and then returned to the side facing the +other grove, where the soldiers were keeping up a steady fire at the +enemy. + +The latter were at present concentrating their attention upon their +attack upon the main body. Their scouts on the hills during the previous +day had no doubt ascertained that the Carthaginian force was encamped +here, and the occupants of the smaller grove would fall easy victims +after they had dealt with the main body. The fight was raging furiously +here. The natives had crept up close before they were discovered by the +sentries, and with a fierce rush they had fallen upon the troops before +they had time to seize their arms and gather in order. + +The fight raged hand to hand, bows twanged and arrows flew, the light +javelins were hurled at close quarters with deadly effect, the shrill +cries of the Numidians mingled with the deeper shouts of the Iberians +and the yells of the natives. Hamilcar stood for a minute irresolute. + +“They are neglecting us,” he said to Adherbal, “until they have finished +with the main body; we must go to their assistance. At present our men +are fighting without order or regularity. Unless their leaders are with +them they are lost, our presence will encourage and reanimate them. +Bring up the elephants quickly.” + +The three elephants were at once brought forward, their drivers mounted +on their necks. Four soldiers with their bows and arrows took their +places on the back of each, the general with the rest of the fighting +men followed closely behind. + +At the orders of their drivers the well trained animals broke into a +trot, and the party advanced from the shadow of the grove. The natives +scattered between it and the wood fired a volley of arrows and then +broke as the elephants charged down upon them. Trained to warfare +the elephants dashed among them, catching some up in their trunks and +dashing them lifeless to the ground, knocking down and trampling upon +others, scattering terror wherever they went, while the archers on their +backs kept up a deadly fire. As soon as the way was open Hamilcar led +the little party on foot at full speed towards the wood. + +As he entered it he ordered his trumpeter to blow his horn. The well +known signal revived the hopes and courage of the sorely pressed troops, +who, surprised and discouraged, had been losing ground, great numbers +falling before the arrows and javelins of their swarming and active +foes. The natives, surprised at the trumpet sound in the rear, paused +a moment, and before they could turn round to face their unexpected +adversaries, Hamilcar with his little band burst his way through them +and joined his soldiers, who, gathered now in a close body in the centre +of the grove, received their leader with a shout of welcome. + +Hamilcar's measures were promptly taken. He saw that if stationary his +band must melt away under the shower of missiles which was being poured +upon them. He gave the command and the troops rapidly formed into three +groups, the men of each corps gathering together. Adherbal, who was in +command of the Numidians, placed himself at their head, Giscon led the +Iberians, and Hamilcar headed the heavily armed troops, Malchus taking +his place at his side. Hamilcar had already given his orders to the +young officers. No response was to be made to the fire of the arrows and +javelins, but with spear, sword, and battleaxe the troops were to fall +upon the natives. + +“Charge!” he shouted in a voice that was heard above the yells of the +barbarians. “Clear the wood of these lurking enemies, they dare not face +you. Sweep them before your path.” + +With an answering shout the three bodies of men sprang forward, each in +a different direction. In vain the natives poured in volleys of arrows +and javelins; many fell, more were wounded, but all who could keep their +feet rushed forward with fury upon their assailants. + +The charge was irresistible. The natives, fighting each for himself, +were unable for a moment to withstand the torrent, and, vastly superior +in numbers as they were, were driven headlong before it. When they +reached the edge of the wood each of the bodies broke into two. The +Numidians had directed their course towards their horses, which a party +of their own men were still defending desperately against the attacks of +a large body of natives. Through these they cut their way, and springing +upon their steeds dashed out into the plain, and sweeping round the +grove fell upon the natives there, and cut down the parties of men who +emerged in confusion from its shelter, unable to withstand the assaults +of Hamilcar and his infantry within. + +The heavy infantry and the Iberians, when they gained the edge of the +wood, had swept to the right and left, cleared the edge of the grove of +their enemies until they met, then joining they again plunged into the +centre. Thus they traversed the wood in every direction until they had +completely cleared it of foes. + +When the work was done the breathless and exhausted troops gathered +outside, in the light of the moon. More than half their number had +fallen; scarce one but was bleeding from wounds of arrow or javelin. The +plain beyond was thickly dotted to the foot of the hills with the bodies +of the natives who had been cut up by the Numidian horse or trampled +by the elephants, while the grove within was thickly strewn with their +bodies. + +As there was no fear of a renewal of the attack, Hamilcar ordered the +men to fall out of ranks, and the hours until daybreak were passed in +extracting arrows and binding up wounds, and in assisting their comrades +who were found to be still living in the grove. Any natives still +breathing were instantly slain. + +Hamilcar found that a party of the enemy had made their way into his own +camp. His tent had been hastily plundered, but most of the effects were +found in the morning scattered over the ground between the groves and +the hills, having been thrown away in their flight by the natives +when the horsemen burst out of the wood in pursuit. Of the slaves and +attendants several had been killed, but the greater portion had, when +Hamilcar left the grove with the troops, climbed up into trees, and +remained there concealed until the rout of the assailants. + +It was found in the morning that over one hundred and fifty of the three +hundred Carthaginian troops had fallen, and that four hundred of the +natives had been slain either in the grove or in the pursuit by cavalry. + +The following day two envoys arrived from the hostile tribe offering the +submission of their chief. + +As pursuit in the hills would be useless Hamilcar offered them +comparatively easy terms. A heavy fine in horses and cattle was to be +paid to the republic, and ten of the principal members of the tribe were +to be delivered up as hostages for their future good behaviour. The +next day the hostages were brought into the camp with a portion of the +ransom; and Hamilcar, having thus accomplished the mission he had been +charged to perform, marched away with his troops to Carthage. + +As they approached the coast the whole character of the scenery changed. +The desert had been left behind them, and they entered a fertile tract +of country which had been literally turned into a garden by the skill +and industry of the Carthaginian cultivators, at that time celebrated +throughout the world for their knowledge of the science of agriculture. +The rougher and more sterile ground was covered with groves of olive +trees, while rich vineyards and orchards of fig and other fruit trees +occupied the better soil. Wherever it was possible little canals leading +water from reservoirs and dammed up streams crossed the plains, and +every foot of the irrigated ground was covered with a luxuriant crop. + +The villages were scattered thickly, and when the troops arrived within +a day's march of Carthage they came upon the country villas and mansions +of the wealthy inhabitants. These in the richness of their architecture, +the perfection and order of their gardens, and the beauty and taste of +the orchards and grounds which surrounded them, testified alike to the +wealth and taste of their occupants. + +Fountains threw their water into the air, numerous waterfalls splashed +with a cool, soothing sound over artificial rocks. Statues wrought +by Greek sculptors stood on the terraces, shady walks offered a cool +retreat during the heat of the day, the vine, the pomegranate, and the +fig afforded refreshment to the palate as well as pleasure to the eye. +Palm trees with their graceful foliage waved gently in the passing +breezes. All the countries with which the Carthaginians traded had +supplied their contingent of vegetation to add to the beauty and +production of these gardens, which were the admiration and envy of the +civilized world. + +Crossing the brow of a low range of hills the detachment came in sight +of Carthage. The general and his three companions, who were riding +in the rear of the column, drew in their horses and sat for a while +surveying the scene. It was one which, familiar as it might be, it was +impossible to survey without the deepest feeling of admiration. + +In the centre stood the great rock of Byrsa, a flat topped eminence +with almost perpendicular sides rising about two hundred feet above the +surrounding plain. This plateau formed the seat of the ancient Carthage, +the Phoenician colony which Dido had founded. It was now the acropolis +of Carthage. Here stood the temples of the chief deities of the town; +here were immense magazines and storehouses capable of containing +provisions for a prolonged siege for the fifty thousand men whom the +place could contain. The craggy sides of the rock were visible but in +few places. Massive fortifications rising from its foot to its summit +defended every point where the rock was not absolutely perpendicular. +These walls were of enormous thickness, and in casemates or recesses in +their thickness were the stables for the elephants, horses, and cattle +of the garrison. + +Round the upper edge of the rock extended another massive wall, above +which in picturesque outline rose the temple and other public edifices. +At the foot of this natural citadel stretched the lower town, with its +crowded population, its dense mass of houses, its temples and forum. +The style of architecture was peculiar to the city. The Carthaginians +abhorred straight lines, and all their buildings presented curves. The +rooms were for the most part circular, semicircular, or oval, and all +exterior as well as interior angles were rounded off. The material used +in their construction was an artificial stone composed of pieces of +rock cemented together with fine sand and lime, and as hard as natural +conglomerate. The houses were surmounted by domes or cupolas. Their +towers were always round, and throughout the city scarce an angle +offended the eye of the populace. + +Extending into the bay lay the isthmus, known as the Tana, some three +miles in length, communicating with the mainland by a tongue of land a +hundred yards wide. + +This was the maritime quarter of Carthage; here were the extensive docks +in which the vessels which bore the commerce of the city to and from the +uttermost parts of the known world loaded and unloaded. Here were the +state dockyards where the great ships of war, which had so long made +Carthage the mistress of the sea, were constructed and fitted out. The +whole line of the coast was deeply indented with bays, where rode at +anchor the ships of the mercantile navy. Broad inland lakes dotted +the plain; while to the north of Byrsa, stretching down to the sea and +extending as far as Cape Quamart, lay Megara, the aristocratic suburb of +Carthage. + +Here, standing in gardens and parks, were the mansions of the wealthy +merchants and traders, the suburb presenting to the eye a mass of green +foliage dotted thickly with white houses. Megara was divided from the +lower town by a strong and lofty wall, but lay within the outer wall +which inclosed Byrsa and the whole of Carthage and stretched from sea to +sea. + +The circumference of the inclosed space was fully twenty miles; the +population contained within it amounted to over eight hundred +thousand. On the north side near the sea, within the line of the outer +fortifications, rose a low hill, and here on the face which sloped +gently down to the sea was the great necropolis--the cemetery of +Carthage, shaded by broad spreading trees, dotted with the gorgeous +mausoleums of the wealthy and the innumerable tombs of the poorer +families, and undermined by thousands of great sepulchral chambers, +which still remain to testify to the vastness of the necropolis of +Carthage, and to the pains which her people bestowed upon the burying +places of their dead. + +Beyond all, from the point at which the travellers viewed it, stretched +the deep blue background of the Mediterranean, its line broken only in +the foreground by the lofty citadel of Byrsa, and far out at sea by the +faint outline of the Isle of Zinbre. + +For some minutes the party sat immovable on their horses, then Hamilcar +broke the silence: + +“'Tis a glorious view,” he said; “the world does not contain a site +better fitted for the seat of a mighty city. Nature seems to have marked +it out. With the great rock fortress, the splendid bays and harbours, +the facilities for commerce, the fertile country stretching away on +either hand; give her but a government strong, capable, and honest, a +people patriotic, brave, and devoted, and Carthage would long remain the +mistress of the world.” + +“Surely she may yet remain so,” Adherbal exclaimed. + +“I fear not,” Hamilcar said gravely, shaking his head. “It seems to be +the fate of all nations, that as they grow in wealth so they lose their +manly virtues. With wealth comes corruption, indolence, a reluctance +to make sacrifices, and a weakening of the feeling of patriotism. Power +falls into the hands of the ignorant many. Instead of the destinies of +the country being swayed by the wisest and best, a fickle multitude, +swayed by interested demagogues, assumes the direction of affairs, and +the result is inevitable--wasted powers, gross mismanagement, final +ruin.” + +So saying Hamilcar set his horse in motion and, followed silently by +his companions, rode with a gloomy countenance after his little columns +towards the capital. + + + +CHAPTER III: CARTHAGE + + +Carthage was at that time divided between two factions, the one led by +the relatives and friends of the great Hamilcar Barca and known as the +Barcine party. The other was led by Hanno, surnamed the Rich. This man +had been the rival of Hamilcar, and the victories and successes of the +latter had been neutralized by the losses and defeats entailed upon +the republic by the incapacity of the former. Hanno, however, had the +support of the greater part of the senate, of the judges, and of the +lower class, which he attached to himself by a lavish distribution of +his vast wealth, or by the common tie of wholesale corruption. + +The Barcine party were very inferior in numbers, but they comprised +among them the energy, the military genius, and the patriotism of the +community. They advocated sweeping reforms, the purification of the +public service, the suppression of the corruption which was rampant in +every department, the fair administration of justice, the suppression of +the tyranny of the committee, the vigourous prosecution of the struggle +with Rome. They would have attached to Carthage the but half subdued +nations round her who now groaned under her yoke, ground down to the +dust by the enormous tribute necessitated by the extravagance of the +administration of the state, the corruption and wholesale peculation of +its officials. + +Hamilcar Barca had been the founder of the party; in his absence at the +seat of war it had been led at Carthage by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, +whose fiery energy and stirring eloquence had rendered him a popular +idol in Carthage. But even the genius of Hamilcar and the eloquence of +Hasdrubal would not have sufficed to enable the Barcine party to make +head against the enormous power of the council and the judges, backed by +the wealth of Hanno and his associates, had it not been for the military +successes which flattered the patriotic feelings of the populace. + +The loss of Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily had been atoned for by the +conquest of the greater portion of Spain by Hamilcar, and that general +might eventually have carried out his plans for the purification of the +government of Carthage had he not fallen in a battle with the Iberians. +This loss was a terrible blow to the Barcine faction, but the deep +feeling of regret among the population at the death of their great +general enabled them to carry the election of Hasdrubal to be one of the +suffetes in his place, and to obtain for him the command of the army in +Spain. + +There was the less difficulty in the latter appointment, since Hanno's +party were well content that the popular leader should be far removed +from the capital. Hasdrubal proved himself a worthy successor of his +father-in-law. He carried out the policy inaugurated by the latter, +won many brilliant victories over the Iberians, fortified and firmly +established Carthagena as a port and city which seemed destined to rival +the greatness of its mother city, and Carthage saw with delight a great +western settlement growing in power which promised to counterbalance the +influence of the ever spreading territory of her great rival in Italy. + +After seeing his detachment safely lodged in the barracks Hamilcar and +his companions rode along the streets to the Barcine Syssite, or club, +one of the grandest buildings in Carthage. Throwing the reins of their +horses to some slaves who stood in readiness at the foot of the steps, +they entered the building. As they rode through the streets they had +noticed that the population appeared singularly quiet and dejected, +and the agitation which reigned in the club showed them that something +unusual had happened. Groups of men were standing talking excitedly +in the great hall. Others with dejected mien were pacing the marble +pavement. As Hamilcar entered, several persons hurried up to him. + +“Welcome back again!” they exclaimed; “your presence is most opportune +at this sad moment.” + +“What has happened?” Hamilcar asked; “I have but this moment arrived, +and rode straight here to hear the news of what has taken place in my +absence.” + +“What! have you not heard?” they exclaimed; “for the last four days +nothing else has been talked of, nothing else thought of--Hasdrubal has +been assassinated!” + +Hamilcar recoiled a step as if struck. + +“Ye gods!” he exclaimed, “can this be so? Hasdrubal the handsome, as +he was well called, the true patriot, the great general, the eloquent +orator, the soul of generosity and patriotism, our leader and hope, +dead! Surely it cannot be.” + +“It is too true, Hamilcar. Hasdrubal is dead--slain by the knife of an +Iberian, who, it seems, has for months been in his service, awaiting +the chance for revenge for some injuries which his family or people have +suffered from our arms. + +“It is a terrible blow. This morning a swift sailing ship has arrived +with the news that the army of Spain have with one voice acclaimed the +young Hannibal as their general, and that they demand the ratification +of their choice by the senate and people. Need I tell you how important +it is that this ratification should be gained? Hanno and his satellites +are furious, they are scattering money broadcast, and moving heaven and +earth to prevent the choice falling upon Hannibal, and to secure the +appointment for Hanno himself or one of his clique. They say that to +appoint a youth like this to such a position would be a thing unheard +of, that it would bring countless dangers upon the head of the +republic. We know, of course, that what they fear is not the youth and +inexperience, but the talent and genius of Hannibal. + +“Young though he is, his wonderful abilities are recognized by us all. +His father, Hamilcar, had the very highest hopes of him, Hasdrubal has +written again and again saying that in his young kinsman he recognized +his superior, and that in loftiness of aim, in unselfish patriotism, in +clearness of judgment, in the marvellous ascendency he has gained over +the troops, in his talent in administration, and in the greatness of his +military conceptions, he saw in him a genius of the highest order. If +it be in man to overthrow the rising greatness of Rome, to reform our +disordered administration, to raise Carthage again to the climax of her +glory and power, that man is Hannibal. + +“Thus, then, on him our hopes rest. If we can secure for him the command +of the army in Spain, he may do all and more than all that Hamilcar +and Hasdrubal have done for us. If we fail, we are lost; Hanno will +be supreme, the official party will triumph, man by man we shall be +denounced and, destroyed by the judges, and, worse than all, our hopes +of saving Carthage from the corruption and tyranny which have so long +been pressing her into the dust are at an end. It is a good omen of +success that you have returned from your expedition at such a critical +moment. All has gone well with you, I hope. You know the fate that +awaits an unsuccessful general here.” + +“Ay, I know,” Hamilcar said bitterly; “to be judged by a secret tribunal +of civilians, ignorant of even the rudimentary laws of war, and bent +not upon arriving at the truth, but of gratifying their patrons and +accomplices; the end, disgrace and execution. + +“No, my success has been complete, although not brilliant. I have +obtained the complete submission of the Atarantes, and have brought with +me ten of their principal chiefs as hostages; but my success narrowly +escaped being not only a failure but a disaster. I had in vain striven +to come to blows with them, when suddenly they fell upon me at night, +and in the desperate combat which followed, well nigh half my force +fell; but in the end we inflicted a terrible chastisement upon them and +completely humbled their pride.” + +“So long as you succeeded in humbling them and bringing home hostages +for their good behaviour, all is well; the lives of a few score of +soldiers, more or less, matters little to Carthage. We have but to send +out an order to the tribes and we can replace them a hundred fold in a +week; 'tis only a failure which would be fatal. Carthage has suffered +such terrible disasters at the hands of her tributaries that she +trembles at the slightest rising, for its success might be the signal +for another general insurrection. If you have humbled the Atarantes, all +is well. + +“I know the council have been anxiously expecting news of your +expedition. Our opinion here has been from the first that, from the +small force they placed at your command, they purposely sent you to +disaster, risking the chance of extended trouble in order to obtain +a ground of complaint by which they could inflame the minds of the +populace against our party. But now, I recommend you to take some +refreshment at once after your journey. The inner council of the club +will meet in an hour, and their deliberations are likely to be long as +well as important, for the whole future of our party, and of Carthage +itself, depends upon the issue.” + +“Malchus,” Hamilcar said, “do you mount your horse and ride out at +once and tell your mother that all has gone well with us, but that I +am detained here on important business, and may not return until +nightfall.” + +“May I come back here, father, after I see my mother? I would fain be of +some use, if I may. I am known to many of the sailors down at the +port; I might go about among them trying to stir them up in favour of +Hannibal.” + +“You may come back if you like, Malchus; your sailors may aid us with +their voices, or, should it come to anything like a popular disturbance, +by their arms. But, as you know, in the voting the common people +count for nothing, it is the citizens only who elect, the traders, +shopkeepers, and employers of labour. Common people count for no more +than the slaves, save when it comes to a popular tumult, and they +frighten the shopkeeping class into voting in accordance with their +views. However, we will leave no stone unturned that may conduce to +our success. Do not hurry away from home, my boy, for your mother would +think it unkind after three months' absence. Our council is likely to +last for some hours; when it is at an end I will look for you here and +tell you what has been determined upon.” + +Malchus mounted his horse and rode out through the narrow streets of the +lower city, through the gateway leading into the suburb, then he loosed +the rein and the horse started at a gallop along the broad road, lined +with stately mansions, and in a quarter of an hour stopped in front of +the villa of Hamilcar. + +Throwing his bridle to a slave he ran up the broad steps of the portico +and entered the hall. His mother, a stately woman, clad in a long +flowing garment of rich material embroidered in gold, arms and neck +bare, her hair bound up in a knot at the back of her head, which was +encircled by a golden fillet, with pendants of the same metal encrusted +with gems falling on her forehead, rose eagerly to meet him, and his two +sisters, girls older than himself, clad in white robes, confined at the +waist with golden belts, leaped to their feet with a cry of gladness. + +“Welcome back, my own son,” his mother said; “all is well, I hope, with +your father; It is so, I am sure, for I should read evil news in your +face.” + +“He is well, mother, well and victorious, though we had a rare fight +for it, I can tell you. But he is kept at the Barcine Syssite on matters +connected with this terrible business of the death of Hasdrubal. He bade +me give you his love, and say he would be back here as soon as he could +get away.” + +“It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow to +Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but for the +moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How the sun has +bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller and stouter +since you have been away. + +“Yes,” one of the sisters laughed, “the child is growing up, mother; you +will have to choose another name for him.” + +“I think it is about time,” Malchus said, joining in the laugh, +“considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a +desperate hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even my +mother must own that I am attaining the dignity of youth.” + +“I wonder your father let you take part in such strife,” the mother said +anxiously; “he promised me that he would, as far as possible, keep you +out of danger.” + +“Why, mother,” Malchus said indignantly, “you don't suppose that my +father was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls here. You +know he has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian guard, and +fight in the next campaign. I think it has been very hard on me not to +have had a chance of distinguishing myself as my cousin Hannibal did +when he was no older than I am.” + +“Poor boy,” his sister laughed, “he has indeed been unfortunate. Who +can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would have been +a general by this time, and that Rome would have been trembling at the +clash of his armour.” + +Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself. + +“I shall never grow to be a general,” he said, “unless you get me some +food; it is past midday, and I have not broken my fast this morning. I +warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures until I have +eaten, therefore the sooner you order a meal to be served the better.” + +The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with his +mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition. There was +a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told +them that he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been +determined by the conclave. + +“Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus,” Thyra, the +elder, said. + +“Yes; but I may be useful,” Malchus replied. “There will be lots to be +done, and we shall all do our utmost.” + +“Listen to him, mother,” Anna, the younger sister, said, clapping her +hands; “this comes of slaying lions and combating with the Atarantes; do +not let us hinder him; beg the slaves to bring round a horse instantly. +Carthage totters, let Malchus fly to its support. What part are you +thinking of taking, my brother, do you mean to harangue the people, or +to urge the galley slaves to revolt, or to lead the troops against the +council?” + +The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus, +although colouring a little, joined heartily. + +“You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what has been +done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not such a boy as +you girls think me, just because you happen to be two or three years +older than I am. You persist in regarding me as a child; father doesn't +do so, and I can tell you I may be more good than you think.” + +“Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don't get into +mischief and remember, my boy,” his mother added, “that Carthage is a +place where it is well that no one should make more enemies than he can +help. A secret foe in the council or among the judges is enough to ruin +the strongest. You know how many have been crucified or pressed to death +without a shadow of pretext, save that they had foes. I would not see +you other than your father's son; you will belong, of course, to the +Barcine party, but there is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon +yourself before you are in a position to do real service to the cause. +And now ride off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf +ears, and that willful lads will go their own way.” + +A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club. On his +arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council was not +yet finished. The building was thronged with the adherents of the party +waiting to ascertain what course was determined upon. He presently +came across Adherbal and Giscon. The former, as usual, was gay, light +hearted, and disposed to view matters in a humorous light; Giscon was +stern and moody. + +“So, here you are again, Malchus,” Adherbal said. “I thought you would +soon be back. I am glad you have come, for Giscon here grows monotonous +as a companion. Nature in making him forgot to give him that spice of +humour which is to existence what seasoning is to meat. I am ready to +fight if it comes to fighting, to orate if talking is necessary, and +to do anything else which may be within the limits of my powers, but I +can't for the life of me take matters as if the existence of the state +depended on me alone. I have already heard that all is well with you at +home. I shall ride out there and see your mother when this business is +over. What they can find to talk about so long I can't make out. + +“The question is a simple one, surely. Will it be better for Carthage at +large, and our party in particular, for Hannibal to stay at the head +of the army in Spain, or to come home and bring the influence of his +popularity and reputation to bear upon the populace? There is the +question put in a nutshell, and if they can't decide upon it let them +toss up. There is virtue, I am ready to maintain, in an appeal to dame +Fortune. + +“Look round now, Malchus, is it not amusing to study men's characters. +Look at little Philene going about among the groups, standing on tiptoe +to whisper into the ear first of one and then of another. He prides +himself on his knowledge of affairs, and in his heart believes that +he is shamefully wronged inasmuch as he is not already on the secret +committee. + +“Look at Bomilca leaning against that pillar and lazily pulling his +mustache, an easygoing giant, who looks upon the whole thing as a +nuisance, but who, if he received orders from the conclave, would put +himself at the head of the Libyans, and would march to storm Hanno's +house, and to slaughter his Numidian guard without a question. + +“Look at Magon's face of importance as he walks about without speaking +to anyone. He is trying to convey to all the impression that he knows +perfectly well what is going on inside, and could if he chose tell +you what the decision will be. There is Carthalon, who is thinking at +present, I warrant, more of the match which he has made of his Arab +steed against that of his comrade Phano, than of the matter in hand. +But see, there is a stir, the curtains are drawing aside at last, the +meeting is over.” + +As he spoke the heavy curtains which shut off an inner room from the +hall were drawn aside, and the council of the Syssite came out. Each +was speedily surrounded by a group of the members of his own family, or +those who specially looked up to him as a leader. Malchus and the two +young officers were among those who gathered round Hamilcar. + +“It has been decided,” the general said, “that Hannibal shall be +retained in his command. Therefore, now let all set to work, each in his +own sphere. The populace must be stirred up. We have a small majority +in the council, but the middle class, the men who will vote, are with +Hanno. Some have been bought with his gold, some of the weak fools dream +that Carthage can be great simply as a trading power without army +or navy, and think only of the present advantage they would gain by +remission of taxation. It is these we have to fear, and we must operate +upon them by means of the populace. + +“If the people gather in the streets and shout for Hannibal, these +cowards will hesitate. They are accessible only in their moneybags, and +rather than risk a riot they would vote for the destruction of Moloch's +temple. Giscon and Adherbal, do you go to the barracks, get as many +of your comrades together as are of our way of thinking, talk to the +soldiers of the glories of Hamilcar Barca, of the rich booty they won +under him, of the glory of their arms when he led them, tell them that +in Hannibal they have their old commander revived, and that Hanno and +his companions seek only to have him removed, because they fear that the +luster of his deeds will overshadow them. + +“Urge that he is the elect of the army of Spain, that the voice of the +soldiers has acclaimed him, and that the troops here should join their +voices to those of their comrades in Spain. They too may ere long have +to take share in the war, and would it not be far better for them to be +led by a soldier like Hannibal than by Hanno, whose incapacity has been +proved a score of times, and who is solely chosen because he is rich, +and because he has pandered to the fat traders and lazy shopkeepers? + +“Do you, Stryphex, go to the weavers' quarter; you have influence there. +Work upon the men, point out to them how, since Hamilcar and Hasdrubal +have conquered Spain, and the gold and silver from the mines have poured +into Carthage, their trade has flourished. Before that gold was scarce +known in the city, none could purchase their choice productions, their +wages would scarce keep the wolf from the door. Show them that under +Hanno disaster will be sure to befall our arms, that the Iberians will +reconquer their soil, that the mines will be lost, and we shall have to +return to the leather money of twenty years back.” + +So one by one Hamilcar despatched the groups round him on various +missions, until Malchus alone remained. + +“You, Malchus, can, as you suggested, go down to the port; ask the +sailors and fishermen what will become of their trade were the Roman +galleys cruising in our bay. Point out that our conquests in Spain have +already caused the greatest alarm in Rome, and that under Hannibal our +arms will so flourish that Rome will be glad to come to terms with us, +and to leave us free to trade with the world. + +“Point out how great is the trade and commerce which Carthagena has +already produced. Ask them if they are willing that all this shall be +hazarded, in order that Hanno may gratify his personal ambition, and +his creatures may wring the last penny from the over taxed people of +Carthage. Don't try too much, my boy. Get together a knot of men whom +you know; prime them with argument, and send them among their fellows. +Tell them to work day and night, and that you will see that their time +is well paid. Find out if there are any men who have special influence +with their fellows, and secure them on our side. Promise them what they +will; the Syssite will spend money like water to carry its object. Be +discreet, Malchus; when you have lit the fire, and see that it is well +on its way, withdraw quietly.” + +Malchus hurried off, and in half an hour was down by the port. Through +the densely packed district which lay behind the lofty warehouses +crammed with goods brought by sea from all parts of the world, he made +his way until he reached the abode of a fisherman, in whose boat he +often put to sea. + +The old man, with three or four grownup sons, was reclining on a pile of +rushes. + +“Welcome back, my lord Malchus,” he said; “glad am I to see you safely +returned. We have often talked of you, me and my sons, and wondered when +you would again go out for a night's fishing with us. You have come back +at the right time. The tunny are just entering the bay, and in another +week we shall have rare sport.” + +“I shall be glad, indeed, of another sail with you,” Malchus said; “but +at present I have other matters in hand. Hanno and his friends have +determined to oppose the appointment of Hannibal to the army in Spain.” + The fisherman gave a grunt, which signified that the matter was one of +which he knew nothing, and which affected him not in the slightest. + +“Don't you see the importance of this?” Malchus said. “If Hannibal +doesn't get the command our troops will be beaten, and we shall lose all +our trade with Spain.” The fisherman still appeared apathetic. + +“My sons have all taken to fishing,” he said indifferently, “and it +matters nothing to them whether we lose the trade of Spain or not.” + +“But it would make a difference,” Malchus said, “if no more gold and +silver came from Spain, because then, you know, people wouldn't be +able to pay a good price for fish, and there would be bad times for you +fishermen. But that is not the worst of it. The Romans are so alarmed by +our progress in Spain that they are glad to keep friends with us, but if +we were driven out from there they would soon be at war again. You and +your sons would be pressed for the ships of war, and like enough you +might see the Roman fleets hovering on our coasts and picking up our +fishing boats.” + +“By Astarte,” the fisherman exclaimed, “but that would be serious, +indeed; and you say all this will happen unless Hannibal remains as +general in Spain?” + +“That is so,” Malchus nodded. + +“Then I tell you what, my boys,” the fisherman said, rising and rubbing +his hands, “we must put our oars into this business. You hear what my +lord Malchus tells us. Get up, there is work to be done. Now, sir, what +is the best way to stop this affair you tell us of? If it's got to be +done we will do it, and I think I can answer for three or four thousand +fishing hands here who ain't going to stand by any more than I am and +see the bread taken out of their mouths. They know old Calcon, and will +listen to what he says. I will set about it at once.” + +“That is just what I want,” Malchus said. “I want you and your sons to +go about among the fishermen and tell them what is proposed to be done, +and how ruinous it will be for them. You know how fond of fishermen I +am, and how sorry I should be to see them injured. You stir them up for +the next three or four days, and get them to boiling point. I will let +you know when the time comes. There are other trades who will be injured +by this business, and when the time comes you fishermen with your oars +in your hands must join the others and go through the streets shouting +'Hannibal for general! Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!'” + +“Down with the tax gatherers is a good cry,” the old fisherman said. +“They take one fish of every four I bring in, and always choose the +finest. Don't you be afraid, sir; we will be there, oars and all, when +you give the word.” + +“And now I want you to tell me the names of a few men who have influence +among the sailors of the mercantile ships, and among those who load and +discharge the cargoes; their interest is threatened as well as yours. I +am commissioned to pay handsomely all who do their best for the cause, +and I promise you that you and your sons shall earn as much in four +days' work as in a month's toiling on the sea. The Barcine Club is known +to be the true friend of Carthage, the opponent of those who grind down +the people, and it will spare no money to see that this matter is well +carried out.” + +The fisherman at once went round with Malchus to the abodes of several +men regarded as authorities by the sailors and stevedores. With these, +partly by argument, but much more by the promises of handsome pay for +their exertions, Malchus established an understanding, and paved the way +for a popular agitation among the working classes of the waterside in +favour of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IV: A POPULAR RISING + + +Day after day Malchus went down to the port. His father was well pleased +with his report of what he had done and provided him with ample funds +for paying earnest money to his various agents, as a proof that their +exertions would be well rewarded. He soon had the satisfaction of seeing +that the agitation was growing. + +Work was neglected, the sailors and labourers collected on the quays and +talked among themselves, or listened to orators of their own class, who +told them of the dangers which threatened their trade from the hatred of +Hanno and his friends the tax collectors for Hannibal, whose father and +brother-in-law had done such great things for Carthage by conquering +Spain and adding to her commerce by the establishment of Carthagena and +other ports. Were they going to stand tamely by and see trade ruined, +and their families starving, that the tyrants who wrung from them the +taxes should fatten at ease? + +Such was the tenor of the orations delivered by scores of men to their +comrades on the quays. A calm observer might have noticed a certain +sameness about the speeches, and might have come to the conclusion that +the orators had received their instructions from the same person, but +this passed unnoticed by the sailors and workmen, who were soon roused +into fury by the exhortations of the speakers. They knew nothing either +of Hannibal or of Hanno, but they did know that they were ground down +to the earth with taxation, and that the conquest of Spain and the trade +that had arisen had been of enormous benefit to them. It was, then, +enough to tell them that this trade was threatened, and that it was +threatened in the interest of the tyrants of Carthage, for them to enter +heart and soul into the cause. + +During these four days the Barcine Club was like the headquarters of +an army. Night and day the doors stood open, messengers came and went +continually, consultations of the leading men of the city were held +almost without a break. Every man belonging to it had his appointed +task. The landed proprietors stirred up the cultivators of the soil, the +manufacturers were charged with the enlightenment of their hands as to +the dangers of the situation, the soldiers were busy among the +troops; but theirs was a comparatively easy task, for these naturally +sympathized with their comrades in Spain, and the name of the great +Hamilcar was an object of veneration among them. + +Hanno's faction was not idle. The Syssite which was composed of his +adherents was as large as its rival. Its orators harangued the people in +the streets on the dangers caused to the republic by the ambition of +the family of Barca, of the expense entailed by the military and naval +establishments required to keep up the forces necessary to carry out +their aggressive policy, of the folly of confiding the principal army of +the state to the command of a mere youth. They dilated on the wealth and +generosity of Hanno, of his lavish distribution of gifts among the poor, +of his sympathy with the trading community. Each day the excitement +rose, business was neglected, the whole population was in a fever of +excitement. + +On the evening of the fourth day the agents of the Barcine Club +discovered that Hanno's party were preparing for a public demonstration +on the following evening. They had a certainty of a majority in the +public vote, which, although nominally that of the people, was, as has +been said, confined solely to what would now be called the middle class. + +Hitherto the Barcine party had avoided fixing any period for their own +demonstration, preferring to wait until they knew the intention of their +opponents. The council now settled that it should take place on the +following day at eleven o'clock, just when the working classes would +have finished their morning meal. + +The secret council, however, determined that no words should be +whispered outside their own body until two hours before the time, in +order that it should not be known to Hanno and his friends until too +late to gather their adherents to oppose it. Private messengers were, +however, sent out late to all the members to assemble early at the club. + +At nine o'clock next morning the Syssite was crowded, the doors were +closed, and the determination of the council was announced to the +members, each of whom was ordered to hurry off to set the train in +motion for a popular outbreak for eleven o'clock. It was not until an +hour later that the news that the Barcine party intended to forestall +them reached Hanno's headquarters. Then the most vigourous efforts +were made to get together their forces, but it was too late. At eleven +o'clock crowds of men from all the working portions of the town +were seen making their way towards the forum, shouting as they went, +“Hannibal for general!” “Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!” + +Conspicuous among them were the sailors and fishermen from the port, +armed with oars, and the gang of stevedores with heavy clubs. Hanno and +a large number of his party hurried down to the spot and tried to pacify +the crowd, but the yells of execration were so loud and continuous that +they were forced to leave the forum. The leaders of the Barcine party +now appeared on the scene, and their most popular orator ascended the +rostrum. When the news spread among the crowd that he was a friend of +Hannibal and an opponent of Hanno, the tumult was stayed in order that +all might hear his words. + +“My friends,” he said, “I am glad to see that Carthage is still true to +herself, and that you resent the attempt made by a faction to remove the +general of the army's choice, the son of the great Hamilcar Barca. To +him and to Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, you owe the conquest of Spain, you +owe the wealth which has of late years poured into Carthage, you owe the +trade which is already doing so much to mitigate your condition. What +have Hanno and his friends done that you should listen to him? It is +their incapacity which has lost Carthage so many of its possessions. It +is their greed and corruption which place such burdens on your backs. +They claim that they are generous. It is easy to be generous with the +money of which they have plundered you; but let them know your will, and +they must bend before it. Tell them that you will have Hannibal and none +other as the general of your armies, and Spain is secure, and year by +year your commerce with that country will increase and flourish.” + +A roar of assent arose from the crowd. At the same instant a tumult was +heard at the lower entrance to the forum, and the head of a dense body +of men was seen issuing from the street, with shouts of “Hanno forever!” + They were headed by the butchers and tanners, an important and powerful +body, for Carthage did a vast trade in leather. + +For a time they bore all before them, but the resistance increased every +foot they advanced. The shouts on both sides became louder and more +angry. Blows were soon exchanged, and ere long a pitched battle was +raging. The fishermen and sailors threw themselves into the thick of +it, and for ten minutes a desperate fight raged in the forum. Soon +the battle extended, as bodies of men belonging to either faction +encountered each other as they hurried towards the forum. + +Street frays were by no means unusual in Carthage, but this was a +veritable battle. Hanno had at its commencement, accompanied by a strong +body of his friends, ridden to Byrsa, and had called upon the soldiers +to come out and quell the tumult. They, however, listened in sullen +silence, their sympathies were entirely with the supporters of Hannibal, +and they had already received orders from their officers on no account +to move, whosoever might command them to do so, until Hamilcar placed +himself at their head. + +The general delayed doing this until the last moment. Hannibal's friends +had hoped to carry their object without the intervention of the troops, +as it was desirable in every way that the election should appear to be a +popular one, and that Hannibal should seem to have the suffrages of the +people as well as of the army. That the large majority of the people +were with them they knew, but the money which Hanno's friends had +lavishly spent among the butchers, skinners, tanners, and smiths had +raised up a more formidable opposition than they had counted upon. + +Seeing that their side was gaining but little advantage, that already +much blood had been shed, and that the tumult threatened to involve all +Carthage, Hamilcar and a number of officers rode to the barracks. The +troops at once got under arms, and, headed by the elephants, moved out +from Byrsa. Being desirous to avoid bloodshed, Hamilcar bade his men +leave their weapons behind them, and armed them with headless spear +shafts, of which, with all other things needed for war, there was a +large store in the citadel. As the column sallied out it broke up into +sections. The principal body marched toward the forum, while others, +each led by officers, took their way down the principal streets. + +The appearance of the elephants and troops, and the loud shouts of the +latter for Hannibal, quickly put an end to the tumult. Hanno's hired +mob, seeing that they could do nothing against such adversaries, at once +broke up and fled to their own quarters of the city, and Hanno and his +adherents sought their own houses. The quiet citizens, seeing that the +fight was over, issued from their houses, and the forum was soon again +crowded. + +The proceedings were now unanimous, and the shouts raised that the +senate should assemble and confirm the vote of the army were loud and +strenuous. Parties of men went out in all directions to the houses of +the senators to tell them the people demanded their presence at the +forum. Seeing the uselessness of further opposition, and fearing the +consequences if they resisted, Hanno and his friends no longer offered +any opposition. + +The senate assembled, and, by a unanimous vote the election of Hannibal +as one of the suffetes in place of Hasdrubal, and as commander-in-chief +of the army in Spain, was carried, and was ratified by that of the +popular assembly, the traders and manufacturers of Hanno's party not +venturing to oppose the will of the mass of mechanics and seafaring +population. + +“It has been a victory,” Hamilcar said, when, accompanied by a number of +his friends, he returned to his home that evening, “but Hanno will not +forget or forgive the events of this day. As long as all goes well in +Spain we may hope for the support of the people, but should any disaster +befall our arms it will go hard with all who have taken a prominent part +in this day's proceedings. Hanno's friends have so much at stake that +they will not give up the struggle. They have at their back all the +moneys which they wring from the people and the tributaries of Carthage, +and they will work night and day to strengthen their party and to buy +over the lower classes. We are the stronger at present; but to carry +the popular vote on a question which would put a stop to the frightful +corruption of our administration, to suppress the tyranny of the +council, to sweep away the abuses which prevail in every class in the +state--for that we must wait till Hannibal returns victorious. Let him +but humble the pride of Rome, and Carthage will be at his feet.” + +The party were in high spirits at the result of the day's proceedings. +Not only had they succeeded in their principal object of electing +Hannibal, but they had escaped from a great personal danger; for, +assuredly, had Hanno and his party triumphed, a stern vengeance would +have been taken upon all the leading members of the Barcine faction. + +After the banquet, while Hamilcar and his companions reclined on their +couches at tables, a Greek slave, a captive in war, sang songs of his +native land to the accompaniment of the lyre. A party of dancing girls +from Ethiopia performed their rhythmical movements to the sound of the +tinkling of a little guitar with three strings, the beating of a small +drum, the clashing of cymbals, and the jingling of the ornaments and +little metal bells on their arms and ankles. Perfumes were burned in +censers, and from time to time soft strains of music, played by a party +of slaves among the trees without, floated in through the casements. + +Malchus was in wild spirits, for his father had told him that it was +settled that he was to have the command of a body of troops which were +very shortly to proceed to Spain to reinforce the army under Hannibal, +and that he should allow Malchus to enter the band of Carthaginian horse +which was to form part of the body under his command. + +The regular Carthaginian horse and foot formed but a very small portion +of the armies of the republic. They were a corps d'elite, composed +entirely of young men of the aristocratic families of Carthage, on whom +it was considered as almost a matter of obligation to enter this +force. They had the post of honour in battle, and it was upon them the +Carthaginian generals relied principally to break the ranks of the enemy +in close battle. All who aspired to distinguish themselves in the eyes +of their fellow citizens, to rise to power and position in the state, to +officer the vast bodies of men raised from the tributary nations, and to +command the armies of the country, entered one or other of these bodies. +The cavalry was the arm chosen by the richer classes. It was seldom that +it numbered more than a thousand strong. The splendour of their armour +and appointments, the beauty of their horses, the richness of the +garments of the cavaliers, and the trappings of their steeds, caused +this body to be the admiration and envy of Carthage. Every man in it was +a member of one of the upper ranks of the aristocracy; all were nearly +related to members of the senate, and it was considered the highest +honour that a young Carthaginian could receive to be admitted into it. + +Each man wore on his wrist a gold band for each campaign which he had +undertaken. There was no attempt at uniformity as to their appointments. +Their helmets and shields were of gold or silver, surmounted with plumes +or feathers, or with tufts of white horsehair. Their breastplates were +adorned with arabesques or repousse work of the highest art. Their belts +were covered with gold and studded with gems. Their short kilted skirts +were of rich Tyrian purple embroidered with gold. + +The infantry were composed of men of good but less exalted families. +They wore a red tunic without a belt. They carried a great circular +buckler of more than a yard in diameter, formed of the tough hide of the +river horse, brought down from the upper Nile, with a central boss of +metal with a point projecting nearly a foot in front of the shield, +enabling it to be used as an offensive weapon in a close fight. They +carried short heavy swords similar to those of the Romans, and went +barefooted. Their total strength seldom exceeded two thousand. + +These two bodies constituted the Carthaginian legion, and formed but +a small proportion indeed of her armies, the rest of her forces being +entirely drawn from the tributary states. The fact that Carthage, with +her seven hundred thousand inhabitants, furnished so small a contingent +of the fighting force of the republic, was in itself a proof of the +weakness of the state. A country which relies entirely for its defence +upon mercenaries is rapidly approaching decay. + +She may for a time repress one tributary with the soldiers of the +others; but when disaster befalls her she is without cohesion and falls +to pieces at once. As the Roman orator well said of Carthage: “She was +a figure of brass with feet of clay”--a noble and imposing object to +the eye, but whom a vigourous push would level in the dust. Rome, on the +contrary, young and vigourous, was a people of warriors. Every one of +her citizens who was capable of bearing arms was a soldier. The manly +virtues were held in the highest esteem, and the sordid love of wealth +had not as yet enfeebled her strength or sapped her powers. Her citizens +were men, indeed, ready to make any sacrifice for their country; and +such being the case, her final victory over Carthage was a matter of +certainty. + +The news which afforded Malchus such delight was not viewed with the +same unmixed satisfaction by the members of his family. Thyra had for +the last year been betrothed to Adherbal, and he, too, was to accompany +Hamilcar to Spain, and none could say how long it might be before they +would return. + +While the others were sitting round the festive board, Adherbal and +Thyra strolled away among the groves in the garden. + +“I do not think you care for me, Adherbal,” she said reproachfully as he +was speaking of the probabilities of the campaign. “You know well +that this war may continue in Spain for years, and you seem perfectly +indifferent to the fact that we must be separated for that time.” + +“I should not be indifferent to it, Thyra, if I thought for a moment +that this was to be the case. I may remain, it is true, for years in +Spain; but I have not the most remote idea of remaining there alone. At +the end of the first campaign, when our army goes into winter quarters, +I shall return here and fetch you.” + +“That's all very well,” the girl said, pouting; “but how do you know +that I shall be willing to give up all the delights of Carthage to go +among the savage Iberians, where they say the ground is all white in +winter and even the rivers stop in their courses?” + +Adherbal laughed lightly. “Then it is not for you to talk about +indifference, Thyra; but it won't be so bad as you fear. At Carthagena +you will have all the luxuries of Carthage. I do not say that your villa +shall be equal to this; but as you will have me it should be a thousand +times dearer to you.” + +“Your conceit is superb, Adherbal,” Thyra laughed. “You get worse +and worse. Had I ever dreamed of it I should never have consented +so submissively when my father ordered me to regard you as my future +husband.” + +“You ought to think yourself a fortunate girl, Thyra,” Adherbal said, +smiling; “for your father might have taken it into his head to have +done as Hamilcar Barca did, and married his daughters to Massilian and +Numidian princes, to become queens of bands of nomad savages.” + +“Well, they were queens, that was something, even if only of nomads.” + +“I don't think that it would have suited you, Thyra--a seat on horseback +for a throne, and a rough tent for a palace, would not be in your way at +all. I think a snug villa on the slopes of the bay of Carthagena, will +suit you better, not to mention the fact that I shall make an infinitely +more pleasant and agreeable master than a Numidian chief would do.” + +“You are intolerable, Adherbal, with your conceit and your mastership. +However, I suppose when the time comes I shall have to obey my father. +What a pity it is we girls cannot choose our husbands for ourselves! +Perhaps the time may come when we shall do so.” + +“Well, in your case, Thyra,” Adherbal said, “it would make no +difference, because you know you would have chosen me anyhow; but most +girls would make a nice business of it. How are they to know what men +really are? They might be gamesters, drunkards, brutal and cruel +by nature, idle and spendthrift. What can maidens know of a man's +disposition? Of course they only see him at his best. Wise parents +can make careful inquiries, and have means of knowing what a man's +disposition and habits really are.” + +“You don't think, Adherbal,” Thyra said earnestly, “that girls are such +fools that they cannot read faces; that we cannot tell the difference +between a good man and a bad one.” + +“Yes, a girl may know something about every man save the one she loves, +Thyra. She may see other's faults clearly enough; but she is blind to +those of the man she loves. Do you not know that the Greeks depict Cupid +with a bandage over his eyes?” + +“I am not blind to your faults,” Thyra said indignantly. “I know that +you are a great deal more lazy than becomes you; that you are not +sufficiently earnest in the affairs of life; that you will never rise to +be a great general like my cousin Hannibal.” + +“That is all quite true,” Adherbal laughed; “and yet you see you love +me. You perceive my faults only in theory and not in fact, and you do +not in your heart wish to see me different from what I am. Is it not +so?” + +“Yes,” the girl said shyly, “I suppose it is. Anyhow, I don't like the +thought of your going away from me to that horrid Iberia.” + +Although defeated for the moment by the popular vote, the party of Hanno +were not discouraged. They had suffered a similar check when they had +attempted to prevent Hannibal joining Hasdrubal in Spain. + +Not a moment was lost in setting to work to recover their lost ground. +Their agents among the lower classes spread calumnies against the +Barcine leaders. Money was lavishly distributed, and the judges, who +were devoted to Hanno's party, set their machinery to work to strike +terror among their opponents. Their modes of procedure were similar to +those which afterwards made Venice execrable in the height of her power. +Arrests were made secretly in the dead of night. Men were missing from +their families, and none knew what had become of them. + +Dead bodies bearing signs of strangulation were found floating in the +shallow lakes around Carthage; and yet, so great was the dread inspired +by the terrible power of the judges, that the friends and relations of +those who were missing dared make neither complaint nor inquiry. It was +not against the leaders of the Barcine party that such measures were +taken. Had one of these been missing the whole would have flown to arms. +The dungeons would have been broken open, and not only the captives +liberated, but their arrest might have been made the pretext for an +attack upon the whole system under which such a state of things could +exist. + +It was chiefly among the lower classes that the agents of Hanno's +vengeance operated. Among these the disappearance of so many men who +were regarded as leaders among the rest spread a deep and mysterious +fear. Although none dared to complain openly, the news of these +mysterious disappearances was not long in reaching the leaders of the +Barcine party. + +These, however, were for the time powerless to act. Certain as they +might be of the source whence these unseen blows descended, they had no +evidence on which to assail so formidable a body as the judges. It +would be a rash act indeed to accuse such important functionaries of the +state, belonging, with scarcely an exception, to powerful families, of +arbitrary and cruel measures against insignificant persons. + +The halo of tradition still surrounded the judges, and added to the fear +inspired by their terrible and unlimited power. In such an attack the +Barcine party could not rely upon the population to side with them; for, +while comparatively few were personally affected by the arrests which +had taken place, the fear of future consequences would operate upon all. + +Among the younger members of the party, however, the indignation aroused +by these secret blows was deep. Giscon, who was continually brooding +over the tyranny and corruption which were ruining his country, was one +of the leaders of this section of the party; with him were other spirits +as ardent as himself. They met in a house in a quiet street in the lower +town, and there discussed all sorts of desperate projects for freeing +the city of its tyrants. + +One day as Giscon was making his way to this rendezvous he met Malchus +riding at full speed from the port. + +“What is it, Malchus, whither away in such haste?” + +“It is shameful, Giscon, it is outrageous. I have just been down to the +port to tell the old fisherman with whom I often go out that I would +sail with him tomorrow, and find that four days ago he was missing, and +his body was yesterday found by his sons floating in the lagoon. He +had been strangled. His sons are as much overpowered with terror as by +grief, they believe that he has suffered for the part he took in rousing +the fishermen to declare for Hannibal a fortnight since, and they fear +lest the terrible vengeance of Hanno should next fall upon them. + +“How it happened they know not. A man arrived late in the evening and +said that one of their father's best customers wanted a supply of fish +for a banquet he was to give next day, and that he wanted to speak +to him at once to arrange about the quantity and quality of fish he +required. Suspecting nothing the old man left at once, and was never +heard of afterwards. Next morning, seeing that he had not returned, one +of his sons went to the house to which he had been fetched, but found +that its owner knew nothing of the affair, and denied that he had sent +any message whatever to him. Fearing that something was wrong they +searched everywhere, but it was not until last night that his body was, +as I have told you, found. + +“They are convinced that their father died in no private feud. He had +not, as far as they know, an enemy in the world. You may imagine how l +feel this; not only did I regard him as a friend, but I feel that it was +owing to his acting as I led him that he has come to his death.” + +“The tyrants!” Giscon exclaimed in a low voice. “But what can you do, +Malchus?” + +“I am going to my father,” Malchus replied, “to ask him to take the +matter up.” + +“What can he do?” Giscon said with a bitter laugh. “What can he prove? +Can he accuse our most noble body of judges, without a shadow of proof, +of making away with this unknown old fisherman. No, Malchus, if you are +in earnest to revenge your friend come with me, I will introduce you to +my friends, who are banded together against this tyranny, and who are +sworn to save Carthage. You are young, but you are brave and full of +ardour; you are a son of General Hamilcar, and my friends will gladly +receive you as one of us.” + +Malchus did not hesitate. That there would be danger in joining such +a body as Giscon spoke of he knew, but the young officer's talk during +their expedition had aroused in him a deep sense of the tyranny and +corruption which were sapping the power or his country, and this blow +which had struck him personally rendered him in a mood to adopt any +dangerous move. + +“I will join you, Giscon,” he said, “if you will accept me. I am young, +but I am ready to go all lengths, and to give my life if needs be to +free Carthage.” + + + +CHAPTER V: THE CONSPIRACY + + +Giscon led his companion along the narrow lanes until he reached the +back entrance of the house where the meetings were held. Knocking in +a particular way it was opened at once and closed behind them. As they +entered a slave took Malchus' horse without a word and fastened it to a +ring in the wall, where four or five other horses were standing. + +“I rather wonder you are not afraid of drawing attention by riding on +horseback to a house in such a quarter,” Malchus said. + +“We dare not meet secretly, you know. The city is full of spies, and +doubtless the movements of all known to be hostile to Hanno and his +party are watched, therefore we thought it best to meet here. We have +caused it to be whispered as a secret in the neighbourhood, that the +house has been taken as a place where we can gamble free from the +presence of our elders. Therefore the only comments we excite is, 'There +go those young fools who are ruining themselves.' It is only because you +are on horseback that I have come round to this gate; had you come on +foot we should have entered by the front. Fortunately there are among us +many who are deemed to be mere pleasure seekers--men who wager fortunes +on their horses, who are given to banquets, or whose lives seem to be +passed in luxury and indolence, but who at heart are as earnest in the +cause of Carthage as I am. The presence of such men among us gives a +probability to the tale that this is a gambling house. Were we all of my +stamp, men known to be utterly hostile to Hanno and his party, suspicion +would fall upon our meetings at once. But here we are.” + +As he spoke he drew aside some heavy curtains and entered a large room. +Some ten or twelve young men were assembled there. They looked up in +surprise as Giscon entered followed by his companion. + +“I have brought a recruit,” Giscon said, “one whom all of you know by +repute if not personally; it is Malchus, the son of General Hamilcar. He +is young to be engaged in a business like ours, but I have been with him +in a campaign and can answer for him. He is brave, ready, thoughtful and +trustworthy. He loves his country and hates her tyrants. I can guarantee +that he will do nothing imprudent, but can be trusted as one of +ourselves. Being young he will have the advantage of being less likely +to be watched, and may be doubly useful. He is ready to take the oath of +our society.” + +As Giscon was the leading spirit of the band his recommendation was +taken as amply sufficient. The young men rose and formed in a circle +round Malchus. All drew their daggers, and one, whom Malchus recognized +with a momentary feeling of surprise as Carthalon, whom Adherbal had +pointed out at the Barcine Club as one who thought only of horse racing, +said: + +“Do you swear by Moloch and Astarte to be true to this society, to +devote yourself to the destruction of the oppressors of Carthage, to +carry out all measures which may be determined upon, even at the certain +risk of your life, and to suffer yourself to be torn to pieces by the +torture rather than reveal aught that passes within these walls?” + +“That I swear solemnly,” Malchus said. + +“I need not say,” Carthalon said carelessly, “that the punishment of the +violation of the oath is death. It is so put in our rules. But we are +all nobles of Carthage, and nobles do not break their oaths, so we +can let that pass. When a man's word is good enough to make him beggar +himself in order to discharge a wager, he can be trusted to keep his +word in a matter which concerns the lives of a score of his fellows. And +now that this business is arranged we can go on with our talk; but first +let us have some wine, for all this talking is thirsty work at best.” + +The young men threw themselves upon the couches around the room and, +while slaves brought round wine, chatted lightly with each other about +horses, the play presented the day before, the respective merits of the +reigning beauties of Carthage, and other similar topics, and Malchus, +who was impressed with the serious nature of the secret conspiracy which +he had just sworn to aid, could not help being surprised at the careless +gaiety of the young men, although engaged in a conspiracy in which they +risked their lives. + +It was not until some minutes after the slaves had left the apartment +that the light talk and banter ceased, as Giscon rose and said: + +“Now to business. Malchus has told me that an old fisherman, who took +a lead in stirring up his fellows to declare for Hannibal, has been +decoyed away from his home and murdered; his body has been found +floating in the lake, strangled. This is the nineteenth in the course of +a week. These acts are spreading terror among the working classes, and +unless they are put a stop to we can no longer expect assistance from +them. + +“That these deeds are the work of the officials of the tribunals we have +no doubt. The sooner we strike the better. Matters are getting ripe. I +have eight men sworn into my section among the weavers, and need but +two more to complete it. We will instruct our latest recruit to raise +a section among the fishermen. The sons of the man just murdered should +form a nucleus. We agreed from the first that three hundred resolute +men besides ourselves were required, and that each of us should raise +a section of ten. Malchus brings up our number here to thirty, and when +all the sections are filled up we shall be ready for action. + +“Failure ought to be impossible. The houses of Hanno and thirty of his +party will be attacked, and the tyrants slain before any alarm can be +given. Another thirty at least should be slain before the town is fairly +aroused. Maybe each section can undertake three if our plans are well +laid, and each chooses for attack three living near each other. We have +not yet settled whether it will be better to separate when this is +done, content with the first blow against our tyrants, or to prepare +beforehand for a popular rising, to place ourselves at the head of the +populace, and to make a clean sweep of the judges and the leaders of +Hanno's party.” + +Giscon spoke in an ordinary matter-of-fact tone, as if he were +discussing the arrangements of a party of pleasure; but Malchus could +scarcely repress a movement of anxiety as he heard this proposal for the +wholesale destruction of the leading men of Carthage. The council thus +opened was continued for three hours. Most of those present spoke, but, +to the surprise of Malchus, there was an entire absence of that gloom +and mystery with which the idea of a state conspiracy was associated in +his mind. + +The young men discussed it earnestly, indeed, but in the same spirit +in which they would have agreed over a disputed question as to the +respective merits of two horses. They laughed, joked, offered and +accepted wagers and took the whole matter with a lightness of heart +which Malchus imitated to the best of his power, but which he was very +far from feeling; and yet he felt that beneath all this levity his +companions were perfectly in earnest in their plans, but they joked now +as they would have joked before the commencement of a battle in which +the odds against them were overwhelming and great. + +Even Giscon, generally grave and gloomy, was as light hearted as the +rest. The aristocracy of Carthage were, like the aristocracy of all +other countries, from tradition, training, and habit, brave to excess. +Just as centuries later the noblesse of France chatted gaily on the +tumbril on their way to execution, and offered each other their snuff +boxes on the scaffold, so these young aristocrats of Carthage smiled and +jested, though well aware that they were risking their lives. + +No decision was arrived at, for this could only be decided upon at +a special meeting, at which all the members of the society would +be present. Among those now in council opinions were nearly equally +divided. The one party urged that, did they take steps to prepare the +populace for a rising, a rumour would be sure to meet the ears of their +opponents and they would be on their guard; whereas, if they scattered +quickly after each section had slain two of their tyrants, the operation +might be repeated until all the influential men of Hanno's faction had +been removed. + +In reply to these arguments the other party urged that delays were +always dangerous, that huge rewards would be offered after the first +attempts, that some of the men of the sections might turn traitors, that +Hanno's party would be on their guard in future, and that the judges +would effect wholesale arrests and executions; whereas, were the +populace appealed to in the midst of the excitement which would be +caused by the death of Hanno and his principal adherents, the people +would rise and finish with their tyrants. + +After all who wished to speak on the subject had given their opinions, +they proceeded to details; each gave a statement of the number of men +enrolled in his section, with a few words as to the disposition of each. +Almost without an exception each of these men was animated with a +sense of private wrong. Some had lost near relatives, executed for some +trifling offence by the tribunals, some had been ruined by the extortion +of the tax gatherers. All were stated to be ready to give their lives +for vengeance. + +“These agents of ours, you see, Malchus, are not for the most part +animated by any feeling of pure patriotism, it is their own wrongs and +not the injuries of Carthage which they would avenge. But we must take +them as we find them; one cannot expect any deep feeling of patriotism +on the part of the masses, who, it must be owned, have no very great +reason to feel any lively interest in the glories of the republic. So +that they eat and drink sufficiently, and can earn their living, it +matters not very greatly to them whether Carthage is great and glorious, +or humbled and defeated. But this will not always be so. When we have +succeeded in ridding Carthage of her tyrants we must next do all we can +so to raise the condition of the common people that they may feel that +they too have a common interest in the fate of our country. I should +not, of course, propose giving to them a vote; to bestow the suffrage +upon the ignorant, who would simply follow the demagogues who would use +them as tools, would be the height of madness. The affairs of state, the +government of the country, the making of the laws, must be solely in +the hands of those fitted for the task--of the men who, by education, +by birth, by position, by study and by leisure have prepared their minds +for such a charge. But the people should share in the advantages of +a good government; they should not be taxed more than they could +reasonably pay, and any tax gatherers who should extort a penny beyond +the legal amount should be disgraced and punished. + +“The courts should be open to all, the judges should be impartial and +incorruptible; every man should have his rights and his privileges, then +each man, feeling an interest in the stability of the state, would +be ready to bear arms in its defence, and Carthage, instead of being +dependent entirely upon her tributaries and mercenaries, would be able +to place a great army in the field by her own unaided exertions. + +“The barbarian tribes would cease to revolt, knowing that success would +be hopeless. And as we should be strong at home we should be respected +abroad, and might view without apprehension the rising power of Rome. +There is plenty of room for both of us. For us, Africa and Spain; for +her all the rest of Europe and as much of Asia as she cares to take. We +could look without jealousy at each other's greatness, each secure in +his own strength and power. Yes, there may be a grand future before +Carthage yet.” + +The meeting now broke up. + +“Where are you going, Malchus?” Giscon asked the lad as they went out +into the courtyard; “to see the sacrifices? You know there is a grand +function today to propitiate Moloch and to pray for victory for our +arms.” + +“No,” Malchus said with a shudder. “I don't think I am a coward, Giscon, +but these terrible rites frighten me. I was taken once by my father, and +I then swore that never again, unless it be absolutely necessary for me +in the performance of public office, will I be present at such a scene. +For weeks afterwards I scarcely slept; day and night there was before +me that terrible brazen image of Moloch. If I fell off to sleep, I woke +bathed in perspiration as I heard the screams of the infants as they +were dropped into those huge hands, heated to redness, stretched out to +receive them. I cannot believe, Giscon, that the gods are so cruel. + +“Then there was the slaughter of a score of captives taken in war. I +see them now, standing pale and stern, with their eyes directed to the +brazen image which was soon to be sprinkled with their blood, while the +priests in their scarlet robes, with the sacrificial knives in hand, +approached them. I saw no more, for I shut my eyes till all was over. +I tell you again, Giscon, I do not believe the gods are so cruel. Why +should the gods of Phoenicia and Carthage alone demand blood? Those +of Greece and Rome are not so bloodthirsty, and yet Mars gives as many +victories to the Roman arms as Moloch does to ours.” + +“Blaspheme not the gods, Malchus,” Giscon said gloomily; “you may be +sure that the wreath of a conquering general will never be placed around +your brow if you honour them not.” + +“If honouring them means approval of shedding the blood of infants and +captives, I will renounce all hopes of obtaining victory by their aid.” + +“I would you had spoken so before, Malchus; had I known that you were +a scorner of the gods I would not have asked you to join in our +enterprise. No good fortune can be expected to attend our efforts unless +we have the help of the gods.” + +“The matter is easily mended, Giscon,” Malchus said calmly. “So far +I have taken no step towards carrying out your plans, and have but +listened to what you said, therefore, no harm can yet have been done. +Strike my name off the list, and forget that I have been with you. You +have my oath that I will say nought of anything that I have heard. You +can well make some excuse to your comrades. Tell them, for example, that +though I fear not for myself, I thought that, being the son of Hamilcar, +I had no right to involve his name and family in such an enterprise, +unless by his orders.” + +“Yes, it were better so,” Giscon said after a pause; “I dare not +continue the enterprise with one who condemns the gods among us; it +would be to court failure. I did not dream of this; who could have +thought that a lad of your age would have been a spurner of the gods?” + +“I am neither a condemner nor a spurner,” Malchus said indignantly; “I +say only that I believe you worship them wrongfully, that you do them +injustice. I say it is impossible that the gods who rule the world +can have pleasure in the screams of dying infants or the groans of +slaughtered men.” + +Giscon placed his hand to his ears as if to shut out such blasphemy, +and hurried away, while Malchus, mounting his horse, rode out slowly and +thoughtfully to his father's villa. He was not at heart sorry that he +was freed from this association into which, without knowing the measures +by which it intended to carry out its aims, he had rashly entered. He +was ready for armed insurrection against the tyrants of Carthage, but he +revolted from the thought of this plan for a midnight massacre--it was +not by such means that he would have achieved the regeneration of his +country. He felt, too, that the reason which he had given Giscon was a +valid one. He had no right, at his age, to involve his family in such a +conspiracy. Did it fail, and were he found to be among the conspirators, +Hanno and his associates would be sure to seize the fact as a pretext +for assailing Hamilcar. They would say that Malchus would never have +joined in such a plot had he not known that it had the approval of his +father, and that he was in fact but the representative of his family in +the design for overthrowing the constitution of the republic. + +Fortunately for Malchus, a few days later orders were given for the +instant embarkation of a portion of the reinforcements destined for +Hannibal. Hamilcar was to proceed in command of them, and, busied +with his preparation for the start, Malchus thought little more of the +conspiracy which was brewing. Thirty large merchant ships were hired +to convey the troops, who numbered six thousand. These were principally +Libyan footmen. The main body, with the Numidian horse, were to follow +shortly. At last the day for embarkation arrived, and the troops defiled +through the temple of Moloch, where sacrifices were offered up for the +success of the enterprise. + +Malchus, under the pretense that something was not ready, at the last +moment lingered at home, and only joined his comrades, a hundred young +men of the Carthaginian horse, on the quays. This body, all composed +of young men of the best families of Carthage, were to sail in the same +ship which carried Hamilcar. The scene was a busy one--the docks +of Carthage were extensive, and the ships which were to convey the +expedition lay in deep water by the quays, so that the troops could +march on board. A great crowd of the populace had assembled to view the +embarkation. These were with difficulty kept from crowding the troops +and impeding their movement by a cordon of soldiers. + +As the troops marched on to the quay they were formed up in parties by +the side of the ships which were to convey them. Very different was the +demeanour of the men of the different nationalities. The Libyans were +stern and silent, they were part of the contingent which their state +was bound to furnish to Carthage, and went unwillingly, cursing in their +hearts the power which tore them from their homes to fight in a war in +which they had neither concern nor interest. + +Near them were a body of Garamantes, wrapped in the long bernous which +then as now was the garb of the children of the desert. Tall, swarthy +figures these, lissome and agile, with every muscle standing out clear +through the brown skin. Strange as must have been the scene to them, +there was no wonder expressed in the keen glances which they shot around +them from underneath their dark eyebrows. Silent and taciturn, scarce +a word was to be heard among them as they stood awaiting the orders to +embark; they were there unwillingly, and their hearts were far away in +the distant desert, but none the less would they be willing to fight +when the time came. Terrible foes these would be in a night attack, +with their stealthy tiger-like tread, their gleaming, vengeful eyes, and +their cruel mouths. + +Very different were the band of Ethiopians from the distant Soudan, with +their cloaks of lion skin, and the gaudy feathers fastened in a fillet +round their heads. Their black faces were alive with merriment and +wonder--everything was new and extraordinary to them. The sea, +the ships, the mighty city, the gathered crowd, all excited their +astonishment, and their white teeth glistened as they chatted +incessantly with a very babel of laughter and noise. + +Not less light hearted were the chosen band of young nobles grouped by +the general's ship. Their horses were held in ranks behind them for the +last time by their slaves, for in future they would have to attend to +them themselves, and as they gathered in groups they laughed and jested +over the last scandal in Carthage, the play which had been produced the +night before at the theatre, or the horse race which was to be run on +the following day. As to the desperate work on which they were to be +engaged--for it was whispered that Hannibal had in preparation some +mighty enterprise--it troubled them not at all, nor the thought that +many of them might never look on Carthage again. In their hearts perhaps +some of them, like Malchus, were thinking sadly of the partings they had +just gone through with those they loved, but no signs of such thoughts +were apparent in their faces or conversation. + +Presently a blast of trumpets sounded, and the babel of voices was +hushed as if by magic. The soldiers fell into military order, and stood +motionless. Then Hamilcar walked along the quays inspecting carefully +each group, asking questions of the captains of the ships as to their +store of provisions and water, receiving from the officers charged with +that duty the lists of the war machines and stores which were stored +away in the hulls; and, having assured himself that everything was in +order, he gave the signal to his trumpeter, who again blew a long and +piercing blast. + +The work of embarkation at once commenced. The infantry were soon on +board, but the operation of shipping the horses of the cavalry took +longer. Half of these were stored away in the hold of the general's +ship, the rest in another vessel. When the troops were all on board +the soldiers who had kept back the crowd were withdrawn, and the +Carthaginians thronged down on to the quay. A small space was still kept +clear on the wharf by whose side the admiral's ship was lying, and here +was gathered a throng of the aristocracy of the city to see the last of +their sons and relatives of the guard. + +Having seen their horses safely stowed below the young men crowded to +the side of the ship to exchange adieus with their friends. The parting +was a brief one, for the wind was fair, and the general anxious to be +well out of the bay before nightfall. Therefore the signal was hoisted. +Numbers of slaves seized the hawsers of the ships and towed them along +through the narrow passage which connected the docks with the sea. A +shout of adieu rose from the crowd, the sails were hoisted, and the +fleet proceeded on its way. + +The arrangements for the comfort of the troops at sea were simple and +primitive. Each man shifted for himself. The whole space below was +occupied by cargo or horses. The troops lived and slept on deck. Here, +on wide flat stones, they cooked their meals, whiled away the day by +games of chance, and slept at night on skins or thick rugs. Fortunately +the weather was fair. It was early in March, but the nights were not +cold. + +The fleet hugged the coast, anchoring at night, until the northern +shores stood out clear and well defined as Spain stretched down towards +Africa. Then they crossed and cruised along until they arrived at +Carthagena. Short as was the time which had elapsed since the foundation +of that city, its aspect was already imposing and extensive. It lay at +the head of a gulf facing south, about a mile in depth and nearly double +that width. Across the mouth of this bay was an island, with but a +narrow passage on each side, protecting it from the southern winds, and +forming with it a magnificent harbour. + +On a bold hill at the head of the harbour stood the town. This hill rose +from a wide lagoon, which communicated on one side with the sea, and +was on the other separated from it only by a strip of land, four hundred +yards wide. Through this a wide channel had been dug. Thus the hill, +which was of considerable extent, rugged and precipitous, was isolated, +and could only be attacked by sea. + +The town was built in a sort of amphitheatre facing the sea, and +was surrounded by a strong fortification two miles and a half in +circumference, so that even should an assailant cross the lagoon, which +in summer was nearly dry, he would have before him an almost impregnable +defence to carry. Here, in buildings whose magnitude surprised the +newcomers, acquainted as they were with the buildings of Carthage, +were stored the treasures, the baggage, the ammunition of war, and the +provisions of the army. + +It had been the aim of the great Hamilcar, and of Hasdrubal after him, +to render the army of Spain as far as possible independent of the mother +country. They well knew how often the treasury of Carthage was empty +owing to the extravagance and dishonesty of her rulers, and how +impossible it would be to obtain thence the supplies required for +the army. Therefore they established immense workshops, where arms, +munitions of war, machines for sieges, and everything required for the +use of the army were fabricated. + +Vast as were the expenses of these establishments, the revenues +of Iberia were amply sufficient not only to defray all the cost of +occupation, but to transmit large sums to Carthage. These revenues were +derived partly from the tribute paid by conquered tribes, partly from +the spoils taken in captured cities, but most of all from the mines of +gold and silver, which were at that time immensely rich, and were worked +by the labour of slaves taken in war or of whole tribes subdued. + +Some idea of the richness of these mines may be formed by the fact that +one mine, which Hannibal had inherited from his father, brought in to +him a revenue of nearly a thousand pounds a day; and this was but one +of his various sources of wealth. This was the reason that Hamilcar, +Hasdrubal, and Hannibal were able to maintain themselves in spite of the +intrigues of their enemies in the capital. Their armies were their own +rather than those of the country. + +It was to them that the soldiers looked for their pay, as well as for +promotion and rewards for valour, and they were able, therefore, to +carry out the plans which their genius suggested untrammelled by orders +from Carthage. They occupied, indeed, a position very similar to that of +Wallenstein, when, with an army raised and paid from his private means, +he defended the cause of the empire against Gustavus Adolphus and the +princes of the Protestant league. It is true that the Carthaginian +generals had always by their side two commissioners of the senate. +The republic of Carthage, like the first republic of France, was ever +jealous of her generals, and appointed commissioners to accompany them +on their campaigns, to advise and control their movements and to report +on their conduct; and many of the defeats of the Carthaginians were due +in no small degree to their generals being hampered by the interference +of the commissioners. They were present, as a matter of course, with the +army of Hannibal, but his power was so great that their influence over +his proceedings was but nominal. + +The war which was about to break out with Rome is called the second +Punic war, but it should rather be named the war of Hannibal with +Rome. He conceived and carried it out from his own resources, without +interference and almost without any assistance from Carthage. Throughout +the war her ships lay idle in her harbour. Even in his greatest need +Carthage never armed a galley for his assistance. The pay of the army +came solely from his coffers, the material for the war from the arsenals +constructed by his father, his brother-in-law, and himself. It was a war +waged by a single man against a mighty power, and as such there is, with +the exception of the case of Wallenstein, nothing to resemble it in the +history of the world. + +Passing through the narrow passage into the harbour the fleet sailed up +to the end of the bay, and were soon alongside the spacious quays which +had been erected. A large quantity of shipping already lay there, for +the trade of Carthagena with the mother city and with the ports of +Spain, Africa, and the East already rivaled that of Carthage. A group of +officers were gathered on the quay as Hamilcar's ship, which was +leading the fleet, neared it, and Hamilcar exclaimed, “There is Hannibal +himself!” + +As the ship moored alongside the quay Hannibal came on board and warmly +embraced his cousin, and then bestowed a cordial greeting upon Malchus. + +“Why, cousin Malchus,” he said, “though it is but a year since I was in +Carthage, I should scarce have known you, so much have you grown. I see +you have entered the cavalry. That is well. You cannot begin too early +to accustom yourself to war.” + +Then turning, he went among the young men of the guard, to all of whom +he was personally known, greeting them with a cordiality and kindness +which greatly gratified them. Malchus gazed at him with admiration. +Fortunately an accurate description of Hannibal has come down to us. He +was one who, even at first sight, won all hearts by his lofty and noble +expression, by the kindness and sincerity which his face expressed. The +Carthaginians, as a race, were short, but Hannibal was very tall, and +his great width of shoulders testified to his immense strength. + +The beauty of the Carthaginian race was proverbial, but even among +them he was remarkable. His head was well placed on his shoulders; his +carriage was upright and commanding; his forehead lofty; his eye, though +soft and gentle at ordinary times, was said to be terrible in time of +battle. His head was bare. His hair, of a golden brown, was worn long, +and encircled by a golden band. His nose was long and straight, forming, +with the forehead, a perfect profile. The expression of the mouth was +kind but firm. His beard was short. The whole contour of the face was +noble in the extreme. + +In battle he wore a helmet of bronze closely fitting the head, behind +which projected a curved metal plate covering his neck. A band of gold +surrounded the helmet; in front were five laurel leaves in steel; at the +temples two leaves of the lotus of the same metal. On the crest, rising +from an ornament enriched with pearls, was a large plume of feathers, +sometimes red and sometimes white. A tuft of white horsehair fell from +the plate behind. A coat of mail, made of a triple tissue of chains of +gold, covered his body. Above this he wore a shirt of the finest white +linen, covered to the waist by a jerkin of leather overlaid with gold +plates. A large mantle of purple embroidered with gold hung from his +shoulders. He wore sandals and leggings of red morocco leather. + +But it was only on special occasions that Hannibal was thus +magnificently clad. On the march he dressed generally in a simple blouse +like that worn by his soldiers. His arms were borne behind him by an +esquire. These consisted of his shield, of Galatian manufacture. Its +material was bronze, its shape circular. In the centre was a conical, +sharply pointed boss. The face of the shield was ornamented with +subjects taken from the history of Carthage in relief. The offensive +arms were a sword, a lance, and a bow with arrows. But it was not to the +splendour of his appearance that Hannibal owed the enthusiasm by which +he was regarded by his troops. His strength and skill were far superior +to those of any man in his army. His food was as simple as that of his +soldiers, he was capable of going for days without eating, and it was +seldom that he broke his fast until the day's work was over. When he ate +it would be sitting on horseback, or as he walked about seeing to the +needs of the soldiers. + +At night he slept among them, lying on a lion skin without covering. He +was indifferent to heat and cold, and in the heaviest tempest of wind +and rain would ride bareheaded among his troops, apparently unconscious +of the tempest against which he was struggling. So far as was known +he was without a vice. He seldom touched wine. His morals were +irreproachable. He never gave way to anger. His patience under trials +and difficulties of all sorts was illimitable. + +In the midst of the greatest trials and dangers he preserved his +cheerfulness, and had ever an encouraging word for his soldiers. Various +as were the nationalities of the troops who followed him, constrained +as most of them had been to enter the service of Carthage, so great was +their love and admiration for their commander that they were ready +to suffer all hardships, to dare all dangers for his sake. It was his +personal influence, and that alone, which welded this army, composed of +men of various nationalities and tribes, into one whole, and enabled it +to perform the greatest military exploits in the world's history, and +for years to sustain a terrible struggle against the whole power of +Rome. + + + +CHAPTER VI: A CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN + + +Among the young officers who had followed Hannibal on board were +some who had left Carthage only a few months before and were known to +Malchus. From them he learned with delight that the troops would take +the field at once. + +“We are going on a campaign against the Vacaei,” one of them said. “The +army marched out two days since. Hannibal has been waiting here for your +arrival, for a fast sailing ship which started a few hours after you +brought the news that you were on your way, and you will set off to join +the rest without delay. It is going to be a hard campaign.” + +“Where is the country of the Vacaei?” Malchus asked. + +“A long way off,” the other replied. “The marches will be long and +tiresome. Their country lies somewhat to the northwest of the great +plateau in the centre of Iberia. We shall have to ascend the mountains +on this side, to cross the plateau, to follow the rivers which flow to +the great ocean.” + +The Vacaei, in fact, dwelt in the lands bordered by the upper Duero, +their country comprising a portion of old Castille, Leon, and the Basque +provinces. The journey would indeed be a long and difficult one; and +Hannibal was undertaking the expedition not only to punish the turbulent +Vacaei, who had attacked some of the tribes which had submitted to +Carthage, but to accustom the troops to fatigues and hardships, and to +prepare them for the great expedition which he had in view. No time was +indeed lost, for as soon as the troops were landed they were formed up +and at once started on their march. + +“This is more than we bargained for,” Trebon, a young guardsman whose +place in the ranks was next to Malchus, said to him. “I thought we +should have had at least a month here before we set out. They say the +city is as gay as Carthage; and as I have many friends here I have +looked forward to a month of jollity before starting. Every night when I +lay down on the hard planks of the deck I have consoled myself with the +thought that a soft bed awaited me here; and now we have to take at once +to the bare ground, with nothing but this skin strapped on the pommel of +my saddle to sleep on, and my bernous to cover me. It is colder already +a great deal than it was at Carthage; and if that is so here, what will +it be on the tops of those jagged mountains we see before us? Why, as I +live, that highest one over there is of dazzling white! That must be the +snow we have heard of--the rain turned solid by cold, and which they say +causes a pain to the naked limbs something like hot iron. Fancy having +to sleep in such stuff!” + +Malchus laughed at the complaints of his comrade. + +“I confess I am glad we are off at once,” he said, “for I was sick of +doing nothing but idling away my time at Carthage; and I suppose it +would be just the same here. How busy are the streets of the town! +Except for the sight of the mountains which we see through the breaks of +the houses, one might believe one's self still at home.” + +The aspect of Carthagena, indeed, closely resembled that of the mother +city, and the inhabitants were of the same race and blood. + +Carthagena had in the first place been formed by a great colony of +Libyans. The inhabitants of that province inhabiting the seaports and +coasts near Carthage were a mixture of Phoenician and native blood. They +were ever impatient of the supremacy of Carthage, and their rebellions +were frequent and often dangerous. After the suppression of these +insurrections, Carthage, sensible of the danger arising from the +turbulence of her neighbours, deported great numbers of them to form +colonies. Vast numbers were sent up into the Soudan, which was then one +of the most important possessions of the republic. The most extensive, +however, of these forced emigrations was the great colony sent to found +Carthagena, which had thus in a very few years, under the fostering +genius of the great Hamilcar, become a great and prosperous city. + +Carthage itself had thus suddenly sprung into existence. After many +internal troubles the democracy of Tyre had gained the upper hand in +that city; and finding their position intolerable, the whole of the +aristocracy decided to emigrate, and, sailing with a great fleet under +their queen Dido or Elisa--for she was called by both names--founded +Carthage. This triumph of the democracy in Tyre, as might be expected, +proved the ruin of that city. Very rapidly she fell from the lofty +position she had held, and her place in the world and her proud position +as Queen of the Seas was very speedily taken by Carthage. + +The original Libyan colony of Carthagena had been very largely increased +by subsequent emigration, and the populace presented an appearance very +similar to that of the mother city, save that instead of the swarthy +desert tribesmen, with their passive face and air of proud indifference, +mingling with the population of the town, there was in Carthagena a +large admixture of native Iberians, who, belonging to the tribes first +subdued by Carthage, had either been forced to settle here to supply +manual labour needed for the rising city, or who had voluntarily +abandoned their wandering life and adopted the more settled habitudes +and more assured comforts of existence in a great town. + +Skirting the lower part of the city, Hamilcar's force marched along the +isthmus and crossed the bridge over the canal cut through it, and +was soon in the country beyond. The ground rose gradually, and after +marching for six miles the brigade was halted at a spot to which +Hannibal had, when the fleet was first discerned approaching along the +coast, despatched some bullocks and other provisions for their use. The +march was a short one, but after a week's confinement on board ship +the men were little fitted for a long journey. The bullocks and other +rations were served out to the various companies, and the work of +preparing the repast began. Malchus was amused, although rather +disgusted at his first experience in a real campaign. When with Hamilcar +on the expedition against the Atarantes he had formed part of his +father's suite and had lived in luxury. He was now a simple soldier, and +was called upon to assist to cut up the bullock which had fallen to the +share of the Carthaginian cavalry. + +Some of the party went out to cut and bring in wood for the fires and +cooking; others moistened the flour and made dough for the flat cakes +which would be baked in the hot embers and eaten with the meat. +Loud shouts of laughter rose as the young soldiers worked at their +unaccustomed tasks, superintended by the officers, who, having all made +several campaigns, were able to instruct them as to their duties. From +a culinary point of view the meal could not be pronounced a success, +and was, indeed, a contrast to the food to which the young nobles were +accustomed. The march, however, and the keen bracing air had given them +good appetites, and the novelty and strangeness of the experience gave +a zest to the food; and in spite of the roughness of the meal, all +declared that they had never dined better. Many fires were now lit; and +round these, as the evening closed in, the men gathered in groups, all +closely wrapped in their bernouses, which were worn alike by officers +and men of the whole of the nationalities serving in the Carthaginian +army, serving as a cloak by day and a blanket at night. Presently a +trampling of horses was heard, and Hannibal and his personal staff rode +into the encampment. + +He had not started until several hours after them, when, having given +his last orders and made all final arrangements for the management +of affairs during his absence, he had ridden on to join the army. +Dismounting, he went at once on foot among the troops, chatting gaily +with them and inquiring how they fared. After visiting all the other +detachments he came to the bivouac of the Carthaginian horse, and for an +hour sat talking by their fires. + +“Ah!” he said as he rose to go, “the others will sleep well enough +tonight; but you sybarites, accustomed to your soft couches and your +luxuries, will fare badly. I remember my first night on the hard ground, +although 'tis now sixteen years back, how my limbs ached and how I +longed for morning. Now, let me give you a hint how to make your beds +comfortable. Mind, this is not for the future, but till your limbs get +accustomed to the ground you may indulge in luxuries. Before you try +to go off to sleep note exactly where your hip bones and shoulders will +rest; take your daggers and scoop out the earth at these points so as +to make depressions in which they may lie. Then spread your lion skins +above them and lie down. You will sleep as comfortably as if on a soft +couch.” + +Many of the young soldiers followed Hannibal's advice; others, among +whom was Malchus, determined to accustom themselves at once to the hard +ground. Malchus was not long in getting to sleep, his last thought being +that the precaution advised by Hannibal to ensure repose was altogether +unnecessary. But he changed his opinion when, two or three hours later, +he woke up with acute pains in his hip and shoulder. After trying +vainly, by changing his position, again to go off to sleep, he rose, +rolled up the skin, and set to work to make the excavations recommended +by the general. Then spreading out the skin again he lay down, and was +astonished to find how immense was the relief afforded by this simple +expedient. + +At daybreak the party were in motion. Their march was a long one; for +Hannibal wished to come up with the main army as soon as possible, and +no less than thirty miles were encompassed before they halted for the +night. They were now far up on the slopes of the Sierras. The latter +part of the journey had been exceedingly toilsome. The route was mostly +bare rock, which sorely tried the feet of the soldiers, these being +in most cases unprotected even by sandals. Malchus and his mounted +companions did not of course suffer in their feet. But they were almost +as glad as the infantry when the camping place was reached, for nothing +is more fatiguing to a horseman than to be obliged to travel in the +saddle for ten hours at the pace of footmen. The halting place this +time was near the upper edge of the forest which then clothed the lower +slopes of the mountains. + +Enough meat had been killed on the previous evening for three days' +rations for the troops, and there was therefore no loss of time in +preparing the meal. Wood, of course, was in abundance, and the pots +were soon hanging from thick poles placed above the fires. The night was +exceedingly cold, and the soldiers were grateful for the shelter which +the trees afforded from the piercing wind which blew across the snow +covered peaks of the higher range of mountains. + +“What is that noise?” Malchus asked one of the officers as, after the +meal was finished and silence began to reign in the camp, a deep sound +was heard in the forest. + +“That is the howling of a pack of wolves,” the officer said. “They are +savage brutes, and when in company will not hesitate to attack small +parties of men. They abound in the mountains, and are a scourge to +the shepherds of the plains, especially in the cold weather, when they +descend and commit terrible damage among the flocks.” + +“I thought I did not know the sound,” Malchus said. “The nights were +noisy enough sometimes at the southern edge of the desert. The packs +of jackals, with their sharp yelping cry, abounded; then there was the +deeper note of the hyenas, and the barking cry of troops of monkeys, and +the thundering roar of the lions. They were unpleasant enough, and at +first used to keep one awake; but none of them were so lugubrious +as that mournful howl I hear now. I suppose sometimes, when there is +nothing else to do, we get up hunting parties?” + +“Yes,” the officer replied; “it is the chief amusement of our garrisons +in winter among the wild parts of the country. Of course, near +Carthagena these creatures have been eradicated; but among the mountains +they abound, and the carcass of a dead horse is sure to attract plenty +of them. It is a sport not without danger; and there are many instances +where parties of five or six have gone out, taking with them a carcass +to attract the wolves, and have never returned; and a search has +resulted in the discovery of their weapons, injured and perhaps broken, +of stains of blood and signs of a desperate struggle, but of them not so +much as a bone has remained behind.” + +“I thought lion hunting was an exciting sport but the lions, although +they may move and hunt in companies, do not fight in packs, as these +fierce brutes seem to do. I hope some day to try it. I should like to +send back two of their heads to hang on the wall by the side of that of +the lion I killed up in the desert.” + +“Next winter you may do so,” the officer said. “The season is nearly +over now, and you may be sure that Hannibal will give us enough to do +without our thinking of hunting wolves. The Vacaei are fierce enough. +Perhaps two of their heads would do instead of those of wolves.” + +“I do not think my mother and sisters would approve of that,” Malchus +laughed; “so I must wait for the winter.” + +The night did not pass so quietly as that which had preceded it. The +distant howling of the wolves, as they hunted in the forest, kept the +horses in a tremor of terror and excitement, and their riders were +obliged over and over again to rise and go among them, and by speaking +to and patting them, to allay their fear. So long as their masters were +near them the well trained horses were quiet and tractable, and would +at a whispered order lie down and remain in perfect quiet; but no sooner +had they left them and again settled to sleep than, at the first howl +which told that the pack were at all approaching, the horses would lift +their heads, prick their ears in the direction of the sound, and rise +to their feet and stand trembling, with extended nostrils snuffing the +unknown danger, pawing the ground, and occasionally making desperate +efforts to break loose from their picket ropes. + +The work of soothing had then to be repeated, until at last most of the +riders brought their lions' skins and lay down by the prostrate horses, +with their heads upon their necks. The animals, trained thus to sleep +with their riders by their side, and reassured by the presence of their +masters, were for the most part content to lie quiet, although the packs +of wolves, attracted by the scent of the meat that had been cooked, +approached close to the camp and kept up a dismal chorus round it until +morning. + +Day by day the march was continued. The country was wild and rugged, +foaming torrents had to be crossed, precipices surmounted, barren tracts +traversed. But after a week's hard marching the column had overcome the +greater part of the difficulty, had crossed the Sierras and gained the +plateau, which with a gradual fall slopes west down to the Atlantic, and +was for the most part covered with a dense growth of forests. They now +to their satisfaction overtook the main body of the army, and their +marches would be somewhat less severe, for hitherto they had each day +traversed extra distances to make up for the two days' loss in starting. +Here Malchus for the first time saw the bands of Gaulish mercenaries. + +The Spanish troops had excited the admiration and astonishment of the +Carthaginians by their stature and strength; but the Gauls were a still +more powerful race. They belonged to the tribes which had poured down +over the Apennines, and occupied the northern portion of Spain long +anterior to the arrival of the Carthaginians. Their countenances were +rugged, and as it seemed to Malchus, savage. Their colour was much +lighter than that of any people he had yet seen. Their eyes were blue, +their hair, naturally fair or brown, was dyed with some preparation +which gave it a red colour. + +Some wore their long locks floating over their shoulders, others tied +it in a knot on the top of their heads. They wore a loose short trouser +fastened at the knee, resembling the baggy trousers of the modern Turks. +A shirt with open sleeves came halfway down their thighs, and over +it was a blouse or loose tunic decorated with ornaments of every +description, and fastened at the neck by a metal brooch. Their helmets +were of copper, for the most part ornamented with the horns of stags or +bulls. On the crest of the helmet was generally the figure of a bird +or wild beast. The whole was surmounted by immense tufts of feathers, +something like those of our Highland bonnets, adding greatly to the +height and apparent stature of the wearers. + +The Gauls had a passion for ornaments, and adorned their persons with a +profusion of necklaces, bracelets, rings, baldricks, and belts of gold. +Their national arms were long heavy pikes--these had no metal heads, +but the points were hardened by fire; javelins of the same +description--these before going into battle they set fire to, and hurled +blazing at the enemy--lighter darts called mat ras saunions, pikes +with curved heads, resembling the halberds of later times; and straight +swords. Hannibal, however, finding the inconvenience of this diversity +of weapons, had armed his Gaulish troops only with their long straight +swords. These were without point, and made for cutting only, and were +in the hands of these powerful tribesmen terrible weapons. These swords +were not those they had been accustomed to carry, which were made of +copper only, and often bent at the first blow, but were especially made +for them in Carthage of heavy steel, proof against all accident. + +The march was conducted with all military precautions, although +they were still traversing a country which had been already subdued. +Nevertheless they moved as if expecting an instant attack. The light +horse scoured the country. The lithe and active soldiers furnished by +the desert tribes formed the advanced guard of the army, and marched +also on its flanks, while the heavy armed soldiery marched in solid +column ready for battle. Behind them came the long train of baggage +protected by a strong rear guard. + +At last they reached a fertile country, and were now in the land of the +Vacaei and their allies. Arbocala, now called Tordesillas, was captured +without much difficulty. The siege was then laid to Salamanca, the chief +town of the enemy. In the actual siege operations the Carthaginian +horse took no part. The place resisted vigourously, but the machines +of Hannibal effected a breach in the walls, and the inhabitants, +seeing that further resistance was impossible, offered to capitulate, +stipulating that they should be allowed to depart unharmed, leaving +behind them all their arms and their treasure. + +The Carthaginian army were drawn up in readiness to march into the town +as the Vacaei came out. As they filed past the Carthaginians they were +inspected to see that they had carried out the terms of the agreement. +It was found that they had done so rigidly--not an arm of any kind was +found upon them. Their necklaces, bracelets, and ornaments had all been +left behind. + +“What a savage looking race!” Malchus remarked to Trebon; “they look at +us as if they would gladly spring on us, unarmed as they are, and +tear us with their hands. They are well nigh as dark skinned as the +Numidians.” + +“Here come their women!” Trebon said; “verily I would as soon fight the +men as these creatures. Look how they glare at us! You see they have +all had to give up their ornaments, so they have each their private +grievance as well as their national one.” + +When the whole of the population had filed out, the Carthaginian army +entered the town, with the exception of a body of light horse who were +ordered to remain without and keep an eye on the doings of the late +garrison. Malchus was amused at the scene within. The members of the +Carthaginian horse disdained to join in the work of plunder, and were, +therefore, free to watch with amusement their comrades at work. The +amount of booty was large, for the number of gold ornaments found in +every house, deposited there by the inhabitants on departing, was very +great; but not satisfied with this the soldiers dug up the floors in +search of buried treasure, searched the walls for secret hiding places, +and rummaged the houses from top to bottom. Besides the rich booty, the +soldiers burdened themselves with a great variety of articles which it +would be impossible for them to carry away. + +Men were seen staggering under the weight of four or five heavy skins. +Some had stuck feathers in their helmets until their heads were scarce +visible. Some had great bundles of female garments, which they had +collected with a vague idea of carrying them home to their families. +The arms had in the first place been collected and placed under a +strong guard, and picked troops were placed as sentries over the public +treasury, whose contents were allotted to the general needs of the army. + +Night fell soon after the sack commenced. Malchus with a number of his +comrades took possession of one of the largest houses in the place, and, +having cleared it of the rubbish with which it was strewn, prepared +to pass the night there. Suddenly a terrible uproar was heard--shouts, +cries, the clashing of arms, the yells of the enemy, filled the air. The +cavalry charged to watch the Vacaei, believing that these had departed +quietly, had abandoned their post, and had entered the town to join in +the work of plunder. + +As the garrison had marched out the men had been rigidly searched; but +the women had been allowed to pass out without any close inspection. +This carelessness cost the Carthaginians dear, for under their garments +they had hidden the swords and daggers of the men. Relying upon the +disorder which would reign in the city, the Vacaei had returned, and now +poured in through the gates, slaying all whom they met. + +For a short time a terrible panic reigned among the Carthaginians, great +numbers were cut down, and it seemed as if the whole force would be +destroyed. Hannibal and his generals rode about trying to get the +scattered men to form and oppose the enemy; but the panic was too +general, and had it not been for the Carthaginian legion all would have +been lost. The horse and foot, however, of this body, having abstained +from joining in the pillage, had, for the most part, kept together in +bodies, and these now sallied out in close and regular order, and fell +upon the attacking enemy. + +The streets were too narrow for cavalry to act, and Malchus and his +comrades fought on foot. The enemy, who had scattered on their work of +slaughter, were in their turn taken at a disadvantage, and were unable +to withstand the steady attack of the solid bodies. These, in the first +place, cut their way to the square in the centre of the town, and there +united. Hannibal, seeing he had now a solid body of troops under his +command, at once broke them up into parties and advanced down all the +streets leading from the central square. The hand-to-hand fight which +was going on all over the town was soon terminated. The Carthaginians +fell in in good order behind the ranks of their comrades, and the small +bodies soon became columns which swept the enemy before them. + +The enemy fought desperately, firing the houses, hurling stones from the +roofs upon the columns, and throwing themselves with reckless bravery +upon the spears, but their efforts were in vain. Foot by foot they +were driven back, until they were again expelled from the town. Keeping +together, and ever showing front to the Carthaginians, the Vacaei, now +reduced to less than half their number, retired to an eminence near the +town, and there prepared to sell their lives dearly. The Carthaginians +now fell into their regular ranks, and prepared to storm the enemy's +position; but Hannibal rode forward alone towards the Vacaei, being +plainly visible to them in the broad blaze of light from the burning +city. + +From his long residence in Spain he was able to speak the Iberian tongue +with fluency, and indeed could converse with all the troops of the +various nationalities under the banner of Carthage in their own +language. + +“Men of Salamanca,” he said, “resist no longer. Carthage knows how to +honour a brave enemy, and never did men fight more valiantly in defence +of their homes than you have done, and although further resistance would +be hopeless, I will press you no further. Your lives are spared. You may +retain the arms you know so well how to wield, and tomorrow my army will +evacuate your town and leave you free to return to it.” + +Hannibal's clemency was politic. He would have lost many more men before +he finally overcame the desperate band, and he was by no means desirous +of exciting a deep feeling of hate among any of the tribes, just as +he was meditating withdrawing the greater portion of the army for his +enterprise against Rome. With the fall of Salamanca the resistance of +the Vacaei ceased, and Hannibal prepared to march back to Carthagena. + +A storm, however, had gathered in his rear. Great numbers of the Vacaei +had sought refuge among the Olcades, who had been subdued the previous +autumn, and together they had included the whole of the fierce tribes +known as the Carpatans, who inhabited the country on the right bank of +the upper Tagus, to make common cause with them against the invaders. As +Hannibal approached their neighbourhood they took up their position on +the right bank of the river near Toledo. Here the stream is rapid and +difficult of passage, its bed being thickly studded with great boulders +brought down in time of flood from the mountains. The country on each +side of the river is sandy, free from forests or valleys, which would +cover the movements of an army. + +The host gathered to oppose the Carthaginians were fully one hundred +thousand strong, and Hannibal saw at once that his force, weakened as it +was with its loss at Salamanca, and encumbered by the great train laden +with the booty they had gathered from the Vacaei, would have no chance +whatever in a battle with so vast a body. The enemy separated as he +approached the river, their object being evidently to fall upon his rear +when engaged in the difficult operation of crossing. The Carthaginians +moved in two heavy columns, one on each side of their baggage, and +Hannibal's orders were stringent that on no account should they engage +with the enemy. + +The natives swarmed around the columns, hurling darts and javelins; but +the Carthaginians moved forward in solid order, replying only with +their arrows and slings, and contenting themselves with beating off the +attacks which the bolder of their foes made upon them. Night was falling +when they arrived on the bank of the river. The enemy then desisted from +their attack, believing that in the morning the Carthaginians would be +at their mercy, encumbered by their vast booty on one side and cut off +from retreat by a well nigh impassable river on the other. + +As soon as the army reached the river Hannibal caused the tents of all +the officers to be erected. The baggage wagons were arranged in order, +and the cattle unharnessed. The troops began to throw up intrenchments, +and all seemed to show that the Carthaginians were determined to fight +till the last on the ground they held. It was still light enough for the +enemy to perceive what was being done, and, secure of their prey in the +morning, they drew off to a short distance for the night. Hannibal had +learned from a native that morning of a ford across the river, and it +was towards this that he had been marching. As soon as it was perfectly +dark a number of men entered the river to search for the ford. This was +soon discovered. + +Then the orders were passed noiselessly round to the soldiers, and +these, in regular order and in the most perfect quiet, rose to their +feet and marched down to the ford. A portion of the infantry first +passed, then the wagons were taken over, the rest of the infantry +followed, and the cavalry and the elephants brought up the rear. The +point where the river was fordable was at a sharp angle, and Hannibal +now occupied its outer side. As daylight approached he placed his +archers on the banks of the river where, owing to the sharp bend, their +arrows would take in flank an enemy crossing the ford, and would also +sweep its approaches. + +The cavalry were withdrawn some distance, and were ordered not to charge +until the Spaniards had got across the river. The elephants, forty +in number, were divided into two bodies. One of these was allotted to +protect each of the bodies of infantry on the bank from attack, should +the Spaniards gain a strong footing on the left bank. When day broke +the enemy perceived that the Carthaginians had made the passage of the +river. Believing that they had been too much alarmed to risk a battle, +and were retreating hastily, the natives thronged down in a multitude to +the river without waiting for their leaders or for orders to be given, +and rushing forward, each for himself, leaped into the river. + +Numbers were at once swept away by the stream, but the crowd who had +struck upon the ford pressed forward. When they were in midstream in a +tumultuous mass Hannibal launched his cavalry upon them, and a desperate +conflict ensued in the river. The combat was too unequal to last +long. The Spaniards, waist deep in the rapid stream, had difficulty +in retaining their feet, they were ignorant of the width or precise +direction of the ford, and were hampered by their own masses; the +cavalry, on the other hand, were free to use their weapons, and the +weight and impetus of their charge was alone sufficient to sweep the +Spanish from their footing into deep water. + +Many were drowned, many more cut down, and the rest driven in disorder +back across the river. But fresh hordes had now arrived; Hannibal +sounded the retreat, and the cavalry retired as the Spaniards again +threw themselves into the stream. As the confused mass poured across the +ford the two divisions of infantry fell upon them, while the arrows +of the archers swept the struggling mass. Without order or discipline, +bewildered at this attack by a foe whom they had regarded as flying, the +Spaniards were driven back across the river, the Carthaginians crossing +in their rear. + +The flying Iberians scattered terror among their comrades still flocking +down to the bank, and as the Carthaginian infantry in solid column fell +upon them, a panic seized the whole host and they scattered over the +plain. The Carthaginian cavalry followed close behind the infantry, and +at once dashed forward among the broken masses, until the Spanish army, +lately so confident of victory, was but a broken mass of panic stricken +fugitives. + +The victory of Toledo was followed at once by the submission of the +whole of the tribes of Spain south of the Ebro, and Hannibal, having +seen that the country was everywhere pacified, marched back with his +army to Carthagena to pass the winter there (220-219 B.C.). + + + +CHAPTER VII: A WOLF HUNT + + +The summer's work had been a hard one and the young soldiers of the +Carthaginian cavalry rejoiced when they marched into Carthagena again, +with the prospect of four months' rest and gaiety. When in the field +their discipline was as strict and their work as hard as that of the +other corps, but, whereas, when they went into winter quarters, the rest +of the army were placed under tents or huts, this corps d'elite were for +the time their own masters. + +Two or three times a week they drilled and exercised their horses, but +with these exceptions they were free to do as they chose. Scarce one +but had relations or friends in Carthagena with whom they took up their +abode, and those who were not so fortunate found a home at the great +military club, of which, ranking as they did with the officers of other +corps, they were all members. + +Hamilcar and Malchus had rooms assigned to them in the splendid mansion +of Hannibal, which was the centre of the life and gaiety of the place, +for Hannibal had, before starting on his campaign in the spring, married +Imilce, the daughter of Castalius, a Spaniard of noble blood, and his +household was kept up with a lavish magnificence, worthy alike of his +position as virtual monarch of Spain and of his vast private wealth. +Fetes were given constantly for the amusement of the people. At these +there were prizes for horse and foot racing, and the Numidian cavalry +astonished the populace by the manner in which they maneuvered their +steeds; bowmen and slingers entered the lists for prizes of value given +by the general; and the elephants exhibited proof of their docility and +training. + +In the bay there were races between the galleys and triremes, and +emulation was encouraged among the troops by large money prizes to the +companies who maneuvered with the greatest precision and activity. For +the nobles there were banquets and entertainments of music. The rising +greatness of Carthagena had attracted to her musicians and artists from +all parts of the Mediterranean. Snake charmers from the far Soudan and +jugglers from the distant East exhibited their skill. Poets recited +their verses, and bards sung their lays before the wealth and beauty of +Carthagena. Hannibal, anxious at once to please his young wife and +to increase his popularity, spared no pains or expense in these +entertainments. + +Gay as they were Malchus longed for a more stirring life, and with five +or six of his comrades obtained leave of absence for a month, to go on +a hunting expedition in the mountains. He had heard, when upon the +campaign, the issue of the plot in which he had been so nearly engaged. +It had failed. On the very eve of execution one of the subordinates had +turned traitor, and Giscon and the whole of those engaged in it had been +arrested and put to a cruel death. + +Malchus himself had been denounced, as his name was found upon the list +of the conspirators, and an order had been sent to Hannibal that he +should be carried back a prisoner to Carthage. Hannibal had called the +lad before him, and had inquired of him the circumstances of the case. +Malchus explained that he had been to their meeting but once, being +taken there by Giscon, and being in entire ignorance of the objects of +the plot, and that he had refused when he discovered them to proceed +in the matter. Hannibal and Hamilcar blamed him severely for allowing +himself at his age to be mixed up in any way in public affairs; but they +so represented the matter to the two Carthaginian commissioners with the +army, that these had written home to say, that having inquired into the +affair they found that beyond a boyish imprudence in accompanying Giscon +to the place where the conspirators met, Malchus was not to blame in the +matter. + +The narrow escape that he had had was a lesson which was not lost upon +Malchus. Hamilcar lectured him sternly, and pointed out to him that the +affairs of nations were not to be settled by the efforts of a handful of +enthusiasts, but that grievances, however great, could only be righted +when the people at large were determined that a change should be made. + +“There would be neither order nor stability in affairs, Malchus, if +parties of desperate men of one party or another were ever striving for +change, for revolution would be met by counter revolution. The affairs +of nations march slowly; sudden changes are ever to be deprecated. If +every clique of men who chance to be supported by a temporary wave of +public opinion, were to introduce organic changes, there would be no +stability in affairs. Capital would be alarmed; the rich and powerful, +seeing their possessions threatened and their privileges attacked by the +action of the demagogues of the hour, would do as did our forefathers of +Tyre, when the whole of the aristocracy emigrated in a body to Carthage, +and Tyre received a blow from which she has never recovered.” + +For some time after this event Malchus had felt that he was in disgrace, +but his steadiness and good conduct in the campaign, and the excellent +reports which his officers gave of him, had restored him to favour; and +indeed his father and Hannibal both felt that a lad might well be led +away by an earnest enthusiast like Giscon. + +The hunting party took with them a hundred Iberian soldiers used to the +mountains, together with six peasants acquainted with the country and +accustomed to the chase. They took several carts laden with tents, wine, +and provisions. Four days' journey from Carthagena took the party into +the heart of the mountains, and here, in a sheltered valley through +which ran a stream, they formed their camp. + +They had good sport. Sometimes with dogs they tracked the bears to their +lair, sometimes the soldiers made a wide sweep in the hills, and, having +inclosed a considerable tract of forest, moved forward, shouting and +clashing their arms until they drove the animals inclosed down through a +valley in which Malchus and his companions had taken post. + +Very various was the game which then fell before their arrows and +javelins. Sometimes a herd of deer would dart past, then two bears +with their family would come along growling fiercely as they went, and +looking back angrily at the disturbers of their peace. Sometimes a pack +of wolves, with their red tongues hanging out, and fierce, snarling +barks, would hurry along, or a wild boar would trot leisurely past, +until he reached the spot where the hunters were posted. The wolves and +deer fell harmlessly before the javelins of the Carthaginians, but the +bears and wild boars frequently showed themselves formidable opponents, +and there were several desperate fights before these yielded to the +spears and swords of the hunters. + +Sometimes portions of the animals they had killed were hung up at night +from the bough of a tree at a distance from the camp, to attract the +bears, and one or two of the party, taking their post in neighbouring +trees, would watch all night for the coming of the beasts. The snow +was now lying thick on the tops of the mountains, and the wolves were +plentiful among the forests. + +One day Malchus and two of his companions had followed a wounded deer +far up among the hills, and were some miles away from the camp when the +darkness began to set in. + +“I think we had better give it up,” Malchus said; “we shall find it +difficult as it is to find our way back; I had no idea that it was so +late.” + +His companions at once agreed, and they turned their faces towards the +camp. In another half hour it was perfectly dark under the shadow of the +trees, but the moon was shining, and its position afforded them a means +of judging as to the direction where the camp lay. But even with such +assistance it was no easy matter making their way. The country was rough +and broken; ravines had to be crossed, and hills ascended. After pushing +on for two hours, Halcon, the eldest of the party, said: + +“I am by no means sure that we are going right after all. We have had +a long day's work now, and I do not believe we shall find the camp +tonight. I think we had better light a fire here and wrap ourselves in +our cloaks. The fire will scare wild beasts away, and we shall be easily +able to find the camp in the morning.” + +The proposal was at once accepted; sticks were collected, and, with +flint and steel and the aid of some dried fungus which they carried in +their pouches, a fire was soon lit, and some choice portions of a deer +which they had killed early in the day were soon broiling on sticks over +it. + +“We must keep watch by turns,” Halcon said; “it will not do to let +the fire burn low, for likely enough we may be visited by bears before +morning.” + +After eating their meal and chatting for some time, Halcon and his +companions lay down to rest, Malchus volunteering to keep the first +watch. For some time he sat quietly, occasionally throwing logs on the +fire from the store which they had collected in readiness. Presently +his attitude changed, he listened intently and rose to his feet. Several +times he had heard the howls of wolves wandering in the woods, but he +now made out a long, deep, continuous howling; he listened for a minute +or two and then aroused his companions. + +“There is a large pack of wolves approaching,” he said, “and by the +direction of the sound I judge they are hunting on the traces of our +footsteps. That is the line by which we came down from yonder brow, and +it seems to me that they are ascending the opposite slope.” + +“Yes, and by the sound there must be a very large pack of them,” Halcon +agreed; “pile up the fire and set yourselves to gather more wood as +quickly as possible; these beasts in large packs are formidable foes.” + +The three men set to work, vigourously cutting down brushwood and +lopping off small boughs of trees with their swords. + +“Divide the fire in four,” Halcon said, “and pile the fuel in the +centre; they will hardly dare to pass between the fires.” + +The pack was now descending the slope, keeping up a chorus of howls and +short yelps which sent a shiver of uneasiness through Malchus. As the +wolves approached the spot the howling suddenly ceased. + +“They see us,” Halcon said; “keep a sharp lookout for them, but do not +throw away a shot, we shall need all our arrows before daylight.” + +Standing perfectly quiet, the friends could hear the pattering sound +made by the wolves' feet upon the fallen leaves; but the moon had sunk +now, and they were unable to make out their figures. + +“It seems to me,” Malchus said in a whisper, “that I can see specks of +fire gleaming on the bushes.” + +“It is the reflection of the fire in their eyes,” Halcon replied. “See! +they are all round us! There must be scores of them.” + +For some time the wolves approached no closer; then, encouraged by the +silence of the little group standing in the centre of the fire, two or +three gray forms showed themselves in the circle of light. Three bows +twanged. Two of the wolves fell, and the third, with a howl of pain, +fled in the darkness. There was a sound of snarling and growling; a cry +of pain, a fierce struggle, and then a long continued snarling. + +“What are they doing?” Malchus asked with a shudder. + +“I believe they are eating their wounded comrade,” Halcon replied. “I +have heard such is the custom of the savage brutes. See, the carcasses +of the other two have disappeared already.” + +Short as had been the time which had elapsed since they had fallen, +other wolves had stolen out, and had dragged away the bodies of the two +which had been killed. This incident, which showed how extreme was the +hunger of the wolves, and how noiseless were their motions, redoubled +the vigilance of the party. + +Malchus threw a handful of brushwood on to each of the fires. + +“We must be careful of the fuel,” Halcon said. “I would we had thought +of this before we lay down to sleep. If we had collected fuel enough for +our fires we should have been safe; but I doubt much if our supply will +last now till morning.” + +As the hours went on the attitude of the wolves became more and more +threatening, and in strong bodies they advanced close up to the fires. +Every time that they did so armfuls of fuel were thrown on, and as the +flames leaped up brightly they each time fell back, losing several of +their numbers from the arrows of the little party. But the pile of +fuel was now sinking fast, and except when the wolves advanced it was +necessary to let the fires burn down. + +“It must want four hours yet of daylight,” Halcon said, as he threw on +the last piece of wood. “Look round as the fire blazes up and see if you +can make out any tree which may be climbed. I would that we had taken to +them at first instead of trusting to our fires.” + +Unfortunately they had chosen a somewhat open space of ground for their +encampment, for the brushwood grew thick among the trees. + +“There is a tree over there,” Malchus said, pointing to it, “with a +bough but six feet from the ground. One spring on to that and we are +safe.” + +“Very well,” Halcon assented; “we will attempt it at once before the +fire burns low. Put your swords into your sheaths, sling your bows and +arrows behind you, and take each a burning brand. These will be better +weapons in such a case than swords or spears. Now, are you ready? Now!” + +Waving the burning brands over their heads, the three Carthaginians +dashed across the intervening space towards the tree. + +It seemed as if the wolves were conscious that their prey were +attempting to escape them; for, with a fierce howl, they sprang from the +bushes and rushed to meet them; and, undeterred by the blazing brands, +sprang upon them. + +Malchus scarce knew what passed in the short, fierce struggle. One wolf +sprang upon his shield and nearly brought him to the ground; but the +sharp boss pierced its body, and he flung it from him, at the same +moment that he dashed the brand full in the face of another. A third +sprang upon his shoulder, and he felt its hot breath in his face. +Dropping his brand, he drove his dagger deep into its side. Then he +hurled his heavy shield among the mass of wolves before him, took a +bound into their midst, and grasping the bough, swung himself into the +tree and sat there with his legs drawn up as a score of wolves leaped up +towards him with open mouths. + +He gave a cry of horror. His two friends were down, and a confused mass +of struggling bodies alone showed where they had fallen. For an instant +he hesitated, debating whether he should leap down and strive to rescue +them; but a glance below showed him that he would be pulled down long +before he could reach the spot where they had fallen. + +Shifting himself along the arm until he reached the trunk, he rose to +his feet and sent his arrows vengefully into the midst of the struggling +mass of wolves until he had but three or four shafts left. These he +reserved as a last resource. + +There was nothing to do now, and he sat down on the branch, and burst +into tears over the fate of his comrades. When he looked up again all +was quiet. The fierce pack had devoured not only his comrades, but their +own fallen companions, and now sat in a circle with their red tongues +hanging out and their eyes fixed upon him. As the fire gradually died +out their form disappeared; but he could hear their quick breathing, and +knew that they were still on the watch. + +Malchus climbed the tree until he reached a fork where he could sit at +ease, and there waited for morning, when he hoped that his foes would +disappear. But as the gray light dawned he saw them still on the watch; +nor, as the dawn brightened into day, did they show any signs of moving. + +When he saw they had no intention of leaving the place, Malchus began to +consider seriously what he had best do. He might still be, for aught +he knew, miles away from the camp, and his friends there would have +no means of knowing the position in which he was placed. They would +no doubt send out all the soldiers in search of the party; but in that +broken wilderness of forest and mountain, it was the merest chance +whether they would find the spot where he was prisoner. Still, it +appeared to him that this was the only possibility of his rescue. The +trees grew thickly together, and he could easily have climbed from that +in which he was stationed to the next, and might so have made his way +for some distance; but as the wolves were watching him, and could see +as well by night as by day, there was no advantage in shifting his +position. + +The day passed slowly. The wolves had for the most part withdrawn from +beneath the tree, but a few kept their station there steadily, and +Malchus knew that the rest were only lying beneath the bushes round; +for he could hear their frequent snarling, and sometimes a gray head was +thrust out, and a pair of eager eyes looked hungrily towards him. From +time to time Malchus listened breathlessly in hopes of hearing the +distant shouts of his comrades; but all was still in the forest, and +he felt sure that the wolves would hear anyone approaching before he +should. + +Once or twice, indeed, he fancied that by their pricked ears and +attitude of attention they could hear sounds inaudible to him; but the +alarm, if such it was, soon passed away, and it might have been that +they were listening only to the distant footsteps of some stag passing +through the forest. Night came again with its long, dreary hours. +Malchus strapped himself by his belt to the tree to prevent himself from +falling and managed to obtain a few hours of uneasy sleep, waking up +each time with a start, in a cold perspiration of fear, believing that +he was falling into the hungry jaws below. In the morning a fierce +desire to kill some of his foes seized him, and he descended to the +lowest branch. + +The wolves, seeing their prey so close at hand, thronged thickly under +it, and strove to leap up at him. Lying down on the bough, and twisting +his legs firmly under it to give him a purchase, Malchus thrust his +sword nearly to the hilt between the jaws, which snapped fiercely as a +wolf sprang to within a few inches of the bough. Several were killed in +this way, and the rest, rendered cautious, withdrew to a short distance. +Suddenly an idea struck Malchus. He took off his belt and formed it +into a running noose, and then waited until the wolves should summon up +courage to attack again. It was not long. Furious with hunger, which the +prey they had already devoured was only sufficient to whet, the wolves +again approached and began to spring towards the bough. + +Malchus dropped the noose over one of their necks, and with an effort, +hauled it to the bough, and despatched it with his dagger. Then he moved +along the bough and hung it on a branch some ten feet from the ground, +slashing open with his dagger its chest and stomach. Having done this he +returned to his place. Six wolves were one after the other so hauled +up and despatched, and as Malchus expected, the smell of their blood +rendered the pack more savage than ever. They assembled round the +foot of the tree, and continued to spring at the trunk, making vain +endeavours to get at the supply of food which hung tantalizingly at so +short a distance beyond their reach. + +So the day passed as before without signs of rescue. When it became +dark Malchus again descended to the lowest trunk, and fired his three +remaining arrows among the wolves below him. Loud howls followed each +discharge, followed by a desperate struggle below. Then he tumbled from +their position the six dead wolves to the ground below, and then as +noiselessly as possible made his way along a bough into an adjoining +tree, and so into another, till he had attained some distance from the +spot where the wolves were fighting and growling over the remains of +their companions, far too absorbed in their work for any thought of him. + +Then he dropped noiselessly to the ground and fled at the top of +his speed. It would be, he was sure, some time before the wolves had +completed their feast; and even should they discover that he was missing +from the tree, it would probably be some time before they could hit upon +his scent, especially, as, having just feasted on blood, their sense of +smell would for a time be dulled. His previsions were accurate. Several +times he stopped and listened in dread lest he should hear the distant +howl, which would tell him that the pack was again on his scent. All was +quiet, save for the usual cries and noises in the forest. In two hours +he saw a distant glow of light, and was soon in the encampment of his +friends. + +“Why, Malchus!” his comrades exclaimed as he entered the tent, “where +have you been these two days? Why, you are splashed with blood. Where +are Halcon and Chalcus?” + +“Dead,” Malchus said--“devoured by wolves.” + +A cry of horror broke from the three young guardsmen. + +“'Tis too true,” Malchus went on; “but give me food and wine. I have +neither eaten nor drunk for the last two days, and I have gone through a +terrible time. Even now I seem to see all round me countless cruel eyes, +and hungry open mouths with their red tongues.” + +Seeing that Malchus was utterly worn and exhausted his companions +hastened to place food and drink before him before asking any further +questions. + +Malchus drank a cup of wine and took a mouthful of bread; but he was too +faint and exhausted at present to eat more. He had supported well +the terrible strain for the last forty-eight hours, and as he had run +through the forest he had not noticed how it had told upon him; but now +that he was safe among his friends he felt as weak as a child. For +a time he lay upon the lion skin on which he had thrown himself upon +entering the tent, unable to reply to his comrades' questions. Then, as +the cordial began to take effect, he roused himself and forced himself +to eat more. After that he told his friends what had happened. + +“You have indeed had an escape, Malchus; but how was it you did not take +to the trees at once?” + +“I did not think of it,” Malchus said, “nor, I suppose, did the others. +Halcon was our leader, and we did as he told us. He thought the fires +would keep them off. Who could have thought the beasts would have +ventured to attack us!” + +“I have always heard they were terrible,” one of the others said; “but I +should have thought that three armed men would have been a match for any +number of them.” + +“It would have been as much as thirty could have done to withstand +them,” Malchus replied; “they did not seem to care for their lives, but +sought only to slay. There were hundreds and hundreds of them. I would +rather march alone to the assault of a walled city than face those +terrible beasts.” + +In the morning the whole party started for the scene of the encounter. + +Malchus had some difficulty in discovering it; but at last, after +searching a long time he came upon it. + +The ground beneath the tree was everywhere trampled and torn by the +wolves in their struggles, and was spotted with patches of dry blood. +The helmets, shields and arms of Halcon and Chalcus lay there, but not +a remnant of their bones remained, and a few fragments of skin and some +closely gnawed skulls alone testified to the wolves which had fallen +in the encounter. The arms were gathered up, and the party returned +to their camp, and the next day started for Carthagena for, after that +experience, none cared for any further hunting. + +It was some weeks before Malchus completely recovered from the effects +of the strain he had undergone. His nights were disturbed and restless. +He would constantly start from his couch, thinking that he heard the +howl of the wolves, and any sudden noise made him start and turn pale. +Seeing how shaken his young kinsmen was, and what he had passed through, +Hannibal sent him several times in ships which were going across to +Africa for stores. He did not venture to send him to Carthage; for +although his influence with the commissioners had been sufficient to +annul the order of the council for the sending of Malchus as a prisoner +there, it was probable that were he to return he would be seized and put +to death--not for the supposed crime he had committed, but to gratify +the hatred of Hanno against himself and his adherents. + +The sea voyages soon restored Malchus to his accustomed health. Trained +and disciplined as his body had been by constant exercise, his nerves +were not easily shaken, and soon recovered their tone, and when, early +in March, he rejoined his regiment, he was able to enter with zest and +energy into the preparations which Hannibal was making for the siege of +Saguntum. Difficult as this operation would be, the preparations +which were being made appeared enormous. Every week ships brought over +reinforcements of troops, and the Iberian contingents were largely +increased. + +One day Malchus entered an apartment where his father and Hannibal were +talking earnestly together with a large map spread out before them. He +would have retired at once, but Hannibal called him in. + +“Come in, Malchus, I would have no secrets from you. Although you are +young I know that you are devoted to Carthage, that you are brave and +determined. I see in you what I was myself at your age, but nine years +ago, and it may be that some day you will be destined to continue the +work which I am beginning. You, too, have commenced early, your training +has been severe. As your father's son and my cousin your promotion will +naturally be rapid. I will, therefore, tell you my plans. It is clear +that Rome and Carthage cannot both exist--one or the other must be +destroyed. It is useless to strike at extremities, the blow must be +dealt at the heart. Unfortunately our fleet is no longer superior to +that of Rome, and victories at sea, however important, only temporarily +cripple an enemy. + +“It is by land the blow must be struck. Were the sea ours, I should say, +land troops in southern Italy, and continue to pour over reinforcements +until all the fighting men of North Africa are at the gates of Rome. But +without the absolute command of the sea this cannot be done. Therefore +I intend to make Spain our base, and to march through Southern Gaul over +the Alps into Italy, and there to fight the Romans on their own ground. +Already I have agents at work among the Gauls and the northern tribes of +Italy, who will, I trust, join me in the war against our common enemy. +The enterprise is a great one, but it is not impossible; if it succeeds, +Rome will be destroyed and Carthage will reign, without a rival, +mistress of the world. The plan was Hasdrubal's, but it has fallen to me +to carry it out.” + +“It is a grand plan indeed,” Malchus exclaimed enthusiastically--“a +glorious plan, but the difficulties seem tremendous.” + +“Difficulties are made to be overcome by brave men,” Hannibal said. +“The Alps are the greatest barrier, but my agents tell me that the +difficulties are not insuperable even for elephants. But before we start +we have Spain to subdue. Saguntum is under the protection of Rome, and +must be crushed, and all the country north of the Ebro conquered and +pacified. This done the passage of reinforcements to my army in Italy +will be easy. The Gauls will favour us, the mountains tribes will +be crushed or bought over, so that the route for the advance of +reinforcements, or for our retreat, if too hardly pressed, will be +always open. But all this is for yourself alone. + +“My plans must not yet be known. Already our enemies in Carthage are +gaining in strength. Many of our adherents have been put to death and +the estates of others confiscated; but the capture of Saguntum will +restore our supremacy, and the enthusiasm which it will incite among the +populace will carry all before it. The spoils which will be taken there +will be sufficient to silence every murmur in Carthage. Now leave us, +Malchus, we have much to talk over and to arrange, and I have given you +plenty to think about for the present.” + + + +CHAPTER VIII: A PLOT FRUSTRATED + + +After leaving Hannibal, Malchus did not rejoin his comrades, but mounted +the hills behind the town and sat down there, looking over the sea, and +thinking over the vast plan which Hannibal's words had laid before him, +and to which his father had once alluded in his presence. Malchus +had been brought up by Hamilcar to regard Rome as the deadly enemy of +Carthage, but he had not till now seen the truth which Hannibal had +grasped, that it was a struggle not for empire only between the two +republics, but one of life and death--that Carthage and Rome could not +coexist, and that one or other of them must be absolutely destroyed. + +This, indeed, was the creed of the Barcine party, and was, apart from +the minor questions of internal reforms, the great point on which they +differed from Hanno and the trading portion of the community, who were +his chief supporters. These were in favour of Carthage abandoning her +colonies and conquests, and devoting herself solely to commerce and the +acquisition of wealth. Believing that Rome, who would then have open +to her all Europe and Asia to conquer, would not grudge to Carthage the +northern seaboard of Africa, they forgot that a nation which is rich and +defenceless will speedily fall a victim to the greed of a powerful +and warlike neighbour, and that a conqueror never needs excuses for an +attack upon a defenceless neighbour. + +Hitherto Malchus had thought only of a war with Rome made up of sea +fights and of descents upon Sicily and Sardinia. The very idea of +invading Italy and striking at Rome herself had never even entered his +mind, for the words of his father had been forgotten in the events +which followed so quickly upon them. The prospect which the words opened +seemed immense. First Northern Spain was to be conquered, Gaul to be +crossed, the terrible mountains of which he had heard from travellers +were next to be surmounted, and finally a fight for life and death to +be fought out on the plains of Italy. The struggle would indeed be a +tremendous one, and Malchus felt his heart beat fast at the thought that +he was to be an actor in it. Surely the history of the world told of no +greater enterprise than this. Even the first step which was to be taken, +a mere preliminary to this grand expedition, was a most formidable one. + +Saguntum stood as an outpost of Rome. While Carthage had been advancing +from the south Rome had been pressing forward from the east along +the shores of the Mediterranean, and had planted herself firmly at +Marseilles, a port which gave her a foothold in Gaul, and formed a base +whence she could act in Spain. In order to check the rising power of +the Carthaginians there she had entered into a firm alliance with the +Saguntines, whose country occupied what is now the district of Valencia. +By the terms of the last treaty between the two republics each was +forbidden to make war upon tribes in alliance with their rivals, and +Saguntum being thus under the jurisdiction of Rome, an attack upon it +would be almost equivalent to a declaration of war. + +The position of the city was one of great strength. It stood on an +almost isolated rock at the foot of a spur of the mountains which +formed an amphitheatre behind it. Around it extended a rich and fertile +country, the sea was less than a mile from its walls, and the Romans +could thus quickly send succour to their allies. The rock on which the +town stood was well nigh inaccessible, falling sheer down from the foot +of the walls, and was assailable only on the western side, where the +rocks sloped gradually down to the plain. Here the walls were extremely +strong and lofty, and were strengthened by a great tower which dominated +the whole slope. It would be difficult to form approaches, for the rock +was bare of soil and afforded no cover of any kind. + +Hitherto the Carthaginian generals had scrupulously respected the +territory of the Saguntines, but now that the rest of Spain was subdued +it was necessary to reduce this advanced post of Rome--this open door +through which Rome, now mistress of the sea, could at any moment pour +her legions into the heart of Spain. + +The Saguntines were not ignorant of the danger which threatened them. +They had again and again sent urgently to Rome to demand that a legion +should be stationed there for their protection. But Rome hesitated at +despatching a legion of troops to so distant a spot, where, in case of a +naval reverse, they would be isolated and cut off. + +Hannibal had not far to look for an excuse for an attack upon Saguntum. +On the previous year, while he had been engaged in his campaign +against the Carpatans, the Saguntines, taking advantage of his critical +position, had made war upon the town of Torbola, an ally of Carthage. +Torbola had implored the assistance of Hannibal, and he was now +preparing to march against Saguntum with his whole force without waiting +for the arrival of spring. His preparations had been silently made. The +Saguntines, although uneasy, had no idea of any imminent danger, and +the Carthaginian army collected in and around Carthagena were in entire +ignorance that they were about to be called upon to take the field. + +“What say you, Malchus?” Hannibal asked that evening. “It is time now +that I gave you a command. As my near relative it is fitting that you +should be in authority. You have now served a campaign, and are eligible +for any command that I may give you. You have shown yourself prompt in +danger and worthy to command men. Which would you rather that I should +place under you--a company of these giant Gauls, of the steady Iberians, +of the well disciplined Libyans, or the active tribesmen of the desert? +Choose which you will, and they shall be yours.” + +Malchus thought for some time. + +“In the day of battle,” he said at last, “I would rather lead Gauls, +but, in such a march as you have told me you are meditating, I would +rather have a company of Numidian footmen to act as scouts and feel +the way for the army. There would not, perhaps, be so much glory to be +obtained, but there would be constant work and excitement, and this will +be far better than marching in the long column of the army.” + +“I think your choice is a good one,” Hannibal replied. “Such a corps +will be needed to feel the way as we advance, to examine the roads and +indicate that by which the column had best move, and to guard against +ambushes and surprises. Tomorrow I will inspect the Numidian footmen +and will put them through their exercises. We will have foot races and +trials of skill with the bow, and I will bid their officers pick me out +two hundred of the most active and vigourous among them; these you +shall have under your command. You can choose among your comrades of the +guards one whom you would like to have as your lieutenant.” + +“I will take Trebon,” Malchus said; “we fought side by side through the +last campaign. He is prompt and active, always cheerful under fatigue, +and as brave as a lion. I could not wish a better comrade.” + +“So be it,” Hannibal replied, “henceforth you are captain of the +advanced company of the army. Remember, Malchus, that the responsibility +is a great one, and that henceforward there must be no more boyish +tricks. Your company will be the eyes of the army, and upon your +vigilance its safety, when we once start upon our expedition, will in +no slight degree depend. Remember, too, that you have by your conduct to +justify me in choosing my young kinsman for so important a post.” + +The next day the Numidians were put through their exercises, and by +nightfall the two hundred picked men were chosen from their ranks and +were placed by Hannibal under the command of Malchus. Trebon was greatly +pleased when he found himself appointed as lieutenant of the company. +Although of noble family his connections were much less influential +than those of the majority of his comrades, and he had deemed himself +exceptionally fortunate in having been permitted to enter the chosen +corps of the Carthaginian cavalry, and had not expected to be made an +officer for years to come, since promotion in the Carthaginian army was +almost wholly a matter of family influence. + +“I am indeed obliged to you, Malchus,” he said as he joined his friend +after Hannibal had announced his appointment to him. “The general told +me that he had appointed me at your request. I never even hoped that +such good fortune would befall me. Of course I knew that you would +speedily obtain a command, but my people have no influence whatever. +The general says that your company are to act as scouts for the army, +so there will be plenty of opportunity to distinguish ourselves. +Unfortunately I don't see much chance of fighting at present. The +Iberian tribesmen had such a lesson last autumn that they are not likely +for a long time to give us further trouble.” + +“Do not make yourself uneasy on that score, Trebon,” Malchus said, “I +can tell you, but let it go no further, that ere long there will be +fighting enough to satisfy even the most pugnacious.” + +One evening Malchus had left the club early. Full as he was of the +thoughts of the tremendous struggle which was soon to begin between the +great antagonists, he wearied of the light talk of his gay comrades. The +games of chance, to which a room in the club was allotted, afforded him +no pleasure; nor had he any interest in the wagering which was going +on as to the merits of the horses which were to run in the races on the +following day. On leaving the club he directed his footsteps towards the +top of the hill on which Carthagena stood, and there, sitting alone +on one of the highest points, looked over the sea sparkling in the +moonlight, the many vessels in the harbour and the lagoons stretching +inland on each side of the city. + +He tried to imagine the course that the army was to follow, the terrible +journey through the snow covered passes of that tremendous range of +mountains of which he had heard, the descent into the plains of Italy, +and the first sight of Rome. He pictured to himself the battles which +would have to be fought by the way, and above all, the deadly conflict +which would take place before Rome could be carried by assault, and the +great rival of Carthage be humbled to the dust. Then he pictured the +return of the triumphant expedition, the shouting multitudes who would +acclaim Hannibal the sole arbitrator of the destinies of Carthage, +and in his heart rejoiced over the changes which would take place--the +overthrow of the faction of Hanno, the reform of abuses, the +commencement of an era of justice, freedom, and prosperity for all. + +For more than three hours he sat thus, and then awoke to the fact that +the night was cold and the hour late. Drawing his bernous tightly round +him he descended into the city, which was now for the most part wrapped +in sleep. He was passing through the native quarter when a door opened +and several men came out. Scarcely knowing why he did so Malchus drew +back into a doorway until they had moved on ahead of him, and then +followed them at some little distance. At any other time he would have +thought nothing of such an incident, but his nerves were highly strung +at the moment, and his pause was dictated more by an indisposition to +encounter anything which might disturb the current of his thoughts than +by any other motive. + +In the moonlight he could see that two of the five men ahead of him +were members of the Carthaginian horse guard, for the light glittered +on their helmets; the other three were, by their attire, natives. Two +of the latter soon separated from the others, and on reaching the better +part of the town the two Carthaginians turned down a side street, and in +the still night Malchus heard the parting words to their neighbour, “At +the same place tomorrow night.” The remaining native kept straight along +the road which Malchus was following. Still onward he went, and +Malchus, to his surprise, saw him go up to one of the side entrances to +Hannibal's palace. He must have knocked very quietly, or someone must +have been waiting to admit him, for without a sound the door was opened +and the man entered. + +Malchus went round to the principal entrance, and after a little +badinage from the officer on guard as to the lateness of the hour at +which he returned, made his way to his apartment. + +He was puzzled by what he had seen. It was strange that two of the +Carthaginian guard, men necessarily belonging to noble families, should +have been at a native gathering of some sort in the upper town. Strange, +too, that a man probably an attendant or slave belonging to the palace +should also have been present. The more he thought of it the more he was +puzzled to account for it, and before he went to sleep he came to the +resolution that he would, if possible, on the following night discover +the object of such a gathering. + +Next evening, therefore, he returned from the Syssite early, exchanged +his helmet for a skullcap, and, wrapping himself in his cloak, made his +way to the house from which he had seen the men come forth. It stood at +the corner of the street. Thick hangings hung across the openings for +the windows, and prevented even a ray of light from finding its way out. +Listening attentively Malchus could hear a low hum of voices within. As +there were still people about he moved away for half an hour. + +On his return the street was deserted. Malchus put his hand through +a window opening into the side street and felt that the hanging was +composed of rushes tightly plaited together. With the point of his +dagger he very cautiously cut a slit in this, and applying his eye to it +was able to obtain a glimpse of the apartment within. On low stools by +a fire two Carthaginians were sitting, while four natives were seated on +the rushes which covered the floor. Malchus recognized the Carthaginians +at once, for they were members of the troop in which he had served. +Neither of them were men popular among their fellows, for they belonged +to families closely related to Hanno. They had always, however, +professed the greatest admiration for Hannibal, and had declared that +for their part they altogether repudiated the doings of the party to +which their family belonged. + +The conversation was carried on in low tones, a precaution absolutely +necessary in the day when glass windows were unknown, unless the +discourse was upon general subjects. Malchus listened attentively, but +although he thought he caught the words Hanno and Hannibal repeated +several times, he was unable to hear more. At the end of the half hour +the conference was apparently at an end, for all rose to their feet. +One of the Carthaginians put a bag, which was evidently heavy, into +the hands of one of the natives, and the party then went out. Malchus +stepped to the corner and caught the words, “Tomorrow night, then, +without fail.” + +The party then separated, the Carthaginians passing straight on, the +natives waiting until they had gone some little distance ahead before +they followed. Malchus remained for some little time in the side street +before he sallied out and took his way after them. After he saw two of +the natives leave the other, he quickened his steps and passed the +man, who proceeded alone towards the palace, a short distance before he +arrived there. As he did so he glanced at his face, and recognized him +as one of the attendants who waited at Hannibal's table. Malchus did +not turn his head, however, but kept straight on his way and entered the +palace as usual. + +“Malchus,” the captain of the guard laughed as he went in, “assuredly +I shall have to tell Hamilcar of your doings. Last night you entered an +hour after every one had retired to rest, tonight you are back in better +time, but assuredly you have not been to the Syssite in that hunting +cap. This savours of a mystery. Do not pretend to me that you have +been looking after your company of Numidians at this time of the night, +because, did you swear it by Astarte, I should not believe you.” + +“No; I think I could invent a better story than that if I were put to +it,” Malchus said with a laugh; “but as I am not obliged to invent one +at all, I will leave you to do so for me. In truth I have been about +some private business, but what that business is is a profound secret.” + +“A secret of state, no doubt,” the officer rejoined. “Well, I will say +nothing this time; but do not let it occur again, or I shall think that +some Iberian maiden has captured that susceptible heart of yours.” + +After Malchus had reached his chamber he sat down for some time in +deep thought. It was clear to him that something was wrong. This secret +meeting of the two Carthaginians with natives, one of whom was employed +in Hannibal's household, could mean no good. Money had passed, too, and, +judging from the size and apparent weight of the bag, no inconsiderable +amount. What could it mean? It was but a few months before that +Hasdrubal had fallen beneath the dagger of a native servant. Could this +be a plot against the life of Hannibal? + +The two Carthaginians were connected with Hanno, and might well be +agents employed to rid him of his great rival. And yet he had heard +nothing which would justify his bringing so grave an accusation against +these men. The money which he had seen exchanged might be for the price +of a horse or of a slave, and he might only make himself ridiculous +were he to speak to Hannibal or his father as to what had occurred. He +decided, therefore, that any action he might take must be on his own +account. If the words he had overheard meant anything, and if a plot +were really on hand, it was to be carried out on the following night. +Malchus determined to take steps to meet it. + +The next day he took Trebon into his counsels and told him of the +mysterious meetings which he had accidentally discovered. There was free +access to Hannibal's palace; officers were constantly coming in and out, +and soldiers arriving and leaving with messages and orders. Malchus, +had, therefore, had no difficulty in passing into his apartment, one +by one, ten picked men of his company. They had orders to remain there +perfectly quiet, and Trebon also took post with them, Malchus telling +him to make some excuse or other to prevent any attendant or slave from +entering the apartment while he was absent. + +There was a concert that evening; the palace was crowded with guests. +From time to time Malchus stole away to his room, where the Numidians +were seated on the ground silent and immovable as so many bronze +statues. At other times he kept near Hannibal, watching closely the +movements of every native who passed near him; and ready to spring +forward instantly if he saw any signs of an evil intention. However, he +did not much apprehend, that even if his suspicions were correct and +a plot was on foot against Hannibal, any attempt would be made to +assassinate him in the midst of a crowded assembly, where there would +be no possibility of escape for the perpetrators of such a deed. At +last the guests began to depart, and an hour later all was quiet in the +palace. Laying aside his sandals, Malchus stole noiselessly over the +marble pavements until he approached the entrance which he had twice +seen opened so late. A slave was lying close to it. + +Unobserved Malchus stole away again to his chamber and bade the +Numidians follow him. Noiselessly the troop of barefooted Arabs moved +shadowlike through the lofty halls and corridors. Two of them he placed +at the entrance to the chamber where Hannibal slept, with orders +to allow no one to pass until he returned, then with the others he +proceeded to the entrance. Few lights only were burning in the passages, +and it was not until they were close at hand that the slave perceived +the approaching figures. He leaped to his feet, but before he could cry +out Malchus stepped forward and said: + +“Silence, if you value your life. You know me; I am Malchus the son of +Hamilcar. Now, tell me the truth, or tomorrow the torture shall wring it +from you. Who placed you here, and why?” + +“Carpadon, one of the chief attendants, ordered me to remain here to +admit him on his return. I knew not there was harm in it,” the slave +said. + +“Is it the first time you have kept watch for such a purpose?” + +“No, my lord, some six or seven times he has gone out late.” + +“Do you know the cause of his absence?” + +“No, my lord, it would not become a slave to question one of the chief +attendants of my lord Hannibal as to why he goes or comes.” + +The man's manner was so natural, and his surprise at the interest which +one of the rank of Malchus showed in the doings of an attendant so +genuine, that Malchus was convinced he knew nothing of any enterprise in +which the man who had placed him there might be engaged. + +“Very well,” he said, “I will believe what you tell me. Now, do you +resume your place at the door, and open it as usual at his signal. Say +no word and make no sign which may lead him to know of our presence +here. Mind, my eye will be upon you, and your life will pay for any +treachery.” + +Malchus with four of his men now took post on one side of the door, +standing well back in the shadow so that their presence would not be +noticed by anyone entering. Trebon with the remaining four men took up a +similar position on the other side of the doorway. + +Two hours passed. At length a low tap followed by two others was heard +at the door. The slave at once opened it. Carpadon entered, and with a +sudden movement threw one arm round the slave's neck and with the other +stabbed him to the heart. Then he opened the door wide, and said in a +low tone: + +“Enter, all is safe.” + +In a moment a dark mass of men poured in at the door. The matter was +more serious than Malchus had expected. He had looked for the entry +perhaps of three or four men, and had intended to close in behind them +and cut them off; but here were a score at least, and how many more +might be outside he knew not. He therefore gave the signal by shouting +“Carthage,” and at once with his followers fell upon one flank of the +natives, for such their dress showed them to be, while Trebon attacked +them on the other. There was a shout of surprise and alarm at the +unexpected onslaught, and several were cut down at once. The others, +drawing their swords, began to defend themselves, trying at the same +time to retreat to the door, through which, however, many others were +still pressing in. For a few minutes a severe fight went on, and the +numbers and desperation of Carpadon's followers began to tell, and, in +spite of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, they would have been +forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, had not help been +at hand. + +The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and the +officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing torches, +came running at full speed from their post at the chief entrance. As the +guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to do, or among whom the +conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment drew out from the fray. + +“Seize and disarm all the natives,” he said; “the Numidians are here by +my orders.” + +The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, and +the natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were speedily +disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they saw the torches +approaching, taken to flight. + +A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident at +the palace came running up. + +“What means this fray, Malchus?” + +“It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been +fortunate enough to discover and defeat.” + +“Who are these men?” Hamilcar asked. + +“So far as I know they are natives,” Malchus replied. “The chief of +the party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your +attendants.” + +One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face. + +“It is Carpadon,” Hannibal said. “I believed him honest and faithful.” + +“He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this +night's work.” + +Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and then, +with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. The lamps were +lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew. + +“Now, Malchus, tell us your story,” Hannibal said. “It seems strange to +me that you should have said nought to your father or me of what you +had learned, and left us to take such measures as might seem fit to us, +instead of taking the matter into your own hands.” + +“Had I had certainties to go upon I should assuredly have done so, but, +as you will see when I tell you all I had learned, I had nothing but +suspicions, and those of the vaguest, and for aught I knew I might be +altogether in the wrong.” + +Malchus then gave the full details of the manner in which his suspicions +had been first excited, and in which on the previous night he had taken +steps to ascertain whether there were any foundation for them. + +“You see,” he concluded, “there was no sort of certainty, nothing to +prove that the money was not paid for the purchase of a horse or slave. +It was only the one fact that one of the party was a servant here that +rendered what I discovered serious. Had it not been for the fate of +Hasdrubal I should never have given the matter a second thought; but, +knowing that he was assassinated by a trusted servant, and seeing two +men whose families I knew belonged to Hanno's faction engaged in secret +talk with one of your attendants, the suspicion struck me that a similar +deed might again be attempted. The only words I had to go upon were, +'Tomorrow night, then, without fail.' This was not enough for me to +bring an accusation against two men of noble family; and, had I told +you the tale without the confirmation it has now received, you would +probably have treated it but lightly. I resolved, therefore, to wait +and see, taking such precaution that no harm could come of my secrecy. I +concealed in my room ten of my Numidians, with my lieutenant Trebon--an +ample force whatever might betide. + +“If, as I suspected, this man intended, with two or three others, to +steal into your chamber and slay you while you slept, we could at once +have stopped the attempt; should he come with a larger force, we could, +as is proved, resist them until the guard arrived on the spot. If, on +the other hand, night passed off quietly and my suspicions proved to be +altogether erroneous, I should escape the ridicule which would certainly +have been forthcoming had I alarmed you without cause.” + +“You have acted very wisely and well, my son,” Hamilcar said, “and +Carthage owes you the life of our beloved Hannibal. You indeed reasoned +with great wisdom and forethought. Had you informed us of what you had +discovered we should have taken precautions which would doubtless have +effected the object; but they would probably have become known to the +plotters, and the attempt would have been postponed and attempted some +other time, and perhaps with success. What say you, Hannibal, have I not +reason to be proud of this young son of mine?” + +“You have indeed, Hamilcar, and deeply am I indebted to him. It is not +my life I care for, although that now is precious to me for the sake +of my beloved Imilce, but had I fallen now all the plans which we have +thought of together would have been frustrated, and the fairest chance +which Carthage ever had of fighting out the quarrel with her rival would +have been destroyed. Truly it has been a marvellous escape, and it seems +to me that the gods themselves must have inspired Malchus to act as he +did on such slight grounds as seeing two Carthaginians of the guard in +company with three or four natives at a late hour of the evening.” + +“What do you think will be best to do with the traitors who have plotted +against your life, Hannibal? Shall we try and execute them here, or send +them to Carthage to be dealt with?” + +Hannibal did not answer for a minute. + +“I think, Hamilcar, the best plan will be to keep silent altogether as +to the danger I have run. The army would be furious but would at the +same time be dispirited were it known in Carthage that two of her nobles +had been executed for an attempt on my life. It would only cause a fresh +outbreak of animosity and an even deadlier feud than before between +Hanno's friends and ours. Therefore, I say, let the men taken tonight be +executed in the morning without question asked, and let no word be said +by them or by us that they were bribed by Carthaginians. All in the +palace now know that a party of natives have broken in, and will guess +that my life was their object; there is no need that they should know +more. As to the two men, I will call them before me tomorrow, with none +but you present, and will let them know that I am aware that they are +the authors of this attempt, and will bid them resign their places in +the guard and return at once to Carthage.” + +“It grieves me that they should go unpunished,” Hamilcar said; “but +doubtless your plan is the wisest.” + +“Then,” Hannibal said, rising, “we will to bed again. Malchus, acquaint +Trebon of our determination that silence is to be kept; tell him that I +shall bear him in mind, and not forget his share in this night's work. +As for you, Malchus, henceforth you are more than my cousin; you have +saved my life, and I shall never forget it. I shall tell Imilce in the +morning of the danger which has passed, for it is sure to come to her +ears, and she will know better than I do how to thank you.” + +Accordingly in the morning Hannibal's orders were carried out; the +twelve natives taken prisoners were beheaded without any of the usual +tortures which would have been inflicted upon a similar occasion. +No less than fourteen others had been killed in the fight. The two +Carthaginian nobles were sent for by Hannibal. They came prepared to +die, for they knew already by rumour that the attempt had failed, and +doubted not when the summons reached them that Carpadon had denounced +them as his accomplices. But they went to their certain doom with the +courage of their class--pale, perhaps, but otherwise unmoved. Hannibal +was alone with Hamilcar when they entered. + +“That assassination is not an altogether unknown crime in Carthage,” he +said quietly, “I was well aware, but I did not before think that nobles +in the Carthaginian horse would stoop to it. I know that it was you who +provided the gold for the payment of the men who made an attempt upon my +life, that you personally paid my attendant Carpadon to hire assassins, +and to lead them to my chamber. Were I to denounce you, my soldiers +would tear you in pieces. The very name of your families would be held +accursed by all honest men in Carthage for all time. I do not ask you +whether I have given you cause for offence, for I know that I have not +done so; you acted simply for the benefit of Hanno. Whether you were +instructed by him I do not deign to ask. I shall not harm you. The tale +of your infamy is known to but four persons, and none others will ever +know it. I am proud of the honour of the nobles of Carthage, and would +not that the scum of the people should bandy the name of your families +on their lips as guilty of so foul an act of treason. You will, of +course, at once resign your positions in the Carthaginian horse. Make +what pretext you will--illness or private affairs. Tomorrow sail for +Carthage, and there strive by efforts for the good of your country to +efface the remembrance of this blow which you would have struck her.” + +So saying, with a wave of the hand he dismissed them. + +They went without a word, too astonished at his clemency, too humiliated +by their own disgrace even to utter a word of thanks. When they were +fairly beyond the palace they looked at each other as men awakened from +a dream. + +“What a man!” one of them exclaimed. “No wonder the soldiers adore him! +He has given us our lives--more, he has saved our names from disgrace. +Henceforth, Pontus, we, at least, can never again take part against +him.” + +“It is almost too much to bear,” the other said; “I feel that I would +rather that he had ordered us to instant execution.” + +“Ay, for our own sakes, Pontus, but not for those of others. For myself +I shall retire to the country; it seems to me that never again shall I +be able to mix with others; they may know nothing of it, but it will be +ever on my mind. How they would shrink back in horror were what we have +done whispered to them! Truly, were it not for my family, I would prefer +death with the worst torture to life as it will be now.” + +The excitement in the army was intense when it became known that a +body of Iberians had attempted to break into Hannibal's palace with the +design of murdering him, and many of the soldiers, seizing their arms, +hurried towards the city, and had not an officer ridden with the news to +Hannibal, they would assuredly have fallen upon the native inhabitants, +and a general massacre would have taken place. + +Hannibal at once mounted and rode out to meet the soldiers. He was +received with enthusiastic acclamations; at length he raised his arm to +restore silence, and then addressed the troops, telling them how deeply +he valued the evidence of their affection, but that he prayed them to +return to their camps and lay by their arms. + +“We must not,” he said, “confound the innocent with the guilty. Those +who were concerned in the attempt have paid the penalty with their +lives; it is not because a handful of Spaniards have plotted against me +that you are to swear hatred against the whole race; were you to punish +the innocent for the guilty you would arouse the fury of the Iberians +throughout the whole peninsula, and all our work would have to be done +over again. You know that above all things I desire the friendship and +goodwill of the natives. Nothing would grieve me more than that, just as +we are attaining this, our efforts should be marred by a quarrel between +yourselves and the people here. I pray you, therefore, as a personal +favour to me, to abstain from all tumult, and go quietly back to your +camp. The attack upon my palace was made only by some thirty or forty of +the scum of the inhabitants, and the attempt was defeated by the wisdom +and courage of my young cousin Malchus, whom you must henceforth regard +as the saviour of my life.” + +The soldiers at once acceded to the request of their general, and after +another outburst of cheering they returned quietly to their camp. + +The result of this affair was to render Malchus one of the most +popular personages in the army, and the lad was quite abashed by the +enthusiastic reception which the soldiers gave him when he passed among +them. It removed, too, any feeling of jealousy which might have existed +among his former comrades of the Carthaginian horse, for although it +was considered as a matter of course in Carthage that generals should +appoint their near relatives to posts of high command, human nature was +then the same as now, and men not possessed of high patronage could not +help grumbling a little at the promotion of those more fortunate than +themselves. Henceforth, however, no voice was ever raised against the +promotion of Malchus, and had he at once been appointed to a command of +importance none would have deemed such a favour undeserved by the youth +who had saved the life of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IX: THE SIEGE OF SAGUNTUM + + +A few days later the Carthaginian army were astonished by the issue +of an order that the whole were to be in readiness to march upon the +following day. The greatest excitement arose when the news got abroad. +None knew against whom hostilities were to be directed. No one had heard +aught of the arrival of messengers announcing fresh insurrection among +the recently conquered tribes, and all sorts of surmises were indulged +in as to the foe against whom this great force, the largest which had +ever been collected by Carthage, were about to get in motion. + +The army now gathered around Carthagena amounted, indeed, to a hundred +and fifty thousand men, and much surprise had for some time existed +at the continual arrival of reinforcements from home, and at the large +number of troops which had during the winter been raised and disciplined +from among the friendly tribes. + +Simultaneously with the issue of the order long lines of wagons, laden +with military stores, began to pour out from the arsenals, and all day +long a procession of carts moved across the bridge over the canal in the +isthmus to the mainland. The tents were struck at daylight, the baggage +loaded up into the wagons told off to accompany the various bodies of +soldiers, and the troops formed up in military order. + +When Hannibal rode on to the ground, surrounded by his principal +officers, a shout of welcome rose from the army; and he proceeded to +make a close inspection of the whole force. The officers then placed +themselves at the head of their respective commands, the trumpets gave +the signal, and the army set out on a march, as to whose direction and +distance few present had any idea, and from which few, indeed, were ever +destined to return. + +There was no longer any occasion for secrecy as to the object of the +expedition. The generals repeated it to their immediate staffs, these +informed the other officers, and the news speedily spread through the +army that they were marching against Saguntum. The importance of the +news was felt by all. Saguntum was the near ally of Rome, and an attack +upon that city could but mean that Carthage was entering upon another +struggle with her great rival. + +Saguntum lay about 140 miles north of Carthagena, and the army had to +cross the range of mountains now known as the Sierra Morena, which +run across the peninsula from Cape St. Vincent on the west to Cape St. +Martin on the east. The march of so large an army, impeded as it was +by a huge train of wagons with stores and the machines necessary for a +siege, was toilsome and arduous in the extreme. But all worked with the +greatest enthusiasm and diligence; roads were made with immense labour +through forests, across ravines, and over mountain streams. + +Hannibal himself was always present, encouraging the men by his praises, +and sharing all their hardships. + +At last the mountains were passed, and the army poured down into +the fertile plains of Valencia, which town, however, was not then in +existence. Passing over the site where it is now situated they continued +their march north until Saguntum, standing on its rocky eminence, came +into view. + +During the march Malchus and his company had led the way, guided by +natives, who pointed out the easiest paths. As there were no enemies to +be guarded against, they had taken their full share in the labours of +the army. + +The Saguntines were already aware of the approach of the expedition. No +sooner had it crossed the crest of the mountains than native runners +had carried the news of its approach, and the inhabitants had spent the +intervening time in laying in great stores of provisions, and in making +every preparation for defence. The garrison was small in comparison with +the force marching against it, but it was ample for the defence of the +walls, for its position rendered the city well nigh impregnable against +the machines in use at the time, and was formidable in the extreme even +against modern artillery, for 2000 years afterwards Saguntum, with a +garrison of 3000 men, resisted for a long time all the efforts of a +French army under General Suchet. As soon as his force arrived near the +town Hannibal rode forward, and, in accordance with the custom of the +times, himself summoned the garrison to surrender. Upon their refusal +he solemnly declared war by hurling his javelin against the walls. The +troops at once advanced to the assault, and poured flights of arrows, +masses of stones from their machines, javelins, and missiles of all +descriptions into the city, the defenders replying with equal vigour +from the walls. At the end of the first day's fighting Hannibal +perceived that his hopes of carrying the place by assault were vain--for +the walls were too high to be scaled, too thick to be shaken by any +irregular attack--and that a long siege must be undertaken. + +This was a great disappointment to him, as it would cause a long +delay that it would be scarce possible to commence the march which he +meditated that summer. As to advancing, with Saguntum in his rear, it +was not to be thought of, for the Romans would be able to land their +armies there and to cut him off from all communication with Carthagena +and Carthage. There was, then, nothing to be done but to undertake the +siege in regular order. + +The army formed an encampment in a circle round the town. A strong force +was left to prevent the garrison from making a sortie, and the whole of +the troops were then marched away in detachments to the hills to fell +and bring down the timber which would be required for the towers and +walls, the bareness of the rock rendering it impossible to construct the +approaches as usual with earth. In the first place, a wall, strengthened +by numerous small towers, was erected round the whole circumference +of the rock; then the approaches were begun on the western side, where +attack was alone possible. + +This was done by lines of wooden towers, connected one with another by +walls of the same material; movable towers were constructed to be pushed +forward against the great tower which formed the chief defence of the +wall, and on each side the line of attack was carried onward by portable +screens covered with thick hide. In the meantime the Saguntines were +not idle. Showers of missiles of all descriptions were hurled upon the +working parties, great rocks from the machines on the walls crashed +through the wooden erections, and frequent and desperate sorties were +made, in which the Carthaginians were almost always worsted. The nature +of the ground, overlooked as it was by the lofty towers and walls, and +swept by the missiles of the defenders, rendered it impossible for any +considerable force to remain close at hand to render assistance to the +workers, and the sudden attacks of the Saguntines several times drove +them far down the hillside, and enabled the besieged, with axe and fire, +to destroy much of the work which had been so labouriously carried out. + +In one of these sorties Hannibal, who was continually at the front, +overlooking the work, was seriously wounded by a javelin in the thigh. +Until he was cured the siege languished, and was converted into a +blockade, for it was his presence and influence alone which encouraged +the men to continue their work under such extreme difficulties, +involving the death of a large proportion of those engaged. Upon +Hannibal's recovery the work was pressed forward with new vigour, and +the screens and towers were pushed on almost to the foot of the walls. +The battering rams were now brought up, and--shielded by massive +screens, which protected those who worked them from the darts and stones +thrown down by the enemy, and by lofty towers, from whose tops the +Carthaginian archers engaged the Saguntines on the wall--began their +work. + +The construction of walls was in those days rude and primitive, and they +had little of the solidity of such structures in succeeding ages. +The stones were very roughly shaped, no mortar was used, and the +displacement of one stone consequently involved that of several others. +This being the case it was not long before the heavy battering rams of +the Carthaginians produced an effect on the walls, and a large breach +was speedily made. Three towers and the walls which connected them fell +with a mighty crash, and the besiegers, believing that the place was +won, advanced to the assault. But the Saguntines met them in the breach, +and for hours a desperate battle raged there. + +The Saguntines hurled down upon the assailants trunks of trees bristling +with spearheads and spikes of iron, blazing darts and falariques--great +blocks of wood with projecting spikes, and covered thickly with a mass +of pitch and sulphur which set on fire all they touched. Other species +of falariques were in the form of spindles, the shaft wrapped round with +flax dipped in pitch. Hannibal fought at the head of his troops with +desperate bravery, and had a narrow escape of being crushed by an +enormous rock which fell at his feet; but in spite of his efforts +and those of his troops they were unable to carry the breach, and at +nightfall fell back to their camp, having suffered very heavy losses. + +Singularly enough the French columns were repulsed in an effort to +carry a breach at almost the same spot, the Spaniards hurling among them +stones, hand grenades of glass bottles and shells, and defending the +breach with their long pikes against all the efforts of Suchet's troops. + +Some days passed before the attack was renewed, as the troops were worn +out by their labours. A strong guard in the meantime held the advanced +works against any sorties of the Saguntines. + +These, on their side, worked night and day, and by the time the +Carthaginians again advanced the wall was rebuilt and the breach closed. +But Hannibal had also been busy. Seeing that it was impossible for +his troops to win an entrance by a breach, as long as the Saguntines +occupied every point commanding it, he caused a vast tower to be built, +sufficiently lofty to overlook every point of the defences, arming each +of its stages with catapults and ballistas. He also built near the walls +a great terrace of wood higher than the walls themselves, and from this +and from the tower he poured such torrents of missiles into the town +that the defenders could no longer remain upon the walls. Five hundred +Arab miners now advanced, and these, setting to work with their +implements, soon loosened the lower stones of the wall, and this again +fell with a mighty crash and a breach was opened. + +The Carthaginians at once swarmed in and took possession of the wall; +but while the besiegers had been constructing their castle and terrace, +the Saguntines had built an interior wall, and Hannibal saw himself +confronted with a fresh line of defences. + +As preparations were being made for the attack of the new defences +messengers arrived saying that the Carpatans and Orotans, furious at the +heavy levies of men which had been demanded from them for the army, had +revolted. Leaving Maharbal to conduct the siege in his absence, Hannibal +hurried away with a portion of his force, and returned in two months, +having put down the revolt and severely punished the tribesmen. + +While the siege had been continuing the Romans had been making vain +efforts to induce the Carthaginians to desist. No sooner had the +operations commenced than agents from the Roman senate waited on +Hannibal and begged him to abandon the siege. Hannibal treated their +remonstrance with disdain, at the same time writing to Carthage to say +that it was absolutely necessary that the people of Saguntum, who were +insolent and hostile, relying on the protection of Rome, should be +punished. The envoys then went to Carthage, where they made an animated +protest against what they regarded as an unprovoked attack upon their +allies. Rome, in fact, was anxious at this moment to postpone the +struggle with Carthage for the same reason that Hannibal was anxious to +press it on. + +She had but just finished a long struggle with the Gaulish tribes of +Northern Italy, and was anxious to recover her strength before she +engaged in another war. It was for this very reason that Hannibal +desired to force on the struggle. His friends at Carthage persuaded the +senate to refuse to listen to the envoys of Rome. Another embassy was +sent to Hannibal, but the general would not give them an interview, +and, following the instructions they had received, the ambassadors then +sailed to Carthage to make a formal demand for reparation, and for the +person of Hannibal to be delivered over to them for punishment. + +But the Barcine party were for the moment in the ascendancy; long +negotiations took place which led to nothing, and all this time the +condition of the Saguntines was becoming more desperate. Five new +ambassadors were therefore sent from Rome to ask in the name of the +republic whether Hannibal was authorized by the Carthaginians to lay +siege to Saguntum, to demand that he should be delivered to Rome, and, +in case of refusal, to declare war. The Carthaginian senate met in the +temple of Moloch and there received the Roman ambassadors. Q. Fabius, +the chief man of the embassy, briefly laid the demands of Rome before +the senate. Cestar, one of the Barcine leaders, replied, refusing the +demands. Fabius then rose. + +“I give you the choice--peace or war?” + +“Choose yourself,” the Carthaginians cried. + +“Then I choose war,” Fabius said. + +“So be it,” the assembly shouted. + +And thus war was formally declared between the two Republics. But +Saguntum had now fallen. The second wall had been breached by the time +Hannibal had returned from his expedition, and an assault was ordered. +As before, the Saguntines fought desperately, but after a long struggle +the Carthaginians succeeded in winning a footing upon the wall. + +The Saguntines, seeing that further resistance was vain, that the +besiegers had already won the breach, that there was no chance of +assistance from Rome, and having, moreover, consumed their last +provisions, sought for terms. Halcon, the Saguntine general, and a noble +Spaniard named Alorcus, on the part of Hannibal, met in the breach. +Alorcus named the conditions which Hannibal had imposed--that the +Saguntines should restore to the Torbolates the territory they had +taken from them, and that the inhabitants, giving up all their goods and +treasures, should then be permitted to leave the town and to found a new +city at a spot which Hannibal would name. + +The Saguntines, who were crowding round, heard the terms. Many of the +principal senators at once left the place, and hurrying into their +houses carried the gold and silver which they had there, and also some +of that in the public treasury, into the forum, and piling up a vast +heap of wood set it alight and threw themselves into the flames. This +act caused a tremendous commotion in the city. A general tumult broke +out, and Hannibal, seeing that his terms were refused, poured his troops +across the breach, and after a short but desperate fight captured the +city. In accordance with the cruel customs of the times, which, however, +were rarely carried into effect by Hannibal, the male prisoners were +all put to the sword, as on this occasion he considered it necessary +to strike terror into the inhabitants of Spain, and to inflict a lesson +which would not be forgotten during his absence in the country. + +The siege had lasted eight months. The booty taken was enormous. Every +soldier in the army had a rich share of the plunder, and a vast sum was +sent to Carthage; besides which the treasure chests of the army were +filled up. All the Spanish troops had leave given them to return to +their homes for the winter, and they dispersed highly satisfied with the +booty with which they were laden. This was a most politic step on the +part of the young general, as the tribesmen, seeing the wealth with +which their countrymen returned, no longer felt it a hardship to fight +in the Carthaginian ranks, and the levies called out in the spring went +willingly and even eagerly. + +Hannibal returned with his African troops to spend the winter at +Carthagena. He was there joined by the emissaries he had sent to +examine Southern Gaul and the passes of the Alps, to determine the most +practicable route for the march of the army, and to form alliances +with the tribes of Southern Gaul and Northern Italy. Their reports were +favourable, for they had found the greatest discontent existing among +the tribes north of the Apennines, who had but recently been conquered +by the Romans. + +Their chiefs, smarting under the heavy yoke of Rome, listened eagerly +to the offers of Hannibal's agents, who distributed large sums of money +among them, and promised them, in return for their assistance, not only +their freedom from their conqueror, but a full share in the spoils of +Rome. The chiefs replied that they would render any assistance to the +Carthaginians as soon as they passed the Alps, and that they would then +join them with all their forces. The reports as to the passes of the +Alps were less satisfactory. Those who had examined them found that the +difficulties they offered to the passage of an army were enormous, and +that the tribes who inhabited the lower passes, having suffered in +no way yet at the hands of Rome, would probably resist any army +endeavouring to cross. + +By far the easiest route would be to follow the seashore, but this was +barred against the Carthaginians by the fact that the Massilians (the +people of Marseilles) were the close allies of Rome. They had admitted +Roman colonists among them, and carried on an extensive trade with the +capital. Their town was strong, and their ports would be open to the +Roman fleets. The tribes in their neighourhood were all closely allied +with them. + +Hannibal saw at once that he could not advance by the route by the sea +without first reducing Marseilles. This would be an even more difficult +operation than the siege of Saguntum, as Rome would be able to send any +number of men by sea to the aid of the besieged, and the great struggle +would be fought out in Southern Gaul instead of, as he wished, in Italy. +Thus he decided to march by a route which would take him far north of +Marseilles, even although it would necessitate a passage through the +terrible passes of the Alps. + +During the winter Hannibal laboured without intermission in preparing +for his expedition. He was ever among his soldiers, and personally saw +to everything which could conduce to their comfort and well being. He +took a lively interest in every minute detail which affected them; saw +that their clothing was abundant and of good quality, inspected their +rations, and saw that these were well cooked. + +It was this personal attention to the wants of his soldiers which, as +much as his genius as a general, his personal valour, and his brilliant +qualities, endeared him to his troops. They saw how anxious he was for +their welfare; they felt that he regarded every man in his army as a +friend and comrade, and in return they were ready to respond to every +appeal, to make every sacrifice, to endure, to suffer, to fight to the +death for their beloved leader. His troops were mercenaries--that is, +they fought for pay in a cause which in no way concerned them--but +personal affection for their general supplied in them the place of the +patriotism which inspires modern soldiers, and transformed these semi +barbarous tribesmen into troops fit to cope with the trained legionaries +of Rome. + +Hannibal was far in advance of any of the generals of his time in all +matters of organization. His commissariat was as perfect as that of +modern armies. It was its duty to collect grain from the country through +which the army marched, to form magazines, to collect and drive with the +troops herds of cattle, to take over the provisions and booty brought +in by foraging parties, and, to see to the daily distribution of rations +among the various divisions. + +Along the line of communication depots were formed, where provisions, +clothing, and arms were stored in readiness for use, and from which the +whole army could, in case of necessity, be supplied with fresh clothing +and shoes. A band of surgeons accompanied the army, at the head of whom +was Synhalus, one of the most celebrated physicians of the time. So +perfect were the arrangements that it is said that throughout the +long campaign in Italy not a single day passed but that the troops, +elephants, and animals of all descriptions accompanying the army +received their daily rations of food. + + + +CHAPTER X: BESET + +During the winter Hannibal made every preparation to ensure the +tranquillity of Spain while he was absent. In order to lessen the number +of possible enemies there he raised a body of twelve hundred horse and +fourteen thousand infantry from among the most turbulent tribes, and +sent them across to Africa to serve as garrisons in Carthage and other +points, while an equal number of African troops were brought over to +garrison Spain, of which Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, was to have the +government during his absence. + +Hanno, an able general, was to command the force which was to be left in +southern Gaul to keep open the communications between the Pyrenees and +the Alps, while the youngest brother, Mago, a youth of about the same +age as Malchus, was to accompany him to Italy. Hannibal's wife and a +child which had been born in the preceding spring, were sent by ship to +Carthage. + +In the early spring the march commenced, the army following the coast +line until it reached the mouth of the Ebro. The mountainous and broken +country lying between this river and the Pyrenees, and now known as +Catalonia, was inhabited by fierce tribes unconquered as yet by Roman or +Carthaginian. Its conquest presented enormous difficulties. There was +no coherence between its people; but each valley and mountain was a +stronghold to be defended desperately until the last. The inhabitants, +accustomed to the mountains, were hardy, active, and, vigourous, ready +to oppose a desperate resistance so long as resistance was possible, and +then to flee across their hills at a speed which defied the fleetest of +their pursuers. + +Every man was a soldier, and at the first alarm the inhabitants of the +villages abandoned their houses, buried their grain, and having driven +away their cattle into almost inaccessible recesses among the hills, +returned to oppose the invaders. The conquest of such a people was +one of the most difficult of undertakings, as the French generals +of Napoleon afterwards discovered, to their cost. The cruelty of the +mountaineers was equal to their courage, and the lapse of two thousand +years changed them but little, for in their long struggle against the +French they massacred every detachment whom they could surprise among +the hills, murdered the wounded who fell into their hands, and poisoned +wells and grain. + +The army which Hannibal had brought to the foot of this country through +which he had to pass, amounted to 102,000 men, of which 12,000 were +cavalry and 90,000 infantry. This force passed the Ebro in three bodies +of equal strength. The natives opposed a desperate resistance, but the +three columns pressed forward on parallel lines. The towns were besieged +and captured, and after two months of desperate fighting Catalonia was +subdued, but its conquest cost Hannibal twenty-one thousand men, a fifth +of his whole army. Hanno was for the time left here with ten thousand +infantry and a thousand cavalry. He was to suppress any fresh rising, to +hold the large towns, to form magazines for the army, and to keep open +the passes of the Pyrenees. He fixed his headquarters at Burgos. His +operations were facilitated by the fact that along the line of the sea +coast were a number of Phoenician colonies who were natural allies of +the Carthaginians, and aided them in every way in their power. Before +advancing through the passes of the Pyrenees Hannibal still further +reduced the strength of his force by weeding out all those who had in +the conflict among the mountains shown themselves wanting in personal +strength or in military qualities. Giving these leave to return home he +advanced at the head of fifty thousand picked infantry and nine thousand +cavalry. + +The company under Malchus had rendered good service during the campaign +of Catalonia. It had accompanied the column marching by the seashore; +with this were the elephants, the treasure, and the heavy baggage of the +army. It had throughout been in advance of the column, feeling the +way, protecting it from ambushes, and dispersing any small bodies of +tribesmen who might have placed themselves on heights, whence with +arrows and slings they could harass the column on its march. The company +had lost comparatively few men in the campaign, for it had taken no part +in the various sieges. Its duties, however, were severe in the extreme. +The men were ever on the watch, scouting the country round, while the +army was engaged in siege operations, sometimes ascending mountains +whence they could command views over the interior or pursuing bands of +tribesmen to their refuges among the hills. + +Severely as Malchus had trained himself in every exercise, he found it +at first difficult to support the fatigues of such a life; but every day +his muscles hardened, and by the end of the campaign he was able to keep +on foot as long as the hardest of his men. + +One day he had followed a party of the tribesmen far up among the +mountains. The enemy had scattered, and the Arabs in their hot pursuit +had also broken up into small parties. Malchus kept his eye upon the man +who appeared to be the chief of the enemy's party, and pressing hotly +upon him brought him to bay on the face of a steep and rugged gorge. +Only one of the Numidians was at hand, a man named Nessus, who was +greatly attached to his young leader, and always kept close to him in +his expeditions. The savage, a bulky and heavy man, finding he could +no longer keep ahead of his fleet footed pursuers, took his post at a +narrow point in the path where but one could oppose him; and there, with +his heavy sword drawn, he awaited the attack. Malchus advanced to meet +him, sword in hand, when an arrow from Nessus whizzed past him and +struck the chief in the throat, and his body fell heavily down the +rocks. + +“That is not fair,” Malchus said angrily. “I would fain have fought him +hand to hand.” + +The Arab bowed his head. + +“My lord,” he said, “the combat would not have been even; the man had +the upper ground, and you would have fought at a grievous disadvantage. +Why should you risk your life in a fight with the swords, when my arrow +has answered all purposes? What should I have said if I had gone back +without you? What satisfaction would it have been to me to avenge your +fall? What would they have said to me when I told them that I looked on +idly while you engaged in such a struggle? Valour is valour, and we all +know that my lord is the bravest among us; but the life of the cousin of +our general is too valuable to be risked for nought when we are embarked +upon a great enterprise.” + +“Look, Nessus! what is there?” Malchus exclaimed, his attention +attracted by a dark object which was crossing the narrow path some +distance ahead and ascending the steep side of the gorge. “It is a bear, +let us follow him; his flesh will form a welcome change for the company +tonight.” + +The bear, who had been prowling in the bottom of the ravine, had been +disturbed by the fall of the body of the savage near him, and started +hastily to return to its abode, which lay high up on the face of the +cliff. Malchus and his companion hurried forward to the spot where it +had crossed the path. The way was plain enough; there were scratches on +the rock, and the bushes growing in the crevices were beaten down. The +path had evidently been frequently used by the animal. + +“Look out, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed as Malchus hurried along. “These +bears of the Pyrenees are savage brutes. See that he does not take you +unawares.” + +The rocks were exceedingly steep; and Malchus, with his bow in his hand +and the arrow fitted and ready to draw, climbed on, keeping his eyes on +every clump of bush lest the bear should be lurking there. At last he +paused. They had reached a spot now but a short distance from the top. +The cliff here fell almost perpendicularly down, and along its face was +a narrow ledge scarcely a foot wide. Along this it was evident the bear +had passed. + +“I should think we must be near his den now, Nessus. I trust this ledge +widens out before it gets there. It would be an awkward place for a +conflict, for a stroke of his paw would send one over the edge.” + +“I shall be close behind you, my lord,” said Nessus, whose blood was now +up with the chase. “Should you fail to stop him, drop on one knee that I +may shoot over you.” + +For some fifty yards the ledge continued unbroken. Malchus moved along +cautiously, with his arrow in the string and his shield shifted round +his shoulder, in readiness for instant action. Suddenly, upon turning a +sharp corner of the cliff, he saw it widened ten feet ahead into a +sort of platform lying in the angle of the cliff, which beyond it again +jutted out. On this platform was a bear, which with an angry growl at +once advanced towards him. Malchus discharged his arrow; it struck the +bear full on the chest, and penetrated deeply. With a stroke of his paw +the animal broke the shaft asunder and rushed forward. Malchus threw +forward the point of his spear, and with his shield on his arm awaited +the onset. He struck the bear fairly on the chest, but, as before, it +snapped the shaft with its paw, and rising to its feet advanced. + +“Kneel, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed. + +Malchus dropped on one knee, bracing himself as firmly as he could +against the rock, and, with his shield above his head and his sword in +his hand, awaited the attack of the enraged animal. He heard the twang +of the bow behind him; then he felt a mighty blow, which beat down his +shield and descended with terrible force upon his helmet, throwing him +forward on to his face. Then there was a heavy blow on his back; and it +was well for him that he had on backpiece as well as breastplate, or the +flesh would have been torn from his shoulder to his loins. As the blow +fell there was an angry roar. For a moment he felt crushed by a weight +which fell upon him. This was suddenly removed, and he heard a crash far +below as the bear, pierced to the heart by the Arab's spear, fell over +the precipice. Nessus hastened to raise him. + +“My lord is not hurt, I hope?” + +“In no way, Nessus, thanks to you; but my head swims and my arm is well +nigh broken with that blow. Who would have thought a beast like that +could have struck so hard? See, he has dented in my helmet and has bent +my shield! Now, before we go back and search for the body, let us see +what its den is like.” + +“Do you take my spear, my lord; your own is broken, and your bow has +gone over the precipice. It may be that there is another bear here. +Where one is, the other is seldom far off.” + +They advanced on to the platform, and saw in the corner of the angle +a cave entering some distance into the hill. As they approached the +entrance a deep growl was heard within. + +“We had best leave it alone, my lord,” Nessus said as they both recoiled +a step at the entrance. “This is doubtless the female, and these are +larger and fiercer than the males.” + +“I agree with you, Nessus,” Malchus said. “Were we on other ground I +should say let us attack it, but I have had enough of fighting bears on +the edge of a precipice. There is as much meat as we can carry ready for +us below. Besides, the hour is late and the men will be getting uneasy. +Moreover, we are but half armed; and we cannot get at her without +crawling through that hole, which is scarce three feet high. Altogether, +we had best leave her alone.” + +While they were speaking the bear began to roar angrily, the deeper +notes being mingled with a chorus of snarls and whinings which showed +that there was a young family with her. + +“Do you go first, Nessus,” Malchus said. “The rear is the post of honour +here, though I fancy the beast does not mean to come out.” + +Nessus without a word took the lead, and advanced across the platform +towards the corner. + +As he was in the act of turning it he sprang suddenly back, while an +arrow flew past, grazing the corner of the rock. + +“There are a score of natives on the path!” he exclaimed. “We are in a +trap.” + +Malchus looked round in dismay. It was evident that some of the natives +must have seen the fall of their leader and watched them pursue the +bear, and had now closed in behind them to cut off their retreat. The +situation was a most unpleasant one. The ledge extended no further than +the platform; below, the precipice fell away sheer down a hundred feet; +above, it rose as high. The narrow path was occupied with numerous foes. +In the den behind them was the angry bear. + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in consternation. + +“We are fairly caught, Nessus,” Malchus said. “There is one thing, they +can no more attack us than we can attack them. Only one can come round +this corner at a time, and we can shoot or spear them as they do so. We +are tolerably safe from attack, but they can starve us out.” + +“They can shoot over from the other side of the ravine,” Nessus said; +“their arrows will carry from the opposite brow easily enough.” + +“Then,” Malchus said firmly, “we must dispose of the bear; we must have +the cave. We shall be safe there from their arrows, while, lying at the +entrance, we could shoot any that should venture past the corner. First, +though, I will blow my horn. Some of our men may be within hearing.” + +Malchus pulled forth the horn which he carried. It was useless, being +completely flattened with the blow that the bear had struck him. + +“That hope is gone, Nessus,” he said. “Now let us get the bear to come +out as soon as possible, and finish with her. Do you stand at the corner +with your arrow ready, in case the natives should try to surprise us, +and be ready to aid me when she rushes out.” + +Malchus went to the mouth of the den, struck his spear against the side, +and threw in some pieces of stone; but, although the growling was deep +and continuous, the bear showed no signs of an intention of coming out. + +The Arab was an old hunter, and he now asked Malchus to take his place +with the bow while he drove the bear out. He first took off his bernous, +cut off several strips from the bottom, knotted them together, and then +twisted the strip into a rope. Growing out from a crevice in the rock, +some three feet above the top of the cave, was a young tree; and round +this, close to the root, Nessus fastened one end of his rope, the other +he formed into a slip-knot and let the noose fall in front of the cave, +keeping it open with two twigs placed across it. Then he gathered some +brushwood and placed it at the entrance, put a bunch of dried twigs and +dead leaves among it, and, striking a light with his flint and steel on +some dried fungus, placed this in the middle of the sticks and blew upon +it. In a minute a flame leaped up. “Now, my lord,” he said, “be ready +with your sword and spear. The beast will be out in a minute; she cannot +stand the smoke.” + +Malchus ran to the corner and looked round. The natives were at a +distance along the ledge, evidently with no intention of attacking a foe +of whom they felt sure. A taunting shout was raised and an arrow flew +towards him, but he instantly withdrew his head and ran back to the +platform. + +A minute later there was a fierce growl and the bear rushed out. The +brushwood was scattered as, checked suddenly in its rush by the noose, +the animal rose on its hind legs. In an instant the spear of Nessus was +plunged deeply into it on one side, while Malchus buried his sword to +the hilt in its body under the fore shoulder of the other. Stabbed to +the heart, the beast fell prostrate. Nessus repeated his blow, but +the animal was dead. Five young bears rushed out after their mother, +growling and snapping; but as these were only about a quarter grown they +were easily despatched. + +“There is a supply of food for a long time,” Malchus said cheerfully; +“and as there is a drip of water coming down in this angle we shall be +able to quench our thirst. Ah! we are just in time.” + +As he spoke an arrow struck the rock close to them and dropped at their +feet. Others came in rapid succession; and, looking at the brow of the +opposite side of the ravine, they saw a number of natives. + +“Pull the bear's body across the mouth of the cave,” Malchus said, “it +will prevent the arrows which strike the rock in front from glancing in. +The little bears will do for food at present.” + +They were soon in the cave, which opened beyond the entrance and +extended some distance into the mountain; it was seven or eight feet +wide and lofty enough to stand upright in. Nessus lay down behind the +bear, with his bow and arrow so as to command the angle of the rock. +Malchus seated himself further in the cave, sheltered by the entrance +from the arrows which from time to time glanced in at the mouth. Only +once did Nessus have to shoot. The natives on the ledge, informed by +their comrades on the opposite side of the gorge that their foes had +sought refuge in the cave, ventured to advance; but the moment the first +turned the corner he fell over the precipice, transfixed by an arrow +from the bow of Nessus, and the rest hastily retreated. + +“Hand me your flint and steel, Nessus, and a piece of fungus. I may as +well have a look round the cave.” + +A light was soon procured, and Malchus found that the cave extended some +fifty feet back, narrowing gradually to the end. It had evidently been +used for a long time by wild animals. The floor was completely covered +with dry bones of various sizes. + +As soon as he saw that this was the case Malchus tore off a strip of his +linen shirt, and rolling it into a ball set it on fire. On this he +piled up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon had a bright +and almost smokeless fire. He now took the place of Nessus. The latter +skinned and cut up one of the small bears, and soon had some steaks +broiling over the fire. By this time it was getting dusk without. + +When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then sallied +out from the cave and took his post as sentry with his spear close to +the angle of the rock, as by this time the natives on the opposite side, +being no longer able to see in the gathering darkness, had ceased +to shoot. Malchus ate his food at his leisure, and then joined his +companion. + +“We must get out of here somehow, Nessus. Our company will search for us +tomorrow; but they might search for a week without finding us here; and, +as the army is advancing, they could not spare more than a day; so, if +we are to get away, it must be by our own exertions.” + +“I am ready to fight my way along this ledge, my lord, if such is your +wish. They cannot see us to fire at, and as only one man can stand +abreast, their numbers would be of no avail to them.” + +“Not on the ledge, Nessus; but they would hardly defend that. No doubt +they are grouped at the further end, and we should have to fight against +overwhelming numbers. No, that is not to be thought of. The only way of +escape I can think of would be to let ourselves down the precipice; but +our bernouses would not make a rope long enough.” + +“They would not reach a third of the distance,” Nessus replied, shaking +his head. “They have been worn some time, and the cloth is no longer +strong. It would need a broad strip to support us.” + +“That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long +enough, nevertheless.” + +“I do not understand you, my lord. Our other garments would be of but +little use.” + +“Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we have +the skins of the bears--the hide of the old bear at least is thick and +tough--and a narrow strip would bear our weight.” + +“Of course,” Nessus said. “How stupid of me not to think of it, for in +the desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide. If you will +stand sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at once.” + +Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the bear, +and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, and having +fastened them together, twisted them into a rope. + +The bernouses--which when on the march were rolled up and worn over one +shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers carry their +blankets in modern times--were also cut up and twisted, and in three +hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was long enough to +reach to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently strong to bear +their weight. + +One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope was +then thrown over the edge of the platform. One of the young bear's skins +was fastened round and round it at the point where it crossed the edge +of the rocky platform, to prevent it from being cut when the weight was +put upon it, and they then prepared for their descent. + +“Do you go first,” Malchus said. “As soon as I feel that the rope is +loose, I will follow you.” + +The Arab swung himself off the edge, and in a very short time Malchus +felt the rope slacken. He followed at once. The first twenty feet the +descent was absolutely perpendicular, but after that the rock inclined +outward in a steep but pretty regular slope. Malchus was no longer +hanging by the rope; but throwing the principal portion of his weight +still upon it, and placing his feet on the inequalities of the rock, he +made his way down without difficulty. Presently he stood by Nessus at +the foot of the slope. + +“We had better make up the ravine. There will be numbers of them at its +mouth. We can see the glow of their fires from here.” + +“But we may not be able to find a way up,” Nessus said; “the sides seem +to get steeper and steeper, and we may find ourselves caught in a trap +at the end of this gorge. At any rate we will try that way first. I +wish the moon was up; it is as black as a wolf's mouth here, and the +bottom of the gorge is all covered with boulders. If we stumble, and +our arms strike a stone, it will be heard by the natives on the opposite +heights.” + +They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; but in +the dense darkness the task of making their way among the boulders was +difficult in the extreme. They had proceeded but a short distance when +a loud yell rose from the height above them. It was repeated again and +again, and was answered by shouts from the opposite side and from the +mouth of the ravine. + +“By Astarte!” Malchus exclaimed, “they have found out that we have +escaped already.” + +It was so. One of the natives had crept forward along the path, hoping +to find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and stab him. When +he got to the angle of the rock he could see no form before him, +nor hear the slightest sound. Creeping forward he found the platform +deserted. He listened attentively at the entrance to the cave, and +the keen ear of the savage would have detected had any been slumbering +there; but all was still. + +He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, when +his head struck against something. He put up his hand and felt the rope, +and saw how the fugitives had escaped. He at once gave the alarm to his +comrades. In a minute or two a score of men with blazing brands came +running along the path. On seeing the rope, they entered the cave, and +found that their prey had really escaped. + +Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given. + +“We had better be going, my lord,” the Arab said as he saw the men with +torches retracing their steps along the brow. “They will soon be after +us.” + +“I think not, Nessus. Their chance of finding us among these boulders +in the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks to our +arrows that they would hardly enter upon it. No, I think they will wait +till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of the ravine, and +along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent could be made. Hark, the +men on the heights there are calling to others along the brow.” + +“Very well, my lord,” Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, “then we +will sell our lives as dearly as possible.” + +“I hope it has not come to that, Nessus. There is a chance of safety for +us yet. The only place they are not likely to look for us is the cave, +and as we have climbed down from above with the rope, there will be no +difficulty in ascending.” + +Nessus gave an exclamation, which expressed at once admiration of his +leader's idea and gratification at the thought of escape. They began +without delay to retrace their steps, and after some trouble again found +the rope. + +Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any inequality +of the surface of the rock. Whenever he came to a ledge which afforded +him standing room he shook the rope, and waited until Malchus joined +him. + +At last they stood together at the foot of the perpendicular rock at the +top. The lightly armed Arab found no difficulty whatever in climbing the +rope; but it was harder work for Malchus, encumbered with the weight +of his armour. The numerous knots, however, helped him, and when he was +within a few feet of the top, Nessus seized the rope and hauled it up +by sheer strength until Malchus was level with the top. Then he gave him +his hand, and assisted him to gain his feet. They entered the cave and +made their way to the further end, and there threw themselves down. They +had not long been there when they saw a flash of light at the mouth of +the cave and heard voices. + +Malchus seized his spear and would have leaped to his feet, but Nessus +pressed his hand on his shoulder. + +“They are come for the she bear,” he said. “It is not likely they will +enter.” + +Lying hidden in the darkness the fugitives watched the natives roll the +bear over, tie its legs together, and put a stout pole through them. +Then four men lifted the pole on their shoulders and started. + +Another holding a brand entered the cave. The two fugitives held their +breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to shoot. The +brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, picking up the +bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close to the entrance, +threw them over his shoulder, and crawled back out of the cave again. As +they heard his departing footsteps the fugitives drew a long breath of +relief. + +Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave. He returned in +a minute. + +“They have taken the rope with them,” he said, “and it is well, for when +they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging there, it might +occur to them that we have made our way up. Now that it is gone they can +never suspect that we have returned here.” + +“There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus. We can +sleep as securely as if were in our camp.” + +So saying, Malchus chose a comfortable place, and was soon asleep. + +Nessus, however, did not lie down, but sat watching with unwearied eyes +the entrance to the cave. As soon as day had fairly broken, a chorus +of loud shouts and yells far down the ravine told that the search had +begun. For hours it continued. Every bush and boulder in the bottom was +searched by the natives. + +Again and again they went up and down the gorge, convinced that the +fugitives must be hidden somewhere; for, as Nessus had anticipated, the +cliffs at the upper end were so precipitous that an escape there was +impossible, and the natives had kept so close a watch all night along +the slopes at the lower end, and at the mouth, that they felt sure that +their prey could not have escaped them unseen. And yet at last they were +forced to come to the conclusion that in some inexplicable way this must +have been the case, for how else could they have escaped? The thought +that they had reascended by the rope before it was removed, and that +they were hidden in the cave at the time the bodies of the bear and its +cubs were carried away, never occurred to them. + +All day they wandered about in the bottom of the ravine, searching every +possible place, and sometimes removing boulders with great labour, where +these were piled together in such a manner that any one could be hidden +beneath them. + +At nightfall they feasted upon the body of the bear first killed, which +had been found where it had fallen in the ravine. The body of one of the +young bears which lay far up the cave, had escaped their search, and +a portion of this furnished a meal to the two prisoners, who were, +however, obliged to eat it raw, being afraid to light a fire, lest the +smoke, however slight, should be observed coming out at the entrance. + +The next morning, so far as they could see, the place was deserted by +the natives. Lying far back in the cave they could see that the men +on the opposite side of the ravine had retired; but as it was quite +possible that the natives, feeling still convinced that the fugitives +must be hidden somewhere, had set a watch at some spot commanding a +view of the whole ravine, they did not venture to show themselves at the +entrance. + +After making another meal of the bear, they sallied out, when it again +became dark, and made their way along the path. When they neared the end +they saw a party of the enemy sitting round a great fire at the mouth +of the ravine below them. They retired a short distance, and sat down +patiently until at last the fire burned low, and the natives, leaving +two of the party on watch, lay down to sleep. Then Malchus and his +companion rose to their feet, and made their way along the path. When +they were nearly abreast of the fire, Malchus happened to tread upon a +loose stone, which went bouncing down the side of the hill. + +The scouts gave a shout, which called their companions to their feet, +and started up the hillside towards the spot where the stone had fallen. + +Nessus discharged an arrow, which struck full on the chest of the leader +of the party, and then followed Malchus along the hillside. + +A shout of rage broke from the natives as their comrade fell; but +without pausing they pushed on. Malchus did not hurry. Silence now was +of more importance than speed. He strode along, then, with a rapid but +careful step, Nessus following closely behind him. The shouts of +the savages soon showed that they were at fault. Malchus listened +attentively as he went. Whenever the babel of tongues ceased for a +moment he stopped perfectly still, and only ventured on when they were +renewed. + +At last they had placed a long gap between them and their pursuers, and +came out on a level shoulder of the hill. They continued their way until +they found themselves at the edge of the forest. It was so dark under +the trees that they could no longer advance, and Malchus therefore +determined to wait till the dawn should enable them to continue their +journey. Whether they were in a clump of trees or in the forest, which +covered a large portion of the mountain side, they were unable to tell; +nor, as not a single star could be seen, had they any indication of the +direction which they should take. Retiring then for some little distance +among the trees, they lay down and were soon asleep. + +When the first dawn of day appeared they were on their way again, and +soon found that the trees under which they had slept formed part of the +forest. Through occasional openings, formed by trees which had fallen +from age or tempest, they obtained a view of the surrounding country, +and were enabled to form an idea where lay the camp which they had left +two days before. + +They had not proceeded far when they heard in the distance behind them +the shouting of men and the barking of dogs, and knew that the +enemy were upon their track. They ran now at the top of their speed, +convinced, however, that the natives, who would have to follow the +track, could not travel as fast as they did. Suddenly Malchus stopped. + +“Listen!” he said. They paused, and far down the hillside heard the +distant sound of a horn. “Those must be our men,” Malchus exclaimed, +“they are searching for us still; Hannibal must have allowed them to +stay behind when the army proceeded on its way.” + +In another half hour the horn sounded close at hand and they were +speedily among a body of Malchus' own followers, who received them with +shouts of delight. The men were utterly worn out, for they had searched +continuously day and night from the time they had missed their leader, +sometimes high up among the hills, sometimes among the lower valleys. +The party which he met comprised but a fourth of the band, for they had +divided into four parties, the better to range the country. + +They were now ascending the hills again at a distance of two miles +apart, and messengers were at once sent off to the other bodies to +inform them that Malchus had returned. Malchus quickly recounted to his +men the story of what had befallen them, and then bade them lie down to +rest while he and Nessus kept watch. + +The natives who had been in pursuit did not make their appearance, +having doubtless heard the horn which told of the approach of a body of +the Carthaginians. In two hours the whole of the band were collected, +and after a few hours' halt, to enable the men to recover from their +long fatigue and sleeplessness, Malchus put himself at their head +and they marched away to join the main body of their army, which they +overtook two days later. + +Malchus was received with great delight by his father and Hannibal, who +had given him up for lost. Nessus had over and over again recounted all +the details of their adventure to his comrades, and the quickness of +Malchus at hitting upon the stratagem of returning to the cave, and so +escaping from a position where escape seemed well nigh impossible, +won for him an even higher place than before in the admiration of his +followers. + + + +CHAPTER XI: THE PASSAGE OF THE RHONE + + +The army was now moving through the passes of the Pyrenees. The labour +was great; no army had ever before crossed this mountain barrier; roads +had to be made, streams bridged, and rocks blasted away, to allow the +passage of the elephants and baggage wagons. Opinions have differed as +to the explosives used by the Carthaginian miners, but it is certain +that they possessed means of blasting rocks. The engineers of Hannibal's +force possessed an amount of knowledge and science vastly in excess of +that attained by the Romans at that time, and during the campaign the +latter frequently endeavoured, and sometimes with success, by promises +of high rewards, to induce Hannibal's engineers to desert and take +service with them. A people well acquainted with the uses of sulphur +and niter, skilled in the Oriental science of chemistry, capable of +manufacturing Greek fire--a compound which would burn under water--may +well have been acquainted with some mixture resembling gunpowder. + +The art of making this explosive was certainly known to the Chinese in +very remote ages, and the Phoenicians, whose galleys traversed the most +distant seas to the east, may have acquired their knowledge from that +people. + +The wild tribes of the mountains harassed the army during this difficult +march, and constant skirmishes went on between them and Hannibal's light +armed troops. However, at last all difficulties were overcome, and the +army descended the slopes into the plains of Southern Gaul. + +Already Hannibal's agents had negotiated for an unopposed passage +through this country; but the Gauls, alarmed at the appearance of +the army, and at the news which had reached them of the conquest of +Catalonia, assembled in arms. Hannibal's tact and a lavish distribution +of presents dissipated the alarm of the Gauls, and their chiefs visited +Hannibal's camp at Elne, and a treaty was entered into for the passage +of the army. + +A singular article of this treaty, and one which shows the esteem in +which the Gauls held their women, was that all complaints on the part +of the natives against Carthaginian troops should be carried to Hannibal +himself or the general representing him, and that all complaints of the +Carthaginians against the natives should be decided without appeal by a +council composed of Gaulish women. This condition caused much amusement +to the Carthaginians, who, however, had no cause to regret its +acceptance, for the decisions of this singular tribunal were marked by +the greatest fairness and impartiality. The greater part of the tribes +through whose country the army marched towards the Rhone observed the +terms of the treaty with good faith; some proved troublesome, but were +wholly unable to stand against the Carthaginian arms. + +The exact route traversed by the army has been a subject of long and +bitter controversy; but, as no events of very great importance occurred +on the way, the precise line followed in crossing Gaul is a matter of +but slight interest. Suffice that, after marching from the Pyrenees at +a high rate of speed, the army reached the Rhone at the point where +Roquemaure now stands, a short distance above Avignon. + +This point had been chosen by Hannibal because it was one of the few +spots at which the Rhone runs in a single stream, its course being for +the most part greatly broken up by islands. Roquemaure lies sixty-five +miles from the sea, and it was necessary to cross the Rhone at some +distance from its mouth, for Rome was now thoroughly alarmed, and +Scipio, with a fleet and powerful army, was near Marseilles waiting to +engage Hannibal on the plains of Gaul. + +During the last few days' march no inhabitants had been encountered. +The Arecomici, who inhabited this part of the country, had not been +represented at the meeting, and at the news of the approach of the +Carthaginians had deserted their country and fled across the Rhone, +where, joined by the tribes dwelling upon the further bank, they +prepared to offer a desperate opposition to the passage of the river. +The appearance of this mass of barbarians, armed with bows and arrows +and javelins, on the further side of the wide and rapid river which had +to be crossed, was not encouraging. + +“It was bad enough crossing the Pyrenees,” Malchus said to Trebon, +“but that was nothing to this undertaking; it is one thing to climb a +precipice, however steep, to the assault of an enemy, another to swim +across at the head of the army under such a shower of missiles as we +shall meet with on the other side.” + +Hannibal, however, had prepared to overcome the difficulty. Messengers +had been sent up and down the river to all the people living on the +right bank, offering to buy from them at good prices every barge and +boat in their possession, promising them freedom from all exactions +and hard treatment, and offering good pay to those who would render +assistance to the army in the passage. Hannibal's offers were accepted +without hesitation. That the army, which could, had it chosen, have +taken all their boats by force and impressed their labour, should offer +to pay liberally for both, filled them with admiration, and they were, +moreover, only too glad to aid this formidable army of strangers to pass +out of their country. + +The dwellers upon the Rhone at this period carried on an extensive +commerce, not only with the tribes of the upper river, but with +Marseilles and the ports of Spain and Northern Italy, consequently a +large number of vessels and barges of considerable tonnage were at once +obtained. + +To add to the means of transport the whole army were set to work, and, +assisted by the natives, the soldiers cut down trees, and, hollowing +them out roughly, formed canoes capable of carrying two or three men. +So industriously did the troops work that in two days enough canoes +were made to carry the army across the river; but there was still the +opposition of the natives to be overcome, and when the canoes were +finished Hannibal ordered Hanno, one of his best generals, to start with +a division at nightfall up the bank of the river. + +Hanno marched five miles, when he found a spot where the river was +smooth and favourable for the passage. The troops set to at once to +cut trees; rafts were formed of these, and the troops passed over. The +Spanish corps, accustomed to the passage of rivers, simply stripped, and +putting their broad shields of hides beneath them, passed the river by +swimming. Once across Hanno gave his men twenty-four hours' rest, and +then, calculating that Hannibal's preparations would be complete, he +marched down the river until he reached a hill, whose summit was visible +from Hannibal's camp at daybreak. Upon this he lit a signal fire. + +The moment the smoke was seen in the camp Hannibal gave orders for the +troops to embark. The light infantry took to their little canoes, the +cavalry embarked in the larger vessels, and, as these were insufficient +to carry all the horses, a great many of the animals were made to enter +the river attached by ropes to the vessels. The heavier craft started +highest up, in order that they might to some extent break the roughness +of the waves and facilitate the passage of the canoes. + +The din was prodigious. Thousands of men tugged at the oars, the roughly +made canoes were dashed against each other and often upset, while from +the opposite bank rose loudly the defiant yells of the natives, prepared +to dispute to the last the landing of the flotilla. Suddenly these cries +assumed a different character. A mass of smoke was seen to rise from the +tents of the enemy's camp, and Hanno's division poured down upon their +rear. The Arecomici, taken wholly by surprise, were seized with a panic, +and fled hastily in all directions, leaving the bank clear for the +landing of Hannibal. The whole of the army were brought across at once +and encamped that night on the river. + +In the morning Hannibal sent off five hundred Numidian horse to +reconnoitre the river below, and ascertain what Scipio's army, which was +known to have landed at its mouth, was doing. He then assembled his army +and introduced to them some chiefs of the tribes beyond the Alps, who +had a day or two before arrived in the camp with the agents he had +sent to their country. They harangued the soldiers, an interpreter +translating their speeches, and assured them of the welcome they +would meet in the rich and fertile country beyond the Alps, and of the +alacrity with which the people there would join them against the Romans. + +Hannibal himself then addressed the soldiers, pointed out to them that +they had already accomplished by far the greatest part of their journey, +had overcome every obstacle, and that there now remained but a few +days' passage over the mountains, and that Italy, the goal of all their +endeavours, would then lie before them. + +The soldiers replied with enthusiastic shouts, and Hannibal, after +offering up prayers to the gods on behalf of the army, dismissed the +soldiers, and told them to prepare to start on the following day. Soon +after the assembly had broken up the Numidian horse returned in great +confusion, closely pressed by the Roman cavalry, who had been sent by +Scipio to ascertain Hannibal's position and course. The hostile cavalry +had charged each other with fury. A hundred and forty of the Romans and +two hundred of the Numidians were slain. + +Hannibal saw that there was no time to be lost. The next morning, at +daybreak, the whole of his cavalry were posted to the south to cover the +movements of the army and to check the Roman advance. The infantry were +then set in motion up the bank of the river and Hannibal, with a small +party, remained behind to watch the passage of the elephants, which had +not yet been brought across. + +The elephants had not been trained to take to the water, and the +operation was an extremely difficult one. Very strong and massive rafts +were joined together until they extended two hundred feet into the +river, being kept in their place by cables fastened to trees on the bank +above them. At the end of this floating pier was placed another raft +of immense size, capable of carrying four elephants at a time. A thick +covering of earth was laid over the whole, and on this turf was placed. +The elephants were then led forward. + +So solid was the construction that they advanced upon it without +hesitation. When four had taken their place on the great raft at the +end, the fastenings which secured it to the rest of the structure were +cut, and a large number of boats and barges filled with rowers began to +tow the raft across the river. The elephants were seized with terror at +finding themselves afloat, but seeing no way of escape remained trembling +in the centre of the raft until they reached the other side. When it was +safely across, the raft and towing boats returned, and the operation was +repeated until all the elephants were over. + +Some of the animals, however, were so terrified that they flung +themselves from the rafts into the river and made their way to shore, +keeping their probosces above the surface of the water. The Indians who +directed them were, however, all swept away and drowned. As soon as the +elephants were all across Hannibal called in his cavalry, and with them +and the elephants followed the army. + +The Romans did not arrive at the spot until three days after the +Carthaginians had left. Scipio was greatly astonished when he found that +Hannibal had marched north, as he believed that the Alps were impassable +for an army, and had reckoned that Hannibal would certainly march down +the river and follow the seashore. Finding that the Carthaginians had +left he marched his army down to his ships again, re-embarked them, and +sailed for Genoa, intending to oppose Hannibal as he issued from the +defiles of the Alps, in the event of his succeeding in making the +passage. + +Four days' march up the Rhone brought Hannibal to the point where the +Isere runs into that river. He crossed it, and with his army entered the +region called by Polybius “The Island,” although the designation is an +incorrect one, for while the Rhone flows along one side of the triangle +and the Isere on the other, the base is formed not by a third river, but +by a portion of the Alpine chain. + +Malchus and his band had been among the first to push off from the +shore when the army began to cross the Rhone. Malchus was in a roughly +constructed canoe, which was paddled by Nessus and another of his men. +Like most of the other canoes, their craft soon became waterlogged, +for the rapid and angry current of the river, broken and agitated by so +large a number of boats, splashed over the sides of the clumsy canoes, +which were but a few inches above the water. The buoyancy of the wood +was sufficient to float them even when full, but they paddled slowly and +heavily. + +The confusion was prodigious. The greater part of the men, unaccustomed +to rowing, had little control over their boats. Collisions were +frequent, and numbers of the boats were upset and their occupants +drowned. The canoe which carried Malchus was making fair progress, but, +to his vexation, was no longer in the front line. He was urging the +paddlers to exert themselves to the utmost, when Nessus gave a sudden +cry. + +A horse which had broken loose from its fastenings behind one of the +barges was swimming down, frightened and confused at the din. It was +within a few feet of them when Nessus perceived it, and in another +moment it struck the canoe broadside with its chest. The boat rolled +over at once, throwing its occupants into the water. Malchus grasped the +canoe as it upset, for he would instantly have sunk from the weight of +his armour. Nessus a moment later appeared by his side. + +“I will go to the other side, my lord,” he said, “that will keep the +tree from turning over again.” + +He dived under the canoe, and came up on the opposite side, and giving +Malchus his hand across it, there was no longer any fear of the log +rolling over. The other rower did not reappear above the surface. +Malchus shouted in vain to some of the passing boats to pick him up, but +all were so absorbed in their efforts to advance and their eagerness to +engage the enemy that none paid attention to Malchus or the others in +like plight. Besides, it seemed probable that all, if they stuck to +their canoes, would presently gain one bank or other of the river. +Malchus, too, had started rather low down, and he was therefore soon out +of the flotilla. + +The boat was nearly in midstream when the accident happened. + +“The first thing to do,” Malchus said when he saw that there was no +chance of their being picked up, “is to rid myself of my armour. I can +do nothing with it on, and if the tree turns over I shall go down like +a stone. First of all, Nessus, do you unloose your sword belt. I will +do the same. If we fasten them together they are long enough to go round +the canoe, and if we take off our helmets and pass the belts through the +chin chains they will, with our swords, hang safely.” + +This was with some difficulty accomplished. + +“Now,” Malchus continued, “let us make our way to the stern of the +canoe. I will place my hand on the tree there, and do you unfasten the +shoulder and waist straps of my breast and backpieces. I cannot do it +myself.” + +This was also accomplished, and the two pieces of armour laid on the +tree. They were now free to look round. The rapid stream had already +taken them half a mile below the point where the army were crossing, and +they were now entering a spot where the river was broken up by islands, +and raced along its pent up channel with greater velocity than before, +its surface broken with short angry waves, which rendered it difficult +for them to retain their hold of the tree. + +For a time they strove by swimming to give the canoe an impetus towards +one bank or the other; but their efforts were vain. Sometimes they +thought they were about to succeed, and then an eddy would take the boat +and carry it into the middle of the stream again. + +“It is useless, Nessus,” Malchus said at last. “We are only wearing +ourselves out, and our efforts are of no avail whatever. We must be +content to drift down the river until our good luck throws us into some +eddy which may carry us near one bank or the other.” + +It was a long time, indeed, before that stroke of fortune befell them, +and they were many miles down the river before the current took them +near the eastern bank at a point where a sharp curve of the river threw +the force of the current over in that direction; but although they were +carried to within a few yards of the shore, so numbed and exhausted +were they by their long immersion in the cold water that it was with +the greatest difficulty that they could give the canoe a sufficient +impulsion to carry it to the bank. + +At last, however, their feet touched the bottom, and they struggled to +shore, carrying with them the arms and armour; then, letting the canoe +drift away again, they crawled up the bank, and threw themselves down, +utterly exhausted. It was some time before either of them spoke. Then +Malchus said: + +“We had best strip off our clothes and wring them as well as we can; +after that they will soon dry on us. We have no means of drying them +here, so we must lie down among some bushes to shelter us from this +bitter wind which blows from the mountains.” + +The clothes were wrung until the last drop was extracted from them and +then put on again. They were still damp and cold, but Malchus and his +companion had been accustomed to be drenched to the skin, and thought +nothing of this. They were still too exhausted, however, to walk +briskly, and therefore lay down among some thick bushes until they +should feel equal to setting out on the long tramp to rejoin their +companions. After lying for a couple of hours Malchus rose to his feet, +and issuing from the bushes looked round. He had resumed his armour +and sword. As he stepped out a sudden shout arose, and he saw within a +hundred yards of him a body of natives some hundred strong approaching. +They had already caught sight of him. + +“Nessus,” he exclaimed, without looking round, “lie still. I am seen, +and shall be taken in a minute. It is hopeless for me to try to escape. +You will do me more good by remaining hid and trying to free me from +their hands afterwards.” + +So saying, and without drawing his sword, Malchus quietly advanced +towards the natives, who were rushing down towards him with loud shouts. +Flight or resistance would be, as he had at once seen, hopeless, and it +was only by present submission he could hope to save his life. + +The natives were a portion of the force which had opposed Hannibal's +landing, and had already killed several Carthaginians who had, like +Malchus, struggled to the bank after being upset in the passage. Seeing +that he attempted neither to fly nor to defend himself, they rushed upon +him tumultuously, stripped him of his arms and armour, and dragged him +before their leader. The latter briefly ordered him to be brought +along, and the party continued their hurried march, fearing that the +Carthaginian horse might at any moment pursue them. For the rest of the +afternoon they marched without a halt, but at nightfall stopped in a +wood. + +No fires were lit, for they knew not how close the Carthaginians might +be behind them. Malchus was bound hand and foot and thrown down in their +midst. There was no sleep that night. Half the party remained on watch, +the others sat together round the spot where Malchus lay and +discussed the disastrous events of the day--the great flotilla of the +Carthaginians, the sudden attack in their rear, the destruction of their +camp, the capture of the whole of their goods, and the slaughter and +defeat which had befallen them. + +As their dialect differed but little from that of the Gauls in the +Carthaginian service, Malchus was enabled to understand the greater part +of their conversation, and learned that the only reason why he was not +put to death at once was that they wished to keep him until beyond the +risk of pursuit of the Carthaginians, when he could be sacrificed to +their gods formally and with the usual ceremonies. + +All the time that they were talking Malchus listened anxiously for any +sudden outbreak which would tell that Nessus had been discovered. That +the Numidian had followed on their traces and was somewhere in the +neighbourhood Malchus had no doubt, but rescue in his present position +was impossible, and he only hoped that his follower would find that this +was so in time and would wait for a more favourable opportunity. The +night passed off quietly, and in the morning the natives continued their +march. After proceeding for three or four hours a sudden exclamation +from one of them caused the others to turn, and in the distance a +black mass of horsemen was seen approaching. At a rapid run the natives +started off for the shelter of a wood half a mile distant. Malchus was +forced to accompany them. He felt sure that the horsemen were a party +of Hannibal's cavalry, and he wondered whether Nessus was near enough to +see them, for if so he doubted not that he would manage to join them and +lead them to his rescue. + +Just before they reached the wood the natives suddenly stopped, for, +coming from the opposite direction was another body of cavalry. It +needed not the joyous shouts of the natives to tell Malchus that these +were Romans, for they were coming from the south and could only be a +party of Scipio's cavalry. The natives halted at the edge of the wood +to watch the result of the conflict, for the parties evidently saw each +other, and both continued to advance at full speed. The Roman trumpets +were sounding, while the wild yells which came up on the breeze told +Malchus that Hannibal's cavalry were a party of the Numidians. + +The Romans were somewhat the most numerous; but, had the cavalry opposed +to them consisted of the Carthaginian horse, Malchus would have had +little doubt as to the result; he felt, however, by no means certain +that the light armed Numidians were a match for the Roman cavalry. The +party had stopped but a quarter of a mile from the spot where the rival +bands met, and the crash of bodies driven violently against each other +and the clash of steel on armour could be plainly heard. + +For a few minutes it was a wild confused melee, neither party appearing +to have any advantage. Riderless steeds galloped off from the throng, +but neither party seemed to give way a foot. The whole mass seemed +interlaced in conflict. It was a moving struggling throng of bodies with +arms waving high and swords rising and falling. The Romans fought in +silence, but the wild yells of the Numidians rose shrill and continuous. + +At last there was a movement, and Malchus gave a groan while the natives +around him shouted in triumph as the Numidians were seen to detach +themselves from the throng and to gallop off at full speed, hotly +followed by the Romans, both, however, in greatly diminished numbers, +for the ground on which the conflict had taken place was thickly strewn +with bodies; nearly half of those who had engaged in that short but +desperate strife were lying there. + +No sooner had the pursuers and pursued disappeared in the distance than +the natives thronged down to the spot. Such of the Numidians as were +found to be alive were instantly slaughtered, and all were despoiled of +their clothes, arms, and ornaments. The Romans were left untouched, and +those among them who were found to be only wounded were assisted by +the natives, who unbuckled their armour, helped them into a sitting +position, bound up their wounds, and gave them water. + +Highly satisfied with the booty they obtained, and having no longer any +fear of pursuit, the natives halted to await the return of the Romans. +Malchus learned from their conversation that they had some little doubt +whether the Romans would approve of their appropriating the spoils of +the dead Numidians, and it was finally decided to hand over Malchus, +whose rich armour proclaimed him to be a prisoner of importance, to the +Roman commander. + +The main body of the natives, with all the spoil which had been +collected, moved away to the wood, while the chief, with four of his +companions and Malchus, remained with the wounded Romans. It was late in +the evening before the Romans returned, after having, as has been said, +followed the Numidians right up to Hannibal's camp. There was some +grumbling on the part of the Roman soldiers when they found that their +allies had forestalled them with the spoil; but the officer in command +was well pleased at finding that the wounded had been carefully attended +to, and bade the men be content that they had rendered good service +to the public, and that Scipio would be well satisfied with them. The +native chief now exhibited the helmet and armour of Malchus, who was led +forward by two of his men. + +“Who are you?” the commander asked Malchus in Greek, a language which +was understood by the educated both of Rome and Carthage. + +“I am Malchus, and command the scouts of Hannibal's army.” + +“You are young for such a post,” the officer said; “but in Carthage +it is interest not valour which secures promotion. Doubtless you are +related to Hannibal.” + +“I am his cousin,” Malchus said quietly. + +“Ah!” the Roman said sarcastically, “that accounts for one who is a mere +lad being chosen for so important a post. However, I shall take you +to Scipio, who will doubtless have questions to ask of you concerning +Hannibal's army.” + +Many of the riderless horses on the plain came in on hearing the sound +of the Roman trumpets and rejoined the troop. Malchus was placed on +one of these. Such of the wounded Romans as were able to ride mounted +others, and a small party being left behind to look after those unable +to move, the troops started on their way. + +They were unable, however, to proceed far; the horses had been +travelling since morning and were now completely exhausted; therefore, +after proceeding a few miles the troop halted. Strong guards were +posted, and the men lay down by their horses, ready to mount at a +moment's notice, for it was possible that Hannibal might have sent a +large body of horsemen in pursuit. As on the night before, Malchus felt +that even if Nessus had so far followed him he could do nothing while so +strong a guard was kept up, and he therefore followed the example of the +Roman soldiers around him and was soon fast asleep. + +At daybreak next morning the troops mounted and again proceeded to the +south. Late in the afternoon a cloud of dust was seen in the distance, +and the party presently rode into the midst of the Roman army, who had +made a day's march from their ships and were just halting for the night. +The commander of the cavalry at once hastened to Scipio's tent to inform +him of the surprising fact that Hannibal had already, in the face of +the opposition of the tribes, forced the passage of the Rhone, and that, +with the exception of the elephants, which had been seen still on the +opposite bank, all the army were across. + +Scipio was greatly mortified at the intelligence, for he had deemed it +next to impossible that Hannibal could carry his army across so wide and +rapid a river in the face of opposition. He had little doubt now that +Hannibal's intention was to follow the Rhone down on its left bank to +its mouth, and he prepared at once for a battle. Hearing that a prisoner +of some importance had been captured, he ordered Malchus to be brought +before him. As the lad, escorted by a Roman soldier on each side, was +led in, Scipio, accustomed to estimate men, could not but admire the +calm and haughty self possession of his young prisoner. His eye fell +with approval upon his active sinewy figure, and the knotted muscles of +his arms and legs. + +“You are Malchus, a relation of Hannibal, and the commander of the +scouts of his army, I hear,” Scipio began. + +Malchus bowed his head in assent. + +“What force has he with him, and what are his intentions?” + +“I know nothing of his intentions,” Malchus replied quietly, “as to his +force, it were better that you inquired of your allies, who saw us pass +the river. One of them was brought hither with me, and can tell you what +he saw.” + +“Know you not,” Scipio said, “that I can order you to instant execution +if you refuse to answer my questions?” + +“Of that I am perfectly well aware,” Malchus replied; “but I +nevertheless refuse absolutely to answer any questions.” + +“I will give you until tomorrow morning to think the matter over, and if +by that time you have not made up your mind to give me the information I +require, you die.” + +So saying he waved his hand to the soldiers, who at once removed Malchus +from his presence. He was taken to a small tent a short distance away, +food was given to him, and at nightfall chains were attached to his +ankles, and from these to the legs of two Roman soldiers appointed to +guard him during the night, while a sentry was placed at the entrance. +The chains were strong, and fitted so tightly round the ankles that +escape was altogether impossible. Even had he possessed arms and could +noiselessly have slain the two soldiers, he would be no nearer getting +away, for the chains were fastened as securely round their limbs as +round his own. Malchus, therefore, at once abandoned any idea of escape, +and lying quietly down meditated on his fate in the morning. + + + +CHAPTER XII: AMONG THE PASSES + + +It was not until long after the guards to whom he was chained had fallen +asleep that Malchus followed their example. It seemed to him he had been +asleep a long time when a pressure by a hand on his shoulder woke him; +at the same moment another hand was placed over his mouth. + +“Hush, my lord!” a voice said. It was Nessus. “Arise and let us go. +There is no time to be lost, for it is nigh morning. I have been the +whole night in discovering where you were.” + +“But the guards, Nessus?” + +“I have killed them,” Nessus said in a tone of indifference. + +“But I am chained to them by the ankles.” + +Nessus gave a little exclamation of impatience, and then in the darkness +felt the irons to discover the nature of the fastenings. In a minute +there was a sound of a dull crashing blow, then Nessus moved to the +other side and the sound was repeated. With two blows of his short heavy +sword the Arab had cut off the feet of the dead Romans at the ankle, and +the chains were free. + +“Put on the clothes of this man, my lord, and take his arms; I will take +those of the other.” + +As soon as this was done Nessus wrapped some folds of cloth round each +of the chains to prevent their clanking, then passing a band through the +ends he fastened them to Malchus' waist. + +“Quick, my lord,” he said as he finished the work; “daylight is +beginning to break.” + +They stepped over the dead sentry at the door of the tent and were going +on when Malchus said: + +“Best lift him inside, Nessus; it may be some little time before it is +noticed that he is missing from his post.” + +This was quickly done, and they then moved away quietly among the tents +till they approached the rear of the camp. It was now light enough to +enable them to see dimly the figures of the Roman sentries placed at +short intervals round the camp. + +“We cannot get through unseen,” Malchus said. + +“No, my lord,” Nessus replied; “I have wasted too much time in finding +you.” + +“Then we had best lie down quietly here,” Malchus said; “in a short time +the men will be moving about, and we can then pass through the sentries +without remark.” + +As the light spread over the sky sounds of movement were heard in the +camp, and soon figures were moving about, some beginning to make fires, +others to attend to their horses. The two Carthaginians moved about +among the tents as if similarly occupied, secure that their attire as +Roman soldiers would prevent any observation being directed towards +them. They were anxious to be off, for they feared that at any moment +they might hear the alarm raised on the discovery that the sentry was +missing. + +It was nearly broad daylight now, and when they saw two or three +soldiers pass out between the sentries unquestioned they started at once +to follow them. The morning was very cold, and the soldiers who were +about were all wearing their military cloaks. Malchus had pulled the +irons as high up as he could possibly force them, and they did not show +below his cloak. + +Walking carelessly along they passed through the sentries, whose duties, +now that morning had dawned, related only to discovering an enemy +approaching the camp, the soldiers being now free to enter or leave as +they pleased. + +“It is of no use to go far,” Malchus said; “the nearer we hide to the +camp the better. We are less likely to be looked for there than at a +distance, and it is impossible for me to travel at any speed until I get +rid of these heavy irons. As soon as we get over that little brow ahead +we shall be out of sight of the sentries, and will take to the first +hiding place we see.” + +The little rise was but a short distance from camp, the country beyond +was open but was covered with low brushwood. As soon as they were over +the brow and were assured that none of those who had left the camp +before them were in sight, they plunged into the brushwood, and, making +their way on their hands and knees for a few hundred yards, lay down in +the midst of it. + +“They are not likely to search on this side of the camp,” Malchus said. +“They will not know at what hour I escaped, and will naturally suppose +that I started at once to regain our camp. Listen, their trumpets are +blowing. No doubt they are about to strike their camp and march; by +this time my escape must be known. And now tell me, Nessus, how did you +manage to follow and discover me?” + +“It was easy to follow you, my lord,” Nessus said. “When I heard your +order I lay still, but watched through the bushes your meeting with the +Gauls. My arrow was in the string, and had they attacked you I should +have loosed it among them, and then rushed out to die with you, but +when I saw them take you a prisoner I followed your orders. I had no +difficulty in keeping you in sight until nightfall. Then I crept up to +the wood and made my way until I was within a few yards of you and lay +there till nearly morning; but, as the men around you never went to +sleep, I could do nothing and stole away again before daylight broke. +Then I followed again until I saw our horsemen approaching. I had +started to run towards them to lead them to you when I saw the Roman +horse, and I again hid myself. + +“The next night again the Romans kept too vigilant a watch for me to do +anything, and I followed them all yesterday until I saw them enter the +Roman camp. As soon as it was dark I entered, and, getting into the +part of the camp occupied by the Massilians, whose Gaulish talk I could +understand a little, I gathered that a Carthaginian prisoner who had +been brought in was to be executed in the morning. So I set to work +to find you; but the night was too dark to see where the sentries were +placed, and I had to crawl round every tent to see if one stood at the +entrance on guard, for I was sure that a sentry would be placed over +you. I entered seven tents, at whose doors sentries were placed, before +I found yours, but they were all those of Roman generals or persons of +importance. I entered each time by cutting a slit in the back of the +tent. At last when I was beginning to despair, I found your tent. + +“It was the smallest of any that had been guarded, and this made me +think I was right. When I crawled in I found feeling cautiously about, +that two Roman soldiers were asleep on the ground and that you were +lying between them. Then I went to the entrance. The sentry was standing +with his back to it. I struck a blow on his neck from behind, and he +died without knowing he was hurt. I caught him as I struck and lowered +him gently down, for the crash of his arms as he fell would have roused +everyone near. After that it was easy to stab the two guards sleeping by +you, and then I woke you.” + +“You have saved my life, Nessus, and I shall never forget it,” Malchus +said gratefully. + +“My life is my lord's,” the Arab replied simply. “Glad am I indeed that +I have been able to do you a service.” + +Just as he spoke they saw through the bushes a party of Roman horse +ride at a gallop over the brow between them and the camp. They halted, +however, on passing the crest, and an officer with them gazed long and +searchingly over the country. For some minutes he sat without speaking, +then he gave an order and the horsemen rode back again over the crest. + +“I think we shall see no more of them,” Malchus said. “His orders were, +no doubt, that if I was in sight they were to pursue, if not, it would +be clearly useless hunting over miles of brushwood in the hope of +finding me, especially as they must deem it likely that I am far away in +the opposite direction.” + +An hour later Nessus crept cautiously forward among the bushes, making a +considerable detour until he reached the spot whence he could command a +view of the Roman camp. It had gone, not a soul remained behind, but at +some distance across the plain he could see the heavy column marching +north. He rose to his feet and returned to the spot where he had left +Malchus, and told him that the Romans had gone. + +“The first thing, Nessus, is to get rid of these chains.” + +“It is easy as to the chains,” Nessus said, “but the rings around your +legs must remain until we rejoin the camp, it will need a file to free +you from them.” + +The soil was sandy, and Nessus could find no stone sufficiently large +for his purpose. They, therefore, started in the direction which the +Romans had taken until, after two hours' slow walking, they came upon +the bed of a stream in which were some boulders sufficiently large for +the purpose. + +The rings were now pushed down again to the ankles, and Nessus wound +round them strips of cloth until he had formed a pad between the iron +and the skin to lessen the jar of the blow, then he placed the link of +the chain near to the leg upon the edge of the boulder, and, drawing his +sharp heavy sword, struck with all his force upon the iron. + +A deep notch was made; again and again he repeated the blow, until the +link was cut through, then, with some difficulty, he forced the two +ends apart until the shackle of the ring would pass between them. The +operation was repeated on the other chain, and then Malchus was free, +save for the two iron rings around his ankles. The work had taken +upwards of an hour, and when it was done they started at a rapid walk in +the direction taken by the column. They had no fear now of the natives, +for should any come upon them they would take them for two Roman +soldiers who had strayed behind the army. + +Scipio made a long day's march, and it was not until nightfall that his +army halted. Malchus and his companion made a long detour round the camp +and continued their way for some hours, then they left the track that +the army would follow, and, after walking for about a mile, lay down +among some bushes and were soon asleep. + +In the morning they agreed that before proceeding further it was +absolutely necessary to obtain some food. Malchus had been fed when +among the Romans, but Nessus had had nothing from the morning when he +had been upset in the Rhone four days before, save a manchet of bread +which he had found in one of the tents he had entered. Surveying the +country round carefully, the keen eye of the Arab perceived some light +smoke curling up at the foot of the hills on their right, and they at +once directed their course towards it. An hour's walking brought them +within sight of a native village. + +As soon as they perceived it they dropped on their hands and knees and +proceeded with caution until within a short distance of it. They were +not long in discovering a flock of goats browsing on the verdure in some +broken ground a few hundred yards from the village. They were under the +charge of a native boy, who was seated on a rock near them. They made +their way round among the brushwood until they were close to the spot. + +“Shall I shoot him?” Nessus asked, for he had carried his bow and arrows +concealed in his attire as a Roman soldier. + +“No, no,” Malchus replied, “the lad has done us no harm; but we must +have one of his goats. His back is towards us, and, if we wait, one of +them is sure to come close to us presently.” + +They lay quiet among the bushes until, after a delay of a quarter of an +hour, a goat, browsing upon the bushes, passed within a yard or two of +them. + +Nessus let fly his arrow, it passed almost through the animal, right +behind its shoulder, and it fell among the bushes. In an instant +Nessus was upon it, and, grasping its mouth tightly to prevent it from +bleating, cut its throat. They dragged it away until a fall in the +ground hid them from the sight of the natives, then they quickly skinned +and cut it up, devoured some of the meat raw, and then, each taking a +leg of the animal, proceeded upon their way. + +They now walked without a halt until, late in the evening, they came +down upon the spot where the Carthaginian army had crossed. It was +deserted. Going down to the edge of the river they saw the great rafts +upon which the elephants had crossed. + +“We had best go on a mile or two ahead,” Nessus said, “the Roman cavalry +may be here in the morning, though the column will be still a day's +march away. By daylight we shall have no difficulty in finding the +traces of the army.” + +Malchus took the Arab's advice, and the next morning followed on the +traces of the army, which were plainly enough to be seen in the broken +bushes, the trampled ground, and in various useless articles dropped or +thrown away by the troops. They were forced to advance with caution, for +they feared meeting any of the natives who might be hanging on the rear +of the army. + +After three days' travelling with scarce a pause they came upon the army +just as the rear guard was crossing the Isere, and Malchus received a +joyous welcome from his friends, who had supposed him drowned at the +passage of the Rhone. His account of his adventure was eagerly listened +to, and greatly surprised were they when they found that he had been a +prisoner in the camp of Scipio, and had been rescued by the fidelity and +devotion of Nessus. Hannibal asked many questions as to the strength +of Scipio's army, but Malchus could only say that, not having seen it +except encamped, he could form but a very doubtful estimate as to its +numbers, but considered it to be but little superior to that of the +Carthaginian. + +“I do not think Scipio will pursue us,” Hannibal said. “A defeat here +would be as fatal to him as it would be to us, and I think it more +likely that, when he finds we have marched away north, he will return to +his ships and meet us in Italy.” + +Malchus learned that everything had progressed favourably since the army +had crossed the Rhone, the natives having offered no further opposition +to their advance. A civil war was going on in the region the army had +now entered, between two rival princes, brothers, of the Allobroges. +Hannibal was requested to act as umpire in the quarrel, and decided in +favour of the elder brother and restored order. In return he received +from the prince whom he reseated on his throne, provisions, clothing, +and other necessaries for the army, and the prince, with his troops, +escorted the Carthaginians some distance up into the Alps, and prevented +the tribes dwelling at the foot of the mountains from attacking them. + +The conquest of Catalonia, the passage of the Pyrenees, and the march +across the south of Gaul, had occupied many months. Summer had come and +gone, autumn had passed, and winter was at hand. It was the eighteenth +of October when Hannibal led his army up the narrow valleys into the +heart of the Alps. The snow had already fallen thickly upon the upper +part of the mountains, and the Carthaginians shuddered at the sight +of these lofty summits, these wild, craggy, and forbidding wastes. +The appearance of the wretched huts of the inhabitants, of the people +themselves, unshaved and unkempt and clad in sheepskins, and of the +flocks and herds gathering in sheltered spots and crowding together to +resist the effects of the already extreme cold, struck the Carthaginian +troops with dismay. Large bodies of the mountaineers were perceived +posted on the heights surrounding the valleys, and the column, +embarrassed by its length and the vast quantity of baggage, was also +exposed to attack by hordes who might at any moment rush out from the +lateral ravines. Hannibal, therefore, ordered his column to halt. + +Malchus was now ordered to go forward with his band of scouts, and to +take with him a party of Gauls, who, their language being similar +to that of the natives, could enter into conversation with them. The +mountaineers, seeing but a small party advancing, allowed them to +approach peaceably and entered freely into conversation with them. They +declared that they would on no account permit the Carthaginian army to +pass forward, but would oppose every foot of their advance. + +The Gauls learned, however, that, believing the great column could only +move forward in the daytime, the natives were in the habit of retiring +from their rocky citadels at nightfall. Malchus returned with this news +to Hannibal, who prepared to take advantage of it. The camp was at once +pitched, and the men set to work to form an intrenchment round it as if +Hannibal meditated a prolonged halt there. Great fires were lit and the +animals unloaded. The natives, seeing from above everything that was +being done, deserted their posts as usual at nightfall, confident that +the Carthaginians had no intention of moving forward. + +Malchus with his scouts crept on along the path, and soon sent down +word to Hannibal that the heights were deserted. The general himself now +moved forward with all his light troops, occupied the head of the pass, +and posted strong parties of men upon the heights commanding it. As soon +as day broke the rest of the army got into motion and proceeded up the +pass. The natives were now seen approaching in great numbers, but they +halted in dismay on seeing that the Carthaginians had already gained +possession of the strong places. + +The road by which the column was ascending wound along the face of +a precipice, and was so narrow that it was with difficulty that the +horses, snorting with fright, could be persuaded to proceed. The +natives, seeing the confusion which the fright of the animals created in +the column, at once took to the mountains, climbing up rugged precipices +which appeared to the Carthaginians absolutely inaccessible, and +presently made their appearance far up on the mountain side above the +column. + +Here, sending up the most piercing yells, they began to roll rocks and +stones down upon the column. The confusion below became terrible. The +horses, alarmed by the strange wild cries, echoed and re-echoed a score +of times among the mountains, and struck by the falling stones, plunged +and struggled wildly to escape. Some tore along the path, precipitating +those in front of them over the precipice, others lost their footing, +and, dragging with them the carts to which they were attached, fell +into the valley below. All order was lost. Incapable of defence or of +movement the column appeared to be on the verge of destruction. + +“Come, my men,” Malchus exclaimed to his Arabs, “where these men can +climb we can follow them; the safety of the whole column is at stake.” + +Slinging their weapons behind them the scouts began to climb the crags. +Sure footed and hardy as they were, it was with the greatest difficulty +that they could make their way up. Many lost their footing, and rolling +down were dashed to pieces; but the great majority succeeded in climbing +the heights, and at once became engaged in desperate battle with the +natives. + +Every narrow ledge and crag was the scene of a conflict. The natives +from the distant heights encouraged their companions with their shouts, +and for a time the confusion in the column below was heightened by the +combat which was proceeding far above them. Every stone dislodged by the +feet of the combatants thundered down upon them, and the falling bodies +of those hit by arrow or javelin came crushing down with a dull thud +among the mass. + +At last the bravery and superior weapons of the Arabs prevailed. The +precipice was cleared of the natives, and as the uproar ceased and the +missiles ceased to fall, the column recovered its order, and again moved +forward until the whole army gained the top of the pass. Here Hannibal +took possession of a rough fort erected by the natives, captured several +villages, and enough flocks and herds to feed his army for three days. +Then descending from the top of the pass, which is now known as the +Gol-du-Chat, he entered the valley of Chambery, and marched forward for +three days without opposition. + +Malchus and his scouts received the warmest congratulations for their +conduct at the pass, for they had undoubtedly saved the army from what +had at one time threatened to be a terrible disaster. On arrival at a +town supposed to be identical with the modern Conflans, the inhabitants +came out with green boughs and expressed their desire for peace and +friendship. They said that they had heard of the fate which had befallen +those who ventured to oppose the Carthaginians, and that they were +anxious to avoid such misfortunes. They offered to deliver hostages as a +proof of their good intentions, to supply sheep and goats for the army, +and to furnish guides through the difficult country ahead. + +For two days the march continued. The route the army was passing was +that now known as the little St. Bernard. Fortunately Hannibal had from +the first entertained considerable doubt as to the good faith of his +guides, and never relaxed his vigilance. The scouts and light infantry, +with the cavalry, preceded the great column of baggage, the heavy +cavalry defended the rear. + +The track, which had for the last five days' march proceeded along a +comparatively level valley, now mounted rapidly, and turning aside from +the valley of the Isere it led up the deep bed of the mountain torrent +known as the Reclus; this stream ran in a deep trough hollowed out in a +very narrow valley. The bed is now so piled with rocks and stones as to +be impassable, and the Romans afterwards cut a road along on the side +of the mountain. But at this time it was possible for men and animals to +proceed along the bed of the torrent. + +Suddenly while struggling with the difficulties of the ascent, a vast +number of the natives appeared on the hills on either side, and began to +hurl down stones and rocks upon the column below, while at the same +time a still stronger force attacked them in the rear. The instant +the natives made their appearance the treacherous guides, who were +proceeding with the scouts at the head of the column, attempted to make +their escape by climbing the mountain side. The Arabs were starting off +in pursuit, but Malchus checked them. + +“Keep together,” he shouted, “and on no account scatter; the enemy are +upon us in force, and it behooves us all to be steady and deliberate in +our action.” + +A flight of arrows was, however, sent after the traitors, and most of +them rolled lifeless down the slope again. + +Hannibal's first care was to extricate his cavalry from the gorge. This +was performed with great difficulty, and they were drawn up in good +order on the narrow piece of level ground between the gorge in which the +river ran and the mountains bordering the side of the pass. + +The light troops now ascended the hills on both sides, and speedily +became engaged with the enemy. The confusion in the bed of the torrent +was tremendous. Great numbers of men and animals were killed by the +rocks and missiles from above, but more of the soldiers were trampled to +death by the frightened horses. The heavy infantry in the rear remained +steady, and repulsed every effort of the main body of the enemy to break +in upon the column. + +As night fell the combat ceased, but Hannibal and the troops in advance +of the column passed the night under arms at the foot of a certain white +rock standing above the ravine, and which still marks the exact site of +the conflict. The natives had suffered heavily both from their conflict +with the light troops upon the hillside, and from the repulse of their +assaults upon the rear guard, and in the morning they did not venture +to renew the attack, and the column moved forward out of the ravine +and continued its march, the natives from time to time dashing down to +attack it. + +The elephants were placed on the flank of the line of march, and the +appearance of these strange beasts so terrified the enemy that they +desisted from their attack, and by evening the army encamped on the +summit of the pass. + +The snow had already fallen deeply, the army were worn out and +dispirited by the exertions and dangers through which they had passed, +and had suffered great losses in men and animals in the nine days which +had elapsed since they first entered the mountains. Hannibal gave them +two days' rest, in which time they were joined by many stragglers who +had fallen behind, and by beasts of burden which, in the terror and +confusion of the attack, had got rid of their loads and had escaped, but +whose instinct led them to follow the line of march. + +At the end of the second day Hannibal assembled his troops and addressed +them in a stirring speech. He told them that the worst part of their +journey was now over. He pointed to them the plains of Italy, of which a +view could be obtained through the pass ahead, and told them that there +they would find rest and friends, wealth and glory. The soldiers as +usual responded to the words of their beloved general with shouts of +acclamation, and with renewed spirits prepared to meet the difficulties +which still lay before them. + +The next morning the march was renewed. The snow lay deep on the track, +and the soldiers found that, great as had been the difficulties of the +ascent, those of the descent were vastly greater, for the slopes of the +Alps on the Italian side are far steeper and more abrupt than are those +on the French. Every step had to be made with care; those who strayed in +the slightest from the path found the snow gave way beneath their feet +and fell down the precipice beside them. + +Many of the baggage animals thus perished; but at last the head of the +column found itself at the foot of the steep descent in a ravine with +almost perpendicular walls, amid whose foot was in summer occupied by a +mountain stream. Into the depth of this ravine the rays of the sun never +penetrated, and in it lay a mass of the previous year's snow which had +never entirely melted, but which formed with the water of the torrent a +sheet of slippery ice. + +The newly formed snow prevented the troops from seeing the nature of the +ground, and as they stepped upon it they fell headlong, sliding in +their armour down the rapidly sloping bed of ice, many dashing out +their brains or breaking their limbs against the great boulders which +projected through it. The cavalry next attempted the passage, but with +even less success, for the hoofs of the horses broke through the hard +upper crust of the old snow and the animals sank in to their bellies. +Seeing that it was impossible to pass this obstacle, Hannibal turned +back the head of the column until they reached the top of the ascent +down which they had just come. There he cleared away the snow and +erected a camp; all the infantry were then brought down into the pass +and set to work to build up a road along the side of the ravine. + +The engineers with fire and explosives blasted away the foot of the +cliffs; the infantry broke up the rocks and formed a level track. All +night the work continued, the troops relieving each other at frequent +intervals, and by the morning a path which could be traversed by men +on foot, horses, and baggage animals was constructed for a distance of +three hundred yards, beyond which the obstacle which had arrested the +advance of the army did not continue. + +The cavalry, baggage animals, and a portion of the infantry at once +continued their way down the valley, while the rest of the infantry +remained behind to widen the road sufficiently for the elephants to +pass along. Although the work was pressed on with the greatest vigour it +needed three days of labour in all before the elephants could be passed +through. The animals were by this time weak with hunger, for from the +time when they had turned aside from the valley of the Isere the Alps +had been wholly bare of trees, and the ground being covered with snow, +no foliage or forage had been obtainable to eke out the store of flour +which they carried for their consumption. Nor was any wood found with +which to manufacture the flat cakes into which the flour was formed for +their rations. + +The elephants once through, the march was continued, and, joining the +troops in advance, who had halted in the woods below the snow level, +the column continued its march. On the third day after passing the gorge +they issued out on to the plain of the Po, having lost in the fifteen +days' passage of the Alps great numbers of men from the attacks of +the enemy, from the passage of the rapid torrents, from falls over the +precipices, and from cold, and having suffered still more severely in +horses and baggage animals. + +Of the 59,000 picked troops with which he had advanced after the +conquest of Catalonia, Hannibal reached the plains of Italy with but +12,000 African infantry, 8,000 Spanish and Gaulish infantry, and 6,000 +cavalry--in all 26,000 men. A small force indeed with which to enter +upon the struggle with the might and power of Rome. Of the 33,000 men +that were missing, 13,000 had fallen in the passes of the Pyrenees and +the march through Gaul, 20,000 had died in the passage of the Alps. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA + + +Well was it for the Carthaginians that Hannibal had opened +communications with the Gaulish tribes in the plains at the foot of +the Alps, and that on its issue from the mountain passes his army found +itself among friends, for had it been attacked it was in no position to +offer a vigorous resistance, the men being utterly broken down by their +fatigues and demoralized by their losses. Many were suffering terribly +from frostbites, the cavalry were altogether unable to act, so worn out +and enfeebled were the horses. Great numbers of the men could scarce +drag themselves along owing to the state of their feet; their shoes and +sandals, well enough adapted for sandy plains, were wholly unfitted for +traversing rocky precipices, and the greater part of the army was almost +barefoot. + +So long as they had been traversing the mountains they had struggled on +doggedly and desperately; to lag behind was to be slain by the natives, +to lie down was to perish of cold; but with the cessation of the +absolute necessity for exertion the power for exertion ceased also. +Worn out, silent, exhausted, and almost despairing, the army of Hannibal +presented the appearance of one which had suffered a terrible defeat, +rather than that of a body of men who had accomplished a feat of arms +unrivalled in the history of war. + +Happily they found themselves among friends. The Insubres, who had been +looking forward eagerly to their coming, flocked in great numbers to +receive them as they issued out into the plain, bringing with them +cattle, grain, wine, and refreshments of all kinds, and inviting the +army to take up their quarters among them until recovered from their +fatigues. This offer Hannibal at once accepted. The army was broken +up and scattered among the various towns and villages, where the +inhabitants vied with each other in attending to the comforts of the +guests. A fortnight's absolute rest, an abundance of food, and the +consciousness that the worst of their labours was over, did wonders for +the men. + +Malchus had arrived in a state of extreme exhaustion, and had, indeed, +been carried for the last two days of the march on the back of one of +the elephants. The company which he commanded no longer existed; they +had borne far more than their share of the fatigues of the march; they +had lost nearly half their number in the conflict among the precipices +with the natives, and while the rest of the army had marched along a +track where the snow had already been beaten hard by the cavalry in +front of them, the scouts ahead had to make their way through snow knee +deep. Inured to fatigue and hardship, the Arabs were unaccustomed to +cold, and every day had diminished their numbers, until, as they issued +out into the plain, but twenty men of the company remained alive. + +Hannibal committed his young kinsman to the care of one of the chiefs +of the Insubres. The latter caused a litter to be constructed by his +followers, and carried the young Carthaginian away to his village, which +was situated at the foot of the hills on the banks of the river Orcus. + +Here he was handed over to the care of the women. The wounds and bruises +caused by falls on the rocks and ice were bathed and bandaged, then he +was placed in a small chamber and water was poured on to heated stones +until it was filled with hot steam, and Malchus began to think that +he was going to be boiled alive. After being kept for an hour in this +vapour bath, he was annointed with oil, and was rubbed until every limb +was supple, he was then placed on a couch and covered with soft skins, +and in a few more minutes was sound asleep. + +It was late next day before he woke, and on rising he found himself a +new man. A breakfast of meat, fresh cheese formed from goats' milk, and +flat cakes was set before him, and, had it not been that his feet were +still completely disabled from the effects of the frostbites, he felt +that he was fit again to take his place in the ranks. The chief's wife +and daughters waited upon him. The former was a tall, majestic looking +woman. She did not belong to the Insubres, but was the daughter of a +chief who had, with a portion of his tribe, wandered down from their +native home far north of the Alps and settled in Italy. + +Two of the daughters were young women of over twenty, tall and robust in +figure like their mother, the third was a girl of some fifteen years of +age. The girls took after their German mother, and Malchus wondered at +the fairness of their skins, the clearness of their complexion, and the +soft light brown of their hair, for they were as much fairer than the +Gauls as these were fairer than the Carthaginians. Malchus was able to +hold little converse with his hosts, whose language differed much from +that of the Transalpine Gauls. + +His stay here was destined to be much longer than he had anticipated, +for his feet had been seriously frostbitten, and for some time it +was doubtful whether he would not lose them. Gradually, however, the +inflammation decreased, but it was six weeks after his arrival before he +was able to walk. From time to time messengers had arrived from Hannibal +and his father to inquire after him, and from them he learned that the +Carthaginians had captured the towns of Vercella, Valentinum, and +Asta, and the less important towns of Ivrea, Chivasso, Bodenkmag, and +Carbantia. + +By the time he was cured he was able to talk freely with his hosts, for +he soon mastered the points of difference between their language and +that of the Gauls, with which he was already acquainted. The chief, with +the greater part of his followers, now started and joined the army of +Hannibal, which laid siege to the town of Turin, whose inhabitants were +in alliance with Rome. It was strongly fortified. Hannibal erected an +intrenchment at a distance of sixty yards from the wall, and under cover +of this sank a well, and thence drove a wide gallery, the roof above +being supported by props. + +Divided in brigades, each working six hours, the troops laboured night +and day, and in three days from its commencement the gallery was carried +under the walls. It was then driven right and left for thirty yards each +way, and was filled with wood, combustibles, and explosives. The workers +then retired and the wood was fired, the props supporting the roof were +soon burned away, the earth above fell in bringing down the walls, and +a great breach was made, through which the besiegers, drawn up in +readiness, rushed in and captured the town. + +On the same day that Hannibal captured Turin, Scipio entered Piacenza. +After finding that Hannibal had escaped him on the Rhone, he had +despatched the principal part of his army, under his brother Cneius, to +Spain, their original destination, and with the rest sailed to Pisa and +landed there. Marching with all haste north he enlisted 10,000 troops +from among the inhabitants of the country, many of them having already +served in the Roman army. He then marched north to Tenneto, where he was +joined by the praetors Manlius and Attilius with over 20,000 men, with +whom he marched to Piacenza. + +Hannibal, after, as usual, rousing the enthusiasm of his soldiers by +an address, marched towards Scipio. The latter, with his cavalry, had +crossed the Ticino and was within five miles of Vercella, when Hannibal, +also with his cavalry, came within sight. Scipio's front was covered +with a swarm of foot skirmishers mixed with irregular Gaulish horsemen; +the Roman cavalry and the cavalry of the Italian allies formed his main +body. + +Hannibal ordered the Carthaginian horse to charge full upon the centre +of the enemy, and the Numidians to attack them on both flanks. The +Romans, in those days, little understood the use of cavalry, the troops +frequently dismounting and fighting on foot. Hannibal's soldiers were, +on the other hand, trained to fight in tactics resembling those +of modern days. No sooner was the word given to charge than the +Carthaginian horse, delighted at being at last, after all their toils +and sufferings, within striking distance of their foes, gave a mighty +shout, and setting spurs to their splendid horses flung themselves at +the enemy. + +The charge of this solid mass of picked cavalry was irresistible. They +swept before them the skirmishers and Gaulish horse, and fell with fury +upon the main body, cleaving a way far into its ranks. Before the Romans +could recover from their confusion the Numidian horse burst down upon +their flanks. The charge was irresistible; large numbers of the +Romans were killed and the rest fled in panic, hotly pursued by the +Carthaginians, until they reached the shelter of the Roman infantry, +which was advancing behind them. Scipio, who had been wounded in the +fight, at once led his army back to Piacenza. + +The news of this battle reached Malchus just as he was preparing to +depart. The messenger who brought it brought also a lead horse, which +Hamilcar had sent for his son's use. Resuming his armour Malchus mounted +and rode off at once, after many warm thanks to his friends, whom he +expected to see again shortly, as they, with the rest of that section +of the tribe, were about to join the chief--the Gaulish women frequently +accompanying their husbands in their campaigns. + +Malchus was delighted to rejoin the army, from which he had now been +separated more than two months. He saw with pleasure that they had now +completely recovered from the effects of their hardships, and presented +as proud and martial an appearance as when they had started from +Carthagena. + +The issue of their first fight with the Romans had raised their spirits +and confidence, and all were eager to enter upon the campaign which +awaited them. Malchus, upon his arrival, was appointed to the command of +the company of Gauls who formed the bodyguard of the general. Hannibal +moved up the Po and prepared to cross that river at Gambio, two days' +easy march above its junction with the Ticino. The army was accompanied +by a considerable number of the Insubres. The work of constructing a +bridge was at once commenced. + +Malchus, riding through the camp, came upon the tents of his late host, +who had been joined that day by his family. To them Malchus did the +honours of the camp, took them through the lines of the Carthaginian +cavalry, showed them the elephants, and finally conducted them to +Hannibal, who received them most kindly, and presented them with many +presents in token of his thanks for their care of his kinsman. The next +day the bridge was completed and the troops began to pass over, the +natives crowding to the banks and even venturing on the bridge to +witness the imposing procession of the troops. + +Malchus remained with Hannibal in the rear, but seeing that there was a +delay as the elephants crossed, he was ordered to ride on to the bridge +and see what was the matter. Finding the crowd too great to enable him +to pass on horseback, Malchus gave his horse to a soldier and pressed +forward on foot. When he reached the head of the column of elephants he +found that one of the leading animals, entertaining a doubt as to the +stability of the bridge at this point, obstinately refused to move +further. Ordering the mahout to urge the animal forward, and telling +some soldiers to prick the beast with a spear from behind, Malchus +entered into conversation with the wife and daughters of the Insubrian +chief, who had received from Hannibal a special order allowing them to +take up their position on the bridge to witness their crossing. + +While he was speaking to them the elephant suddenly wheeled round +and, trumpeting loudly, tried to force his way back. A scene of wild +confusion ensued. The crowd gave way before him, several soldiers were +thrust off the bridge into the river, and Malchus and his companions +were borne along by the crowd; there was a little cry, and Malchus saw +the youngest of the girls pushed off the bridge into the river. + +He flung off his helmet, unbuckled the fastenings of his breast plate +and back piece, undid the belt of his sword, and leaped in. As he rose +to the surface he heard a merry laugh beside him, and saw the girl +swimming quietly close by. Although mortified at having so hastily +assumed that she was unable to take care of herself he joined in her +laugh, and swam by her side until they reached the bank some distance +down. Encumbered by the trappings which he still retained, Malchus had +far more difficulty than the girl in gaining the shore. + +“What, did you think,” she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, +“that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?” + +“I did not think anything about it,” Malchus said; “I saw you pushed in +and followed without thinking at all.” + +Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was +clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in +his face. + +“I thank you,” she said, “just the same as if you had saved my life. You +meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, +to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde will never forget.” + +By the time they reached the bridge the column had moved on. A more +docile elephant had been placed in front, and this having moved across +the doubtful portion of the bridge, the others had quickly followed. +Just as Malchus and his companion reached the end of the bridge they met +her mother and sisters coming to meet them. + +There was a smile of amusement on their faces as they thanked Malchus +for his attempt at rescue, and Clotilde's sisters whispered some +laughing remarks into her ear which caused the girl to flush hotly, +and to draw her slight figure indignantly to its full height. Malchus +retired to his tent to provide himself with fresh armour and sword, for +he doubted not that those thrown aside had been carried over the bridge +in the confusion. The soldier had returned with his horse, and in a few +minutes he took his place at the head of the Gauls who were drawn up +near Hannibal's tent. + +The general himself soon appeared, and mounting his horse rode forward. +Malchus followed with his command, waving an adieu to the party who +stood watching the departure, and not ill pleased that those who had +before known him only as a helpless invalid, should now see him riding +at the head of the splendid bodyguard of the great commander. + +Hannibal was marching nearly due east, with the intention of forcing +Scipio to give battle south of the Po. A strong Roman fortress, +Castegglo (Clastidium), lying at the foot of the hills, should have +barred his way; but Hannibal, by the medium of one of his native allies, +bribed the Roman commander to abstain from interrupting his march. Then +he pressed forward until on the third day after crossing the Po he came +within sight of Piacenza, under whose walls the Roman army were ranged. + +Scipio, after his disastrous cavalry conflict, had written to Rome +urging his inability, with the force under his command, to give +battle single handed to Hannibal, and begging that he might be at +once reinforced by the army under Sempronius, then lying at Ariminum +(Rimini). The united consular armies, he represented, should take up +their position on the river Trebia. + +This river rose in the Apennines but a short distance from Genoa, and +flowed nearly due north into the Po at Piacenza. The Roman army there +would therefore effectually bar Hannibal's march into the rich plains +to the east, and would prevent him from making across the Apennines and +following the road by the coast, as they would, should he undertake such +a movement, be able to fall on his rear. + +Hannibal pitched his camp on the Nure, about five miles from Piacenza, +but Scipio remained immovable in his lines waiting for the arrival of +his colleague. Hannibal's position was a difficult one. He had traversed +the Pyrenees and the Alps that he might attack Rome; but between him and +Southern Italy lay yet another barrier, the Apennines. Scipio had missed +him after he had crossed the Pyrenees, had been too late to attack him +when, exhausted and worn out, his army emerged from the Alps; but +now, united with Sempronius, he hoped to crush him at the foot of the +Apennines. Hannibal wished, if possible, to prevent a junction of the +two Roman armies, but if that could not be done he determined to fight +them together. + +Scipio perceived the danger of his position; and in order to be able +the better to join Sempronius he left Piacenza under cover of night, +and took up a strong position on the banks of the Trebia. Here he +could maintain his communications direct with Rome, and, if absolutely +necessary, fall back and join his colleague advancing towards him. +Hannibal, when he perceived Scipio's change of position, broke up his +camp and took post on the Trebiola, a little stream running into the +Trebia and facing the Roman camp at a distance of four miles. + +He was now powerless to prevent the junction of the two Roman armies, +and for nearly a month Scipio and Hannibal lay watching each other. By +that time Sempronius was within a day's march of Scipio. Hannibal +had not been idle during this time of rest. He had been occupied in +cementing his alliance with the Gaulish tribes inhabiting the Lombard +plains. These, seeing how rapidly Hannibal had cleared the province of +the Romans, believed that their deliverance would be accomplished, and +for the most part declared for the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal's agents had also been at work at Clastidium, and the prefect +of the garrison was induced by a bribe to surrender the place to him. +This was of enormous advantage to Hannibal, and a corresponding blow +to the Romans, for Clastidium was the chief magazine north of the +Apennines. The news of the fall of this important place filled +Sempronius, an energetic and vigorous general, with fury. He at once +rode down from his camp to that of Scipio and proposed that Hannibal +should be attacked instantly. + +Scipio, who was still suffering from the wound he had received in the +cavalry engagement, urged that the Roman army should remain where they +were, if necessary, through the coming winter. He pointed out that +Hannibal's Gaulish allies would lose heart at seeing him inactive, and +would cease to furnish him with supplies, and that he would be obliged +either to attack them at a disadvantage or to retire from the position +he occupied. But Sempronius was an ambitious man, the time for the +consular election was approaching, and he was unwilling to leave for his +successor the glory of crushing Hannibal. + +The fact, too, that Scipio was wounded and unable to take part in the +battle added to his desire to force it on, since the whole glory of the +victory would be his. He therefore told his colleague that although he +saw the force of his arguments, public opinion in Rome was already so +excited at Hannibal having been allowed, without a battle, to wrest so +wide a territory from Rome, that it was absolutely necessary that an +action should be fought. The two armies were now united on the Trebia, +and opinion was among the officers and troops, as between the consuls, +widely divided as to the best course to be pursued. + +Hannibal's spies among the natives kept him acquainted with what was +going on in the Roman camp, and he determined to provoke the Romans to +battle. He therefore despatched two thousand infantry and a thousand +cavalry to ravage the lands of some Gaulish allies of the Romans. +Sempronius sent off the greater part of his cavalry, with a thousand +light infantry, to drive back the Carthaginians. + +In the fight which ensued the Romans were worsted. Still more furious, +Sempronius marched to support them with his army. Hannibal called in +his troops and drew them off before Sempronius would arrive. The +disappointment and rage of the Roman general were great, and Hannibal +felt that he could now bring on a battle when he would. He determined +to fight in the plain close to his own position. This was flat and bare, +and was traversed by the Trebiola. This stream ran between steep banks +below the level of the plain; its banks were covered with thick bushes +and reeds, and the narrow gap across the plain was scarce noticeable. + +On the evening of the twenty-fifth of December Hannibal moved his army +out from the camp and formed up on the plain facing the Trebia, +ordering the corps commanded by his brother Mago to enter the bed of the +Trebiola, and to conceal themselves there until they received his orders +to attack. The position Mago occupied would bring him on the left rear +of an army which had crossed the Trebia, and was advancing to attack +the position taken up by Hannibal. Having thus prepared for the battle, +Hannibal proceeded to provoke it. + +At daybreak on the twenty-sixth he despatched a strong body of horsemen +across the river. Crossing the Trebia partly by ford and partly by +swimming, the Carthaginian horse rode up to the palisade surrounding +the Roman camp, where, with insulting shouts and the hurling of their +javelins, they aroused the Roman soldiers from their slumber. This +insult had the desired effect, Sempronius rushed from his tent, furious +at what he deemed the insolence of the Carthaginians, and called his +troops to arms. With their accustomed discipline the Romans fell into +their ranks. The light cavalry first issued from the palisade, the +infantry followed, the heavy cavalry brought up the rear. The insulting +Numidians had already retired, but Sempronius was now determined to +bring on the battle. He marched down the river and crossed at a ford. + +The water was intensely cold, the river was in flood, the ford waist +deep as the soldiers marched across it. Having gained the opposite bank, +the Roman general formed his army in order of battle. His infantry, +about forty-five thousand strong, was formed in three parallel lines; +the cavalry, five thousand strong, was on the flanks. The infantry +consisted of sixteen thousand Roman legionary or heavy infantry, and +six thousand light infantry. The Italian tribes, allied to Rome, had +supplied twenty thousand infantry; the remaining three thousand were +native allies. The infantry occupied a front of two and a half miles in +length; the cavalry extended a mile and a quarter on each flank. Thus +the Roman front of battle was five miles in extent. + +Hannibal's force was inferior in strength; his infantry of the line were +twenty thousand strong. He had eight thousand light infantry and ten +thousand cavalry. The Carthaginian formation was much deeper than the +Roman, and Hannibal's line of battle was less than two miles long. In +front of it were the elephants, thirty-six in number, divided in pairs, +and placed in intervals of a hundred yards between each pair. + +While the Romans, exposed to a bitterly cold wind, chilled to the bone +by their immersion in the stream, and having come breakfastless from +camp, were forming their long order of battle, Hannibal's troops, +gathered round blazing fires, were eating a hearty breakfast; after +which, in high spirits and confidence, they prepared for the fight. + +Hannibal called the officers together and addressed them in stirring +words, which were repeated by them to the soldiers. The Roman +preparations had occupied a long time, and it was afternoon before +they advanced in order of battle. When within a short distance of the +Carthaginians they halted, and the trumpets and musical instruments on +both sides blew notes of defiance. Then the Carthaginian slingers +stole out between the ranks of their heavy infantry, passed between the +elephants, and commenced the battle. + +Each of these men carried three slings, one of which was used for long +distances, another when nearer to the foe, the third when close at hand. +In action one of these slings was wound round the head, one round the +body, the third carried in hand. Their long distance missiles were +leaden bullets, and so skilful were they that it is said they could hit +with certainty the face of a foe standing at slinging distance. + +Naked to the waist they advanced, and with their long distance slings +hurled the leaden bullets at the Roman infantry. When closer they +exchanged their slings and discharged from them egg shaped pebbles which +they had gathered from the bed of the Trebia. When within still closer +distance with the third slings they poured in volleys of much larger and +heavier stones, with such tremendous force that it seemed as though they +were sent from catapults. Against such a storm of missiles the Roman +skirmishers could make no stand, and were instantly driven back. + +Their Cretan archers, after shooting away their arrows with but small +effect, for the strings had been damped in crossing the river, also fled +behind the heavy troops; and these in turn were exposed to the hail of +stones. Disorganized by this attack, the like of which they had never +experienced before, their helmets crushed in, their breastplates and +shields battered and dented, the front line of the Romans speedily +fell into confusion. Sempronius ordered up his war machines for casting +stones and javelins, but these too had been injured in their passage +across the river. + +The hail of Carthaginian missiles continued until the Roman light +infantry were forced to fall back; and the slingers were then recalled, +and the heavy infantry of the two armies stood facing each other. The +Carthaginians took up close order, and, shoulder to shoulder, their +bodies covered with their shields, they advanced to meet the legions of +Rome. As they moved, their music--flute, harp, and lyre--rose on the +air in a military march, and keeping step the long line advanced with +perfect order and regularity. In the centre were the Carthaginian foot +soldiers and their African allies, clothed alike in a red tunic, with +helmet of bronze, steel cuirass and circular shield, and carrying, +besides their swords, pikes of twenty feet in length. On the left were +the Spaniards, in white tunics bordered with purple, with semicircular +shields four feet in length and thirty-two inches in width, armed with +long swords used either for cutting or thrusting. + +On the left were the native allies, naked to the waist, armed with +shields and swords similar to those of the Gauls, save that the swords +were used only for cutting. + +Sempronius brought up his second line to fill the intervals in the +first, and the Romans advanced with equal steadiness to the conflict; +but the much greater closeness of the Carthaginian formation served +them in good stead. They moved like a solid wall, their shields locked +closely together, and pressed steadily forward in spite of the desperate +efforts of the Roman centre in its more open order to resist them; for +each Roman soldier in battle was allowed the space of a man's width +between him and his comrade on either side, to allow him the free use of +his weapon. Two Carthaginians were therefore opposed to each Roman, in +addition to which the greater depth of the African formation gave them a +weight and impetus which was irresistible. + +While this fight was going on the Numidian horsemen, ten thousand +strong, charged the Roman cavalry. These, much more lightly armed than +their opponents and inferior in numbers, were unable for a moment to +withstand the shock, and were at once driven from the field. Leaving the +elephants to pursue them and prevent them from rallying, the Numidian +horsemen turned and fell on the flanks of the long Roman line; while at +the same moment the Carthaginian slingers, issuing out again from behind +the main body, opened a tremendous fire with stones heated in furnaces +brought to the spot. + +Although taken in flank, crushed under a storm of missiles, with their +cavalry defeated and their centre broken, the Romans fought steadily and +well. Hannibal now launched against their ranks the elephants attached +to the infantry, which, covered in steel armour and trumpeting loudly, +carried death and confusion into the Roman ranks. But still the legions +fought on obstinately and desperately until the sound of wild music +in their rear filled them with dismay, as Mago, with his division of +Numidian infantry, emerged from his hiding place and fell upon the +Romans from behind. + +Struck with terror at the sudden appearance of these wild soldiers, of +whose ferocity they had heard so much, the Romans lost all heart and +strove now only to escape. But it was in vain. The Carthaginian infantry +were in their front, the cavalry on their flank, the Numidians in their +rear. + +Some ten thousand Roman soldiers only, keeping in a solid body, cut +their way through the cavalry and reached Piacenza. + +Thirty thousand were slaughtered on the plain. Many were drowned in +trying to swim the Trebia, and only the legion which had remained to +guard the camp, the broken remains of the cavalry, and the body which +had escaped from Piacenza remained of the fifty thousand men whom +Sempronius commanded. + +The exultation of the victors was unbounded. The hitherto invincible +legions of Rome had been crushed. The way to Rome was clear before them. +All the fatigues and hardships they had undergone were forgotten in the +hour of triumph, and their native allies believed that their freedom +from Rome was now assured. + +The verdict of great commanders of all ages has assigned to the battle +of the Trebia the glory of being the greatest military exploit ever +performed. The genius of Hannibal was shown not only in the plan of +battle and the disposition of his troops, but in the perfection with +which they were handled, in the movements which he had himself invented +and taught them, and the marvellous discipline with which he had +inculcated them. + +Napoleon the First assigned to Hannibal the leading place among the +great generals of the world, and the Trebia was his masterpiece. But the +Carthaginians, exulting in their victory, did not gauge the extent +of the stubbornness and resources of Rome. Sempronius himself set the +example to his countrymen. At Piacenza he rallied the remnants of his +army, and wrote to Rome, saying that he had been victorious, but that a +sudden storm had saved the enemy from destruction. + +The senate understood the truth, but acted in the spirit in which he had +written. They announced to the people that a victory had been won, and +ordered the consular election to take place as usual, at the same time +issuing orders to all parts of the Roman dominion for the enrolment of +fresh troops. + +Hannibal attempted to surprise Piacenza, but Scipio issued out with his +cavalry and inflicted a check upon him, Hannibal himself being slightly +wounded. The Carthaginians then marched away and stormed the town of +Vicumve, and during their absence the two consuls evacuated Piacenza +and marched south. Scipio led his portion of the little army to Ariminum +(Rimini), Sempronius took his command to Arretium (Mezzo), where they +both speedily received reinforcements. Hannibal made an attempt to cross +the Apennines, but the snow lay deep among the mountains, and, unable to +effect his purpose, he fell back again to winter in the plain. + +In the meantime Cneius Servilius Geminus and Caius Flaminius had been +elected consuls. Flaminius succeeded Sempronius in command of the Roman +army at Arretium, while Geminus took the command of that at Rimini. +Between these consuls, as was usually the case in Rome, a bitter +jealousy existed. Geminus was the nominee of the aristocratic party, +while Flaminius was the idol of the populace, and, as has often been +the case in war, this rivalry between two generals possessing equal +authority wrought great evil to the armies they commanded. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE + + +The battle of Trebia cost Malchus the loss of his father. It was against +the portion of the force headed by Hamilcar that the Romans, who cut +their way through the circle of foes which Hannibal had thrown round +them, flung themselves. Hamilcar had in vain attempted to stem the +torrent. Surrounded by his bravest officers, he had cast himself in the +way of the Roman legion; but nothing could withstand the rush of the +heavy armed spearmen, who, knowing that all was lost, and that their +only hope was in cutting their way through the Carthaginians, pressed +forward, shoulder to shoulder, and swept aside the opposition of +their more lightly armed foes. Hamilcar and most of his officers fell, +striving to the last to stem the current. + +It was a grievous blow to Malchus, when, as he was exulting in the great +victory which had been gained, the news came to him that his father had +fallen. Hamilcar was very dear to him. He had been his companion and his +friend, his guide and adviser. He had encouraged him in his aspirations, +and had from his earliest years urged him to make the sacrifices and +exertions necessary to qualify him to bear a prominent part under his +cousin Hannibal. + +He had been his tutor in arms, and had striven to inspire him with the +noblest sentiments. Since they had reached Spain he had seen less of him +than before, for Hamilcar felt that it was best for his son to depend +upon himself alone. He was proud of the name which Malchus was already +winning for himself, and knew that it was better for him that his +advancement should be considered due to his own exertions and gallantry +and not to the influence of his father. + +When, however, they were thrown together, their relations were +unchanged. Malchus was as affectionate, as respectful, and as eager to +listen to his father's advice, as he had been as a boy, while Hamilcar +was glad in the society of his son to forget the cares and toils of the +expedition in which they had embarked and to talk of the dear ones at +home. + +It was only three days before the battle that they had rejoiced together +over the news which had reached them by a messenger from Gaul that +Thyra had married Adherbal, and had immediately set out with him for +Carthagena, where Adherbal had been offered a command by Hannibal's +brother Hasdrubal, the governor of Spain, in his absence. + +Father and son had rejoiced at this for several reasons. Hanno's +faction had now gained the upper hand, and the friends of Hannibal were +subjected to persecution of all kinds. The very life of Adherbal as a +prominent member of the Barcine party had been menaced. And it was +only by embarking secretly for Spain that he had succeeded in avoiding +arrest. The property of many of Hannibal's friends had been confiscated. +Several had been put to death under one pretext or another, and although +Hamilcar did not think that Hanno's faction would venture to bring +forward any accusation against him while he was fighting the battles +of his country, he experienced a sense of relief at the knowledge that, +should the worst happen, his wife and Anna would find a refuge and +asylum with Adherbal in Spain. Hamilcar and Malchus had discussed the +matter long and seriously, and had talked, Hamilcar with sorrow, Malchus +with indignation and rage, of the state of Carthage. + +“It makes one hate one's country,” Malchus exclaimed passionately, “when +one hears of these things. You taught me to love Carthage, father, and +to be proud of her. How can one be proud of a country so misgoverned, so +corrupt, so base as this? Of what use are sacrifices and efforts here, +when at home they think of nothing but luxury and ease and the making of +money, when the best and bravest of the Carthaginians are disgraced and +dishonoured, and the people bow before these men whose wealth has been +gained solely by corruption and robbery? It makes one wish one had been +born a Roman.” + +“Did not one hope that a better time would come, Malchus, when Carthage +will emancipate herself from the rule of men like Hanno and his corrupt +friends, I should, indeed, despair of her, for even the genius of +Hannibal and the valour of his troops cannot avail alone to carry to a +successful conclusion a struggle between such a state as Carthage now is +and a vigourous, patriotic, and self-reliant people like those of Rome. + +“We may win battles, but, however great the victories may be, we can +never succeed in the long run against the power of Rome unless Carthage +proves true to herself. Our army is not a large one. Rome and her Latin +allies can, if need be, put ten such in the field. If Carthage at this +crisis of her fate proves worthy of the occasion, if she by a great +effort again wins the sovereignty of the sea, and sends over armies to +support us in our struggle, we may in the end triumph. If not, glorious +as may be our success for a time, we are in the end doomed to failure, +and our failure will assuredly involve the final destruction of +Carthage. + +“Rome will not be slow to profit by the lesson which Hannibal is +teaching her. His genius perceives that only by striking at Rome in +Italy could a vital blow be given to her. The Romans in turn will +perceive that only by an invasion of Africa can Carthage be humbled. +Her task will then be far easier than ours is now, for not only is Rome +fresh, strong, and vigourous, but she has had the wisdom to bind the +Latin peoples around her closely to her by bestowing upon them the +rights of citizenship, by making them feel that her cause is theirs. + +“Upon the other hand, Carthage has throughout her history been paving +the way for her fall. She fights, but it is with foreign mercenaries. +She stamps under foot the people she has conquered, and while her tax +collectors grind them to the earth, and she forces them to send their +sons to fight her battles, she gives them no share in her privileges, no +voice in her councils. + +“I had hoped, Malchus, that at such a moment as this faction would have +been silent at Carthage, and a feeling of patriotism would once again +have asserted itself. I find that it is not so, and my heart sinks for +my country. Were it not for my wife and family, Malchus, I would gladly +die in the coming battle.” + +The words recurred to Malchus as he sat in his tent by the side of his +father's body on the night after the battle of the Trebia, and a deep +bitterness mingled with his sorrow. + +“Giscon was right,” he exclaimed. “All means are justifiable to rid +one's country of those who are destroying her. It makes one mad to think +that while men like my father are fighting and dying for their country, +the tribunes of the democracy, who fatten on our spoils, are plotting +against them at home. Henceforth, I fight not as a Carthaginian, but as +a soldier of Hannibal, and will aid him in his endeavour to humble Rome; +not that Carthage, with her blood stained altars, her corrupt officials, +and her indolent population, may continue to exist, but that these manly +and valiant Gauls who have thrown in their lot with us may live free and +independent of the yoke of Rome. These people are rude and primitive, +but their simple virtues, their love of freedom, their readiness to die +rather than to be slaves, put the sham patriotism of Carthage to shame.” + +When the army went into winter quarters, and Hannibal dismissed his +Gaulish allies, with many rich presents, to their homes, Malchus +obtained leave from Hannibal to depart with Allobrigius--the chief of +the Insubrian tribe living on the Orcus--who had, with his fighting +men, accompanied Hannibal through the campaign. The chief's wife and +daughters had returned after seeing the army across the Po. Malchus +had sought the society of his late host during the campaign, had often +ridden beside him on the march, and had spent the evening in his tent +talking either of the civilization of Carthage, which seemed wonderful +indeed to the simple Gaulish chieftain, or of the campaign on which they +were engaged. + +Malchus had by this time mastered the differences between the dialect +of the Cisalpine Gauls and that of those in Gaul itself and Iberia, +with which he was already acquainted. The chief was gratified by the +friendship of Hannibal's kinsman, and liked the frank simplicity of his +manner. He had laughed loudly when his wife had told him how Malchus had +leaped from the bridge to save the life of Clotilde when she fell into +the river. But the act had proved that Malchus was grateful for the +kindness which had been shown him, and had cemented the friendship +between them. Therefore, when the campaign came to a close, he had +offered a hearty invitation to Malchus to spend the time, until the +army should again assemble, with him in his village on the banks of the +Orcus. Hannibal had smiled when Malchus had asked for leave of absence. + +“Those daughters of the chief whom you presented to me on the day when +we crossed the Po are the fairest I have seen in Gaul. Malchus, are you +thinking of keeping up the traditions of our family? My father wedded +all my sisters, as you know, to native princes in Africa, and I took an +Iberian maiden as my wife. It would be in every way politic and to be +desired that one so nearly related to me as yourself should form an +alliance by marriage with one of these Gaulish chiefs.” + +Malchus laughed somewhat confusedly. + +“It will be time to talk about marriage some years hence, Hannibal; I am +scarce twenty yet, and she is but a girl.” + +“Oh! there is a she in the case,” Hannibal laughed; “and my arrow drawn +at a venture has struck home. Ah! yes, there were three of them, two +tall and stately maidens and one still a slim and unformed girl. Indeed, +I remember now having heard that you lost your armour and helmet in +jumping off the bridge across the Po to fish out one of the daughters +of Allobrigius, who turned out to be able to swim much better than you +could. I had a hearty laugh over it with your poor father, but with the +Romans at Piacenza and a great battle before us the matter passed from +my mind. So that is how the wind lies. Well, as you say, you are both +young, and there is no saying what the next two or three years may bring +forth. However, bear in mind that such an alliance would please me much, +and remember also that the Gaulish maidens marry young, and in times +like ours, Malchus, it is never well to delay long.” + +Malchus took with him Nessus, who had, from the day when they escaped +together from Scipio's camp, been always near his person, had carried +his helmet on the line of march, slept next to him by the campfire, and +fought by his side in battle, ready at any moment to give his life to +avert harm from his leader. + +The return of Allobrigius and his tribesmen was celebrated by great +rejoicings on the Orcus. The women and old men and boys met them some +miles from the village, raising loud cries of welcome and triumph +as they returned from their successful campaign against their former +oppressors. Among no people were family ties held more precious than +among the Gauls, and the rough military order which the tribesmen had +preserved upon their march was at once broken up when the two parties +met. + +Wives rushed into the arms of husbands, mothers embraced their sons, +girls hung on the necks of their fathers and brothers. There was nothing +to mar the joy of the meeting, for messengers had from time to time +carried news from the army to the village, and the women who had lost +those dearest to them in the campaign remained behind in the village, so +that their mourning should not mar the brightness of the return of the +tribe. + +Brunilda, the wife of the chief, stood with her daughters a little +apart from the crowd on a rising knoll of ground, and the chief, who +was mounted upon a horse taken from the Romans at the Trebia, spurred +forward towards them, while Malchus hung behind to let the first +greeting pass over before he joined the family circle. He had, however, +been noticed, and Clotilde's cheeks were colouring hotly when her father +rode up, from some laughing remark from her sisters. Brunilda received +Malchus cordially, saying that she had often heard of him in the +messages sent by her husband. + +“He has come to stop the winter with us,” Allobrigius said. “I promised +him a warm welcome, and he needs rest and quiet, as do we all, for it +has been hard work even to seasoned men like us. What with snow and rain +I have scarcely been dry since I left you.” + +“That would not matter to the young Carthaginian lord,” the eldest girl +said with a smile; “we know that he rather likes getting wet, don't we, +Clotilde?” she said, turning to her sister, who was, contrary to her +usual custom, standing shyly behind her. + +“I am afraid I shall never hear the last of that,” Malchus laughed; “I +can only say that I meant well.” + +“Of course you did,” Allobrigius said; “you could not know that our +Gaulish maidens could swim and march, and, if necessary, fight as +stoutly as the men. The Romans before now have learned that, in +the absence of the men from the camp, the women of Gaul can fight +desperately for country, and home, and honour. Do not let yourself be +troubled by what these wild girls say, my lord Malchus; you know our +Gaulish women are free of tongue, and hold not their men in such awe and +deference as is the custom among other nations.” + +“I am accustomed to be laughed at,” Malchus said smiling; “I have two +sisters at home, and, whatever respect women may pay to their lords +in Carthage, I suppose that neither there nor anywhere else have girls +respect for their brothers.” + +The music at this moment struck up, the harpers began a song which they +had composed in honour of the occasion, the tribesmen fell into their +ranks again, and Allobrigius placed himself at their head. Malchus +dismounted, and, leading his horse, walked by the side of Brunilda, who, +with the rest of the women, walked on the flanks of the column on its +way back to the village. + +The next three months passed very pleasantly to Malchus. In the day +he hunted the boar, the bear, and the wolf among the mountains with +Allobrigius; of an evening he sat by the fire and listened to the songs +of the harpers or to the tales of the wars and wanderings of the Gaulish +tribes, or himself told the story of Carthage and Tyre and the wars of +the former with the Romans, described the life and manners of the great +city, or the hunting of the lion in the Libyan deserts. + +While his listeners wondered at the complex life and strange arts and +magnificence of Carthage, Malchus was struck with the simple existence, +the warm family ties, the honest sincerity, and the deep love of freedom +of the Gauls. When Brunilda and her daughter sighed with envy at the +thought of the luxuries and pleasures of the great city, he told them +that they would soon weary of so artificial an existence, and that +Carthage, with its corruption, its ever present dread of the rising of +one class against another, its constant fear of revolt from the people +it had enslaved, its secret tribunals, its oppression and tyranny, had +little which need be envied by the free tribes of Gaul. + +“I grant,” he said, “that you would gain greater comfort by adopting +something of our civilization. You might improve your dwellings, +hangings round your walls would keep out the bitter winds, well made +doors are in winter very preferable to the skins which hang at your +entrance, and I do think that a Carthaginian cook might, with advantage, +give lessons to the tribes as to preparations of food; but beyond that I +think that you have the best of it.” + +“The well built houses you speak of,” Allobrigius said, “have their +advantages, but they have their drawbacks. A people who once settle down +into permanent abodes have taken the first step towards losing their +freedom. Look at all the large towns in the plains; until lately each of +them held a Roman garrison. In the first place, they offer an incentive +to the attack of a covetous foe; in the second, they bind their +owners to them. The inhabitants of a town cling to their houses and +possessions, and, if conquered, become mere slaves to their captors; we +who live in dwellings which cost but a few weeks of work, whose worldly +goods are the work of our own hands, or the products of the chase, +should never be conquered; we may be beaten, but if so, we can retire +before our enemies and live in freedom in the forest or mountains, or +travel beyond the reach of our foes. + +“Had not your army come and freed us from Rome I was already meditating +moving with my tribe across the great mountains to the north and +settling among Brunilda's people in the German forests, far beyond the +reach of Rome. What though, as she tells me, the winters are long +and severe, the people ignorant of many of the comforts which we have +adopted from our neighbours; at least we should be free, and of all +blessings none is to compare with that.” + +“I agree with you,” Malchus said, thinking of the plots and +conspiracies, the secret denunciations, the tyranny and corruption +of Carthage, “it is good to be great, but it is better to be free. +However,” he added more cheerfully, “I trust that we are going to free +you from all future fear of Rome, and that you will be able to enjoy +your liberty here without having to remove to the dark forests and long +winter of the country north of the Alps.” + +So passed the winter. Early in the spring a messenger arrived from +Hannibal bidding Malchus rejoin him, and calling upon Allobrigius to +prepare to take the field against the Romans. Similar messages had been +sent to all the Gaulish tribes friendly to Carthage, and early in March +Hannibal prepared to cross the Apennines and to advance against Rome. + +The position occupied by the two Roman armies barred the only two roads +by which it was believed that Hannibal could march upon Rome, but +as soon as the spring commenced Hannibal started by a path, hitherto +untrodden by troops, across the Apennines. In the march the troops +suffered even greater hardships than those which they had undergone +in the passage of the Alps, for during four days and three nights they +marched knee deep in water, unable for a single moment to lie down. + +While ever moving backwards and forwards among his men to encourage them +with his presence and words, even the iron frame of Hannibal gave way +under the terrible hardships. The long continued strain, the want of +sleep, and the obnoxious miasma from the marshes, brought on a fever +and cost him the sight of one of his eyes. Of all the elephants but one +survived the march, and it was with an army as worn out and exhausted as +that which had issued from the Alps that he descended into the fertile +plains of Tuscany, near Fiesole. + +The army of Flaminius, 30,000 strong, was still lying at Arezzo, on his +direct road south, and it was with this only that Hannibal had now to +deal, the force of Servilius being still far away at Rimini. His own +army was some 35,000 strong, and crossing the Upper Arno near Florence, +Hannibal marched towards Arezzo. Flaminius, as soon as he had heard +that Hannibal was ascending the slopes of the Apennines, had sent +to Servilius to join him, but the latter, alleging that he feared an +invasion by the Gaulish tribes on the north, refused to move, but sent +four thousand cavalry to Flaminius. This brought the armies to nearly +equal strength, but, although Hannibal marched his troops within sight +of Arezzo, Flaminius would not issue from his camp to attack him. + +He knew that Hannibal had defeated a force of tried troops, much +exceeding his own in numbers, in the north, and that he would therefore +probably be successful against one which scarcely equalled his own. He +hoped, too, that Hannibal would attack him in his intrenched position. +This the Carthaginian general had no intention of doing, but, leaving +the camp behind him, marched on, plundering and ravaging the country +towards Rome. Flaminius at once broke up his camp and followed on his +track, preparing to take any opportunity which might occur to fall upon +the Carthaginians, and knowing that the senate would at once call up the +army of Servilius to assist him. + +Hannibal, by means of scouts left in his rear, found that Flaminius +was marching on with his troops in solid column, taking no precaution +against surprise, secure in the belief that Hannibal's object was to +march on Rome without a stop. The Carthaginian general prepared at once +to take advantage of his enemy's carelessness. He halted his troops at +Cortona. The road by which he had passed wound along the shore of Lake +Trasimene, at the foot of a range of steep hills, which approached +closely to the water. + +Half way along these hills a stream runs down a valley into the +lake, and in the valley, completely hidden from the sight of an enemy +approaching, Hannibal placed the Numidian cavalry and the Gaulish +infantry. Among some woods clothing the lower slope of the hills facing +the lake he placed his light troops, while the Spanish and African +infantry and the Gaulish cavalry were similarly hidden on the outer +slopes of the hill in readiness to close in on the rear of the Romans +when they had entered on the road between the hills and the lake. + +No better position could have been chosen for a surprise. When once the +Romans had entered the path between the hills and the lake there was no +escape for them. They were shut up between the wood clad hills swarming +with the Carthaginian light troops and the lake, while the heavy +infantry and cavalry of Hannibal were ready to fall on them front and +rear. + +When Flaminius arrived at Cortona late at night he heard of the ravages +and executions committed by the Carthaginians, as they had passed +through early in the morning, and resolved to press forward at daybreak +in hopes of finding some opportunity for falling upon and punishing +them. When day broke it seemed favourable to his design, for a thick +mist was rising from the lake and marshes. This, he thought, would +conceal his advance from the Carthaginians, while, as the high ground +ahead rose above the mist, he would be enabled to see their position. He +pushed forward then rapidly, thinking that he should be able to overtake +the rear of the Carthaginian army as it moved slowly along encumbered +with its plunder. + +As he neared the entrance to the pass he caught sight of the heavy +armed Carthaginians on the distant hill above the level of the mist, +and believing that his own movements were hidden from the enemy, pushed +forward as fast as the infantry could march. But the moment the rear of +his column had entered the narrow flat between the foot of the hills and +the lake, the Numidians quietly moved down and closed the pass behind +them, while Hannibal with his heavy infantry descended from the farther +hill to confront him. When all was ready he gave the signal, and at once +in front, on their right flank, and on their rear the Carthaginians fell +upon them. + +The light troops heralded their attack by rolling a vast quantity of +rocks down the hill on the long column, and then, pressing down through +the woods, poured their arrows and javelins into the struggling mass. + +Taken wholly by surprise, unable to advance or retreat, desperate at +finding themselves thus caught in a trap, the Romans fought bravely but +in vain. An earthquake shook the ground on which the terrible fight was +going on; but not for a moment did it interrupt the struggle. For three +hours the Romans, although suffering terribly, still fought on; then +Flaminius was killed, and from that time they thought only of escape. +But this was next to impossible. Six thousand only cut their way out. +Fifteen thousand fell, and nine thousand were taken prisoners. + +As soon as the battle was over Hannibal despatched Maharbal with his +division of the army in pursuit of the six thousand who had escaped, +and, overtaking them next morning at Perugia, Maharbal forced them to +surrender. At the same time he detached a strong force against the four +thousand horsemen, whom Servilius had despatched from Rimini to aid his +colleague, and the whole of these were surrounded and taken prisoners. +Thus of the Roman army, thirty-six thousand strong, not a single man +escaped. + +In all history there is no record of so great and successful a surprise. +Hannibal retained as prisoners the Roman citizens and Latins, but +released the rest of the captives, telling them that, far from being +their enemy, he had invaded Italy for the purpose of liberating its +helpless people from the tyranny of the Roman domination. The loss +to the Carthaginians in the battle of Lake Trasimene was only fifteen +hundred men. + +Hannibal has been blamed for not advancing against Rome after the battle +of Lake Trasimene; but he knew that he could not hope to subdue that +city so long as she was surrounded by faithful allies. His army was +numerically insufficient to undertake such a siege, and was destitute +of the machines for battering the walls. Rome was still defended by +the city legions, besides which every man capable of bearing arms was +a soldier. The bitter hostility of the Latins would have rendered it +difficult in the extreme for the army to have obtained provisions while +carrying on the siege, while in its rear, waiting for an opportunity to +attack, would have lain the army of Servilius, thirty thousand strong, +and growing daily more numerous as the friends and allies of Rome +flocked to its banners. + +Hannibal saw that to undertake such an enterprise at present would be +ruin. His course was clear. He had to beat the armies which Rome could +put into the field; to shake the confidence of the Italian tribes in +the power of Rome; to subsist his army upon their territories, and so +gradually to detach them from their alliance with Rome. He hoped that, +by the time this work was finished, Carthage would send another great +army to his assistance provided with siege materials, and he would then +be able to undertake with confidence the great task of striking a vital +blow at Rome herself. + +“Malchus,” Hannibal said one day, “I wish you to ride north. The tribes +at the foot of the hills promised to aid us, but have so far done +nothing. If they would pour down to the plains now they would occupy the +tribes friendly to the Romans, and would prevent them from sending men +and stores to them. They sent me a message a month ago, saying that they +were still willing to help us, and I then replied that I had been long +waiting to hear that they had risen, and urged them to do so without +loss of time. I have not heard since, and fear that the Roman agents +have, by promises of money and privileges, prevailed upon them to keep +quiet. It is a service of danger; for if they have been bought over they +may seize you and send you in token of their goodwill as a prisoner to +Rome; but I know that will not deter you.” + +“I am ready to go,” Malchus said, “and will start today. What force +shall I take with me, and which of the chiefs shall I first see?” + +“You had best go first to Ostragarth. He is the most powerful of the +chiefs on this side of the Apennines. You can select from the treasury +such presents as you may choose for him and the others. You can promise +them large grants of the land of the tribes aiding the Romans, together +with a share in the plunder of the cities. I leave you quite free. In +those respects you will be guided by what you see they want; but any +promises you may make I will ratify. As to men I should not take a large +escort. Force will, of course, be of no avail, and the appearance of +a large number of troops might alarm them at once. Twenty men will be +sufficient for dignity, and as a protection against any small bodies of +the hostile tribesmen you may meet on your way; but have no frays if you +can avoid it. The mission is an important one, and its success +should not be risked merely to defeat a body of tribesmen. Go in your +handsomest armour, and make as brave a show as you can, as my ambassador +and kinsman. Take twenty of the Carthaginian horse; they will impose +more upon the barbarians than would the Libyans or Numidians. Take your +friend Trebon as their commander and a companion for yourself.” + +In two hours Malchus and his escort were ready to start. As their +journey would be rapid they carried no stores with them, save three +days' provisions, which each man carried at his saddlebow, and a bag +containing a few feeds of corn for the horse. They took with them, +however, two baggage horses laden with arms, armour, garments, and other +presents for the chiefs. + +They passed rapidly across the country, meeting with no hostile parties, +for the raids of Hannibal's light armed horse had so terrified +the people that the villages were for the most part deserted, the +inhabitants having sought refuge in the fortified towns. After two days' +brisk riding they arrived at the foot of the hills, and their progress +was now slower. The village of Ostragarth lay far up among them, and, +being ignorant of the direction, Malchus broke the troop up into parties +of four, and sent them up different valleys with orders to capture +the first native they came across, and oblige him either by threats or +promises to act as a guide to the stronghold of the chief. + +“I sincerely trust that this barbarian is friendly, Malchus, for the +country looks wild and difficult in the extreme, and the forests which +clothe these hills are thick and tangled. On the plain we can laugh +at the natives, however numerous, and with twenty men I would charge a +thousand of them; but among these hills it is different, one cannot find +a level spot for a charge, and, if it comes to running, the mountaineers +are as fleet as a horse on the broken ground of their hills.” + +“I agree with you, Trebon, that it would go hard with us, and that the +utmost we could hope for would be a visit to Rome as captives. Still, +these chiefs all offered alliance to Hannibal as he went south, and the +success which has attended us should surely bind them to our interests. +They are ever willing to join the winning side, and so far fortune has +been wholly with us.” + +“That is so, Malchus, but then they see that the tribes of the plains +still hold aloof from us and pin their faith on Rome. They must know +that we are receiving no reinforcements to fill the gaps made in battle, +and may well fear to provoke the anger of Rome by taking part with us +before our success is, as they consider, absolutely secure.” + +“On the same grounds then, Trebon, they will be equally unwilling to +offend us by any hostility until the scale is decidedly weighed down +against us. Hannibal's anger might be as terrible as that of the +Romans.” + +“There is something in that, Malchus, but not so much as you think. If +Rome wins, Rome will have ample time and ample power, with the aid of +all her native allies, to punish any who may have declared against +her. On the other hand, should Carthage triumph, they may consider it +probable that we should sack and burn Rome and then retire, or that if +we remain there will be so much to arrange, so many tribes in the plains +to subjugate and pacify, that we shall be little likely to undertake +expeditions in the mountains. Therefore, you see, prudent men would +decide for Rome. Could we have marched straight on after the victory at +Lake Trasimene and have captured Rome, all these mountain tribes would +have taken the opportunity to pour down into the plains to plunder and +slay under the pretence of being our allies.” + +It was not until nightfall that the five parties returned to the spot +where they had left their leaders. Three of them had been entirely +unsuccessful, but the other two had each brought in a native. These men +looked sullen and obstinate, and it was not until Malchus had ordered a +halter to be placed round their necks and threatened them with instant +death that they consented to act as guides. + +A vigilant watch was kept over them all night, and at daybreak next +morning the party started. For some miles they rode along at the foot +of the mountains, and then entered a valley up which a little used track +ran. The men upon being questioned intimated that it was several hours' +journey to the village of the chief of whom they were in search. + +This, indeed, proved to be the case, for it was not till the afternoon, +after many hours' weary journey up gorges and through mountain valleys, +that they arrived within sight of the village of Ostragarth. It was +situated on one side of the valley, and consisted of huts surrounded +by a rough stone wall of such height that only the tops of the circular +roofs were visible above it. A loud shrill cry was heard as they came in +sight, a cow horn was blown in the village, and instantly men could be +seen running in. Others, engaged in tending flocks of goats high up on +the mountain side, left their charges and began to hurry down. + + + +CHAPTER XV: A MOUNTAIN TRIBE + + +“It is a petty place for a chief of any power,” Trebon said. + +“Yes,” Malchus agreed, “but I fancy these hill tribes are broken up into +a very large number of small villages in isolated valleys, only uniting +when the order of the chief calls upon them to defend the mountains +against an invader, or to make a simultaneous raid upon the plains.” + +As they neared the village several persons were seen to issue out from +the gate, and among these was a small and elderly man, evidently +the chief of the party. His white hair descended to his waist; a boy +standing behind him carried his bow and several javelins. The rest of +the men appeared to be unarmed. + +“He is a crafty looking old fellow,” Malchus said as he alighted and +advanced towards the chief, “but I suppose he has made up his mind to +receive us as friends, at any rate for the present. + +“I come, chief, as an ambassador from the Carthaginian general. When we +passed south he received messengers from you, saying that you were +ready to enter into an alliance with him. To this he agreed, and sent +presents. Since then you have done nothing, although he has sent to you +urging you to aid him by making an attack on the tribes allied to Rome. +In every battle which he has fought with the Romans he has defeated them +with great slaughter; but, owing to the aid which they have received +from the tribes in alliance with them, they are enabled continually to +put fresh armies in the field. Therefore it is that he has sent me to +you and to the other chiefs of the tribes inhabiting the mountains, to +urge you to descend with your forces into the plains, and so oblige the +tribes there to turn their attention to their own defence rather than to +the sending of assistance to Rome. He has sent by my hands many valuable +presents, and has authorized me to promise you, in his name, such lands +as you may wish to obtain beyond the foot of the hills. He promises you, +also, a share in the booty taken at the sack of the Italian cities.” + +“Will you please to enter,” the chief said, speaking a patois of Latin +which Malchus found it difficult to understand. “We will then discuss +the matters concerning which you speak.” + +So saying he led the way through the gates to a hut somewhat larger than +the rest. + +“Do you enter with me, Trebon, but let your men remain in their saddle, +and hold our horses in readiness for us to mount speedily if there be +need. I doubt the friendliness of this old fellow and his people.” + +Upon entering the hut Malchus observed at once that the walls were +covered with hangings which were new and fresh, and he detected some +costly armour half hidden in a corner. + +“The Romans have been here before us,” he muttered to his companion; +“the question is, how high have they bid for his support.” + +The chief took his seat on a roughly carved chair, and seats were +brought in for his visitors. He began by asking an account of the state +of affairs in the plains. Malchus answered him truthfully, except that +he exaggerated a little the effects that the Carthaginian victories +had produced among the natives. The chief asked many questions, and was +evidently by some means well informed on the subject. He then expressed +a desire to see the presents which they had brought him. Trebon went out +and returned with two soldiers bearing them. + +“I don't like the look of things,” he said in a low voice. “The number +of men in the village has trebled since we arrived, and they still keep +coming in. None of them show arms at present, but no doubt they +are hidden close at hand. I believe the chief is only keeping us in +conversation till he considers that a sufficient force has arrived to +make sure of us.” + +“We can't break it off now,” Malchus said, “and must take our chance. It +would not do to ensure a failure by showing suspicion.” + +The chief examined the presents with great care and announced his +satisfaction at them. Then he entered upon the question of the land +which he was to receive, inquired whether the towns were to be captured +by the Carthaginians and handed over to him, or were to be captured +by his forces. When these points had been arranged, as it seemed, +satisfactorily, he entered upon questions in dispute between himself and +other chiefs of the mountain tribes. Malchus said he had no instructions +as to these points, which were new to him, but that in all questions +between the chief and tribes hostile to Carthage, full satisfaction +would be given him. As to those between himself and other chiefs, who +might also join against the Romans, if they elected to submit them to +Hannibal for decision he would arbitrate between them. + +At this moment a horn was blown outside. A din of voices instantly +arose, which was followed immediately afterwards by the clashing of +weapons. Malchus and his companion leaped to their feet and rushed +from the hut. They found that their men were attacked by a crowd of +mountaineers. In an instant they leaped on their horses, and drawing +their swords joined in the fray. The number of their foes was large, +a great many men having come in since Trebon had last issued out. The +attack was a determined one. Those next to the horsemen hewed at them +with axes, those further back hurled darts and javelins, while others +crept in among the horses and stabbed them from beneath with their long +knives. + +“We must get out of this or we are lost,” Trebon exclaimed, and, +encouraging the men with his shouts, he strove to hew a way through the +crowd to the gate, while Malchus faced some of the men round and covered +the rear. Several of the Carthaginians were already dismounted, owing to +their horses being slain, and some of them were despatched before they +could gain their feet. Malchus shouted to the others to leap up behind +their comrades. + +By dint of desperate efforts Trebon and the soldiers with him cleared +the way to the gate, but those behind were so hampered by the enemy that +they were unable to follow. The natives clung to their legs and strove +to pull them off their horses, while a storm of blows was hurled upon +them. Trebon, seeing the danger of those behind, had turned, and in vain +tried to cut his way back to them; but the number of the natives was too +great. Malchus seeing this shouted at the top of his voice: + +“Fly, Trebon, you cannot help us, save those you can.” Seeing that he +could render his friend no assistance, Trebon turned round and galloped +off with nine of the soldiers who had made their way with him to the +gate. Five had already fallen, and Malchus shouted to the other six to +throw down their arms and yield themselves as prisoners. This they did, +but two of them were killed before the villagers perceived they had +surrendered. + +Malchus and the others were dragged from their horses, bound hand and +foot, and thrown into one of the huts. The natives shouted in triumph, +and yells of delight arose as the packages borne by the baggage animals +were examined, and the variety of rich presents, intended for the +various chiefs, divided among them. + +Most of the captives were more or less severely wounded, and some of +the natives presently came into the hut and examined and bound up the +wounds. + +“Keep up your spirits,” Malchus said cheerfully, “it is evident they +don't intend to kill us. No doubt they are going to send us prisoners to +the Romans, and in that case we shall be exchanged sooner or later. At +any rate the Romans would not dare ill treat us, for Hannibal holds more +than a hundred prisoners in his hands to every one they have taken.” + +Three days passed, food was brought to the captives regularly, and their +bonds were sufficiently relaxed for them to feed themselves. At the end +of that time they were ordered to rise and leave the hut. Outside the +chief with some forty of his followers were waiting them. All were +armed, and the prisoners being placed in their midst, the party started. + +They proceeded by the same road by which Malchus had ridden to the +village, and some miles were passed without incident, when, as they were +passing through a narrow valley, a great number of rocks came +bounding down the hillside, and at different points along it several +Carthaginians appeared. In these Malchus recognized at once the soldiers +of his escort. One of these shouted out: + +“Surrender, or you are all dead men. A strong force surrounds you on +both sides, and my officers, whom you see, will give orders to their +men, who will loose such an avalanche of rocks that you will all be +swept away.” + +“It is only the men who escaped us,” the chief cried; “push forward at +once.” + +But the instant the movement began the Carthaginians all shouted orders, +and a great number of rocks came bounding down, proving that they were +obeyed by an invisible army. Several of the mountaineers were crushed by +the stones, and the old chief, struck by a great rock in the chest, fell +dead. A Carthaginian standing next to Malchus was also slain. + +The tribesmen gave a cry of terror. Hand to hand they were ready to +fight valiantly, but this destruction by an unseen foe terrified them. +The Carthaginian leader raised his hand, and the descent of the stones +ceased. + +“Now,” he said, “you see the truth of my words. Hesitate any longer and +all will be lost; but if you throw down your arms, and, leaving your +captives behind, retire by the way you came, you are free to do so. +Hannibal has no desire for the blood of the Italian people. He has come +to free them from the yoke of Rome, and your treacherous chief, who, +after our making an alliance with him, sold you to the Romans, has been +slain, therefore I have no further ill will against you.” + +The tribesmen, dismayed by the loss of their chief, and uncertain as to +the strength of the foes who surrounded them, at once threw down their +arms, and, glad to escape with their lives, fled at all speed up the +pass towards their village, leaving their captives behind them. + +The Carthaginians then descended, Trebon among them. + +“I did not show myself, Malchus,” the latter said as he joined his +friend, “for the chief knew me by sight, and I wished him to be +uncertain whether we were not a fresh party who had arrived.” + +“But who are your army?” Malchus asked; “you have astonished me as much +as the barbarians.” + +“There they are,” Trebon said, laughing, as some fifty or sixty women +and a dozen old men and boys began to make their way down the hill. +“Fortunately the tribesmen were too much occupied with their plunder and +you to pursue us, and I got down safely with my men. I was, of course, +determined to try to rescue you somehow, but did not see how it was to +be done. Then a happy thought struck me, and the next morning we rode +down to the plain till we came to a walled village. I at once summoned +it to surrender, using threats of bringing up a strong body to destroy +the place if they refused. They opened the gates sooner than I had +expected, and I found the village inhabited only by women, old men, and +children, the whole of the fighting men having been called away to join +the Romans. They were, as you may imagine, in a terrible fright, and +expected every one of them to be killed. However, I told them that we +would not only spare their lives, but also their property, if they would +obey my orders. + +“They agreed willingly enough, and I ordered all those who were strong +enough to be of any good to take each sufficient provisions for a week +and to accompany me. Astonished as they were at the order, there was +nothing for them to do but to obey, and they accordingly set out. I +found by questioning them that the road we had travelled was the regular +one up to the village, and that you would be sure to be brought down by +it if the chief intended to send you to Rome. + +“By nightfall we reached this valley. The next morning we set to work +and cut a number of strong levers, then we went up on the hillside to +where you saw us, and I posted them all behind the rocks. We spent all +the day loosing stones and placing them in readiness to roll down, and +were then prepared for your coming. At nightfall I assembled them all, +and put a guard over them. We posted them again at daybreak yesterday, +but watched all day in vain, and here we should have remained for a +month if necessary, as I should have sent down some of the boys for more +provisions when those they brought were gone. However, I was right glad +when I saw you coming today, for it was dull work. I would have killed +the whole of these treacherous savages if I had not been afraid of +injuring you and the men. As it was I was in terrible fright when the +stones went rushing down at you. One of our men has been killed, I see; +but there was no help for it.” + +The whole party then proceeded down the valley. On emerging from the +hills Trebon told his improvised army that they could return to their +village, as he had no further need of their services, and, delighted at +having escaped without damage or injury, they at once proceeded on their +way. + +“We had best halt here for the night,” Trebon said, “and in the morning +I will start off with the mounted men and get some horses from one of +the villages for the rest of you. No doubt they are all pretty well +stripped of fighting men.” + +The next day the horses were obtained, and Malchus, seeing that, now he +had lost all the presents intended for the chiefs, it would be useless +to pursue his mission further, especially as he had learned that the +Roman agents had already been at work among the tribes, returned with +his party to Hannibal's camp. + +“I am sorry, Malchus,” the Carthaginian general said, when he related +his failure to carry out the mission, “that you have not succeeded, but +it is clear that your failure is due to no want of tact on your part. +The attack upon you was evidently determined upon the instant you +appeared in sight of the village, for men must have been sent out +at once to summon the tribe. Your friend Trebon behaved with great +intelligence in the matter of your rescue, and I shall at once promote +him a step in rank.” + +“I am ready to set out again and try whether I can succeed better with +some of the other chiefs if you like,” Malchus said. + +“No, Malchus, we will leave them alone for the present. The Romans have +been beforehand with us, and as this man was one of their principal +chiefs, it is probable that, as he has forsaken his alliance with us, +the others have done the same. Moreover, the news of his death, deserved +as it was, at the hands of a party of Carthaginians, will not improve +their feelings towards us. Nothing short of a general movement among the +hill tribes would be of any great advantage to us, and it is clear that +no general movement can be looked for now. Besides, now that we see the +spirit which animates these savages, I do not care to risk your loss by +sending you among them.” + +The news of the disaster of Lake Trasimene was met by Rome in a spirit +worthy of her. No one so much as breathed the thought of negotiations +with the enemy, not even a soldier was recalled from the army of Spain. +Quintus Fabius Maximus was chosen dictator, and he with two newly raised +legions marched to Ariminum and assumed the command of the army there, +raised by the reinforcements he brought with him to fifty thousand men. + +Stringent orders were issued to the inhabitants of the districts through +which Hannibal would march on his way to Rome to destroy their crops, +drive off their cattle, and take refuge in the fortified towns. +Servilius was appointed to the command of the Roman fleet, and ordered +to oppose the Carthaginians at sea. The army of Fabius was now greatly +superior to that of Hannibal, but was inferior in cavalry. He had, +moreover, the advantage of being in a friendly country, and of being +provisioned by the people through whose country he moved, while Hannibal +was obliged to scatter his army greatly to obtain provisions. + +Fabius moved his army until within six miles of that of Hannibal, +and then took up his position upon the hills, contenting himself with +watching from a distance the movements of the Carthaginians. Hannibal +marched unmolested through some of the richest provinces of Italy till +he descended into the plain of Campania. He obtained large quantities of +rich booty, but the inhabitants in all cases held aloof from him, their +belief in the star of Rome being still unshaken in spite of the reverses +which had befallen her. + +Fabius followed at a safe distance, avoiding every attempt of Hannibal +to bring on a battle. + +The Roman soldiers fretted with rage and indignation at seeing the +enemy, so inferior in strength to themselves, wasting and plundering +the country at their will. Minucius, the master of horse and second in +command, a fiery officer, sympathized to the full with the anger of the +soldiers, and continually urged upon Fabius to march the army to the +assault, but Fabius was immovable. The terrible defeats which Hannibal +had inflicted upon two Roman armies showed him how vast would be the +danger of engaging such an opponent unless at some great advantage. + +Such advantage he thought he saw when Hannibal descended into the +plain of Campania. This plain was inclosed on the south by the river +Vulturnus, which could be passed only at the bridge at Casilinum, +defended by the Roman garrison at that town, while on its other sides +it was surrounded by an unbroken barrier of steep and wooded hills, the +passes of which were strongly guarded by the Romans. + +After seeing that every road over the hills was strongly held by his +troops, Fabius sat down with his army on the mountains, whence he could +watch the doings of Hannibal's force on the plains. He himself was amply +supplied with provisions from the country in his rear, and he awaited +patiently the time when Hannibal, having exhausted all the resources +of the Campania, would be forced by starvation to attack the Romans in +their almost impregnable position in the passes. + +Hannibal was perfectly aware of the difficulties of his position. Had +he been free and unencumbered by baggage he might have led his army +directly across the wooded mountains, avoiding the passes guarded by +the Romans, but with his enormous trail of baggage this was impossible +unless he abandoned all the rich plunder which the army had collected. +Of the two outlets from the plain, by the Appian and Latin roads which +led to Rome, neither could be safely attempted, for the Roman army would +have followed in his rear, and attacked him while endeavouring to force +the passages in the mountains. + +The same objection applied to his crossing the Vulturnus. The only +bridge was strongly held by the Romans, and the river was far too deep +and rapid for a passage to be attempted elsewhere with the great Roman +army close at hand. The mountain range between the Vulturnus and Cades +was difficult in the extreme, as the passes were few and very strongly +guarded, but it was here that Hannibal resolved to make the attempt to +lead his army from the difficult position in which it was placed. He +waited quietly in the plain until the supplies of food were beginning to +run low, and then prepared for his enterprise. + +An immense number of cattle were among the plunder. Two thousand of the +stoutest of these were selected, torches were fastened to their horns, +and shortly before midnight the light troops drove the oxen to the +hills, avoiding the position of the passes guarded by the enemy. The +torches were then lighted, and the light troops drove the oxen straight +up the hill. The animals, maddened by fear, rushed tumultuously forward, +scattering in all directions on the hillside, but, continually urged by +the troops behind them, mounting towards the summits of the hills. + +The Roman defenders of the passes, seeing this great number of lights +moving upwards, supposed that Hannibal had abandoned all his baggage, +and was leading his army straight across the hills. This idea was +confirmed by the light troops, on gaining the crest of the hills, +commencing an attack upon the Romans posted below them in the pass +through which Hannibal intended to move. The Roman troops thereupon +quitted the pass, and scaled the heights to interrupt or harass the +retreating foe. + +As soon as Hannibal saw the lights moving on the top of the hills +he commenced his march. The African infantry led the way; they were +followed by the cavalry; then came the baggage and booty, and the rear +was covered by the Spaniards and Gauls. The defile was found deserted by +its defenders, and the army marched through unopposed. Meanwhile Fabius +with his main army had remained inactive. The Roman general had seen +with astonishment the numerous lights making their way up the mountain +side, but he feared that this was some device on the part of Hannibal +to entrap him into an ambush, as he had entrapped Flaminius on Lake +Trasimene. He therefore held his army in readiness for whatever might +occur until morning broke. + +Then he saw that he had been outwitted. The rear of the Carthaginian +army was just entering the defile, and in a short time Fabius saw the +Gauls and Spaniards scaling the heights to the assistance of their +comrades, who were maintaining an unequal fight with the Romans. +The latter were soon driven with slaughter into the plain, and the +Carthaginian troops descended into the defile and followed their +retreating army. Hannibal now came down into the fertile country of +Apulia, and determined to winter there. He took by storm the town of +Geronium, where he stored his supplies and placed his sick in shelter, +while his army occupied an intrenched camp which he formed outside the +town. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: IN THE DUNGEONS OF CARTHAGE + + +Fabius, after the escape of Hannibal from the trap in which he believed +he had caught him, followed him into Apulia, and encamped on high ground +in his neighbourhood intending to continue the same waiting tactics. +He was, however, soon afterwards recalled to Rome to consult with the +senate on matters connected with the army. He left Minucius in command, +with strict orders that he should on no account suffer himself to be +enticed into a battle. Minucius moved forward to within five miles of +Geronium, and then encamped upon a spur of the hills. + +Hannibal, aware that Fabius had left, hoped to be able to tempt the +impatient Minucius to an action. He accordingly drew nearer to the +Romans and encamped upon a hill three miles from their position. + +Another hill lay about halfway between the two armies. Hannibal occupied +this during the night with two thousand of his light troops, but +next day Minucius attacked the position, drove off its defenders, and +encamped there with his whole army. For some days Hannibal kept his +force united in his intrenchments, feeling sure that Minucius would +attack him. The latter, however, strictly obeyed the orders of Fabius +and remained inactive. + +It was all important to the Carthaginians to collect an ample supply of +food before winter set in, and Hannibal, finding that the Romans would +not attack him, was compelled to resume foraging expeditions. Two-thirds +of the army were despatched in various directions in strong bodies, +while the rest remained to guard the intrenchment. + +This was the opportunity for which Minucius had been waiting. He at once +despatched the whole of his cavalry to attack the foraging parties, +and with his infantry he advanced to the attack of the weakly defended +Carthaginian camp. For a time Hannibal had the greatest difficulty in +resisting the assault of the Romans; but at last a body of four thousand +of the foragers, who had beaten off the Roman cavalry and made their way +into Geronium, came out to his support, and the Romans retired. + +Hannibal, seeing the energy which Minucius had displayed, fell back to +his old camp near Geronium, and Minucius at once occupied the position +which he had vacated. The partial success of Minucius enabled the party +in Rome who had long been discontented with the waiting tactics of +Fabius to make a fresh attack upon his policy, and Minucius was now +raised to an equal rank with Fabius. + +Minucius, elated with his elevation, proposed to Fabius either that +they should command the whole army on alternate days, or each should +permanently command one-half. Fabius chose the latter alternative, for +he felt certain that the impetuosity of his colleague would sooner or +later get him into trouble with such an adversary as Hannibal, and +that it was better to risk the destruction of half the army than of the +whole. + +Minucius withdrew the troops allotted to him, and encamped in the plains +at a distance of a mile and a half from Fabius. Hannibal resolved at +once to take advantage of the change, and to tempt the Romans to attack +him by occupying a hill which lay about halfway between the camp of +Minucius and Geronium. + +The plain which surrounded the hill was level and destitute of wood, but +Hannibal on a careful examination found that there were several hollows +in which troops could be concealed, and in these during the night he +posted five thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry. The position +occupied by them was such that they would be able to take the Romans in +flank and rear should they advance against the hill. Having made these +dispositions he sent forward a body of light troops in the morning +to occupy the hill. Minucius immediately despatched his light troops, +supported by cavalry, to drive them from it. Hannibal reinforced his +Carthaginians by small bodies of troops, and the fight was obstinately +maintained until Minucius, whose blood was now up, marched towards the +hill with his legions in order of battle. + +Hannibal on his side advanced with the remains of his troops, and the +battle became fierce and general, until Hannibal gave the signal to +his troops in ambush, who rushed out and charged the Romans in rear and +flank. Their destruction would have been as complete and terrible as +that which had befallen the army of Sempronius at the Trebia, had not +Fabius moved forward with his troops to save the broken legions of +Minucius. + +Fabius now offered battle, but Hannibal, well content with the heavy +blow which he had struck, and the great loss which he had inflicted upon +the command of Minucius, fell back to his camp. Minucius acknowledged +that Fabius had saved his army from total destruction, and at once +resigned his command into his hands, and reverted to his former position +under him. Both armies then went into winter quarters. + +Malchus had not been present at the fighting near Geronium. Two days +after Hannibal broke through the Roman positions round the plains of +Campania he intrusted Malchus with an important commission. Commanding +the bodyguard of the general, and being closely related to him, Malchus +was greatly in Hannibal's confidence, and was indeed on the same footing +with Mago, Hannibal's brother, and two or three other of his most +trusted generals. Gathered in the general's tent on the previous +evening, these had agreed with their leader that final success could not +be looked for in their enterprise unless reinforcements were received +from Carthage. + +It was now a year since they had emerged from the Alps on to the plains +of Northern Italy. They had annihilated two Roman armies, had marched +almost unopposed through some of the richest provinces of Italy, and yet +they were no nearer the great object of their enterprise than they were +when they crossed the Alps. + +Some of the Cisalpine Gauls had joined them, but even in the plains +north of the Apennines the majority of the tribes had remained firm to +their alliance with the Romans, while south of that range of mountains +the inhabitants had in every case shown themselves bitterly hostile. +Everywhere on the approach of the Carthaginians they had retired +to their walled towns, which Hannibal had neither the time nor the +necessary machines to besiege. + +Although Rome had lost two armies she had already equipped and placed in +the field a third force superior in number to that of the Carthaginians; +her army in Spain had not been drawn upon; her legion north of the +Apennines was operating against the revolted tribes; other legions were +in course of being raised and equipped, and Rome would take the field +in the spring with an army greatly superior in strength to that of +Carthage. Victorious as Hannibal had been in battle, the army which had +struggled through the Alps had in the year which had elapsed, greatly +diminished in numbers. Trebia and Trasimene had both lessened their +strength, but their losses had been much heavier in the terrible +march across the Apennines in the spring, and by fevers subsequently +contracted from the pestiferous malaria of the marshes in the summer. +In point of numbers the gaps had been filled up by the contingents +furnished by their Gaulish allies. But the loss of all the elephants, +of a great number of the cavalry, and of the Carthaginian troops, who +formed the backbone of the army, was not to be replaced. + +“Malchus,” Hannibal said, “you know what we were speaking of +yesterday evening. It is absolutely necessary that we should receive +reinforcements. If Carthage aids me I regard victory as certain. Two +or three campaigns like the last would alike break down the strength of +Rome, and will detach her allies from her. + +“The Latins and the other Italian tribes, when they find that Rome is +powerless to protect them, that their flocks and herds, their crops and +possessions are at our mercy, will at length become weary of supporting +her cause, and will cast in their lot with us; but if the strife is to +be continued, Carthage must make an effort--must rouse herself from the +lethargy in which she appears to be sunk. It is impossible for me to +leave the army, nor can I well spare Mago. The cavalry are devoted to +him, and losing him would be like losing my right hand; yet it is clear +that someone must go to Carthage who can speak in my name, and can +represent the true situation here. + +“Will you undertake the mission? It is one of great danger. In the first +place you will have to make your way by sea to Greece, and thence take +ship for Carthage. When you arrive there you will be bitterly opposed by +Hanno and his faction, who are now all powerful, and it may be that your +mission may cost you your life; for not only do these men hate me and +all connected with me, but, like most demagogues, they place their +own selfish aims and ends, the advantage of their own faction, and the +furtherance of their own schemes far above the general welfare of the +state, the loss of all the colonies of Carthage, and the destruction +of her imperial power. The loss of national prestige and honour are to +these men as nothing in comparison with the question whether they can +retain their places and emoluments as rulers of Carthage. + +“Rome is divided as we are, her patricians and plebeians are ever +bitterly opposed to each other; but at present patriotism rises above +party, and both sink their disputes when the national cause is at +stake. The time will doubtless come--that is, unless we cut her course +short--that as Rome increases in wealth and in luxury she will suffer +from the like evils that are destroying Carthage. Party exigencies will +rise above patriotic considerations, and Rome will fall to pieces unless +she finds some man strong and vigourous enough to grasp the whole power +of the state, to silence the chattering of the politicians, and to rule +her with a rod of iron. But I am wandering from my subject. Will you +undertake this mission?” + +“I will,” Malchus replied firmly, “if you think me worthy of it. I +have no eloquence as a speaker, and know nothing of the arts of the +politician.” + +“There will be plenty of our friends there who will be able to harangue +the multitude,” Hannibal replied. “It is your presence there as the +representative of the army, as my kinsman, and as the son of the general +who did such good service to the state that will profit our cause. + +“It is your mission to tell Carthage that now is her time or never; that +Rome already totters from the blows I have struck her, and that another +blow only is requisite to stretch her in the dust. A mighty effort is +needed to overthrow once for all our great rival. + +“Sacrifices will be needed, and great ones, to obtain the object, but +Rome once fallen the future of Carthage is secure. What is needed is +that Carthage should obtain and keep the command of the sea for two +years, that at least twenty-five thousand men should be sent over in the +spring, and as many in the spring following. With such reinforcements I +will undertake to destroy absolutely the power of Rome. Tomorrow I will +furnish you with letters to our friends at home, giving full details as +to the course they should pursue and particulars of our needs. + +“A party of horse shall accompany you to the coast, with a score of men +used to navigation. There you will seize a ship and sail for Corinth, +whence you will have no difficulty in obtaining passage to Carthage.” + +After nightfall the next day Malchus started, taking Nessus with him as +his attendant and companion. The party travelled all night, and in the +morning the long line of the sea was visible from the summits of the +hills they were crossing. They waited for some hours to rest and refresh +their horses, and then, continuing their journey, came down in the +afternoon upon a little port at the mouth of the river Biferno. So +unexpected was their approach that the inhabitants had not time to shut +their gates, and the troops entered the town without resistance, the +people all flying to their houses. + +Malchus at once proclaimed that the Carthaginians came as friends, and +would, if, unmolested, injure no one; but if any armed attempt was made +against them they would sack and destroy the town. Two or three vessels +were lying in the port; Malchus took possession of the largest, and, +putting his party of seamen on board her, ordered the crew to sail +for Corinth. The horsemen were to remain in the town until the vessel +returned, when, with the party on board her, they would at once rejoin +Hannibal. + +The wind was favourable, and the next morning the mountains of Greece +were in sight, and in the afternoon they entered the port of Corinth. +The anchor was dropped at a short distance from the shore, the small +boat was lowered, and Malchus, accompanied by Nessus, was rowed ashore +by two of his own men. These then returned on board the ship, which at +once weighed anchor and set sail on her return. + +Corinth was a large and busy port, and the arrival and departure of +the little vessel from Italy passed altogether unnoticed, and without +attracting any particular attention Malchus and his companion made their +way along the wharves. The trade of Corinth was large and flourishing, +and the scene reminded Malchus of that with which he was so familiar +in Carthage. Ships of many nationalities were ranged along the quays. +Galleys from Tyre and Cyprus, from Syria and Egypt, from Carthage and +Italy, were all assembled in this neutral port. + +Corinth was, like Carthage, essentially a trading community; and while +the power and glory of the rival cities of the Peloponnesus were rapidly +failing Corinth was rising in rank, and was now the first city of +Greece. Malchus had no difficulty in finding a Carthaginian trading +ship. He was amply supplied with money, and soon struck a bargain that +the captain should, without waiting to take in further cargo, at once +sail for Carthage. + +The captain was much surprised at the appearance in Corinth of a young +Carthaginian evidently of high rank, but he was too well satisfied at +the bargain he had made to ask any questions. An hour later the mooring +ropes were cast off, and the vessel, spreading her sails, started on her +voyage. The weather was warm and pleasant, and Malchus, stretched on a +couch spread on the poop, greatly enjoyed the rest and quiet, after the +long months which had been spent in almost incessant activity. Upon the +following day Nessus approached him. + +“My lord Malchus,” he said, “there are some on board the ship who know +you. I have overheard the men talking together, and it seems that one +of them recognized you as having been in the habit of going out with a +fisherman who lived next door to him at Carthage.” + +“It matters not,” Malchus said indifferently; “I have no particular +motive in concealing my name, though it would have been as well that +I should be able to meet my friends in Carthage and consult with them +before my arrival there was generally known. However, before I leave the +ship I can distribute some money among the crew, and tell them that for +certain reasons of state I do not wish them to mention on shore that I +have been a passenger.” + +Had Malchus been aware that the ship in which he had taken passage was +one of the great fleet of traders owned by Hanno, he would have regarded +the discovery of his personality by the sailors in a more serious light; +as it was, he thought no more of the matter. No change in the manner +of the captain showed that he was aware of the name and rank of his +passenger, and Malchus, as he watched the wide expanse of sea, broken +only by a few distant sails, was too intent upon the mission with which +he was charged to give the matter another moment's thought. + +The wind fell light and it was not until the evening of the eighth day +after leaving Corinth that Carthage, with the citadel of Byrsa rising +above it, could be distinguished. The ship was moving but slowly through +the water, and the captain said that unless a change took place they +would not make port until late the next morning. Malchus retired to his +couch feeling sorry that the period of rest and tranquillity was at an +end, and that he was now about to embark in a difficult struggle, which, +though he felt its importance, was altogether alien to his taste and +disposition. + +He had not even the satisfaction that he should see his mother and +sister, for news had come a short time before he sailed that their +position was so uncomfortable at Carthage that they had left for Spain, +to take up their abode there with Adherbal and Anna. His mother was, +he heard, completely broken down in health by grief for the loss of his +father. + +He was wakened in the night by the splash of the anchor and the running +out of he cable through the hawse hole, and supposed that the breeze +must have sprung up a little, and that they had anchored at the entrance +to the harbour. He soon went off to sleep again, but was presently +aroused by what seemed to him the sound of a short struggle followed by +another splash; he dreamingly wondered what it could be and then went +off to sleep again. When he awoke it was daylight. Somewhat surprised at +the non-appearance of Nessus, who usually came into his cabin the first +thing in the morning to call him, he soon attired himself. + +On going to the door of his cabin he was surprised to find it fastened +without. He knocked loudly against it to attract attention, but almost +immediately found himself in darkness. Going to the porthole to discover +the cause of this sudden change, he found that a sack had been stuffed +into it, and immediately afterwards the sound of hammering told him that +a plank was being nailed over this outside to keep it in its place. + +The truth washed across him--he was a prisoner. Drawing his sword he +flung himself with all his force against the door, but this had been so +securely fastened without that it did not yield in the slightest to +his efforts. After several vain efforts he abandoned the attempt, and +sitting down endeavoured to realize the position. He soon arrived at +something like the truth: the trading interests of Carthage were wholly +at the disposal of Hanno and his party, and he doubted not that, having +been recognized, the captain had determined to detain him as a prisoner +until he communicated to Hanno the fact of his arrival, and received +instructions from him as to whether Malchus was to be allowed to land. + +Malchus recalled the sounds he had heard in the night, and uttered +an exclamation of grief and anger as he concluded that his faithful +follower had been attacked and doubtless killed and thrown overboard. At +present he was powerless to do anything, and with his sword grasped in +his hand he lay on the couch in readiness to start up and fight his way +out, as soon as he heard those without undoing the fastenings of the +door. + +The day passed slowly. He could hear voices without and footsteps on the +deck of the poop overhead, but no one came near him; and after a time +his watchfulness relaxed, as he made up his mind that his captors, +whatever their intentions might be, would not attempt to carry them out +until after nightfall. At last he heard a moving of the heavy articles +which had been piled against the door; he sprang to his feet, the door +opened two or three inches, and a voice said: + +“In the name of the republic I declare you to be my prisoner.” + +“I warn you I shall resist,” Malchus exclaimed. “I am Malchus, the son +of Hamilcar, late a general of the republic, and I come to Carthage on a +mission from Hannibal. Whatever complaint the state may have against me +I am ready to answer at the proper time, and shall not fail to appear +when called upon; but at present I have Hannibal's mission to discharge, +and those who interfere with me are traitors to the republic, whomsoever +they may be, and I will defend myself until the last.” + +“Open the door and seize him,” a voice exclaimed. + +As the door was opened Malchus sprang forward, but the lights of several +lanterns showed a dozen men with levelled spears standing in front of +the cabin. + +“I surrender,” he said, seeing that against such a force as this +resistance would be vain, “but in the name of Hannibal I protest against +this interference with the messenger whom he has sent to explain, in his +name, to the senate the situation in Italy.” + +So saying Malchus laid down his shield and sword, took off his helmet, +and walked quietly from the cabin. At an order from their superior four +of the men laid down their weapons and seized him. In a minute he was +bound hand and foot, a gag was forced into his mouth, a cloak thrown +over his head, and he was roughly thrown into a large boat alongside the +ship. + +Short as was the time which he had at liberty, Malchus had thrown a +glance over the bulwarks of each side of the ship, and perceived that +any resistance would have been useless, for far away lay the lights of +Carthage; and it was evident that the vessel had made little progress +since he had retired to rest on the previous evening. Had she been +inside the harbour he had intended to spring overboard at once and to +trust to escape by swimming. + +The person in command of the party which had seized Malchus took his +place at the helm of the boat, and his twelve agents seated themselves +at the oars and rowed away towards Carthage. The town was nearly eight +miles away, and they were two hours before they arrived there. The place +where they landed was at some distance from the busy part of the port. +Two men were waiting for them there with a stretcher. Upon this Malchus +was laid, four men lifted it on their shoulders, the others fell in +round it as a guard, and the party then proceeded through quiet streets +towards the citadel. + +The hour was late and but few people were about. Any who paused for a +moment to look at the little procession, shrank away hastily on hearing +the dreaded words, “In the name of the republic,” uttered by the leader +of the party. The citizens of Carthage were too well accustomed to +midnight arrests to give the matter further thought, save a momentary +wonder as to who was the last victim of the tyrants of the city, and to +indulge, perhaps, in a secret malediction upon them. Malchus had from +the first no doubt as to his destination, and when he felt a sudden +change in the angle at which the stretcher was carried, knew that he was +being taken up the steep ascent to Byrsa. + +He heard presently the challenge of a sentry, then there was a pause as +the gates were opened, then he was carried forward for awhile, there was +another stop, and the litter was lowered to the ground, his cords were +unfastened, and he was commanded to rise. It needed but a glance upwards +to tell him where he was. Above him towered the dark mass of the +temple of Moloch, facing him was a small door known to every citizen of +Carthage as leading to the dungeons under the temple. + +Brave as he was, Malchus could not resist a shudder as he entered the +portal, accompanied by four of his guards and preceded by a jailer. +No questions were asked by the latter, and doubtless the coming of the +prisoner had been expected and prepared for. The way lay down a long +flight of steps and through several passages, all hewn in the solid +rock. They passed many closed doors, until at last they turned into one +which stood open. The gag was then removed from Malchus' mouth, the door +was closed behind him, he heard the bolts fastened, and then remained +alone in perfect darkness. + +Malchus felt round the walls of his cell and found that it was about six +feet square. In one corner was a bundle of straw, and, spreading this +out, he threw himself upon it and bitterly meditated over the position +into which he had fallen. His own situation was desperate enough. He was +helpless in the hands of Hanno. The friends and partisans of Hannibal +were ignorant of his coming, and he could hope for no help from them. He +had little doubt as to what his fate would be; he would be put to death +in some cruel way, and Hannibal, his relatives, and friends would never +know what had become of him from the moment when he left the Italian +vessel in the port of Corinth. + +But hopeless as was his own situation, Malchus thought more of Hannibal +and his brave companions in arms than of himself. The manner in which +he had been kidnapped by the agents of Hanno, showed how determined was +that demagogue to prevent the true state of things which prevailed in +Italy from becoming known to the people of Carthage. In order to secure +their own triumph, he and his party were willing to sacrifice Hannibal +and his army, and to involve Carthage in the most terrible disasters. + +At last Malchus slept. When he awoke a faint light was streaming down +into his cell. In the centre of the room was an opening of about a foot +square, above which a sort of chimney extended twenty feet up through +the solid rock to the surface, where it was covered with an iron +grating. Malchus knew where he was. Along each side of the great temple +extended a row of these gratings level with the floor, and every citizen +knew that it was through these apertures that light and air reached the +prisoners in the cells below. Sometimes groans and cries were heard to +rise, but those who were near would hurry from the spot, for they +knew that the spies of the law were ever on the watch, and that to be +suspected of entering into communication with the prisoners would be +sufficient to ensure condemnation and death. + +It was the sight of these gratings, and the thought of the dismal cells +below, which had increased the aversion which Malchus had felt as a boy +to enter the bloodstained temple, little as he had dreamed that the day +would come when he himself would be lying a prisoner in one of them. He +knew that it was useless for him to attempt by shouting to inform his +friends in the city of his presence there. The narrowness of the air +passage and the closeness of the grating above deadened and confused the +voice, unless to a person standing immediately above the opening, and +as the visitors to the temple carefully avoided the vicinity of the +gratings, it would be but a waste of breath to attempt to call their +attention. + +As to escape it was out of the question. The cell was cut in the solid +rock. The door was of enormous strength, and even could that have been +overcome, there were many others which would have to be passed before he +could arrive at the entrance to the dungeon. + +In a short time a Numidian entered, bearing some bread and a pitcher +of water. Malchus addressed him; but the negro opened his mouth, and +Malchus saw that his tongue had been cut out, perhaps in childhood, +perhaps as a punishment for a crime; but more probably the man was a +slave captured in war, who had been mutilated to render him a safe and +useful instrument of the officers of the law. + +Three hours later the door again opened, and two men appeared. They +ordered Malchus to follow them, and led him through a number of +meandering passages, until at last, opening a door, they ushered him +into a large chamber. This was lighted by torches. At a table in the +centre of the room were seated seven figures. In the one seated in a +chair very slightly above the others Malchus at once recognized Hanno. +His companions were all leading men of his faction. + +“Malchus, son of Hamilcar,” Hanno said, “what have you to say why you +thus secretly come to Carthage?” + +“I come not secretly,” Malchus replied, “I come hither as the messenger +of Hannibal to the senate. I am charged by him to lay before them +the exact situation in Italy, to tell them how much he has already +accomplished, and what yet remains to be done, and to explain to them +the need there is that reinforcements should be despatched to him to +carry out his great designs for the annihilation of the power of Rome. I +come not in secret. I passed in a ship from Italy to Corinth, and there +at once hired a vessel to convey me hither.” + +“As we are members of the senate,” Hanno said, “you can deliver your +message to us.” + +“I fear that it will go no further,” Malchus replied. “The fact that +I have been thus secretly seized and carried here, shows how far it is +your wish that the people of Carthage should know my message. Still, as +even in your breasts all patriotism may not yet be dead, and as my +words may move you yet to do something to enable Hannibal to save the +republic, I will give you the message he sent me to deliver to the +senate.” + +A murmur of angry surprise arose from the seven men at the bold words +and the defiant bearing of their prisoner. + +“How dare you thus address your judges?” Hanno exclaimed. + +“Judges!” Malchus repeated scornfully, “executioners, you should say. +Think you that I know not that my death is resolved on? Even if you +would you dare not free a noble of Carthage, a son of a general who has +lost his life in her service, a cousin of the great Hannibal, after you +have thus treacherously seized and thrown him into a dungeon. Cowed as +the people of Carthage are by your tyranny, corrupted as they are +by your gold, this lawless act of oppression would rouse them to +resistance. No, Hanno, it is because I know that my doom is sealed I +thus fearlessly defy you and your creatures.” + +Malchus then proceeded to deliver the message of Hannibal to the senate. +He showed the exact situation of affairs in Italy, urged that if the +reinforcements asked for were sent, the success of the arms of Carthage +and the final defeat and humiliation of Rome were assured; while, on the +other hand, if Hannibal were left unaided, his army must in time dwindle +away until too feeble to resist the assaults of the Romans and their +allies. He warned his hearers that if this catastrophe should come +about, Rome, flushed with victory, smarting under the defeats and +humiliation which Hannibal had inflicted upon them, would in turn become +the aggressor, and would inflict upon Carthage a blow similar to that +with which Rome had been menaced by Hannibal. + +Hanno and his companions listened in silence. Malchus for a time forgot +his own position and the character of the men he addressed, and pleaded +with an earnestness and passion such as he would have used had he been +addressing the whole senate. When he had finished, Hanno without a word +motioned to the jailers, and these, placing themselves one on each side +of Malchus, led him back to his cell. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: THE ESCAPE + + +For the next two days Malchus was visited only by the Numidian who brought +his food. The third night, as he was lying on his straw, wondering how +long Hanno would be before he decided his fate, he started to his +feet as he heard, apparently close at hand, his name whispered. It was +repeated, and he now perceived that it came from above. + +“Yes,” he said in a low tone, looking upwards, “I am Malchus. Who speaks +to me?” + +“It is I, Nessus,” the voice replied. “Thanks to the gods, I have found +my lord.” + +“How did you get here, Nessus? I feared that you were drowned.” + +“I swam to shore,” the Arab said, “and then watched outside the gate +here. I saw several prisoners brought in, and doubted not that you were +among them. I was at the port when the ship came in, and found that +she brought no passenger. Then I came up here again, soon found friends +among the Arab regiment in the garrison; these obtained me employment +in the stables of the elephants. Each night, when all has been still, I +have crept here, and have whispered your name down each of the gratings. +Tonight you have heard me. Now that I know where you are, I will set to +work to contrive your escape. Is the passage from your cell here wide +enough to admit your being drawn up?” + +“Yes,” Malchus replied; “it would be a close fit, but with a rope you +could get me up through it.” + +“I will set to work to loosen these bars at once,” Nessus said; “but the +difficulty is not to get you out from here, but to get you beyond the +gates of the citadel. The watch is extremely strict, and the gates +are not opened until nine o'clock. Before that your escape would be +discovered, and it will be impossible for you to pass out undetected. I +must find a hiding place where you can lie concealed until the search +is over, and the vigilance of the sentries is relaxed; but it will be no +easy matter. And now let us speak no more; it is dangerous to breathe, +much less to speak here.” + +Not another word was spoken for hours. Malchus could hear a low +continuous scraping noise as Nessus with his dagger worked away upon the +stone into which the grating fitted. At last Nessus spoke again. “I have +nearly finished, my lord, the greater part of the grating is loose, and +in half an hour I can complete the work. Daylight will soon be breaking +and I must go. Tomorrow night I will return with a rope. I hope today to +find some place where you may be concealed.” + +Malchus with renewed hope threw himself upon the straw, and lay there +until about noon when he was again summoned to the presence of his +judges. They were the same whom he had seen previously. + +“Malchus, son of Hamilcar,” Hanno said, “you are now brought before us +to hear the crime with which you are charged. We have here before us the +written list of the names of the members of the conspiracy, headed +by Giscon, which had for its aim the murder of many of the senate of +Carthage and the overthrow of her constitution. We have also here the +confession of several of the conspirators confirming this list, and +saying that you were one of the party.” + +“I do not deny,” Malchus said firmly, “that I did once visit the place +in which those you speak of met, and that my name was then entered on +the roll; but when I went there I was wholly ignorant of the purposes +of the association, and as soon as I learned their aims and objects I +withdrew from them, and did not again visit their place of meeting.” + +“You could not well do that,” Hanno said, “since it is writ down that +you sailed very shortly afterwards for Spain.” + +“I own that I did so,” Malchus replied, “but I told Giscon on the very +day that I accompanied him to the meeting that I would go there no more. +Moreover, your commissioners with Hannibal's army have already inquired +into the circumstances, and they, in consideration of the fact that I +was then little more than sixteen years old, that I was led ignorantly +into the plot, and at once separated myself from it, absolved me from +blame.” + +“The commissioners had no authority to do so,” Hanno replied; “they were +ordered to send you to Carthage, and failed to carry out their orders +only because Hannibal then, as always, set himself above the authority +of the republic. As you have confessed that you were a member of this +conspiracy, no further trial is needed, and this court awards to you +the same punishment which was meted to all the others concerned in the +conspiracy--you will tomorrow be put to death by the usual punishment of +the press.” + +Malchus abstained from all reply, for it struck him at once that were +he to defy and anger his judges they might order him to be instantly +executed. He therefore without a word turned and accompanied his jailer +to his cell. He waited impatiently for night, and the hours seemed long +indeed before he heard the whisper of Nessus above. Directly the Arab +received the reply, assuring him that Malchus was still there, he again +set to work. + +In an hour the grating was removed and the rope lowered. Malchus +fastened it under his arms, knotting it in front, and then whispered to +Nessus that he was ready. The Arab drew him slowly and steadily up until +his head was in the entrance of the narrow passage. Malchus had grasped +the rope as high as possible above his head and hung by his hands, +thereby drawing the shoulders upwards, and reducing their width as +much as possible. He then managed to swing himself so that his body was +diagonally across the opening, and when thus placed he found to his joy +that the passage was large enough for him to pass through without much +difficulty. + +Slowly and steadily Nessus drew him up until his shoulders were +above the level of the ground, when Malchus, placing his hands on the +pavement, sprang noiselessly out. The grating was replaced, and without +a word being spoken they glided from the temple. Not a word was said +until they had gone some little distance. + +“You have saved my life again, Nessus,” Malchus said, laying his hand +upon his shoulder. “Another twelve hours and it would have been too +late. I was to have been put to death in the morning.” + +Nessus gave a fierce exclamation and placed his hand on his knife. + +“Had they slain my lord,” he said, “I would have avenged you. I would +have dogged your enemies night and day till, one by one, my knife should +have found its way to their hearts!” + +“Have you found a hiding place, Nessus?” + +“There is but one place of safety, my lord, that I can think of. I have +talked it over with two or three faithful friends, and they agree that +so rigid will be the search that it will be well nigh impossible for +anyone within the walls of the citadel to escape detection. The spies +of Hanno are everywhere, and men fear within these walls even to whisper +what they think. At any rate, no more secure hiding place could be found +than that which we have decided upon.” + +“And where is that, Nessus?” + +“It is in the reservoirs. With four water skins and some planks we +have prepared a raft. My two friends are waiting for us at one of the +entrances. They will have fitted the raft together, and all will be in +readiness. They are not likely to search for you there.” + +“The idea is excellent, Nessus.” + +The reservoirs of Carthage were of enormous extent, and some of these +remain to this day and are the wonder and admiration of travellers. They +were subterranean, and were cut from the solid rock, the stone extracted +from them being used for the walls of the buildings of the city. Pillars +were left at intervals to support the roof, and it was calculated that +these underground lakes--for they were no less--contained sufficient +water to supply the wants of the great city for at least six months. +These vast storing places for water were an absolute necessity in a +climate like that of Northern Africa, where the rain falls but seldom. +Without them, indeed, Carthage would have been at the mercy of the first +army which laid siege to it. + +The greatest pains were devoted to the maintenance of the water supply. +The rainfall from the roofs of the temples and houses was conducted +to the reservoirs, and these stores were never drawn upon on ordinary +occasions, the town being supplied with water brought by aqueducts from +long distances among the hills. Here and there openings were cut in the +rock which formed the roof of the reservoirs, for the admission of air, +and at a few points steps from the surface led down to the water. Iron +gates guarded the entrance to these. + +Nessus and his friends had the evening before unfastened one of these +gates. The lock was old and little used, as the gate was placed rather +to prevent children and others going down to the water than for any +other purpose, and the Arabs had found little difficulty in picking the +rough lock. + +Malchus followed Nessus down the steps until he reached the edge of the +water, some fifty feet below the surface. Here stood two Arabs bearing +torches. At the foot of the steps floated the raft, formed, as Nessus +had said, of four inflated sheepskins connected by a framework of +planks. Across these a bullock's hide had been stretched, forming a +platform. On this were some rugs, a skin of wine, and a pile of flat +cakes and fruit, together with half a dozen torches. + +“Thanks, my friends!” Malchus said to the Arabs. “Some day I may be able +to prove that I am grateful to you.” + +“The friends of Nessus are our friends,” one of the Arabs replied +simply; “his lord is our master.” + +“Here is a paddle, my lord,” Nessus said. “I propose that you should +paddle straight away as far as you can see a torch burning here; then +that you should fasten the raft to a pillar. Every other night I will +come with provisions here and show a light. If you see the light burn +steadily it is safe for you to approach, and I come only to bring food +or news; if you see the torch wave to and fro, it is a warning that they +intend to search the reservoirs. I do not think it likely they will do +so; still it is best to be prepared, and in that case you must paddle +far away in the recesses. They might search for a long time before they +find you. I trust that your imprisonment here will not be long, but that +we may hit upon some plan of getting you out of the citadel. I would +gladly go with you to share your solitude, but I must remain outside to +plan some way of escape.” + +With a short farewell to his faithful follower Malchus took his place +on the raft, having lit a torch and fastened it upright upon it. Then +he paddled slowly away, keeping between the lines of heavy columns. His +rate of progress was slow, and for half an hour he kept the torch +in sight. By this time he felt sure that he must be approaching the +boundary of the reservoir. He therefore moored his raft against a pillar +and waved his torch backwards and forwards. The signal was answered by +a similar movement of the distant light, which then disappeared. Malchus +now extinguished his own torch, placed the means of relighting it with +which Nessus had furnished him close to his hand, and then, wrapping +himself in a rug, lay down to sleep. + +When he awoke it was day. The light was streaming down on to the water +from an opening two or three hundred yards away, while far in the +distance he could see a faint light which marked the place of the +steps at which he had embarked. In the neighbourhood of the opening the +columns stood up clear and gray against the dark background. A little +further off their outlines were dim and misty; and wherever else he +looked an inky darkness met his eye, save one or two faint bands of +misty light, which marked the position of distant openings. + +The stillness which reigned in this vast cavern was almost oppressive. +Sometimes a faint rustling whisper, the echo of some sound in the +citadel above, passed among the columns; and the plaintive squeak of a +bat was heard now and then, for numbers of these creatures were flitting +noiselessly in the darkness, their forms visible for an instant as they +passed and repassed between Malchus and the light. He wondered vaguely +what they could find to eat here, and then remembered that he had heard +that at nightfall numbers of bats could be seen flying up from the +openings to the reservoirs to seek food without, returning to their +hiding places when morning approached. + +Malchus amused himself by thinking over the fury and astonishment of +Hanno and his colleagues on hearing that their prisoner had disappeared, +and he pictured to himself the hot search which was no doubt going on +throughout the citadel. He thought it improbable in the extreme that any +search would be made in the reservoir. Nessus would refasten the gate +after passing through it again, and the idea that he could be floating +on the subterranean lake could hardly occur to them. + +Then he turned over in his mind the various devices by which it might +be possible to get beyond the walls of the citadel. The anxiety of +Hanno and those acting with him to prevent the manner in which they had +kidnapped and sentenced to death the messenger and kinsman of Hannibal +from becoming known in the city, would be so great that extraordinary +vigilance would be used to prevent any from leaving the citadel. The +guards on the walls would be greatly increased; none would be allowed to +pass the gate without the most rigourous examination; while every nook +and corner of the citadel, the temples, the barracks, storehouses, and +stables, would be searched again and again. Even should a search be made +in the reservoir, Malchus had little fear of discovery; for even should +a boat come towards the spot where he was lying, he would only have +to pass the raft round to the opposite side of the great pillar, some +twelve feet square, against which he was lying. + +When the light faded out he again lay down to sleep. As before, he slept +soundly; for, however great the heat above, the air in the subterranean +chambers was always fresh and cool, and he could well bear the rugs +which Nessus had provided. The next day passed more slowly, for he had +less to think about. After the daylight had again faded he began to look +forward expectantly for the signal, although he knew that many hours +must still elapse before Nessus would be able to make his way to the +place of meeting. + +So slowly did the hours pass, indeed, that he began at last to fear that +something must have happened--perhaps that Nessus had been in some way +recognized, and was now in the dungeons below the temple of Moloch. +At last, however, to his joy Malchus saw the distant light; it burned +steadily, and he at once set out to paddle towards it. He did not light +his torch--it would have taken time, and he knew that, quietly as he +paddled, the sound would be borne along the surface of the water to +Nessus. At last he arrived at the steps. Nessus was there alone; beside +him was a basket of fresh provisions. + +“Well, Nessus, what news?” + +“All is well, my lord; but Hanno is moving heaven and earth to find +you. The gates of the citadel were kept closed all day yesterday; and +although today they have again been opened, the examination of those +who pass out is so strict that no disguise would avail to deceive the +scrutiny of the searchers. One or other of the men who attended you in +the prison is always at the gate. The barracks have been searched from +end to end, the troops occupying them being all turned out while the +agents of the law searched them from top to bottom. The same has been +done with the stables; and it is well that we did not attempt to hide +you above ground, for assuredly if we had done so they would have found +you, however cunningly we had stowed you away. Of course the name of +the prisoner who has escaped is known to none, but the report that an +important prisoner had escaped from the state prisons beneath the temple +has created quite an excitement in the city, for it is said that such an +event never took place before. At present I can hit on no plan whatever +for getting you free.” + +“Then I must be content to wait for a while, Nessus. After a time their +vigilance is sure to relax, as they will think that I must have got +beyond the walls.” + +“Are there any to whom you would wish me to bear news that you are +here?” + +This was a question which Malchus had debated with himself over and over +again. It appeared to him, however, that Hanno's power was so great +that it would be dangerous for anyone to come forward and accuse him. +No doubt every one of the leading men of the Barcine party was strictly +watched; and did Hanno suspect that any of them were in communication +with the escaped prisoner, he would take instant steps against them. He +thought it better, therefore, that none should be acquainted with the +secret until he was free. He therefore replied in the negative to the +question of Nessus. + +“I must wait till I am free. Any action now might bring down the +vengeance of Hanno upon others. He would find no difficulty in inventing +some excuse for dealing a blow at them. You think there is no possibility +of escape at present?” + +“I can think on no plan, my lord. So strict is the search that when the +elephants went down today to the fountains for water every howdah was +examined to see that no one was hidden within it.” + +“It will be necessary also, Nessus, if you do hit upon some plan for +getting me out, to arrange a hiding place in the city.” + +“That will be easy enough,” Nessus replied. “My friends have many +relations in the Arab quarter, and once free, you might be concealed +there for any time. And now I will wait no longer, for last night visits +were made in all the barracks and stables by the agents of the law, +to see that every man was asleep in his place. Therefore I will return +without delay. In two days I will be here again; but should anything +occur which it is needful to tell you I will be here tomorrow night.” + +Malchus watched for the light on the following evening with but faint +hope of seeing it, but at about the same hour as before he saw it +suddenly appear again. Wondering what had brought Nessus before his +time, he paddled to the stairs. + +“Well, Nessus, what is your news?” + +“We have hit upon a plan of escape, my lord. As I told you my friend and +I are in the stable with the elephants, our duties being to carry in the +forage for the great beasts, and to keep the stables in order. We have +taken one of the Indian mahouts into our confidence, and he has promised +his aid; the elephant of which he is in charge is a docile beast, and +his driver has taught him many tricks. At his signal he will put up his +trunk and scream and rush here and there as if in the state which is +called must, when they are dangerous of approach. The mahout, who is a +crafty fellow, taught him to act thus, because when in such a state of +temper the elephants cannot be worked with the others, but remain in the +stables, and their drivers have an easy time of it. + +“On the promise of a handsome reward the mahout has agreed that tomorrow +morning, before the elephants are taken out, you shall be concealed in +the bottom of the howdah. He will manage that the elephant is the first +in the procession. When we get out into the courtyard he will slyly +prick the beast, and give him the signal to simulate rage; he will then +so direct him that, after charging several times about the court, he +shall make a rush at the gate. You may be sure that the guards there +will step aside quickly enough, for a furious elephant is not a creature +to be hindered. + +“When he is once down to the foot of the hill the driver will direct him +to some quiet spot. That he will find easily enough, for at his approach +there will be a general stampede. When he reaches some place where no +one is in sight he will halt the elephant and you will at once drop +off him. I shall be near at hand and will join you. The elephant will +continue his course for some little distance, and the mahout, feigning +to have at last recovered control over him, will direct him back to the +citadel.” + +“The idea is a capital one,” Malchus said, “and if carried out will +surely succeed. You and I have often seen during our campaigns elephants +in this state, and know how every one flies as they come along screaming +loudly, with their trunks high, and their great ears out on each side +of their heads. At any rate it is worth trying, Nessus, and if by any +chance we should fail in getting through the gate, the mahout would, of +course, take his elephant back to the stable, and I might slip out there +and conceal myself till night, and then make my way back here again.” + +“That's what we have arranged,” Nessus said. “And now, my lord, I will +leave you and go back to the stables, in case they should search them +again tonight. If you will push off and lie a short distance away from +the steps I will be here again half an hour before daybreak. I will +bring you a garb like my own, and will take you direct to the stable +where the animal is kept. There will be no one there save the mahout +and my two friends, so that it will be easy for us to cover you in the +howdah before the elephants go out. There is little chance of anyone +coming into the stables before that, for they have been searched so +frequently during the last two days that Hanno's agents must by this +time be convinced that wherever you are hidden you are not there. +Indeed, today the search has greatly relaxed, although the vigilance +at the gate and on the walls is as great as ever; so I think that they +despair of finding you, and believe that you must either have made your +escape already, or that if not you will sooner or later issue from your +hiding place and fall into their hands.” + +Malchus slept little that night, and rejoiced when he again saw +Nessus descending the steps. A few strokes of his paddle sent the raft +alongside. Nessus fastened a cord to it to prevent it from drifting +away. + +“We may need it again,” he said briefly. Malchus placed his own clothes +upon it and threw over his shoulders the bernous which Nessus had +brought. He then mounted the steps with him, the gate was closed and the +bolt shot, and they then made their way across to the stables. It was +still perfectly dark, though a very faint light, low in the eastern sky, +showed that ere long the day would break. + +Five minutes' walking and they arrived at the stables of the elephants. +These, like those of the horses and the oxen which drew the cumbrous war +machines, were formed in the vast thickness of the walls, and were what +are known in modern times as casemates. As Nessus had said, the Indian +mahout and the other two Arabs were the only human occupants of the +casemate. The elephant at once showed that he perceived the newcomer to +be a stranger by an uneasy movement, but the mahout quieted him. + +While they were waiting for morning, Nessus described, more fully than +he had hitherto had an opportunity of doing, the attack made upon him on +board the ship. + +“I was,” he said, “as my lord knows, uneasy when I found that they +had recognized you, and when we were within a day's sail of Carthage I +resolved to keep a lookout--therefore, although I wrapped myself in my +cloak and lay down, I did not go to sleep. After a while I thought +I heard the sound of oars, and, standing up, went to the bulwark to +listen. Suddenly some of the sailors, who must have been watching me, +sprang upon me from behind, a cloak was thrown over my head, a rope was +twisted round my arms, and in a moment I was lifted and flung overboard. + +“I did not cry out, because I had already made up my mind that it was +better not to arouse you from sleep whatever happened, as, had you run +out, you might have been killed, and I thought it likely that their +object would be, if you offered no resistance, to take you a prisoner, +in which case I trusted that I might later on hope to free you. As my +lord knows, I am a good swimmer. I let myself sink, and when well below +the surface soon got rid of the rope which bound me, and which was, +indeed, but hastily twisted round my arms. I came up to the surface as +noiselessly as possible, and after taking a long breath dived and swam +under water as far as I could. When I came up the ship was so far away +that there was little fear of their seeing me; however, I dived again +and again until in perfect safety. + +“I heard a boat rowed by many oars approach the vessel. I listened for a +time and found that all was quiet, and then laid myself out for the long +swim to shore, which I reached without difficulty. All day I kept my eye +on the vessel, which remained at anchor. As I could not tell to which +landing place you might be brought I went up in the evening and took +my post on the road leading up here, and when towards morning a party +entered, carrying one with them on a stretcher, I had little doubt that +it was you. + +“I was sure to find friends among the Arabs either belonging to the +regiment stationed in Byrsa or those employed in the storehouses or +stables; so the next morning I entered the citadel and soon met these +men, who belonged to my tribe and village. After that my way was plain; +my only fear was that they might kill you before I could discover the +place in which you were confined, and my heart sank the first night when +I found that, though I whispered down every one of the gratings, I could +obtain no reply. + +“I had many answers, indeed, but not from you. There might be many cells +besides those with openings into the temple, and were you placed in one +of these I might never hear of you again. I had resolved that if the +next night passed without my being able to find you, I would inform some +of those known to be friends of Hannibal that you were a prisoner, and +leave it in their hands to act as they liked, while I still continued my +efforts to communicate with you. You may imagine with what joy I heard +your reply on the following night.” + +“I must have been asleep the first night,” Malchus said, “and did not +hear your voice.” + +“I feared to speak above a whisper, my lord; there are priests all night +in the sanctuary behind the great image.” + +Day had by this time broken, and a stir and bustle commenced in front +of the long line of casemates; the elephants were brought out from +their stables and stood rocking themselves from side to side while their +keepers rubbed their hides with pumice stone. Nessus was one of those +who was appointed to make the great flat cakes of coarse flour which +formed the principal food of the elephants. The other Arabs busied +themselves in bringing in fresh straw, which Malchus scattered evenly +over the stall; heaps of freshly cut forage were placed before each +elephant. + +In a short time one of the Arabs took the place of Nessus in preparing +the cakes, while Nessus moved away and presently went down into the +town to await the coming of Malchus. By this arrangement if the +superintendent of the stables came round he would find the proper number +of men at work, and was not likely to notice the substitution of Malchus +for Nessus, with whose face he could not yet have become familiar. By +this time numbers of the townsmen were as usual coming up to the citadel +to worship in the temple or to visit friends dwelling there. Malchus +learned that since his escape had been known each person on entrance +received a slip of brass with a stamp on it which he had to give up on +leaving. + +All employed in the citadel received a similar voucher, without which +none could pass the gate. The time was now come when the elephants were +accustomed to be taken down to the fountains in the town below, and the +critical moment was at hand. The mahout had already begun to prepare his +elephant for the part he was to play. It had been trumpeting loudly and +showing signs of impatience and anger. The animal was now made to kneel +by the door of its stable, where Malchus had already lain down at the +bottom of the howdah, a piece of sacking being thrown over him by the +Arabs. The two Arabs and the mahout carried the howdah out, placed it on +the elephant, and securely fastened it in its position. + +These howdahs were of rough construction, being in fact little more than +large open crates, for the elephants after being watered went to the +forage yard, where the crates were filled with freshly cut grass or +young boughs of trees, which they carried up for their own use to the +citadel. + +The mahout took his position on its neck, and the elephant then rose to +its feet. The symptoms of bad temper which it had already given were +now redoubled. It gave vent to a series of short vicious squeals, it +trumpeted loudly and angrily, and, although the mahout appeared to be +doing his best to pacify it, it became more and more demonstrative. The +superintendent of the elephants rode up. + +“You had better dismount and take that brute back to the stable,” he +said; “he is not safe to take out this morning.” As he approached the +elephant threw up his trunk, opened his mouth, and rushed suddenly at +him. The officer fled hastily, shouting loudly to the other mahouts to +bring their animals in a circle round the elephant, but the mahout gave +him a sudden prod with his pricker and the elephant set off with great +strides, his ears out, his trunk in the air, and with every sign of +an access of fury, at the top of his speed. He rushed across the great +courtyard, the people flying in all directions with shouts of terror; he +made two or three turns up and down, each time getting somewhat nearer +to the gate. + +As he approached it for the third time the mahout guided him towards it, +and, accustomed at this hour to sally out, the elephant made a sudden +rush in that direction. The officer on guard shouted to his men to +close the gate, but before they could attempt to carry out the order +the elephant charged through, and at the top of his speed went down the +road. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: CANNAE + + +As the elephant tore down the road to the town many were the narrow +escapes that, as they thought, those coming up had of being crushed or +thrown into the air by the angry beast. Some threw themselves on their +faces, others got over the parapet and hung by their hands until he +had passed, while some squeezed themselves against the wall; but the +elephant passed on without doing harm to any. + +On reaching the foot of the descent the mahout guided the animal to the +left, and, avoiding the busy streets of the town, directed its course +towards the more quiet roads of the opulent quarter of Megara. The cries +of the people at the approach of the elephant preceded its course, and +all took refuge in gardens or houses. The latter became less and +less frequent, until, at a distance of two miles from the foot of the +citadel, the mahout, on looking round, perceived no one in sight. He +brought the elephant suddenly to a standstill. + +“Quick, my lord,” he exclaimed, “now is the time.” + +Malchus threw off the sack, climbed out of the howdah, and slipped down +by the elephant's tail, the usual plan for dismounting when an elephant +is on its feet. Then he sprang across the road, leaped into a garden, +and hid himself among some bushes. The mahout now turned the elephant, +and, as if he had succeeded at last in subduing it, slowly retraced his +steps towards the citadel. + +A minute or two later Malchus issued out and quietly followed it. He +had gone some distance when he saw an Arab approaching him, and soon +recognized Nessus. They turned off together from the main road and made +their way by bystreets until they reached the lower city. At a spot near +the port they found one of the Arabs from above awaiting them, and he +at once led the way to the house inhabited by his family. The scheme had +been entirely successful. Malchus had escaped from the citadel without +the possibility of a suspicion arising that he had issued from +its gates, and in his Arab garb he could now traverse the streets +unsuspected. + +Nessus was overjoyed at the success of the stratagem, and Malchus +himself could hardly believe that he had escaped from the terrible +danger which threatened him. Nessus and the Arab at once returned to the +citadel. It was agreed that the former had better continue his work as +usual until the evening, and then ask for his discharge on the plea that +he had received a message requiring his presence in his native village, +for it was thought that suspicion might be excited were he to leave +suddenly without drawing his pay, and possibly a search might be +instituted in the city to discover his whereabouts. + +At nightfall he returned, and then went to the house of one of the +leaders of the Barcine party with a message from Malchus to tell him +where he was, and the events which had occurred since his landing at +Carthage, and asking him to receive him privately in two hours' time, in +order that he might consult him as to the best plan to be followed. + +Nessus returned saying that Manon was at home and was awaiting him, and +the two at once set out for his house. Manon, who was a distant relation +of Malchus, received him most warmly, and listened in astonishment to +his story of what had befallen him. Malchus then explained the mission +with which Hannibal had charged him, and asked his advice as to the best +course to be adopted. Manon was silent for a time. + +“Hanno's faction is all powerful at present,” he said, “and were +Hannibal himself here I doubt whether his voice could stir the senate +into taking action such as is needed. The times have been hard, and +Hanno and his party have lavished money so freely among the lower +classes that there is no hope of stirring the populace up to declare +against him. I think it would be in the highest degree dangerous +were we, as you propose, to introduce you suddenly to the senate as +Hannibal's ambassador to them, and leave you to plead his cause. You +would obtain no hearing. Hanno would rise in his place and denounce you +as one already condemned by the tribunals as an enemy to the republic, +and would demand your instant execution, and, as he has a great majority +of votes in the senate, his demand would be complied with. You would, +I am convinced, throw away your life for no good purpose, while your +presence and your mysterious escape from prison would be made the +pretense for a fresh series of persecutions of our partisans. I +understand as well as you do the urgency for reinforcements being sent +to Italy; but in order to do this the navy, now rotting in our harbours, +must be repaired, the command of the sea must be regained, and fresh +levies of troops made. + +“To ask Carthage to make these sacrifices in her present mood is +hopeless; we must await an opportunity. I and my friends will prepare +the way, will set our agents to work among the people, and when the +news of another victory arrives and the people's hopes are aroused and +excited, we will strike while the iron is hot, and call upon them to +make one great effort to bring the struggle to a conclusion and to +finish with Rome forever. + +“Such is, in my opinion, the only possible mode of proceeding. To +move now would be to ensure a rejection of our demands, to bring fresh +persecutions upon us, and so to weaken us that we should be powerless +to turn to good account the opportunity which the news of another great +victory would afford. I will write at once to Hannibal and explain +all the circumstances of the situation, and will tell him why I have +counselled you to avoid carrying out his instructions, seeing that to +do so now would be to ensure your own destruction and greatly damage our +cause. + +“In the meantime you must, for a short time, remain in concealment, +while I arrange for a ship to carry you back to Italy.” + +“The sooner the better,” Malchus said bitterly, “for Carthage with its +hideous tyranny, its foul corruption, its forgetfulness of its glory, +its honour, and even its safety, is utterly hateful to me. I trust that +never again shall I set foot within its walls. Better a thousand times +to die in a battlefield than to live in this accursed city.” + +“It is natural that you should be indignant,” Manon said, “for the young +blood runs hotly in your veins, and your rage at seeing the fate which +is too certainly impending over Carthage, and which you are powerless +to prevent, is in no way to be blamed. We old men bow more resignedly to +the decrees of the gods. You know the saying, 'Those whom the gods would +destroy they first strike with madness.' Carthage is such. She sees +unmoved the heroic efforts which Hannibal and his army are making to +save her, and she will not stretch out a hand to aid him. She lives +contentedly under the constant tyranny of Hanno's rule, satisfied to +be wealthy, luxurious, and slothful, to carry on her trade, to keep her +riches, caring nothing for the manly virtues, indifferent to valour, +preparing herself slowly and surely to fall an easy prey to Rome. + +“The end probably will not come in my time, it may come in yours, but +come it certainly and surely will. A nation which can place a mere +handful of its own citizens in the line of battle voluntarily dooms +herself to destruction.” + +“Whether it comes in my time or not,” Malchus said, “I will be no sharer +in the fate of Carthage. I have done with her; and if I do not fall in +the battlefield I will, when the war is over, seek a refuge among the +Gauls, where, if the life is rough, it is at least free and independent, +where courage and manliness and honour count for much, and where the +enervating influence of wealth is as yet unknown. Such is my firm +resolution.” + +“I say nothing to dissuade you, Malchus,” the old man replied, “such are +the natural sentiments of your age; and methinks, were my own time to +come over again, I too would choose such a life in preference to an +existence in the polluted atmosphere of ungrateful Carthage. And now, +will you stop here with me, or will you return to the place where you +are staying? I need not say how gladly I would have you here, but +I cannot answer certainly for your safety. Every movement of those +belonging to our party is watched by Hanno, and I doubt not that he has +his spies among my slaves and servants. + +“Therefore deem me not inhospitable if I say that it were better for you +to remain in hiding where you are. Let your follower come nightly to me +for instructions; let him enter the gate and remain in the garden near +it. I will come down and see him; his visits, were they known, would +excite suspicion. Bid him on his return watch closely to see that he is +not followed, and tell him to go by devious windings and to mix in the +thickest crowds in order to throw any one who may be following off his +track before he rejoins you. I trust to be able to arrange for a ship +in the course of three or four days. Come again and see me before you +leave. Here is a bag of gold; you will need it to reward those who have +assisted in your escape.” + +Malchus at once agreed that it would be better for him to return to his +abode among the Arabs, and thanking Manon for his kindness he returned +with Nessus, who had been waiting without. + +As they walked along Malchus briefly related to his follower the +substance of his interview with Manon. Suddenly Nessus stopped and +listened, and then resumed his walk. + +“I think we are followed, my lord,” he said, “one of Hanno's spies in +Manon's household is no doubt seeking to discover who are the Arabs who +have paid his master a visit. I have thought once before that I heard +a footfall, now l am sure of it. When we get to the next turning do you +walk on and I will turn down the road. If the man behind us be honest +he will go straight on; if he be a spy, he will hesitate and stop at the +corner to decide which of us he shall follow; then I shall know what to +do.” + +Accordingly at the next crossroad they came to Nessus turned down and +concealed himself a few paces away, while Malchus, without pausing, +walked straight on. A minute later Nessus saw a dark figure come +stealthily along. He stopped at the junction of the roads and stood for +a few seconds in hesitation, then he followed Malchus. + +Nessus issued from his hiding place, and, with steps as silent and +stealthy as those of a tiger tracking his prey, followed the man. When +within a few paces of him he gave a sudden spring and flung himself upon +him, burying his knife between his shoulders. Without a sound the +man fell forward on his face. Nessus coolly wiped his knife upon +the garments of the spy, and then proceeded at a rapid pace until he +overtook Malchus. + +“It was a spy,” he said, “but he will carry no more tales to Hanno.” + +Two days later, Nessus, on his return from his visit to Manon, brought +news that the latter had arranged with the captain of a ship owned by +a friend to carry them across to Corinth, whence they would have no +difficulty in taking a passage to Italy. They were to go on board late +the following night, and the ship would set sail at daybreak. + +The next evening Malchus accompanied by Nessus paid a farewell visit to +Manon, and repeated to him all the instructions of Hannibal, and Manon +handed him his letter for the general, and again assured him that he +would, with his friends, at once set to work to pave the way for an +appeal to the populace at the first favourable opportunity. + +After bidding farewell to the old noble, Malchus returned to the house +of the Arab and prepared for his departure. He had already handsomely +rewarded the two men and the mahout for the services they had rendered +him. In the course of the day he had provided himself with the garments +of a trader, the character which he was now about to assume. + +At midnight, when all was quiet, he and Nessus set out and made their +way down to the port, where, at a little frequented landing stage, a +boat was awaiting them, and they were at once rowed to the ship, which +was lying at anchor half a mile from the shore in readiness for an early +start in the morning. + +Although it seemed next to impossible that they could have been traced, +Malchus walked the deck restlessly until the morning, listening to every +sound, and it was not until the anchor was weighed, the sails hoisted, +and the vessel began to draw away from Carthage that he went into his +cabin. On the sixth day after leaving Carthage the ship entered the port +of Corinth. + +There were several vessels there from Italian ports, but before +proceeding to arrange for a passage Malchus went to a shop and bought, +for himself and Nessus, such clothing and arms as would enable them to +pass without difficulty as fighting men belonging to one of the Latin +tribes. Then he made inquiries on the quay, and, finding that a small +Italian craft was to start that afternoon for Brundusium, he went on +board and accosted the captain. + +“We want to cross to Italy,” he said, “but we have our reasons for not +wishing to land at Brundusium, and would fain be put ashore at some +distance from the town. We are ready, of course, to pay extra for the +trouble.” + +The request did not seem strange to the captain. Malchus had spoken in +Greek, the language with which all who traded on the Mediterranean were +familiar. He supposed that they had in some way embroiled themselves +with the authorities at Brundusium, and had fled for awhile until the +matter blew over, and that they were now anxious to return to their +homes without passing through the town. He asked rather a high price for +putting them ashore in a boat as they wished, and Malchus haggled over +the sum for a considerable time, as a readiness to pay an exorbitant +price might have given rise to doubts in the captain's mind as to the +quality of his passengers. Once or twice he made as if he would go +ashore, and the captain at last abated his demands to a reasonable sum. + +When this was settled Malchus went no more ashore, but remained on board +until the vessel sailed, as he feared that he might again be recognized +by some of the sailors of the Carthaginian vessels in port. The weather +was fair and the wind light, and on the second day after sailing +the vessel lay to in a bay a few miles from Brundusium. The boat was +lowered, and Malchus and his companions set on shore. + +They had before embarking laid in a store of provisions not only for +a voyage, but for their journey across the country, as the slight +knowledge which Malchus had of the Latin tongue would have betrayed him +at once were he obliged to enter a town or village to purchase food. +Carrying the provisions in bundles they made for the mountains, and +after three days' journey reached without interruption or adventure +the camp of Hannibal. He was still lying in his intrenched camp near +Geronium. The Roman army was as before watching him at a short distance +off. + +Malchus at once sought the tent of the general, whose surprise at seeing +him enter was great, for he had not expected that he would return until +the spring. Malchus gave him an account of all that had taken place +since he left him. Hannibal was indignant in the extreme at Hanno having +ventured to arrest and condemn his ambassador. When he learned the +result of the interview with Manon, and heard how completely the hostile +faction were the masters of Carthage, he agreed that the counsels of +the old nobleman were wise, and that Malchus could have done no good, +whereas he would have exposed himself to almost certain death, by +endeavouring further to carry out the mission with which he had been +charged. + +“Manon knows what is best, and, no doubt, a premature attempt to excite +the populace to force Hanno into sending the reinforcements we so much +need would have not only failed, but would have injured our cause. He +and his friends will doubtless work quietly to prepare the public mind, +and I trust that ere very long some decisive victory will give them the +opportunity for exciting a great demonstration on our behalf.” + +The remainder of the winter passed quietly. Malchus resumed his post as +the commander of Hannibal's bodyguard, but his duties were very light. +The greater part of his time was spent in accompanying Hannibal in his +visits to the camps of the soldiers, where nothing was left undone which +could add to the comfort and contentment of the troops. There is no +stronger evidence of the popularity of Hannibal and of the influence +which he exercised over his troops than the fact that the army under +him, composed, as it was, of men of so many nationalities, for the most +part originally compelled against their will to enter the service +of Carthage, maintained their discipline unshaken, not only by the +hardships and sacrifices of the campaigns, but through the long periods +of enforced idleness in their winter quarters. + +From first to last, through the long war, there was neither grumbling, +nor discontent, nor insubordination among the troops. They served +willingly and cheerfully. They had absolute confidence in their general, +and were willing to undertake the most tremendous labours and to engage +in the most arduous conflicts to please him, knowing that he, on his +part, was unwearied in promoting their comfort and well being at all +other times. + +As the spring advanced the great magazines which Hannibal had brought +with him became nearly exhausted, and no provisions could be obtained +from the surrounding country, which had been completely ruined by the +long presence of the two armies. It became, therefore, necessary to move +from the position which he had occupied during the winter. The Romans +possessed the great advantage over him of having magazines in their rear +constantly replenished by their allies, and move where they might, they +were sure of obtaining subsistence without difficulty. Thus, upon +the march, they were unembarrassed by the necessity of taking a great +baggage train with them, and, when halted, their general could keep +his army together in readiness to strike a blow whenever an opportunity +offered; while Hannibal, on the other hand, was forced to scatter a +considerable portion of the army in search of provisions. + +The annual elections at Rome had just taken place, and Terentius Varro +and Emilius Paulus had been chosen consuls. Emilius belonged to the +aristocratic party, and had given proof of military ability three +years before when he had commanded as consul in the Illyrian war. Varro +belonged to the popular party, and is described by the historians of +the period as a coarse and brutal demagogue, the son of a butcher, and +having himself been a butcher. But he was unquestionably an able man, +and possessed some great qualities. The praetor Marcellus, who had slain +a Gaulish king with his own hand in the last Gaulish war, was at Ostia +with a legion. He was destined to command the fleet and to guard the +southern coasts of Italy, while another praetor, Lucius Postumius, with +one legion, was in Cisalpine Gaul keeping down the tribes friendly to +Carthage. + +But before the new consuls arrived to take the command of the army +Hannibal had moved from Geronium. + +The great Roman magazine of Apulia was at Cannae, a town near the river +Aulidus. This important place was but fifty miles by the shortest route +across the plain from Geronium; but the Romans were unable to follow +directly across the plain, for at this time the Carthaginians greatly +outnumbered them in cavalry, and they would, therefore, have to take +the road round the foot of the mountains, which was nearly seventy miles +long; and yet, by some unaccountable blunder, they neglected to place a +sufficient guard over their great magazines at Cannae to defend them for +even a few days against a sudden attack. + +Hannibal saw the opportunity, and when spring was passing into summer +broke up his camp and marched straight to Cannae, where the vast +magazines of the Romans at once fell into his hands. He thus not only +obtained possession of his enemy's supplies, but interposed between the +Romans and the low lying district of Southern Apulia, where alone, at, +this early season of the year, the corn was fully ripe. + +The Romans had now no choice but to advance and fight a battle for the +recovery of their magazines, for, had they retired, the Apulians, who +had already suffered terribly from the war, would, in sheer despair, +have been forced to declare for Carthage, while it would have been +extremely difficult to continue any longer the waiting tactics of +Fabius, as they would now have been obliged to draw their provisions +from a distance, while Hannibal could victual his army from the country +behind him. The senate therefore, having largely reinforced the army, +ordered the consuls to advance and give battle. + +They had under them eight full legions, or eighty thousand infantry and +seven thousand two hundred cavalry. To oppose these Hannibal had forty +thousand infantry and ten thousand excellent cavalry, of whom +two thousand were Numidians. On the second day after leaving the +neighbourhood of Geronium the Romans encamped at a distance of six miles +from the Carthaginians. Here the usual difference of opinion at once +arose between the Roman consuls, who commanded the army on alternate +days. Varro wished to march against the enemy without delay, while +Emilius was adverse to risking an engagement in a country which, being +level and open, was favourable to the action of Hannibal's superior +cavalry. + +On the following day Varro, whose turn it was to command, marched +towards the hostile camp. Hannibal attacked the Roman advanced guard +with his cavalry and light infantry, but Varro had supported his cavalry +not only by his light troops, but by a strong body of his heavy armed +infantry, and after an engagement, which lasted for several hours, he +repulsed the Carthaginians with considerable loss. + +That evening the Roman army encamped about three miles from Cannae, +on the right bank of the Aufidus. The next morning Emilius, who was in +command, detached a third of his force across the river, and encamped +them there for the purpose of supporting the Roman foraging parties on +that side and of interrupting those of the Carthaginians. + +The next day passed quietly, but on the following morning Hannibal +quitted his camp and formed his army in order of battle to tempt the +Romans to attack; but Emilius, sensible that the ground was against him, +would not move, but contented himself with further strengthening his +camps. Hannibal, seeing that the Romans would not fight, detached his +Numidian cavalry across the river to cut off the Roman foraging parties +and to surround and harass their smaller camp on that side of the +river. On the following morning Hannibal, knowing that Varro would be +in command, and feeling sure that, with his impetuous disposition, the +consul would be burning to avenge the insult offered by the surrounding +of his camp by the Numidians, moved his army across the river, and +formed it in order of battle, leaving eight thousand of his men to guard +his camp. + +By thus doing he obtained a position which he could the better hold +with his inferior forces, while the Romans, deeming that he intended +to attack their camp on that side of the river, would be likely to move +their whole army across and to give battle. This in fact Varro proceeded +to do. Leaving ten thousand men in his own camp with orders to march out +and attack that of Hannibal during the engagement, he led the rest of +his troops over the river, and having united his force with that in +the camp on the right bank, marched down the river until he faced the +position which Hannibal had taken up. + +This had been skillfully chosen. The river, whose general course was +east and west, made a loop, and across this Hannibal had drawn up his +army with both wings resting upon the river. Thus the Romans could +not outflank him, and the effect of their vastly superior numbers in +infantry would to some extent be neutralized. The following was the +disposition of his troops. + +The Spaniards and Gauls occupied the centre of the line of infantry. The +Africans formed the two wings. On his left flank between the Africans +and the river he placed his heavy African and Gaulish horse, eight +thousand strong, while the two thousand Numidians were posted between +the infantry and the river on the right flank. Hannibal commanded the +centre of the army in person, Hanno the right wing, Hasdrubal the left +wing; Maharbal commanded the cavalry. + +Varro placed his infantry in close and heavy order, so as to reduce +their front to that of the Carthaginians. The Roman cavalry, numbering +two thousand four hundred men, was on his right wing, and was thus +opposed to Hannibal's heavy cavalry, eight thousand strong. The cavalry +of the Italian allies, four thousand eight hundred strong, was on the +left wing facing the Numidians. + +Emilius commanded the Roman right, Varro the left. The Carthaginians +faced north, so that the wind, which was blowing strongly from the +south, swept clouds of dust over their heads full into the faces of the +enemy. The battle was commenced by the light troops on both sides, +who fought for some time obstinately and courageously, but without any +advantage to either. While this contest was going on, Hannibal advanced +his centre so as to form a salient angle projecting in front of his +line. The whole of the Gauls and Spaniards took part in this movement, +while the Africans remained stationary; at the same time he launched his +heavy cavalry against the Roman horse. + +The latter were instantly overthrown, and were driven from the field +with great slaughter. Emilius himself was wounded, but managed to join +the infantry. While the Carthaginian heavy horse were thus defeating +the Roman cavalry, the Numidians maneuvered near the greatly superior +cavalry of the Italian allies, and kept them occupied until the heavy +horse, after destroying the Roman cavalry, swept round behind their +infantry and fell upon the rear of the Italian horse, while the +Numidians charged them fiercely in front. + +Thus caught in a trap the Italian horse were completely annihilated, and +so, before the heavy infantry of the two armies met each other, not a +Roman cavalry soldier remained alive and unwounded on the field. + +The Roman infantry now advanced to the charge, and from the nature of +Hannibal's formation their centre first came in contact with the head of +the salient angle formed by the Gauls and Spaniards. These resisted with +great obstinacy. The principes, who formed the second line of the Roman +infantry, came forward and joined the spearmen, and even the triarii +pressed forward and joined in the fight. Fighting with extreme obstinacy +the Carthaginian centre was forced gradually back until they were again +in a line with the Africans on their flanks. + +The Romans had insensibly pressed in from both flanks upon the point +where they had met with resistance, and now occupied a face scarcely +more than half that with which they had begun the battle. Still further +the Gauls and Spaniards were driven back until they now formed an angle +in rear of the original line, and in this angle the whole of the Roman +infantry in a confused mass pressed upon them. This was the moment for +which Hannibal had waited. He wheeled round both his flanks, and the +Africans, who had hitherto not struck a blow, now fell in perfect order +upon the flanks of the Roman mass, while Hasdrubal with his victorious +cavalry charged down like a torrent upon their rear. Then followed a +slaughter unequalled in the records of history. Unable to open out, to +fight, or to fly, with no quarter asked or given, the Romans and their +Latin allies fell before the swords of their enemies, till, of the +seventy thousand infantry which had advanced to the fight, forty +thousand had fallen on the field. Three thousand were taken prisoners, +seven thousand escaped to the small camp, and ten thousand made their +way across the river to the large camp, where they joined the force +which had been left there, and which had, in obedience to Varro's +orders, attacked the Carthaginian camp, but had been repulsed with a +loss of two thousand men. All the troops in both camps were forced +to surrender on the following morning, and thus only fifteen thousand +scattered fugitives escaped of the eighty-seven thousand two hundred +infantry and cavalry under the command of the Roman consuls. + +Hannibal's loss in the battle of Cannae amounted to about six thousand +men. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: IN THE MINES + + +The exultation of the Carthaginians at the total destruction of their +enemies was immense, and Maharbal and some of the other leaders urged +Hannibal at once to march upon Rome; but Hannibal knew the spirit of +the Roman people, and felt that the capture of Rome, even after +the annihilation of its army, would be a greater task than he could +undertake. History has shown how desperate a defence may be made by +a population willing to die rather than surrender, and the Romans, an +essentially martial people, would defend their city until the last gasp. +They had an abundance of arms, and there were the two city legions, +which formed the regular garrison of the capital. + +The instant the news of the defeat reached Rome, a levy of all males +over seventeen years of age was ordered, and this produced another ten +thousand men and a thousand cavalry. Eight thousand slaves who were +willing to serve were enlisted and armed, and four thousand criminals +and debtors were released from prison and pardoned, on the condition of +their taking up arms. The praetor Marcellus was at Ostia with the ten +thousand men with which he was about to embark for Sicily. + +Thus Rome would be defended by forty-three thousand men, while Hannibal +had but thirty-three thousand infantry, and his cavalry, the strongest +arm of his force, would be useless. From Cannae to Rome was twelve days' +march with an army encumbered with booty. He could not, therefore, hope +for a surprise. The walls of Rome were exceedingly strong, and he had +with him none of the great machines which would have been necessary for +a siege. He must have carried with him the supplies he had accumulated +for the subsistence of his force, and when these were consumed he would +be destitute. Fresh Roman levies would gather on his rear, and before +long his whole army would be besieged. + +In such an undertaking he would have wasted time, and lost the prestige +which he had acquired by his astonishing victory. Varro, who had escaped +from the battle, had rallied ten thousand of the fugitives at the strong +place of Canusium, and these would be a nucleus round which the rest of +those who had escaped would rally, and would be joined by fresh levies +of the Italian allies of Rome. + +The Romans showed their confidence in their power to resist a siege by +at once despatching Marcellus with his ten thousand men to Canusium. +Thus, with a strongly defended city in front, an army of twenty thousand +Roman soldiers, which would speedily increase to double that number, in +his rear, Hannibal perceived that were he to undertake the siege of +Rome he would risk all the advantages he had gained. He determined, +therefore, to continue the policy which he had laid down for himself, +namely, to move his army to and fro among the provinces of Italy until +the allies of Rome one by one fell away from her, and joined him, or +until such reinforcements arrived from Carthage as would justify him in +undertaking the siege of Rome. + +Rome herself was never grander than in this hour of defeat; not for +a moment was the courage and confidence of her citizens shaken. The +promptness with which she prepared for defence, and still more the +confidence which she showed by despatching Marcellus with his legion to +Canusium instead of retaining him for the defence of the city, show a +national spirit and manliness worthy of the highest admiration. Varro +was ordered to hand over his command to Marcellus, and to return to Rome +to answer before the senate for his conduct. + +Varro doubted not that his sentence would be death, for the Romans, +like the Carthaginians, had but little mercy for a defeated general. His +colleague and his army had undoubtedly been sacrificed by his rashness. +Moreover, the senate was composed of his bitter political enemies, and +he could not hope that a lenient view would be taken of his conduct. +Nevertheless Varro returned to Rome and appeared before the senate. That +body nobly responded to the confidence manifested in it; party feeling +was suspended, the political adversary, the defeated general, were alike +forgotten, it was only remembered how Varro had rallied his troops, how +he had allayed the panic which prevailed among them, and had at once +restored order and discipline. His courage, too, in thus appearing, +after so great a disaster, to submit himself to the judgment of the +country, counted in his favour. His faults were condoned, and the senate +publicly thanked him, because he had not despaired of the commonwealth. + +Hannibal, in pursuance of his policy to detach the allies of Italy from +Rome, dismissed all the Italian prisoners without ransom. The Roman +prisoners he offered to admit to ransom, and a deputation of them +accompanied an ambassador to offer terms of peace. The senate, however, +not only refused to discuss any terms of peace, but absolutely forbade +the families and friends of the prisoners to ransom them, thinking it +politic neither to enrich their adversary nor to show indulgence to +soldiers who had surrendered to the enemy. + +The victory of Cannae and Hannibal's clemency began to bear the effects +which he hoped for. Apulia declared for him at once, and the towns +of Arpi and Celapia opened their gates to him; Bruttium, Lucania, and +Samnium were ready to follow. Mago with one division of the army was +sent into Bruttium to take possession of such towns as might submit. +Hanno was sent with another division to do the same in Lucania. Hannibal +himself marched into Samnium, and making an alliance with the tribes, +there stored his plunder, and proceeded into Campania, and entered +Capua, the second city of Italy, which concluded an alliance with him. +Mago embarked at one of the ports of Bruttium to carry the news of +Hannibal's success to Carthage, and to demand reinforcements. + +Neither Rome nor Carthage had the complete mastery of the sea, and as +the disaster which had befallen Rome by land would greatly lessen +her power to maintain a large fleet, Carthage could now have poured +reinforcements in by the ports of Bruttium without difficulty. But +unfortunately Hannibal's bitterest enemies were to be found not in Italy +but in the senate of Carthage, where, in spite of the appeals of Mago +and the efforts of the patriotic party, the intrigues of Hanno and +his faction and the demands made by the war in Spain, prevented the +reinforcements from being forwarded which would have enabled him to +terminate the struggle by the conquest of Rome. + +Hannibal, after receiving the submission of several other towns and +capturing Casilinum, went into winter quarters at Capua. During the +winter Rome made gigantic efforts to place her army upon a war footing, +and with such success that, excluding the army of Scipio in Spain, +she had, when the spring began, twelve legions or a hundred and twenty +thousand men again under arms; and as no reinforcements, save some +elephants and a small body of cavalry, ever reached Hannibal from +Carthage, he was, during the remaining thirteen years of the war, +reduced to stand wholly on the defensive, protecting his allies, +harassing his enemy, and feeding his own army at their expense; and yet +so great was the dread which his genius had excited that, in spite of +their superior numbers, the Romans after Cannae never ventured again to +engage him in a pitched battle. + +Soon after the winter set in Hannibal ordered Malchus to take a number +of officers and a hundred picked men, and to cross from Capua to +Sardinia, where the inhabitants had revolted against Rome, and were +harassing the praetor, Quintus Mucius, who commanded the legion which +formed the garrison of the island. Malchus and the officers under him +were charged with the duty of organizing the wild peasantry of the +island, and of drilling them in regular tactics; for unless acting +as bodies of regular troops, however much they might harass the Roman +legion, they could not hope to expel them from their country. Nessus of +course accompanied Malchus. + +The party embarked in two of the Capuan galleys. They had not been many +hours at sea when the weather, which had when they started been fine, +changed suddenly, and ere long one of the fierce gales which are so +frequent in the Mediterranean burst upon them. The wind was behind them, +and there was nothing to do but to let the galleys run before it. The +sea got up with great rapidity, and nothing but the high poops at their +stern prevented the two galleys being sunk by the great waves which +followed them. The oars were laid in, for it was impossible to use them +in such a sea. + +As night came on the gale increased rather than diminished. The +Carthaginian officers and soldiers remained calm and quiet in the storm, +but the Capuan sailors gave themselves up to despair, and the men at the +helm were only kept at their post by Malchus threatening to have them +thrown overboard instantly if they abandoned it. After nightfall he +assembled the officers in the cabin in the poop. + +“The prospects are bad,” he said. “The pilot tells me that unless the +gale abates or the wind changes we shall, before morning, be thrown upon +the coast of Sardinia, and that will be total destruction; for upon the +side facing Italy the cliffs, for the most part, rise straight up from +the water, the only port on that side being that at which the Romans +have their chief castle and garrison. He tells me there is nothing to be +done, and I see nought myself. Were we to try to bring the galley round +to the wind she would be swamped in a moment, while even if we could +carry out the operation, it would be impossible to row in the teeth of +this sea. Therefore, my friends, there is nothing for us to do save +to keep up the courage of the men, and to bid them hold themselves in +readiness to seize upon any chance of getting to shore should the vessel +strike.” + +All night the galley swept on before the storm. The light on the other +boat had disappeared soon after darkness had set in. Half the soldiers +and crew by turns were kept at work baling out the water which found its +way over the sides, and several times so heavily did the seas break into +her that all thought that she was lost. However, when morning broke she +was still afloat. The wind had hardly shifted a point since it had begun +to blow, and the pilot told Malchus that they must be very near to the +coast of Sardinia. As the light brightened every eye was fixed ahead +over the waste of angry foaming water. Presently the pilot, who was +standing next to Malchus, grasped his arm. + +“There is the land,” he cried, “dead before us.” + +Not until a few minutes later could Malchus make out the faint outline +through the driving mist. It was a lofty pile of rock standing by +itself. + +“It is an island!” he exclaimed. + +“It is Caralis,” the pilot replied; “I know its outline well; we are +already in the bay. Look to the right, you can make out the outline of +the cliffs at its mouth, we have passed it already. You do not see the +shore ahead because the rock on which Caralis stands rises from a level +plain, and to the left a lagoon extends for a long way in; it is there +that the Roman galleys ride. The gods have brought us to the only spot +along the coast where we could approach it with a hope of safety.” + +“There is not much to rejoice at,” Malchus said; “we may escape the sea, +but only to be made prisoners by the Romans.” + +“Nay, Malchus, the alternative is not so bad,” a young officer who was +standing next to him said. “Hannibal has thousands of Roman prisoners in +his hands, and we may well hope to be exchanged. After the last twelve +hours any place on shore, even a Roman prison, is an elysium compared to +the sea.” + +The outline of the coast was now clearly visible. The great rock of +Caralis, now known as Cagliari, rose dark and threatening, the low +shores of the bay on either side were marked by a band of white foam, +while to the left of the rock was the broad lagoon, dotted with the +black hulls of a number of ships and galleys rolling and tossing +heavily, for as the wind blew straight into the bay the lagoon was +covered with short, angry waves. + +The pilot now ordered the oars to be got out. The entrance to the lagoon +was wide, but it was only in the middle that the channel was deep, and +on either side of this long breakwaters of stone were run out from the +shore, to afford a shelter to the shipping within. The sea was so rough +that it was found impossible to use the oars, and they were again +laid in and a small sail was hoisted. This enabled the head to be laid +towards the entrance of the lagoon. For a time it was doubtful whether +the galley could make it, but she succeeded in doing so, and then ran +straight on towards the upper end of the harbour. + +“That is far enough,” the pilot said presently; “the water shoals fast +beyond. We must anchor here.” + +The sail was lowered, the oars got out on one side, and the head of the +galley brought to the wind. The anchor was then dropped. As the storm +beaten galley ran right up the lagoon she had been viewed with curiosity +and interest by those who were on board the ships at anchor. That she +was an Italian galley was clear, and also that she was crowded with men, +but no suspicion was entertained that these were Carthaginians. + +The anchor once cast Malchus held a council with the other officers. +They were in the midst of foes, and escape seemed altogether impossible. +Long before the gale abated sufficiently to permit them to put to sea +again, they would be visited by boats from the other vessels to ask who +they were and whence they came. As to fighting their way out it was out +of the question, for there were a score of triremes in the bay, any +one of which could crush the Capuan galley, and whose far greater speed +rendered the idea of flight as hopeless as that of resistance. The +council therefore agreed unanimously that the only thing to be done was +to surrender without resistance. + +The storm continued for another twenty-four hours, then the wind died +out almost as suddenly as it began. + +As soon as the sea began to abate two galleys were seen putting out from +the town, and these rowed directly towards the ship. The fact that she +had shown no flag had no doubt excited suspicion in the minds of the +garrison. Each galley contained fifty soldiers. As they rowed alongside +a Roman officer on the poop of one of the galleys hailed the ship, and +demanded whence it came. + +“We are from Capua,” the pilot answered. “The gale has blown us across +thence. I have on board fifty Carthaginian officers and soldiers, who +now surrender to you.” + +As in those days, when vessels could with difficulty keep the sea in a +storm, and in the event of a gale springing up were forced to run before +it, it was by no means unusual for galleys to be blown into hostile +ports, the announcement excited no great surprise. + +“Who commands the party?” the Roman officer asked. + +“I do,” Malchus replied. “I am Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, who was +killed at the Trebia, a cousin of Hannibal and captain of his guard. I +surrender with my followers, seeing that resistance is hopeless.” + +“It is hopeless,” the Roman replied, “and you are right not to throw +away the lives of your men when there is no possibility of resistance.” + +As he spoke he stepped on board, ordered the anchor to be weighed, and +the galley, accompanied by the two Roman boats, was rowed to the landing +place. A messenger was at once sent up to Mucius to tell him what had +happened, and the praetor himself soon appeared upon the spot. The +officer acquainted him with the name and rank of the leader of the +Carthaginian party, and said that there were with him two officers of +noble families of the Carthaginians. + +“That is well,” the praetor said, “it is a piece of good fortune. The +Carthaginians have so many of our officers in their hands, that it is +well to have some whom we may exchange for them. Let them be landed.” + +As they left the ship the Carthaginians laid down their arms and armour. +By this time a large number of the Roman garrison, among whom the +news had rapidly spread, were assembled at the port. Many of the +young soldiers had never yet seen a Carthaginian, and they looked +with curiosity and interest at the men who had inflicted such terrible +defeats upon the armies of the Romans. They were fine specimens of +Hannibal's force, for the general had allowed Malchus to choose his own +officers and men, and, knowing that strength, agility, and endurance +would be needed for a campaign in so mountainous a country as Sardinia, +he had picked both officers and men with great care. + +His second in command was his friend Trebon, who had long since obtained +a separate command, but who, on hearing from Malchus of the expedition +on which he was bound, had volunteered to accompany him. The men were +all Africans accustomed to desert fighting and trained in warfare in +Spain. The Romans, good judges of physical strength, could not repress +a murmur of admiration at the sight of these sinewy figures. Less +heavy than themselves, there was about them a spring and an elasticity +resembling that of the tiger. Long use had hardened their muscles until +they stood up like cords through their tawny skin, most of them bore +numerous scars of wounds received in battle, and the Romans, as they +viewed them, acknowledged to themselves what formidable opponents these +men would be. + +A strong guard formed up on either side of the captives, and they were +marched through the town to the citadel on the upper part of the rock. +Here a large chamber, opening on to the courtyard, was assigned to the +officers, while the men, who were viewed in the light of slaves, were at +once set to work to carry stores up to the citadel from a ship which had +arrived just as the storm broke. + +A fortnight later a vessel arrived from Rome with a message from +the senate that they would not exchange prisoners, and that the +Carthaginians were at once to be employed as slaves in the mines. The +governor acquainted Malchus with the decision. + +“I am sorry,” he said, “indeed, that it is so; but the senate are +determined that they will exchange no prisoners. Of course their view +of the matter is, that when a Roman lays down his arms he disgraces +himself, and the refusal to ransom him or allow him to be exchanged is +intended to act as a deterrent to others. This may be fair enough in +cases where large numbers surrender to a few, or where they lay down +their arms when with courage and determination they might have cut their +way through the enemy; but in cases where further resistance would be +hopeless, in my mind men are justified in surrendering. However, I can +only obey the orders I have received, and tomorrow must send you and +your men to the mines.” + +As Malchus had seen the Iberian captives sent to labour as slaves in the +mines in Spain, the fate thus announced to him did not appear surprising +or barbarous. In those days captives taken in war were always made +slaves when they were not put to death in cold blood, and although +Hannibal had treated with marked humanity and leniency the Roman and +Italian captives who had fallen into his hands, this had been the result +of policy, and was by no means in accordance with the spirit in which +war was then conducted. Accordingly, the next day the Carthaginians +were, under a strong guard, marched away to the mines, which lay on the +other side of the island, some forty miles due west of the port, and +three miles from the western sea coast of the island. The road lay for +some distance across a dead flat. The country was well cultivated and +thickly studded with villages, for Rome drew a heavy tribute in corn +annually from the island. + +After twenty miles' march they halted for the night, pursuing their way +on the following morning. They had now entered a wide and fertile valley +with lofty hills on either side. In some places there were stagnant +marshes, and the officer in charge of the guard informed Malchus that in +the autumn a pestilential miasma rose from these, rendering a sojourn in +the valley fatal to the inhabitants of the mainland. The native people +were wild and primitive in appearance, being clad chiefly in sheepskins. +They lived in beehive shaped huts. The hills narrowed in towards the +end of the day's march, and the valley terminated when the party arrived +within half a mile of their destination. Here stood a small town named +Metalla, with a strong Roman garrison, which supplied guards over the +slaves employed in working the mines. This town is now called Iglesias. + +The principal mine was situated in a narrow valley running west from the +town down to the sea coast. The officer in command of the escort handed +over Malchus and his companions to the charge of the officer at the head +mining establishment. + +Malchus was surprised at the large number of people gathered at the +spot. They lived for the most part in low huts constructed of boughs or +sods, and ranged in lines at the bottom of the valley or along the lower +slopes of the hill. A cordon of Roman sentries was placed along the +crest of the hill at either side, and a strong guard was posted in a +little camp in the centre of the valley, in readiness to put down any +tumult which might arise. + +The great majority of the slaves gathered there were Sards, men +belonging to tribes which had risen in insurrection against the Romans. +There were with them others of their countrymen who were not like them +slaves, though their condition was but little better except that they +received a nominal rate of payment. These were called free labourers, +but their labour was as much forced as was that of the slaves--each +district in the island being compelled to furnish a certain amount +of labourers for this or the mines further to the north. The men so +conscripted were changed once in six months. With the Sards were mingled +people of many nations. Here were Sicilians and members of many Italian +tribes conquered by the Romans, together with Gauls from the northern +plains and from Marseilles. + +There were many mines worked in different parts of the island, but +Metalla was the principal. The labour, in days when gunpowder had not +become the servant of man, was extremely hard. The rocks had to be +pierced with hand labour, the passages and galleries were of the +smallest possible dimensions, the atmosphere was stifling; consequently +the mortality was great, and it was necessary to keep up a constant +importation of labour. + +“If these people did but possess a particle of courage,” Trebon said, +“they would rise, overpower the guard, and make for the forests. The +whole island is, as the officer who brought us here told us, covered +with mountains with the exception of the two broad plains running +through it; as we could see the hills are covered with woods, and the +whole Roman army could not find them if they once escaped.” + +“That is true enough,” Malchus said, “but there must be at least five or +six thousand slaves here. How could these find food among the mountains? +They might exist for a time upon berries and grain, but they would in +the end be forced to go into the valleys for food, and would then be +slaughtered by the Romans. Nevertheless a small body of men could no +doubt subsist among the hills, and the strength of the guard you see on +the heights shows that attempts to escape are not rare. Should we find +our existence intolerable here, we will at any rate try to escape. There +are fifty of us, and if we agreed in common action we could certainly +break through the guards and take to the hills. As you may see by their +faces, the spirit of these slaves is broken. See how bent most of them +are by their labour, and how their shoulders are wealed by the lashes of +their taskmasters!” + +The officer in charge of the mines told Malchus that he should not put +him and the other two officers to labour, but would appoint them as +overseers over gangs of the men, informing them that he had a brother +who was at present a captive in the hands of Hannibal; and he trusted +that Malchus, should he have an opportunity, would use his kind offices +on his behalf. + +One of the lines of huts near the Roman camp was assigned to the +Carthaginians, and that evening they received rations of almost black +bread similar to those served out to the others. The following morning +they were set to work. Malchus and his two friends found their tasks by +no means labourious, as they were appointed to look after a number of +Sards employed in breaking up and sorting the lead ore as it was brought +up from the mine. The men, however, returned in the evening worn out +with toil. All had been at work in the mines. Some had had to crawl long +distances through passages little more than three feet high and one foot +wide, until they reached the broad lode of lead ore. + +Here some of the party had been set to work, others had been employed in +pushing on the little galleries, and there had sat for hours working +in a cramped position, with pick, hammer, and wedge. Others had been +lowered by ropes down shafts so narrow that when they got to the bottom +it was only with extreme difficulty that they were able to stoop to work +at the rock beneath their feet. Many, indeed, of these old shafts have +been found in the mines of Montepone, so extremely narrow that it is +supposed that they must have been bored by slaves lowered by ropes, head +foremost, it appearing absolutely impossible for a man to stoop to work +if lowered in the ordinary way. + +The Carthaginians, altogether unaccustomed to work of this nature, +returned to their huts at night utterly exhausted, cramped, and aching +in every limb. Many had been cruelly beaten for not performing the tasks +assigned to them. All were filled with a dull despairing rage. In the +evening a ration of boiled beans, with a little native wine, was served +out to each, the quantity of the food being ample, it being necessary to +feed the slaves well to enable them to support their fatigues. + +After three days of this work five or six of the captives were so +exhausted that they were unable to take their places with the gang when +ordered for work in the morning. They were, however, compelled by blows +to rise and take their places with the rest. Two of them died during the +course of the day in their stifling working places; another succumbed +during the night; several, too, were attacked by the fever of the +country. Malchus and his friends were full of grief and rage at the +sufferings of their men. + +“Anything were better than this,” Malchus said. “A thousand times better +to fall beneath the swords of the Romans than to die like dogs in the +holes beneath that hill!” + +“I quite agree with you, Malchus,” Halco, the other officer with the +party, said, “and am ready to join you in any plan of escape, however +desperate.” + +“The difficulty is about arms,” Trebon observed. “We are so closely +watched that it is out of the question to hope that we should succeed in +getting possession of any. The tools are all left in the mines; and as +the men work naked, there is no possibility of their secreting any. +The stores here are always guarded by a sentry; and although we might +overpower him, the guard would arrive long before we could break through +the solid doors. Of course if we could get the other slaves to join us, +we might crush the guard even with stones.” + +“That is out of the question,” Malchus said. “In the first place, they +speak a strange language, quite different to the Italians. Then, were +we seen trying to converse with any of them, suspicions might be roused; +and even could we get the majority to join us, there would be many who +would be only too glad to purchase their own freedom by betraying the +plot to the Romans. No, whatever we do must be done by ourselves alone; +and for arms we must rely upon stones, and upon the stoutest stakes we +can draw out from our huts. The only time that we have free to ourselves +is the hour after work is over, when we are allowed to go down to the +stream to wash and to stroll about as we will until the trumpet sounds +to order us to retire to our huts for the night. + +“It is true that at that time the guards are particularly vigilant, and +that we are not allowed to gather into knots; and an Italian slave I +spoke to yesterday told me that he dared not speak to me, for the place +swarms with spies, and that any conversation between us would be sure +to be reported, and those engaged in it put to the hardest and cruelest +work. I propose, therefore, that tomorrow--for if it is to be done, the +sooner the better, before the men lose all their strength--the men shall +on their return from work at once eat their rations; then each man, +hiding a short stick under his garment and wrapping a few heavy stones +in the corner of his robe, shall make his way up towards the top of the +hill above the mine. + +“No two men must go together--all must wander as if aimlessly among the +huts. When they reach the upper line on that side and see me, let all +rapidly close up, and we will make a sudden rush at the sentries above. +They cannot get more than five or six together in time to oppose us, and +we shall be able to beat them down with our stones. Once through them, +the heavy armed men will never be able to overtake us till we reach the +forest, which begins, I believe, about half a mile beyond the top.” + +The other two officers at once agreed to the plan; and when the camp was +still Malchus crept cautiously from hut to hut, telling his men of the +plan that had been formed and giving orders for the carrying of it out. + +All assented cheerfully; for although the stronger were now becoming +accustomed to their work, and felt less exhausted than they had done the +first two days, there was not one but felt that he would rather suffer +death than endure this terrible fate. Malchus impressed upon them +strongly that it was of the utmost consequence to possess themselves of +the arms of any Roman soldiers they might overthrow, as they would to +a great extent be compelled to rely upon these to obtain food among the +mountains. + +Even the men who were most exhausted, and those stricken with fever, +seemed to gain strength at once at the prospect of a struggle for +liberty, and when the gang turned out in the morning for work none +lagged behind. + + + +CHAPTER XX: THE SARDINIAN FORESTS + + +The Carthaginians returned in the evening in groups from the various +scenes of their labour and without delay consumed the provisions +provided for them. Then one by one they sauntered away down towards +the stream. Malchus was the last to leave, and having seen that all his +followers had preceded him, he, too, crossed the stream, paused a moment +at a heap of debris from the mine, and picking up three or four pieces +of rock about the size of his fist, rolled them in the corner of his +garment, and holding this in one hand moved up the hill. + +Here and there he paused a moment as if interested in watching the +groups of slaves eating their evening meal, until at last he reached the +upper line of little huts. Between these and the hill top upon which +the sentries stood was a distance of about fifty yards, which was kept +scrupulously clear to enable them to watch the movements of any man +going beyond the huts. The sentries were some thirty paces apart, so +that, as Malchus calculated, not more than four or five of them could +assemble before he reached them, if they did not previously perceive +anything suspicious which might put them on the alert. + +Looking round him Malchus saw his followers scattered about among the +slaves at a short distance. Standing behind the shelter of the hut he +raised his hand, and all began to move towards him. As there was nothing +in their attire, which consisted of one long cloth wound round them, +to distinguish them from the other slaves, the movement attracted no +attention from the sentries, who were, from their position, able to +overlook the low huts. + +When he saw that all were close, Malchus gave a shout and dashed up the +hill, followed by his comrades. + +The nearest sentry, seeing a body of fifty men suddenly rushing towards +him, raised a shout, and his comrades from either side ran towards him; +but so quickly was the movement performed that but five had gathered +when the Carthaginians reached them, although many others were running +towards the spot. The Carthaginians, when they came close to their +levelled spears, poured upon them a shower of heavy stones, which +knocked two of them down and so bruised and battered the others that +they went down at once when the Carthaginians burst upon them. + +The nearest Romans halted to await the arrival of their comrades coming +up behind them, and the Carthaginians, seizing the swords, spears, and +shields of their fallen foes, dashed on at full speed. The Romans soon +followed, but with the weight of their weapons, armour, and helmets +they were speedily distanced, and the fugitives reached the edge of the +forest in safety and dashed into its recesses. + +After running for some distance they halted, knowing that the Romans +would not think of pursuing except with a large force. The forests which +covered the mountains of Sardinia were for the most part composed of +evergreen oak, with, in some places, a thick undergrowth of shrubs and +young trees. Through this the Carthaginians made their way with some +difficulty, until, just as it became dark, they reached the bottom of a +valley comparatively free of trees and through which ran a clear stream. + +“Here we will halt for the night,” Malchus said; “there is no fear of +the Romans pursuing at once, if indeed they do so at all, for their +chance of finding us in these mountains, covered with hundreds of square +miles of forests, is slight indeed; however, we will at once provide +ourselves with weapons.” + +The five Roman swords were put into requisition, and some straight +young saplings were felled, and their points being sharpened they were +converted into efficient spears, each some fourteen feet long. + +“It is well we have supped,” Malchus said; “our breakfast will depend +on ourselves. Tomorrow we must keep a sharp lookout for smoke rising +through the trees; there are sure to be numbers of charcoal burners in +the forest, for upon them the Romans depend for their fuel. One of the +first things to do is to obtain a couple of lighted brands. A fire is +essential for warmth among these hills, even putting aside its uses for +cooking.” + +“That is when we have anything to cook,” Halco said laughingly. + +“That is certainly essential,” Malchus agreed; “but there is sure to be +plenty of wild boar and deer among these forests. We have only to find a +valley with a narrow entrance, and post ourselves there and send all the +men to form a circle on the hills around it and drive them down to us; +besides, most likely we shall come across herds of goats and pigs, which +the villagers in the lower valleys will send up to feed on the acorns. I +have no fear but we shall be able to obtain plenty of flesh; as to corn, +we have only to make a raid down into the plain, and when we have found +out something about the general lay of the country, the hills and the +extent of the forest, we will choose some spot near its centre and +erect huts there. If it were not for the peasants we might live here +for years, for all the Roman forces in Sardinia would be insufficient to +rout us out of these mountains; but unfortunately, as we shall have to +rob the peasants, they will act as guides to the Romans, and we shall be +obliged to keep a sharp lookout against surprise. If it gets too hot for +us we must make a night march across the plain to the mountains on the +eastern side. I heard at Caralis that the wild part there is very much +larger than it is on this side of the island, and it extends without a +break from the port right up to the north of the island.” + +Safe as he felt from pursuit Malchus posted four men as sentries, and +the rest of the band lay down to sleep, rejoicing in the thought that on +the morrow they should not be wakened to take their share in the labours +in the mine. + +At daybreak all were on the move, and a deep spot having been found +in the stream, they indulged in the luxury of a bath. That done they +started on the march further into the heart of the forest. The hills +were of great height, with bare crags often beetling up among the trees +hundreds of feet, with deep valleys and rugged precipices. In crossing +one of these valleys Nessus suddenly lifted his hand. + +“What is it?” Malchus asked. + +“I heard a pig grunt,” Nessus replied, “on our right there.” + +Malchus at once divided the band in two and told them to proceed as +quietly as possible along the lower slopes of the hill, leaving a man at +every fifteen paces. + +When all had been posted, the ends of the line were to descend until +they met in the middle of the valley, thus forming a circle. A shout +was to tell the rest that this was done, and then all were to move down +until they met in the centre. One officer went with each party, Malchus +remained at the spot where he was standing. In ten minutes the signal +was heard, and then all moved forward, shouting as they went, and +keeping a sharp lookout between the trees to see that nothing passed +them. As the narrowing circle issued into the open ground at the bottom +of the valley there was a general shout of delight, for, huddled down +by a stream, grunting and screaming with fright, was a herd of forty +or fifty pigs, with a peasant, who appeared stupefied with alarm at the +sudden uproar. + +On seeing the men burst out with their levelled spears from the wood, +the Sard gave a scream of terror and threw himself upon his face. When +the Carthaginians came up to him Malchus stirred him with his foot, but +he refused to move; he then pricked him with the Roman spear he held, +and the man leaped to his feet with a shout. Malchus told him in Italian +that he was free to go, but that the swine must be confiscated for the +use of his followers. The man did not understand his words, but, seeing +by his gestures that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed, +hardly believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in no +way concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property of +various individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the hills--it +being then, as now, the custom for several men owning swine to send them +together under the charge of a herdsman into the mountains, where for +months together they live in a half wild state on acorns and roots, a +villager going up occasionally with supplies of food for the swineherd. + +No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the men +some fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus. + +“Here is the man's fire, my lord.” + +A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of all +this meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every one. Malchus +hurried to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still glowing embers. +Some of the men at once set to work to collect dried sticks, and in a +few minutes a great fire was blazing. One of the pigs was slaughtered +and cut up into rations, and in a short time each man was cooking his +portion stuck on a stick over the fire. + +A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distance +away, and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchus +and his two companions. After the meal the spears were improved by the +points being hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness to march +two of the men were told off as fire keepers, and each of these took two +blazing brands from the fire, which, as they walked, they kept crossed +before them, the burning points keeping each other alight. Even with one +man there would be little chance of losing the fire, but with two such a +misfortune could scarcely befall them. + +A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the whole +then started for the point they intended to make to in the heart of +the mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping place was +selected in a watered valley. The men then set to work to cut down +boughs and erect arbours. Fires were lighted and another pig being +killed those who preferred it roasted his flesh over the fire, while +others boiled their portions, the Roman shields being utilized as pans. + +“What do you think of doing, Malchus?” Halco asked as they stretched +themselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finished +their meal. “We are safe here, and in these forests could defy the +Romans to find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at the +foot of the hills, and there must be many swine in the forest beside +this herd which we have captured. The life will not be an unpleasant +one, but--” and he stopped. + +“But you don't wish to end your days here,” Malchus put in for him, “nor +do I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is a waste of +our lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating the might of +Rome we cannot be content to live like members of the savage tribes +here. I have no doubt that we shall excite such annoyance and alarm by +our raids among the villages in the plains that the Romans will ere long +make a great effort to capture us, and doubtless they will enlist the +natives in their search. Still, we may hope to escape them, and there +are abundant points among these mountains where we may make a stand +and inflict such heavy loss upon them that they will be glad to come to +terms. All I would ask is that they shall swear by their gods to treat +us well and to convey us as prisoners of war to Rome, there to remain +until exchanged. In Rome we could await the course of events patiently. +Hannibal may capture the city. The senate, urged by the relatives of the +many prisoners we have taken, may agree to make an exchange, and we may +see chances of our making our escape. At any rate we shall be in the +world and shall know what is going on.” + +“But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our freedom?” + +“I do not think so,” Malchus said. “It would be too much for Roman pride +to allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in that way, and +even if the prefect of this island were to agree to the terms, I do not +believe that the senate would ratify them. We had better not ask too +much. For myself I own to a longing to see Rome. As Carthage holds +back and will send no aid to Hannibal, I have very little hope of ever +entering it as a conqueror, and rather than not see it at all I would +not mind entering it as a prisoner. There are no mines to work there, +and the Romans, with so vast a number of their own people in the hands +of Hannibal, would not dare to treat us with any cruelty or severity. + +“Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach Hannibal, +and had every one of us died in those stifling mines he would never have +been the wiser.” + +The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, they +were all too well pleased with their present liberty and their escape +from the bondage to give a thought to the morrow. + +The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of the +neighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys by which +their camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees were cleared +away, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for making bonfires, and +two sentries were placed at each of these posts, their orders being to +keep a vigilant lookout all over the country, to light a fire instantly +the approach of any enemy was perceived, and then to descend to the camp +to give particulars as to his number and the direction of his march. + +A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions as +to what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set out with the +rest of the party across the mountains. The sun was their only guide +as to the direction of their course, and it was late in the afternoon +before they reached the crest of the easternmost hills and looked down +over the wide plain which divides the island into two portions. Here +they rested until the next morning, and then, starting before daybreak, +descended the slopes. They made their way to a village of some size at +the mouth of a valley, and were unnoticed until they entered it. Most +of the men were away in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedily +beaten down by the short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried in +addition to their spears. + +Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not to be +used, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to be hurt or +ill used unless in the act of offering resistance. For a few minutes the +confusion was great, women and children running about screaming in wild +alarm. They were, however, pacified when they found that no harm was +intended. + +On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered and +abundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of these +with as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number of other +articles which would be useful to them were also taken--cooking pots, +wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could be found. Laden with +these the Carthaginians set out on their return to camp. Loaded as they +were it was a long and toilsome journey, and they would have had +great difficulty in finding their way back had not Malchus taken +the precaution of leaving four or five men at different points with +instructions to keep fires of damp wood burning so that the smoke should +act as a guide. It was, however, late on the second day after their +leaving the village before they arrived in camp. Here the men set to +work to crush the grain between flat stones, and soon a supply of rough +cakes were baking in the embers. + +A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when the +supplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visited +they captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, the +journeys were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One morning as +the troop were taking their breakfast a column of bright smoke rose from +one of the hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped to their feet. + +“Finish your breakfast,” Malchus said, “there will be plenty of time. +Slay two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three or four +pounds of flesh and a supply of meal.” + +Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookout +arrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of the +valleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left--these were +driven into the forest. The grain and other stores were also carried +away and carefully hidden, and the band, who were now all well armed +with weapons taken in the different raids on the villages, marched away +from their camp. + +Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys in +the neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various points +for defence. One of these was on the line by which the enemy were +approaching. The valley narrowed in until it was almost closed +by perpendicular rocks on either side. On the summit of these the +Carthaginians took their post. They could now clearly make out the +enemy; there were upwards of a thousand Roman troops, and they were +accompanied by fully five hundred natives. + +When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valley +the soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. They +reported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved forward. When +it reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fell +from the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at once +recalled the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside, +wherever the ground permitted their doing so. After much labour they +reached the crag from which they had been assailed, but found it +deserted. + +All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. The +natives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returned +unsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by the +Carthaginians, and many were slaughtered. + +For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but never +once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, on +several occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessible +from below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards had +been attacked several times, and were so disheartened by the losses +inflicted upon them that they now refused to stir into the woods unless +accompanied by the Romans. + +At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursue +the fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Roman +commander ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. He +had lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred of +the Sards had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest he +was overtaken by one of the natives. + +“I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians,” the man +said, “and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver a +message to the general.” The man was at once brought before the officer. + +“The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you,” he said, “that had +you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attempt +to capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few square +miles of the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away from +you, you did not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of square +miles, and, did he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might search +in vain. He bids me say that he could hold out for years and harry all +the villages of the plains; but he and his men do not care for living +the life of a mountain tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of +surrender with you, and will meet you outside the forest here with two +men with him if you on your part will be here with the same number at +noon tomorrow. He took before me a solemn oath that he will keep the +truce inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised to +take back your answer.” + +The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the +long continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence of +this determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined by +some of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side of +the Roman force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved by +this unexpected proposal. + +“Return to him who sent you,” he said, “and tell him that I, Publius +Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do hereby +swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that I +will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow.” + +At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just +inside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with two +companions; they at once went forward to meet them. + +“I am come,” Malchus said, “to offer to surrender to you on certain +terms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. With +my band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but I +do not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats his +captives mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and my +companions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by a +tempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this, +that we shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we be +allowed to march without guard or escort down to the port, where we will +go straight on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then +lay down our arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn +agreement taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, and +approved and ratified by the senate of Rome, that, in the first place, +the garments and armour of which we were deprived when captured, shall +be restored to us, and that we shall then be conveyed in the ship to +Rome, there to remain as prisoners of war until exchanged, being sent +nowhere else, and suffering no pains or penalties whatever for what has +taken place on this island.” + +The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation of +the demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon being +restored with his companions to the Carthaginian army in Italy. Such +a proposition he would have been unwilling to forward to Rome, for it +would have been a confession that all the Roman force in the island was +incapable of overcoming this handful of desperate men, and he did not +think that the demand if made would have been agreed to by the senate. +The present proposition was vastly more acceptable. He could report +without humiliation that the Carthaginian slaves had broken loose +and taken to the mountains, where there would be great difficulty in +pursuing them, and they would serve as a nucleus round which would +assemble all the disaffected in the island; and could recommend that, +as they only demanded to be sent to Rome as prisoners of war, instead +of being kept in the island, the terms should be agreed to. After a +moment's delay, therefore, he replied: + +“I agree to your terms, sir, as far as I am concerned, and own they +appear to me as moderate and reasonable. I will draw out a document, +setting them forth and my acceptance of them, and will send it at once +to the prefect, praying him to sign it, and to forward it to Rome for +the approval of the senate. Pending an answer I trust that you will +abstain from any further attacks upon the villages.” + +“It may be a fortnight before the answer returns,” Malchus replied; +“but if you will send up to this point a supply of cattle and flour +sufficient for our wants till the answer comes, I will promise to +abstain from all further action.” + +To this the Roman readily agreed, and for a fortnight Malchus and +his friends amused themselves by hunting deer and wild boar among the +mountains. After a week had passed a man had been sent each day to the +spot agreed upon to see if any answer had been received from Rome. It +was nearly three weeks before he brought a message to Malchus that the +terms had been accepted, and that the Roman commander would meet him +there on the following day with the document. The interview took place +as arranged, and the Roman handed to Malchus the document agreeing to +the terms proposed, signed by himself and the prefect, and ratified by +the senate. He said that if Malchus with his party would descend into +the road on the following morning three miles below Metalla they would +find an escort of Roman soldiers awaiting them, and that a vessel would +be ready at the port for them to embark upon their arrival. + +Next day, accordingly, Malchus with his companions left the forest, and +marched down to the valley in military order. At the appointed spot +they found twenty Roman soldiers under an officer. The latter saluted +Malchus, and informed him that his orders were to escort them to the +port, and to see that they suffered no molestation or interference at +the hands of the natives on their march. Two days' journey took them to +Caralis, and in good order and with proud bearing they marched through +the Roman soldiers, who assembled in the streets to view so strange a +spectacle. Arrived at the port they embarked on board the ship prepared +for them, and there piled their arms on deck. A Roman officer received +them, and handed over, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, +the whole of the clothing and armour of which they had been deprived. +A guard of soldiers then marched on board, and an hour later the sails +were hoisted and the vessel started for her destination. + +Anxiously Malchus and his companions gazed round the horizon in hopes +that some galleys of Capua or Carthage might appear in sight, although +indeed they had but small hopes of seeing them, for no Carthaginian ship +would be likely to be found so near the coast of Italy, except indeed if +bound with arms for the use of the insurgents in the northern mountains +of Sardinia. However, no sail appeared in sight until the ship entered +the mouth of the Tiber. As they ascended the river, and the walls and +towers of Rome were seen in the distance, the prisoners forgot their own +position in the interest excited by the appearance of the great rival of +Carthage. + +At that time Rome possessed but little of the magnificence which +distinguished her buildings in the days of the emperors. Everything was +massive and plain, with but slight attempt at architectural adornment. +The temples of the gods rose in stately majesty above the mass of +buildings, but even these were far inferior in size and beauty to those +of Carthage, while the size of the city was small indeed in comparison +to the wide spreading extent of its African rival. + +The vessel anchored in the stream until the officer in command landed +to report his arrival with the prisoners and to receive instructions. +An hour later he returned, the prisoners were landed and received by a +strong guard of spearmen at the water gate. The news had spread rapidly +through the city. A crowd of people thronged the streets, while at the +windows and on the roofs were gathered numbers of ladies of the upper +classes. A party of soldiers led the way, pushing back the crowd as they +advanced. A line of spearmen marched on either side of the captives, and +a strong guard brought up the rear to prevent the crowd from pressing +in there. Malchus walked at the head of the prisoners, followed by his +officers, after whom came the soldiers walking two and two. + +There was no air of dejection in the bearing of the captives, and they +faced the regards of the hostile crowd with the air rather of conquerors +than of prisoners. They remembered that it was but by accident that they +had fallen into the hands of the Romans, that in the battlefield they +had proved themselves over and over again more than a match for the +soldiers of Rome, and that it was the walls of the city alone which had +prevented their marching through her streets as triumphant conquerors. + +It was no novel sight in Rome for Carthaginian prisoners to march +through the streets, for in the previous campaigns large numbers of +Carthaginians had been captured; but since Hannibal crossed the Alps and +carried his victorious army through Italy, scarce a prisoner had been +brought to Rome, while tens of thousands of Romans had fallen into the +hands of Hannibal. The lower class of the population of Rome were at all +times rough and brutal, and the captives were assailed with shouts of +exultation, with groans and menaces, and with bitter curses by those +whose friends and relatives had fallen in the wars. + +The better classes at the windows and from the housetops abstained +from any demonstration, but watched the captives as they passed with +a critical eye, and with expressions of admiration at their fearless +bearing and haughty mien. + +“Truly, that youth who marches at their head might pose for a +Carthaginian Apollo, Sempronius,” a Roman matron said as she sat at the +balcony of a large mansion at the entrance to the Forum. “I have seldom +seen a finer face. See what strength his limbs show, although he walks +as lightly as a girl. I have a fancy to have him as a slave; he would +look well to walk behind me and carry my mantle when I go abroad. See to +it, Sempronius; as your father is the military praetor, you can manage +this for me without trouble.” + +“I will do my best, Lady Flavia,” the young Roman said; “but there may +be difficulties.” + +“What difficulties?” Flavia demanded imperiously. “I suppose the +Carthaginians will as usual be handed over as slaves; and who should +have a better right to choose one among them than I, whose husband, +Tiberius Gracchus, is Consul of Rome?” + +“None assuredly,” Sempronius replied. “It was only because, as I hear, +that youth is a cousin of Hannibal himself, and, young as he is, the +captain of his bodyguard, and I thought that my father might intend to +confine him in the prison for better security.” + +Flavia waved her hand imperiously. + +“When did you ever hear of a slave escaping from Rome, Sempronius? Are +not the walls high and strong, and the sentries numerous? And even did +they pass these, would not the badge of slavery betray them at once to +the first who met them without, and they would be captured and brought +back? No, I have set my mind upon having him as a slave. He will go well +with that Gaulish maiden whom Postumius sent me from the banks of the +Po last autumn. I like my slaves to be as handsome as my other +surroundings, and I see no reason why I should be baulked of my fancy.” + +“I will do my best to carry out your wishes, Lady Flavia,” Sempronius +replied deferentially, for the wife of the consul was an important +personage in Rome. Her family was one of the most noble and powerful in +the city, and she herself--wealthy, luxurious, and strong willed--was +regarded as a leader of society at Rome. + +Sempronius deemed it essential for his future advancement to keep on +good terms with her. At the same time he was ill pleased at this last +fancy of hers. In the first place, he was a suitor for the hand of her +daughter Julia. In the second, he greatly admired the northern beauty +of the Gaulish slave girl whom she had spoken of, and had fully intended +that when Flavia became tired of her--and her fancies seldom lasted +long--he would get his mother to offer to exchange a horse, or a hawk, +or something else upon which Flavia might set her mind, for the slave +girl, in which case she would, of course, be in his power. He did not, +therefore, approve of Flavia's intention of introducing this handsome +young Carthaginian as a slave into her household. It was true that he +was but a slave at present, but he was a Carthaginian noble of rank as +high as that of Flavia. + +That he was brave was certain, or he would not be the captain of +Hannibal's bodyguard. Julia was fully as capricious as her mother, and +might take as warm a fancy for Malchus as Flavia had done, while, now +the idea of setting this Gaulish girl and the Carthaginian together had +seized Flavia, it would render more distant the time when the Roman lady +might be reasonably expected to tire of the girl. However, he felt that +Flavia's wishes must be carried out; whatever the danger might be, it +was less serious than the certainty of losing that lady's favour unless +he humoured her whims. + +His family was far less distinguished than hers, and her approval of his +suit with Julia was an unexpected piece of good fortune which he owed, +as he knew, principally to the fact that Gracchus wished to marry +his daughter to Julius Marcius, who had deeply offended Flavia by an +outspoken expression of opinion, that the Roman ladies mingled too much +in public affairs, and that they ought to be content to stay at home and +rule their households and slaves. + +He knew that he would have no difficulty with his father. The praetor +was most anxious that his son should make an alliance with the house +of Gracchus, and it was the custom that such prisoners taken in war, +as were not sacrificed to the gods, should be given as slaves to the +nobles. As yet the great contests in the arena, which cost the lives +of such vast numbers of prisoners taken in war, were not instituted. +Occasional combats, indeed, took place, but these were on a small scale, +and were regarded rather as a sacrifice to Mars than as an amusement for +the people. + +Sempronius accordingly took his way moodily home. The praetor had just +returned, having seen Malchus and the officers lodged in prison, while +the men were set to work on the fortifications. Sempronius stated +Flavia's request. The praetor looked doubtful. + +“I had intended,” he said, “to have kept the officers in prison until +the senate decided what should be done with them; but, of course, if +Flavia has set her mind on it I must strain a point. After all there +is no special reason why the prisoners should be treated differently to +others. Of course I cannot send the leader of the party to Flavia and +let the others remain in prison. As there are two of them I will send +them as presents to two of the principal families in Rome, so that +if any question arises upon the subject I shall at once have powerful +defenders; at any rate, it will not do to offend Flavia.” + +Malchus, as he was led through the streets of Rome, had been making +comparisons by no means to the favour of Carthage. The greater +simplicity of dress, the absence of the luxury which was so unbridled at +Carthage, the plainness of the architecture of the houses, the free and +manly bearing of the citizens, all impressed him. Rough as was the crowd +who jeered and hooted him and his companions, there was a power and +a vigour among them which was altogether lacking at home. Under the +influence of excitement the populace there was capable of rising +and asserting themselves, but their general demeanour was that of +subservience to the wealthy and powerful. + +The tyranny of the senate weighed on the people, the numerous secret +denunciations and arrests inspired each man with a mistrust of his +neighbour, for none could say that he was safe from the action of secret +enemies. The Romans, on the other hand, were no respecters of persons. +Every free citizen deemed himself the equal of the best; the plebeians +held their own against the patricians, and could always return one of +the consuls, generally selecting the man who had most distinguished +himself by his hostility to the patricians. + +The tribunes, whose power in Rome was nearly equal to that of the +consuls, were almost always the representatives and champions of the +plebeians, and their power balanced that of the senate, which was +entirely in the interests of the aristocracy. Malchus was reflecting +over these things in the prison, when the door of his cell opened and +Sempronius, accompanied by two soldiers, entered. The former addressed +him in Greek. + +“Follow me,” he said. “You have been appointed by my father, the praetor +Caius, to be the domestic slave of the lady Flavia Gracchus, until such +time as the senate may determine upon your fate.” + +As Carthage also enslaved prisoners taken in war Malchus showed +no surprise, although he would have preferred labouring upon the +fortifications with his men to domestic slavery, however light the +latter might be. Without a comment, then, he rose and accompanied +Sempronius from his prison. + +Domestic slavery in Rome was not as a whole a severe fate. The masters, +indeed, had the power of life and death over their slaves, they could +flog and ill use them as they chose; but as a rule they treated them +well and kindly. + +The Romans were essentially a domestic people, kind to their wives, and +affectionate, although sometimes strict, with their children. The +slaves were treated as the other servants; and, indeed, with scarce an +exception, all servants were slaves. The rule was easy and the labour +by no means hard. Favourite slaves were raised to positions of trust and +confidence, they frequently amassed considerable sums of money, and were +often granted their freedom after faithful services. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: THE GAULISH SLAVE + + +On arriving at the mansion of Gracchus, Sempronius led Malchus to the +apartment occupied by Flavia. Her face lighted with satisfaction. + +“You have done well, my Sempronius,” she said; “I shall not forget your +ready gratification of my wish. So this is the young Carthaginian? My +friends will all envy me at having so handsome a youth to attend upon +me. Do you speak our tongue?” she asked graciously. + +“A few words only,” Malchus answered. “I speak Greek.” + +“It is tiresome,” Flavia said, addressing Sempronius, “that I do not +know that language; but Julia has been taught it. Tell him, Sempronius, +that his duties will be easy. He will accompany me when I walk abroad, +and will stand behind me at table, and will have charge of my pets. The +young lion cub that Tiberius procured for me is getting troublesome +and needs a firm hand over him; he nearly killed one of the slaves +yesterday.” + +Sempronius translated Flavia's speech to Malchus. + +“I shall dress him,” Flavia said, “in white and gold; he will look +charming in it.” + +“It is hardly the dress for a slave,” Sempronius ventured to object. + +“I suppose I can dress him as I please. Lesbia, the wife of Emilius, +dresses her household slaves in blue and silver, and I suppose I have as +much right as she has to indulge my fancies.” + +“Certainly, Lady Flavia,” Sempronius said reverentially. “I only thought +that such favours shown to the Carthaginian might make the other slaves +jealous.” + +Flavia made no answer, but waved her fan to Sempronius in token of +dismissal. The young Roman, inwardly cursing her haughty airs, took his +leave at once, and Flavia handed Malchus over to the charge of the chief +of the household, with strict directions as to the dress which was to be +obtained for him, and with orders to give the animals into his charge. + +Malchus followed the man, congratulating himself that if he must serve +as a slave, at least he could hardly have found an easier situation. The +pets consisted of some bright birds from the East, a Persian greyhound, +several cats, a young bear, and a half grown lion. Of these the lion +alone was fastened up, in consequence of his attack upon the slave on +the previous day. + +Malchus was fond of animals, and at once advanced boldly to the lion. +The animal crouched as if for a spring, but the steady gaze of Malchus +speedily changed its intention, and, advancing to the full length of its +chain, it rubbed itself against him like a great cat. Malchus stroked +its side, and then, going to a fountain, filled a flat vessel with water +and placed it before it. The lion lapped the water eagerly. Since its +assault upon the slave who usually attended to it, none of the others +had ventured to approach it. They had, indeed, thrown it food, but had +neglected to supply it with water. + +“We shall get on well together, old fellow,” Malchus said. “We are both +African captives, and ought to be friends.” + +Finding from the other slaves that until the previous day the animal +had been accustomed to run about the house freely and to lie in Flavia's +room, Malchus at once unfastened the chain and for some time played with +the lion, which appeared gentle and good tempered. As the master of +the household soon informed the others of the orders he had received +respecting Malchus, the slaves saw that the newcomer was likely, for +a time at least, to stand very high in the favour of their capricious +mistress, and therefore strove in every way to gain his goodwill. + +Presently Malchus was sent for again, and found Julia sitting on the +couch by the side of her mother, and he at once acknowledged to himself +that he had seldom seen a fairer woman. She was tall, and her figure was +full and well proportioned. Her glossy hair was wound in a coil at the +back of her head, her neck and arms were bare, and she wore a garment +of light green silk, and embroidered with gold stripes along the bottom, +reaching down to her knees, while beneath it a petticoat of Tyrian +purple reached nearly to the ground. + +“Is he not good looking, Julia?” Flavia asked. “There is not a slave in +Rome like him. Lesbia and Fulvia will be green with envy.” + +Julia made no reply, but sat examining the face of Malchus with as much +composure as if he had been a statue. He had bowed on entering, as he +would have done in the presence of Carthaginian ladies, and now stood +composedly awaiting Flavia's orders. + +“Ask him, Julia, if it is true that he is a cousin of Hannibal and the +captain of his guard. Such a youth as he is, I can hardly believe +it; and yet how strong and sinewy are his limbs, and he has an air of +command in his face. He interests me, this slave.” + +Julia asked in Greek the questions that her mother had dictated. + +“Ask him now, Julia,” Flavia said, when her daughter had translated the +answer, “how he came to be captured.” + +Malchus recounted the story of his being blown by a gale into the Roman +ports; then, on her own account, Julia inquired whether he had been +present at the various battles of the campaign. After an hour's +conversation Malchus was dismissed. In passing through the hall beyond +he came suddenly upon a female who issued from one of the female +apartments. They gave a simultaneous cry of astonishment. + +“Clotilde!” Malchus exclaimed, “you here, and a captive?” + +“Alas! yes,” the girl replied. “I was brought here three months since.” + +“I have heard nothing of you all,” Malchus said, “since your father +returned with his contingent after the battle of Trasimene. We knew that +Postumius with his legion was harrying Cisalpine Gaul, but no particular +has reached us.” + +“My father is slain,” the girl said. “He and the tribe were defeated. +The next day the Romans attacked the village. We, the women and the old +men, defended it till the last. My two sisters were killed. I was taken +prisoner and sent hither as a present to Flavia by Postumius. I have +been wishing to die, but now, since you are here, I shall be content to +live even as a Roman slave.” + +While they were speaking they had been standing with their hands +clasped. Malchus, looking down into her face, over which the tears were +now streaming as she recalled the sad events at home, wondered at the +change which eighteen months had wrought in it. Then she was a girl, +now she was a beautiful woman--the fairest he had ever seen, Malchus +thought, with her light brown hair with a gleam of gold, her deep gray +eyes, and tender, sensitive mouth. + +“And your mother?” he asked. + +“She was with my father in the battle, and was left for dead on the +field; but I heard from a captive, taken a month after I was, that she +had survived, and was with the remnant of the tribe in the well nigh +inaccessible fastnesses at the head of the Orcus.” + +“We had best meet as strangers,” Malchus said. “It were well that none +suspect we have met before. I shall not stay here long--if I am not +exchanged. I shall try to escape whatever be the risks, and if you will +accompany me I will not go alone.” + +“You know I will, Malchus,” Clotilde answered frankly. “Whenever you +give the word I am ready, whatever the risk is. It should break my heart +were I left here alone again.” + +A footstep was heard approaching, and Clotilde, dropping Malchus' hands, +fled away into the inner apartments, while Malchus walked quietly on to +the part of the house appropriated to the slaves. The next day, having +assumed his new garments, and having had a light gold ring, as a badge +of servitude, fastened round his neck, Malchus accompanied Flavia and +her daughter on a series of visits to their friends. + +The meeting with Clotilde had delighted as much as it had surprised +Malchus. The figure of the Gaulish maiden had been often before his eyes +during his long night watches. When he was with her last he had resolved +that when he next journeyed north he would ask her hand of the chief, +and since his journey to Carthage his thoughts had still more often +reverted to her. The loathing which he now felt for Carthage had +converted what was, when he was staying with Allobrigius, little more +than an idea, into a fixed determination that he would cut himself loose +altogether from corrupt and degenerate Carthage, and settle among the +Gauls. That he should find Clotilde captive in Rome had never entered +his wildest imagination, and he now blessed, as a piece of the greatest +good fortune, the chance, which had thrown him into the hands of the +Romans, and brought him into the very house where Clotilde was a slave. +Had it not been for that he would never again have heard of her. When +he returned to her ruined home he would have found that she had been +carried away by the Roman conquerors, but of her after fate no word +could ever have reached him. + +Some weeks passed, but no mode of escape presented itself to his mind. +Occasionally for a few moments he saw Clotilde alone, and they were +often together in Flavia's apartment, for the Roman lady was proud +of showing off to her friends her two slaves, both models of their +respective races. + +Julia had at first been cold and hard to Malchus, but gradually her +manner had changed, and she now spoke kindly and condescendingly to him, +and would sometimes sit looking at him from under her dark eyebrows with +an expression which Malchus altogether failed to interpret. Clotilde was +more clear sighted. One day meeting Malchus alone in the atrium she said +to him: “Malchus, do you know that I fear Julia is learning to love you. +I see it in her face, in the glance of her eye, in the softening of that +full mouth of hers.” + +“You are dreaming, little Clotilde,” Malchus said laughing. + +“I am not,” she said firmly; “I tell you she loves you.” + +“Impossible!” Malchus said incredulously. “The haughty Julia, the +fairest of the Roman maidens, fall in love with a slave! You are +dreaming, Clotilde.” + +“But you are not a common slave, Malchus, you are a Carthaginian noble +and the cousin of Hannibal. You are her equal in all respects.” + +“Save for this gold collar,” Malchus said, touching the badge of slavery +lightly. + +“Are you sure you do not love her in return, Malchus? She is very +beautiful.” + +“Is she?” Malchus said carelessly. “Were she fifty times more beautiful +it would make no difference to me, for, as you know as well as I do, I +love some one else.” + +Clotilde flushed to the brow. “You have never said so,” she said softly. + +“What occasion to say so when you know it? You have always known it, +ever since the day when we went over the bridge together.” + +“But I am no fit mate for you,” she said. “Even when my father was +alive and the tribe unbroken, what were we that I should wed a great +Carthaginian noble? Now the tribe is broken, I am only a Roman slave.” + +“Have you anything else to observe?” Malchus said quietly. + +“Yes, a great deal more,” she went on urgently. “How could you present +your wife, an ignorant Gaulish girl, to your relatives, the haughty +dames of Carthage? They would look down upon me and despise me.” + +“Clotilde, you are betraying yourself,” Malchus said smiling, “for you +have evidently thought the matter over in every light. No,” he said, +detaining her, as, with an exclamation of shame, she would have fled +away, “you must not go. You knew that I loved you, and for every time +you have thought of me, be it ever so often, I have thought of you a +score. You knew that I loved you and intended to ask your hand from your +father. As for the dames of Carthage, I think not of carrying you there; +but if you will wed me I will settle down for life among your people.” + +A footstep was heard approaching. Malchus pressed Clotilde for a moment +against his breast, and then he was alone. The newcomer was Sempronius. +He was still a frequent visitor, but he was conscious that he had lately +lost rather than gained ground in the good graces of Julia. Averse as +he had been from the first to the introduction of Malchus into the +household, he was not long in discovering the reason for the change +in Julia, and the dislike he had from the first felt of Malchus had +deepened to a feeling of bitter hatred. + +“Slave,” he said haughtily, “tell your mistress that l am here.” + +“I am not your slave,” Malchus said calmly, “and shall not obey your +orders when addressed in such a tone.” + +“Insolent hound,” the young Roman exclaimed, “I will chastise you,” and +he struck Malchus with his stick. In an instant the latter sprang upon +him, struck him to the ground, and wrenching the staff from his hand +laid it heavily across him. At that moment Flavia, followed by her +daughter, hurried in at the sound of the struggle. “Malchus,” she +exclaimed, “what means this?” + +“It means,” Sempronius said rising livid with passion, “that your slave +has struck me--me, a Roman patrician. I will lodge a complaint against +him, and the penalty, you know, is death.” + +“He struck me first, Lady Flavia,” Malchus said quietly, “because I +would not do his behests when he spoke to me as a dog.” + +“If you struck my slave, Sempronius,” Flavia said coldly, “I blame him +not that he returned the blow. Although a prisoner of war, he is, as you +well know, of a rank in Carthage superior to your own, and I wonder not +that, if you struck him, he struck you in return. You know that you had +no right to touch my slave, and if you now take any steps against him I +warn you that you will never enter this house again.” + +“Nor will I ever speak a word to you,” Julia added. + +“But he has struck me,” Sempronius said furiously; “he has knocked me +down and beaten me.” + +“Apparently you brought it upon yourself,” Flavia said. “None but +ourselves know what has happened; therefore, neither shame nor disgrace +can arise from it. My advice to you is, go home now and remain there +until those marks of the stick have died out; it will be easy for you to +assign an excuse. If you follow the matter up, I will proclaim among +my friends how I found you here grovelling on the ground while you were +beaten. What will then be said of your manliness? Already the repeated +excuses which have served you from abstaining to join the armies in +the field have been a matter for much comment. You best know whether it +would improve your position were it known that you had been beaten by a +slave. Why, you would be a jest among young Romans.” + +Sempronius stood irresolute. His last hopes of winning Julia were +annihilated by what had happened. The tone of contempt in which both +mother and daughter had spoken sufficiently indicated their feelings, +and for a moment he hesitated whether he would not take what revenge he +could by denouncing Malchus. But the thought was speedily put aside. He +had been wrong in striking the domestic slave of another; but the fact +that Malchus had been first attacked, and the whole influence of the +house of Gracchus, its relations, friends, and clients exerted in his +behalf, would hardly suffice to save him. Still the revenge would be +bought dearly in the future hostility of Flavia and her friends, and +in the exposure of his own humiliating attitude. He, therefore, with a +great effort subdued all signs of anger and said: + +“Lady Flavia, your wish has always been law to me, and I would rather +that anything should happen than that I should lose your favour and +patronage, therefore, I am willing to forget what has happened, the more +so as I own that I acted wrongly in striking your slave. I trust that +after this apology you will continue to be the kindly friend I have +always found you.” + +“Certainly, Sempronius,” Flavia said graciously, “and I shall not forget +your ready acquiescence in my wishes.” + +It was the more easy for Sempronius to yield, inasmuch as Malchus had, +after stating that he had been first struck, quietly left the apartment. +For some little time things went on as before. Malchus was now at +home in Rome. As a slave of one of the most powerful families, as was +indicated by the badge he wore on his dress, he was able, when his +services were not required, to wander at will in the city. He made the +circuit of the walls, marked the spots which were least frequented and +where an escape would be most easily made; and, having selected a spot +most remote from the busy quarter of the town, he purchased a long rope, +and carrying it there concealed it under some stones close to one of the +flights of steps by which access was obtained to the summit of the wall. + +The difficulty was not how to escape from Rome, for that, now that he +had so much freedom of movement, was easy, but how to proceed when he +had once gained the open country. For himself he had little doubt that +he should be able to make his way through the territories of the allies +of Rome, but the difficulty of travelling with Clotilde would be much +greater. + +“Clotilde,” he said one day, “set your wits to work and try and think of +some disguise in which you might pass with me. I have already prepared +for getting beyond the walls; but the pursuit after us will be hot, and +until we reach the Carthaginian lines every man's hand will be against +us.” + +“I have thought of it, Malchus; the only thing that I can see is for me +to stain my skin and dye my hair and go as a peasant boy.” + +“That is what I, too, have thought of, Clotilde. The disguise would be +a poor one, for the roundness of your arms and the colour of your eyes +would betray you at once to any one who looked closely at you. However, +as I can see no better way, I will get the garments and some for myself +to match, and some stuff for staining the skin and hair.” + +The next day Malchus bought the clothes and dye and managed to bring +them into the house unobserved, and to give to Clotilde those intended +for her. + +The lion, under the influence of the mingled firmness and kindness of +Malchus, had now recovered his docility, and followed him about the +house like a great dog, sleeping stretched out on a mat by the side of +his couch. + +Sempronius continued his visits. Malchus was seldom present when he +was with Flavia, but Clotilde was generally in the room. It was now the +height of summer, and her duty was to stand behind her mistress with a +large fan, with which she kept up a gentle current of air over Flavia's +head and drove off the troublesome flies. Sometimes she had to continue +doing so for hours, while Flavia chatted with her friends. + +Sempronius was biding his time. The two slaves were still high in +Flavia's favour, but he was in hopes that something might occur which +would render her willing to part with them. He watched Julia narrowly +whenever Malchus entered the room, and became more and more convinced +that she had taken a strong fancy for the Carthaginian slave, and the +idea occurred to him that by exciting her jealousy he might succeed in +obtaining his object. So careful were Malchus and Clotilde that he had +no idea whatever that any understanding existed between them. This, +however, mattered but little; nothing was more likely than that +these two handsome slaves should fall in love with each other, and he +determined to suggest the idea to Julia. + +Accordingly one day when he was sitting beside her, while Flavia was +talking with some other visitors, he remarked carelessly, “Your mother's +two slaves, the Carthaginian and the Gaul, would make a handsome +couple.” + +He saw a flush of anger in Julia's face. For a moment she did not reply, +and then said in a tone of indifference: + +“Yes, they are each well favoured in their way.” + +“Methinks the idea has occurred to them,” Sempronius said. “I have seen +them glance at each other, and doubt not that when beyond your presence +they do not confine themselves to looks.” + +Julia was silent, but Sempronius saw, in the tightly compressed lips and +the lowering brow with which she looked from one to the other, that the +shaft had told. + +“I have wondered sometimes,” he said, “in an idle moment, whether +they ever met before. The Carthaginians were for some time among the +Cisalpine Gauls, and the girl was, you have told me, the daughter of a +chief there; they may well have met.” + +Julia made no reply, and Sempronius, feeling that he had said enough, +began to talk on other subjects. Julia scarcely answered him, and at +last impatiently waved him away. She sat silent and abstracted until the +last of the visitors had left, then she rose from her seat and walked +quietly up to her mother and said abruptly to Clotilde, who was standing +behind her mistress: “Did you know the slave Malchus before you met +here?” + +The suddenness of the question sent the blood up into the cheeks of the +Gaulish maiden, and Julia felt at once that the hints of Sempronius were +fully justified. + +“Yes,” Clotilde answered quietly, “I met him when, with Hannibal, he +came down from the Alps into our country.” + +“Why did you not say so before?” Julia asked passionately. “Mother, the +slaves have been deceiving us.” + +“Julia,” Flavia said in surprise, “why this heat? What matters it to us +whether they have met before?” + +Julia did not pay any attention, but stood with angry eyes waiting for +Clotilde's answer. + +“I did not know, Lady Julia,” the girl said quietly, “that the affairs +of your slaves were of any interest to you. We recognized each other +when we first met. Long ago now, when we were both in a different +position--” + +“And when you loved each other?” Julia said in a tone of concentrated +passion. + +“And when we loved each other,” Clotilde repeated, her head thrown back +now, and her bearing as proud and haughty as that of Julia. + +“You hear that, mother? you hear this comedy that these slaves have been +playing under your nose? Send them both to the whipping post.” + +“My dear Julia,” Flavia exclaimed, more and more surprised at her anger, +“what harm has been done? You astonish me. Clotilde, you can retire. +What means all this, Julia?” she went on more severely when they were +alone; “why all this strange passion because two slaves, who by some +chance have met each other before, are lovers? What is this Gaulish +girl, what is this Carthaginian slave, to you?” + +“I love him, mother!” Julia said passionately. + +“You!” Flavia exclaimed in angry surprise; “you, Julia, of the house of +Gracchus, love a slave! You are mad, girl, and shameless.” + +“I say so without shame,” Julia replied, “and why should I not? He is a +noble of Carthage, though now a prisoner of war. What if my father is +a consul? Malchus is the cousin of Hannibal, who is a greater man than +Rome has ever yet seen. Why should I not wed him?” + +“In the first place, it seems, Julia,” Flavia said gravely, “because +he loves someone else. In the second place, because, as I hear, he is +likely to be exchanged very shortly for a praetor taken prisoner at +Cannae, and will soon be fighting against us. In the third place, +because all Rome would be scandalized were a Roman maiden of the +patrician order, and of the house of Gracchus, to marry one of the +invaders of her country. Go to, Julia, I blush for you! So this is the +reason why of late you have behaved so coldly to Sempronius. Shame on +you, daughter! What would your father say, did he, on his return from +the field, hear of your doings? Go to your chamber, and do not let me +see you again till you can tell me that you have purged this madness +from your veins.” + +Without a word Julia turned and left the room. Parental discipline was +strong in Rome, and none dare disobey a parent's command, and although +Julia had far more liberty and license than most unmarried Roman girls, +she did not dare to answer her mother when she spoke in such a tone. + +Flavia sat for some time in thought, then she sent for Malchus. He had +already exchanged a few words with Clotilde, and was therefore prepared +for her questions. + +“Malchus, is it true that you love my Gaulish slave girl?” + +“It is true,” Malchus replied quietly. “When we met in Gaul, two years +since, she was the daughter of a chief, I a noble of Carthage. I loved +her; but we were both young, and with so great a war in hand it was not +a time to speak of marriage.” + +“Would you marry her now?” + +“Not as a slave,” Malchus replied; “when I marry her it shall be before +the face of all men--I as a noble of Carthage, she as a noble Gaulish +maiden.” + +“Hannibal is treating for your exchange now,” Flavia said. “There are +difficulties in the way, for, as you know, the senate have refused to +allow its citizens who surrender to be ransomed or exchanged; but the +friends of the praetor Publius are powerful and are bringing all their +influence to bear to obtain the exchange of their kinsman, whom Hannibal +has offered for you. I will gladly use what influence I and my family +possess to aid them. I knew when you came to me that, as a prisoner of +war, it was likely that you might be exchanged.” + +“You have been very kind, my Lady Flavia,” Malchus said, “and I esteem +myself most fortunate in having fallen into such hands. Since you know +now how it is with me and Clotilde, I can ask you at once to let me +ransom her of you. Any sum that you like to name I will bind myself, on +my return to the Carthaginian camp, to pay for her.” + +“I will think it over,” Flavia said graciously. “Clotilde is useful to +me, but I can dispense with her services, and will ask you no exorbitant +amount for her. If the negotiations for your exchange come to aught, you +may rely upon it that she shall go hence with you.” + +With an expression of deep gratitude Malchus retired. Flavia, in thus +acceding to the wishes of Malchus, was influenced by several motives. +She was sincerely shocked at Julia's conduct, and was most desirous of +getting both Malchus and Clotilde away, for she knew that her daughter +was headstrong as she was passionate, and the presence of Clotilde in +the house would, even were Malchus absent, be a source of strife and +bitterness between herself and her daughter. + +In the second place, it would be a pretty story to tell her friends, +and she should be able to take credit to herself for her magnanimity in +parting with her favourite attendant. Lastly, in the present state of +affairs it might possibly happen that it would be of no slight +advantage to have a friend possessed of great power and influence in the +Carthaginian camp. Her husband might be captured in fight--it was not +beyond the bounds of possibility that Rome itself might fall into the +hands of the Carthaginians. It was, therefore, well worth while making a +friend of a man who was a near relation of Hannibal. + +For some days Julia kept her own apartment. All the household knew that +something had gone wrong, though none were aware of the cause. A general +feeling of uneasiness existed, for Julia had from a child in her fits of +temper been harsh with her slaves, venting her temper by cruelly beating +and pinching them. Many a slave had been flogged by her orders at such +a time, for her mother, although herself an easy mistress, seldom +interfered with her caprices, and all that she did was good in the eyes +of her father. + +At the end of the week Flavia told Malchus that the negotiations for his +release had been broken off, the Roman senate remaining inflexible +in the resolve that Romans who surrendered to the enemy should not be +exchanged. Malchus was much disappointed, as it had seemed that the time +of his release was near; however, he had still his former plan of escape +to fall back upon. + +A day or two later Julia sent a slave with a message to Sempronius, and +in the afternoon sallied out with a confidential attendant, who always +accompanied her when she went abroad. In the Forum she met Sempronius, +who saluted her. + +“Sempronius,” she said coming at once to the purpose, “will you do me a +favour?” + +“I would do anything to oblige you, Lady Julia, as you know.” + +“That is the language of courtesy,” Julia said shortly; “I mean would +you be ready to run some risk?” + +“Certainly,” Sempronius answered readily. + +“You will do it the more readily, perhaps,” Julia said, “inasmuch as +it will gratify your revenge. You have reason to hate Malchus, the +Carthaginian slave.” + +Sempronius nodded. + +“Your suspicion was true, he loves the Gaulish slave; they have been +questioned and have confessed it. I want them separated.” + +“But how?” Sempronius asked, rejoicing inwardly at finding that Julia's +wishes agreed so nearly with his own. + +“I want her carried off,” Julia said shortly. “When once you have got +her you can do with her as you will; make her your slave, kill her, +do as you like with her, that is nothing to me--all I want is that she +shall go. I suppose you have some place where you could take her?” + +“Yes,” Sempronius said, “I have a small estate among the Alban Hills +where she would be safe enough from searchers; but how to get her there? +She never goes out except with Lady Flavia.” + +“She must be taken from the house,” Julia said shortly; “pretty slaves +have been carried off before now, and no suspicion need light upon you. +You might find some place in the city to hide her for a few days, and +then boldly carry her through the gates in a litter. None will think of +questioning you.” + +“The wrath of Lady Flavia would be terrible,” Sempronius said +doubtfully. + +“My mother would be furious at first,” Julia said coldly; “but get her a +new plaything, a monkey or a Numidian slave boy, and she will soon forget +all about the matter.” + +“But how do you propose it should be done?” Sempronius asked. + +“My slave shall withdraw all the bolts of the back entrance to the +house,” Julia said; “do you be there at two in the morning, when all +will be sound asleep; bring with you a couple of barefooted slaves. My +woman will be at the door and will guide you to the chamber where the +girl sleeps; you have only to gag her and carry her quietly off.” + +Sempronius stood for a moment in doubt. The enterprise was certainly +feasible. Wild adventures of this kind were not uncommon among the +dissolute young Romans, and Sempronius saw at once that were he detected +Julia's influence would prevent her mother taking the matter up hotly. +Julia guessed his thoughts. + +“If you are found out,” she said, “I will take the blame upon myself, +and tell my mother that you were acting solely at my request.” + +“I will do it, Julia,” he agreed; “tonight at two o'clock I will be +at the back door with two slaves whom I can trust. I will have a place +prepared to which I can take the girl till it is safe to carry her from +the city.” + + + +CHAPTER XXII: THE LION + + +Malchus was sleeping soundly that night when he was awakened by a low +angry sound from the lion. + +He looked up, and saw by the faint light of a lamp which burned in the +hall, from which the niche like bed chambers of the principal slaves +opened, that the animal had risen to its feet. Knowing that, docile as +it was with those it knew, the lion objected to strangers, the thought +occurred to him that some midnight thief had entered the house for the +purpose of robbery. Malchus took his staff and sallied out, the lion +walking beside him. + +He traversed the hall and went from room to room until he entered the +portion of the house inhabited by Flavia and the female slaves. Here he +would have hesitated, but the lion continued its way, crouching as it +walked, with its tail beating its sides with short quick strokes. + +There was no one in the principal apartment. He entered the corridor, +from which as he knew issued the bed chambers of the slaves. Here he +stopped in sudden surprise at seeing a woman holding a light, while two +men were issuing from one of the apartments bearing between them a +body wrapped up in a cloak. Sempronius stood by the men directing their +movements. The face of the person carried was invisible, but the light +of the lamp fell upon a mass of golden brown hair, and Malchus knew at +once that it was Clotilde who was being carried off. + +Malchus sprang forward and with a blow of his staff levelled one of the +slaves to the ground; Sempronius with a furious exclamation drew his +sword and rushed at him, while the other slave, dropping his burden, +closed with Malchus and threw his arms around him. For a moment Malchus +felt powerless, but before Sempronius could strike there was a deep +roar, a dark body sprang forward and hurled itself upon him, levelling +him to the ground with a crushing blow of its paw, and then seized him +by the shoulder and shook him violently. The slave who held Malchus +loosed his hold and fled with a cry of affright, the female slave +dropped the light and fled also. Clotilde had by this time gained her +feet. + +“Quick, love!” Malchus said; “seize your disguise and join me at the +back gate. Sempronius is killed; I will join you as quickly as I can.” + +By this time the household was alarmed, the shout of Malchus and the +roar of the lion had aroused everyone, and the slaves soon came hurrying +with lights to the spot. Malchus checked them as they came running out. + +“Fetch the net,” he said. The net in question had been procured after +the lion had before made an attack upon the slave, but had not since +been required. + +Malchus dared not approach the creature now, for though he was not +afraid for himself, it was now furious, and might, if disturbed, rush +among the others and do terrible destruction before it could be secured. +The net was quickly brought, and Malchus, with three of the most +resolute of the slaves, advanced and threw it over the lion, which was +lying upon the prostrate body of Sempronius. It sprang to its feet, but +the net was round it, and in its struggle to escape it fell on its side. +Another twist of the net and it was helplessly inclosed; the four +men lifted the ends and carried it away. Cutting a portion of the net +Malchus placed the massive iron collar attached to the chain round its +neck and then left it, saying to the others: + +“We can cut the rest of the net off it afterwards.” + +He then hurried back to the scene of the struggle. Flavia was already +there. + +“What is all this, Malchus,” she asked. “Here I find Sempronius dead +and one of his slaves senseless beside him; they tell me when he first +arrived you were here.” + +“I know nothing of it, lady,” Malchus replied, “save that the lion +aroused me by growling, and thinking that robbers might have entered the +house, I arose and searched it and came upon three men. One I levelled +to the ground with my staff; doubtless he is only stunned and will be +able to tell you more when he recovers. I grappled with another, and +while engaged in a struggle with him the third attacked me with a sword, +and would have slain me had not the lion sprang upon him and felled him. +The other man then fled--this is all I know about it.” + +“What can it all mean?” Flavia said. “What could Sempronius with two +slaves be doing in my house after midnight? It is a grave outrage, and +there will be a terrible scandal in Rome tomorrow--the son of a praetor +and a friend of the house!” + +She then ordered the slaves to raise the body of Sempronius and carry +it to a couch, and to send at once for a leech. She also bade them throw +water on the slave and bring him to consciousness, and then to bring him +before her to be questioned. + +“Where is my daughter?” she said suddenly; “has she not been roused by +all this stir?” One of the female slaves stole into Julia's apartment, +and returned saying that her mistress was sound asleep on her couch. + +An expression of doubt crossed Flavia's face, but she only said, “Do +not disturb her,” and then thoughtfully returned to her room. It was not +until an hour later that the prisoner was sufficiently recovered to be +brought before Flavia. He had already heard that his master was killed, +and, knowing that concealment would be useless, he threw himself on +the ground before Flavia, and owned that he and another slave had been +brought by Sempronius to carry off a slave girl. + +Acting on his instructions they had thrust a kerchief into her mouth, +and wrapped a cloak round her, and were carrying her off when a man +rushed at him, and he supposed struck him, for he remembered nothing +more. He then with many tears implored mercy, on the ground that he was +acting but on his master's orders. At this moment the praetor himself +arrived, Flavia having sent for him immediately she had ascertained that +Sempronius was dead. He was confused and bewildered at the suddenness of +his loss. + +“I thought at first,” Flavia said, “that he must have been engaged in +some wild scheme to carry off Julia, though why he should do so I could +not imagine, seeing that he had my approval of his wooing; but Julia is +asleep, not having been a wakened by the noise of the scuffle. It must +have been one of the slave girls.” + +“Ah!” she exclaimed suddenly. “I did not see Clotilde.” She struck a +bell, and her attendant entered. + +“Go,” she said, “and summon Clotilde here.” + +In a few minutes the slave returned, saying that Clotilde was not to be +found. + +“She may have been carried off by the other slave,” Flavia said, “but +Malchus was there, and would have pursued. Fetch him here.” + +But Malchus too was found to be missing. + +“They must have fled together,” Flavia said. “There was an understanding +between them. Doubtless Malchus feared that this affair with your son +might cause him to be taken away from here. Perhaps it is best so, and +I trust that they may get away, though I fear there is little chance, +since no slaves are allowed to leave the city without a pass, and even +did they succeed in gaining the open country they would be arrested +and brought back by the first person who met them. But that is not the +question for the present.” + +“What think you, my friend, what are we to do in this terrible +business?” + +“I know not,” the praetor said with a groan. + +“The honour of both our families is concerned,” Flavia said calmly. +“Your son has been found in my house at night and slain by my lion. All +the world knows that he was a suitor for Julia's hand. There's but one +thing to be done; the matter must be kept secret. It would not do to try +and remove Sempronius tonight, for the litter might be stopped by the +watch; it must be taken boldly away in daylight. Send four slaves whom +you can trust, and order them to be silent on pain of death. I will tell +my household that if a word is breathed of what has taken place tonight, +I will hand whoever disobeys me over to the executioners. When you have +got your son's body home you can spread a rumour that he is sick of the +fever. There will be no difficulty in bribing the leech. Then in a few +days you will give out that he is dead, and none will be any the wiser.” + +The praetor agreed that this was the best plan that could be adopted, +and it was carried out in due course, and so well was the secret kept +that no one in Rome ever doubted that Sempronius had fallen a victim to +fever. + +Julia's anger in the morning, when she heard that the Gaulish slave girl +and the Carthaginian were missing, was great, and she hurried to her +mother's room to demand that a hue and cry should be at once made +for them, and a reward offered for their apprehension. She had, when +informed of the scenes which had taken place in the night, and of the +death of Sempronius, expressed great astonishment and horror, and indeed +the news that her accomplice had been killed had really shocked her. The +sentiment, however, had faded to insignificance in the anger which she +felt when, as the narrative continued, she heard of the escape of the +two slaves. + +A stormy scene took place between her and her mother, Julia boldly +avowing that she was the author of the scheme which had had so fatal a +termination. Flavia, in her indignation at her daughter's conduct, +sent her away at once to a small summer retreat belonging to her in the +hills, and there she was kept for some months in strict seclusion under +the watchful guardianship of some old and trusted slaves. + +Malchus, having seen the lion fastened up, had seized the bundle +containing his disguise, and hurried away to the gate where Clotilde was +awaiting him. + +“How long you have been!” she said with a gasp of relief. + +“I could not get away until the lion was secured,” he said, “for I +should have been instantly missed. Now we will be off at once.” Both had +thrown large dark cloaks over their garments, and they now hurried along +through the deserted streets, occasionally drawing aside into bylanes as +they heard the tramp of the city watch. + +At last, after half an hour's walking, they reached the wall. Malchus +knew the exact spot where he had hidden the rope, and had no difficulty +in finding it. They mounted the steps and stood on the battlements. The +sentries were far apart, for no enemy was in the neighbourhood of Rome. +Malchus fastened the rope round Clotilde, and lowered her down over the +battlements. When he found that she had reached the ground he made +fast the end of the rope and slid down till he stood beside her. They +proceeded with the utmost caution until at some distance from the walls; +and then shaped their course until, after a long walk, they came down +upon the Tiber below the city. + +Day had by this time broken, and Malchus bade Clotilde enter a little +wood to change her garments and dye her skin. He then proceeded to do +the same, and rolling up the clothes he had taken off, hid them under +a bush. Clotilde soon joined him again. She wore the dress of a peasant +boy, consisting of a tunic of rough cloth reaching to her knees. Her +limbs, face, and neck were dyed a sunny brown, and her hair, which +was cut quite short, was blackened. Dyes were largely in use by Roman +ladies, and Malchus had had no difficulty in procuring those necessary +for their disguises. + +“I don't think anyone would suspect you, Clotilde,” he said; “even I +should pass you without notice. What a pity you have had to part with +all your sunny hair!” + +“It will soon grow again,” she said; “and now, Malchus, do not let us +waste a moment. I am in terror while those dark walls are in sight.” + +“We shall soon leave them behind,” Malchus said encouragingly. “There +are plenty of fishermen's boats moored along the bank here. We shall +soon leave Rome behind us.” + +They stepped into a boat, loosened the moorings, and pushed off, and +Malchus, getting out the oars, rowed steadily down the river until they +neared its mouth. Then they landed, pushed the boat into the stream +again, lest, if it were found fastened up, it might give a clue to any +who were in pursuit of them, and then struck off into the country. After +travelling some miles they turned into a wood, where they lay down for +several hours, and did not resume their course until nightfall. + +Malchus had, before starting, entered the kitchen, and had filled a bag +with cold meat, oatmeal cakes, and other food, and this, when examined, +proved ample for four days' supply, and he had, therefore, no occasion +to enter the villages to buy provisions. They kept by the seashore until +they neared Terracina, and then took to the hills, and skirted these +until they had left the state of Latium. They kept along at the foot of +the great range which forms the backbone of Italy, and so passing along +Samnium, came down upon the Volturnus, having thus avoided the Roman +army, which lay between Capua and Rome. + +Their journey had been a rough one, for, by the winding road they had +followed along the mountains, the distance they traversed was over one +hundred miles. The fatigue had been great, and it was well that Clotilde +had had a Gaulish training. After their provisions were exhausted they +had subsisted upon corn which they gathered in the patches of cultivated +ground near the mountain villages, and upon fruits which they picked in +the woods. + +Twice, too, they had come upon herds of half wild goats in the +mountains, and Malchus had succeeded in knocking down a kid with a +stone. They had not made very long journeys, resting always for a few +hours in the heat of the day, and it was ten days after they had left +Rome before, from an eminence, they saw the walls of Capua. + +“How can I go in like this?” Clotilde exclaimed in a sudden fit of +shyness. + +“We will wait until it is dusk,” Malchus said; “the dye is fast wearing +off, and your arms are strangely white for a peasant girl's. I will +take you straight to Hannibal's palace, and you will soon be fitted out +gorgeously. There are spoils enough stored up to clothe all the women of +Rome.” + +They sat down in the shade of a clump of trees, and waited till the heat +of the day was past; then they rose and walked on until, after darkness +had fallen, they entered the town of Capua. They had no difficulty in +discovering the palace where Hannibal was lodged. They were stopped at +the entrance by the guards, who gave a cry of surprise and pleasure when +Malchus revealed himself. At first they could hardly credit that, in the +dark skinned peasant, their own commander stood before them, and as the +news spread rapidly the officers of the corps ran down and saluted him +with a joyous greeting. While this was going on Clotilde shrank back out +of the crowd. + +As soon as he could extricate himself from his comrades, Malchus joined +her, and led her to Hannibal, who, hearing the unusual stir, was issuing +from his apartment to see what had occasioned it. The shouts of “Long +live Malchus!” which rose from the soldiers informed him of what had +happened, and he at once recognized his kinsman in the figure advancing +to meet him. + +“My dear Malchus,” he exclaimed, “this is a joyous surprise. I have been +in vain endeavouring to get you out of the hands of the Romans, but they +were obstinate in refusing an exchange; but knowing your adroitness, I +have never given up hopes of seeing you appear some day among us. But +whom have you here?” he asked as he re-entered his room accompanied by +Malchus and his companion. + +“This is Clotilde, daughter of Allobrigius, the chief of the Orcan +tribe,” Malchus replied, “and my affianced wife. Her father has been +defeated and killed by Postumius, and she was carried as a slave to +Rome. There good fortune and the gods threw us together, and I have +managed to bring her with me.” + +“I remember you, of course,” Hannibal said to the girl, “and that I +joked my young kinsman about you. This is well, indeed; but we must see +at once about providing you with proper garments. There are no females +in my palace, but I will send at once for Chalcus, who is now captain of +my guard, and who has married here in Capua, and beg him to bring hither +his wife; she will I am sure take charge of you, and furnish you with +garments.” + +Clotilde was soon handed over to the care of the Italian lady, and +Malchus then proceeded to relate to Hannibal the various incidents which +had occurred since he had sailed from Capua for Sardinia. He learned in +return that the mission of Mago to Carthage had been unsuccessful. He +had brought over a small reinforcement of cavalry and elephants, which +had landed in Bruttium and had safely joined the army; but this only +repaired a few of the many gaps made by the war, and was useless to +enable Hannibal to carry out his great purpose. + +“Hanno's influence was too strong,” Hannibal said, “and I foresee that +sooner or later the end must come. I may hold out for years here in +Southern Italy, but unless Carthage rises from her lethargy, I must +finally be overpowered.” + +“It seems to me,” Malchus said, “that the only hope is in rousing the +Gauls to invade Italy from the north.” + +“I know nothing of what is passing there,” Hannibal said; “but it is +clear from the disaster which has befallen our friends the Orcans that +the Romans are more than holding their own north of the Apennines. +Still, if a diversion could be made it would be useful. I suppose you +are desirous of taking your bride back to her tribe.” + +“Such is my wish, certainly,” Malchus said. “As I have told you, +Hannibal, I have made up my mind never to return to Carthage. It is +hateful to me. Her tame submission to the intolerable tyranny of Hanno +and his faction, her sufferance of the corruption which reigns in every +department, her base ingratitude to you and the army which have done +and suffered so much, the lethargy which she betrays when dangers are +thickening and her fall and destruction are becoming more and more sure, +have sickened me of her. I have resolved, as I have told you, to cast +her off, and to live and die among the Gauls--a life rough and simple, +but at least free.” + +“But it seems that the Gauls have again been subjected to Rome,” + Hannibal said. + +“On this side of the Alps,” Malchus replied, “but beyond are great +tribes who have never as yet heard of Rome. It is to them that +Clotilde's mother belongs, and we have settled that we will first try +and find her mother and persuade her to go with us, and that if she +is dead we will journey alone until we join her tribe in Germany. But +before I go I will, if it be possible, try and rouse the Gauls to make +another effort for freedom by acting in concert, by driving out the +Romans and invading Italy. You will, I trust, Hannibal, not oppose my +plans.” + +“Assuredly not, Malchus; I sympathize with you, and were I younger +and without ties and responsibilities would fain do the same. It is a +sacrifice, no doubt, to give up civilization and to begin life anew, +but it is what our colonists are always doing. At any rate it is +freedom--freedom from the corruption, the intrigue, the sloth, and the +littleness of a decaying power like that of Carthage. You will be happy +at least in having your wife with you, while the gods only know when I +shall see the face of my beloved Imilce. + +“Yes, Malchus, follow your own devices. Carthage, when she flung you +in prison and would have put you to a disgraceful death, forfeited all +further claim upon you. You have rendered her great services, you have +risked your life over and over again in her cause, you have repaid +tenfold the debt which you incurred when she gave you birth. You are +free now to carry your sword where you will. I shall deeply regret your +loss, but your father has gone and many another true friend of mine, +and it is but one more in the list of those I have lost. Follow your +own wishes, and live in that freedom which you will never attain in the +service of Carthage.” + +The next day the marriage of Malchus and Clotilde took place. Hannibal +himself joined their hands and prayed the gods to bless their +union. Three weeks later Hannibal arranged that a body of a hundred +Carthaginian horse should accompany Malchus to the north, where he would +endeavour to raise the Gaulish tribes. They were to cross into Apulia, +to travel up the east coast until past the ranges of the Apennines, +and then make their way across the plains to the Alps. A dozen officers +accompanied him; these were to aid him in his negotiations with +the chiefs, and in organizing the new forces, should his efforts be +successful. + +To the great joy of Malchus, on the very evening before he started +Nessus arrived in the camp. He had, when Malchus was at Rome, been +employed with the other Carthaginian soldiers on the fortifications. +Malchus had once or twice seen him as, with the others, he was marched +from the prison to the walls, and had exchanged a few words with him. +He had told him that he intended to escape, but could not say when he +should find an opportunity to do so; but that if at any time a month +passed without his seeing him, Nessus would know that he had gone. + +The extra rigour with which the prisoners were guarded had led Nessus to +suspect that a prisoner had escaped, and a month having passed without +his seeing Malchus, he determined on making an attempt at flight. So +rigourous was the watch that there was no possibility of this being done +secretly, and, therefore, one day when they were employed in repairing +the foundations of the wall outside the city Nessus seized the +opportunity, when the attention of the guards was for a moment directed +in another quarter, to start at the top of his speed. He had chosen the +hottest hour of the day for the attempt, when few people were about, and +the peasants had left the fields for an hour's sleep under the shade of +trees. + +The Roman guard had started in pursuit, but Nessus had not overrated his +powers. Gradually he left them behind him, and, making straight for the +Tiber, plunged in and swam the river. He had followed the right bank +up to the hills, and on the second evening after starting made his +appearance at Capua. When he heard the plans of Malchus he announced, +as a matter of course, that he should accompany him. Malchus pointed out +that, with the rewards and spoils he had obtained, he had now sufficient +money to become a man of importance among his own people. Nessus quietly +waved the remark aside as if it were wholly unworthy of consideration. + +The cavalry who were to accompany Malchus were light armed Numidians, +whose speed would enable them to distance any bodies of the enemy they +might meet on their way. With them were thirty lead horses, some of them +carrying a large sum of money, which Hannibal had directed should be +paid to Malchus from the treasury, as his share, as an officer of high +rank, of the captured booty. The rest of the horses were laden with +costly arms, robes of honour, and money as presents for the Gaulish +chiefs. These also were furnished from the abundant spoils which had +fallen into the hands of the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal directed Malchus that, in the event of his failing in his +mission, he was not to trouble to send these things back, but was to +retain them to win the friendship and goodwill of the chiefs of the +country to which he proposed to journey. The next morning Malchus took +an affectionate farewell of the general and his old comrades, and then, +with Clotilde riding by his side--for the women of the Gauls were as +well skilled as the men in the management of horses--he started at the +head of his party. He followed the route marked out for him without any +adventure of importance. He had one or two skirmishes with parties of +tribesmen allied with Rome, but his movements were too rapid for any +force sufficient to oppose his passage being collected. + +After ascending the sea coast the troop skirted the northern slopes of +the Apennines, passing close to the battlefield of Trebia, and +crossing the Po by a ford, ascended the banks of the Orcus, and reached +Clotilde's native village. A few ruins alone marked where it had stood. +Malchus halted there and despatched scouts far up the valley. These +succeeded in finding a native, who informed them that Brunilda with the +remains of the tribe were living in the forests far up on the slopes. +The scouts delivered to them the message with which they were charged: +that Clotilde and Malchus, with a Carthaginian force, were at Orca. The +following evening Brunilda and her followers came into camp. + +Deep was the joy of the mother and daughter. The former had long since +given up all hope of ever hearing of Clotilde again, and had devoted her +life to vengeance on the Romans. From her fastness in the mountain she +had from time to time led her followers down, and carried fire and sword +over the fields and plantations of the Roman colonists, retiring rapidly +before the garrisons could sally from the towns and fall upon her. She +was rejoiced to find that her child had found a husband and protector +in the young Carthaginian, still more rejoiced when she found that the +latter had determined upon throwing in his lot with the Gauls. + +All that night mother and daughter sat talking over the events which +had happened since they parted. Brunilda could give Malchus but little +encouragement for the mission on which he had come. The legion of +Postumius had indeed been defeated and nearly destroyed in a rising +which had taken place early in the spring; but fresh troops had arrived, +dissensions had, as usual, broken out among the chiefs, many of them +had again submitted to the Romans, and the rest had been defeated and +crushed. Brunilda thought that there was little hope at present of their +again taking up arms. + +For some weeks Malchus attempted to carry out Hannibal's instructions; +he and his lieutenants, accompanied by small parties of horse, rode +through the country and visited all the chiefs of Cisalpine Gaul, but +the spirit of the people was broken. The successes they had gained had +never been more than partial, the Roman garrison towns had always defied +all their efforts, and sooner or later the Roman legions swept down +across the Apennines and carried all before them. + +In vain Malchus told them of the victories that Hannibal had won, that +Southern Italy was in his hands, and the Roman dominion tottering. In +reply they pointed to the garrisons and the legion, and said that, were +Rome in a sore strait, she would recall her legion for her own defence, +and no arguments that Malchus could use could move them to lay aside +their own differences and to unite in another effort for freedom. Winter +was now at hand. Malchus remained in the mountains with the Orcans until +spring came, and then renewed his efforts with no greater success +than before. Then he dismissed the Carthaginians, with a letter giving +Hannibal an account of all he had done, and bade them find their way +back to Capua by the road by which they had come. + +Brunilda had joyfully agreed to his proposal that they should cross +the Alps and join her kinsmen in Germany, and the remnant of the tribe +willingly consented to accompany them. Accordingly in the month of May +they set out, and journeying north made their way along the shore of +the lake now called the Lago di Guarda, and, crossing by the pass of +the Trentino, came down on the northern side of the Alps, and, after +journeying for some weeks among the great forests which covered the +country, reached the part inhabited by the tribe of the Cherusei, to +which Brunilda belonged. + +Here they were hospitably received. Brunilda's family were among the +noblest of the tribe, and the rich presents which the ample resources of +Malchus enabled him to distribute among all the chiefs, at once raised +him to a position of high rank and consideration among them. Although +accepting the life of barbarism Malchus was not prepared to give up all +the usages of civilization. He built a house, which, although it +would have been but a small structure in Carthage, was regarded with +admiration and wonder by the Gauls. Here he introduced the usages and +customs of civilization. The walls, indeed, instead of being hung with +silk and tapestry, were covered with the skins of stags, bears, and +other animals slain in the chase; but these were warmer and better +suited for the rigour of the climate in winter than silks would have +been. The wealth, knowledge, and tact of Malchus gained him an immense +influence in the tribe, and in time he was elected the chief of that +portion of it dwelling near him. He did not succeed in getting his +followers to abandon their own modes of life, but he introduced among +them many of the customs of civilization, and persuaded them to adopt +the military formation in use among the Carthaginians. It was with some +reluctance that they submitted to this; but so complete was the victory +which they obtained over a rival tribe, upon their first encounter when +led by Malchus and his able lieutenant Nessus, that he had no difficulty +in future on this score. + +The advantages, indeed, of fighting in solid formation, instead of +the irregular order in which each man fought for himself, were so +overwhelming that the tribe rapidly increased in power and importance, +and became one of the leading peoples in that part of Germany. Above +all, Malchus inculcated them with a deep hatred of Rome, and warned them +that when the time came, as it assuredly would do, that the Romans would +cross the Alps and attempt the conquest of the country, it behooved the +German tribes to lay aside all their disputes and to join in a common +resistance against the enemy. + +From time to time rumours, brought by parties of Cisalpine Gauls, who, +like the Orcans, fled across the Alps to escape the tyranny of Rome, +reached Malchus. For years the news came that no great battle had been +fought, that Hannibal was still in the south of Italy defeating all the +efforts of the Romans to dislodge him. + +It was not until the thirteenth year after Hannibal had crossed the Alps +that any considerable reinforcement was sent to aid the Carthaginian +general. Then his brother Hasdrubal, having raised an army in Spain +and Southern Gaul, crossed the Alps to join him. But he was met, as +he marched south, by the consuls Livius and Nero with an army greatly +superior to his own; and was crushed by them on the river Metaurus, +the Spanish and Ligurian troops being annihilated and Hasdrubal himself +killed. + +For four years longer Hannibal maintained his position in the south of +Italy. No assistance whatever reached him from Carthage, but alone and +unaided he carried on the unequal war with Rome until, in 204 B.C., +Scipio landed with a Roman force within a few miles of Carthage, +captured Utica, defeated two Carthaginian armies with great slaughter, +and blockaded Carthage. Then the city recalled the general and the army +whom they had so grossly neglected and betrayed. + +Hannibal succeeded in safely embarking his army and in sailing to +Carthage; but so small was the remnant of the force which remained to +him, that when he attempted to give battle to Scipio he was defeated, +and Carthage was forced to make peace on terms which left her for the +future at the mercy of Rome. She was to give up all her ships of war +except ten, and all her elephants, to restore all Roman prisoners, +to engage in no war out of Africa--and none in Africa except with the +consent of Rome, to restore to Massinissa, a prince of Numidia who had +joined Rome, his kingdom, to pay a contribution of two hundred talents a +year for fifty years, and to give a hundred hostages between the ages of +fourteen and thirty, to be selected by the Roman general. + +These terms left Carthage at the mercy of Rome, when the latter, +confident in her power, entered upon the third Punic war, the overthrow +and the destruction of her rival were a comparatively easy task for her. +Hannibal lived nineteen years after his return to Carthage. For eight +years he strove to rectify the administration, to reform abuses, and to +raise and improve the state; but his exposure of the gross abuses of the +public service united against him the faction which had so long profited +by them, and, in B. C. 196, the great patriot and general was driven +into exile. + +He then repaired to the court of Antiochus, King of Syria, who was at +that time engaged in a war against Rome; but that monarch would not +follow the advice he gave him, and was in consequence defeated at +Magnesia, and was forced to sue for peace and to accept the terms the +Romans imposed, one of which was that Hannibal should be delivered into +their hands. + +Hannibal, being warned in time, left Syria and went to Bithynia. But +Rome could not be easy so long as her great enemy lived, and made a +demand upon Prusias, King of Bithynia, for his surrender. He was about +to comply with the request when Hannibal put an end to his life, dying +at the age of sixty-four. + +No rumour of this event ever reached Malchus, but he heard, fifteen +years after he had passed into Germany, that Hannibal had at last +retired from Italy, and had been defeated at Zama, and that Carthage had +been obliged to submit to conditions which placed her at the mercy of +Rome. Malchus rejoiced more than ever at the choice he had made. His +sons were now growing up, and he spared no efforts to instill in them +a hatred and distrust of Rome, to teach them the tactics of war, and to +fill their minds with noble and lofty thoughts. + +Nessus had followed the example of his lord and had married a Gaulish +maiden, and he was now a subchief in the tribe. Malchus and Clotilde +lived to a great age, and the former never once regretted the choice +he had made. From afar he heard of the ever growing power of Rome, and +warned his grandsons, as he had warned his sons, against her, and begged +them to impress upon their descendants in turn the counsels he had given +them. The injunction was observed, and the time came when Arminius, a +direct descendant of Malchus, then the leader of the Cherusei, assembled +the German tribes and fell upon the legions of Varus, inflicting upon +them a defeat as crushing and terrible as the Romans had ever suffered +at the hands of Hannibal himself, and checking for once and all the +efforts of the Romans to subdue the free people of Germany. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Carthaginian, by G.A. 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A. Henty + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Carthaginian, by G.A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Carthaginian + A Story of The Times of Hannibal + +Author: G.A. Henty + +Release Date: June 14, 2009 [EBook #5128] +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN + </h1> + <h2> + A STORY OF THE TIMES OF HANNIBAL, + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By G. A. Henty + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE. </a><br /><br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> THE CAMP IN THE DESERT + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a> A NIGHT + ATTACK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a> CARTHAGE + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a> A + POPULAR RISING <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a> THE + CONSPIRACY <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a> A + CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a> A + WOLF HUNT <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII. </a> A + PLOT FRUSTRATED <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a> THE + SIEGE OF SAGUNTUM <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a> BESET + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. </a> THE + PASSAGE OF THE RHONE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. + </a> AMONG THE PASSES <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0013"> + CHAPTER XIII. </a> THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV. </a> THE BATTLE OF LAKE + TRASIMENE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV. </a> A + MOUNTAIN TRIBE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. </a> IN + THE DUNGEONS OF CARTHAGE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER + XVII. </a> THE ESCAPE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0018"> + CHAPTER XVIII. </a> CANNAE <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. </a> IN THE MINES <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XX. </a> THE SARDINIAN + FORESTS <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI. </a> THE + GAULISH SLAVE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII. </a> THE + LION <br /><br /> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + MY DEAR LADS, + </p> + <p> + When I was a boy at school, if I remember rightly, our sympathies were + generally with the Carthaginians as against the Romans. Why they were so, + except that one generally sympathizes with the unfortunate, I do not quite + know; certainly we had but a hazy idea as to the merits of the struggle + and knew but little of its events, for the Latin and Greek authors, which + serve as the ordinary textbooks in schools, do not treat of the Punic + wars. That it was a struggle for empire at first, and latterly one for + existence on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a great and skilful + general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and + Cannae, and all but took Rome, and that the Romans behaved with bad faith + and great cruelty at the capture of Carthage, represents, I think, pretty + nearly the sum total of our knowledge. + </p> + <p> + I am sure I should have liked to know a great deal more about this + struggle for the empire of the world, and as I think that most of you + would also like to do so, I have chosen this subject for my story. + Fortunately there is no lack of authentic material from which to glean the + incidents of the struggle. Polybius visited all the passes of the Alps + some forty years after the event, and conversed with tribesmen who had + witnessed the passage of Hannibal, and there can be no doubt that his + descriptions are far more accurate than those of Livy, who wrote somewhat + later and had no personal knowledge of the affair. Numbers of books have + been written as to the identity of the passes traversed by Hannibal. The + whole of these have been discussed and summarized by Mr. W. J. Law, and as + it appears to me that his arguments are quite conclusive I have adopted + the line which he lays down as that followed by Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + In regard to the general history of the expedition, and of the manners, + customs, religion, and politics of Carthage, I have followed M. Hennebert + in his most exhaustive and important work on the subject. I think that + when you have read to the end you will perceive that although our + sympathies may remain with Hannibal and the Carthaginians, it was + nevertheless for the good of the world that Rome was the conqueror in the + great struggle for empire. At the time the war began Carthage was already + corrupt to the core, and although she might have enslaved many nations she + would never have civilized them. Rome gave free institutions to the people + she conquered, she subdued but she never enslaved them, but rather strove + to plant her civilization among them and to raise them to her own level. + Carthage, on the contrary, was from the first a cruel mistress to the + people she conquered. Consequently while all the peoples of Italy rallied + round Rome in the days of her distress, the tribes subject to Carthage + rose in insurrection against her as soon as the presence of a Roman army + gave them a hope of escape from their bondage. + </p> + <p> + Had Carthage conquered Rome in the struggle she could never have extended + her power over the known world as Rome afterwards did, but would have + fallen to pieces again from the weakness of her institutions and the + corruption of her people. Thus then, although we may feel sympathy for the + failure and fate of the noble and chivalrous Hannibal himself, we cannot + regret that Rome came out conqueror in the strife, and was left free to + carry out her great work of civilization. + </p> + <p> + Yours sincerely, + </p> + <p> + G. A. Henty + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + CHAPTER I: THE CAMP IN THE DESERT + </h2> + <p> + It is afternoon, but the sun's rays still pour down with great power upon + rock and sand. How great the heat has been at midday may be seen by the + quivering of the air as it rises from the ground and blurs all distant + objects. It is seen, too, in the attitudes and appearance of a large body + of soldiers encamped in a grove. Their arms are thrown aside, the greater + portion of their clothing has been dispensed with. Some lie stretched on + the ground in slumber, their faces protected from any chance rays which + may find their way through the foliage above by little shelters composed + of their clothing hung on two bows or javelins. Some, lately awakened, are + sitting up or leaning against the trunks of the trees, but scarce one has + energy to move. + </p> + <p> + The day has indeed been a hot one even for the southern edge of the Libyan + desert. The cream coloured oxen stand with their heads down, lazily + whisking away with their tails the flies that torment them. The horses + standing near suffer more; the lather stands on their sides, their flanks + heave, and from time to time they stretch out their extended nostrils in + the direction from which, when the sun sinks a little lower, the breeze + will begin to blow. + </p> + <p> + The occupants of the grove are men of varied races, and, although there is + no attempt at military order, it is clear at once that they are divided + into three parties. One is composed of men more swarthy than the others. + They are lithe and active in figure, inured to hardship, accustomed to the + burning sun. Light shields hang against the trees with bows and gaily + painted quivers full of arrows, and near each man are three or four light + short javelins. They wear round caps of metal, with a band of the skin of + the lion or other wild animal, in which are stuck feathers dyed with some + bright colour. They are naked to the waist, save for a light breastplate + of brass. A cloth of bright colours is wound round their waist and drops + to the knees, and they wear belts of leather embossed with brass plates; + on their feet are sandals. They are the light armed Numidian horse. + </p> + <p> + Near them are a party of men lighter in hue, taller and stouter in + stature. Their garb is more irregular, their arms are bare, but they wear + a sort of shirt, open at the neck and reaching to the knees, and confined + at the waist by a leather strap, from which hangs a pouch of the same + material. Their shirts, which are of roughly made flannel, are dyed a + colour which was originally a deep purple, but which has faded, under the + heat of the sun, to lilac. They are a company of Iberian slingers, + enlisted among the tribes conquered in Spain by the Carthaginians. By them + lie the heavy swords which they use in close quarters. + </p> + <p> + The third body of men are more heavily armed. On the ground near the + sleepers lie helmets and massive shields. They have tightly fitting + jerkins of well-tanned leather, their arms are spears and battleaxes. They + are the heavy infantry of Carthage. Very various is their nationality; + fair skinned Greeks lie side by side with swarthy negroes from Nubia. + Sardinia, the islands of the Aegean, Crete and Egypt, Libya and Phoenicia + are all represented there. + </p> + <p> + They are recruited alike from the lower orders of the great city and from + the tribes and people who own her sway. + </p> + <p> + Near the large grove in which the troops are encamped is a smaller one. A + space in the centre has been cleared of trees, and in this a large tent + has been erected. Around this numerous slaves are moving to and fro. + </p> + <p> + A Roman cook, captured in a sea fight in which his master, a wealthy + tribune, was killed, is watching three Greeks, who are under his + superintendence, preparing a repast. Some Libyan grooms are rubbing down + the coats of four horses of the purest breed of the desert, while two + Nubians are feeding, with large flat cakes, three elephants, who, chained + by the leg to trees, stand rocking themselves from side to side. + </p> + <p> + The exterior of the tent is made of coarse white canvas; this is thickly + lined by fold after fold of a thin material, dyed a dark blue, to keep out + the heat of the sun, while the interior is hung with silk, purple and + white. The curtains at each end are looped back with gold cord to allow a + free passage of the air. + </p> + <p> + A carpet from the looms of Syria covers the ground, and on it are spread + four couches, on which, in a position half sitting half reclining, repose + the principal personages of the party. The elder of these is a man some + fifty years of age, of commanding figure, and features which express + energy and resolution. His body is bare to the waist, save for a light + short sleeved tunic of the finest muslin embroidered round the neck and + sleeves with gold. + </p> + <p> + A gold belt encircles his waist, below it hangs a garment resembling the + modern kilt, but reaching halfway between the knee and the ankle. It is + dyed a rich purple, and three bands of gold embroidery run round the lower + edge. On his feet he wears sandals with broad leather lacings covered with + gold. His toga, also of purple heavily embroidered with gold, lies on the + couch beside him; from one of the poles of the tent hang his arms, a short + heavy sword, with a handle of solid gold in a scabbard incrusted with the + same metal, and a baldrick, covered with plates of gold beautifully worked + and lined with the softest leather, by which it is suspended over his + shoulder. + </p> + <p> + Two of his companions are young men of three or four and twenty, both fair + like himself, with features of almost Greek regularity of outline. Their + dress is similar to his in fashion, but the colours are gayer. The fourth + member of the party is a lad of some fifteen years old. His figure, which + is naked to the waist, is of a pure Grecian model, the muscles, showing up + clearly beneath the skin, testify to hard exercise and a life of activity. + </p> + <p> + Powerful as Carthage was, the events of the last few years had shown that + a life and death struggle with her great rival in Italy was approaching. + For many years she had been a conquering nation. Her aristocracy were + soldiers as well as traders, ready at once to embark on the most distant + and adventurous voyages, to lead the troops of Carthage on toilsome + expeditions against insurgent tribes of Numidia and Libya, or to launch + their triremes to engage the fleets of Rome. + </p> + <p> + The severe checks which they had lately suffered at the hands of the newly + formed Roman navy, and the certainty that ere long a tremendous struggle + between the two powers must take place, had redoubled the military ardour + of the nobles. Their training to arms began from their very childhood, and + the sons of the noblest houses were taught, at the earliest age, the use + of arms and the endurance of fatigue and hardship. + </p> + <p> + Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, the leader of the expedition in the desert, + had been, from his early childhood, trained by his father in the use of + arms. When he was ten years old Hamilcar had taken him with him on a + campaign in Spain; there, by a rigourous training, he had learned to + endure cold and hardships. + </p> + <p> + In the depth of winter his father had made him pass the nights uncovered + and almost without clothing in the cold. He had bathed in the icy water of + the torrents from the snow clad hills, and had been forced to keep up with + the rapid march of the light armed troops in pursuit of the Iberians. He + was taught to endure long abstinence from food and to bear pain without + flinching, to be cheerful under the greatest hardships, to wear a smiling + face when even veteran soldiers were worn out and disheartened. + </p> + <p> + “It is incumbent upon us, the rulers and aristocracy of this great city, + my son, to show ourselves superior to the common herd. They must recognize + that we are not only richer and of better blood, but that we are stronger, + wiser, and more courageous than they. So, only, can we expect them to obey + us, and to make the sacrifices which war entails upon them. It is not + enough that we are of pure Phoenician blood, that we come of the most + enterprising race the world has ever seen, while they are but a mixed + breed of many people who have either submitted to our rule or have been + enslaved by us. + </p> + <p> + “This was well enough in the early days of the colony when it was + Phoenician arms alone that won our battles and subdued our rivals. In our + days we are few and the populace are many. Our armies are composed not of + Phoenicians, but of the races conquered by us. Libya and Numidia, Sicily, + Sardinia, and Spain, all in turn conquered by us, now furnish us with + troops. + </p> + <p> + “Carthage is a mighty city, but it is no longer a city of Phoenicians. We + form but a small proportion of the population. It is true that all power + rests in our hands, that from our ranks the senate is chosen, the army + officered, and the laws administered, but the expenses of the state are + vast. The conquered people fret under the heavy tributes which they have + to pay, and the vile populace murmur at the taxes. + </p> + <p> + “In Italy, Rome looms greater and more powerful year by year. Her people + are hardy and trained to arms, and some day the struggle between us and + her will have to be fought out to the death. Therefore, my son, it + behooves us to use every effort to make ourselves worthy of our position. + Set before yourself the example of your cousin Hannibal, who, young as he + is, is already viewed as the greatest man in Carthage. Grudge no hardship + or suffering to harden your frame and strengthen your arms. + </p> + <p> + “Some day you too may lead armies in the field, and, believe me, they will + follow you all the better and more cheerfully if they know that in + strength and endurance, as well as in position, their commander is the + foremost man in his army.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus had been an apt pupil, and had done justice to the pains which his + father had bestowed upon him and to the training he had undergone. He + could wield the arms of a man, could swim the coldest river, endure + hardship and want of food, traverse long distances at the top of his + speed, could throw a javelin with unerring aim, and send an arrow to the + mark as truly as the best of the Libyan archers. + </p> + <p> + “The sun is going down fast, father,” the lad said, “the shadows are + lengthening and the heat is declining.” + </p> + <p> + “We have only your word for the decline of the heat, Malchus,” one of the + younger men laughed; “I feel hotter than ever. This is the fifteenth time + that you have been to the door of the tent during the last half hour. Your + restlessness is enough to give one the fever.” + </p> + <p> + “I believe that you are just as eager as I am, Adherbal,” the boy replied + laughing. “It's your first lion hunt as well as mine, and I am sure you + are longing to see whether the assault of the king of beasts is more + trying to the nerves than that of the Iberian tribesmen.” + </p> + <p> + “I am looking forward to it, Malchus, certainly,” the young man replied; + “but as I know the lions will not quit their coverts until after + nightfall, and as no efforts on my part will hasten the approach of that + hour, I am well content to lie quiet and to keep myself as cool as may + be.” + </p> + <p> + “Your cousin is right,” the general said, “and impatience is a fault, + Malchus. We must make allowances for your impatience on the present + occasion, for the lion is a foe not to be despised, and he is truly as + formidable an antagonist when brought to bay as the Iberians on the banks + of the Ebro—far more so than the revolted tribesmen we have been + hunting for the past three weeks.” + </p> + <p> + “Giscon says nothing,” Adherbal remarked; “he has a soul above even the + hunting of lions. I warrant that during the five hours we have been + reclining here his thoughts have never once turned towards the hunt we are + going to have tonight.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true enough,” Giscon said, speaking for the first time. “I own + that my thoughts have been of Carthage, and of the troubles that threaten + her owing to the corruption and misgovernment which are sapping her + strength.” + </p> + <p> + “It were best not to think too much on the subject, Giscon,” the general + said; “still better not to speak of it. You know that I lament, as you do, + the misgovernment of Carthage, and mourn for the disasters which have been + brought upon her by it. But the subject is a dangerous one; the council + have spies everywhere, and to be denounced as one hostile to the + established state of things is to be lost.” + </p> + <p> + “I know the danger,” the young man said passionately. “I know that + hitherto all who have ventured to raise their voices against the authority + of these tyrants have died by torture—that murmuring has been + stamped out in blood. Yet were the danger ten times as great,” and the + speaker had risen now from his couch and was walking up and down the tent, + “I could not keep silent. What have our tyrants brought us to? Their + extravagance, their corruption, have wasted the public funds and have + paralyzed our arms. Sicily and Sardinia have been lost; our allies in + Africa have been goaded by their exactions again and again into rebellion, + and Carthage has more than once lately been obliged to fight hard for her + very existence. The lower classes in the city are utterly disaffected; + their earnings are wrung from them by the tax gatherers. Justice is denied + them by the judges, who are the mere creatures of the committee of five. + The suffetes are mere puppets in their hands. Our vessels lie unmanned in + our harbours, because the funds which should pay the sailors are + appropriated by our tyrants to their own purposes. How can a Carthaginian + who loves his country remain silent?” + </p> + <p> + “All you say is true, Giscon,” the general said gravely, “though I should + be pressed to death were it whispered in Carthage that I said so; but at + present we can do nothing. Had the great Hamilcar Barca lived I believe + that he would have set himself to work to clear out this Augean stable, a + task greater than that accomplished by our great hero, the demigod + Hercules; but no less a hand can accomplish it. You know how every attempt + at revolt has failed; how terrible a vengeance fell on Matho and the + mercenaries; how the down trodden tribes have again and again, when + victory seemed in their hands, been crushed into the dust. + </p> + <p> + “No, Giscon, we must suffer the terrible ills which you speak of until + some hero arises—some hero whose victories will bind not only the + army to him, but will cause all the common people of Carthage—all + her allies and tributaries—to look upon him as their leader and + deliverer. + </p> + <p> + “I have hopes, great hopes, that such a hero may be found in my nephew, + Hannibal, who seems to possess all the genius, the wisdom, and the talent + of his father. Should the dream which he cherished, and of which I was but + now speaking to you, that of leading a Carthaginian army across the Ebro, + over the Apennines, through the plains of lower Gaul, and over the Alps + into Italy, there to give battle to the cohorts of Rome on their own + ground,—should this dream be verified I say, should success attend + him, and Rome be humbled to the dust, then Hannibal would be in a position + to become the dictator of Carthage, to overthrow the corrupt council, to + destroy this tyranny—misnamed a republic—and to establish a + monarchy, of which he should be the first sovereign, and under which + Carthage, again the queen of the world, should be worthy of herself and + her people. And now let us speak of it no more. The very walls have ears, + and I doubt not but even among my attendants there are men who are spies + in the pay of the council. I see and lament as much as any man the ruin of + my country; but, until I see a fair hope of deliverance, I am content to + do the best I can against her enemies, to fight her battles as a simple + soldier.” + </p> + <p> + There was silence in the tent. Malchus had thrown himself down on his + couch, and for a time forgot even the approaching lion hunt in the + conversation to which he had listened. + </p> + <p> + The government of Carthage was indeed detestable, and was the chief cause + both of the misfortunes which had befallen her in the past, and of the + disasters which were in the future to be hers. The scheme of government + was not in itself bad, and in earlier and simpler times had acted well. + Originally it had consisted of three estates, which answered to the king, + lords, and commons. At the head of affairs were two suffetes chosen for + life. Below them was the senate, a very numerous body, comprising all the + aristocracy of Carthage. Below this was the democracy, the great mass of + the people, whose vote was necessary to ratify any law passed by the + senate. + </p> + <p> + In time, however, all authority passed from the suffetes, the general body + of the senate and the democracy, into the hands of a committee of the + senate, one hundred in number, who were called the council, the real power + being invested in the hands of an inner council, consisting of from twenty + to thirty of the members. The deliberations of this body were secret, + their power absolute. They were masters of the life and property of every + man in Carthage, as afterwards were the council of ten in the republic of + Venice. For a man to be denounced by his secret enemy to them as being + hostile to their authority was to ensure his destruction and the + confiscation of his property. + </p> + <p> + The council of a hundred was divided into twenty subcommittees, each + containing five members. Each of these committees was charged with the + control of a department—the army, the navy, the finances, the roads + and communications, agriculture, religion, and the relations with the + various subject tribes, the more important departments being entirely in + the hands of the members of the inner council of thirty. + </p> + <p> + The judges were a hundred in number. These were appointed by the council, + and were ever ready to carry out their behest, consequently justice in + Carthage was a mockery. Interest and intrigue were paramount in the law + courts, as in every department of state. Every prominent citizen, every + successful general, every man who seemed likely, by his ability or his + wealth, to become a popular personage with the masses, fell under the ban + of the council, and sooner or later was certain to be disgraced. The + resources of the state were devoted not to the needs of the country but to + aggrandizement and enriching of the members of the committee. + </p> + <p> + Heavy as were the imposts which were laid upon the tributary peoples of + Africa for the purposes of the state, enormous burdens were added by the + tax gatherers to satisfy the cupidity of their patrons in the council. + Under such circumstances it was not to be wondered at that Carthage, + decaying, corrupt, ill governed, had suffered terrible reverses at the + hands of her young and energetic rival Rome, who was herself some day, + when she attained the apex of her power, to suffer from abuses no less + flagrant and general than those which had sapped the strength of Carthage. + </p> + <p> + With the impetuosity of youth Malchus naturally inclined rather to the + aspirations of his kinsman Giscon than to the more sober counsels of his + father. He had burned with shame and anger as he heard the tale of the + disasters which had befallen his country, because she had made money her + god, had suffered her army and her navy to be regarded as secondary + objects, and had permitted the command of the sea to be wrested from her + by her wiser and more far seeing rival. + </p> + <p> + As evening closed in the stir in the neighbouring camp aroused Malchus + from his thoughts, and the anticipation of the lion hunt, in which he was + about to take part, again became foremost. + </p> + <p> + The camp was situated twenty days' march from Carthage at the foot of some + hills in which lions and other beasts of prey were known to abound, and + there was no doubt that they would be found that evening. + </p> + <p> + The expedition had been despatched under the command of Hamilcar to + chastise a small tribe which had attacked and plundered some of the + Carthaginian caravans on their way to Ethiopia, then a rich and prosperous + country, wherein were many flourishing colonies, which had been sent out + by Carthage. + </p> + <p> + The object of the expedition had been but partly successful. The lightly + clad tribesmen had taken refuge far among the hills, and, although by dint + of long and fatiguing marches several parties had been surprised and + slain, the main body had evaded all the efforts of the Carthaginian + general. + </p> + <p> + The expedition had arrived at its present camping place on the previous + evening. During the night the deep roaring of lions had been heard + continuously among the hills, and so bold and numerous were they that they + had come down in such proximity to the camp that the troops had been + obliged to rise and light great fires to scare them from making an attack + upon the horses. + </p> + <p> + The general had therefore consented, upon the entreaties of his nephew + Adherbal, and his son, to organize a hunt upon the following night. As + soon as the sun set the troops, who had already received their orders, + fell into their ranks. The full moon rose as soon as the sun dipped below + the horizon, and her light was ample for the object they had in view. + </p> + <p> + The Numidian horse were to take their station on the plain; the infantry + in two columns, a mile apart, were to enter the mountains, and having + marched some distance, leaving detachments behind them, they were to move + along the crest of the hills until they met; then, forming a great + semicircle, they were to light torches, which they had prepared during the + day, and to advance towards the plain shouting and dashing their arms, so + as to drive all the wild animals inclosed in the arc down into the plain. + </p> + <p> + The general with the two young officers and his son, and a party of fifty + spearmen, were to be divided between the two groves in which the camps + were pitched, which were opposite the centre of the space facing the line + inclosed by the beaters. Behind the groves the Numidian horse were + stationed, to give chase to such animals as might try to make their escape + across the open plain. The general inspected the two bodies of infantry + before they started, and repeated his instructions to the officers who + commanded them, and enjoined them to march as noiselessly as possible + until the semicircle was completed and the beat began in earnest. + </p> + <p> + The troops were to be divided into groups of eight, in order to be able to + repel the attacks of any beasts which might try to break through the line. + When the two columns had marched away right and left towards the hills, + the attendants of the elephants and baggage animals were ordered to remove + them into the centre of the groves. The footmen who remained were divided + into two parties of equal strength. The general with Malchus remained in + the grove in which his tent was fixed with one of these parties, while + Adherbal and Giscon with the others took up their station in the larger + grove. + </p> + <p> + “Do you think the lions are sure to make for these groves?” Malchus asked + his father as, with a bundle of javelins lying by his side, his bow in his + hand, and a quiver of arrows hung from his belt in readiness, he took his + place at the edge of the trees. + </p> + <p> + “There can be no certainty of it, Malchus; but it seems likely that the + lions, when driven out of their refuges among the hills, will make for + these groves, which will seem to offer them a shelter from their pursuers. + The fires here will have informed them of our presence last night; but as + all is still and dark now they may suppose that the groves are deserted. + In any case our horses are in readiness among the trees close at hand, and + if the lions take to the plains we must mount and join the Numidians in + the chase.” + </p> + <p> + “I would rather meet them here on foot, father.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, there is more excitement, because there is more danger in it, + Malchus; but I can tell you the attack of a wounded lion is no joke, even + for a party of twenty-five well armed men. Their force and fury are + prodigious, and they will throw themselves fearlessly upon a clump of + spears in order to reach their enemies. One blow from their paws is + certain death. Be careful, therefore, Malchus. Stir not from my side, and + remember that there is a vast difference between rashness and bravery.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II: A NIGHT ATTACK + </h2> + <p> + The time seemed to Malchus to pass slowly indeed as he sat waiting the + commencement of the hunt. Deep roars, sounding like distant thunder, were + heard from time to time among the hills. Once or twice Malchus fancied + that he could hear other sounds such as would be made by a heavy stone + dislodged from its site leaping down the mountain side; but he was not + sure that this was not fancy, or that the sound might not be caused by the + roaring of lions far away among the hills. + </p> + <p> + His father had said that three hours would probably elapse before the + circuit would be completed. The distance was not great, but the troops + would have to make their way with the greatest care along the rocky hills + through brushwood and forest, and their advance would be all the more slow + that they had to take such pains to move noiselessly. + </p> + <p> + It was indeed more than three hours after the column had left the camp + when the sound of a distant horn was heard far up the hillside. Almost + instantaneously lights burst out in a great semicircle along the hillside, + and a faint confused sound, as of the shouting of a large body of men, was + heard on the still night air. + </p> + <p> + “That is very well done,” the general said in a tone of satisfaction. “I + had hardly expected it to be so well managed; for the operation on such + broken and difficult ground was not easy to carry out, even with the moon + to help them.” + </p> + <p> + “But see, father!” Malchus said, “there are many patches of darkness in + the line, and the lions might surely escape through these.” + </p> + <p> + “It would not be possible, Malchus, to place the parties at equal + distances over such broken ground. Nor are the lions likely to discover + the gaps in the line; they will be far too much terrified by the uproar + and sudden blaze of light to approach the troops. Hark, how they are + roaring! Truly it is a majestic and terrible sound, and I do not wonder + that the wild natives of these mountains regard the animals with something + of the respect which we pay to the gods. And now do you keep a sharp eye + along the foot of the hills. There is no saying how soon the beasts may + break cover.” + </p> + <p> + Slowly the semicircle of light was seen to contract as the soldiers who + formed it moved forward towards the foot of the hill; but although Malchus + kept his eyes strained upon the fringe of trees at its foot, he could see + no signs of movement. + </p> + <p> + The roaring still continued at intervals, and it was evident that the + beasts inclosed in the arc had descended to the lower slopes of the hill. + </p> + <p> + “They may be upon us sooner than you expect, Malchus. Their colour well + nigh matches with that of the sand, and you may not see them until they + are close upon us.” + </p> + <p> + Presently a Numidian soldier standing behind Malchus touched him on the + shoulder and said in a whisper: “There they are!” pointing at the same + time across the plain. + </p> + <p> + Malchus could for a time see nothing; then he made out some indistinct + forms. + </p> + <p> + “There are six of them,” the general said, “and they are making for this + grove. Get your bows ready.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus could now clearly see the lions approaching. They were advancing + slowly, turning occasionally to look back as if reluctant to quit the + shelter of the hills; and Malchus could hardly resist a start of + uneasiness as one of them suddenly gave vent to a deep, threatening roar, + so menacing and terrible that the very leaves of the trees seemed to + quiver in the light of the moon under its vibrations. The lions seemed of + huge dimensions, especially the leader of the troop, who stalked with a + steady and majestic step at their head. When within fifty yards of the + grove the lions suddenly paused; their leader apparently scented danger. + Again the deep terrible roar rose in the air, answered by an angry + snarling noise on the part of the females. + </p> + <p> + “Aim at the leader,” the general whispered, “and have your brands in + readiness.” + </p> + <p> + Immediately behind the party a fire was burning; it had been suffered to + die down until it was a mere pile of glowing embers, and in this the ends + of a dozen stakes of dried wood were laid. The glow of the fire was + carefully hidden by a circle of sticks on which thick cloths had been + hung. The fire had been prepared in readiness in case the lions should + appear in numbers too formidable to be coped with. The leading lion was + within twenty-five paces of the spot where the party was standing when + Hamilcar gave the word, and a volley of arrows shot forth from their + hiding place. + </p> + <p> + The lion gave a roar of rage and pain, then, crouching for a moment, with + a few tremendous bounds he reached the edge of the wood. He could see his + enemies now, and with a fierce spring threw himself upon them. But as soon + as they had discharged their arrows the soldiers had caught up their + weapons and formed in a close body, and the lion was received upon the + points of a dozen spears. + </p> + <p> + There was a crashing of wood and a snarling growl as one of the soldiers + was struck dead with a blow of the mighty paw of the lion, who, ere he + could recover himself, received half a dozen javelins thrust deep into his + flanks, and fell dead. + </p> + <p> + The rest of the troop had followed him as he sprang forward, but some of + the soldiers, who had been told off for the purpose, seized the lighted + brands and threw them over the head of the leader among his followers. As + the glowing brands, after describing fiery circles in the air, fell and + scattered at their feet, the lions paused, and turning abruptly off dashed + away with long bounds across the front of the grove. + </p> + <p> + “Now, Malchus, to horse!” Hamilcar exclaimed. And the general and his son, + leaping upon their steeds, dashed out from the grove in pursuit of the + troop of lions. These, passing between the two clumps of trees, were + making for the plain beyond, when from behind the other grove a dark band + of horsemen rode out. + </p> + <p> + “Let them pass,” Hamilcar shouted; “do not head them back.” + </p> + <p> + The cavalry reined up until the troop of lions had passed. Hamilcar rode + up to the officer in command. + </p> + <p> + “Bring twenty of your men,” he said; “let the rest remain here. There will + doubtless be more of them yet.” + </p> + <p> + Then with the twenty horsemen he rode on in pursuit of the lions. + </p> + <p> + The chase was an exciting one. For a time the lions, with their long + bounds, kept ahead of the horsemen; but the latter, splendidly mounted on + their well bred steeds, soon began to gain. When they were within a + hundred yards of them one of the lions suddenly faced round. The + Numidians, well accustomed to the sport, needed no orders from their + chief. They scattered at once and broke off on each flank so as to + encircle the lion, who had taken his post on a hummock of sand and lay + couched on his haunches, with his tail lashing his sides angrily, like a + great cat about to make his spring. + </p> + <p> + The horsemen circled round him, dashing up to within five-and-twenty + yards, discharging their arrows, and then wheeling away. Each time the + lion was struck he uttered a sharp, angry growl, and made a spring in the + direction of the horsemen, and then fell back to his post. + </p> + <p> + One of the soldiers, thinking that the lion was now nearly crippled, + ventured to ride somewhat closer; he discharged his arrow, but before he + could wheel his horse the lion with two tremendous springs was upon him. + </p> + <p> + A single blow of his paw brought the horse to the ground. Then the lion + seized the soldier by the shoulder, shook him as a cat would a mouse, and + throwing him on the sand lay with his paw across him. At this moment + Malchus galloped past at full speed, his bow drawn to the arrow head and + fixed. The arrow struck the lion just behind its shoulder. The fierce + beast, which was in the act of rising, sank down quietly again; its + majestic head drooped between its forepaws on to the body of the Numidian, + and there it lay as if overtaken with a sudden sleep. Two more arrows were + fired into it, but there was no movement. + </p> + <p> + “The brave beast is dead,” Malchus said. “Here is the arrow with which I + slew it.” + </p> + <p> + “It was well done, Malchus, and the hide is yours. Let us set off after + the others.” + </p> + <p> + But the stand which the lion had made had been sufficiently long to enable + the rest of the troop to escape. Leaving two or three of their comrades to + remove the body of the soldier, the horsemen scattered in various + directions; but although they rode far over the plain, they could see no + signs of the troop they had pursued. + </p> + <p> + After a time they gave up the pursuit and rode back towards the camp. When + they reached it they found that another troop of lions, eight in number, + had approached the other grove, where two had been killed by the party + commanded by Adherbal and Giscon, and the rest of the cavalry were still + in pursuit of the others. They presently returned, bringing in four more + skins; so that eight lions in all had fallen in the night's work. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Malchus, what do you think of lion hunting?” Adherbal asked as they + gathered again in the general's tent. + </p> + <p> + “They are terrible beasts,” Malchus said. “I had not thought that any + beast could make so tremendous a roar. Of course I have heard those in + captivity in Carthage, but it did not seem nearly so terrible as it + sounded here in the stillness of the desert.” + </p> + <p> + “I own that it made my blood run cold,” Adherbal said; “and their charge + is tremendous—they broke through the hedge of spears as if they had + been reeds. Three of our men were killed.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” Malchus agreed; “it seemed almost like a dream for a minute when + the great beast was among us. I felt very glad when he rolled over on to + his side.” + </p> + <p> + “It is a dangerous way of hunting,” Hamilcar said. “The chase on horseback + in the plains has its dangers, as we saw when that Numidian was killed; + but with proper care and skill it is a grand sport. But this work on foot + is too dangerous, and has cost the republic the loss of five soldiers. Had + I had nets with me I would have adopted the usual plan of stretching one + across the trees ten paces in front of us. This breaks the lion's spring, + he becomes entangled in its meshes, and can be destroyed with but little + danger. But no skill or address avails against the charge of a wounded + lion. But you are wounded, Giscon.” + </p> + <p> + “It is a mere nothing,” Giscon said. + </p> + <p> + “Nay,” Hamilcar replied, “it is an ugly scratch, Giscon; he has laid open + your arm from the shoulder to the elbow as if it were by the cut of a + knife.” + </p> + <p> + “It served me right for being too rash,” Giscon said. “I thought he was + nearly dead, and approached with my sword to give him a finishing thrust. + When he struck viciously at me I sprang back, but one of his claws caught + my shoulder. A few inches nearer and he would have stripped the flesh from + my arm, and perhaps broken the limb and shoulder bone.” + </p> + <p> + While he was speaking a slave was washing the wound, which he then + carefully bandaged up. A few minutes later the whole party lay down to + sleep. Malchus found it difficult to close his eyes. His pulse was still + throbbing with excitement, and his mind was busy with the brief but + stirring scene of the conflict. + </p> + <p> + Two or three hours passed, and he felt drowsiness creeping over him, when + he heard a sudden challenge, followed instantly by a loud and piercing + yell from hundreds of throats. He sprang in an instant to his feet, as did + the other occupants of the tent. + </p> + <p> + “To arms!” Hamilcar cried; “the enemy are upon us.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus caught up his shield and sword, threw his helmet on his head, and + rushed out of the tent with his father. + </p> + <p> + A tremendous din had succeeded the silence which had just before reigned + in the desert, and the yells of the barbarians rose high in the air, + answered by shouts and loud words of command from the soldiers in the + other grove. The elephants in their excitement were trumpeting loudly; the + horses stamped the ground; the draught cattle, terrified by the din, + strove to break away. + </p> + <p> + Large numbers of dark figures occupied the space some two hundred yards + wide between the groves. The general's guards, twenty in number, had + already sprung to their feet and stood to arms; the slaves and attendants, + panic stricken at the sudden attack, were giving vent to screams and cries + and were running about in confusion. + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar sternly ordered silence. + </p> + <p> + “Let each man,” he said, “take a weapon of some kind and stand steady. We + are cut off from the main body and shall have to fight for our lives. Do + you,” he said to the soldiers, “lay aside your spears and shoot quickly + among them. Fire fast. The great object is to conceal from them the + smallness of our number.” + </p> + <p> + Moving round the little grove Hamilcar posted the slaves at short + distances apart, to give warning should the enemy be attempting an attack + upon the other sides, and then returned to the side facing the other + grove, where the soldiers were keeping up a steady fire at the enemy. + </p> + <p> + The latter were at present concentrating their attention upon their attack + upon the main body. Their scouts on the hills during the previous day had + no doubt ascertained that the Carthaginian force was encamped here, and + the occupants of the smaller grove would fall easy victims after they had + dealt with the main body. The fight was raging furiously here. The natives + had crept up close before they were discovered by the sentries, and with a + fierce rush they had fallen upon the troops before they had time to seize + their arms and gather in order. + </p> + <p> + The fight raged hand to hand, bows twanged and arrows flew, the light + javelins were hurled at close quarters with deadly effect, the shrill + cries of the Numidians mingled with the deeper shouts of the Iberians and + the yells of the natives. Hamilcar stood for a minute irresolute. + </p> + <p> + “They are neglecting us,” he said to Adherbal, “until they have finished + with the main body; we must go to their assistance. At present our men are + fighting without order or regularity. Unless their leaders are with them + they are lost, our presence will encourage and reanimate them. Bring up + the elephants quickly.” + </p> + <p> + The three elephants were at once brought forward, their drivers mounted on + their necks. Four soldiers with their bows and arrows took their places on + the back of each, the general with the rest of the fighting men followed + closely behind. + </p> + <p> + At the orders of their drivers the well trained animals broke into a trot, + and the party advanced from the shadow of the grove. The natives scattered + between it and the wood fired a volley of arrows and then broke as the + elephants charged down upon them. Trained to warfare the elephants dashed + among them, catching some up in their trunks and dashing them lifeless to + the ground, knocking down and trampling upon others, scattering terror + wherever they went, while the archers on their backs kept up a deadly + fire. As soon as the way was open Hamilcar led the little party on foot at + full speed towards the wood. + </p> + <p> + As he entered it he ordered his trumpeter to blow his horn. The well known + signal revived the hopes and courage of the sorely pressed troops, who, + surprised and discouraged, had been losing ground, great numbers falling + before the arrows and javelins of their swarming and active foes. The + natives, surprised at the trumpet sound in the rear, paused a moment, and + before they could turn round to face their unexpected adversaries, + Hamilcar with his little band burst his way through them and joined his + soldiers, who, gathered now in a close body in the centre of the grove, + received their leader with a shout of welcome. + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar's measures were promptly taken. He saw that if stationary his + band must melt away under the shower of missiles which was being poured + upon them. He gave the command and the troops rapidly formed into three + groups, the men of each corps gathering together. Adherbal, who was in + command of the Numidians, placed himself at their head, Giscon led the + Iberians, and Hamilcar headed the heavily armed troops, Malchus taking his + place at his side. Hamilcar had already given his orders to the young + officers. No response was to be made to the fire of the arrows and + javelins, but with spear, sword, and battleaxe the troops were to fall + upon the natives. + </p> + <p> + “Charge!” he shouted in a voice that was heard above the yells of the + barbarians. “Clear the wood of these lurking enemies, they dare not face + you. Sweep them before your path.” + </p> + <p> + With an answering shout the three bodies of men sprang forward, each in a + different direction. In vain the natives poured in volleys of arrows and + javelins; many fell, more were wounded, but all who could keep their feet + rushed forward with fury upon their assailants. + </p> + <p> + The charge was irresistible. The natives, fighting each for himself, were + unable for a moment to withstand the torrent, and, vastly superior in + numbers as they were, were driven headlong before it. When they reached + the edge of the wood each of the bodies broke into two. The Numidians had + directed their course towards their horses, which a party of their own men + were still defending desperately against the attacks of a large body of + natives. Through these they cut their way, and springing upon their steeds + dashed out into the plain, and sweeping round the grove fell upon the + natives there, and cut down the parties of men who emerged in confusion + from its shelter, unable to withstand the assaults of Hamilcar and his + infantry within. + </p> + <p> + The heavy infantry and the Iberians, when they gained the edge of the + wood, had swept to the right and left, cleared the edge of the grove of + their enemies until they met, then joining they again plunged into the + centre. Thus they traversed the wood in every direction until they had + completely cleared it of foes. + </p> + <p> + When the work was done the breathless and exhausted troops gathered + outside, in the light of the moon. More than half their number had fallen; + scarce one but was bleeding from wounds of arrow or javelin. The plain + beyond was thickly dotted to the foot of the hills with the bodies of the + natives who had been cut up by the Numidian horse or trampled by the + elephants, while the grove within was thickly strewn with their bodies. + </p> + <p> + As there was no fear of a renewal of the attack, Hamilcar ordered the men + to fall out of ranks, and the hours until daybreak were passed in + extracting arrows and binding up wounds, and in assisting their comrades + who were found to be still living in the grove. Any natives still + breathing were instantly slain. + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar found that a party of the enemy had made their way into his own + camp. His tent had been hastily plundered, but most of the effects were + found in the morning scattered over the ground between the groves and the + hills, having been thrown away in their flight by the natives when the + horsemen burst out of the wood in pursuit. Of the slaves and attendants + several had been killed, but the greater portion had, when Hamilcar left + the grove with the troops, climbed up into trees, and remained there + concealed until the rout of the assailants. + </p> + <p> + It was found in the morning that over one hundred and fifty of the three + hundred Carthaginian troops had fallen, and that four hundred of the + natives had been slain either in the grove or in the pursuit by cavalry. + </p> + <p> + The following day two envoys arrived from the hostile tribe offering the + submission of their chief. + </p> + <p> + As pursuit in the hills would be useless Hamilcar offered them + comparatively easy terms. A heavy fine in horses and cattle was to be paid + to the republic, and ten of the principal members of the tribe were to be + delivered up as hostages for their future good behaviour. The next day the + hostages were brought into the camp with a portion of the ransom; and + Hamilcar, having thus accomplished the mission he had been charged to + perform, marched away with his troops to Carthage. + </p> + <p> + As they approached the coast the whole character of the scenery changed. + The desert had been left behind them, and they entered a fertile tract of + country which had been literally turned into a garden by the skill and + industry of the Carthaginian cultivators, at that time celebrated + throughout the world for their knowledge of the science of agriculture. + The rougher and more sterile ground was covered with groves of olive + trees, while rich vineyards and orchards of fig and other fruit trees + occupied the better soil. Wherever it was possible little canals leading + water from reservoirs and dammed up streams crossed the plains, and every + foot of the irrigated ground was covered with a luxuriant crop. + </p> + <p> + The villages were scattered thickly, and when the troops arrived within a + day's march of Carthage they came upon the country villas and mansions of + the wealthy inhabitants. These in the richness of their architecture, the + perfection and order of their gardens, and the beauty and taste of the + orchards and grounds which surrounded them, testified alike to the wealth + and taste of their occupants. + </p> + <p> + Fountains threw their water into the air, numerous waterfalls splashed + with a cool, soothing sound over artificial rocks. Statues wrought by + Greek sculptors stood on the terraces, shady walks offered a cool retreat + during the heat of the day, the vine, the pomegranate, and the fig + afforded refreshment to the palate as well as pleasure to the eye. Palm + trees with their graceful foliage waved gently in the passing breezes. All + the countries with which the Carthaginians traded had supplied their + contingent of vegetation to add to the beauty and production of these + gardens, which were the admiration and envy of the civilized world. + </p> + <p> + Crossing the brow of a low range of hills the detachment came in sight of + Carthage. The general and his three companions, who were riding in the + rear of the column, drew in their horses and sat for a while surveying the + scene. It was one which, familiar as it might be, it was impossible to + survey without the deepest feeling of admiration. + </p> + <p> + In the centre stood the great rock of Byrsa, a flat topped eminence with + almost perpendicular sides rising about two hundred feet above the + surrounding plain. This plateau formed the seat of the ancient Carthage, + the Phoenician colony which Dido had founded. It was now the acropolis of + Carthage. Here stood the temples of the chief deities of the town; here + were immense magazines and storehouses capable of containing provisions + for a prolonged siege for the fifty thousand men whom the place could + contain. The craggy sides of the rock were visible but in few places. + Massive fortifications rising from its foot to its summit defended every + point where the rock was not absolutely perpendicular. These walls were of + enormous thickness, and in casemates or recesses in their thickness were + the stables for the elephants, horses, and cattle of the garrison. + </p> + <p> + Round the upper edge of the rock extended another massive wall, above + which in picturesque outline rose the temple and other public edifices. At + the foot of this natural citadel stretched the lower town, with its + crowded population, its dense mass of houses, its temples and forum. The + style of architecture was peculiar to the city. The Carthaginians abhorred + straight lines, and all their buildings presented curves. The rooms were + for the most part circular, semicircular, or oval, and all exterior as + well as interior angles were rounded off. The material used in their + construction was an artificial stone composed of pieces of rock cemented + together with fine sand and lime, and as hard as natural conglomerate. The + houses were surmounted by domes or cupolas. Their towers were always + round, and throughout the city scarce an angle offended the eye of the + populace. + </p> + <p> + Extending into the bay lay the isthmus, known as the Tana, some three + miles in length, communicating with the mainland by a tongue of land a + hundred yards wide. + </p> + <p> + This was the maritime quarter of Carthage; here were the extensive docks + in which the vessels which bore the commerce of the city to and from the + uttermost parts of the known world loaded and unloaded. Here were the + state dockyards where the great ships of war, which had so long made + Carthage the mistress of the sea, were constructed and fitted out. The + whole line of the coast was deeply indented with bays, where rode at + anchor the ships of the mercantile navy. Broad inland lakes dotted the + plain; while to the north of Byrsa, stretching down to the sea and + extending as far as Cape Quamart, lay Megara, the aristocratic suburb of + Carthage. + </p> + <p> + Here, standing in gardens and parks, were the mansions of the wealthy + merchants and traders, the suburb presenting to the eye a mass of green + foliage dotted thickly with white houses. Megara was divided from the + lower town by a strong and lofty wall, but lay within the outer wall which + inclosed Byrsa and the whole of Carthage and stretched from sea to sea. + </p> + <p> + The circumference of the inclosed space was fully twenty miles; the + population contained within it amounted to over eight hundred thousand. On + the north side near the sea, within the line of the outer fortifications, + rose a low hill, and here on the face which sloped gently down to the sea + was the great necropolis—the cemetery of Carthage, shaded by broad + spreading trees, dotted with the gorgeous mausoleums of the wealthy and + the innumerable tombs of the poorer families, and undermined by thousands + of great sepulchral chambers, which still remain to testify to the + vastness of the necropolis of Carthage, and to the pains which her people + bestowed upon the burying places of their dead. + </p> + <p> + Beyond all, from the point at which the travellers viewed it, stretched + the deep blue background of the Mediterranean, its line broken only in the + foreground by the lofty citadel of Byrsa, and far out at sea by the faint + outline of the Isle of Zinbre. + </p> + <p> + For some minutes the party sat immovable on their horses, then Hamilcar + broke the silence: + </p> + <p> + “'Tis a glorious view,” he said; “the world does not contain a site better + fitted for the seat of a mighty city. Nature seems to have marked it out. + With the great rock fortress, the splendid bays and harbours, the + facilities for commerce, the fertile country stretching away on either + hand; give her but a government strong, capable, and honest, a people + patriotic, brave, and devoted, and Carthage would long remain the mistress + of the world.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely she may yet remain so,” Adherbal exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “I fear not,” Hamilcar said gravely, shaking his head. “It seems to be the + fate of all nations, that as they grow in wealth so they lose their manly + virtues. With wealth comes corruption, indolence, a reluctance to make + sacrifices, and a weakening of the feeling of patriotism. Power falls into + the hands of the ignorant many. Instead of the destinies of the country + being swayed by the wisest and best, a fickle multitude, swayed by + interested demagogues, assumes the direction of affairs, and the result is + inevitable—wasted powers, gross mismanagement, final ruin.” + </p> + <p> + So saying Hamilcar set his horse in motion and, followed silently by his + companions, rode with a gloomy countenance after his little columns + towards the capital. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III: CARTHAGE + </h2> + <p> + Carthage was at that time divided between two factions, the one led by the + relatives and friends of the great Hamilcar Barca and known as the Barcine + party. The other was led by Hanno, surnamed the Rich. This man had been + the rival of Hamilcar, and the victories and successes of the latter had + been neutralized by the losses and defeats entailed upon the republic by + the incapacity of the former. Hanno, however, had the support of the + greater part of the senate, of the judges, and of the lower class, which + he attached to himself by a lavish distribution of his vast wealth, or by + the common tie of wholesale corruption. + </p> + <p> + The Barcine party were very inferior in numbers, but they comprised among + them the energy, the military genius, and the patriotism of the community. + They advocated sweeping reforms, the purification of the public service, + the suppression of the corruption which was rampant in every department, + the fair administration of justice, the suppression of the tyranny of the + committee, the vigourous prosecution of the struggle with Rome. They would + have attached to Carthage the but half subdued nations round her who now + groaned under her yoke, ground down to the dust by the enormous tribute + necessitated by the extravagance of the administration of the state, the + corruption and wholesale peculation of its officials. + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar Barca had been the founder of the party; in his absence at the + seat of war it had been led at Carthage by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, whose + fiery energy and stirring eloquence had rendered him a popular idol in + Carthage. But even the genius of Hamilcar and the eloquence of Hasdrubal + would not have sufficed to enable the Barcine party to make head against + the enormous power of the council and the judges, backed by the wealth of + Hanno and his associates, had it not been for the military successes which + flattered the patriotic feelings of the populace. + </p> + <p> + The loss of Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily had been atoned for by the + conquest of the greater portion of Spain by Hamilcar, and that general + might eventually have carried out his plans for the purification of the + government of Carthage had he not fallen in a battle with the Iberians. + This loss was a terrible blow to the Barcine faction, but the deep feeling + of regret among the population at the death of their great general enabled + them to carry the election of Hasdrubal to be one of the suffetes in his + place, and to obtain for him the command of the army in Spain. + </p> + <p> + There was the less difficulty in the latter appointment, since Hanno's + party were well content that the popular leader should be far removed from + the capital. Hasdrubal proved himself a worthy successor of his + father-in-law. He carried out the policy inaugurated by the latter, won + many brilliant victories over the Iberians, fortified and firmly + established Carthagena as a port and city which seemed destined to rival + the greatness of its mother city, and Carthage saw with delight a great + western settlement growing in power which promised to counterbalance the + influence of the ever spreading territory of her great rival in Italy. + </p> + <p> + After seeing his detachment safely lodged in the barracks Hamilcar and his + companions rode along the streets to the Barcine Syssite, or club, one of + the grandest buildings in Carthage. Throwing the reins of their horses to + some slaves who stood in readiness at the foot of the steps, they entered + the building. As they rode through the streets they had noticed that the + population appeared singularly quiet and dejected, and the agitation which + reigned in the club showed them that something unusual had happened. + Groups of men were standing talking excitedly in the great hall. Others + with dejected mien were pacing the marble pavement. As Hamilcar entered, + several persons hurried up to him. + </p> + <p> + “Welcome back again!” they exclaimed; “your presence is most opportune at + this sad moment.” + </p> + <p> + “What has happened?” Hamilcar asked; “I have but this moment arrived, and + rode straight here to hear the news of what has taken place in my + absence.” + </p> + <p> + “What! have you not heard?” they exclaimed; “for the last four days + nothing else has been talked of, nothing else thought of—Hasdrubal + has been assassinated!” + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar recoiled a step as if struck. + </p> + <p> + “Ye gods!” he exclaimed, “can this be so? Hasdrubal the handsome, as he + was well called, the true patriot, the great general, the eloquent orator, + the soul of generosity and patriotism, our leader and hope, dead! Surely + it cannot be.” + </p> + <p> + “It is too true, Hamilcar. Hasdrubal is dead—slain by the knife of + an Iberian, who, it seems, has for months been in his service, awaiting + the chance for revenge for some injuries which his family or people have + suffered from our arms. + </p> + <p> + “It is a terrible blow. This morning a swift sailing ship has arrived with + the news that the army of Spain have with one voice acclaimed the young + Hannibal as their general, and that they demand the ratification of their + choice by the senate and people. Need I tell you how important it is that + this ratification should be gained? Hanno and his satellites are furious, + they are scattering money broadcast, and moving heaven and earth to + prevent the choice falling upon Hannibal, and to secure the appointment + for Hanno himself or one of his clique. They say that to appoint a youth + like this to such a position would be a thing unheard of, that it would + bring countless dangers upon the head of the republic. We know, of course, + that what they fear is not the youth and inexperience, but the talent and + genius of Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + “Young though he is, his wonderful abilities are recognized by us all. His + father, Hamilcar, had the very highest hopes of him, Hasdrubal has written + again and again saying that in his young kinsman he recognized his + superior, and that in loftiness of aim, in unselfish patriotism, in + clearness of judgment, in the marvellous ascendency he has gained over the + troops, in his talent in administration, and in the greatness of his + military conceptions, he saw in him a genius of the highest order. If it + be in man to overthrow the rising greatness of Rome, to reform our + disordered administration, to raise Carthage again to the climax of her + glory and power, that man is Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + “Thus, then, on him our hopes rest. If we can secure for him the command + of the army in Spain, he may do all and more than all that Hamilcar and + Hasdrubal have done for us. If we fail, we are lost; Hanno will be + supreme, the official party will triumph, man by man we shall be denounced + and, destroyed by the judges, and, worse than all, our hopes of saving + Carthage from the corruption and tyranny which have so long been pressing + her into the dust are at an end. It is a good omen of success that you + have returned from your expedition at such a critical moment. All has gone + well with you, I hope. You know the fate that awaits an unsuccessful + general here.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, I know,” Hamilcar said bitterly; “to be judged by a secret tribunal + of civilians, ignorant of even the rudimentary laws of war, and bent not + upon arriving at the truth, but of gratifying their patrons and + accomplices; the end, disgrace and execution. + </p> + <p> + “No, my success has been complete, although not brilliant. I have obtained + the complete submission of the Atarantes, and have brought with me ten of + their principal chiefs as hostages; but my success narrowly escaped being + not only a failure but a disaster. I had in vain striven to come to blows + with them, when suddenly they fell upon me at night, and in the desperate + combat which followed, well nigh half my force fell; but in the end we + inflicted a terrible chastisement upon them and completely humbled their + pride.” + </p> + <p> + “So long as you succeeded in humbling them and bringing home hostages for + their good behaviour, all is well; the lives of a few score of soldiers, + more or less, matters little to Carthage. We have but to send out an order + to the tribes and we can replace them a hundred fold in a week; 'tis only + a failure which would be fatal. Carthage has suffered such terrible + disasters at the hands of her tributaries that she trembles at the + slightest rising, for its success might be the signal for another general + insurrection. If you have humbled the Atarantes, all is well. + </p> + <p> + “I know the council have been anxiously expecting news of your expedition. + Our opinion here has been from the first that, from the small force they + placed at your command, they purposely sent you to disaster, risking the + chance of extended trouble in order to obtain a ground of complaint by + which they could inflame the minds of the populace against our party. But + now, I recommend you to take some refreshment at once after your journey. + The inner council of the club will meet in an hour, and their + deliberations are likely to be long as well as important, for the whole + future of our party, and of Carthage itself, depends upon the issue.” + </p> + <p> + “Malchus,” Hamilcar said, “do you mount your horse and ride out at once + and tell your mother that all has gone well with us, but that I am + detained here on important business, and may not return until nightfall.” + </p> + <p> + “May I come back here, father, after I see my mother? I would fain be of + some use, if I may. I am known to many of the sailors down at the port; I + might go about among them trying to stir them up in favour of Hannibal.” + </p> + <p> + “You may come back if you like, Malchus; your sailors may aid us with + their voices, or, should it come to anything like a popular disturbance, + by their arms. But, as you know, in the voting the common people count for + nothing, it is the citizens only who elect, the traders, shopkeepers, and + employers of labour. Common people count for no more than the slaves, save + when it comes to a popular tumult, and they frighten the shopkeeping class + into voting in accordance with their views. However, we will leave no + stone unturned that may conduce to our success. Do not hurry away from + home, my boy, for your mother would think it unkind after three months' + absence. Our council is likely to last for some hours; when it is at an + end I will look for you here and tell you what has been determined upon.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus mounted his horse and rode out through the narrow streets of the + lower city, through the gateway leading into the suburb, then he loosed + the rein and the horse started at a gallop along the broad road, lined + with stately mansions, and in a quarter of an hour stopped in front of the + villa of Hamilcar. + </p> + <p> + Throwing his bridle to a slave he ran up the broad steps of the portico + and entered the hall. His mother, a stately woman, clad in a long flowing + garment of rich material embroidered in gold, arms and neck bare, her hair + bound up in a knot at the back of her head, which was encircled by a + golden fillet, with pendants of the same metal encrusted with gems falling + on her forehead, rose eagerly to meet him, and his two sisters, girls + older than himself, clad in white robes, confined at the waist with golden + belts, leaped to their feet with a cry of gladness. + </p> + <p> + “Welcome back, my own son,” his mother said; “all is well, I hope, with + your father; It is so, I am sure, for I should read evil news in your + face.” + </p> + <p> + “He is well, mother, well and victorious, though we had a rare fight for + it, I can tell you. But he is kept at the Barcine Syssite on matters + connected with this terrible business of the death of Hasdrubal. He bade + me give you his love, and say he would be back here as soon as he could + get away.” + </p> + <p> + “It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow to + Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but for the + moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How the sun has + bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller and stouter since + you have been away. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” one of the sisters laughed, “the child is growing up, mother; you + will have to choose another name for him.” + </p> + <p> + “I think it is about time,” Malchus said, joining in the laugh, + “considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a desperate + hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even my mother must + own that I am attaining the dignity of youth.” + </p> + <p> + “I wonder your father let you take part in such strife,” the mother said + anxiously; “he promised me that he would, as far as possible, keep you out + of danger.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, mother,” Malchus said indignantly, “you don't suppose that my father + was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls here. You know he + has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian guard, and fight in + the next campaign. I think it has been very hard on me not to have had a + chance of distinguishing myself as my cousin Hannibal did when he was no + older than I am.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor boy,” his sister laughed, “he has indeed been unfortunate. Who can + say but that if he had only had opportunities he would have been a general + by this time, and that Rome would have been trembling at the clash of his + armour.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself. + </p> + <p> + “I shall never grow to be a general,” he said, “unless you get me some + food; it is past midday, and I have not broken my fast this morning. I + warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures until I have + eaten, therefore the sooner you order a meal to be served the better.” + </p> + <p> + The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with his + mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition. There was a + little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told them that + he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been determined by + the conclave. + </p> + <p> + “Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus,” Thyra, the + elder, said. + </p> + <p> + “Yes; but I may be useful,” Malchus replied. “There will be lots to be + done, and we shall all do our utmost.” + </p> + <p> + “Listen to him, mother,” Anna, the younger sister, said, clapping her + hands; “this comes of slaying lions and combating with the Atarantes; do + not let us hinder him; beg the slaves to bring round a horse instantly. + Carthage totters, let Malchus fly to its support. What part are you + thinking of taking, my brother, do you mean to harangue the people, or to + urge the galley slaves to revolt, or to lead the troops against the + council?” + </p> + <p> + The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus, + although colouring a little, joined heartily. + </p> + <p> + “You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what has been + done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not such a boy as you + girls think me, just because you happen to be two or three years older + than I am. You persist in regarding me as a child; father doesn't do so, + and I can tell you I may be more good than you think.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don't get into + mischief and remember, my boy,” his mother added, “that Carthage is a + place where it is well that no one should make more enemies than he can + help. A secret foe in the council or among the judges is enough to ruin + the strongest. You know how many have been crucified or pressed to death + without a shadow of pretext, save that they had foes. I would not see you + other than your father's son; you will belong, of course, to the Barcine + party, but there is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon yourself + before you are in a position to do real service to the cause. And now ride + off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf ears, and that + willful lads will go their own way.” + </p> + <p> + A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club. On his + arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council was not yet + finished. The building was thronged with the adherents of the party + waiting to ascertain what course was determined upon. He presently came + across Adherbal and Giscon. The former, as usual, was gay, light hearted, + and disposed to view matters in a humorous light; Giscon was stern and + moody. + </p> + <p> + “So, here you are again, Malchus,” Adherbal said. “I thought you would + soon be back. I am glad you have come, for Giscon here grows monotonous as + a companion. Nature in making him forgot to give him that spice of humour + which is to existence what seasoning is to meat. I am ready to fight if it + comes to fighting, to orate if talking is necessary, and to do anything + else which may be within the limits of my powers, but I can't for the life + of me take matters as if the existence of the state depended on me alone. + I have already heard that all is well with you at home. I shall ride out + there and see your mother when this business is over. What they can find + to talk about so long I can't make out. + </p> + <p> + “The question is a simple one, surely. Will it be better for Carthage at + large, and our party in particular, for Hannibal to stay at the head of + the army in Spain, or to come home and bring the influence of his + popularity and reputation to bear upon the populace? There is the question + put in a nutshell, and if they can't decide upon it let them toss up. + There is virtue, I am ready to maintain, in an appeal to dame Fortune. + </p> + <p> + “Look round now, Malchus, is it not amusing to study men's characters. + Look at little Philene going about among the groups, standing on tiptoe to + whisper into the ear first of one and then of another. He prides himself + on his knowledge of affairs, and in his heart believes that he is + shamefully wronged inasmuch as he is not already on the secret committee. + </p> + <p> + “Look at Bomilca leaning against that pillar and lazily pulling his + mustache, an easygoing giant, who looks upon the whole thing as a + nuisance, but who, if he received orders from the conclave, would put + himself at the head of the Libyans, and would march to storm Hanno's + house, and to slaughter his Numidian guard without a question. + </p> + <p> + “Look at Magon's face of importance as he walks about without speaking to + anyone. He is trying to convey to all the impression that he knows + perfectly well what is going on inside, and could if he chose tell you + what the decision will be. There is Carthalon, who is thinking at present, + I warrant, more of the match which he has made of his Arab steed against + that of his comrade Phano, than of the matter in hand. But see, there is a + stir, the curtains are drawing aside at last, the meeting is over.” + </p> + <p> + As he spoke the heavy curtains which shut off an inner room from the hall + were drawn aside, and the council of the Syssite came out. Each was + speedily surrounded by a group of the members of his own family, or those + who specially looked up to him as a leader. Malchus and the two young + officers were among those who gathered round Hamilcar. + </p> + <p> + “It has been decided,” the general said, “that Hannibal shall be retained + in his command. Therefore, now let all set to work, each in his own + sphere. The populace must be stirred up. We have a small majority in the + council, but the middle class, the men who will vote, are with Hanno. Some + have been bought with his gold, some of the weak fools dream that Carthage + can be great simply as a trading power without army or navy, and think + only of the present advantage they would gain by remission of taxation. It + is these we have to fear, and we must operate upon them by means of the + populace. + </p> + <p> + “If the people gather in the streets and shout for Hannibal, these cowards + will hesitate. They are accessible only in their moneybags, and rather + than risk a riot they would vote for the destruction of Moloch's temple. + Giscon and Adherbal, do you go to the barracks, get as many of your + comrades together as are of our way of thinking, talk to the soldiers of + the glories of Hamilcar Barca, of the rich booty they won under him, of + the glory of their arms when he led them, tell them that in Hannibal they + have their old commander revived, and that Hanno and his companions seek + only to have him removed, because they fear that the luster of his deeds + will overshadow them. + </p> + <p> + “Urge that he is the elect of the army of Spain, that the voice of the + soldiers has acclaimed him, and that the troops here should join their + voices to those of their comrades in Spain. They too may ere long have to + take share in the war, and would it not be far better for them to be led + by a soldier like Hannibal than by Hanno, whose incapacity has been proved + a score of times, and who is solely chosen because he is rich, and because + he has pandered to the fat traders and lazy shopkeepers? + </p> + <p> + “Do you, Stryphex, go to the weavers' quarter; you have influence there. + Work upon the men, point out to them how, since Hamilcar and Hasdrubal + have conquered Spain, and the gold and silver from the mines have poured + into Carthage, their trade has flourished. Before that gold was scarce + known in the city, none could purchase their choice productions, their + wages would scarce keep the wolf from the door. Show them that under Hanno + disaster will be sure to befall our arms, that the Iberians will reconquer + their soil, that the mines will be lost, and we shall have to return to + the leather money of twenty years back.” + </p> + <p> + So one by one Hamilcar despatched the groups round him on various + missions, until Malchus alone remained. + </p> + <p> + “You, Malchus, can, as you suggested, go down to the port; ask the sailors + and fishermen what will become of their trade were the Roman galleys + cruising in our bay. Point out that our conquests in Spain have already + caused the greatest alarm in Rome, and that under Hannibal our arms will + so flourish that Rome will be glad to come to terms with us, and to leave + us free to trade with the world. + </p> + <p> + “Point out how great is the trade and commerce which Carthagena has + already produced. Ask them if they are willing that all this shall be + hazarded, in order that Hanno may gratify his personal ambition, and his + creatures may wring the last penny from the over taxed people of Carthage. + Don't try too much, my boy. Get together a knot of men whom you know; + prime them with argument, and send them among their fellows. Tell them to + work day and night, and that you will see that their time is well paid. + Find out if there are any men who have special influence with their + fellows, and secure them on our side. Promise them what they will; the + Syssite will spend money like water to carry its object. Be discreet, + Malchus; when you have lit the fire, and see that it is well on its way, + withdraw quietly.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus hurried off, and in half an hour was down by the port. Through the + densely packed district which lay behind the lofty warehouses crammed with + goods brought by sea from all parts of the world, he made his way until he + reached the abode of a fisherman, in whose boat he often put to sea. + </p> + <p> + The old man, with three or four grownup sons, was reclining on a pile of + rushes. + </p> + <p> + “Welcome back, my lord Malchus,” he said; “glad am I to see you safely + returned. We have often talked of you, me and my sons, and wondered when + you would again go out for a night's fishing with us. You have come back + at the right time. The tunny are just entering the bay, and in another + week we shall have rare sport.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall be glad, indeed, of another sail with you,” Malchus said; “but at + present I have other matters in hand. Hanno and his friends have + determined to oppose the appointment of Hannibal to the army in Spain.” + The fisherman gave a grunt, which signified that the matter was one of + which he knew nothing, and which affected him not in the slightest. + </p> + <p> + “Don't you see the importance of this?” Malchus said. “If Hannibal doesn't + get the command our troops will be beaten, and we shall lose all our trade + with Spain.” The fisherman still appeared apathetic. + </p> + <p> + “My sons have all taken to fishing,” he said indifferently, “and it + matters nothing to them whether we lose the trade of Spain or not.” + </p> + <p> + “But it would make a difference,” Malchus said, “if no more gold and + silver came from Spain, because then, you know, people wouldn't be able to + pay a good price for fish, and there would be bad times for you fishermen. + But that is not the worst of it. The Romans are so alarmed by our progress + in Spain that they are glad to keep friends with us, but if we were driven + out from there they would soon be at war again. You and your sons would be + pressed for the ships of war, and like enough you might see the Roman + fleets hovering on our coasts and picking up our fishing boats.” + </p> + <p> + “By Astarte,” the fisherman exclaimed, “but that would be serious, indeed; + and you say all this will happen unless Hannibal remains as general in + Spain?” + </p> + <p> + “That is so,” Malchus nodded. + </p> + <p> + “Then I tell you what, my boys,” the fisherman said, rising and rubbing + his hands, “we must put our oars into this business. You hear what my lord + Malchus tells us. Get up, there is work to be done. Now, sir, what is the + best way to stop this affair you tell us of? If it's got to be done we + will do it, and I think I can answer for three or four thousand fishing + hands here who ain't going to stand by any more than I am and see the + bread taken out of their mouths. They know old Calcon, and will listen to + what he says. I will set about it at once.” + </p> + <p> + “That is just what I want,” Malchus said. “I want you and your sons to go + about among the fishermen and tell them what is proposed to be done, and + how ruinous it will be for them. You know how fond of fishermen I am, and + how sorry I should be to see them injured. You stir them up for the next + three or four days, and get them to boiling point. I will let you know + when the time comes. There are other trades who will be injured by this + business, and when the time comes you fishermen with your oars in your + hands must join the others and go through the streets shouting 'Hannibal + for general! Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!'” + </p> + <p> + “Down with the tax gatherers is a good cry,” the old fisherman said. “They + take one fish of every four I bring in, and always choose the finest. + Don't you be afraid, sir; we will be there, oars and all, when you give + the word.” + </p> + <p> + “And now I want you to tell me the names of a few men who have influence + among the sailors of the mercantile ships, and among those who load and + discharge the cargoes; their interest is threatened as well as yours. I am + commissioned to pay handsomely all who do their best for the cause, and I + promise you that you and your sons shall earn as much in four days' work + as in a month's toiling on the sea. The Barcine Club is known to be the + true friend of Carthage, the opponent of those who grind down the people, + and it will spare no money to see that this matter is well carried out.” + </p> + <p> + The fisherman at once went round with Malchus to the abodes of several men + regarded as authorities by the sailors and stevedores. With these, partly + by argument, but much more by the promises of handsome pay for their + exertions, Malchus established an understanding, and paved the way for a + popular agitation among the working classes of the waterside in favour of + Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV: A POPULAR RISING + </h2> + <p> + Day after day Malchus went down to the port. His father was well pleased + with his report of what he had done and provided him with ample funds for + paying earnest money to his various agents, as a proof that their + exertions would be well rewarded. He soon had the satisfaction of seeing + that the agitation was growing. + </p> + <p> + Work was neglected, the sailors and labourers collected on the quays and + talked among themselves, or listened to orators of their own class, who + told them of the dangers which threatened their trade from the hatred of + Hanno and his friends the tax collectors for Hannibal, whose father and + brother-in-law had done such great things for Carthage by conquering Spain + and adding to her commerce by the establishment of Carthagena and other + ports. Were they going to stand tamely by and see trade ruined, and their + families starving, that the tyrants who wrung from them the taxes should + fatten at ease? + </p> + <p> + Such was the tenor of the orations delivered by scores of men to their + comrades on the quays. A calm observer might have noticed a certain + sameness about the speeches, and might have come to the conclusion that + the orators had received their instructions from the same person, but this + passed unnoticed by the sailors and workmen, who were soon roused into + fury by the exhortations of the speakers. They knew nothing either of + Hannibal or of Hanno, but they did know that they were ground down to the + earth with taxation, and that the conquest of Spain and the trade that had + arisen had been of enormous benefit to them. It was, then, enough to tell + them that this trade was threatened, and that it was threatened in the + interest of the tyrants of Carthage, for them to enter heart and soul into + the cause. + </p> + <p> + During these four days the Barcine Club was like the headquarters of an + army. Night and day the doors stood open, messengers came and went + continually, consultations of the leading men of the city were held almost + without a break. Every man belonging to it had his appointed task. The + landed proprietors stirred up the cultivators of the soil, the + manufacturers were charged with the enlightenment of their hands as to the + dangers of the situation, the soldiers were busy among the troops; but + theirs was a comparatively easy task, for these naturally sympathized with + their comrades in Spain, and the name of the great Hamilcar was an object + of veneration among them. + </p> + <p> + Hanno's faction was not idle. The Syssite which was composed of his + adherents was as large as its rival. Its orators harangued the people in + the streets on the dangers caused to the republic by the ambition of the + family of Barca, of the expense entailed by the military and naval + establishments required to keep up the forces necessary to carry out their + aggressive policy, of the folly of confiding the principal army of the + state to the command of a mere youth. They dilated on the wealth and + generosity of Hanno, of his lavish distribution of gifts among the poor, + of his sympathy with the trading community. Each day the excitement rose, + business was neglected, the whole population was in a fever of excitement. + </p> + <p> + On the evening of the fourth day the agents of the Barcine Club discovered + that Hanno's party were preparing for a public demonstration on the + following evening. They had a certainty of a majority in the public vote, + which, although nominally that of the people, was, as has been said, + confined solely to what would now be called the middle class. + </p> + <p> + Hitherto the Barcine party had avoided fixing any period for their own + demonstration, preferring to wait until they knew the intention of their + opponents. The council now settled that it should take place on the + following day at eleven o'clock, just when the working classes would have + finished their morning meal. + </p> + <p> + The secret council, however, determined that no words should be whispered + outside their own body until two hours before the time, in order that it + should not be known to Hanno and his friends until too late to gather + their adherents to oppose it. Private messengers were, however, sent out + late to all the members to assemble early at the club. + </p> + <p> + At nine o'clock next morning the Syssite was crowded, the doors were + closed, and the determination of the council was announced to the members, + each of whom was ordered to hurry off to set the train in motion for a + popular outbreak for eleven o'clock. It was not until an hour later that + the news that the Barcine party intended to forestall them reached Hanno's + headquarters. Then the most vigourous efforts were made to get together + their forces, but it was too late. At eleven o'clock crowds of men from + all the working portions of the town were seen making their way towards + the forum, shouting as they went, “Hannibal for general!” “Down with Hanno + and the tax gatherers!” + </p> + <p> + Conspicuous among them were the sailors and fishermen from the port, armed + with oars, and the gang of stevedores with heavy clubs. Hanno and a large + number of his party hurried down to the spot and tried to pacify the + crowd, but the yells of execration were so loud and continuous that they + were forced to leave the forum. The leaders of the Barcine party now + appeared on the scene, and their most popular orator ascended the rostrum. + When the news spread among the crowd that he was a friend of Hannibal and + an opponent of Hanno, the tumult was stayed in order that all might hear + his words. + </p> + <p> + “My friends,” he said, “I am glad to see that Carthage is still true to + herself, and that you resent the attempt made by a faction to remove the + general of the army's choice, the son of the great Hamilcar Barca. To him + and to Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, you owe the conquest of Spain, you owe + the wealth which has of late years poured into Carthage, you owe the trade + which is already doing so much to mitigate your condition. What have Hanno + and his friends done that you should listen to him? It is their incapacity + which has lost Carthage so many of its possessions. It is their greed and + corruption which place such burdens on your backs. They claim that they + are generous. It is easy to be generous with the money of which they have + plundered you; but let them know your will, and they must bend before it. + Tell them that you will have Hannibal and none other as the general of + your armies, and Spain is secure, and year by year your commerce with that + country will increase and flourish.” + </p> + <p> + A roar of assent arose from the crowd. At the same instant a tumult was + heard at the lower entrance to the forum, and the head of a dense body of + men was seen issuing from the street, with shouts of “Hanno forever!” They + were headed by the butchers and tanners, an important and powerful body, + for Carthage did a vast trade in leather. + </p> + <p> + For a time they bore all before them, but the resistance increased every + foot they advanced. The shouts on both sides became louder and more angry. + Blows were soon exchanged, and ere long a pitched battle was raging. The + fishermen and sailors threw themselves into the thick of it, and for ten + minutes a desperate fight raged in the forum. Soon the battle extended, as + bodies of men belonging to either faction encountered each other as they + hurried towards the forum. + </p> + <p> + Street frays were by no means unusual in Carthage, but this was a + veritable battle. Hanno had at its commencement, accompanied by a strong + body of his friends, ridden to Byrsa, and had called upon the soldiers to + come out and quell the tumult. They, however, listened in sullen silence, + their sympathies were entirely with the supporters of Hannibal, and they + had already received orders from their officers on no account to move, + whosoever might command them to do so, until Hamilcar placed himself at + their head. + </p> + <p> + The general delayed doing this until the last moment. Hannibal's friends + had hoped to carry their object without the intervention of the troops, as + it was desirable in every way that the election should appear to be a + popular one, and that Hannibal should seem to have the suffrages of the + people as well as of the army. That the large majority of the people were + with them they knew, but the money which Hanno's friends had lavishly + spent among the butchers, skinners, tanners, and smiths had raised up a + more formidable opposition than they had counted upon. + </p> + <p> + Seeing that their side was gaining but little advantage, that already much + blood had been shed, and that the tumult threatened to involve all + Carthage, Hamilcar and a number of officers rode to the barracks. The + troops at once got under arms, and, headed by the elephants, moved out + from Byrsa. Being desirous to avoid bloodshed, Hamilcar bade his men leave + their weapons behind them, and armed them with headless spear shafts, of + which, with all other things needed for war, there was a large store in + the citadel. As the column sallied out it broke up into sections. The + principal body marched toward the forum, while others, each led by + officers, took their way down the principal streets. + </p> + <p> + The appearance of the elephants and troops, and the loud shouts of the + latter for Hannibal, quickly put an end to the tumult. Hanno's hired mob, + seeing that they could do nothing against such adversaries, at once broke + up and fled to their own quarters of the city, and Hanno and his adherents + sought their own houses. The quiet citizens, seeing that the fight was + over, issued from their houses, and the forum was soon again crowded. + </p> + <p> + The proceedings were now unanimous, and the shouts raised that the senate + should assemble and confirm the vote of the army were loud and strenuous. + Parties of men went out in all directions to the houses of the senators to + tell them the people demanded their presence at the forum. Seeing the + uselessness of further opposition, and fearing the consequences if they + resisted, Hanno and his friends no longer offered any opposition. + </p> + <p> + The senate assembled, and, by a unanimous vote the election of Hannibal as + one of the suffetes in place of Hasdrubal, and as commander-in-chief of + the army in Spain, was carried, and was ratified by that of the popular + assembly, the traders and manufacturers of Hanno's party not venturing to + oppose the will of the mass of mechanics and seafaring population. + </p> + <p> + “It has been a victory,” Hamilcar said, when, accompanied by a number of + his friends, he returned to his home that evening, “but Hanno will not + forget or forgive the events of this day. As long as all goes well in + Spain we may hope for the support of the people, but should any disaster + befall our arms it will go hard with all who have taken a prominent part + in this day's proceedings. Hanno's friends have so much at stake that they + will not give up the struggle. They have at their back all the moneys + which they wring from the people and the tributaries of Carthage, and they + will work night and day to strengthen their party and to buy over the + lower classes. We are the stronger at present; but to carry the popular + vote on a question which would put a stop to the frightful corruption of + our administration, to suppress the tyranny of the council, to sweep away + the abuses which prevail in every class in the state—for that we + must wait till Hannibal returns victorious. Let him but humble the pride + of Rome, and Carthage will be at his feet.” + </p> + <p> + The party were in high spirits at the result of the day's proceedings. Not + only had they succeeded in their principal object of electing Hannibal, + but they had escaped from a great personal danger; for, assuredly, had + Hanno and his party triumphed, a stern vengeance would have been taken + upon all the leading members of the Barcine faction. + </p> + <p> + After the banquet, while Hamilcar and his companions reclined on their + couches at tables, a Greek slave, a captive in war, sang songs of his + native land to the accompaniment of the lyre. A party of dancing girls + from Ethiopia performed their rhythmical movements to the sound of the + tinkling of a little guitar with three strings, the beating of a small + drum, the clashing of cymbals, and the jingling of the ornaments and + little metal bells on their arms and ankles. Perfumes were burned in + censers, and from time to time soft strains of music, played by a party of + slaves among the trees without, floated in through the casements. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was in wild spirits, for his father had told him that it was + settled that he was to have the command of a body of troops which were + very shortly to proceed to Spain to reinforce the army under Hannibal, and + that he should allow Malchus to enter the band of Carthaginian horse which + was to form part of the body under his command. + </p> + <p> + The regular Carthaginian horse and foot formed but a very small portion of + the armies of the republic. They were a corps d'elite, composed entirely + of young men of the aristocratic families of Carthage, on whom it was + considered as almost a matter of obligation to enter this force. They had + the post of honour in battle, and it was upon them the Carthaginian + generals relied principally to break the ranks of the enemy in close + battle. All who aspired to distinguish themselves in the eyes of their + fellow citizens, to rise to power and position in the state, to officer + the vast bodies of men raised from the tributary nations, and to command + the armies of the country, entered one or other of these bodies. The + cavalry was the arm chosen by the richer classes. It was seldom that it + numbered more than a thousand strong. The splendour of their armour and + appointments, the beauty of their horses, the richness of the garments of + the cavaliers, and the trappings of their steeds, caused this body to be + the admiration and envy of Carthage. Every man in it was a member of one + of the upper ranks of the aristocracy; all were nearly related to members + of the senate, and it was considered the highest honour that a young + Carthaginian could receive to be admitted into it. + </p> + <p> + Each man wore on his wrist a gold band for each campaign which he had + undertaken. There was no attempt at uniformity as to their appointments. + Their helmets and shields were of gold or silver, surmounted with plumes + or feathers, or with tufts of white horsehair. Their breastplates were + adorned with arabesques or repousse work of the highest art. Their belts + were covered with gold and studded with gems. Their short kilted skirts + were of rich Tyrian purple embroidered with gold. + </p> + <p> + The infantry were composed of men of good but less exalted families. They + wore a red tunic without a belt. They carried a great circular buckler of + more than a yard in diameter, formed of the tough hide of the river horse, + brought down from the upper Nile, with a central boss of metal with a + point projecting nearly a foot in front of the shield, enabling it to be + used as an offensive weapon in a close fight. They carried short heavy + swords similar to those of the Romans, and went barefooted. Their total + strength seldom exceeded two thousand. + </p> + <p> + These two bodies constituted the Carthaginian legion, and formed but a + small proportion indeed of her armies, the rest of her forces being + entirely drawn from the tributary states. The fact that Carthage, with her + seven hundred thousand inhabitants, furnished so small a contingent of the + fighting force of the republic, was in itself a proof of the weakness of + the state. A country which relies entirely for its defence upon + mercenaries is rapidly approaching decay. + </p> + <p> + She may for a time repress one tributary with the soldiers of the others; + but when disaster befalls her she is without cohesion and falls to pieces + at once. As the Roman orator well said of Carthage: “She was a figure of + brass with feet of clay”—a noble and imposing object to the eye, but + whom a vigourous push would level in the dust. Rome, on the contrary, + young and vigourous, was a people of warriors. Every one of her citizens + who was capable of bearing arms was a soldier. The manly virtues were held + in the highest esteem, and the sordid love of wealth had not as yet + enfeebled her strength or sapped her powers. Her citizens were men, + indeed, ready to make any sacrifice for their country; and such being the + case, her final victory over Carthage was a matter of certainty. + </p> + <p> + The news which afforded Malchus such delight was not viewed with the same + unmixed satisfaction by the members of his family. Thyra had for the last + year been betrothed to Adherbal, and he, too, was to accompany Hamilcar to + Spain, and none could say how long it might be before they would return. + </p> + <p> + While the others were sitting round the festive board, Adherbal and Thyra + strolled away among the groves in the garden. + </p> + <p> + “I do not think you care for me, Adherbal,” she said reproachfully as he + was speaking of the probabilities of the campaign. “You know well that + this war may continue in Spain for years, and you seem perfectly + indifferent to the fact that we must be separated for that time.” + </p> + <p> + “I should not be indifferent to it, Thyra, if I thought for a moment that + this was to be the case. I may remain, it is true, for years in Spain; but + I have not the most remote idea of remaining there alone. At the end of + the first campaign, when our army goes into winter quarters, I shall + return here and fetch you.” + </p> + <p> + “That's all very well,” the girl said, pouting; “but how do you know that + I shall be willing to give up all the delights of Carthage to go among the + savage Iberians, where they say the ground is all white in winter and even + the rivers stop in their courses?” + </p> + <p> + Adherbal laughed lightly. “Then it is not for you to talk about + indifference, Thyra; but it won't be so bad as you fear. At Carthagena you + will have all the luxuries of Carthage. I do not say that your villa shall + be equal to this; but as you will have me it should be a thousand times + dearer to you.” + </p> + <p> + “Your conceit is superb, Adherbal,” Thyra laughed. “You get worse and + worse. Had I ever dreamed of it I should never have consented so + submissively when my father ordered me to regard you as my future + husband.” + </p> + <p> + “You ought to think yourself a fortunate girl, Thyra,” Adherbal said, + smiling; “for your father might have taken it into his head to have done + as Hamilcar Barca did, and married his daughters to Massilian and Numidian + princes, to become queens of bands of nomad savages.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, they were queens, that was something, even if only of nomads.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think that it would have suited you, Thyra—a seat on + horseback for a throne, and a rough tent for a palace, would not be in + your way at all. I think a snug villa on the slopes of the bay of + Carthagena, will suit you better, not to mention the fact that I shall + make an infinitely more pleasant and agreeable master than a Numidian + chief would do.” + </p> + <p> + “You are intolerable, Adherbal, with your conceit and your mastership. + However, I suppose when the time comes I shall have to obey my father. + What a pity it is we girls cannot choose our husbands for ourselves! + Perhaps the time may come when we shall do so.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, in your case, Thyra,” Adherbal said, “it would make no difference, + because you know you would have chosen me anyhow; but most girls would + make a nice business of it. How are they to know what men really are? They + might be gamesters, drunkards, brutal and cruel by nature, idle and + spendthrift. What can maidens know of a man's disposition? Of course they + only see him at his best. Wise parents can make careful inquiries, and + have means of knowing what a man's disposition and habits really are.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't think, Adherbal,” Thyra said earnestly, “that girls are such + fools that they cannot read faces; that we cannot tell the difference + between a good man and a bad one.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, a girl may know something about every man save the one she loves, + Thyra. She may see other's faults clearly enough; but she is blind to + those of the man she loves. Do you not know that the Greeks depict Cupid + with a bandage over his eyes?” + </p> + <p> + “I am not blind to your faults,” Thyra said indignantly. “I know that you + are a great deal more lazy than becomes you; that you are not sufficiently + earnest in the affairs of life; that you will never rise to be a great + general like my cousin Hannibal.” + </p> + <p> + “That is all quite true,” Adherbal laughed; “and yet you see you love me. + You perceive my faults only in theory and not in fact, and you do not in + your heart wish to see me different from what I am. Is it not so?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” the girl said shyly, “I suppose it is. Anyhow, I don't like the + thought of your going away from me to that horrid Iberia.” + </p> + <p> + Although defeated for the moment by the popular vote, the party of Hanno + were not discouraged. They had suffered a similar check when they had + attempted to prevent Hannibal joining Hasdrubal in Spain. + </p> + <p> + Not a moment was lost in setting to work to recover their lost ground. + Their agents among the lower classes spread calumnies against the Barcine + leaders. Money was lavishly distributed, and the judges, who were devoted + to Hanno's party, set their machinery to work to strike terror among their + opponents. Their modes of procedure were similar to those which afterwards + made Venice execrable in the height of her power. Arrests were made + secretly in the dead of night. Men were missing from their families, and + none knew what had become of them. + </p> + <p> + Dead bodies bearing signs of strangulation were found floating in the + shallow lakes around Carthage; and yet, so great was the dread inspired by + the terrible power of the judges, that the friends and relations of those + who were missing dared make neither complaint nor inquiry. It was not + against the leaders of the Barcine party that such measures were taken. + Had one of these been missing the whole would have flown to arms. The + dungeons would have been broken open, and not only the captives liberated, + but their arrest might have been made the pretext for an attack upon the + whole system under which such a state of things could exist. + </p> + <p> + It was chiefly among the lower classes that the agents of Hanno's + vengeance operated. Among these the disappearance of so many men who were + regarded as leaders among the rest spread a deep and mysterious fear. + Although none dared to complain openly, the news of these mysterious + disappearances was not long in reaching the leaders of the Barcine party. + </p> + <p> + These, however, were for the time powerless to act. Certain as they might + be of the source whence these unseen blows descended, they had no evidence + on which to assail so formidable a body as the judges. It would be a rash + act indeed to accuse such important functionaries of the state, belonging, + with scarcely an exception, to powerful families, of arbitrary and cruel + measures against insignificant persons. + </p> + <p> + The halo of tradition still surrounded the judges, and added to the fear + inspired by their terrible and unlimited power. In such an attack the + Barcine party could not rely upon the population to side with them; for, + while comparatively few were personally affected by the arrests which had + taken place, the fear of future consequences would operate upon all. + </p> + <p> + Among the younger members of the party, however, the indignation aroused + by these secret blows was deep. Giscon, who was continually brooding over + the tyranny and corruption which were ruining his country, was one of the + leaders of this section of the party; with him were other spirits as + ardent as himself. They met in a house in a quiet street in the lower + town, and there discussed all sorts of desperate projects for freeing the + city of its tyrants. + </p> + <p> + One day as Giscon was making his way to this rendezvous he met Malchus + riding at full speed from the port. + </p> + <p> + “What is it, Malchus, whither away in such haste?” + </p> + <p> + “It is shameful, Giscon, it is outrageous. I have just been down to the + port to tell the old fisherman with whom I often go out that I would sail + with him tomorrow, and find that four days ago he was missing, and his + body was yesterday found by his sons floating in the lagoon. He had been + strangled. His sons are as much overpowered with terror as by grief, they + believe that he has suffered for the part he took in rousing the fishermen + to declare for Hannibal a fortnight since, and they fear lest the terrible + vengeance of Hanno should next fall upon them. + </p> + <p> + “How it happened they know not. A man arrived late in the evening and said + that one of their father's best customers wanted a supply of fish for a + banquet he was to give next day, and that he wanted to speak to him at + once to arrange about the quantity and quality of fish he required. + Suspecting nothing the old man left at once, and was never heard of + afterwards. Next morning, seeing that he had not returned, one of his sons + went to the house to which he had been fetched, but found that its owner + knew nothing of the affair, and denied that he had sent any message + whatever to him. Fearing that something was wrong they searched + everywhere, but it was not until last night that his body was, as I have + told you, found. + </p> + <p> + “They are convinced that their father died in no private feud. He had not, + as far as they know, an enemy in the world. You may imagine how l feel + this; not only did I regard him as a friend, but I feel that it was owing + to his acting as I led him that he has come to his death.” + </p> + <p> + “The tyrants!” Giscon exclaimed in a low voice. “But what can you do, + Malchus?” + </p> + <p> + “I am going to my father,” Malchus replied, “to ask him to take the matter + up.” + </p> + <p> + “What can he do?” Giscon said with a bitter laugh. “What can he prove? Can + he accuse our most noble body of judges, without a shadow of proof, of + making away with this unknown old fisherman. No, Malchus, if you are in + earnest to revenge your friend come with me, I will introduce you to my + friends, who are banded together against this tyranny, and who are sworn + to save Carthage. You are young, but you are brave and full of ardour; you + are a son of General Hamilcar, and my friends will gladly receive you as + one of us.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus did not hesitate. That there would be danger in joining such a + body as Giscon spoke of he knew, but the young officer's talk during their + expedition had aroused in him a deep sense of the tyranny and corruption + which were sapping the power or his country, and this blow which had + struck him personally rendered him in a mood to adopt any dangerous move. + </p> + <p> + “I will join you, Giscon,” he said, “if you will accept me. I am young, + but I am ready to go all lengths, and to give my life if needs be to free + Carthage.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V: THE CONSPIRACY + </h2> + <p> + Giscon led his companion along the narrow lanes until he reached the back + entrance of the house where the meetings were held. Knocking in a + particular way it was opened at once and closed behind them. As they + entered a slave took Malchus' horse without a word and fastened it to a + ring in the wall, where four or five other horses were standing. + </p> + <p> + “I rather wonder you are not afraid of drawing attention by riding on + horseback to a house in such a quarter,” Malchus said. + </p> + <p> + “We dare not meet secretly, you know. The city is full of spies, and + doubtless the movements of all known to be hostile to Hanno and his party + are watched, therefore we thought it best to meet here. We have caused it + to be whispered as a secret in the neighbourhood, that the house has been + taken as a place where we can gamble free from the presence of our elders. + Therefore the only comments we excite is, 'There go those young fools who + are ruining themselves.' It is only because you are on horseback that I + have come round to this gate; had you come on foot we should have entered + by the front. Fortunately there are among us many who are deemed to be + mere pleasure seekers—men who wager fortunes on their horses, who + are given to banquets, or whose lives seem to be passed in luxury and + indolence, but who at heart are as earnest in the cause of Carthage as I + am. The presence of such men among us gives a probability to the tale that + this is a gambling house. Were we all of my stamp, men known to be utterly + hostile to Hanno and his party, suspicion would fall upon our meetings at + once. But here we are.” + </p> + <p> + As he spoke he drew aside some heavy curtains and entered a large room. + Some ten or twelve young men were assembled there. They looked up in + surprise as Giscon entered followed by his companion. + </p> + <p> + “I have brought a recruit,” Giscon said, “one whom all of you know by + repute if not personally; it is Malchus, the son of General Hamilcar. He + is young to be engaged in a business like ours, but I have been with him + in a campaign and can answer for him. He is brave, ready, thoughtful and + trustworthy. He loves his country and hates her tyrants. I can guarantee + that he will do nothing imprudent, but can be trusted as one of ourselves. + Being young he will have the advantage of being less likely to be watched, + and may be doubly useful. He is ready to take the oath of our society.” + </p> + <p> + As Giscon was the leading spirit of the band his recommendation was taken + as amply sufficient. The young men rose and formed in a circle round + Malchus. All drew their daggers, and one, whom Malchus recognized with a + momentary feeling of surprise as Carthalon, whom Adherbal had pointed out + at the Barcine Club as one who thought only of horse racing, said: + </p> + <p> + “Do you swear by Moloch and Astarte to be true to this society, to devote + yourself to the destruction of the oppressors of Carthage, to carry out + all measures which may be determined upon, even at the certain risk of + your life, and to suffer yourself to be torn to pieces by the torture + rather than reveal aught that passes within these walls?” + </p> + <p> + “That I swear solemnly,” Malchus said. + </p> + <p> + “I need not say,” Carthalon said carelessly, “that the punishment of the + violation of the oath is death. It is so put in our rules. But we are all + nobles of Carthage, and nobles do not break their oaths, so we can let + that pass. When a man's word is good enough to make him beggar himself in + order to discharge a wager, he can be trusted to keep his word in a matter + which concerns the lives of a score of his fellows. And now that this + business is arranged we can go on with our talk; but first let us have + some wine, for all this talking is thirsty work at best.” + </p> + <p> + The young men threw themselves upon the couches around the room and, while + slaves brought round wine, chatted lightly with each other about horses, + the play presented the day before, the respective merits of the reigning + beauties of Carthage, and other similar topics, and Malchus, who was + impressed with the serious nature of the secret conspiracy which he had + just sworn to aid, could not help being surprised at the careless gaiety + of the young men, although engaged in a conspiracy in which they risked + their lives. + </p> + <p> + It was not until some minutes after the slaves had left the apartment that + the light talk and banter ceased, as Giscon rose and said: + </p> + <p> + “Now to business. Malchus has told me that an old fisherman, who took a + lead in stirring up his fellows to declare for Hannibal, has been decoyed + away from his home and murdered; his body has been found floating in the + lake, strangled. This is the nineteenth in the course of a week. These + acts are spreading terror among the working classes, and unless they are + put a stop to we can no longer expect assistance from them. + </p> + <p> + “That these deeds are the work of the officials of the tribunals we have + no doubt. The sooner we strike the better. Matters are getting ripe. I + have eight men sworn into my section among the weavers, and need but two + more to complete it. We will instruct our latest recruit to raise a + section among the fishermen. The sons of the man just murdered should form + a nucleus. We agreed from the first that three hundred resolute men + besides ourselves were required, and that each of us should raise a + section of ten. Malchus brings up our number here to thirty, and when all + the sections are filled up we shall be ready for action. + </p> + <p> + “Failure ought to be impossible. The houses of Hanno and thirty of his + party will be attacked, and the tyrants slain before any alarm can be + given. Another thirty at least should be slain before the town is fairly + aroused. Maybe each section can undertake three if our plans are well + laid, and each chooses for attack three living near each other. We have + not yet settled whether it will be better to separate when this is done, + content with the first blow against our tyrants, or to prepare beforehand + for a popular rising, to place ourselves at the head of the populace, and + to make a clean sweep of the judges and the leaders of Hanno's party.” + </p> + <p> + Giscon spoke in an ordinary matter-of-fact tone, as if he were discussing + the arrangements of a party of pleasure; but Malchus could scarcely + repress a movement of anxiety as he heard this proposal for the wholesale + destruction of the leading men of Carthage. The council thus opened was + continued for three hours. Most of those present spoke, but, to the + surprise of Malchus, there was an entire absence of that gloom and mystery + with which the idea of a state conspiracy was associated in his mind. + </p> + <p> + The young men discussed it earnestly, indeed, but in the same spirit in + which they would have agreed over a disputed question as to the respective + merits of two horses. They laughed, joked, offered and accepted wagers and + took the whole matter with a lightness of heart which Malchus imitated to + the best of his power, but which he was very far from feeling; and yet he + felt that beneath all this levity his companions were perfectly in earnest + in their plans, but they joked now as they would have joked before the + commencement of a battle in which the odds against them were overwhelming + and great. + </p> + <p> + Even Giscon, generally grave and gloomy, was as light hearted as the rest. + The aristocracy of Carthage were, like the aristocracy of all other + countries, from tradition, training, and habit, brave to excess. Just as + centuries later the noblesse of France chatted gaily on the tumbril on + their way to execution, and offered each other their snuff boxes on the + scaffold, so these young aristocrats of Carthage smiled and jested, though + well aware that they were risking their lives. + </p> + <p> + No decision was arrived at, for this could only be decided upon at a + special meeting, at which all the members of the society would be present. + Among those now in council opinions were nearly equally divided. The one + party urged that, did they take steps to prepare the populace for a + rising, a rumour would be sure to meet the ears of their opponents and + they would be on their guard; whereas, if they scattered quickly after + each section had slain two of their tyrants, the operation might be + repeated until all the influential men of Hanno's faction had been + removed. + </p> + <p> + In reply to these arguments the other party urged that delays were always + dangerous, that huge rewards would be offered after the first attempts, + that some of the men of the sections might turn traitors, that Hanno's + party would be on their guard in future, and that the judges would effect + wholesale arrests and executions; whereas, were the populace appealed to + in the midst of the excitement which would be caused by the death of Hanno + and his principal adherents, the people would rise and finish with their + tyrants. + </p> + <p> + After all who wished to speak on the subject had given their opinions, + they proceeded to details; each gave a statement of the number of men + enrolled in his section, with a few words as to the disposition of each. + Almost without an exception each of these men was animated with a sense of + private wrong. Some had lost near relatives, executed for some trifling + offence by the tribunals, some had been ruined by the extortion of the tax + gatherers. All were stated to be ready to give their lives for vengeance. + </p> + <p> + “These agents of ours, you see, Malchus, are not for the most part + animated by any feeling of pure patriotism, it is their own wrongs and not + the injuries of Carthage which they would avenge. But we must take them as + we find them; one cannot expect any deep feeling of patriotism on the part + of the masses, who, it must be owned, have no very great reason to feel + any lively interest in the glories of the republic. So that they eat and + drink sufficiently, and can earn their living, it matters not very greatly + to them whether Carthage is great and glorious, or humbled and defeated. + But this will not always be so. When we have succeeded in ridding Carthage + of her tyrants we must next do all we can so to raise the condition of the + common people that they may feel that they too have a common interest in + the fate of our country. I should not, of course, propose giving to them a + vote; to bestow the suffrage upon the ignorant, who would simply follow + the demagogues who would use them as tools, would be the height of + madness. The affairs of state, the government of the country, the making + of the laws, must be solely in the hands of those fitted for the task—of + the men who, by education, by birth, by position, by study and by leisure + have prepared their minds for such a charge. But the people should share + in the advantages of a good government; they should not be taxed more than + they could reasonably pay, and any tax gatherers who should extort a penny + beyond the legal amount should be disgraced and punished. + </p> + <p> + “The courts should be open to all, the judges should be impartial and + incorruptible; every man should have his rights and his privileges, then + each man, feeling an interest in the stability of the state, would be + ready to bear arms in its defence, and Carthage, instead of being + dependent entirely upon her tributaries and mercenaries, would be able to + place a great army in the field by her own unaided exertions. + </p> + <p> + “The barbarian tribes would cease to revolt, knowing that success would be + hopeless. And as we should be strong at home we should be respected + abroad, and might view without apprehension the rising power of Rome. + There is plenty of room for both of us. For us, Africa and Spain; for her + all the rest of Europe and as much of Asia as she cares to take. We could + look without jealousy at each other's greatness, each secure in his own + strength and power. Yes, there may be a grand future before Carthage yet.” + </p> + <p> + The meeting now broke up. + </p> + <p> + “Where are you going, Malchus?” Giscon asked the lad as they went out into + the courtyard; “to see the sacrifices? You know there is a grand function + today to propitiate Moloch and to pray for victory for our arms.” + </p> + <p> + “No,” Malchus said with a shudder. “I don't think I am a coward, Giscon, + but these terrible rites frighten me. I was taken once by my father, and I + then swore that never again, unless it be absolutely necessary for me in + the performance of public office, will I be present at such a scene. For + weeks afterwards I scarcely slept; day and night there was before me that + terrible brazen image of Moloch. If I fell off to sleep, I woke bathed in + perspiration as I heard the screams of the infants as they were dropped + into those huge hands, heated to redness, stretched out to receive them. I + cannot believe, Giscon, that the gods are so cruel. + </p> + <p> + “Then there was the slaughter of a score of captives taken in war. I see + them now, standing pale and stern, with their eyes directed to the brazen + image which was soon to be sprinkled with their blood, while the priests + in their scarlet robes, with the sacrificial knives in hand, approached + them. I saw no more, for I shut my eyes till all was over. I tell you + again, Giscon, I do not believe the gods are so cruel. Why should the gods + of Phoenicia and Carthage alone demand blood? Those of Greece and Rome are + not so bloodthirsty, and yet Mars gives as many victories to the Roman + arms as Moloch does to ours.” + </p> + <p> + “Blaspheme not the gods, Malchus,” Giscon said gloomily; “you may be sure + that the wreath of a conquering general will never be placed around your + brow if you honour them not.” + </p> + <p> + “If honouring them means approval of shedding the blood of infants and + captives, I will renounce all hopes of obtaining victory by their aid.” + </p> + <p> + “I would you had spoken so before, Malchus; had I known that you were a + scorner of the gods I would not have asked you to join in our enterprise. + No good fortune can be expected to attend our efforts unless we have the + help of the gods.” + </p> + <p> + “The matter is easily mended, Giscon,” Malchus said calmly. “So far I have + taken no step towards carrying out your plans, and have but listened to + what you said, therefore, no harm can yet have been done. Strike my name + off the list, and forget that I have been with you. You have my oath that + I will say nought of anything that I have heard. You can well make some + excuse to your comrades. Tell them, for example, that though I fear not + for myself, I thought that, being the son of Hamilcar, I had no right to + involve his name and family in such an enterprise, unless by his orders.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, it were better so,” Giscon said after a pause; “I dare not continue + the enterprise with one who condemns the gods among us; it would be to + court failure. I did not dream of this; who could have thought that a lad + of your age would have been a spurner of the gods?” + </p> + <p> + “I am neither a condemner nor a spurner,” Malchus said indignantly; “I say + only that I believe you worship them wrongfully, that you do them + injustice. I say it is impossible that the gods who rule the world can + have pleasure in the screams of dying infants or the groans of slaughtered + men.” + </p> + <p> + Giscon placed his hand to his ears as if to shut out such blasphemy, and + hurried away, while Malchus, mounting his horse, rode out slowly and + thoughtfully to his father's villa. He was not at heart sorry that he was + freed from this association into which, without knowing the measures by + which it intended to carry out its aims, he had rashly entered. He was + ready for armed insurrection against the tyrants of Carthage, but he + revolted from the thought of this plan for a midnight massacre—it + was not by such means that he would have achieved the regeneration of his + country. He felt, too, that the reason which he had given Giscon was a + valid one. He had no right, at his age, to involve his family in such a + conspiracy. Did it fail, and were he found to be among the conspirators, + Hanno and his associates would be sure to seize the fact as a pretext for + assailing Hamilcar. They would say that Malchus would never have joined in + such a plot had he not known that it had the approval of his father, and + that he was in fact but the representative of his family in the design for + overthrowing the constitution of the republic. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately for Malchus, a few days later orders were given for the + instant embarkation of a portion of the reinforcements destined for + Hannibal. Hamilcar was to proceed in command of them, and, busied with his + preparation for the start, Malchus thought little more of the conspiracy + which was brewing. Thirty large merchant ships were hired to convey the + troops, who numbered six thousand. These were principally Libyan footmen. + The main body, with the Numidian horse, were to follow shortly. At last + the day for embarkation arrived, and the troops defiled through the temple + of Moloch, where sacrifices were offered up for the success of the + enterprise. + </p> + <p> + Malchus, under the pretense that something was not ready, at the last + moment lingered at home, and only joined his comrades, a hundred young men + of the Carthaginian horse, on the quays. This body, all composed of young + men of the best families of Carthage, were to sail in the same ship which + carried Hamilcar. The scene was a busy one—the docks of Carthage + were extensive, and the ships which were to convey the expedition lay in + deep water by the quays, so that the troops could march on board. A great + crowd of the populace had assembled to view the embarkation. These were + with difficulty kept from crowding the troops and impeding their movement + by a cordon of soldiers. + </p> + <p> + As the troops marched on to the quay they were formed up in parties by the + side of the ships which were to convey them. Very different was the + demeanour of the men of the different nationalities. The Libyans were + stern and silent, they were part of the contingent which their state was + bound to furnish to Carthage, and went unwillingly, cursing in their + hearts the power which tore them from their homes to fight in a war in + which they had neither concern nor interest. + </p> + <p> + Near them were a body of Garamantes, wrapped in the long bernous which + then as now was the garb of the children of the desert. Tall, swarthy + figures these, lissome and agile, with every muscle standing out clear + through the brown skin. Strange as must have been the scene to them, there + was no wonder expressed in the keen glances which they shot around them + from underneath their dark eyebrows. Silent and taciturn, scarce a word + was to be heard among them as they stood awaiting the orders to embark; + they were there unwillingly, and their hearts were far away in the distant + desert, but none the less would they be willing to fight when the time + came. Terrible foes these would be in a night attack, with their stealthy + tiger-like tread, their gleaming, vengeful eyes, and their cruel mouths. + </p> + <p> + Very different were the band of Ethiopians from the distant Soudan, with + their cloaks of lion skin, and the gaudy feathers fastened in a fillet + round their heads. Their black faces were alive with merriment and wonder—everything + was new and extraordinary to them. The sea, the ships, the mighty city, + the gathered crowd, all excited their astonishment, and their white teeth + glistened as they chatted incessantly with a very babel of laughter and + noise. + </p> + <p> + Not less light hearted were the chosen band of young nobles grouped by the + general's ship. Their horses were held in ranks behind them for the last + time by their slaves, for in future they would have to attend to them + themselves, and as they gathered in groups they laughed and jested over + the last scandal in Carthage, the play which had been produced the night + before at the theatre, or the horse race which was to be run on the + following day. As to the desperate work on which they were to be engaged—for + it was whispered that Hannibal had in preparation some mighty enterprise—it + troubled them not at all, nor the thought that many of them might never + look on Carthage again. In their hearts perhaps some of them, like + Malchus, were thinking sadly of the partings they had just gone through + with those they loved, but no signs of such thoughts were apparent in + their faces or conversation. + </p> + <p> + Presently a blast of trumpets sounded, and the babel of voices was hushed + as if by magic. The soldiers fell into military order, and stood + motionless. Then Hamilcar walked along the quays inspecting carefully each + group, asking questions of the captains of the ships as to their store of + provisions and water, receiving from the officers charged with that duty + the lists of the war machines and stores which were stored away in the + hulls; and, having assured himself that everything was in order, he gave + the signal to his trumpeter, who again blew a long and piercing blast. + </p> + <p> + The work of embarkation at once commenced. The infantry were soon on + board, but the operation of shipping the horses of the cavalry took + longer. Half of these were stored away in the hold of the general's ship, + the rest in another vessel. When the troops were all on board the soldiers + who had kept back the crowd were withdrawn, and the Carthaginians thronged + down on to the quay. A small space was still kept clear on the wharf by + whose side the admiral's ship was lying, and here was gathered a throng of + the aristocracy of the city to see the last of their sons and relatives of + the guard. + </p> + <p> + Having seen their horses safely stowed below the young men crowded to the + side of the ship to exchange adieus with their friends. The parting was a + brief one, for the wind was fair, and the general anxious to be well out + of the bay before nightfall. Therefore the signal was hoisted. Numbers of + slaves seized the hawsers of the ships and towed them along through the + narrow passage which connected the docks with the sea. A shout of adieu + rose from the crowd, the sails were hoisted, and the fleet proceeded on + its way. + </p> + <p> + The arrangements for the comfort of the troops at sea were simple and + primitive. Each man shifted for himself. The whole space below was + occupied by cargo or horses. The troops lived and slept on deck. Here, on + wide flat stones, they cooked their meals, whiled away the day by games of + chance, and slept at night on skins or thick rugs. Fortunately the weather + was fair. It was early in March, but the nights were not cold. + </p> + <p> + The fleet hugged the coast, anchoring at night, until the northern shores + stood out clear and well defined as Spain stretched down towards Africa. + Then they crossed and cruised along until they arrived at Carthagena. + Short as was the time which had elapsed since the foundation of that city, + its aspect was already imposing and extensive. It lay at the head of a + gulf facing south, about a mile in depth and nearly double that width. + Across the mouth of this bay was an island, with but a narrow passage on + each side, protecting it from the southern winds, and forming with it a + magnificent harbour. + </p> + <p> + On a bold hill at the head of the harbour stood the town. This hill rose + from a wide lagoon, which communicated on one side with the sea, and was + on the other separated from it only by a strip of land, four hundred yards + wide. Through this a wide channel had been dug. Thus the hill, which was + of considerable extent, rugged and precipitous, was isolated, and could + only be attacked by sea. + </p> + <p> + The town was built in a sort of amphitheatre facing the sea, and was + surrounded by a strong fortification two miles and a half in + circumference, so that even should an assailant cross the lagoon, which in + summer was nearly dry, he would have before him an almost impregnable + defence to carry. Here, in buildings whose magnitude surprised the + newcomers, acquainted as they were with the buildings of Carthage, were + stored the treasures, the baggage, the ammunition of war, and the + provisions of the army. + </p> + <p> + It had been the aim of the great Hamilcar, and of Hasdrubal after him, to + render the army of Spain as far as possible independent of the mother + country. They well knew how often the treasury of Carthage was empty owing + to the extravagance and dishonesty of her rulers, and how impossible it + would be to obtain thence the supplies required for the army. Therefore + they established immense workshops, where arms, munitions of war, machines + for sieges, and everything required for the use of the army were + fabricated. + </p> + <p> + Vast as were the expenses of these establishments, the revenues of Iberia + were amply sufficient not only to defray all the cost of occupation, but + to transmit large sums to Carthage. These revenues were derived partly + from the tribute paid by conquered tribes, partly from the spoils taken in + captured cities, but most of all from the mines of gold and silver, which + were at that time immensely rich, and were worked by the labour of slaves + taken in war or of whole tribes subdued. + </p> + <p> + Some idea of the richness of these mines may be formed by the fact that + one mine, which Hannibal had inherited from his father, brought in to him + a revenue of nearly a thousand pounds a day; and this was but one of his + various sources of wealth. This was the reason that Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, + and Hannibal were able to maintain themselves in spite of the intrigues of + their enemies in the capital. Their armies were their own rather than + those of the country. + </p> + <p> + It was to them that the soldiers looked for their pay, as well as for + promotion and rewards for valour, and they were able, therefore, to carry + out the plans which their genius suggested untrammelled by orders from + Carthage. They occupied, indeed, a position very similar to that of + Wallenstein, when, with an army raised and paid from his private means, he + defended the cause of the empire against Gustavus Adolphus and the princes + of the Protestant league. It is true that the Carthaginian generals had + always by their side two commissioners of the senate. The republic of + Carthage, like the first republic of France, was ever jealous of her + generals, and appointed commissioners to accompany them on their + campaigns, to advise and control their movements and to report on their + conduct; and many of the defeats of the Carthaginians were due in no small + degree to their generals being hampered by the interference of the + commissioners. They were present, as a matter of course, with the army of + Hannibal, but his power was so great that their influence over his + proceedings was but nominal. + </p> + <p> + The war which was about to break out with Rome is called the second Punic + war, but it should rather be named the war of Hannibal with Rome. He + conceived and carried it out from his own resources, without interference + and almost without any assistance from Carthage. Throughout the war her + ships lay idle in her harbour. Even in his greatest need Carthage never + armed a galley for his assistance. The pay of the army came solely from + his coffers, the material for the war from the arsenals constructed by his + father, his brother-in-law, and himself. It was a war waged by a single + man against a mighty power, and as such there is, with the exception of + the case of Wallenstein, nothing to resemble it in the history of the + world. + </p> + <p> + Passing through the narrow passage into the harbour the fleet sailed up to + the end of the bay, and were soon alongside the spacious quays which had + been erected. A large quantity of shipping already lay there, for the + trade of Carthagena with the mother city and with the ports of Spain, + Africa, and the East already rivaled that of Carthage. A group of officers + were gathered on the quay as Hamilcar's ship, which was leading the fleet, + neared it, and Hamilcar exclaimed, “There is Hannibal himself!” + </p> + <p> + As the ship moored alongside the quay Hannibal came on board and warmly + embraced his cousin, and then bestowed a cordial greeting upon Malchus. + </p> + <p> + “Why, cousin Malchus,” he said, “though it is but a year since I was in + Carthage, I should scarce have known you, so much have you grown. I see + you have entered the cavalry. That is well. You cannot begin too early to + accustom yourself to war.” + </p> + <p> + Then turning, he went among the young men of the guard, to all of whom he + was personally known, greeting them with a cordiality and kindness which + greatly gratified them. Malchus gazed at him with admiration. Fortunately + an accurate description of Hannibal has come down to us. He was one who, + even at first sight, won all hearts by his lofty and noble expression, by + the kindness and sincerity which his face expressed. The Carthaginians, as + a race, were short, but Hannibal was very tall, and his great width of + shoulders testified to his immense strength. + </p> + <p> + The beauty of the Carthaginian race was proverbial, but even among them he + was remarkable. His head was well placed on his shoulders; his carriage + was upright and commanding; his forehead lofty; his eye, though soft and + gentle at ordinary times, was said to be terrible in time of battle. His + head was bare. His hair, of a golden brown, was worn long, and encircled + by a golden band. His nose was long and straight, forming, with the + forehead, a perfect profile. The expression of the mouth was kind but + firm. His beard was short. The whole contour of the face was noble in the + extreme. + </p> + <p> + In battle he wore a helmet of bronze closely fitting the head, behind + which projected a curved metal plate covering his neck. A band of gold + surrounded the helmet; in front were five laurel leaves in steel; at the + temples two leaves of the lotus of the same metal. On the crest, rising + from an ornament enriched with pearls, was a large plume of feathers, + sometimes red and sometimes white. A tuft of white horsehair fell from the + plate behind. A coat of mail, made of a triple tissue of chains of gold, + covered his body. Above this he wore a shirt of the finest white linen, + covered to the waist by a jerkin of leather overlaid with gold plates. A + large mantle of purple embroidered with gold hung from his shoulders. He + wore sandals and leggings of red morocco leather. + </p> + <p> + But it was only on special occasions that Hannibal was thus magnificently + clad. On the march he dressed generally in a simple blouse like that worn + by his soldiers. His arms were borne behind him by an esquire. These + consisted of his shield, of Galatian manufacture. Its material was bronze, + its shape circular. In the centre was a conical, sharply pointed boss. The + face of the shield was ornamented with subjects taken from the history of + Carthage in relief. The offensive arms were a sword, a lance, and a bow + with arrows. But it was not to the splendour of his appearance that + Hannibal owed the enthusiasm by which he was regarded by his troops. His + strength and skill were far superior to those of any man in his army. His + food was as simple as that of his soldiers, he was capable of going for + days without eating, and it was seldom that he broke his fast until the + day's work was over. When he ate it would be sitting on horseback, or as + he walked about seeing to the needs of the soldiers. + </p> + <p> + At night he slept among them, lying on a lion skin without covering. He + was indifferent to heat and cold, and in the heaviest tempest of wind and + rain would ride bareheaded among his troops, apparently unconscious of the + tempest against which he was struggling. So far as was known he was + without a vice. He seldom touched wine. His morals were irreproachable. He + never gave way to anger. His patience under trials and difficulties of all + sorts was illimitable. + </p> + <p> + In the midst of the greatest trials and dangers he preserved his + cheerfulness, and had ever an encouraging word for his soldiers. Various + as were the nationalities of the troops who followed him, constrained as + most of them had been to enter the service of Carthage, so great was their + love and admiration for their commander that they were ready to suffer all + hardships, to dare all dangers for his sake. It was his personal + influence, and that alone, which welded this army, composed of men of + various nationalities and tribes, into one whole, and enabled it to + perform the greatest military exploits in the world's history, and for + years to sustain a terrible struggle against the whole power of Rome. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI: A CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN + </h2> + <p> + Among the young officers who had followed Hannibal on board were some who + had left Carthage only a few months before and were known to Malchus. From + them he learned with delight that the troops would take the field at once. + </p> + <p> + “We are going on a campaign against the Vacaei,” one of them said. “The + army marched out two days since. Hannibal has been waiting here for your + arrival, for a fast sailing ship which started a few hours after you + brought the news that you were on your way, and you will set off to join + the rest without delay. It is going to be a hard campaign.” + </p> + <p> + “Where is the country of the Vacaei?” Malchus asked. + </p> + <p> + “A long way off,” the other replied. “The marches will be long and + tiresome. Their country lies somewhat to the northwest of the great + plateau in the centre of Iberia. We shall have to ascend the mountains on + this side, to cross the plateau, to follow the rivers which flow to the + great ocean.” + </p> + <p> + The Vacaei, in fact, dwelt in the lands bordered by the upper Duero, their + country comprising a portion of old Castille, Leon, and the Basque + provinces. The journey would indeed be a long and difficult one; and + Hannibal was undertaking the expedition not only to punish the turbulent + Vacaei, who had attacked some of the tribes which had submitted to + Carthage, but to accustom the troops to fatigues and hardships, and to + prepare them for the great expedition which he had in view. No time was + indeed lost, for as soon as the troops were landed they were formed up and + at once started on their march. + </p> + <p> + “This is more than we bargained for,” Trebon, a young guardsman whose + place in the ranks was next to Malchus, said to him. “I thought we should + have had at least a month here before we set out. They say the city is as + gay as Carthage; and as I have many friends here I have looked forward to + a month of jollity before starting. Every night when I lay down on the + hard planks of the deck I have consoled myself with the thought that a + soft bed awaited me here; and now we have to take at once to the bare + ground, with nothing but this skin strapped on the pommel of my saddle to + sleep on, and my bernous to cover me. It is colder already a great deal + than it was at Carthage; and if that is so here, what will it be on the + tops of those jagged mountains we see before us? Why, as I live, that + highest one over there is of dazzling white! That must be the snow we have + heard of—the rain turned solid by cold, and which they say causes a + pain to the naked limbs something like hot iron. Fancy having to sleep in + such stuff!” + </p> + <p> + Malchus laughed at the complaints of his comrade. + </p> + <p> + “I confess I am glad we are off at once,” he said, “for I was sick of + doing nothing but idling away my time at Carthage; and I suppose it would + be just the same here. How busy are the streets of the town! Except for + the sight of the mountains which we see through the breaks of the houses, + one might believe one's self still at home.” + </p> + <p> + The aspect of Carthagena, indeed, closely resembled that of the mother + city, and the inhabitants were of the same race and blood. + </p> + <p> + Carthagena had in the first place been formed by a great colony of + Libyans. The inhabitants of that province inhabiting the seaports and + coasts near Carthage were a mixture of Phoenician and native blood. They + were ever impatient of the supremacy of Carthage, and their rebellions + were frequent and often dangerous. After the suppression of these + insurrections, Carthage, sensible of the danger arising from the + turbulence of her neighbours, deported great numbers of them to form + colonies. Vast numbers were sent up into the Soudan, which was then one of + the most important possessions of the republic. The most extensive, + however, of these forced emigrations was the great colony sent to found + Carthagena, which had thus in a very few years, under the fostering genius + of the great Hamilcar, become a great and prosperous city. + </p> + <p> + Carthage itself had thus suddenly sprung into existence. After many + internal troubles the democracy of Tyre had gained the upper hand in that + city; and finding their position intolerable, the whole of the aristocracy + decided to emigrate, and, sailing with a great fleet under their queen + Dido or Elisa—for she was called by both names—founded + Carthage. This triumph of the democracy in Tyre, as might be expected, + proved the ruin of that city. Very rapidly she fell from the lofty + position she had held, and her place in the world and her proud position + as Queen of the Seas was very speedily taken by Carthage. + </p> + <p> + The original Libyan colony of Carthagena had been very largely increased + by subsequent emigration, and the populace presented an appearance very + similar to that of the mother city, save that instead of the swarthy + desert tribesmen, with their passive face and air of proud indifference, + mingling with the population of the town, there was in Carthagena a large + admixture of native Iberians, who, belonging to the tribes first subdued + by Carthage, had either been forced to settle here to supply manual labour + needed for the rising city, or who had voluntarily abandoned their + wandering life and adopted the more settled habitudes and more assured + comforts of existence in a great town. + </p> + <p> + Skirting the lower part of the city, Hamilcar's force marched along the + isthmus and crossed the bridge over the canal cut through it, and was soon + in the country beyond. The ground rose gradually, and after marching for + six miles the brigade was halted at a spot to which Hannibal had, when the + fleet was first discerned approaching along the coast, despatched some + bullocks and other provisions for their use. The march was a short one, + but after a week's confinement on board ship the men were little fitted + for a long journey. The bullocks and other rations were served out to the + various companies, and the work of preparing the repast began. Malchus was + amused, although rather disgusted at his first experience in a real + campaign. When with Hamilcar on the expedition against the Atarantes he + had formed part of his father's suite and had lived in luxury. He was now + a simple soldier, and was called upon to assist to cut up the bullock + which had fallen to the share of the Carthaginian cavalry. + </p> + <p> + Some of the party went out to cut and bring in wood for the fires and + cooking; others moistened the flour and made dough for the flat cakes + which would be baked in the hot embers and eaten with the meat. Loud + shouts of laughter rose as the young soldiers worked at their unaccustomed + tasks, superintended by the officers, who, having all made several + campaigns, were able to instruct them as to their duties. From a culinary + point of view the meal could not be pronounced a success, and was, indeed, + a contrast to the food to which the young nobles were accustomed. The + march, however, and the keen bracing air had given them good appetites, + and the novelty and strangeness of the experience gave a zest to the food; + and in spite of the roughness of the meal, all declared that they had + never dined better. Many fires were now lit; and round these, as the + evening closed in, the men gathered in groups, all closely wrapped in + their bernouses, which were worn alike by officers and men of the whole of + the nationalities serving in the Carthaginian army, serving as a cloak by + day and a blanket at night. Presently a trampling of horses was heard, and + Hannibal and his personal staff rode into the encampment. + </p> + <p> + He had not started until several hours after them, when, having given his + last orders and made all final arrangements for the management of affairs + during his absence, he had ridden on to join the army. Dismounting, he + went at once on foot among the troops, chatting gaily with them and + inquiring how they fared. After visiting all the other detachments he came + to the bivouac of the Carthaginian horse, and for an hour sat talking by + their fires. + </p> + <p> + “Ah!” he said as he rose to go, “the others will sleep well enough + tonight; but you sybarites, accustomed to your soft couches and your + luxuries, will fare badly. I remember my first night on the hard ground, + although 'tis now sixteen years back, how my limbs ached and how I longed + for morning. Now, let me give you a hint how to make your beds + comfortable. Mind, this is not for the future, but till your limbs get + accustomed to the ground you may indulge in luxuries. Before you try to go + off to sleep note exactly where your hip bones and shoulders will rest; + take your daggers and scoop out the earth at these points so as to make + depressions in which they may lie. Then spread your lion skins above them + and lie down. You will sleep as comfortably as if on a soft couch.” + </p> + <p> + Many of the young soldiers followed Hannibal's advice; others, among whom + was Malchus, determined to accustom themselves at once to the hard ground. + Malchus was not long in getting to sleep, his last thought being that the + precaution advised by Hannibal to ensure repose was altogether + unnecessary. But he changed his opinion when, two or three hours later, he + woke up with acute pains in his hip and shoulder. After trying vainly, by + changing his position, again to go off to sleep, he rose, rolled up the + skin, and set to work to make the excavations recommended by the general. + Then spreading out the skin again he lay down, and was astonished to find + how immense was the relief afforded by this simple expedient. + </p> + <p> + At daybreak the party were in motion. Their march was a long one; for + Hannibal wished to come up with the main army as soon as possible, and no + less than thirty miles were encompassed before they halted for the night. + They were now far up on the slopes of the Sierras. The latter part of the + journey had been exceedingly toilsome. The route was mostly bare rock, + which sorely tried the feet of the soldiers, these being in most cases + unprotected even by sandals. Malchus and his mounted companions did not of + course suffer in their feet. But they were almost as glad as the infantry + when the camping place was reached, for nothing is more fatiguing to a + horseman than to be obliged to travel in the saddle for ten hours at the + pace of footmen. The halting place this time was near the upper edge of + the forest which then clothed the lower slopes of the mountains. + </p> + <p> + Enough meat had been killed on the previous evening for three days' + rations for the troops, and there was therefore no loss of time in + preparing the meal. Wood, of course, was in abundance, and the pots were + soon hanging from thick poles placed above the fires. The night was + exceedingly cold, and the soldiers were grateful for the shelter which the + trees afforded from the piercing wind which blew across the snow covered + peaks of the higher range of mountains. + </p> + <p> + “What is that noise?” Malchus asked one of the officers as, after the meal + was finished and silence began to reign in the camp, a deep sound was + heard in the forest. + </p> + <p> + “That is the howling of a pack of wolves,” the officer said. “They are + savage brutes, and when in company will not hesitate to attack small + parties of men. They abound in the mountains, and are a scourge to the + shepherds of the plains, especially in the cold weather, when they descend + and commit terrible damage among the flocks.” + </p> + <p> + “I thought I did not know the sound,” Malchus said. “The nights were noisy + enough sometimes at the southern edge of the desert. The packs of jackals, + with their sharp yelping cry, abounded; then there was the deeper note of + the hyenas, and the barking cry of troops of monkeys, and the thundering + roar of the lions. They were unpleasant enough, and at first used to keep + one awake; but none of them were so lugubrious as that mournful howl I + hear now. I suppose sometimes, when there is nothing else to do, we get up + hunting parties?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” the officer replied; “it is the chief amusement of our garrisons in + winter among the wild parts of the country. Of course, near Carthagena + these creatures have been eradicated; but among the mountains they abound, + and the carcass of a dead horse is sure to attract plenty of them. It is a + sport not without danger; and there are many instances where parties of + five or six have gone out, taking with them a carcass to attract the + wolves, and have never returned; and a search has resulted in the + discovery of their weapons, injured and perhaps broken, of stains of blood + and signs of a desperate struggle, but of them not so much as a bone has + remained behind.” + </p> + <p> + “I thought lion hunting was an exciting sport but the lions, although they + may move and hunt in companies, do not fight in packs, as these fierce + brutes seem to do. I hope some day to try it. I should like to send back + two of their heads to hang on the wall by the side of that of the lion I + killed up in the desert.” + </p> + <p> + “Next winter you may do so,” the officer said. “The season is nearly over + now, and you may be sure that Hannibal will give us enough to do without + our thinking of hunting wolves. The Vacaei are fierce enough. Perhaps two + of their heads would do instead of those of wolves.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not think my mother and sisters would approve of that,” Malchus + laughed; “so I must wait for the winter.” + </p> + <p> + The night did not pass so quietly as that which had preceded it. The + distant howling of the wolves, as they hunted in the forest, kept the + horses in a tremor of terror and excitement, and their riders were obliged + over and over again to rise and go among them, and by speaking to and + patting them, to allay their fear. So long as their masters were near them + the well trained horses were quiet and tractable, and would at a whispered + order lie down and remain in perfect quiet; but no sooner had they left + them and again settled to sleep than, at the first howl which told that + the pack were at all approaching, the horses would lift their heads, prick + their ears in the direction of the sound, and rise to their feet and stand + trembling, with extended nostrils snuffing the unknown danger, pawing the + ground, and occasionally making desperate efforts to break loose from + their picket ropes. + </p> + <p> + The work of soothing had then to be repeated, until at last most of the + riders brought their lions' skins and lay down by the prostrate horses, + with their heads upon their necks. The animals, trained thus to sleep with + their riders by their side, and reassured by the presence of their + masters, were for the most part content to lie quiet, although the packs + of wolves, attracted by the scent of the meat that had been cooked, + approached close to the camp and kept up a dismal chorus round it until + morning. + </p> + <p> + Day by day the march was continued. The country was wild and rugged, + foaming torrents had to be crossed, precipices surmounted, barren tracts + traversed. But after a week's hard marching the column had overcome the + greater part of the difficulty, had crossed the Sierras and gained the + plateau, which with a gradual fall slopes west down to the Atlantic, and + was for the most part covered with a dense growth of forests. They now to + their satisfaction overtook the main body of the army, and their marches + would be somewhat less severe, for hitherto they had each day traversed + extra distances to make up for the two days' loss in starting. Here + Malchus for the first time saw the bands of Gaulish mercenaries. + </p> + <p> + The Spanish troops had excited the admiration and astonishment of the + Carthaginians by their stature and strength; but the Gauls were a still + more powerful race. They belonged to the tribes which had poured down over + the Apennines, and occupied the northern portion of Spain long anterior to + the arrival of the Carthaginians. Their countenances were rugged, and as + it seemed to Malchus, savage. Their colour was much lighter than that of + any people he had yet seen. Their eyes were blue, their hair, naturally + fair or brown, was dyed with some preparation which gave it a red colour. + </p> + <p> + Some wore their long locks floating over their shoulders, others tied it + in a knot on the top of their heads. They wore a loose short trouser + fastened at the knee, resembling the baggy trousers of the modern Turks. A + shirt with open sleeves came halfway down their thighs, and over it was a + blouse or loose tunic decorated with ornaments of every description, and + fastened at the neck by a metal brooch. Their helmets were of copper, for + the most part ornamented with the horns of stags or bulls. On the crest of + the helmet was generally the figure of a bird or wild beast. The whole was + surmounted by immense tufts of feathers, something like those of our + Highland bonnets, adding greatly to the height and apparent stature of the + wearers. + </p> + <p> + The Gauls had a passion for ornaments, and adorned their persons with a + profusion of necklaces, bracelets, rings, baldricks, and belts of gold. + Their national arms were long heavy pikes—these had no metal heads, + but the points were hardened by fire; javelins of the same description—these + before going into battle they set fire to, and hurled blazing at the enemy—lighter + darts called mat ras saunions, pikes with curved heads, resembling the + halberds of later times; and straight swords. Hannibal, however, finding + the inconvenience of this diversity of weapons, had armed his Gaulish + troops only with their long straight swords. These were without point, and + made for cutting only, and were in the hands of these powerful tribesmen + terrible weapons. These swords were not those they had been accustomed to + carry, which were made of copper only, and often bent at the first blow, + but were especially made for them in Carthage of heavy steel, proof + against all accident. + </p> + <p> + The march was conducted with all military precautions, although they were + still traversing a country which had been already subdued. Nevertheless + they moved as if expecting an instant attack. The light horse scoured the + country. The lithe and active soldiers furnished by the desert tribes + formed the advanced guard of the army, and marched also on its flanks, + while the heavy armed soldiery marched in solid column ready for battle. + Behind them came the long train of baggage protected by a strong rear + guard. + </p> + <p> + At last they reached a fertile country, and were now in the land of the + Vacaei and their allies. Arbocala, now called Tordesillas, was captured + without much difficulty. The siege was then laid to Salamanca, the chief + town of the enemy. In the actual siege operations the Carthaginian horse + took no part. The place resisted vigourously, but the machines of Hannibal + effected a breach in the walls, and the inhabitants, seeing that further + resistance was impossible, offered to capitulate, stipulating that they + should be allowed to depart unharmed, leaving behind them all their arms + and their treasure. + </p> + <p> + The Carthaginian army were drawn up in readiness to march into the town as + the Vacaei came out. As they filed past the Carthaginians they were + inspected to see that they had carried out the terms of the agreement. It + was found that they had done so rigidly—not an arm of any kind was + found upon them. Their necklaces, bracelets, and ornaments had all been + left behind. + </p> + <p> + “What a savage looking race!” Malchus remarked to Trebon; “they look at us + as if they would gladly spring on us, unarmed as they are, and tear us + with their hands. They are well nigh as dark skinned as the Numidians.” + </p> + <p> + “Here come their women!” Trebon said; “verily I would as soon fight the + men as these creatures. Look how they glare at us! You see they have all + had to give up their ornaments, so they have each their private grievance + as well as their national one.” + </p> + <p> + When the whole of the population had filed out, the Carthaginian army + entered the town, with the exception of a body of light horse who were + ordered to remain without and keep an eye on the doings of the late + garrison. Malchus was amused at the scene within. The members of the + Carthaginian horse disdained to join in the work of plunder, and were, + therefore, free to watch with amusement their comrades at work. The amount + of booty was large, for the number of gold ornaments found in every house, + deposited there by the inhabitants on departing, was very great; but not + satisfied with this the soldiers dug up the floors in search of buried + treasure, searched the walls for secret hiding places, and rummaged the + houses from top to bottom. Besides the rich booty, the soldiers burdened + themselves with a great variety of articles which it would be impossible + for them to carry away. + </p> + <p> + Men were seen staggering under the weight of four or five heavy skins. + Some had stuck feathers in their helmets until their heads were scarce + visible. Some had great bundles of female garments, which they had + collected with a vague idea of carrying them home to their families. The + arms had in the first place been collected and placed under a strong + guard, and picked troops were placed as sentries over the public treasury, + whose contents were allotted to the general needs of the army. + </p> + <p> + Night fell soon after the sack commenced. Malchus with a number of his + comrades took possession of one of the largest houses in the place, and, + having cleared it of the rubbish with which it was strewn, prepared to + pass the night there. Suddenly a terrible uproar was heard—shouts, + cries, the clashing of arms, the yells of the enemy, filled the air. The + cavalry charged to watch the Vacaei, believing that these had departed + quietly, had abandoned their post, and had entered the town to join in the + work of plunder. + </p> + <p> + As the garrison had marched out the men had been rigidly searched; but the + women had been allowed to pass out without any close inspection. This + carelessness cost the Carthaginians dear, for under their garments they + had hidden the swords and daggers of the men. Relying upon the disorder + which would reign in the city, the Vacaei had returned, and now poured in + through the gates, slaying all whom they met. + </p> + <p> + For a short time a terrible panic reigned among the Carthaginians, great + numbers were cut down, and it seemed as if the whole force would be + destroyed. Hannibal and his generals rode about trying to get the + scattered men to form and oppose the enemy; but the panic was too general, + and had it not been for the Carthaginian legion all would have been lost. + The horse and foot, however, of this body, having abstained from joining + in the pillage, had, for the most part, kept together in bodies, and these + now sallied out in close and regular order, and fell upon the attacking + enemy. + </p> + <p> + The streets were too narrow for cavalry to act, and Malchus and his + comrades fought on foot. The enemy, who had scattered on their work of + slaughter, were in their turn taken at a disadvantage, and were unable to + withstand the steady attack of the solid bodies. These, in the first + place, cut their way to the square in the centre of the town, and there + united. Hannibal, seeing he had now a solid body of troops under his + command, at once broke them up into parties and advanced down all the + streets leading from the central square. The hand-to-hand fight which was + going on all over the town was soon terminated. The Carthaginians fell in + in good order behind the ranks of their comrades, and the small bodies + soon became columns which swept the enemy before them. + </p> + <p> + The enemy fought desperately, firing the houses, hurling stones from the + roofs upon the columns, and throwing themselves with reckless bravery upon + the spears, but their efforts were in vain. Foot by foot they were driven + back, until they were again expelled from the town. Keeping together, and + ever showing front to the Carthaginians, the Vacaei, now reduced to less + than half their number, retired to an eminence near the town, and there + prepared to sell their lives dearly. The Carthaginians now fell into their + regular ranks, and prepared to storm the enemy's position; but Hannibal + rode forward alone towards the Vacaei, being plainly visible to them in + the broad blaze of light from the burning city. + </p> + <p> + From his long residence in Spain he was able to speak the Iberian tongue + with fluency, and indeed could converse with all the troops of the various + nationalities under the banner of Carthage in their own language. + </p> + <p> + “Men of Salamanca,” he said, “resist no longer. Carthage knows how to + honour a brave enemy, and never did men fight more valiantly in defence of + their homes than you have done, and although further resistance would be + hopeless, I will press you no further. Your lives are spared. You may + retain the arms you know so well how to wield, and tomorrow my army will + evacuate your town and leave you free to return to it.” + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's clemency was politic. He would have lost many more men before + he finally overcame the desperate band, and he was by no means desirous of + exciting a deep feeling of hate among any of the tribes, just as he was + meditating withdrawing the greater portion of the army for his enterprise + against Rome. With the fall of Salamanca the resistance of the Vacaei + ceased, and Hannibal prepared to march back to Carthagena. + </p> + <p> + A storm, however, had gathered in his rear. Great numbers of the Vacaei + had sought refuge among the Olcades, who had been subdued the previous + autumn, and together they had included the whole of the fierce tribes + known as the Carpatans, who inhabited the country on the right bank of the + upper Tagus, to make common cause with them against the invaders. As + Hannibal approached their neighbourhood they took up their position on the + right bank of the river near Toledo. Here the stream is rapid and + difficult of passage, its bed being thickly studded with great boulders + brought down in time of flood from the mountains. The country on each side + of the river is sandy, free from forests or valleys, which would cover the + movements of an army. + </p> + <p> + The host gathered to oppose the Carthaginians were fully one hundred + thousand strong, and Hannibal saw at once that his force, weakened as it + was with its loss at Salamanca, and encumbered by the great train laden + with the booty they had gathered from the Vacaei, would have no chance + whatever in a battle with so vast a body. The enemy separated as he + approached the river, their object being evidently to fall upon his rear + when engaged in the difficult operation of crossing. The Carthaginians + moved in two heavy columns, one on each side of their baggage, and + Hannibal's orders were stringent that on no account should they engage + with the enemy. + </p> + <p> + The natives swarmed around the columns, hurling darts and javelins; but + the Carthaginians moved forward in solid order, replying only with their + arrows and slings, and contenting themselves with beating off the attacks + which the bolder of their foes made upon them. Night was falling when they + arrived on the bank of the river. The enemy then desisted from their + attack, believing that in the morning the Carthaginians would be at their + mercy, encumbered by their vast booty on one side and cut off from retreat + by a well nigh impassable river on the other. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the army reached the river Hannibal caused the tents of all the + officers to be erected. The baggage wagons were arranged in order, and the + cattle unharnessed. The troops began to throw up intrenchments, and all + seemed to show that the Carthaginians were determined to fight till the + last on the ground they held. It was still light enough for the enemy to + perceive what was being done, and, secure of their prey in the morning, + they drew off to a short distance for the night. Hannibal had learned from + a native that morning of a ford across the river, and it was towards this + that he had been marching. As soon as it was perfectly dark a number of + men entered the river to search for the ford. This was soon discovered. + </p> + <p> + Then the orders were passed noiselessly round to the soldiers, and these, + in regular order and in the most perfect quiet, rose to their feet and + marched down to the ford. A portion of the infantry first passed, then the + wagons were taken over, the rest of the infantry followed, and the cavalry + and the elephants brought up the rear. The point where the river was + fordable was at a sharp angle, and Hannibal now occupied its outer side. + As daylight approached he placed his archers on the banks of the river + where, owing to the sharp bend, their arrows would take in flank an enemy + crossing the ford, and would also sweep its approaches. + </p> + <p> + The cavalry were withdrawn some distance, and were ordered not to charge + until the Spaniards had got across the river. The elephants, forty in + number, were divided into two bodies. One of these was allotted to protect + each of the bodies of infantry on the bank from attack, should the + Spaniards gain a strong footing on the left bank. When day broke the enemy + perceived that the Carthaginians had made the passage of the river. + Believing that they had been too much alarmed to risk a battle, and were + retreating hastily, the natives thronged down in a multitude to the river + without waiting for their leaders or for orders to be given, and rushing + forward, each for himself, leaped into the river. + </p> + <p> + Numbers were at once swept away by the stream, but the crowd who had + struck upon the ford pressed forward. When they were in midstream in a + tumultuous mass Hannibal launched his cavalry upon them, and a desperate + conflict ensued in the river. The combat was too unequal to last long. The + Spaniards, waist deep in the rapid stream, had difficulty in retaining + their feet, they were ignorant of the width or precise direction of the + ford, and were hampered by their own masses; the cavalry, on the other + hand, were free to use their weapons, and the weight and impetus of their + charge was alone sufficient to sweep the Spanish from their footing into + deep water. + </p> + <p> + Many were drowned, many more cut down, and the rest driven in disorder + back across the river. But fresh hordes had now arrived; Hannibal sounded + the retreat, and the cavalry retired as the Spaniards again threw + themselves into the stream. As the confused mass poured across the ford + the two divisions of infantry fell upon them, while the arrows of the + archers swept the struggling mass. Without order or discipline, bewildered + at this attack by a foe whom they had regarded as flying, the Spaniards + were driven back across the river, the Carthaginians crossing in their + rear. + </p> + <p> + The flying Iberians scattered terror among their comrades still flocking + down to the bank, and as the Carthaginian infantry in solid column fell + upon them, a panic seized the whole host and they scattered over the + plain. The Carthaginian cavalry followed close behind the infantry, and at + once dashed forward among the broken masses, until the Spanish army, + lately so confident of victory, was but a broken mass of panic stricken + fugitives. + </p> + <p> + The victory of Toledo was followed at once by the submission of the whole + of the tribes of Spain south of the Ebro, and Hannibal, having seen that + the country was everywhere pacified, marched back with his army to + Carthagena to pass the winter there (220-219 B.C.). + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII: A WOLF HUNT + </h2> + <p> + The summer's work had been a hard one and the young soldiers of the + Carthaginian cavalry rejoiced when they marched into Carthagena again, + with the prospect of four months' rest and gaiety. When in the field their + discipline was as strict and their work as hard as that of the other + corps, but, whereas, when they went into winter quarters, the rest of the + army were placed under tents or huts, this corps d'elite were for the time + their own masters. + </p> + <p> + Two or three times a week they drilled and exercised their horses, but + with these exceptions they were free to do as they chose. Scarce one but + had relations or friends in Carthagena with whom they took up their abode, + and those who were not so fortunate found a home at the great military + club, of which, ranking as they did with the officers of other corps, they + were all members. + </p> + <p> + Hamilcar and Malchus had rooms assigned to them in the splendid mansion of + Hannibal, which was the centre of the life and gaiety of the place, for + Hannibal had, before starting on his campaign in the spring, married + Imilce, the daughter of Castalius, a Spaniard of noble blood, and his + household was kept up with a lavish magnificence, worthy alike of his + position as virtual monarch of Spain and of his vast private wealth. Fetes + were given constantly for the amusement of the people. At these there were + prizes for horse and foot racing, and the Numidian cavalry astonished the + populace by the manner in which they maneuvered their steeds; bowmen and + slingers entered the lists for prizes of value given by the general; and + the elephants exhibited proof of their docility and training. + </p> + <p> + In the bay there were races between the galleys and triremes, and + emulation was encouraged among the troops by large money prizes to the + companies who maneuvered with the greatest precision and activity. For the + nobles there were banquets and entertainments of music. The rising + greatness of Carthagena had attracted to her musicians and artists from + all parts of the Mediterranean. Snake charmers from the far Soudan and + jugglers from the distant East exhibited their skill. Poets recited their + verses, and bards sung their lays before the wealth and beauty of + Carthagena. Hannibal, anxious at once to please his young wife and to + increase his popularity, spared no pains or expense in these + entertainments. + </p> + <p> + Gay as they were Malchus longed for a more stirring life, and with five or + six of his comrades obtained leave of absence for a month, to go on a + hunting expedition in the mountains. He had heard, when upon the campaign, + the issue of the plot in which he had been so nearly engaged. It had + failed. On the very eve of execution one of the subordinates had turned + traitor, and Giscon and the whole of those engaged in it had been arrested + and put to a cruel death. + </p> + <p> + Malchus himself had been denounced, as his name was found upon the list of + the conspirators, and an order had been sent to Hannibal that he should be + carried back a prisoner to Carthage. Hannibal had called the lad before + him, and had inquired of him the circumstances of the case. Malchus + explained that he had been to their meeting but once, being taken there by + Giscon, and being in entire ignorance of the objects of the plot, and that + he had refused when he discovered them to proceed in the matter. Hannibal + and Hamilcar blamed him severely for allowing himself at his age to be + mixed up in any way in public affairs; but they so represented the matter + to the two Carthaginian commissioners with the army, that these had + written home to say, that having inquired into the affair they found that + beyond a boyish imprudence in accompanying Giscon to the place where the + conspirators met, Malchus was not to blame in the matter. + </p> + <p> + The narrow escape that he had had was a lesson which was not lost upon + Malchus. Hamilcar lectured him sternly, and pointed out to him that the + affairs of nations were not to be settled by the efforts of a handful of + enthusiasts, but that grievances, however great, could only be righted + when the people at large were determined that a change should be made. + </p> + <p> + “There would be neither order nor stability in affairs, Malchus, if + parties of desperate men of one party or another were ever striving for + change, for revolution would be met by counter revolution. The affairs of + nations march slowly; sudden changes are ever to be deprecated. If every + clique of men who chance to be supported by a temporary wave of public + opinion, were to introduce organic changes, there would be no stability in + affairs. Capital would be alarmed; the rich and powerful, seeing their + possessions threatened and their privileges attacked by the action of the + demagogues of the hour, would do as did our forefathers of Tyre, when the + whole of the aristocracy emigrated in a body to Carthage, and Tyre + received a blow from which she has never recovered.” + </p> + <p> + For some time after this event Malchus had felt that he was in disgrace, + but his steadiness and good conduct in the campaign, and the excellent + reports which his officers gave of him, had restored him to favour; and + indeed his father and Hannibal both felt that a lad might well be led away + by an earnest enthusiast like Giscon. + </p> + <p> + The hunting party took with them a hundred Iberian soldiers used to the + mountains, together with six peasants acquainted with the country and + accustomed to the chase. They took several carts laden with tents, wine, + and provisions. Four days' journey from Carthagena took the party into the + heart of the mountains, and here, in a sheltered valley through which ran + a stream, they formed their camp. + </p> + <p> + They had good sport. Sometimes with dogs they tracked the bears to their + lair, sometimes the soldiers made a wide sweep in the hills, and, having + inclosed a considerable tract of forest, moved forward, shouting and + clashing their arms until they drove the animals inclosed down through a + valley in which Malchus and his companions had taken post. + </p> + <p> + Very various was the game which then fell before their arrows and + javelins. Sometimes a herd of deer would dart past, then two bears with + their family would come along growling fiercely as they went, and looking + back angrily at the disturbers of their peace. Sometimes a pack of wolves, + with their red tongues hanging out, and fierce, snarling barks, would + hurry along, or a wild boar would trot leisurely past, until he reached + the spot where the hunters were posted. The wolves and deer fell + harmlessly before the javelins of the Carthaginians, but the bears and + wild boars frequently showed themselves formidable opponents, and there + were several desperate fights before these yielded to the spears and + swords of the hunters. + </p> + <p> + Sometimes portions of the animals they had killed were hung up at night + from the bough of a tree at a distance from the camp, to attract the + bears, and one or two of the party, taking their post in neighbouring + trees, would watch all night for the coming of the beasts. The snow was + now lying thick on the tops of the mountains, and the wolves were + plentiful among the forests. + </p> + <p> + One day Malchus and two of his companions had followed a wounded deer far + up among the hills, and were some miles away from the camp when the + darkness began to set in. + </p> + <p> + “I think we had better give it up,” Malchus said; “we shall find it + difficult as it is to find our way back; I had no idea that it was so + late.” + </p> + <p> + His companions at once agreed, and they turned their faces towards the + camp. In another half hour it was perfectly dark under the shadow of the + trees, but the moon was shining, and its position afforded them a means of + judging as to the direction where the camp lay. But even with such + assistance it was no easy matter making their way. The country was rough + and broken; ravines had to be crossed, and hills ascended. After pushing + on for two hours, Halcon, the eldest of the party, said: + </p> + <p> + “I am by no means sure that we are going right after all. We have had a + long day's work now, and I do not believe we shall find the camp tonight. + I think we had better light a fire here and wrap ourselves in our cloaks. + The fire will scare wild beasts away, and we shall be easily able to find + the camp in the morning.” + </p> + <p> + The proposal was at once accepted; sticks were collected, and, with flint + and steel and the aid of some dried fungus which they carried in their + pouches, a fire was soon lit, and some choice portions of a deer which + they had killed early in the day were soon broiling on sticks over it. + </p> + <p> + “We must keep watch by turns,” Halcon said; “it will not do to let the + fire burn low, for likely enough we may be visited by bears before + morning.” + </p> + <p> + After eating their meal and chatting for some time, Halcon and his + companions lay down to rest, Malchus volunteering to keep the first watch. + For some time he sat quietly, occasionally throwing logs on the fire from + the store which they had collected in readiness. Presently his attitude + changed, he listened intently and rose to his feet. Several times he had + heard the howls of wolves wandering in the woods, but he now made out a + long, deep, continuous howling; he listened for a minute or two and then + aroused his companions. + </p> + <p> + “There is a large pack of wolves approaching,” he said, “and by the + direction of the sound I judge they are hunting on the traces of our + footsteps. That is the line by which we came down from yonder brow, and it + seems to me that they are ascending the opposite slope.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, and by the sound there must be a very large pack of them,” Halcon + agreed; “pile up the fire and set yourselves to gather more wood as + quickly as possible; these beasts in large packs are formidable foes.” + </p> + <p> + The three men set to work, vigourously cutting down brushwood and lopping + off small boughs of trees with their swords. + </p> + <p> + “Divide the fire in four,” Halcon said, “and pile the fuel in the centre; + they will hardly dare to pass between the fires.” + </p> + <p> + The pack was now descending the slope, keeping up a chorus of howls and + short yelps which sent a shiver of uneasiness through Malchus. As the + wolves approached the spot the howling suddenly ceased. + </p> + <p> + “They see us,” Halcon said; “keep a sharp lookout for them, but do not + throw away a shot, we shall need all our arrows before daylight.” + </p> + <p> + Standing perfectly quiet, the friends could hear the pattering sound made + by the wolves' feet upon the fallen leaves; but the moon had sunk now, and + they were unable to make out their figures. + </p> + <p> + “It seems to me,” Malchus said in a whisper, “that I can see specks of + fire gleaming on the bushes.” + </p> + <p> + “It is the reflection of the fire in their eyes,” Halcon replied. “See! + they are all round us! There must be scores of them.” + </p> + <p> + For some time the wolves approached no closer; then, encouraged by the + silence of the little group standing in the centre of the fire, two or + three gray forms showed themselves in the circle of light. Three bows + twanged. Two of the wolves fell, and the third, with a howl of pain, fled + in the darkness. There was a sound of snarling and growling; a cry of + pain, a fierce struggle, and then a long continued snarling. + </p> + <p> + “What are they doing?” Malchus asked with a shudder. + </p> + <p> + “I believe they are eating their wounded comrade,” Halcon replied. “I have + heard such is the custom of the savage brutes. See, the carcasses of the + other two have disappeared already.” + </p> + <p> + Short as had been the time which had elapsed since they had fallen, other + wolves had stolen out, and had dragged away the bodies of the two which + had been killed. This incident, which showed how extreme was the hunger of + the wolves, and how noiseless were their motions, redoubled the vigilance + of the party. + </p> + <p> + Malchus threw a handful of brushwood on to each of the fires. + </p> + <p> + “We must be careful of the fuel,” Halcon said. “I would we had thought of + this before we lay down to sleep. If we had collected fuel enough for our + fires we should have been safe; but I doubt much if our supply will last + now till morning.” + </p> + <p> + As the hours went on the attitude of the wolves became more and more + threatening, and in strong bodies they advanced close up to the fires. + Every time that they did so armfuls of fuel were thrown on, and as the + flames leaped up brightly they each time fell back, losing several of + their numbers from the arrows of the little party. But the pile of fuel + was now sinking fast, and except when the wolves advanced it was necessary + to let the fires burn down. + </p> + <p> + “It must want four hours yet of daylight,” Halcon said, as he threw on the + last piece of wood. “Look round as the fire blazes up and see if you can + make out any tree which may be climbed. I would that we had taken to them + at first instead of trusting to our fires.” + </p> + <p> + Unfortunately they had chosen a somewhat open space of ground for their + encampment, for the brushwood grew thick among the trees. + </p> + <p> + “There is a tree over there,” Malchus said, pointing to it, “with a bough + but six feet from the ground. One spring on to that and we are safe.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well,” Halcon assented; “we will attempt it at once before the fire + burns low. Put your swords into your sheaths, sling your bows and arrows + behind you, and take each a burning brand. These will be better weapons in + such a case than swords or spears. Now, are you ready? Now!” + </p> + <p> + Waving the burning brands over their heads, the three Carthaginians dashed + across the intervening space towards the tree. + </p> + <p> + It seemed as if the wolves were conscious that their prey were attempting + to escape them; for, with a fierce howl, they sprang from the bushes and + rushed to meet them; and, undeterred by the blazing brands, sprang upon + them. + </p> + <p> + Malchus scarce knew what passed in the short, fierce struggle. One wolf + sprang upon his shield and nearly brought him to the ground; but the sharp + boss pierced its body, and he flung it from him, at the same moment that + he dashed the brand full in the face of another. A third sprang upon his + shoulder, and he felt its hot breath in his face. Dropping his brand, he + drove his dagger deep into its side. Then he hurled his heavy shield among + the mass of wolves before him, took a bound into their midst, and grasping + the bough, swung himself into the tree and sat there with his legs drawn + up as a score of wolves leaped up towards him with open mouths. + </p> + <p> + He gave a cry of horror. His two friends were down, and a confused mass of + struggling bodies alone showed where they had fallen. For an instant he + hesitated, debating whether he should leap down and strive to rescue them; + but a glance below showed him that he would be pulled down long before he + could reach the spot where they had fallen. + </p> + <p> + Shifting himself along the arm until he reached the trunk, he rose to his + feet and sent his arrows vengefully into the midst of the struggling mass + of wolves until he had but three or four shafts left. These he reserved as + a last resource. + </p> + <p> + There was nothing to do now, and he sat down on the branch, and burst into + tears over the fate of his comrades. When he looked up again all was + quiet. The fierce pack had devoured not only his comrades, but their own + fallen companions, and now sat in a circle with their red tongues hanging + out and their eyes fixed upon him. As the fire gradually died out their + form disappeared; but he could hear their quick breathing, and knew that + they were still on the watch. + </p> + <p> + Malchus climbed the tree until he reached a fork where he could sit at + ease, and there waited for morning, when he hoped that his foes would + disappear. But as the gray light dawned he saw them still on the watch; + nor, as the dawn brightened into day, did they show any signs of moving. + </p> + <p> + When he saw they had no intention of leaving the place, Malchus began to + consider seriously what he had best do. He might still be, for aught he + knew, miles away from the camp, and his friends there would have no means + of knowing the position in which he was placed. They would no doubt send + out all the soldiers in search of the party; but in that broken wilderness + of forest and mountain, it was the merest chance whether they would find + the spot where he was prisoner. Still, it appeared to him that this was + the only possibility of his rescue. The trees grew thickly together, and + he could easily have climbed from that in which he was stationed to the + next, and might so have made his way for some distance; but as the wolves + were watching him, and could see as well by night as by day, there was no + advantage in shifting his position. + </p> + <p> + The day passed slowly. The wolves had for the most part withdrawn from + beneath the tree, but a few kept their station there steadily, and Malchus + knew that the rest were only lying beneath the bushes round; for he could + hear their frequent snarling, and sometimes a gray head was thrust out, + and a pair of eager eyes looked hungrily towards him. From time to time + Malchus listened breathlessly in hopes of hearing the distant shouts of + his comrades; but all was still in the forest, and he felt sure that the + wolves would hear anyone approaching before he should. + </p> + <p> + Once or twice, indeed, he fancied that by their pricked ears and attitude + of attention they could hear sounds inaudible to him; but the alarm, if + such it was, soon passed away, and it might have been that they were + listening only to the distant footsteps of some stag passing through the + forest. Night came again with its long, dreary hours. Malchus strapped + himself by his belt to the tree to prevent himself from falling and + managed to obtain a few hours of uneasy sleep, waking up each time with a + start, in a cold perspiration of fear, believing that he was falling into + the hungry jaws below. In the morning a fierce desire to kill some of his + foes seized him, and he descended to the lowest branch. + </p> + <p> + The wolves, seeing their prey so close at hand, thronged thickly under it, + and strove to leap up at him. Lying down on the bough, and twisting his + legs firmly under it to give him a purchase, Malchus thrust his sword + nearly to the hilt between the jaws, which snapped fiercely as a wolf + sprang to within a few inches of the bough. Several were killed in this + way, and the rest, rendered cautious, withdrew to a short distance. + Suddenly an idea struck Malchus. He took off his belt and formed it into a + running noose, and then waited until the wolves should summon up courage + to attack again. It was not long. Furious with hunger, which the prey they + had already devoured was only sufficient to whet, the wolves again + approached and began to spring towards the bough. + </p> + <p> + Malchus dropped the noose over one of their necks, and with an effort, + hauled it to the bough, and despatched it with his dagger. Then he moved + along the bough and hung it on a branch some ten feet from the ground, + slashing open with his dagger its chest and stomach. Having done this he + returned to his place. Six wolves were one after the other so hauled up + and despatched, and as Malchus expected, the smell of their blood rendered + the pack more savage than ever. They assembled round the foot of the tree, + and continued to spring at the trunk, making vain endeavours to get at the + supply of food which hung tantalizingly at so short a distance beyond + their reach. + </p> + <p> + So the day passed as before without signs of rescue. When it became dark + Malchus again descended to the lowest trunk, and fired his three remaining + arrows among the wolves below him. Loud howls followed each discharge, + followed by a desperate struggle below. Then he tumbled from their + position the six dead wolves to the ground below, and then as noiselessly + as possible made his way along a bough into an adjoining tree, and so into + another, till he had attained some distance from the spot where the wolves + were fighting and growling over the remains of their companions, far too + absorbed in their work for any thought of him. + </p> + <p> + Then he dropped noiselessly to the ground and fled at the top of his + speed. It would be, he was sure, some time before the wolves had completed + their feast; and even should they discover that he was missing from the + tree, it would probably be some time before they could hit upon his scent, + especially, as, having just feasted on blood, their sense of smell would + for a time be dulled. His previsions were accurate. Several times he + stopped and listened in dread lest he should hear the distant howl, which + would tell him that the pack was again on his scent. All was quiet, save + for the usual cries and noises in the forest. In two hours he saw a + distant glow of light, and was soon in the encampment of his friends. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Malchus!” his comrades exclaimed as he entered the tent, “where have + you been these two days? Why, you are splashed with blood. Where are + Halcon and Chalcus?” + </p> + <p> + “Dead,” Malchus said—“devoured by wolves.” + </p> + <p> + A cry of horror broke from the three young guardsmen. + </p> + <p> + “'Tis too true,” Malchus went on; “but give me food and wine. I have + neither eaten nor drunk for the last two days, and I have gone through a + terrible time. Even now I seem to see all round me countless cruel eyes, + and hungry open mouths with their red tongues.” + </p> + <p> + Seeing that Malchus was utterly worn and exhausted his companions hastened + to place food and drink before him before asking any further questions. + </p> + <p> + Malchus drank a cup of wine and took a mouthful of bread; but he was too + faint and exhausted at present to eat more. He had supported well the + terrible strain for the last forty-eight hours, and as he had run through + the forest he had not noticed how it had told upon him; but now that he + was safe among his friends he felt as weak as a child. For a time he lay + upon the lion skin on which he had thrown himself upon entering the tent, + unable to reply to his comrades' questions. Then, as the cordial began to + take effect, he roused himself and forced himself to eat more. After that + he told his friends what had happened. + </p> + <p> + “You have indeed had an escape, Malchus; but how was it you did not take + to the trees at once?” + </p> + <p> + “I did not think of it,” Malchus said, “nor, I suppose, did the others. + Halcon was our leader, and we did as he told us. He thought the fires + would keep them off. Who could have thought the beasts would have ventured + to attack us!” + </p> + <p> + “I have always heard they were terrible,” one of the others said; “but I + should have thought that three armed men would have been a match for any + number of them.” + </p> + <p> + “It would have been as much as thirty could have done to withstand them,” + Malchus replied; “they did not seem to care for their lives, but sought + only to slay. There were hundreds and hundreds of them. I would rather + march alone to the assault of a walled city than face those terrible + beasts.” + </p> + <p> + In the morning the whole party started for the scene of the encounter. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had some difficulty in discovering it; but at last, after + searching a long time he came upon it. + </p> + <p> + The ground beneath the tree was everywhere trampled and torn by the wolves + in their struggles, and was spotted with patches of dry blood. The + helmets, shields and arms of Halcon and Chalcus lay there, but not a + remnant of their bones remained, and a few fragments of skin and some + closely gnawed skulls alone testified to the wolves which had fallen in + the encounter. The arms were gathered up, and the party returned to their + camp, and the next day started for Carthagena for, after that experience, + none cared for any further hunting. + </p> + <p> + It was some weeks before Malchus completely recovered from the effects of + the strain he had undergone. His nights were disturbed and restless. He + would constantly start from his couch, thinking that he heard the howl of + the wolves, and any sudden noise made him start and turn pale. Seeing how + shaken his young kinsmen was, and what he had passed through, Hannibal + sent him several times in ships which were going across to Africa for + stores. He did not venture to send him to Carthage; for although his + influence with the commissioners had been sufficient to annul the order of + the council for the sending of Malchus as a prisoner there, it was + probable that were he to return he would be seized and put to death—not + for the supposed crime he had committed, but to gratify the hatred of + Hanno against himself and his adherents. + </p> + <p> + The sea voyages soon restored Malchus to his accustomed health. Trained + and disciplined as his body had been by constant exercise, his nerves were + not easily shaken, and soon recovered their tone, and when, early in + March, he rejoined his regiment, he was able to enter with zest and energy + into the preparations which Hannibal was making for the siege of Saguntum. + Difficult as this operation would be, the preparations which were being + made appeared enormous. Every week ships brought over reinforcements of + troops, and the Iberian contingents were largely increased. + </p> + <p> + One day Malchus entered an apartment where his father and Hannibal were + talking earnestly together with a large map spread out before them. He + would have retired at once, but Hannibal called him in. + </p> + <p> + “Come in, Malchus, I would have no secrets from you. Although you are + young I know that you are devoted to Carthage, that you are brave and + determined. I see in you what I was myself at your age, but nine years + ago, and it may be that some day you will be destined to continue the work + which I am beginning. You, too, have commenced early, your training has + been severe. As your father's son and my cousin your promotion will + naturally be rapid. I will, therefore, tell you my plans. It is clear that + Rome and Carthage cannot both exist—one or the other must be + destroyed. It is useless to strike at extremities, the blow must be dealt + at the heart. Unfortunately our fleet is no longer superior to that of + Rome, and victories at sea, however important, only temporarily cripple an + enemy. + </p> + <p> + “It is by land the blow must be struck. Were the sea ours, I should say, + land troops in southern Italy, and continue to pour over reinforcements + until all the fighting men of North Africa are at the gates of Rome. But + without the absolute command of the sea this cannot be done. Therefore I + intend to make Spain our base, and to march through Southern Gaul over the + Alps into Italy, and there to fight the Romans on their own ground. + Already I have agents at work among the Gauls and the northern tribes of + Italy, who will, I trust, join me in the war against our common enemy. The + enterprise is a great one, but it is not impossible; if it succeeds, Rome + will be destroyed and Carthage will reign, without a rival, mistress of + the world. The plan was Hasdrubal's, but it has fallen to me to carry it + out.” + </p> + <p> + “It is a grand plan indeed,” Malchus exclaimed enthusiastically—“a + glorious plan, but the difficulties seem tremendous.” + </p> + <p> + “Difficulties are made to be overcome by brave men,” Hannibal said. “The + Alps are the greatest barrier, but my agents tell me that the difficulties + are not insuperable even for elephants. But before we start we have Spain + to subdue. Saguntum is under the protection of Rome, and must be crushed, + and all the country north of the Ebro conquered and pacified. This done + the passage of reinforcements to my army in Italy will be easy. The Gauls + will favour us, the mountains tribes will be crushed or bought over, so + that the route for the advance of reinforcements, or for our retreat, if + too hardly pressed, will be always open. But all this is for yourself + alone. + </p> + <p> + “My plans must not yet be known. Already our enemies in Carthage are + gaining in strength. Many of our adherents have been put to death and the + estates of others confiscated; but the capture of Saguntum will restore + our supremacy, and the enthusiasm which it will incite among the populace + will carry all before it. The spoils which will be taken there will be + sufficient to silence every murmur in Carthage. Now leave us, Malchus, we + have much to talk over and to arrange, and I have given you plenty to + think about for the present.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII: A PLOT FRUSTRATED + </h2> + <p> + After leaving Hannibal, Malchus did not rejoin his comrades, but mounted + the hills behind the town and sat down there, looking over the sea, and + thinking over the vast plan which Hannibal's words had laid before him, + and to which his father had once alluded in his presence. Malchus had been + brought up by Hamilcar to regard Rome as the deadly enemy of Carthage, but + he had not till now seen the truth which Hannibal had grasped, that it was + a struggle not for empire only between the two republics, but one of life + and death—that Carthage and Rome could not coexist, and that one or + other of them must be absolutely destroyed. + </p> + <p> + This, indeed, was the creed of the Barcine party, and was, apart from the + minor questions of internal reforms, the great point on which they + differed from Hanno and the trading portion of the community, who were his + chief supporters. These were in favour of Carthage abandoning her colonies + and conquests, and devoting herself solely to commerce and the acquisition + of wealth. Believing that Rome, who would then have open to her all Europe + and Asia to conquer, would not grudge to Carthage the northern seaboard of + Africa, they forgot that a nation which is rich and defenceless will + speedily fall a victim to the greed of a powerful and warlike neighbour, + and that a conqueror never needs excuses for an attack upon a defenceless + neighbour. + </p> + <p> + Hitherto Malchus had thought only of a war with Rome made up of sea fights + and of descents upon Sicily and Sardinia. The very idea of invading Italy + and striking at Rome herself had never even entered his mind, for the + words of his father had been forgotten in the events which followed so + quickly upon them. The prospect which the words opened seemed immense. + First Northern Spain was to be conquered, Gaul to be crossed, the terrible + mountains of which he had heard from travellers were next to be + surmounted, and finally a fight for life and death to be fought out on the + plains of Italy. The struggle would indeed be a tremendous one, and + Malchus felt his heart beat fast at the thought that he was to be an actor + in it. Surely the history of the world told of no greater enterprise than + this. Even the first step which was to be taken, a mere preliminary to + this grand expedition, was a most formidable one. + </p> + <p> + Saguntum stood as an outpost of Rome. While Carthage had been advancing + from the south Rome had been pressing forward from the east along the + shores of the Mediterranean, and had planted herself firmly at Marseilles, + a port which gave her a foothold in Gaul, and formed a base whence she + could act in Spain. In order to check the rising power of the + Carthaginians there she had entered into a firm alliance with the + Saguntines, whose country occupied what is now the district of Valencia. + By the terms of the last treaty between the two republics each was + forbidden to make war upon tribes in alliance with their rivals, and + Saguntum being thus under the jurisdiction of Rome, an attack upon it + would be almost equivalent to a declaration of war. + </p> + <p> + The position of the city was one of great strength. It stood on an almost + isolated rock at the foot of a spur of the mountains which formed an + amphitheatre behind it. Around it extended a rich and fertile country, the + sea was less than a mile from its walls, and the Romans could thus quickly + send succour to their allies. The rock on which the town stood was well + nigh inaccessible, falling sheer down from the foot of the walls, and was + assailable only on the western side, where the rocks sloped gradually down + to the plain. Here the walls were extremely strong and lofty, and were + strengthened by a great tower which dominated the whole slope. It would be + difficult to form approaches, for the rock was bare of soil and afforded + no cover of any kind. + </p> + <p> + Hitherto the Carthaginian generals had scrupulously respected the + territory of the Saguntines, but now that the rest of Spain was subdued it + was necessary to reduce this advanced post of Rome—this open door + through which Rome, now mistress of the sea, could at any moment pour her + legions into the heart of Spain. + </p> + <p> + The Saguntines were not ignorant of the danger which threatened them. They + had again and again sent urgently to Rome to demand that a legion should + be stationed there for their protection. But Rome hesitated at despatching + a legion of troops to so distant a spot, where, in case of a naval + reverse, they would be isolated and cut off. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal had not far to look for an excuse for an attack upon Saguntum. On + the previous year, while he had been engaged in his campaign against the + Carpatans, the Saguntines, taking advantage of his critical position, had + made war upon the town of Torbola, an ally of Carthage. Torbola had + implored the assistance of Hannibal, and he was now preparing to march + against Saguntum with his whole force without waiting for the arrival of + spring. His preparations had been silently made. The Saguntines, although + uneasy, had no idea of any imminent danger, and the Carthaginian army + collected in and around Carthagena were in entire ignorance that they were + about to be called upon to take the field. + </p> + <p> + “What say you, Malchus?” Hannibal asked that evening. “It is time now that + I gave you a command. As my near relative it is fitting that you should be + in authority. You have now served a campaign, and are eligible for any + command that I may give you. You have shown yourself prompt in danger and + worthy to command men. Which would you rather that I should place under + you—a company of these giant Gauls, of the steady Iberians, of the + well disciplined Libyans, or the active tribesmen of the desert? Choose + which you will, and they shall be yours.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus thought for some time. + </p> + <p> + “In the day of battle,” he said at last, “I would rather lead Gauls, but, + in such a march as you have told me you are meditating, I would rather + have a company of Numidian footmen to act as scouts and feel the way for + the army. There would not, perhaps, be so much glory to be obtained, but + there would be constant work and excitement, and this will be far better + than marching in the long column of the army.” + </p> + <p> + “I think your choice is a good one,” Hannibal replied. “Such a corps will + be needed to feel the way as we advance, to examine the roads and indicate + that by which the column had best move, and to guard against ambushes and + surprises. Tomorrow I will inspect the Numidian footmen and will put them + through their exercises. We will have foot races and trials of skill with + the bow, and I will bid their officers pick me out two hundred of the most + active and vigourous among them; these you shall have under your command. + You can choose among your comrades of the guards one whom you would like + to have as your lieutenant.” + </p> + <p> + “I will take Trebon,” Malchus said; “we fought side by side through the + last campaign. He is prompt and active, always cheerful under fatigue, and + as brave as a lion. I could not wish a better comrade.” + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” Hannibal replied, “henceforth you are captain of the advanced + company of the army. Remember, Malchus, that the responsibility is a great + one, and that henceforward there must be no more boyish tricks. Your + company will be the eyes of the army, and upon your vigilance its safety, + when we once start upon our expedition, will in no slight degree depend. + Remember, too, that you have by your conduct to justify me in choosing my + young kinsman for so important a post.” + </p> + <p> + The next day the Numidians were put through their exercises, and by + nightfall the two hundred picked men were chosen from their ranks and were + placed by Hannibal under the command of Malchus. Trebon was greatly + pleased when he found himself appointed as lieutenant of the company. + Although of noble family his connections were much less influential than + those of the majority of his comrades, and he had deemed himself + exceptionally fortunate in having been permitted to enter the chosen corps + of the Carthaginian cavalry, and had not expected to be made an officer + for years to come, since promotion in the Carthaginian army was almost + wholly a matter of family influence. + </p> + <p> + “I am indeed obliged to you, Malchus,” he said as he joined his friend + after Hannibal had announced his appointment to him. “The general told me + that he had appointed me at your request. I never even hoped that such + good fortune would befall me. Of course I knew that you would speedily + obtain a command, but my people have no influence whatever. The general + says that your company are to act as scouts for the army, so there will be + plenty of opportunity to distinguish ourselves. Unfortunately I don't see + much chance of fighting at present. The Iberian tribesmen had such a + lesson last autumn that they are not likely for a long time to give us + further trouble.” + </p> + <p> + “Do not make yourself uneasy on that score, Trebon,” Malchus said, “I can + tell you, but let it go no further, that ere long there will be fighting + enough to satisfy even the most pugnacious.” + </p> + <p> + One evening Malchus had left the club early. Full as he was of the + thoughts of the tremendous struggle which was soon to begin between the + great antagonists, he wearied of the light talk of his gay comrades. The + games of chance, to which a room in the club was allotted, afforded him no + pleasure; nor had he any interest in the wagering which was going on as to + the merits of the horses which were to run in the races on the following + day. On leaving the club he directed his footsteps towards the top of the + hill on which Carthagena stood, and there, sitting alone on one of the + highest points, looked over the sea sparkling in the moonlight, the many + vessels in the harbour and the lagoons stretching inland on each side of + the city. + </p> + <p> + He tried to imagine the course that the army was to follow, the terrible + journey through the snow covered passes of that tremendous range of + mountains of which he had heard, the descent into the plains of Italy, and + the first sight of Rome. He pictured to himself the battles which would + have to be fought by the way, and above all, the deadly conflict which + would take place before Rome could be carried by assault, and the great + rival of Carthage be humbled to the dust. Then he pictured the return of + the triumphant expedition, the shouting multitudes who would acclaim + Hannibal the sole arbitrator of the destinies of Carthage, and in his + heart rejoiced over the changes which would take place—the overthrow + of the faction of Hanno, the reform of abuses, the commencement of an era + of justice, freedom, and prosperity for all. + </p> + <p> + For more than three hours he sat thus, and then awoke to the fact that the + night was cold and the hour late. Drawing his bernous tightly round him he + descended into the city, which was now for the most part wrapped in sleep. + He was passing through the native quarter when a door opened and several + men came out. Scarcely knowing why he did so Malchus drew back into a + doorway until they had moved on ahead of him, and then followed them at + some little distance. At any other time he would have thought nothing of + such an incident, but his nerves were highly strung at the moment, and his + pause was dictated more by an indisposition to encounter anything which + might disturb the current of his thoughts than by any other motive. + </p> + <p> + In the moonlight he could see that two of the five men ahead of him were + members of the Carthaginian horse guard, for the light glittered on their + helmets; the other three were, by their attire, natives. Two of the latter + soon separated from the others, and on reaching the better part of the + town the two Carthaginians turned down a side street, and in the still + night Malchus heard the parting words to their neighbour, “At the same + place tomorrow night.” The remaining native kept straight along the road + which Malchus was following. Still onward he went, and Malchus, to his + surprise, saw him go up to one of the side entrances to Hannibal's palace. + He must have knocked very quietly, or someone must have been waiting to + admit him, for without a sound the door was opened and the man entered. + </p> + <p> + Malchus went round to the principal entrance, and after a little badinage + from the officer on guard as to the lateness of the hour at which he + returned, made his way to his apartment. + </p> + <p> + He was puzzled by what he had seen. It was strange that two of the + Carthaginian guard, men necessarily belonging to noble families, should + have been at a native gathering of some sort in the upper town. Strange, + too, that a man probably an attendant or slave belonging to the palace + should also have been present. The more he thought of it the more he was + puzzled to account for it, and before he went to sleep he came to the + resolution that he would, if possible, on the following night discover the + object of such a gathering. + </p> + <p> + Next evening, therefore, he returned from the Syssite early, exchanged his + helmet for a skullcap, and, wrapping himself in his cloak, made his way to + the house from which he had seen the men come forth. It stood at the + corner of the street. Thick hangings hung across the openings for the + windows, and prevented even a ray of light from finding its way out. + Listening attentively Malchus could hear a low hum of voices within. As + there were still people about he moved away for half an hour. + </p> + <p> + On his return the street was deserted. Malchus put his hand through a + window opening into the side street and felt that the hanging was composed + of rushes tightly plaited together. With the point of his dagger he very + cautiously cut a slit in this, and applying his eye to it was able to + obtain a glimpse of the apartment within. On low stools by a fire two + Carthaginians were sitting, while four natives were seated on the rushes + which covered the floor. Malchus recognized the Carthaginians at once, for + they were members of the troop in which he had served. Neither of them + were men popular among their fellows, for they belonged to families + closely related to Hanno. They had always, however, professed the greatest + admiration for Hannibal, and had declared that for their part they + altogether repudiated the doings of the party to which their family + belonged. + </p> + <p> + The conversation was carried on in low tones, a precaution absolutely + necessary in the day when glass windows were unknown, unless the discourse + was upon general subjects. Malchus listened attentively, but although he + thought he caught the words Hanno and Hannibal repeated several times, he + was unable to hear more. At the end of the half hour the conference was + apparently at an end, for all rose to their feet. One of the Carthaginians + put a bag, which was evidently heavy, into the hands of one of the + natives, and the party then went out. Malchus stepped to the corner and + caught the words, “Tomorrow night, then, without fail.” + </p> + <p> + The party then separated, the Carthaginians passing straight on, the + natives waiting until they had gone some little distance ahead before they + followed. Malchus remained for some little time in the side street before + he sallied out and took his way after them. After he saw two of the + natives leave the other, he quickened his steps and passed the man, who + proceeded alone towards the palace, a short distance before he arrived + there. As he did so he glanced at his face, and recognized him as one of + the attendants who waited at Hannibal's table. Malchus did not turn his + head, however, but kept straight on his way and entered the palace as + usual. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus,” the captain of the guard laughed as he went in, “assuredly I + shall have to tell Hamilcar of your doings. Last night you entered an hour + after every one had retired to rest, tonight you are back in better time, + but assuredly you have not been to the Syssite in that hunting cap. This + savours of a mystery. Do not pretend to me that you have been looking + after your company of Numidians at this time of the night, because, did + you swear it by Astarte, I should not believe you.” + </p> + <p> + “No; I think I could invent a better story than that if I were put to it,” + Malchus said with a laugh; “but as I am not obliged to invent one at all, + I will leave you to do so for me. In truth I have been about some private + business, but what that business is is a profound secret.” + </p> + <p> + “A secret of state, no doubt,” the officer rejoined. “Well, I will say + nothing this time; but do not let it occur again, or I shall think that + some Iberian maiden has captured that susceptible heart of yours.” + </p> + <p> + After Malchus had reached his chamber he sat down for some time in deep + thought. It was clear to him that something was wrong. This secret meeting + of the two Carthaginians with natives, one of whom was employed in + Hannibal's household, could mean no good. Money had passed, too, and, + judging from the size and apparent weight of the bag, no inconsiderable + amount. What could it mean? It was but a few months before that Hasdrubal + had fallen beneath the dagger of a native servant. Could this be a plot + against the life of Hannibal? + </p> + <p> + The two Carthaginians were connected with Hanno, and might well be agents + employed to rid him of his great rival. And yet he had heard nothing which + would justify his bringing so grave an accusation against these men. The + money which he had seen exchanged might be for the price of a horse or of + a slave, and he might only make himself ridiculous were he to speak to + Hannibal or his father as to what had occurred. He decided, therefore, + that any action he might take must be on his own account. If the words he + had overheard meant anything, and if a plot were really on hand, it was to + be carried out on the following night. Malchus determined to take steps to + meet it. + </p> + <p> + The next day he took Trebon into his counsels and told him of the + mysterious meetings which he had accidentally discovered. There was free + access to Hannibal's palace; officers were constantly coming in and out, + and soldiers arriving and leaving with messages and orders. Malchus, had, + therefore, had no difficulty in passing into his apartment, one by one, + ten picked men of his company. They had orders to remain there perfectly + quiet, and Trebon also took post with them, Malchus telling him to make + some excuse or other to prevent any attendant or slave from entering the + apartment while he was absent. + </p> + <p> + There was a concert that evening; the palace was crowded with guests. From + time to time Malchus stole away to his room, where the Numidians were + seated on the ground silent and immovable as so many bronze statues. At + other times he kept near Hannibal, watching closely the movements of every + native who passed near him; and ready to spring forward instantly if he + saw any signs of an evil intention. However, he did not much apprehend, + that even if his suspicions were correct and a plot was on foot against + Hannibal, any attempt would be made to assassinate him in the midst of a + crowded assembly, where there would be no possibility of escape for the + perpetrators of such a deed. At last the guests began to depart, and an + hour later all was quiet in the palace. Laying aside his sandals, Malchus + stole noiselessly over the marble pavements until he approached the + entrance which he had twice seen opened so late. A slave was lying close + to it. + </p> + <p> + Unobserved Malchus stole away again to his chamber and bade the Numidians + follow him. Noiselessly the troop of barefooted Arabs moved shadowlike + through the lofty halls and corridors. Two of them he placed at the + entrance to the chamber where Hannibal slept, with orders to allow no one + to pass until he returned, then with the others he proceeded to the + entrance. Few lights only were burning in the passages, and it was not + until they were close at hand that the slave perceived the approaching + figures. He leaped to his feet, but before he could cry out Malchus + stepped forward and said: + </p> + <p> + “Silence, if you value your life. You know me; I am Malchus the son of + Hamilcar. Now, tell me the truth, or tomorrow the torture shall wring it + from you. Who placed you here, and why?” + </p> + <p> + “Carpadon, one of the chief attendants, ordered me to remain here to admit + him on his return. I knew not there was harm in it,” the slave said. + </p> + <p> + “Is it the first time you have kept watch for such a purpose?” + </p> + <p> + “No, my lord, some six or seven times he has gone out late.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you know the cause of his absence?” + </p> + <p> + “No, my lord, it would not become a slave to question one of the chief + attendants of my lord Hannibal as to why he goes or comes.” + </p> + <p> + The man's manner was so natural, and his surprise at the interest which + one of the rank of Malchus showed in the doings of an attendant so + genuine, that Malchus was convinced he knew nothing of any enterprise in + which the man who had placed him there might be engaged. + </p> + <p> + “Very well,” he said, “I will believe what you tell me. Now, do you resume + your place at the door, and open it as usual at his signal. Say no word + and make no sign which may lead him to know of our presence here. Mind, my + eye will be upon you, and your life will pay for any treachery.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus with four of his men now took post on one side of the door, + standing well back in the shadow so that their presence would not be + noticed by anyone entering. Trebon with the remaining four men took up a + similar position on the other side of the doorway. + </p> + <p> + Two hours passed. At length a low tap followed by two others was heard at + the door. The slave at once opened it. Carpadon entered, and with a sudden + movement threw one arm round the slave's neck and with the other stabbed + him to the heart. Then he opened the door wide, and said in a low tone: + </p> + <p> + “Enter, all is safe.” + </p> + <p> + In a moment a dark mass of men poured in at the door. The matter was more + serious than Malchus had expected. He had looked for the entry perhaps of + three or four men, and had intended to close in behind them and cut them + off; but here were a score at least, and how many more might be outside he + knew not. He therefore gave the signal by shouting “Carthage,” and at once + with his followers fell upon one flank of the natives, for such their + dress showed them to be, while Trebon attacked them on the other. There + was a shout of surprise and alarm at the unexpected onslaught, and several + were cut down at once. The others, drawing their swords, began to defend + themselves, trying at the same time to retreat to the door, through which, + however, many others were still pressing in. For a few minutes a severe + fight went on, and the numbers and desperation of Carpadon's followers + began to tell, and, in spite of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, + they would have been forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, + had not help been at hand. + </p> + <p> + The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and the + officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing torches, + came running at full speed from their post at the chief entrance. As the + guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to do, or among whom the + conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment drew out from the fray. + </p> + <p> + “Seize and disarm all the natives,” he said; “the Numidians are here by my + orders.” + </p> + <p> + The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, and the + natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were speedily + disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they saw the torches + approaching, taken to flight. + </p> + <p> + A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident at the + palace came running up. + </p> + <p> + “What means this fray, Malchus?” + </p> + <p> + “It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been fortunate + enough to discover and defeat.” + </p> + <p> + “Who are these men?” Hamilcar asked. + </p> + <p> + “So far as I know they are natives,” Malchus replied. “The chief of the + party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your attendants.” + </p> + <p> + One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face. + </p> + <p> + “It is Carpadon,” Hannibal said. “I believed him honest and faithful.” + </p> + <p> + “He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this + night's work.” + </p> + <p> + Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and then, + with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. The lamps were + lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew. + </p> + <p> + “Now, Malchus, tell us your story,” Hannibal said. “It seems strange to me + that you should have said nought to your father or me of what you had + learned, and left us to take such measures as might seem fit to us, + instead of taking the matter into your own hands.” + </p> + <p> + “Had I had certainties to go upon I should assuredly have done so, but, as + you will see when I tell you all I had learned, I had nothing but + suspicions, and those of the vaguest, and for aught I knew I might be + altogether in the wrong.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus then gave the full details of the manner in which his suspicions + had been first excited, and in which on the previous night he had taken + steps to ascertain whether there were any foundation for them. + </p> + <p> + “You see,” he concluded, “there was no sort of certainty, nothing to prove + that the money was not paid for the purchase of a horse or slave. It was + only the one fact that one of the party was a servant here that rendered + what I discovered serious. Had it not been for the fate of Hasdrubal I + should never have given the matter a second thought; but, knowing that he + was assassinated by a trusted servant, and seeing two men whose families I + knew belonged to Hanno's faction engaged in secret talk with one of your + attendants, the suspicion struck me that a similar deed might again be + attempted. The only words I had to go upon were, 'Tomorrow night, then, + without fail.' This was not enough for me to bring an accusation against + two men of noble family; and, had I told you the tale without the + confirmation it has now received, you would probably have treated it but + lightly. I resolved, therefore, to wait and see, taking such precaution + that no harm could come of my secrecy. I concealed in my room ten of my + Numidians, with my lieutenant Trebon—an ample force whatever might + betide. + </p> + <p> + “If, as I suspected, this man intended, with two or three others, to steal + into your chamber and slay you while you slept, we could at once have + stopped the attempt; should he come with a larger force, we could, as is + proved, resist them until the guard arrived on the spot. If, on the other + hand, night passed off quietly and my suspicions proved to be altogether + erroneous, I should escape the ridicule which would certainly have been + forthcoming had I alarmed you without cause.” + </p> + <p> + “You have acted very wisely and well, my son,” Hamilcar said, “and + Carthage owes you the life of our beloved Hannibal. You indeed reasoned + with great wisdom and forethought. Had you informed us of what you had + discovered we should have taken precautions which would doubtless have + effected the object; but they would probably have become known to the + plotters, and the attempt would have been postponed and attempted some + other time, and perhaps with success. What say you, Hannibal, have I not + reason to be proud of this young son of mine?” + </p> + <p> + “You have indeed, Hamilcar, and deeply am I indebted to him. It is not my + life I care for, although that now is precious to me for the sake of my + beloved Imilce, but had I fallen now all the plans which we have thought + of together would have been frustrated, and the fairest chance which + Carthage ever had of fighting out the quarrel with her rival would have + been destroyed. Truly it has been a marvellous escape, and it seems to me + that the gods themselves must have inspired Malchus to act as he did on + such slight grounds as seeing two Carthaginians of the guard in company + with three or four natives at a late hour of the evening.” + </p> + <p> + “What do you think will be best to do with the traitors who have plotted + against your life, Hannibal? Shall we try and execute them here, or send + them to Carthage to be dealt with?” + </p> + <p> + Hannibal did not answer for a minute. + </p> + <p> + “I think, Hamilcar, the best plan will be to keep silent altogether as to + the danger I have run. The army would be furious but would at the same + time be dispirited were it known in Carthage that two of her nobles had + been executed for an attempt on my life. It would only cause a fresh + outbreak of animosity and an even deadlier feud than before between + Hanno's friends and ours. Therefore, I say, let the men taken tonight be + executed in the morning without question asked, and let no word be said by + them or by us that they were bribed by Carthaginians. All in the palace + now know that a party of natives have broken in, and will guess that my + life was their object; there is no need that they should know more. As to + the two men, I will call them before me tomorrow, with none but you + present, and will let them know that I am aware that they are the authors + of this attempt, and will bid them resign their places in the guard and + return at once to Carthage.” + </p> + <p> + “It grieves me that they should go unpunished,” Hamilcar said; “but + doubtless your plan is the wisest.” + </p> + <p> + “Then,” Hannibal said, rising, “we will to bed again. Malchus, acquaint + Trebon of our determination that silence is to be kept; tell him that I + shall bear him in mind, and not forget his share in this night's work. As + for you, Malchus, henceforth you are more than my cousin; you have saved + my life, and I shall never forget it. I shall tell Imilce in the morning + of the danger which has passed, for it is sure to come to her ears, and + she will know better than I do how to thank you.” + </p> + <p> + Accordingly in the morning Hannibal's orders were carried out; the twelve + natives taken prisoners were beheaded without any of the usual tortures + which would have been inflicted upon a similar occasion. No less than + fourteen others had been killed in the fight. The two Carthaginian nobles + were sent for by Hannibal. They came prepared to die, for they knew + already by rumour that the attempt had failed, and doubted not when the + summons reached them that Carpadon had denounced them as his accomplices. + But they went to their certain doom with the courage of their class—pale, + perhaps, but otherwise unmoved. Hannibal was alone with Hamilcar when they + entered. + </p> + <p> + “That assassination is not an altogether unknown crime in Carthage,” he + said quietly, “I was well aware, but I did not before think that nobles in + the Carthaginian horse would stoop to it. I know that it was you who + provided the gold for the payment of the men who made an attempt upon my + life, that you personally paid my attendant Carpadon to hire assassins, + and to lead them to my chamber. Were I to denounce you, my soldiers would + tear you in pieces. The very name of your families would be held accursed + by all honest men in Carthage for all time. I do not ask you whether I + have given you cause for offence, for I know that I have not done so; you + acted simply for the benefit of Hanno. Whether you were instructed by him + I do not deign to ask. I shall not harm you. The tale of your infamy is + known to but four persons, and none others will ever know it. I am proud + of the honour of the nobles of Carthage, and would not that the scum of + the people should bandy the name of your families on their lips as guilty + of so foul an act of treason. You will, of course, at once resign your + positions in the Carthaginian horse. Make what pretext you will—illness + or private affairs. Tomorrow sail for Carthage, and there strive by + efforts for the good of your country to efface the remembrance of this + blow which you would have struck her.” + </p> + <p> + So saying, with a wave of the hand he dismissed them. + </p> + <p> + They went without a word, too astonished at his clemency, too humiliated + by their own disgrace even to utter a word of thanks. When they were + fairly beyond the palace they looked at each other as men awakened from a + dream. + </p> + <p> + “What a man!” one of them exclaimed. “No wonder the soldiers adore him! He + has given us our lives—more, he has saved our names from disgrace. + Henceforth, Pontus, we, at least, can never again take part against him.” + </p> + <p> + “It is almost too much to bear,” the other said; “I feel that I would + rather that he had ordered us to instant execution.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, for our own sakes, Pontus, but not for those of others. For myself I + shall retire to the country; it seems to me that never again shall I be + able to mix with others; they may know nothing of it, but it will be ever + on my mind. How they would shrink back in horror were what we have done + whispered to them! Truly, were it not for my family, I would prefer death + with the worst torture to life as it will be now.” + </p> + <p> + The excitement in the army was intense when it became known that a body of + Iberians had attempted to break into Hannibal's palace with the design of + murdering him, and many of the soldiers, seizing their arms, hurried + towards the city, and had not an officer ridden with the news to Hannibal, + they would assuredly have fallen upon the native inhabitants, and a + general massacre would have taken place. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal at once mounted and rode out to meet the soldiers. He was + received with enthusiastic acclamations; at length he raised his arm to + restore silence, and then addressed the troops, telling them how deeply he + valued the evidence of their affection, but that he prayed them to return + to their camps and lay by their arms. + </p> + <p> + “We must not,” he said, “confound the innocent with the guilty. Those who + were concerned in the attempt have paid the penalty with their lives; it + is not because a handful of Spaniards have plotted against me that you are + to swear hatred against the whole race; were you to punish the innocent + for the guilty you would arouse the fury of the Iberians throughout the + whole peninsula, and all our work would have to be done over again. You + know that above all things I desire the friendship and goodwill of the + natives. Nothing would grieve me more than that, just as we are attaining + this, our efforts should be marred by a quarrel between yourselves and the + people here. I pray you, therefore, as a personal favour to me, to abstain + from all tumult, and go quietly back to your camp. The attack upon my + palace was made only by some thirty or forty of the scum of the + inhabitants, and the attempt was defeated by the wisdom and courage of my + young cousin Malchus, whom you must henceforth regard as the saviour of my + life.” + </p> + <p> + The soldiers at once acceded to the request of their general, and after + another outburst of cheering they returned quietly to their camp. + </p> + <p> + The result of this affair was to render Malchus one of the most popular + personages in the army, and the lad was quite abashed by the enthusiastic + reception which the soldiers gave him when he passed among them. It + removed, too, any feeling of jealousy which might have existed among his + former comrades of the Carthaginian horse, for although it was considered + as a matter of course in Carthage that generals should appoint their near + relatives to posts of high command, human nature was then the same as now, + and men not possessed of high patronage could not help grumbling a little + at the promotion of those more fortunate than themselves. Henceforth, + however, no voice was ever raised against the promotion of Malchus, and + had he at once been appointed to a command of importance none would have + deemed such a favour undeserved by the youth who had saved the life of + Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX: THE SIEGE OF SAGUNTUM + </h2> + <p> + A few days later the Carthaginian army were astonished by the issue of an + order that the whole were to be in readiness to march upon the following + day. The greatest excitement arose when the news got abroad. None knew + against whom hostilities were to be directed. No one had heard aught of + the arrival of messengers announcing fresh insurrection among the recently + conquered tribes, and all sorts of surmises were indulged in as to the foe + against whom this great force, the largest which had ever been collected + by Carthage, were about to get in motion. + </p> + <p> + The army now gathered around Carthagena amounted, indeed, to a hundred and + fifty thousand men, and much surprise had for some time existed at the + continual arrival of reinforcements from home, and at the large number of + troops which had during the winter been raised and disciplined from among + the friendly tribes. + </p> + <p> + Simultaneously with the issue of the order long lines of wagons, laden + with military stores, began to pour out from the arsenals, and all day + long a procession of carts moved across the bridge over the canal in the + isthmus to the mainland. The tents were struck at daylight, the baggage + loaded up into the wagons told off to accompany the various bodies of + soldiers, and the troops formed up in military order. + </p> + <p> + When Hannibal rode on to the ground, surrounded by his principal officers, + a shout of welcome rose from the army; and he proceeded to make a close + inspection of the whole force. The officers then placed themselves at the + head of their respective commands, the trumpets gave the signal, and the + army set out on a march, as to whose direction and distance few present + had any idea, and from which few, indeed, were ever destined to return. + </p> + <p> + There was no longer any occasion for secrecy as to the object of the + expedition. The generals repeated it to their immediate staffs, these + informed the other officers, and the news speedily spread through the army + that they were marching against Saguntum. The importance of the news was + felt by all. Saguntum was the near ally of Rome, and an attack upon that + city could but mean that Carthage was entering upon another struggle with + her great rival. + </p> + <p> + Saguntum lay about 140 miles north of Carthagena, and the army had to + cross the range of mountains now known as the Sierra Morena, which run + across the peninsula from Cape St. Vincent on the west to Cape St. Martin + on the east. The march of so large an army, impeded as it was by a huge + train of wagons with stores and the machines necessary for a siege, was + toilsome and arduous in the extreme. But all worked with the greatest + enthusiasm and diligence; roads were made with immense labour through + forests, across ravines, and over mountain streams. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal himself was always present, encouraging the men by his praises, + and sharing all their hardships. + </p> + <p> + At last the mountains were passed, and the army poured down into the + fertile plains of Valencia, which town, however, was not then in + existence. Passing over the site where it is now situated they continued + their march north until Saguntum, standing on its rocky eminence, came + into view. + </p> + <p> + During the march Malchus and his company had led the way, guided by + natives, who pointed out the easiest paths. As there were no enemies to be + guarded against, they had taken their full share in the labours of the + army. + </p> + <p> + The Saguntines were already aware of the approach of the expedition. No + sooner had it crossed the crest of the mountains than native runners had + carried the news of its approach, and the inhabitants had spent the + intervening time in laying in great stores of provisions, and in making + every preparation for defence. The garrison was small in comparison with + the force marching against it, but it was ample for the defence of the + walls, for its position rendered the city well nigh impregnable against + the machines in use at the time, and was formidable in the extreme even + against modern artillery, for 2000 years afterwards Saguntum, with a + garrison of 3000 men, resisted for a long time all the efforts of a French + army under General Suchet. As soon as his force arrived near the town + Hannibal rode forward, and, in accordance with the custom of the times, + himself summoned the garrison to surrender. Upon their refusal he solemnly + declared war by hurling his javelin against the walls. The troops at once + advanced to the assault, and poured flights of arrows, masses of stones + from their machines, javelins, and missiles of all descriptions into the + city, the defenders replying with equal vigour from the walls. At the end + of the first day's fighting Hannibal perceived that his hopes of carrying + the place by assault were vain—for the walls were too high to be + scaled, too thick to be shaken by any irregular attack—and that a + long siege must be undertaken. + </p> + <p> + This was a great disappointment to him, as it would cause a long delay + that it would be scarce possible to commence the march which he meditated + that summer. As to advancing, with Saguntum in his rear, it was not to be + thought of, for the Romans would be able to land their armies there and to + cut him off from all communication with Carthagena and Carthage. There + was, then, nothing to be done but to undertake the siege in regular order. + </p> + <p> + The army formed an encampment in a circle round the town. A strong force + was left to prevent the garrison from making a sortie, and the whole of + the troops were then marched away in detachments to the hills to fell and + bring down the timber which would be required for the towers and walls, + the bareness of the rock rendering it impossible to construct the + approaches as usual with earth. In the first place, a wall, strengthened + by numerous small towers, was erected round the whole circumference of the + rock; then the approaches were begun on the western side, where attack was + alone possible. + </p> + <p> + This was done by lines of wooden towers, connected one with another by + walls of the same material; movable towers were constructed to be pushed + forward against the great tower which formed the chief defence of the + wall, and on each side the line of attack was carried onward by portable + screens covered with thick hide. In the meantime the Saguntines were not + idle. Showers of missiles of all descriptions were hurled upon the working + parties, great rocks from the machines on the walls crashed through the + wooden erections, and frequent and desperate sorties were made, in which + the Carthaginians were almost always worsted. The nature of the ground, + overlooked as it was by the lofty towers and walls, and swept by the + missiles of the defenders, rendered it impossible for any considerable + force to remain close at hand to render assistance to the workers, and the + sudden attacks of the Saguntines several times drove them far down the + hillside, and enabled the besieged, with axe and fire, to destroy much of + the work which had been so labouriously carried out. + </p> + <p> + In one of these sorties Hannibal, who was continually at the front, + overlooking the work, was seriously wounded by a javelin in the thigh. + Until he was cured the siege languished, and was converted into a + blockade, for it was his presence and influence alone which encouraged the + men to continue their work under such extreme difficulties, involving the + death of a large proportion of those engaged. Upon Hannibal's recovery the + work was pressed forward with new vigour, and the screens and towers were + pushed on almost to the foot of the walls. The battering rams were now + brought up, and—shielded by massive screens, which protected those + who worked them from the darts and stones thrown down by the enemy, and by + lofty towers, from whose tops the Carthaginian archers engaged the + Saguntines on the wall—began their work. + </p> + <p> + The construction of walls was in those days rude and primitive, and they + had little of the solidity of such structures in succeeding ages. The + stones were very roughly shaped, no mortar was used, and the displacement + of one stone consequently involved that of several others. This being the + case it was not long before the heavy battering rams of the Carthaginians + produced an effect on the walls, and a large breach was speedily made. + Three towers and the walls which connected them fell with a mighty crash, + and the besiegers, believing that the place was won, advanced to the + assault. But the Saguntines met them in the breach, and for hours a + desperate battle raged there. + </p> + <p> + The Saguntines hurled down upon the assailants trunks of trees bristling + with spearheads and spikes of iron, blazing darts and falariques—great + blocks of wood with projecting spikes, and covered thickly with a mass of + pitch and sulphur which set on fire all they touched. Other species of + falariques were in the form of spindles, the shaft wrapped round with flax + dipped in pitch. Hannibal fought at the head of his troops with desperate + bravery, and had a narrow escape of being crushed by an enormous rock + which fell at his feet; but in spite of his efforts and those of his + troops they were unable to carry the breach, and at nightfall fell back to + their camp, having suffered very heavy losses. + </p> + <p> + Singularly enough the French columns were repulsed in an effort to carry a + breach at almost the same spot, the Spaniards hurling among them stones, + hand grenades of glass bottles and shells, and defending the breach with + their long pikes against all the efforts of Suchet's troops. + </p> + <p> + Some days passed before the attack was renewed, as the troops were worn + out by their labours. A strong guard in the meantime held the advanced + works against any sorties of the Saguntines. + </p> + <p> + These, on their side, worked night and day, and by the time the + Carthaginians again advanced the wall was rebuilt and the breach closed. + But Hannibal had also been busy. Seeing that it was impossible for his + troops to win an entrance by a breach, as long as the Saguntines occupied + every point commanding it, he caused a vast tower to be built, + sufficiently lofty to overlook every point of the defences, arming each of + its stages with catapults and ballistas. He also built near the walls a + great terrace of wood higher than the walls themselves, and from this and + from the tower he poured such torrents of missiles into the town that the + defenders could no longer remain upon the walls. Five hundred Arab miners + now advanced, and these, setting to work with their implements, soon + loosened the lower stones of the wall, and this again fell with a mighty + crash and a breach was opened. + </p> + <p> + The Carthaginians at once swarmed in and took possession of the wall; but + while the besiegers had been constructing their castle and terrace, the + Saguntines had built an interior wall, and Hannibal saw himself confronted + with a fresh line of defences. + </p> + <p> + As preparations were being made for the attack of the new defences + messengers arrived saying that the Carpatans and Orotans, furious at the + heavy levies of men which had been demanded from them for the army, had + revolted. Leaving Maharbal to conduct the siege in his absence, Hannibal + hurried away with a portion of his force, and returned in two months, + having put down the revolt and severely punished the tribesmen. + </p> + <p> + While the siege had been continuing the Romans had been making vain + efforts to induce the Carthaginians to desist. No sooner had the + operations commenced than agents from the Roman senate waited on Hannibal + and begged him to abandon the siege. Hannibal treated their remonstrance + with disdain, at the same time writing to Carthage to say that it was + absolutely necessary that the people of Saguntum, who were insolent and + hostile, relying on the protection of Rome, should be punished. The envoys + then went to Carthage, where they made an animated protest against what + they regarded as an unprovoked attack upon their allies. Rome, in fact, + was anxious at this moment to postpone the struggle with Carthage for the + same reason that Hannibal was anxious to press it on. + </p> + <p> + She had but just finished a long struggle with the Gaulish tribes of + Northern Italy, and was anxious to recover her strength before she engaged + in another war. It was for this very reason that Hannibal desired to force + on the struggle. His friends at Carthage persuaded the senate to refuse to + listen to the envoys of Rome. Another embassy was sent to Hannibal, but + the general would not give them an interview, and, following the + instructions they had received, the ambassadors then sailed to Carthage to + make a formal demand for reparation, and for the person of Hannibal to be + delivered over to them for punishment. + </p> + <p> + But the Barcine party were for the moment in the ascendancy; long + negotiations took place which led to nothing, and all this time the + condition of the Saguntines was becoming more desperate. Five new + ambassadors were therefore sent from Rome to ask in the name of the + republic whether Hannibal was authorized by the Carthaginians to lay siege + to Saguntum, to demand that he should be delivered to Rome, and, in case + of refusal, to declare war. The Carthaginian senate met in the temple of + Moloch and there received the Roman ambassadors. Q. Fabius, the chief man + of the embassy, briefly laid the demands of Rome before the senate. + Cestar, one of the Barcine leaders, replied, refusing the demands. Fabius + then rose. + </p> + <p> + “I give you the choice—peace or war?” + </p> + <p> + “Choose yourself,” the Carthaginians cried. + </p> + <p> + “Then I choose war,” Fabius said. + </p> + <p> + “So be it,” the assembly shouted. + </p> + <p> + And thus war was formally declared between the two Republics. But Saguntum + had now fallen. The second wall had been breached by the time Hannibal had + returned from his expedition, and an assault was ordered. As before, the + Saguntines fought desperately, but after a long struggle the Carthaginians + succeeded in winning a footing upon the wall. + </p> + <p> + The Saguntines, seeing that further resistance was vain, that the + besiegers had already won the breach, that there was no chance of + assistance from Rome, and having, moreover, consumed their last + provisions, sought for terms. Halcon, the Saguntine general, and a noble + Spaniard named Alorcus, on the part of Hannibal, met in the breach. + Alorcus named the conditions which Hannibal had imposed—that the + Saguntines should restore to the Torbolates the territory they had taken + from them, and that the inhabitants, giving up all their goods and + treasures, should then be permitted to leave the town and to found a new + city at a spot which Hannibal would name. + </p> + <p> + The Saguntines, who were crowding round, heard the terms. Many of the + principal senators at once left the place, and hurrying into their houses + carried the gold and silver which they had there, and also some of that in + the public treasury, into the forum, and piling up a vast heap of wood set + it alight and threw themselves into the flames. This act caused a + tremendous commotion in the city. A general tumult broke out, and + Hannibal, seeing that his terms were refused, poured his troops across the + breach, and after a short but desperate fight captured the city. In + accordance with the cruel customs of the times, which, however, were + rarely carried into effect by Hannibal, the male prisoners were all put to + the sword, as on this occasion he considered it necessary to strike terror + into the inhabitants of Spain, and to inflict a lesson which would not be + forgotten during his absence in the country. + </p> + <p> + The siege had lasted eight months. The booty taken was enormous. Every + soldier in the army had a rich share of the plunder, and a vast sum was + sent to Carthage; besides which the treasure chests of the army were + filled up. All the Spanish troops had leave given them to return to their + homes for the winter, and they dispersed highly satisfied with the booty + with which they were laden. This was a most politic step on the part of + the young general, as the tribesmen, seeing the wealth with which their + countrymen returned, no longer felt it a hardship to fight in the + Carthaginian ranks, and the levies called out in the spring went willingly + and even eagerly. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal returned with his African troops to spend the winter at + Carthagena. He was there joined by the emissaries he had sent to examine + Southern Gaul and the passes of the Alps, to determine the most + practicable route for the march of the army, and to form alliances with + the tribes of Southern Gaul and Northern Italy. Their reports were + favourable, for they had found the greatest discontent existing among the + tribes north of the Apennines, who had but recently been conquered by the + Romans. + </p> + <p> + Their chiefs, smarting under the heavy yoke of Rome, listened eagerly to + the offers of Hannibal's agents, who distributed large sums of money among + them, and promised them, in return for their assistance, not only their + freedom from their conqueror, but a full share in the spoils of Rome. The + chiefs replied that they would render any assistance to the Carthaginians + as soon as they passed the Alps, and that they would then join them with + all their forces. The reports as to the passes of the Alps were less + satisfactory. Those who had examined them found that the difficulties they + offered to the passage of an army were enormous, and that the tribes who + inhabited the lower passes, having suffered in no way yet at the hands of + Rome, would probably resist any army endeavouring to cross. + </p> + <p> + By far the easiest route would be to follow the seashore, but this was + barred against the Carthaginians by the fact that the Massilians (the + people of Marseilles) were the close allies of Rome. They had admitted + Roman colonists among them, and carried on an extensive trade with the + capital. Their town was strong, and their ports would be open to the Roman + fleets. The tribes in their neighourhood were all closely allied with + them. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal saw at once that he could not advance by the route by the sea + without first reducing Marseilles. This would be an even more difficult + operation than the siege of Saguntum, as Rome would be able to send any + number of men by sea to the aid of the besieged, and the great struggle + would be fought out in Southern Gaul instead of, as he wished, in Italy. + Thus he decided to march by a route which would take him far north of + Marseilles, even although it would necessitate a passage through the + terrible passes of the Alps. + </p> + <p> + During the winter Hannibal laboured without intermission in preparing for + his expedition. He was ever among his soldiers, and personally saw to + everything which could conduce to their comfort and well being. He took a + lively interest in every minute detail which affected them; saw that their + clothing was abundant and of good quality, inspected their rations, and + saw that these were well cooked. + </p> + <p> + It was this personal attention to the wants of his soldiers which, as much + as his genius as a general, his personal valour, and his brilliant + qualities, endeared him to his troops. They saw how anxious he was for + their welfare; they felt that he regarded every man in his army as a + friend and comrade, and in return they were ready to respond to every + appeal, to make every sacrifice, to endure, to suffer, to fight to the + death for their beloved leader. His troops were mercenaries—that is, + they fought for pay in a cause which in no way concerned them—but + personal affection for their general supplied in them the place of the + patriotism which inspires modern soldiers, and transformed these semi + barbarous tribesmen into troops fit to cope with the trained legionaries + of Rome. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal was far in advance of any of the generals of his time in all + matters of organization. His commissariat was as perfect as that of modern + armies. It was its duty to collect grain from the country through which + the army marched, to form magazines, to collect and drive with the troops + herds of cattle, to take over the provisions and booty brought in by + foraging parties, and, to see to the daily distribution of rations among + the various divisions. + </p> + <p> + Along the line of communication depots were formed, where provisions, + clothing, and arms were stored in readiness for use, and from which the + whole army could, in case of necessity, be supplied with fresh clothing + and shoes. A band of surgeons accompanied the army, at the head of whom + was Synhalus, one of the most celebrated physicians of the time. So + perfect were the arrangements that it is said that throughout the long + campaign in Italy not a single day passed but that the troops, elephants, + and animals of all descriptions accompanying the army received their daily + rations of food. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X: BESET + </h2> + <p> + During the winter Hannibal made every preparation to ensure the + tranquillity of Spain while he was absent. In order to lessen the number + of possible enemies there he raised a body of twelve hundred horse and + fourteen thousand infantry from among the most turbulent tribes, and sent + them across to Africa to serve as garrisons in Carthage and other points, + while an equal number of African troops were brought over to garrison + Spain, of which Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, was to have the government + during his absence. + </p> + <p> + Hanno, an able general, was to command the force which was to be left in + southern Gaul to keep open the communications between the Pyrenees and the + Alps, while the youngest brother, Mago, a youth of about the same age as + Malchus, was to accompany him to Italy. Hannibal's wife and a child which + had been born in the preceding spring, were sent by ship to Carthage. + </p> + <p> + In the early spring the march commenced, the army following the coast line + until it reached the mouth of the Ebro. The mountainous and broken country + lying between this river and the Pyrenees, and now known as Catalonia, was + inhabited by fierce tribes unconquered as yet by Roman or Carthaginian. + Its conquest presented enormous difficulties. There was no coherence + between its people; but each valley and mountain was a stronghold to be + defended desperately until the last. The inhabitants, accustomed to the + mountains, were hardy, active, and, vigourous, ready to oppose a desperate + resistance so long as resistance was possible, and then to flee across + their hills at a speed which defied the fleetest of their pursuers. + </p> + <p> + Every man was a soldier, and at the first alarm the inhabitants of the + villages abandoned their houses, buried their grain, and having driven + away their cattle into almost inaccessible recesses among the hills, + returned to oppose the invaders. The conquest of such a people was one of + the most difficult of undertakings, as the French generals of Napoleon + afterwards discovered, to their cost. The cruelty of the mountaineers was + equal to their courage, and the lapse of two thousand years changed them + but little, for in their long struggle against the French they massacred + every detachment whom they could surprise among the hills, murdered the + wounded who fell into their hands, and poisoned wells and grain. + </p> + <p> + The army which Hannibal had brought to the foot of this country through + which he had to pass, amounted to 102,000 men, of which 12,000 were + cavalry and 90,000 infantry. This force passed the Ebro in three bodies of + equal strength. The natives opposed a desperate resistance, but the three + columns pressed forward on parallel lines. The towns were besieged and + captured, and after two months of desperate fighting Catalonia was + subdued, but its conquest cost Hannibal twenty-one thousand men, a fifth + of his whole army. Hanno was for the time left here with ten thousand + infantry and a thousand cavalry. He was to suppress any fresh rising, to + hold the large towns, to form magazines for the army, and to keep open the + passes of the Pyrenees. He fixed his headquarters at Burgos. His + operations were facilitated by the fact that along the line of the sea + coast were a number of Phoenician colonies who were natural allies of the + Carthaginians, and aided them in every way in their power. Before + advancing through the passes of the Pyrenees Hannibal still further + reduced the strength of his force by weeding out all those who had in the + conflict among the mountains shown themselves wanting in personal strength + or in military qualities. Giving these leave to return home he advanced at + the head of fifty thousand picked infantry and nine thousand cavalry. + </p> + <p> + The company under Malchus had rendered good service during the campaign of + Catalonia. It had accompanied the column marching by the seashore; with + this were the elephants, the treasure, and the heavy baggage of the army. + It had throughout been in advance of the column, feeling the way, + protecting it from ambushes, and dispersing any small bodies of tribesmen + who might have placed themselves on heights, whence with arrows and slings + they could harass the column on its march. The company had lost + comparatively few men in the campaign, for it had taken no part in the + various sieges. Its duties, however, were severe in the extreme. The men + were ever on the watch, scouting the country round, while the army was + engaged in siege operations, sometimes ascending mountains whence they + could command views over the interior or pursuing bands of tribesmen to + their refuges among the hills. + </p> + <p> + Severely as Malchus had trained himself in every exercise, he found it at + first difficult to support the fatigues of such a life; but every day his + muscles hardened, and by the end of the campaign he was able to keep on + foot as long as the hardest of his men. + </p> + <p> + One day he had followed a party of the tribesmen far up among the + mountains. The enemy had scattered, and the Arabs in their hot pursuit had + also broken up into small parties. Malchus kept his eye upon the man who + appeared to be the chief of the enemy's party, and pressing hotly upon him + brought him to bay on the face of a steep and rugged gorge. Only one of + the Numidians was at hand, a man named Nessus, who was greatly attached to + his young leader, and always kept close to him in his expeditions. The + savage, a bulky and heavy man, finding he could no longer keep ahead of + his fleet footed pursuers, took his post at a narrow point in the path + where but one could oppose him; and there, with his heavy sword drawn, he + awaited the attack. Malchus advanced to meet him, sword in hand, when an + arrow from Nessus whizzed past him and struck the chief in the throat, and + his body fell heavily down the rocks. + </p> + <p> + “That is not fair,” Malchus said angrily. “I would fain have fought him + hand to hand.” + </p> + <p> + The Arab bowed his head. + </p> + <p> + “My lord,” he said, “the combat would not have been even; the man had the + upper ground, and you would have fought at a grievous disadvantage. Why + should you risk your life in a fight with the swords, when my arrow has + answered all purposes? What should I have said if I had gone back without + you? What satisfaction would it have been to me to avenge your fall? What + would they have said to me when I told them that I looked on idly while + you engaged in such a struggle? Valour is valour, and we all know that my + lord is the bravest among us; but the life of the cousin of our general is + too valuable to be risked for nought when we are embarked upon a great + enterprise.” + </p> + <p> + “Look, Nessus! what is there?” Malchus exclaimed, his attention attracted + by a dark object which was crossing the narrow path some distance ahead + and ascending the steep side of the gorge. “It is a bear, let us follow + him; his flesh will form a welcome change for the company tonight.” + </p> + <p> + The bear, who had been prowling in the bottom of the ravine, had been + disturbed by the fall of the body of the savage near him, and started + hastily to return to its abode, which lay high up on the face of the + cliff. Malchus and his companion hurried forward to the spot where it had + crossed the path. The way was plain enough; there were scratches on the + rock, and the bushes growing in the crevices were beaten down. The path + had evidently been frequently used by the animal. + </p> + <p> + “Look out, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed as Malchus hurried along. “These + bears of the Pyrenees are savage brutes. See that he does not take you + unawares.” + </p> + <p> + The rocks were exceedingly steep; and Malchus, with his bow in his hand + and the arrow fitted and ready to draw, climbed on, keeping his eyes on + every clump of bush lest the bear should be lurking there. At last he + paused. They had reached a spot now but a short distance from the top. The + cliff here fell almost perpendicularly down, and along its face was a + narrow ledge scarcely a foot wide. Along this it was evident the bear had + passed. + </p> + <p> + “I should think we must be near his den now, Nessus. I trust this ledge + widens out before it gets there. It would be an awkward place for a + conflict, for a stroke of his paw would send one over the edge.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall be close behind you, my lord,” said Nessus, whose blood was now + up with the chase. “Should you fail to stop him, drop on one knee that I + may shoot over you.” + </p> + <p> + For some fifty yards the ledge continued unbroken. Malchus moved along + cautiously, with his arrow in the string and his shield shifted round his + shoulder, in readiness for instant action. Suddenly, upon turning a sharp + corner of the cliff, he saw it widened ten feet ahead into a sort of + platform lying in the angle of the cliff, which beyond it again jutted + out. On this platform was a bear, which with an angry growl at once + advanced towards him. Malchus discharged his arrow; it struck the bear + full on the chest, and penetrated deeply. With a stroke of his paw the + animal broke the shaft asunder and rushed forward. Malchus threw forward + the point of his spear, and with his shield on his arm awaited the onset. + He struck the bear fairly on the chest, but, as before, it snapped the + shaft with its paw, and rising to its feet advanced. + </p> + <p> + “Kneel, my lord!” Nessus exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + Malchus dropped on one knee, bracing himself as firmly as he could against + the rock, and, with his shield above his head and his sword in his hand, + awaited the attack of the enraged animal. He heard the twang of the bow + behind him; then he felt a mighty blow, which beat down his shield and + descended with terrible force upon his helmet, throwing him forward on to + his face. Then there was a heavy blow on his back; and it was well for him + that he had on backpiece as well as breastplate, or the flesh would have + been torn from his shoulder to his loins. As the blow fell there was an + angry roar. For a moment he felt crushed by a weight which fell upon him. + This was suddenly removed, and he heard a crash far below as the bear, + pierced to the heart by the Arab's spear, fell over the precipice. Nessus + hastened to raise him. + </p> + <p> + “My lord is not hurt, I hope?” + </p> + <p> + “In no way, Nessus, thanks to you; but my head swims and my arm is well + nigh broken with that blow. Who would have thought a beast like that could + have struck so hard? See, he has dented in my helmet and has bent my + shield! Now, before we go back and search for the body, let us see what + its den is like.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you take my spear, my lord; your own is broken, and your bow has gone + over the precipice. It may be that there is another bear here. Where one + is, the other is seldom far off.” + </p> + <p> + They advanced on to the platform, and saw in the corner of the angle a + cave entering some distance into the hill. As they approached the entrance + a deep growl was heard within. + </p> + <p> + “We had best leave it alone, my lord,” Nessus said as they both recoiled a + step at the entrance. “This is doubtless the female, and these are larger + and fiercer than the males.” + </p> + <p> + “I agree with you, Nessus,” Malchus said. “Were we on other ground I + should say let us attack it, but I have had enough of fighting bears on + the edge of a precipice. There is as much meat as we can carry ready for + us below. Besides, the hour is late and the men will be getting uneasy. + Moreover, we are but half armed; and we cannot get at her without crawling + through that hole, which is scarce three feet high. Altogether, we had + best leave her alone.” + </p> + <p> + While they were speaking the bear began to roar angrily, the deeper notes + being mingled with a chorus of snarls and whinings which showed that there + was a young family with her. + </p> + <p> + “Do you go first, Nessus,” Malchus said. “The rear is the post of honour + here, though I fancy the beast does not mean to come out.” + </p> + <p> + Nessus without a word took the lead, and advanced across the platform + towards the corner. + </p> + <p> + As he was in the act of turning it he sprang suddenly back, while an arrow + flew past, grazing the corner of the rock. + </p> + <p> + “There are a score of natives on the path!” he exclaimed. “We are in a + trap.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus looked round in dismay. It was evident that some of the natives + must have seen the fall of their leader and watched them pursue the bear, + and had now closed in behind them to cut off their retreat. The situation + was a most unpleasant one. The ledge extended no further than the + platform; below, the precipice fell away sheer down a hundred feet; above, + it rose as high. The narrow path was occupied with numerous foes. In the + den behind them was the angry bear. + </p> + <p> + For a moment the two men looked at each other in consternation. + </p> + <p> + “We are fairly caught, Nessus,” Malchus said. “There is one thing, they + can no more attack us than we can attack them. Only one can come round + this corner at a time, and we can shoot or spear them as they do so. We + are tolerably safe from attack, but they can starve us out.” + </p> + <p> + “They can shoot over from the other side of the ravine,” Nessus said; + “their arrows will carry from the opposite brow easily enough.” + </p> + <p> + “Then,” Malchus said firmly, “we must dispose of the bear; we must have + the cave. We shall be safe there from their arrows, while, lying at the + entrance, we could shoot any that should venture past the corner. First, + though, I will blow my horn. Some of our men may be within hearing.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus pulled forth the horn which he carried. It was useless, being + completely flattened with the blow that the bear had struck him. + </p> + <p> + “That hope is gone, Nessus,” he said. “Now let us get the bear to come out + as soon as possible, and finish with her. Do you stand at the corner with + your arrow ready, in case the natives should try to surprise us, and be + ready to aid me when she rushes out.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus went to the mouth of the den, struck his spear against the side, + and threw in some pieces of stone; but, although the growling was deep and + continuous, the bear showed no signs of an intention of coming out. + </p> + <p> + The Arab was an old hunter, and he now asked Malchus to take his place + with the bow while he drove the bear out. He first took off his bernous, + cut off several strips from the bottom, knotted them together, and then + twisted the strip into a rope. Growing out from a crevice in the rock, + some three feet above the top of the cave, was a young tree; and round + this, close to the root, Nessus fastened one end of his rope, the other he + formed into a slip-knot and let the noose fall in front of the cave, + keeping it open with two twigs placed across it. Then he gathered some + brushwood and placed it at the entrance, put a bunch of dried twigs and + dead leaves among it, and, striking a light with his flint and steel on + some dried fungus, placed this in the middle of the sticks and blew upon + it. In a minute a flame leaped up. “Now, my lord,” he said, “be ready with + your sword and spear. The beast will be out in a minute; she cannot stand + the smoke.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus ran to the corner and looked round. The natives were at a distance + along the ledge, evidently with no intention of attacking a foe of whom + they felt sure. A taunting shout was raised and an arrow flew towards him, + but he instantly withdrew his head and ran back to the platform. + </p> + <p> + A minute later there was a fierce growl and the bear rushed out. The + brushwood was scattered as, checked suddenly in its rush by the noose, the + animal rose on its hind legs. In an instant the spear of Nessus was + plunged deeply into it on one side, while Malchus buried his sword to the + hilt in its body under the fore shoulder of the other. Stabbed to the + heart, the beast fell prostrate. Nessus repeated his blow, but the animal + was dead. Five young bears rushed out after their mother, growling and + snapping; but as these were only about a quarter grown they were easily + despatched. + </p> + <p> + “There is a supply of food for a long time,” Malchus said cheerfully; “and + as there is a drip of water coming down in this angle we shall be able to + quench our thirst. Ah! we are just in time.” + </p> + <p> + As he spoke an arrow struck the rock close to them and dropped at their + feet. Others came in rapid succession; and, looking at the brow of the + opposite side of the ravine, they saw a number of natives. + </p> + <p> + “Pull the bear's body across the mouth of the cave,” Malchus said, “it + will prevent the arrows which strike the rock in front from glancing in. + The little bears will do for food at present.” + </p> + <p> + They were soon in the cave, which opened beyond the entrance and extended + some distance into the mountain; it was seven or eight feet wide and lofty + enough to stand upright in. Nessus lay down behind the bear, with his bow + and arrow so as to command the angle of the rock. Malchus seated himself + further in the cave, sheltered by the entrance from the arrows which from + time to time glanced in at the mouth. Only once did Nessus have to shoot. + The natives on the ledge, informed by their comrades on the opposite side + of the gorge that their foes had sought refuge in the cave, ventured to + advance; but the moment the first turned the corner he fell over the + precipice, transfixed by an arrow from the bow of Nessus, and the rest + hastily retreated. + </p> + <p> + “Hand me your flint and steel, Nessus, and a piece of fungus. I may as + well have a look round the cave.” + </p> + <p> + A light was soon procured, and Malchus found that the cave extended some + fifty feet back, narrowing gradually to the end. It had evidently been + used for a long time by wild animals. The floor was completely covered + with dry bones of various sizes. + </p> + <p> + As soon as he saw that this was the case Malchus tore off a strip of his + linen shirt, and rolling it into a ball set it on fire. On this he piled + up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon had a bright and almost + smokeless fire. He now took the place of Nessus. The latter skinned and + cut up one of the small bears, and soon had some steaks broiling over the + fire. By this time it was getting dusk without. + </p> + <p> + When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then sallied out + from the cave and took his post as sentry with his spear close to the + angle of the rock, as by this time the natives on the opposite side, being + no longer able to see in the gathering darkness, had ceased to shoot. + Malchus ate his food at his leisure, and then joined his companion. + </p> + <p> + “We must get out of here somehow, Nessus. Our company will search for us + tomorrow; but they might search for a week without finding us here; and, + as the army is advancing, they could not spare more than a day; so, if we + are to get away, it must be by our own exertions.” + </p> + <p> + “I am ready to fight my way along this ledge, my lord, if such is your + wish. They cannot see us to fire at, and as only one man can stand + abreast, their numbers would be of no avail to them.” + </p> + <p> + “Not on the ledge, Nessus; but they would hardly defend that. No doubt + they are grouped at the further end, and we should have to fight against + overwhelming numbers. No, that is not to be thought of. The only way of + escape I can think of would be to let ourselves down the precipice; but + our bernouses would not make a rope long enough.” + </p> + <p> + “They would not reach a third of the distance,” Nessus replied, shaking + his head. “They have been worn some time, and the cloth is no longer + strong. It would need a broad strip to support us.” + </p> + <p> + “That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long + enough, nevertheless.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not understand you, my lord. Our other garments would be of but + little use.” + </p> + <p> + “Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we have the + skins of the bears—the hide of the old bear at least is thick and + tough—and a narrow strip would bear our weight.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course,” Nessus said. “How stupid of me not to think of it, for in the + desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide. If you will stand + sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at once.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the bear, + and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, and having + fastened them together, twisted them into a rope. + </p> + <p> + The bernouses—which when on the march were rolled up and worn over + one shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers carry their + blankets in modern times—were also cut up and twisted, and in three + hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was long enough to reach + to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently strong to bear their + weight. + </p> + <p> + One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope was then + thrown over the edge of the platform. One of the young bear's skins was + fastened round and round it at the point where it crossed the edge of the + rocky platform, to prevent it from being cut when the weight was put upon + it, and they then prepared for their descent. + </p> + <p> + “Do you go first,” Malchus said. “As soon as I feel that the rope is + loose, I will follow you.” + </p> + <p> + The Arab swung himself off the edge, and in a very short time Malchus felt + the rope slacken. He followed at once. The first twenty feet the descent + was absolutely perpendicular, but after that the rock inclined outward in + a steep but pretty regular slope. Malchus was no longer hanging by the + rope; but throwing the principal portion of his weight still upon it, and + placing his feet on the inequalities of the rock, he made his way down + without difficulty. Presently he stood by Nessus at the foot of the slope. + </p> + <p> + “We had better make up the ravine. There will be numbers of them at its + mouth. We can see the glow of their fires from here.” + </p> + <p> + “But we may not be able to find a way up,” Nessus said; “the sides seem to + get steeper and steeper, and we may find ourselves caught in a trap at the + end of this gorge. At any rate we will try that way first. I wish the moon + was up; it is as black as a wolf's mouth here, and the bottom of the gorge + is all covered with boulders. If we stumble, and our arms strike a stone, + it will be heard by the natives on the opposite heights.” + </p> + <p> + They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; but in the + dense darkness the task of making their way among the boulders was + difficult in the extreme. They had proceeded but a short distance when a + loud yell rose from the height above them. It was repeated again and + again, and was answered by shouts from the opposite side and from the + mouth of the ravine. + </p> + <p> + “By Astarte!” Malchus exclaimed, “they have found out that we have escaped + already.” + </p> + <p> + It was so. One of the natives had crept forward along the path, hoping to + find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and stab him. When he + got to the angle of the rock he could see no form before him, nor hear the + slightest sound. Creeping forward he found the platform deserted. He + listened attentively at the entrance to the cave, and the keen ear of the + savage would have detected had any been slumbering there; but all was + still. + </p> + <p> + He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, when his + head struck against something. He put up his hand and felt the rope, and + saw how the fugitives had escaped. He at once gave the alarm to his + comrades. In a minute or two a score of men with blazing brands came + running along the path. On seeing the rope, they entered the cave, and + found that their prey had really escaped. + </p> + <p> + Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given. + </p> + <p> + “We had better be going, my lord,” the Arab said as he saw the men with + torches retracing their steps along the brow. “They will soon be after + us.” + </p> + <p> + “I think not, Nessus. Their chance of finding us among these boulders in + the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks to our + arrows that they would hardly enter upon it. No, I think they will wait + till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of the ravine, and + along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent could be made. Hark, the + men on the heights there are calling to others along the brow.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, my lord,” Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, “then we + will sell our lives as dearly as possible.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope it has not come to that, Nessus. There is a chance of safety for + us yet. The only place they are not likely to look for us is the cave, and + as we have climbed down from above with the rope, there will be no + difficulty in ascending.” + </p> + <p> + Nessus gave an exclamation, which expressed at once admiration of his + leader's idea and gratification at the thought of escape. They began + without delay to retrace their steps, and after some trouble again found + the rope. + </p> + <p> + Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any inequality of + the surface of the rock. Whenever he came to a ledge which afforded him + standing room he shook the rope, and waited until Malchus joined him. + </p> + <p> + At last they stood together at the foot of the perpendicular rock at the + top. The lightly armed Arab found no difficulty whatever in climbing the + rope; but it was harder work for Malchus, encumbered with the weight of + his armour. The numerous knots, however, helped him, and when he was + within a few feet of the top, Nessus seized the rope and hauled it up by + sheer strength until Malchus was level with the top. Then he gave him his + hand, and assisted him to gain his feet. They entered the cave and made + their way to the further end, and there threw themselves down. They had + not long been there when they saw a flash of light at the mouth of the + cave and heard voices. + </p> + <p> + Malchus seized his spear and would have leaped to his feet, but Nessus + pressed his hand on his shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “They are come for the she bear,” he said. “It is not likely they will + enter.” + </p> + <p> + Lying hidden in the darkness the fugitives watched the natives roll the + bear over, tie its legs together, and put a stout pole through them. Then + four men lifted the pole on their shoulders and started. + </p> + <p> + Another holding a brand entered the cave. The two fugitives held their + breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to shoot. The + brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, picking up the + bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close to the entrance, threw + them over his shoulder, and crawled back out of the cave again. As they + heard his departing footsteps the fugitives drew a long breath of relief. + </p> + <p> + Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave. He returned in a + minute. + </p> + <p> + “They have taken the rope with them,” he said, “and it is well, for when + they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging there, it might + occur to them that we have made our way up. Now that it is gone they can + never suspect that we have returned here.” + </p> + <p> + “There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus. We can + sleep as securely as if were in our camp.” + </p> + <p> + So saying, Malchus chose a comfortable place, and was soon asleep. + </p> + <p> + Nessus, however, did not lie down, but sat watching with unwearied eyes + the entrance to the cave. As soon as day had fairly broken, a chorus of + loud shouts and yells far down the ravine told that the search had begun. + For hours it continued. Every bush and boulder in the bottom was searched + by the natives. + </p> + <p> + Again and again they went up and down the gorge, convinced that the + fugitives must be hidden somewhere; for, as Nessus had anticipated, the + cliffs at the upper end were so precipitous that an escape there was + impossible, and the natives had kept so close a watch all night along the + slopes at the lower end, and at the mouth, that they felt sure that their + prey could not have escaped them unseen. And yet at last they were forced + to come to the conclusion that in some inexplicable way this must have + been the case, for how else could they have escaped? The thought that they + had reascended by the rope before it was removed, and that they were + hidden in the cave at the time the bodies of the bear and its cubs were + carried away, never occurred to them. + </p> + <p> + All day they wandered about in the bottom of the ravine, searching every + possible place, and sometimes removing boulders with great labour, where + these were piled together in such a manner that any one could be hidden + beneath them. + </p> + <p> + At nightfall they feasted upon the body of the bear first killed, which + had been found where it had fallen in the ravine. The body of one of the + young bears which lay far up the cave, had escaped their search, and a + portion of this furnished a meal to the two prisoners, who were, however, + obliged to eat it raw, being afraid to light a fire, lest the smoke, + however slight, should be observed coming out at the entrance. + </p> + <p> + The next morning, so far as they could see, the place was deserted by the + natives. Lying far back in the cave they could see that the men on the + opposite side of the ravine had retired; but as it was quite possible that + the natives, feeling still convinced that the fugitives must be hidden + somewhere, had set a watch at some spot commanding a view of the whole + ravine, they did not venture to show themselves at the entrance. + </p> + <p> + After making another meal of the bear, they sallied out, when it again + became dark, and made their way along the path. When they neared the end + they saw a party of the enemy sitting round a great fire at the mouth of + the ravine below them. They retired a short distance, and sat down + patiently until at last the fire burned low, and the natives, leaving two + of the party on watch, lay down to sleep. Then Malchus and his companion + rose to their feet, and made their way along the path. When they were + nearly abreast of the fire, Malchus happened to tread upon a loose stone, + which went bouncing down the side of the hill. + </p> + <p> + The scouts gave a shout, which called their companions to their feet, and + started up the hillside towards the spot where the stone had fallen. + </p> + <p> + Nessus discharged an arrow, which struck full on the chest of the leader + of the party, and then followed Malchus along the hillside. + </p> + <p> + A shout of rage broke from the natives as their comrade fell; but without + pausing they pushed on. Malchus did not hurry. Silence now was of more + importance than speed. He strode along, then, with a rapid but careful + step, Nessus following closely behind him. The shouts of the savages soon + showed that they were at fault. Malchus listened attentively as he went. + Whenever the babel of tongues ceased for a moment he stopped perfectly + still, and only ventured on when they were renewed. + </p> + <p> + At last they had placed a long gap between them and their pursuers, and + came out on a level shoulder of the hill. They continued their way until + they found themselves at the edge of the forest. It was so dark under the + trees that they could no longer advance, and Malchus therefore determined + to wait till the dawn should enable them to continue their journey. + Whether they were in a clump of trees or in the forest, which covered a + large portion of the mountain side, they were unable to tell; nor, as not + a single star could be seen, had they any indication of the direction + which they should take. Retiring then for some little distance among the + trees, they lay down and were soon asleep. + </p> + <p> + When the first dawn of day appeared they were on their way again, and soon + found that the trees under which they had slept formed part of the forest. + Through occasional openings, formed by trees which had fallen from age or + tempest, they obtained a view of the surrounding country, and were enabled + to form an idea where lay the camp which they had left two days before. + </p> + <p> + They had not proceeded far when they heard in the distance behind them the + shouting of men and the barking of dogs, and knew that the enemy were upon + their track. They ran now at the top of their speed, convinced, however, + that the natives, who would have to follow the track, could not travel as + fast as they did. Suddenly Malchus stopped. + </p> + <p> + “Listen!” he said. They paused, and far down the hillside heard the + distant sound of a horn. “Those must be our men,” Malchus exclaimed, “they + are searching for us still; Hannibal must have allowed them to stay behind + when the army proceeded on its way.” + </p> + <p> + In another half hour the horn sounded close at hand and they were speedily + among a body of Malchus' own followers, who received them with shouts of + delight. The men were utterly worn out, for they had searched continuously + day and night from the time they had missed their leader, sometimes high + up among the hills, sometimes among the lower valleys. The party which he + met comprised but a fourth of the band, for they had divided into four + parties, the better to range the country. + </p> + <p> + They were now ascending the hills again at a distance of two miles apart, + and messengers were at once sent off to the other bodies to inform them + that Malchus had returned. Malchus quickly recounted to his men the story + of what had befallen them, and then bade them lie down to rest while he + and Nessus kept watch. + </p> + <p> + The natives who had been in pursuit did not make their appearance, having + doubtless heard the horn which told of the approach of a body of the + Carthaginians. In two hours the whole of the band were collected, and + after a few hours' halt, to enable the men to recover from their long + fatigue and sleeplessness, Malchus put himself at their head and they + marched away to join the main body of their army, which they overtook two + days later. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was received with great delight by his father and Hannibal, who + had given him up for lost. Nessus had over and over again recounted all + the details of their adventure to his comrades, and the quickness of + Malchus at hitting upon the stratagem of returning to the cave, and so + escaping from a position where escape seemed well nigh impossible, won for + him an even higher place than before in the admiration of his followers. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI: THE PASSAGE OF THE RHONE + </h2> + <p> + The army was now moving through the passes of the Pyrenees. The labour was + great; no army had ever before crossed this mountain barrier; roads had to + be made, streams bridged, and rocks blasted away, to allow the passage of + the elephants and baggage wagons. Opinions have differed as to the + explosives used by the Carthaginian miners, but it is certain that they + possessed means of blasting rocks. The engineers of Hannibal's force + possessed an amount of knowledge and science vastly in excess of that + attained by the Romans at that time, and during the campaign the latter + frequently endeavoured, and sometimes with success, by promises of high + rewards, to induce Hannibal's engineers to desert and take service with + them. A people well acquainted with the uses of sulphur and niter, skilled + in the Oriental science of chemistry, capable of manufacturing Greek fire—a + compound which would burn under water—may well have been acquainted + with some mixture resembling gunpowder. + </p> + <p> + The art of making this explosive was certainly known to the Chinese in + very remote ages, and the Phoenicians, whose galleys traversed the most + distant seas to the east, may have acquired their knowledge from that + people. + </p> + <p> + The wild tribes of the mountains harassed the army during this difficult + march, and constant skirmishes went on between them and Hannibal's light + armed troops. However, at last all difficulties were overcome, and the + army descended the slopes into the plains of Southern Gaul. + </p> + <p> + Already Hannibal's agents had negotiated for an unopposed passage through + this country; but the Gauls, alarmed at the appearance of the army, and at + the news which had reached them of the conquest of Catalonia, assembled in + arms. Hannibal's tact and a lavish distribution of presents dissipated the + alarm of the Gauls, and their chiefs visited Hannibal's camp at Elne, and + a treaty was entered into for the passage of the army. + </p> + <p> + A singular article of this treaty, and one which shows the esteem in which + the Gauls held their women, was that all complaints on the part of the + natives against Carthaginian troops should be carried to Hannibal himself + or the general representing him, and that all complaints of the + Carthaginians against the natives should be decided without appeal by a + council composed of Gaulish women. This condition caused much amusement to + the Carthaginians, who, however, had no cause to regret its acceptance, + for the decisions of this singular tribunal were marked by the greatest + fairness and impartiality. The greater part of the tribes through whose + country the army marched towards the Rhone observed the terms of the + treaty with good faith; some proved troublesome, but were wholly unable to + stand against the Carthaginian arms. + </p> + <p> + The exact route traversed by the army has been a subject of long and + bitter controversy; but, as no events of very great importance occurred on + the way, the precise line followed in crossing Gaul is a matter of but + slight interest. Suffice that, after marching from the Pyrenees at a high + rate of speed, the army reached the Rhone at the point where Roquemaure + now stands, a short distance above Avignon. + </p> + <p> + This point had been chosen by Hannibal because it was one of the few spots + at which the Rhone runs in a single stream, its course being for the most + part greatly broken up by islands. Roquemaure lies sixty-five miles from + the sea, and it was necessary to cross the Rhone at some distance from its + mouth, for Rome was now thoroughly alarmed, and Scipio, with a fleet and + powerful army, was near Marseilles waiting to engage Hannibal on the + plains of Gaul. + </p> + <p> + During the last few days' march no inhabitants had been encountered. The + Arecomici, who inhabited this part of the country, had not been + represented at the meeting, and at the news of the approach of the + Carthaginians had deserted their country and fled across the Rhone, where, + joined by the tribes dwelling upon the further bank, they prepared to + offer a desperate opposition to the passage of the river. The appearance + of this mass of barbarians, armed with bows and arrows and javelins, on + the further side of the wide and rapid river which had to be crossed, was + not encouraging. + </p> + <p> + “It was bad enough crossing the Pyrenees,” Malchus said to Trebon, “but + that was nothing to this undertaking; it is one thing to climb a + precipice, however steep, to the assault of an enemy, another to swim + across at the head of the army under such a shower of missiles as we shall + meet with on the other side.” + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, however, had prepared to overcome the difficulty. Messengers had + been sent up and down the river to all the people living on the right + bank, offering to buy from them at good prices every barge and boat in + their possession, promising them freedom from all exactions and hard + treatment, and offering good pay to those who would render assistance to + the army in the passage. Hannibal's offers were accepted without + hesitation. That the army, which could, had it chosen, have taken all + their boats by force and impressed their labour, should offer to pay + liberally for both, filled them with admiration, and they were, moreover, + only too glad to aid this formidable army of strangers to pass out of + their country. + </p> + <p> + The dwellers upon the Rhone at this period carried on an extensive + commerce, not only with the tribes of the upper river, but with Marseilles + and the ports of Spain and Northern Italy, consequently a large number of + vessels and barges of considerable tonnage were at once obtained. + </p> + <p> + To add to the means of transport the whole army were set to work, and, + assisted by the natives, the soldiers cut down trees, and, hollowing them + out roughly, formed canoes capable of carrying two or three men. So + industriously did the troops work that in two days enough canoes were made + to carry the army across the river; but there was still the opposition of + the natives to be overcome, and when the canoes were finished Hannibal + ordered Hanno, one of his best generals, to start with a division at + nightfall up the bank of the river. + </p> + <p> + Hanno marched five miles, when he found a spot where the river was smooth + and favourable for the passage. The troops set to at once to cut trees; + rafts were formed of these, and the troops passed over. The Spanish corps, + accustomed to the passage of rivers, simply stripped, and putting their + broad shields of hides beneath them, passed the river by swimming. Once + across Hanno gave his men twenty-four hours' rest, and then, calculating + that Hannibal's preparations would be complete, he marched down the river + until he reached a hill, whose summit was visible from Hannibal's camp at + daybreak. Upon this he lit a signal fire. + </p> + <p> + The moment the smoke was seen in the camp Hannibal gave orders for the + troops to embark. The light infantry took to their little canoes, the + cavalry embarked in the larger vessels, and, as these were insufficient to + carry all the horses, a great many of the animals were made to enter the + river attached by ropes to the vessels. The heavier craft started highest + up, in order that they might to some extent break the roughness of the + waves and facilitate the passage of the canoes. + </p> + <p> + The din was prodigious. Thousands of men tugged at the oars, the roughly + made canoes were dashed against each other and often upset, while from the + opposite bank rose loudly the defiant yells of the natives, prepared to + dispute to the last the landing of the flotilla. Suddenly these cries + assumed a different character. A mass of smoke was seen to rise from the + tents of the enemy's camp, and Hanno's division poured down upon their + rear. The Arecomici, taken wholly by surprise, were seized with a panic, + and fled hastily in all directions, leaving the bank clear for the landing + of Hannibal. The whole of the army were brought across at once and + encamped that night on the river. + </p> + <p> + In the morning Hannibal sent off five hundred Numidian horse to + reconnoitre the river below, and ascertain what Scipio's army, which was + known to have landed at its mouth, was doing. He then assembled his army + and introduced to them some chiefs of the tribes beyond the Alps, who had + a day or two before arrived in the camp with the agents he had sent to + their country. They harangued the soldiers, an interpreter translating + their speeches, and assured them of the welcome they would meet in the + rich and fertile country beyond the Alps, and of the alacrity with which + the people there would join them against the Romans. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal himself then addressed the soldiers, pointed out to them that + they had already accomplished by far the greatest part of their journey, + had overcome every obstacle, and that there now remained but a few days' + passage over the mountains, and that Italy, the goal of all their + endeavours, would then lie before them. + </p> + <p> + The soldiers replied with enthusiastic shouts, and Hannibal, after + offering up prayers to the gods on behalf of the army, dismissed the + soldiers, and told them to prepare to start on the following day. Soon + after the assembly had broken up the Numidian horse returned in great + confusion, closely pressed by the Roman cavalry, who had been sent by + Scipio to ascertain Hannibal's position and course. The hostile cavalry + had charged each other with fury. A hundred and forty of the Romans and + two hundred of the Numidians were slain. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal saw that there was no time to be lost. The next morning, at + daybreak, the whole of his cavalry were posted to the south to cover the + movements of the army and to check the Roman advance. The infantry were + then set in motion up the bank of the river and Hannibal, with a small + party, remained behind to watch the passage of the elephants, which had + not yet been brought across. + </p> + <p> + The elephants had not been trained to take to the water, and the operation + was an extremely difficult one. Very strong and massive rafts were joined + together until they extended two hundred feet into the river, being kept + in their place by cables fastened to trees on the bank above them. At the + end of this floating pier was placed another raft of immense size, capable + of carrying four elephants at a time. A thick covering of earth was laid + over the whole, and on this turf was placed. The elephants were then led + forward. + </p> + <p> + So solid was the construction that they advanced upon it without + hesitation. When four had taken their place on the great raft at the end, + the fastenings which secured it to the rest of the structure were cut, and + a large number of boats and barges filled with rowers began to tow the + raft across the river. The elephants were seized with terror at finding + themselves afloat, but seeing no way of escape remained trembling in the + centre of the raft until they reached the other side. When it was safely + across, the raft and towing boats returned, and the operation was repeated + until all the elephants were over. + </p> + <p> + Some of the animals, however, were so terrified that they flung themselves + from the rafts into the river and made their way to shore, keeping their + probosces above the surface of the water. The Indians who directed them + were, however, all swept away and drowned. As soon as the elephants were + all across Hannibal called in his cavalry, and with them and the elephants + followed the army. + </p> + <p> + The Romans did not arrive at the spot until three days after the + Carthaginians had left. Scipio was greatly astonished when he found that + Hannibal had marched north, as he believed that the Alps were impassable + for an army, and had reckoned that Hannibal would certainly march down the + river and follow the seashore. Finding that the Carthaginians had left he + marched his army down to his ships again, re-embarked them, and sailed for + Genoa, intending to oppose Hannibal as he issued from the defiles of the + Alps, in the event of his succeeding in making the passage. + </p> + <p> + Four days' march up the Rhone brought Hannibal to the point where the + Isere runs into that river. He crossed it, and with his army entered the + region called by Polybius “The Island,” although the designation is an + incorrect one, for while the Rhone flows along one side of the triangle + and the Isere on the other, the base is formed not by a third river, but + by a portion of the Alpine chain. + </p> + <p> + Malchus and his band had been among the first to push off from the shore + when the army began to cross the Rhone. Malchus was in a roughly + constructed canoe, which was paddled by Nessus and another of his men. + Like most of the other canoes, their craft soon became waterlogged, for + the rapid and angry current of the river, broken and agitated by so large + a number of boats, splashed over the sides of the clumsy canoes, which + were but a few inches above the water. The buoyancy of the wood was + sufficient to float them even when full, but they paddled slowly and + heavily. + </p> + <p> + The confusion was prodigious. The greater part of the men, unaccustomed to + rowing, had little control over their boats. Collisions were frequent, and + numbers of the boats were upset and their occupants drowned. The canoe + which carried Malchus was making fair progress, but, to his vexation, was + no longer in the front line. He was urging the paddlers to exert + themselves to the utmost, when Nessus gave a sudden cry. + </p> + <p> + A horse which had broken loose from its fastenings behind one of the + barges was swimming down, frightened and confused at the din. It was + within a few feet of them when Nessus perceived it, and in another moment + it struck the canoe broadside with its chest. The boat rolled over at + once, throwing its occupants into the water. Malchus grasped the canoe as + it upset, for he would instantly have sunk from the weight of his armour. + Nessus a moment later appeared by his side. + </p> + <p> + “I will go to the other side, my lord,” he said, “that will keep the tree + from turning over again.” + </p> + <p> + He dived under the canoe, and came up on the opposite side, and giving + Malchus his hand across it, there was no longer any fear of the log + rolling over. The other rower did not reappear above the surface. Malchus + shouted in vain to some of the passing boats to pick him up, but all were + so absorbed in their efforts to advance and their eagerness to engage the + enemy that none paid attention to Malchus or the others in like plight. + Besides, it seemed probable that all, if they stuck to their canoes, would + presently gain one bank or other of the river. Malchus, too, had started + rather low down, and he was therefore soon out of the flotilla. + </p> + <p> + The boat was nearly in midstream when the accident happened. + </p> + <p> + “The first thing to do,” Malchus said when he saw that there was no chance + of their being picked up, “is to rid myself of my armour. I can do nothing + with it on, and if the tree turns over I shall go down like a stone. First + of all, Nessus, do you unloose your sword belt. I will do the same. If we + fasten them together they are long enough to go round the canoe, and if we + take off our helmets and pass the belts through the chin chains they will, + with our swords, hang safely.” + </p> + <p> + This was with some difficulty accomplished. + </p> + <p> + “Now,” Malchus continued, “let us make our way to the stern of the canoe. + I will place my hand on the tree there, and do you unfasten the shoulder + and waist straps of my breast and backpieces. I cannot do it myself.” + </p> + <p> + This was also accomplished, and the two pieces of armour laid on the tree. + They were now free to look round. The rapid stream had already taken them + half a mile below the point where the army were crossing, and they were + now entering a spot where the river was broken up by islands, and raced + along its pent up channel with greater velocity than before, its surface + broken with short angry waves, which rendered it difficult for them to + retain their hold of the tree. + </p> + <p> + For a time they strove by swimming to give the canoe an impetus towards + one bank or the other; but their efforts were vain. Sometimes they thought + they were about to succeed, and then an eddy would take the boat and carry + it into the middle of the stream again. + </p> + <p> + “It is useless, Nessus,” Malchus said at last. “We are only wearing + ourselves out, and our efforts are of no avail whatever. We must be + content to drift down the river until our good luck throws us into some + eddy which may carry us near one bank or the other.” + </p> + <p> + It was a long time, indeed, before that stroke of fortune befell them, and + they were many miles down the river before the current took them near the + eastern bank at a point where a sharp curve of the river threw the force + of the current over in that direction; but although they were carried to + within a few yards of the shore, so numbed and exhausted were they by + their long immersion in the cold water that it was with the greatest + difficulty that they could give the canoe a sufficient impulsion to carry + it to the bank. + </p> + <p> + At last, however, their feet touched the bottom, and they struggled to + shore, carrying with them the arms and armour; then, letting the canoe + drift away again, they crawled up the bank, and threw themselves down, + utterly exhausted. It was some time before either of them spoke. Then + Malchus said: + </p> + <p> + “We had best strip off our clothes and wring them as well as we can; after + that they will soon dry on us. We have no means of drying them here, so we + must lie down among some bushes to shelter us from this bitter wind which + blows from the mountains.” + </p> + <p> + The clothes were wrung until the last drop was extracted from them and + then put on again. They were still damp and cold, but Malchus and his + companion had been accustomed to be drenched to the skin, and thought + nothing of this. They were still too exhausted, however, to walk briskly, + and therefore lay down among some thick bushes until they should feel + equal to setting out on the long tramp to rejoin their companions. After + lying for a couple of hours Malchus rose to his feet, and issuing from the + bushes looked round. He had resumed his armour and sword. As he stepped + out a sudden shout arose, and he saw within a hundred yards of him a body + of natives some hundred strong approaching. They had already caught sight + of him. + </p> + <p> + “Nessus,” he exclaimed, without looking round, “lie still. I am seen, and + shall be taken in a minute. It is hopeless for me to try to escape. You + will do me more good by remaining hid and trying to free me from their + hands afterwards.” + </p> + <p> + So saying, and without drawing his sword, Malchus quietly advanced towards + the natives, who were rushing down towards him with loud shouts. Flight or + resistance would be, as he had at once seen, hopeless, and it was only by + present submission he could hope to save his life. + </p> + <p> + The natives were a portion of the force which had opposed Hannibal's + landing, and had already killed several Carthaginians who had, like + Malchus, struggled to the bank after being upset in the passage. Seeing + that he attempted neither to fly nor to defend himself, they rushed upon + him tumultuously, stripped him of his arms and armour, and dragged him + before their leader. The latter briefly ordered him to be brought along, + and the party continued their hurried march, fearing that the Carthaginian + horse might at any moment pursue them. For the rest of the afternoon they + marched without a halt, but at nightfall stopped in a wood. + </p> + <p> + No fires were lit, for they knew not how close the Carthaginians might be + behind them. Malchus was bound hand and foot and thrown down in their + midst. There was no sleep that night. Half the party remained on watch, + the others sat together round the spot where Malchus lay and discussed the + disastrous events of the day—the great flotilla of the + Carthaginians, the sudden attack in their rear, the destruction of their + camp, the capture of the whole of their goods, and the slaughter and + defeat which had befallen them. + </p> + <p> + As their dialect differed but little from that of the Gauls in the + Carthaginian service, Malchus was enabled to understand the greater part + of their conversation, and learned that the only reason why he was not put + to death at once was that they wished to keep him until beyond the risk of + pursuit of the Carthaginians, when he could be sacrificed to their gods + formally and with the usual ceremonies. + </p> + <p> + All the time that they were talking Malchus listened anxiously for any + sudden outbreak which would tell that Nessus had been discovered. That the + Numidian had followed on their traces and was somewhere in the + neighbourhood Malchus had no doubt, but rescue in his present position was + impossible, and he only hoped that his follower would find that this was + so in time and would wait for a more favourable opportunity. The night + passed off quietly, and in the morning the natives continued their march. + After proceeding for three or four hours a sudden exclamation from one of + them caused the others to turn, and in the distance a black mass of + horsemen was seen approaching. At a rapid run the natives started off for + the shelter of a wood half a mile distant. Malchus was forced to accompany + them. He felt sure that the horsemen were a party of Hannibal's cavalry, + and he wondered whether Nessus was near enough to see them, for if so he + doubted not that he would manage to join them and lead them to his rescue. + </p> + <p> + Just before they reached the wood the natives suddenly stopped, for, + coming from the opposite direction was another body of cavalry. It needed + not the joyous shouts of the natives to tell Malchus that these were + Romans, for they were coming from the south and could only be a party of + Scipio's cavalry. The natives halted at the edge of the wood to watch the + result of the conflict, for the parties evidently saw each other, and both + continued to advance at full speed. The Roman trumpets were sounding, + while the wild yells which came up on the breeze told Malchus that + Hannibal's cavalry were a party of the Numidians. + </p> + <p> + The Romans were somewhat the most numerous; but, had the cavalry opposed + to them consisted of the Carthaginian horse, Malchus would have had little + doubt as to the result; he felt, however, by no means certain that the + light armed Numidians were a match for the Roman cavalry. The party had + stopped but a quarter of a mile from the spot where the rival bands met, + and the crash of bodies driven violently against each other and the clash + of steel on armour could be plainly heard. + </p> + <p> + For a few minutes it was a wild confused melee, neither party appearing to + have any advantage. Riderless steeds galloped off from the throng, but + neither party seemed to give way a foot. The whole mass seemed interlaced + in conflict. It was a moving struggling throng of bodies with arms waving + high and swords rising and falling. The Romans fought in silence, but the + wild yells of the Numidians rose shrill and continuous. + </p> + <p> + At last there was a movement, and Malchus gave a groan while the natives + around him shouted in triumph as the Numidians were seen to detach + themselves from the throng and to gallop off at full speed, hotly followed + by the Romans, both, however, in greatly diminished numbers, for the + ground on which the conflict had taken place was thickly strewn with + bodies; nearly half of those who had engaged in that short but desperate + strife were lying there. + </p> + <p> + No sooner had the pursuers and pursued disappeared in the distance than + the natives thronged down to the spot. Such of the Numidians as were found + to be alive were instantly slaughtered, and all were despoiled of their + clothes, arms, and ornaments. The Romans were left untouched, and those + among them who were found to be only wounded were assisted by the natives, + who unbuckled their armour, helped them into a sitting position, bound up + their wounds, and gave them water. + </p> + <p> + Highly satisfied with the booty they obtained, and having no longer any + fear of pursuit, the natives halted to await the return of the Romans. + Malchus learned from their conversation that they had some little doubt + whether the Romans would approve of their appropriating the spoils of the + dead Numidians, and it was finally decided to hand over Malchus, whose + rich armour proclaimed him to be a prisoner of importance, to the Roman + commander. + </p> + <p> + The main body of the natives, with all the spoil which had been collected, + moved away to the wood, while the chief, with four of his companions and + Malchus, remained with the wounded Romans. It was late in the evening + before the Romans returned, after having, as has been said, followed the + Numidians right up to Hannibal's camp. There was some grumbling on the + part of the Roman soldiers when they found that their allies had + forestalled them with the spoil; but the officer in command was well + pleased at finding that the wounded had been carefully attended to, and + bade the men be content that they had rendered good service to the public, + and that Scipio would be well satisfied with them. The native chief now + exhibited the helmet and armour of Malchus, who was led forward by two of + his men. + </p> + <p> + “Who are you?” the commander asked Malchus in Greek, a language which was + understood by the educated both of Rome and Carthage. + </p> + <p> + “I am Malchus, and command the scouts of Hannibal's army.” + </p> + <p> + “You are young for such a post,” the officer said; “but in Carthage it is + interest not valour which secures promotion. Doubtless you are related to + Hannibal.” + </p> + <p> + “I am his cousin,” Malchus said quietly. + </p> + <p> + “Ah!” the Roman said sarcastically, “that accounts for one who is a mere + lad being chosen for so important a post. However, I shall take you to + Scipio, who will doubtless have questions to ask of you concerning + Hannibal's army.” + </p> + <p> + Many of the riderless horses on the plain came in on hearing the sound of + the Roman trumpets and rejoined the troop. Malchus was placed on one of + these. Such of the wounded Romans as were able to ride mounted others, and + a small party being left behind to look after those unable to move, the + troops started on their way. + </p> + <p> + They were unable, however, to proceed far; the horses had been travelling + since morning and were now completely exhausted; therefore, after + proceeding a few miles the troop halted. Strong guards were posted, and + the men lay down by their horses, ready to mount at a moment's notice, for + it was possible that Hannibal might have sent a large body of horsemen in + pursuit. As on the night before, Malchus felt that even if Nessus had so + far followed him he could do nothing while so strong a guard was kept up, + and he therefore followed the example of the Roman soldiers around him and + was soon fast asleep. + </p> + <p> + At daybreak next morning the troops mounted and again proceeded to the + south. Late in the afternoon a cloud of dust was seen in the distance, and + the party presently rode into the midst of the Roman army, who had made a + day's march from their ships and were just halting for the night. The + commander of the cavalry at once hastened to Scipio's tent to inform him + of the surprising fact that Hannibal had already, in the face of the + opposition of the tribes, forced the passage of the Rhone, and that, with + the exception of the elephants, which had been seen still on the opposite + bank, all the army were across. + </p> + <p> + Scipio was greatly mortified at the intelligence, for he had deemed it + next to impossible that Hannibal could carry his army across so wide and + rapid a river in the face of opposition. He had little doubt now that + Hannibal's intention was to follow the Rhone down on its left bank to its + mouth, and he prepared at once for a battle. Hearing that a prisoner of + some importance had been captured, he ordered Malchus to be brought before + him. As the lad, escorted by a Roman soldier on each side, was led in, + Scipio, accustomed to estimate men, could not but admire the calm and + haughty self possession of his young prisoner. His eye fell with approval + upon his active sinewy figure, and the knotted muscles of his arms and + legs. + </p> + <p> + “You are Malchus, a relation of Hannibal, and the commander of the scouts + of his army, I hear,” Scipio began. + </p> + <p> + Malchus bowed his head in assent. + </p> + <p> + “What force has he with him, and what are his intentions?” + </p> + <p> + “I know nothing of his intentions,” Malchus replied quietly, “as to his + force, it were better that you inquired of your allies, who saw us pass + the river. One of them was brought hither with me, and can tell you what + he saw.” + </p> + <p> + “Know you not,” Scipio said, “that I can order you to instant execution if + you refuse to answer my questions?” + </p> + <p> + “Of that I am perfectly well aware,” Malchus replied; “but I nevertheless + refuse absolutely to answer any questions.” + </p> + <p> + “I will give you until tomorrow morning to think the matter over, and if + by that time you have not made up your mind to give me the information I + require, you die.” + </p> + <p> + So saying he waved his hand to the soldiers, who at once removed Malchus + from his presence. He was taken to a small tent a short distance away, + food was given to him, and at nightfall chains were attached to his + ankles, and from these to the legs of two Roman soldiers appointed to + guard him during the night, while a sentry was placed at the entrance. The + chains were strong, and fitted so tightly round the ankles that escape was + altogether impossible. Even had he possessed arms and could noiselessly + have slain the two soldiers, he would be no nearer getting away, for the + chains were fastened as securely round their limbs as round his own. + Malchus, therefore, at once abandoned any idea of escape, and lying + quietly down meditated on his fate in the morning. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII: AMONG THE PASSES + </h2> + <p> + It was not until long after the guards to whom he was chained had fallen + asleep that Malchus followed their example. It seemed to him he had been + asleep a long time when a pressure by a hand on his shoulder woke him; at + the same moment another hand was placed over his mouth. + </p> + <p> + “Hush, my lord!” a voice said. It was Nessus. “Arise and let us go. There + is no time to be lost, for it is nigh morning. I have been the whole night + in discovering where you were.” + </p> + <p> + “But the guards, Nessus?” + </p> + <p> + “I have killed them,” Nessus said in a tone of indifference. + </p> + <p> + “But I am chained to them by the ankles.” + </p> + <p> + Nessus gave a little exclamation of impatience, and then in the darkness + felt the irons to discover the nature of the fastenings. In a minute there + was a sound of a dull crashing blow, then Nessus moved to the other side + and the sound was repeated. With two blows of his short heavy sword the + Arab had cut off the feet of the dead Romans at the ankle, and the chains + were free. + </p> + <p> + “Put on the clothes of this man, my lord, and take his arms; I will take + those of the other.” + </p> + <p> + As soon as this was done Nessus wrapped some folds of cloth round each of + the chains to prevent their clanking, then passing a band through the ends + he fastened them to Malchus' waist. + </p> + <p> + “Quick, my lord,” he said as he finished the work; “daylight is beginning + to break.” + </p> + <p> + They stepped over the dead sentry at the door of the tent and were going + on when Malchus said: + </p> + <p> + “Best lift him inside, Nessus; it may be some little time before it is + noticed that he is missing from his post.” + </p> + <p> + This was quickly done, and they then moved away quietly among the tents + till they approached the rear of the camp. It was now light enough to + enable them to see dimly the figures of the Roman sentries placed at short + intervals round the camp. + </p> + <p> + “We cannot get through unseen,” Malchus said. + </p> + <p> + “No, my lord,” Nessus replied; “I have wasted too much time in finding + you.” + </p> + <p> + “Then we had best lie down quietly here,” Malchus said; “in a short time + the men will be moving about, and we can then pass through the sentries + without remark.” + </p> + <p> + As the light spread over the sky sounds of movement were heard in the + camp, and soon figures were moving about, some beginning to make fires, + others to attend to their horses. The two Carthaginians moved about among + the tents as if similarly occupied, secure that their attire as Roman + soldiers would prevent any observation being directed towards them. They + were anxious to be off, for they feared that at any moment they might hear + the alarm raised on the discovery that the sentry was missing. + </p> + <p> + It was nearly broad daylight now, and when they saw two or three soldiers + pass out between the sentries unquestioned they started at once to follow + them. The morning was very cold, and the soldiers who were about were all + wearing their military cloaks. Malchus had pulled the irons as high up as + he could possibly force them, and they did not show below his cloak. + </p> + <p> + Walking carelessly along they passed through the sentries, whose duties, + now that morning had dawned, related only to discovering an enemy + approaching the camp, the soldiers being now free to enter or leave as + they pleased. + </p> + <p> + “It is of no use to go far,” Malchus said; “the nearer we hide to the camp + the better. We are less likely to be looked for there than at a distance, + and it is impossible for me to travel at any speed until I get rid of + these heavy irons. As soon as we get over that little brow ahead we shall + be out of sight of the sentries, and will take to the first hiding place + we see.” + </p> + <p> + The little rise was but a short distance from camp, the country beyond was + open but was covered with low brushwood. As soon as they were over the + brow and were assured that none of those who had left the camp before them + were in sight, they plunged into the brushwood, and, making their way on + their hands and knees for a few hundred yards, lay down in the midst of + it. + </p> + <p> + “They are not likely to search on this side of the camp,” Malchus said. + “They will not know at what hour I escaped, and will naturally suppose + that I started at once to regain our camp. Listen, their trumpets are + blowing. No doubt they are about to strike their camp and march; by this + time my escape must be known. And now tell me, Nessus, how did you manage + to follow and discover me?” + </p> + <p> + “It was easy to follow you, my lord,” Nessus said. “When I heard your + order I lay still, but watched through the bushes your meeting with the + Gauls. My arrow was in the string, and had they attacked you I should have + loosed it among them, and then rushed out to die with you, but when I saw + them take you a prisoner I followed your orders. I had no difficulty in + keeping you in sight until nightfall. Then I crept up to the wood and made + my way until I was within a few yards of you and lay there till nearly + morning; but, as the men around you never went to sleep, I could do + nothing and stole away again before daylight broke. Then I followed again + until I saw our horsemen approaching. I had started to run towards them to + lead them to you when I saw the Roman horse, and I again hid myself. + </p> + <p> + “The next night again the Romans kept too vigilant a watch for me to do + anything, and I followed them all yesterday until I saw them enter the + Roman camp. As soon as it was dark I entered, and, getting into the part + of the camp occupied by the Massilians, whose Gaulish talk I could + understand a little, I gathered that a Carthaginian prisoner who had been + brought in was to be executed in the morning. So I set to work to find + you; but the night was too dark to see where the sentries were placed, and + I had to crawl round every tent to see if one stood at the entrance on + guard, for I was sure that a sentry would be placed over you. I entered + seven tents, at whose doors sentries were placed, before I found yours, + but they were all those of Roman generals or persons of importance. I + entered each time by cutting a slit in the back of the tent. At last when + I was beginning to despair, I found your tent. + </p> + <p> + “It was the smallest of any that had been guarded, and this made me think + I was right. When I crawled in I found feeling cautiously about, that two + Roman soldiers were asleep on the ground and that you were lying between + them. Then I went to the entrance. The sentry was standing with his back + to it. I struck a blow on his neck from behind, and he died without + knowing he was hurt. I caught him as I struck and lowered him gently down, + for the crash of his arms as he fell would have roused everyone near. + After that it was easy to stab the two guards sleeping by you, and then I + woke you.” + </p> + <p> + “You have saved my life, Nessus, and I shall never forget it,” Malchus + said gratefully. + </p> + <p> + “My life is my lord's,” the Arab replied simply. “Glad am I indeed that I + have been able to do you a service.” + </p> + <p> + Just as he spoke they saw through the bushes a party of Roman horse ride + at a gallop over the brow between them and the camp. They halted, however, + on passing the crest, and an officer with them gazed long and searchingly + over the country. For some minutes he sat without speaking, then he gave + an order and the horsemen rode back again over the crest. + </p> + <p> + “I think we shall see no more of them,” Malchus said. “His orders were, no + doubt, that if I was in sight they were to pursue, if not, it would be + clearly useless hunting over miles of brushwood in the hope of finding me, + especially as they must deem it likely that I am far away in the opposite + direction.” + </p> + <p> + An hour later Nessus crept cautiously forward among the bushes, making a + considerable detour until he reached the spot whence he could command a + view of the Roman camp. It had gone, not a soul remained behind, but at + some distance across the plain he could see the heavy column marching + north. He rose to his feet and returned to the spot where he had left + Malchus, and told him that the Romans had gone. + </p> + <p> + “The first thing, Nessus, is to get rid of these chains.” + </p> + <p> + “It is easy as to the chains,” Nessus said, “but the rings around your + legs must remain until we rejoin the camp, it will need a file to free you + from them.” + </p> + <p> + The soil was sandy, and Nessus could find no stone sufficiently large for + his purpose. They, therefore, started in the direction which the Romans + had taken until, after two hours' slow walking, they came upon the bed of + a stream in which were some boulders sufficiently large for the purpose. + </p> + <p> + The rings were now pushed down again to the ankles, and Nessus wound round + them strips of cloth until he had formed a pad between the iron and the + skin to lessen the jar of the blow, then he placed the link of the chain + near to the leg upon the edge of the boulder, and, drawing his sharp heavy + sword, struck with all his force upon the iron. + </p> + <p> + A deep notch was made; again and again he repeated the blow, until the + link was cut through, then, with some difficulty, he forced the two ends + apart until the shackle of the ring would pass between them. The operation + was repeated on the other chain, and then Malchus was free, save for the + two iron rings around his ankles. The work had taken upwards of an hour, + and when it was done they started at a rapid walk in the direction taken + by the column. They had no fear now of the natives, for should any come + upon them they would take them for two Roman soldiers who had strayed + behind the army. + </p> + <p> + Scipio made a long day's march, and it was not until nightfall that his + army halted. Malchus and his companion made a long detour round the camp + and continued their way for some hours, then they left the track that the + army would follow, and, after walking for about a mile, lay down among + some bushes and were soon asleep. + </p> + <p> + In the morning they agreed that before proceeding further it was + absolutely necessary to obtain some food. Malchus had been fed when among + the Romans, but Nessus had had nothing from the morning when he had been + upset in the Rhone four days before, save a manchet of bread which he had + found in one of the tents he had entered. Surveying the country round + carefully, the keen eye of the Arab perceived some light smoke curling up + at the foot of the hills on their right, and they at once directed their + course towards it. An hour's walking brought them within sight of a native + village. + </p> + <p> + As soon as they perceived it they dropped on their hands and knees and + proceeded with caution until within a short distance of it. They were not + long in discovering a flock of goats browsing on the verdure in some + broken ground a few hundred yards from the village. They were under the + charge of a native boy, who was seated on a rock near them. They made + their way round among the brushwood until they were close to the spot. + </p> + <p> + “Shall I shoot him?” Nessus asked, for he had carried his bow and arrows + concealed in his attire as a Roman soldier. + </p> + <p> + “No, no,” Malchus replied, “the lad has done us no harm; but we must have + one of his goats. His back is towards us, and, if we wait, one of them is + sure to come close to us presently.” + </p> + <p> + They lay quiet among the bushes until, after a delay of a quarter of an + hour, a goat, browsing upon the bushes, passed within a yard or two of + them. + </p> + <p> + Nessus let fly his arrow, it passed almost through the animal, right + behind its shoulder, and it fell among the bushes. In an instant Nessus + was upon it, and, grasping its mouth tightly to prevent it from bleating, + cut its throat. They dragged it away until a fall in the ground hid them + from the sight of the natives, then they quickly skinned and cut it up, + devoured some of the meat raw, and then, each taking a leg of the animal, + proceeded upon their way. + </p> + <p> + They now walked without a halt until, late in the evening, they came down + upon the spot where the Carthaginian army had crossed. It was deserted. + Going down to the edge of the river they saw the great rafts upon which + the elephants had crossed. + </p> + <p> + “We had best go on a mile or two ahead,” Nessus said, “the Roman cavalry + may be here in the morning, though the column will be still a day's march + away. By daylight we shall have no difficulty in finding the traces of the + army.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus took the Arab's advice, and the next morning followed on the + traces of the army, which were plainly enough to be seen in the broken + bushes, the trampled ground, and in various useless articles dropped or + thrown away by the troops. They were forced to advance with caution, for + they feared meeting any of the natives who might be hanging on the rear of + the army. + </p> + <p> + After three days' travelling with scarce a pause they came upon the army + just as the rear guard was crossing the Isere, and Malchus received a + joyous welcome from his friends, who had supposed him drowned at the + passage of the Rhone. His account of his adventure was eagerly listened + to, and greatly surprised were they when they found that he had been a + prisoner in the camp of Scipio, and had been rescued by the fidelity and + devotion of Nessus. Hannibal asked many questions as to the strength of + Scipio's army, but Malchus could only say that, not having seen it except + encamped, he could form but a very doubtful estimate as to its numbers, + but considered it to be but little superior to that of the Carthaginian. + </p> + <p> + “I do not think Scipio will pursue us,” Hannibal said. “A defeat here + would be as fatal to him as it would be to us, and I think it more likely + that, when he finds we have marched away north, he will return to his + ships and meet us in Italy.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus learned that everything had progressed favourably since the army + had crossed the Rhone, the natives having offered no further opposition to + their advance. A civil war was going on in the region the army had now + entered, between two rival princes, brothers, of the Allobroges. Hannibal + was requested to act as umpire in the quarrel, and decided in favour of + the elder brother and restored order. In return he received from the + prince whom he reseated on his throne, provisions, clothing, and other + necessaries for the army, and the prince, with his troops, escorted the + Carthaginians some distance up into the Alps, and prevented the tribes + dwelling at the foot of the mountains from attacking them. + </p> + <p> + The conquest of Catalonia, the passage of the Pyrenees, and the march + across the south of Gaul, had occupied many months. Summer had come and + gone, autumn had passed, and winter was at hand. It was the eighteenth of + October when Hannibal led his army up the narrow valleys into the heart of + the Alps. The snow had already fallen thickly upon the upper part of the + mountains, and the Carthaginians shuddered at the sight of these lofty + summits, these wild, craggy, and forbidding wastes. The appearance of the + wretched huts of the inhabitants, of the people themselves, unshaved and + unkempt and clad in sheepskins, and of the flocks and herds gathering in + sheltered spots and crowding together to resist the effects of the already + extreme cold, struck the Carthaginian troops with dismay. Large bodies of + the mountaineers were perceived posted on the heights surrounding the + valleys, and the column, embarrassed by its length and the vast quantity + of baggage, was also exposed to attack by hordes who might at any moment + rush out from the lateral ravines. Hannibal, therefore, ordered his column + to halt. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was now ordered to go forward with his band of scouts, and to take + with him a party of Gauls, who, their language being similar to that of + the natives, could enter into conversation with them. The mountaineers, + seeing but a small party advancing, allowed them to approach peaceably and + entered freely into conversation with them. They declared that they would + on no account permit the Carthaginian army to pass forward, but would + oppose every foot of their advance. + </p> + <p> + The Gauls learned, however, that, believing the great column could only + move forward in the daytime, the natives were in the habit of retiring + from their rocky citadels at nightfall. Malchus returned with this news to + Hannibal, who prepared to take advantage of it. The camp was at once + pitched, and the men set to work to form an intrenchment round it as if + Hannibal meditated a prolonged halt there. Great fires were lit and the + animals unloaded. The natives, seeing from above everything that was being + done, deserted their posts as usual at nightfall, confident that the + Carthaginians had no intention of moving forward. + </p> + <p> + Malchus with his scouts crept on along the path, and soon sent down word + to Hannibal that the heights were deserted. The general himself now moved + forward with all his light troops, occupied the head of the pass, and + posted strong parties of men upon the heights commanding it. As soon as + day broke the rest of the army got into motion and proceeded up the pass. + The natives were now seen approaching in great numbers, but they halted in + dismay on seeing that the Carthaginians had already gained possession of + the strong places. + </p> + <p> + The road by which the column was ascending wound along the face of a + precipice, and was so narrow that it was with difficulty that the horses, + snorting with fright, could be persuaded to proceed. The natives, seeing + the confusion which the fright of the animals created in the column, at + once took to the mountains, climbing up rugged precipices which appeared + to the Carthaginians absolutely inaccessible, and presently made their + appearance far up on the mountain side above the column. + </p> + <p> + Here, sending up the most piercing yells, they began to roll rocks and + stones down upon the column. The confusion below became terrible. The + horses, alarmed by the strange wild cries, echoed and re-echoed a score of + times among the mountains, and struck by the falling stones, plunged and + struggled wildly to escape. Some tore along the path, precipitating those + in front of them over the precipice, others lost their footing, and, + dragging with them the carts to which they were attached, fell into the + valley below. All order was lost. Incapable of defence or of movement the + column appeared to be on the verge of destruction. + </p> + <p> + “Come, my men,” Malchus exclaimed to his Arabs, “where these men can climb + we can follow them; the safety of the whole column is at stake.” + </p> + <p> + Slinging their weapons behind them the scouts began to climb the crags. + Sure footed and hardy as they were, it was with the greatest difficulty + that they could make their way up. Many lost their footing, and rolling + down were dashed to pieces; but the great majority succeeded in climbing + the heights, and at once became engaged in desperate battle with the + natives. + </p> + <p> + Every narrow ledge and crag was the scene of a conflict. The natives from + the distant heights encouraged their companions with their shouts, and for + a time the confusion in the column below was heightened by the combat + which was proceeding far above them. Every stone dislodged by the feet of + the combatants thundered down upon them, and the falling bodies of those + hit by arrow or javelin came crushing down with a dull thud among the + mass. + </p> + <p> + At last the bravery and superior weapons of the Arabs prevailed. The + precipice was cleared of the natives, and as the uproar ceased and the + missiles ceased to fall, the column recovered its order, and again moved + forward until the whole army gained the top of the pass. Here Hannibal + took possession of a rough fort erected by the natives, captured several + villages, and enough flocks and herds to feed his army for three days. + Then descending from the top of the pass, which is now known as the + Gol-du-Chat, he entered the valley of Chambery, and marched forward for + three days without opposition. + </p> + <p> + Malchus and his scouts received the warmest congratulations for their + conduct at the pass, for they had undoubtedly saved the army from what had + at one time threatened to be a terrible disaster. On arrival at a town + supposed to be identical with the modern Conflans, the inhabitants came + out with green boughs and expressed their desire for peace and friendship. + They said that they had heard of the fate which had befallen those who + ventured to oppose the Carthaginians, and that they were anxious to avoid + such misfortunes. They offered to deliver hostages as a proof of their + good intentions, to supply sheep and goats for the army, and to furnish + guides through the difficult country ahead. + </p> + <p> + For two days the march continued. The route the army was passing was that + now known as the little St. Bernard. Fortunately Hannibal had from the + first entertained considerable doubt as to the good faith of his guides, + and never relaxed his vigilance. The scouts and light infantry, with the + cavalry, preceded the great column of baggage, the heavy cavalry defended + the rear. + </p> + <p> + The track, which had for the last five days' march proceeded along a + comparatively level valley, now mounted rapidly, and turning aside from + the valley of the Isere it led up the deep bed of the mountain torrent + known as the Reclus; this stream ran in a deep trough hollowed out in a + very narrow valley. The bed is now so piled with rocks and stones as to be + impassable, and the Romans afterwards cut a road along on the side of the + mountain. But at this time it was possible for men and animals to proceed + along the bed of the torrent. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly while struggling with the difficulties of the ascent, a vast + number of the natives appeared on the hills on either side, and began to + hurl down stones and rocks upon the column below, while at the same time a + still stronger force attacked them in the rear. The instant the natives + made their appearance the treacherous guides, who were proceeding with the + scouts at the head of the column, attempted to make their escape by + climbing the mountain side. The Arabs were starting off in pursuit, but + Malchus checked them. + </p> + <p> + “Keep together,” he shouted, “and on no account scatter; the enemy are + upon us in force, and it behooves us all to be steady and deliberate in + our action.” + </p> + <p> + A flight of arrows was, however, sent after the traitors, and most of them + rolled lifeless down the slope again. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's first care was to extricate his cavalry from the gorge. This + was performed with great difficulty, and they were drawn up in good order + on the narrow piece of level ground between the gorge in which the river + ran and the mountains bordering the side of the pass. + </p> + <p> + The light troops now ascended the hills on both sides, and speedily became + engaged with the enemy. The confusion in the bed of the torrent was + tremendous. Great numbers of men and animals were killed by the rocks and + missiles from above, but more of the soldiers were trampled to death by + the frightened horses. The heavy infantry in the rear remained steady, and + repulsed every effort of the main body of the enemy to break in upon the + column. + </p> + <p> + As night fell the combat ceased, but Hannibal and the troops in advance of + the column passed the night under arms at the foot of a certain white rock + standing above the ravine, and which still marks the exact site of the + conflict. The natives had suffered heavily both from their conflict with + the light troops upon the hillside, and from the repulse of their assaults + upon the rear guard, and in the morning they did not venture to renew the + attack, and the column moved forward out of the ravine and continued its + march, the natives from time to time dashing down to attack it. + </p> + <p> + The elephants were placed on the flank of the line of march, and the + appearance of these strange beasts so terrified the enemy that they + desisted from their attack, and by evening the army encamped on the summit + of the pass. + </p> + <p> + The snow had already fallen deeply, the army were worn out and dispirited + by the exertions and dangers through which they had passed, and had + suffered great losses in men and animals in the nine days which had + elapsed since they first entered the mountains. Hannibal gave them two + days' rest, in which time they were joined by many stragglers who had + fallen behind, and by beasts of burden which, in the terror and confusion + of the attack, had got rid of their loads and had escaped, but whose + instinct led them to follow the line of march. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the second day Hannibal assembled his troops and addressed + them in a stirring speech. He told them that the worst part of their + journey was now over. He pointed to them the plains of Italy, of which a + view could be obtained through the pass ahead, and told them that there + they would find rest and friends, wealth and glory. The soldiers as usual + responded to the words of their beloved general with shouts of + acclamation, and with renewed spirits prepared to meet the difficulties + which still lay before them. + </p> + <p> + The next morning the march was renewed. The snow lay deep on the track, + and the soldiers found that, great as had been the difficulties of the + ascent, those of the descent were vastly greater, for the slopes of the + Alps on the Italian side are far steeper and more abrupt than are those on + the French. Every step had to be made with care; those who strayed in the + slightest from the path found the snow gave way beneath their feet and + fell down the precipice beside them. + </p> + <p> + Many of the baggage animals thus perished; but at last the head of the + column found itself at the foot of the steep descent in a ravine with + almost perpendicular walls, amid whose foot was in summer occupied by a + mountain stream. Into the depth of this ravine the rays of the sun never + penetrated, and in it lay a mass of the previous year's snow which had + never entirely melted, but which formed with the water of the torrent a + sheet of slippery ice. + </p> + <p> + The newly formed snow prevented the troops from seeing the nature of the + ground, and as they stepped upon it they fell headlong, sliding in their + armour down the rapidly sloping bed of ice, many dashing out their brains + or breaking their limbs against the great boulders which projected through + it. The cavalry next attempted the passage, but with even less success, + for the hoofs of the horses broke through the hard upper crust of the old + snow and the animals sank in to their bellies. Seeing that it was + impossible to pass this obstacle, Hannibal turned back the head of the + column until they reached the top of the ascent down which they had just + come. There he cleared away the snow and erected a camp; all the infantry + were then brought down into the pass and set to work to build up a road + along the side of the ravine. + </p> + <p> + The engineers with fire and explosives blasted away the foot of the + cliffs; the infantry broke up the rocks and formed a level track. All + night the work continued, the troops relieving each other at frequent + intervals, and by the morning a path which could be traversed by men on + foot, horses, and baggage animals was constructed for a distance of three + hundred yards, beyond which the obstacle which had arrested the advance of + the army did not continue. + </p> + <p> + The cavalry, baggage animals, and a portion of the infantry at once + continued their way down the valley, while the rest of the infantry + remained behind to widen the road sufficiently for the elephants to pass + along. Although the work was pressed on with the greatest vigour it needed + three days of labour in all before the elephants could be passed through. + The animals were by this time weak with hunger, for from the time when + they had turned aside from the valley of the Isere the Alps had been + wholly bare of trees, and the ground being covered with snow, no foliage + or forage had been obtainable to eke out the store of flour which they + carried for their consumption. Nor was any wood found with which to + manufacture the flat cakes into which the flour was formed for their + rations. + </p> + <p> + The elephants once through, the march was continued, and, joining the + troops in advance, who had halted in the woods below the snow level, the + column continued its march. On the third day after passing the gorge they + issued out on to the plain of the Po, having lost in the fifteen days' + passage of the Alps great numbers of men from the attacks of the enemy, + from the passage of the rapid torrents, from falls over the precipices, + and from cold, and having suffered still more severely in horses and + baggage animals. + </p> + <p> + Of the 59,000 picked troops with which he had advanced after the conquest + of Catalonia, Hannibal reached the plains of Italy with but 12,000 African + infantry, 8,000 Spanish and Gaulish infantry, and 6,000 cavalry—in + all 26,000 men. A small force indeed with which to enter upon the struggle + with the might and power of Rome. Of the 33,000 men that were missing, + 13,000 had fallen in the passes of the Pyrenees and the march through + Gaul, 20,000 had died in the passage of the Alps. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII: THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA + </h2> + <p> + Well was it for the Carthaginians that Hannibal had opened communications + with the Gaulish tribes in the plains at the foot of the Alps, and that on + its issue from the mountain passes his army found itself among friends, + for had it been attacked it was in no position to offer a vigorous + resistance, the men being utterly broken down by their fatigues and + demoralized by their losses. Many were suffering terribly from frostbites, + the cavalry were altogether unable to act, so worn out and enfeebled were + the horses. Great numbers of the men could scarce drag themselves along + owing to the state of their feet; their shoes and sandals, well enough + adapted for sandy plains, were wholly unfitted for traversing rocky + precipices, and the greater part of the army was almost barefoot. + </p> + <p> + So long as they had been traversing the mountains they had struggled on + doggedly and desperately; to lag behind was to be slain by the natives, to + lie down was to perish of cold; but with the cessation of the absolute + necessity for exertion the power for exertion ceased also. Worn out, + silent, exhausted, and almost despairing, the army of Hannibal presented + the appearance of one which had suffered a terrible defeat, rather than + that of a body of men who had accomplished a feat of arms unrivalled in + the history of war. + </p> + <p> + Happily they found themselves among friends. The Insubres, who had been + looking forward eagerly to their coming, flocked in great numbers to + receive them as they issued out into the plain, bringing with them cattle, + grain, wine, and refreshments of all kinds, and inviting the army to take + up their quarters among them until recovered from their fatigues. This + offer Hannibal at once accepted. The army was broken up and scattered + among the various towns and villages, where the inhabitants vied with each + other in attending to the comforts of the guests. A fortnight's absolute + rest, an abundance of food, and the consciousness that the worst of their + labours was over, did wonders for the men. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had arrived in a state of extreme exhaustion, and had, indeed, + been carried for the last two days of the march on the back of one of the + elephants. The company which he commanded no longer existed; they had + borne far more than their share of the fatigues of the march; they had + lost nearly half their number in the conflict among the precipices with + the natives, and while the rest of the army had marched along a track + where the snow had already been beaten hard by the cavalry in front of + them, the scouts ahead had to make their way through snow knee deep. + Inured to fatigue and hardship, the Arabs were unaccustomed to cold, and + every day had diminished their numbers, until, as they issued out into the + plain, but twenty men of the company remained alive. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal committed his young kinsman to the care of one of the chiefs of + the Insubres. The latter caused a litter to be constructed by his + followers, and carried the young Carthaginian away to his village, which + was situated at the foot of the hills on the banks of the river Orcus. + </p> + <p> + Here he was handed over to the care of the women. The wounds and bruises + caused by falls on the rocks and ice were bathed and bandaged, then he was + placed in a small chamber and water was poured on to heated stones until + it was filled with hot steam, and Malchus began to think that he was going + to be boiled alive. After being kept for an hour in this vapour bath, he + was annointed with oil, and was rubbed until every limb was supple, he was + then placed on a couch and covered with soft skins, and in a few more + minutes was sound asleep. + </p> + <p> + It was late next day before he woke, and on rising he found himself a new + man. A breakfast of meat, fresh cheese formed from goats' milk, and flat + cakes was set before him, and, had it not been that his feet were still + completely disabled from the effects of the frostbites, he felt that he + was fit again to take his place in the ranks. The chief's wife and + daughters waited upon him. The former was a tall, majestic looking woman. + She did not belong to the Insubres, but was the daughter of a chief who + had, with a portion of his tribe, wandered down from their native home far + north of the Alps and settled in Italy. + </p> + <p> + Two of the daughters were young women of over twenty, tall and robust in + figure like their mother, the third was a girl of some fifteen years of + age. The girls took after their German mother, and Malchus wondered at the + fairness of their skins, the clearness of their complexion, and the soft + light brown of their hair, for they were as much fairer than the Gauls as + these were fairer than the Carthaginians. Malchus was able to hold little + converse with his hosts, whose language differed much from that of the + Transalpine Gauls. + </p> + <p> + His stay here was destined to be much longer than he had anticipated, for + his feet had been seriously frostbitten, and for some time it was doubtful + whether he would not lose them. Gradually, however, the inflammation + decreased, but it was six weeks after his arrival before he was able to + walk. From time to time messengers had arrived from Hannibal and his + father to inquire after him, and from them he learned that the + Carthaginians had captured the towns of Vercella, Valentinum, and Asta, + and the less important towns of Ivrea, Chivasso, Bodenkmag, and Carbantia. + </p> + <p> + By the time he was cured he was able to talk freely with his hosts, for he + soon mastered the points of difference between their language and that of + the Gauls, with which he was already acquainted. The chief, with the + greater part of his followers, now started and joined the army of + Hannibal, which laid siege to the town of Turin, whose inhabitants were in + alliance with Rome. It was strongly fortified. Hannibal erected an + intrenchment at a distance of sixty yards from the wall, and under cover + of this sank a well, and thence drove a wide gallery, the roof above being + supported by props. + </p> + <p> + Divided in brigades, each working six hours, the troops laboured night and + day, and in three days from its commencement the gallery was carried under + the walls. It was then driven right and left for thirty yards each way, + and was filled with wood, combustibles, and explosives. The workers then + retired and the wood was fired, the props supporting the roof were soon + burned away, the earth above fell in bringing down the walls, and a great + breach was made, through which the besiegers, drawn up in readiness, + rushed in and captured the town. + </p> + <p> + On the same day that Hannibal captured Turin, Scipio entered Piacenza. + After finding that Hannibal had escaped him on the Rhone, he had + despatched the principal part of his army, under his brother Cneius, to + Spain, their original destination, and with the rest sailed to Pisa and + landed there. Marching with all haste north he enlisted 10,000 troops from + among the inhabitants of the country, many of them having already served + in the Roman army. He then marched north to Tenneto, where he was joined + by the praetors Manlius and Attilius with over 20,000 men, with whom he + marched to Piacenza. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, after, as usual, rousing the enthusiasm of his soldiers by an + address, marched towards Scipio. The latter, with his cavalry, had crossed + the Ticino and was within five miles of Vercella, when Hannibal, also with + his cavalry, came within sight. Scipio's front was covered with a swarm of + foot skirmishers mixed with irregular Gaulish horsemen; the Roman cavalry + and the cavalry of the Italian allies formed his main body. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal ordered the Carthaginian horse to charge full upon the centre of + the enemy, and the Numidians to attack them on both flanks. The Romans, in + those days, little understood the use of cavalry, the troops frequently + dismounting and fighting on foot. Hannibal's soldiers were, on the other + hand, trained to fight in tactics resembling those of modern days. No + sooner was the word given to charge than the Carthaginian horse, delighted + at being at last, after all their toils and sufferings, within striking + distance of their foes, gave a mighty shout, and setting spurs to their + splendid horses flung themselves at the enemy. + </p> + <p> + The charge of this solid mass of picked cavalry was irresistible. They + swept before them the skirmishers and Gaulish horse, and fell with fury + upon the main body, cleaving a way far into its ranks. Before the Romans + could recover from their confusion the Numidian horse burst down upon + their flanks. The charge was irresistible; large numbers of the Romans + were killed and the rest fled in panic, hotly pursued by the + Carthaginians, until they reached the shelter of the Roman infantry, which + was advancing behind them. Scipio, who had been wounded in the fight, at + once led his army back to Piacenza. + </p> + <p> + The news of this battle reached Malchus just as he was preparing to + depart. The messenger who brought it brought also a lead horse, which + Hamilcar had sent for his son's use. Resuming his armour Malchus mounted + and rode off at once, after many warm thanks to his friends, whom he + expected to see again shortly, as they, with the rest of that section of + the tribe, were about to join the chief—the Gaulish women frequently + accompanying their husbands in their campaigns. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was delighted to rejoin the army, from which he had now been + separated more than two months. He saw with pleasure that they had now + completely recovered from the effects of their hardships, and presented as + proud and martial an appearance as when they had started from Carthagena. + </p> + <p> + The issue of their first fight with the Romans had raised their spirits + and confidence, and all were eager to enter upon the campaign which + awaited them. Malchus, upon his arrival, was appointed to the command of + the company of Gauls who formed the bodyguard of the general. Hannibal + moved up the Po and prepared to cross that river at Gambio, two days' easy + march above its junction with the Ticino. The army was accompanied by a + considerable number of the Insubres. The work of constructing a bridge was + at once commenced. + </p> + <p> + Malchus, riding through the camp, came upon the tents of his late host, + who had been joined that day by his family. To them Malchus did the + honours of the camp, took them through the lines of the Carthaginian + cavalry, showed them the elephants, and finally conducted them to + Hannibal, who received them most kindly, and presented them with many + presents in token of his thanks for their care of his kinsman. The next + day the bridge was completed and the troops began to pass over, the + natives crowding to the banks and even venturing on the bridge to witness + the imposing procession of the troops. + </p> + <p> + Malchus remained with Hannibal in the rear, but seeing that there was a + delay as the elephants crossed, he was ordered to ride on to the bridge + and see what was the matter. Finding the crowd too great to enable him to + pass on horseback, Malchus gave his horse to a soldier and pressed forward + on foot. When he reached the head of the column of elephants he found that + one of the leading animals, entertaining a doubt as to the stability of + the bridge at this point, obstinately refused to move further. Ordering + the mahout to urge the animal forward, and telling some soldiers to prick + the beast with a spear from behind, Malchus entered into conversation with + the wife and daughters of the Insubrian chief, who had received from + Hannibal a special order allowing them to take up their position on the + bridge to witness their crossing. + </p> + <p> + While he was speaking to them the elephant suddenly wheeled round and, + trumpeting loudly, tried to force his way back. A scene of wild confusion + ensued. The crowd gave way before him, several soldiers were thrust off + the bridge into the river, and Malchus and his companions were borne along + by the crowd; there was a little cry, and Malchus saw the youngest of the + girls pushed off the bridge into the river. + </p> + <p> + He flung off his helmet, unbuckled the fastenings of his breast plate and + back piece, undid the belt of his sword, and leaped in. As he rose to the + surface he heard a merry laugh beside him, and saw the girl swimming + quietly close by. Although mortified at having so hastily assumed that she + was unable to take care of herself he joined in her laugh, and swam by her + side until they reached the bank some distance down. Encumbered by the + trappings which he still retained, Malchus had far more difficulty than + the girl in gaining the shore. + </p> + <p> + “What, did you think,” she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, + “that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?” + </p> + <p> + “I did not think anything about it,” Malchus said; “I saw you pushed in + and followed without thinking at all.” + </p> + <p> + Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was + clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in his + face. + </p> + <p> + “I thank you,” she said, “just the same as if you had saved my life. You + meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, + to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde will never forget.” + </p> + <p> + By the time they reached the bridge the column had moved on. A more docile + elephant had been placed in front, and this having moved across the + doubtful portion of the bridge, the others had quickly followed. Just as + Malchus and his companion reached the end of the bridge they met her + mother and sisters coming to meet them. + </p> + <p> + There was a smile of amusement on their faces as they thanked Malchus for + his attempt at rescue, and Clotilde's sisters whispered some laughing + remarks into her ear which caused the girl to flush hotly, and to draw her + slight figure indignantly to its full height. Malchus retired to his tent + to provide himself with fresh armour and sword, for he doubted not that + those thrown aside had been carried over the bridge in the confusion. The + soldier had returned with his horse, and in a few minutes he took his + place at the head of the Gauls who were drawn up near Hannibal's tent. + </p> + <p> + The general himself soon appeared, and mounting his horse rode forward. + Malchus followed with his command, waving an adieu to the party who stood + watching the departure, and not ill pleased that those who had before + known him only as a helpless invalid, should now see him riding at the + head of the splendid bodyguard of the great commander. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal was marching nearly due east, with the intention of forcing + Scipio to give battle south of the Po. A strong Roman fortress, Castegglo + (Clastidium), lying at the foot of the hills, should have barred his way; + but Hannibal, by the medium of one of his native allies, bribed the Roman + commander to abstain from interrupting his march. Then he pressed forward + until on the third day after crossing the Po he came within sight of + Piacenza, under whose walls the Roman army were ranged. + </p> + <p> + Scipio, after his disastrous cavalry conflict, had written to Rome urging + his inability, with the force under his command, to give battle single + handed to Hannibal, and begging that he might be at once reinforced by the + army under Sempronius, then lying at Ariminum (Rimini). The united + consular armies, he represented, should take up their position on the + river Trebia. + </p> + <p> + This river rose in the Apennines but a short distance from Genoa, and + flowed nearly due north into the Po at Piacenza. The Roman army there + would therefore effectually bar Hannibal's march into the rich plains to + the east, and would prevent him from making across the Apennines and + following the road by the coast, as they would, should he undertake such a + movement, be able to fall on his rear. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal pitched his camp on the Nure, about five miles from Piacenza, but + Scipio remained immovable in his lines waiting for the arrival of his + colleague. Hannibal's position was a difficult one. He had traversed the + Pyrenees and the Alps that he might attack Rome; but between him and + Southern Italy lay yet another barrier, the Apennines. Scipio had missed + him after he had crossed the Pyrenees, had been too late to attack him + when, exhausted and worn out, his army emerged from the Alps; but now, + united with Sempronius, he hoped to crush him at the foot of the + Apennines. Hannibal wished, if possible, to prevent a junction of the two + Roman armies, but if that could not be done he determined to fight them + together. + </p> + <p> + Scipio perceived the danger of his position; and in order to be able the + better to join Sempronius he left Piacenza under cover of night, and took + up a strong position on the banks of the Trebia. Here he could maintain + his communications direct with Rome, and, if absolutely necessary, fall + back and join his colleague advancing towards him. Hannibal, when he + perceived Scipio's change of position, broke up his camp and took post on + the Trebiola, a little stream running into the Trebia and facing the Roman + camp at a distance of four miles. + </p> + <p> + He was now powerless to prevent the junction of the two Roman armies, and + for nearly a month Scipio and Hannibal lay watching each other. By that + time Sempronius was within a day's march of Scipio. Hannibal had not been + idle during this time of rest. He had been occupied in cementing his + alliance with the Gaulish tribes inhabiting the Lombard plains. These, + seeing how rapidly Hannibal had cleared the province of the Romans, + believed that their deliverance would be accomplished, and for the most + part declared for the Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's agents had also been at work at Clastidium, and the prefect of + the garrison was induced by a bribe to surrender the place to him. This + was of enormous advantage to Hannibal, and a corresponding blow to the + Romans, for Clastidium was the chief magazine north of the Apennines. The + news of the fall of this important place filled Sempronius, an energetic + and vigorous general, with fury. He at once rode down from his camp to + that of Scipio and proposed that Hannibal should be attacked instantly. + </p> + <p> + Scipio, who was still suffering from the wound he had received in the + cavalry engagement, urged that the Roman army should remain where they + were, if necessary, through the coming winter. He pointed out that + Hannibal's Gaulish allies would lose heart at seeing him inactive, and + would cease to furnish him with supplies, and that he would be obliged + either to attack them at a disadvantage or to retire from the position he + occupied. But Sempronius was an ambitious man, the time for the consular + election was approaching, and he was unwilling to leave for his successor + the glory of crushing Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + The fact, too, that Scipio was wounded and unable to take part in the + battle added to his desire to force it on, since the whole glory of the + victory would be his. He therefore told his colleague that although he saw + the force of his arguments, public opinion in Rome was already so excited + at Hannibal having been allowed, without a battle, to wrest so wide a + territory from Rome, that it was absolutely necessary that an action + should be fought. The two armies were now united on the Trebia, and + opinion was among the officers and troops, as between the consuls, widely + divided as to the best course to be pursued. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's spies among the natives kept him acquainted with what was going + on in the Roman camp, and he determined to provoke the Romans to battle. + He therefore despatched two thousand infantry and a thousand cavalry to + ravage the lands of some Gaulish allies of the Romans. Sempronius sent off + the greater part of his cavalry, with a thousand light infantry, to drive + back the Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + In the fight which ensued the Romans were worsted. Still more furious, + Sempronius marched to support them with his army. Hannibal called in his + troops and drew them off before Sempronius would arrive. The + disappointment and rage of the Roman general were great, and Hannibal felt + that he could now bring on a battle when he would. He determined to fight + in the plain close to his own position. This was flat and bare, and was + traversed by the Trebiola. This stream ran between steep banks below the + level of the plain; its banks were covered with thick bushes and reeds, + and the narrow gap across the plain was scarce noticeable. + </p> + <p> + On the evening of the twenty-fifth of December Hannibal moved his army out + from the camp and formed up on the plain facing the Trebia, ordering the + corps commanded by his brother Mago to enter the bed of the Trebiola, and + to conceal themselves there until they received his orders to attack. The + position Mago occupied would bring him on the left rear of an army which + had crossed the Trebia, and was advancing to attack the position taken up + by Hannibal. Having thus prepared for the battle, Hannibal proceeded to + provoke it. + </p> + <p> + At daybreak on the twenty-sixth he despatched a strong body of horsemen + across the river. Crossing the Trebia partly by ford and partly by + swimming, the Carthaginian horse rode up to the palisade surrounding the + Roman camp, where, with insulting shouts and the hurling of their + javelins, they aroused the Roman soldiers from their slumber. This insult + had the desired effect, Sempronius rushed from his tent, furious at what + he deemed the insolence of the Carthaginians, and called his troops to + arms. With their accustomed discipline the Romans fell into their ranks. + The light cavalry first issued from the palisade, the infantry followed, + the heavy cavalry brought up the rear. The insulting Numidians had already + retired, but Sempronius was now determined to bring on the battle. He + marched down the river and crossed at a ford. + </p> + <p> + The water was intensely cold, the river was in flood, the ford waist deep + as the soldiers marched across it. Having gained the opposite bank, the + Roman general formed his army in order of battle. His infantry, about + forty-five thousand strong, was formed in three parallel lines; the + cavalry, five thousand strong, was on the flanks. The infantry consisted + of sixteen thousand Roman legionary or heavy infantry, and six thousand + light infantry. The Italian tribes, allied to Rome, had supplied twenty + thousand infantry; the remaining three thousand were native allies. The + infantry occupied a front of two and a half miles in length; the cavalry + extended a mile and a quarter on each flank. Thus the Roman front of + battle was five miles in extent. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's force was inferior in strength; his infantry of the line were + twenty thousand strong. He had eight thousand light infantry and ten + thousand cavalry. The Carthaginian formation was much deeper than the + Roman, and Hannibal's line of battle was less than two miles long. In + front of it were the elephants, thirty-six in number, divided in pairs, + and placed in intervals of a hundred yards between each pair. + </p> + <p> + While the Romans, exposed to a bitterly cold wind, chilled to the bone by + their immersion in the stream, and having come breakfastless from camp, + were forming their long order of battle, Hannibal's troops, gathered round + blazing fires, were eating a hearty breakfast; after which, in high + spirits and confidence, they prepared for the fight. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal called the officers together and addressed them in stirring + words, which were repeated by them to the soldiers. The Roman preparations + had occupied a long time, and it was afternoon before they advanced in + order of battle. When within a short distance of the Carthaginians they + halted, and the trumpets and musical instruments on both sides blew notes + of defiance. Then the Carthaginian slingers stole out between the ranks of + their heavy infantry, passed between the elephants, and commenced the + battle. + </p> + <p> + Each of these men carried three slings, one of which was used for long + distances, another when nearer to the foe, the third when close at hand. + In action one of these slings was wound round the head, one round the + body, the third carried in hand. Their long distance missiles were leaden + bullets, and so skilful were they that it is said they could hit with + certainty the face of a foe standing at slinging distance. + </p> + <p> + Naked to the waist they advanced, and with their long distance slings + hurled the leaden bullets at the Roman infantry. When closer they + exchanged their slings and discharged from them egg shaped pebbles which + they had gathered from the bed of the Trebia. When within still closer + distance with the third slings they poured in volleys of much larger and + heavier stones, with such tremendous force that it seemed as though they + were sent from catapults. Against such a storm of missiles the Roman + skirmishers could make no stand, and were instantly driven back. + </p> + <p> + Their Cretan archers, after shooting away their arrows with but small + effect, for the strings had been damped in crossing the river, also fled + behind the heavy troops; and these in turn were exposed to the hail of + stones. Disorganized by this attack, the like of which they had never + experienced before, their helmets crushed in, their breastplates and + shields battered and dented, the front line of the Romans speedily fell + into confusion. Sempronius ordered up his war machines for casting stones + and javelins, but these too had been injured in their passage across the + river. + </p> + <p> + The hail of Carthaginian missiles continued until the Roman light infantry + were forced to fall back; and the slingers were then recalled, and the + heavy infantry of the two armies stood facing each other. The + Carthaginians took up close order, and, shoulder to shoulder, their bodies + covered with their shields, they advanced to meet the legions of Rome. As + they moved, their music—flute, harp, and lyre—rose on the air + in a military march, and keeping step the long line advanced with perfect + order and regularity. In the centre were the Carthaginian foot soldiers + and their African allies, clothed alike in a red tunic, with helmet of + bronze, steel cuirass and circular shield, and carrying, besides their + swords, pikes of twenty feet in length. On the left were the Spaniards, in + white tunics bordered with purple, with semicircular shields four feet in + length and thirty-two inches in width, armed with long swords used either + for cutting or thrusting. + </p> + <p> + On the left were the native allies, naked to the waist, armed with shields + and swords similar to those of the Gauls, save that the swords were used + only for cutting. + </p> + <p> + Sempronius brought up his second line to fill the intervals in the first, + and the Romans advanced with equal steadiness to the conflict; but the + much greater closeness of the Carthaginian formation served them in good + stead. They moved like a solid wall, their shields locked closely + together, and pressed steadily forward in spite of the desperate efforts + of the Roman centre in its more open order to resist them; for each Roman + soldier in battle was allowed the space of a man's width between him and + his comrade on either side, to allow him the free use of his weapon. Two + Carthaginians were therefore opposed to each Roman, in addition to which + the greater depth of the African formation gave them a weight and impetus + which was irresistible. + </p> + <p> + While this fight was going on the Numidian horsemen, ten thousand strong, + charged the Roman cavalry. These, much more lightly armed than their + opponents and inferior in numbers, were unable for a moment to withstand + the shock, and were at once driven from the field. Leaving the elephants + to pursue them and prevent them from rallying, the Numidian horsemen + turned and fell on the flanks of the long Roman line; while at the same + moment the Carthaginian slingers, issuing out again from behind the main + body, opened a tremendous fire with stones heated in furnaces brought to + the spot. + </p> + <p> + Although taken in flank, crushed under a storm of missiles, with their + cavalry defeated and their centre broken, the Romans fought steadily and + well. Hannibal now launched against their ranks the elephants attached to + the infantry, which, covered in steel armour and trumpeting loudly, + carried death and confusion into the Roman ranks. But still the legions + fought on obstinately and desperately until the sound of wild music in + their rear filled them with dismay, as Mago, with his division of Numidian + infantry, emerged from his hiding place and fell upon the Romans from + behind. + </p> + <p> + Struck with terror at the sudden appearance of these wild soldiers, of + whose ferocity they had heard so much, the Romans lost all heart and + strove now only to escape. But it was in vain. The Carthaginian infantry + were in their front, the cavalry on their flank, the Numidians in their + rear. + </p> + <p> + Some ten thousand Roman soldiers only, keeping in a solid body, cut their + way through the cavalry and reached Piacenza. + </p> + <p> + Thirty thousand were slaughtered on the plain. Many were drowned in trying + to swim the Trebia, and only the legion which had remained to guard the + camp, the broken remains of the cavalry, and the body which had escaped + from Piacenza remained of the fifty thousand men whom Sempronius + commanded. + </p> + <p> + The exultation of the victors was unbounded. The hitherto invincible + legions of Rome had been crushed. The way to Rome was clear before them. + All the fatigues and hardships they had undergone were forgotten in the + hour of triumph, and their native allies believed that their freedom from + Rome was now assured. + </p> + <p> + The verdict of great commanders of all ages has assigned to the battle of + the Trebia the glory of being the greatest military exploit ever + performed. The genius of Hannibal was shown not only in the plan of battle + and the disposition of his troops, but in the perfection with which they + were handled, in the movements which he had himself invented and taught + them, and the marvellous discipline with which he had inculcated them. + </p> + <p> + Napoleon the First assigned to Hannibal the leading place among the great + generals of the world, and the Trebia was his masterpiece. But the + Carthaginians, exulting in their victory, did not gauge the extent of the + stubbornness and resources of Rome. Sempronius himself set the example to + his countrymen. At Piacenza he rallied the remnants of his army, and wrote + to Rome, saying that he had been victorious, but that a sudden storm had + saved the enemy from destruction. + </p> + <p> + The senate understood the truth, but acted in the spirit in which he had + written. They announced to the people that a victory had been won, and + ordered the consular election to take place as usual, at the same time + issuing orders to all parts of the Roman dominion for the enrolment of + fresh troops. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal attempted to surprise Piacenza, but Scipio issued out with his + cavalry and inflicted a check upon him, Hannibal himself being slightly + wounded. The Carthaginians then marched away and stormed the town of + Vicumve, and during their absence the two consuls evacuated Piacenza and + marched south. Scipio led his portion of the little army to Ariminum + (Rimini), Sempronius took his command to Arretium (Mezzo), where they both + speedily received reinforcements. Hannibal made an attempt to cross the + Apennines, but the snow lay deep among the mountains, and, unable to + effect his purpose, he fell back again to winter in the plain. + </p> + <p> + In the meantime Cneius Servilius Geminus and Caius Flaminius had been + elected consuls. Flaminius succeeded Sempronius in command of the Roman + army at Arretium, while Geminus took the command of that at Rimini. + Between these consuls, as was usually the case in Rome, a bitter jealousy + existed. Geminus was the nominee of the aristocratic party, while + Flaminius was the idol of the populace, and, as has often been the case in + war, this rivalry between two generals possessing equal authority wrought + great evil to the armies they commanded. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV: THE BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE + </h2> + <p> + The battle of Trebia cost Malchus the loss of his father. It was against + the portion of the force headed by Hamilcar that the Romans, who cut their + way through the circle of foes which Hannibal had thrown round them, flung + themselves. Hamilcar had in vain attempted to stem the torrent. Surrounded + by his bravest officers, he had cast himself in the way of the Roman + legion; but nothing could withstand the rush of the heavy armed spearmen, + who, knowing that all was lost, and that their only hope was in cutting + their way through the Carthaginians, pressed forward, shoulder to + shoulder, and swept aside the opposition of their more lightly armed foes. + Hamilcar and most of his officers fell, striving to the last to stem the + current. + </p> + <p> + It was a grievous blow to Malchus, when, as he was exulting in the great + victory which had been gained, the news came to him that his father had + fallen. Hamilcar was very dear to him. He had been his companion and his + friend, his guide and adviser. He had encouraged him in his aspirations, + and had from his earliest years urged him to make the sacrifices and + exertions necessary to qualify him to bear a prominent part under his + cousin Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + He had been his tutor in arms, and had striven to inspire him with the + noblest sentiments. Since they had reached Spain he had seen less of him + than before, for Hamilcar felt that it was best for his son to depend upon + himself alone. He was proud of the name which Malchus was already winning + for himself, and knew that it was better for him that his advancement + should be considered due to his own exertions and gallantry and not to the + influence of his father. + </p> + <p> + When, however, they were thrown together, their relations were unchanged. + Malchus was as affectionate, as respectful, and as eager to listen to his + father's advice, as he had been as a boy, while Hamilcar was glad in the + society of his son to forget the cares and toils of the expedition in + which they had embarked and to talk of the dear ones at home. + </p> + <p> + It was only three days before the battle that they had rejoiced together + over the news which had reached them by a messenger from Gaul that Thyra + had married Adherbal, and had immediately set out with him for Carthagena, + where Adherbal had been offered a command by Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, + the governor of Spain, in his absence. + </p> + <p> + Father and son had rejoiced at this for several reasons. Hanno's faction + had now gained the upper hand, and the friends of Hannibal were subjected + to persecution of all kinds. The very life of Adherbal as a prominent + member of the Barcine party had been menaced. And it was only by embarking + secretly for Spain that he had succeeded in avoiding arrest. The property + of many of Hannibal's friends had been confiscated. Several had been put + to death under one pretext or another, and although Hamilcar did not think + that Hanno's faction would venture to bring forward any accusation against + him while he was fighting the battles of his country, he experienced a + sense of relief at the knowledge that, should the worst happen, his wife + and Anna would find a refuge and asylum with Adherbal in Spain. Hamilcar + and Malchus had discussed the matter long and seriously, and had talked, + Hamilcar with sorrow, Malchus with indignation and rage, of the state of + Carthage. + </p> + <p> + “It makes one hate one's country,” Malchus exclaimed passionately, “when + one hears of these things. You taught me to love Carthage, father, and to + be proud of her. How can one be proud of a country so misgoverned, so + corrupt, so base as this? Of what use are sacrifices and efforts here, + when at home they think of nothing but luxury and ease and the making of + money, when the best and bravest of the Carthaginians are disgraced and + dishonoured, and the people bow before these men whose wealth has been + gained solely by corruption and robbery? It makes one wish one had been + born a Roman.” + </p> + <p> + “Did not one hope that a better time would come, Malchus, when Carthage + will emancipate herself from the rule of men like Hanno and his corrupt + friends, I should, indeed, despair of her, for even the genius of Hannibal + and the valour of his troops cannot avail alone to carry to a successful + conclusion a struggle between such a state as Carthage now is and a + vigourous, patriotic, and self-reliant people like those of Rome. + </p> + <p> + “We may win battles, but, however great the victories may be, we can never + succeed in the long run against the power of Rome unless Carthage proves + true to herself. Our army is not a large one. Rome and her Latin allies + can, if need be, put ten such in the field. If Carthage at this crisis of + her fate proves worthy of the occasion, if she by a great effort again + wins the sovereignty of the sea, and sends over armies to support us in + our struggle, we may in the end triumph. If not, glorious as may be our + success for a time, we are in the end doomed to failure, and our failure + will assuredly involve the final destruction of Carthage. + </p> + <p> + “Rome will not be slow to profit by the lesson which Hannibal is teaching + her. His genius perceives that only by striking at Rome in Italy could a + vital blow be given to her. The Romans in turn will perceive that only by + an invasion of Africa can Carthage be humbled. Her task will then be far + easier than ours is now, for not only is Rome fresh, strong, and + vigourous, but she has had the wisdom to bind the Latin peoples around her + closely to her by bestowing upon them the rights of citizenship, by making + them feel that her cause is theirs. + </p> + <p> + “Upon the other hand, Carthage has throughout her history been paving the + way for her fall. She fights, but it is with foreign mercenaries. She + stamps under foot the people she has conquered, and while her tax + collectors grind them to the earth, and she forces them to send their sons + to fight her battles, she gives them no share in her privileges, no voice + in her councils. + </p> + <p> + “I had hoped, Malchus, that at such a moment as this faction would have + been silent at Carthage, and a feeling of patriotism would once again have + asserted itself. I find that it is not so, and my heart sinks for my + country. Were it not for my wife and family, Malchus, I would gladly die + in the coming battle.” + </p> + <p> + The words recurred to Malchus as he sat in his tent by the side of his + father's body on the night after the battle of the Trebia, and a deep + bitterness mingled with his sorrow. + </p> + <p> + “Giscon was right,” he exclaimed. “All means are justifiable to rid one's + country of those who are destroying her. It makes one mad to think that + while men like my father are fighting and dying for their country, the + tribunes of the democracy, who fatten on our spoils, are plotting against + them at home. Henceforth, I fight not as a Carthaginian, but as a soldier + of Hannibal, and will aid him in his endeavour to humble Rome; not that + Carthage, with her blood stained altars, her corrupt officials, and her + indolent population, may continue to exist, but that these manly and + valiant Gauls who have thrown in their lot with us may live free and + independent of the yoke of Rome. These people are rude and primitive, but + their simple virtues, their love of freedom, their readiness to die rather + than to be slaves, put the sham patriotism of Carthage to shame.” + </p> + <p> + When the army went into winter quarters, and Hannibal dismissed his + Gaulish allies, with many rich presents, to their homes, Malchus obtained + leave from Hannibal to depart with Allobrigius—the chief of the + Insubrian tribe living on the Orcus—who had, with his fighting men, + accompanied Hannibal through the campaign. The chief's wife and daughters + had returned after seeing the army across the Po. Malchus had sought the + society of his late host during the campaign, had often ridden beside him + on the march, and had spent the evening in his tent talking either of the + civilization of Carthage, which seemed wonderful indeed to the simple + Gaulish chieftain, or of the campaign on which they were engaged. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had by this time mastered the differences between the dialect of + the Cisalpine Gauls and that of those in Gaul itself and Iberia, with + which he was already acquainted. The chief was gratified by the friendship + of Hannibal's kinsman, and liked the frank simplicity of his manner. He + had laughed loudly when his wife had told him how Malchus had leaped from + the bridge to save the life of Clotilde when she fell into the river. But + the act had proved that Malchus was grateful for the kindness which had + been shown him, and had cemented the friendship between them. Therefore, + when the campaign came to a close, he had offered a hearty invitation to + Malchus to spend the time, until the army should again assemble, with him + in his village on the banks of the Orcus. Hannibal had smiled when Malchus + had asked for leave of absence. + </p> + <p> + “Those daughters of the chief whom you presented to me on the day when we + crossed the Po are the fairest I have seen in Gaul. Malchus, are you + thinking of keeping up the traditions of our family? My father wedded all + my sisters, as you know, to native princes in Africa, and I took an + Iberian maiden as my wife. It would be in every way politic and to be + desired that one so nearly related to me as yourself should form an + alliance by marriage with one of these Gaulish chiefs.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus laughed somewhat confusedly. + </p> + <p> + “It will be time to talk about marriage some years hence, Hannibal; I am + scarce twenty yet, and she is but a girl.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! there is a she in the case,” Hannibal laughed; “and my arrow drawn at + a venture has struck home. Ah! yes, there were three of them, two tall and + stately maidens and one still a slim and unformed girl. Indeed, I remember + now having heard that you lost your armour and helmet in jumping off the + bridge across the Po to fish out one of the daughters of Allobrigius, who + turned out to be able to swim much better than you could. I had a hearty + laugh over it with your poor father, but with the Romans at Piacenza and a + great battle before us the matter passed from my mind. So that is how the + wind lies. Well, as you say, you are both young, and there is no saying + what the next two or three years may bring forth. However, bear in mind + that such an alliance would please me much, and remember also that the + Gaulish maidens marry young, and in times like ours, Malchus, it is never + well to delay long.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus took with him Nessus, who had, from the day when they escaped + together from Scipio's camp, been always near his person, had carried his + helmet on the line of march, slept next to him by the campfire, and fought + by his side in battle, ready at any moment to give his life to avert harm + from his leader. + </p> + <p> + The return of Allobrigius and his tribesmen was celebrated by great + rejoicings on the Orcus. The women and old men and boys met them some + miles from the village, raising loud cries of welcome and triumph as they + returned from their successful campaign against their former oppressors. + Among no people were family ties held more precious than among the Gauls, + and the rough military order which the tribesmen had preserved upon their + march was at once broken up when the two parties met. + </p> + <p> + Wives rushed into the arms of husbands, mothers embraced their sons, girls + hung on the necks of their fathers and brothers. There was nothing to mar + the joy of the meeting, for messengers had from time to time carried news + from the army to the village, and the women who had lost those dearest to + them in the campaign remained behind in the village, so that their + mourning should not mar the brightness of the return of the tribe. + </p> + <p> + Brunilda, the wife of the chief, stood with her daughters a little apart + from the crowd on a rising knoll of ground, and the chief, who was mounted + upon a horse taken from the Romans at the Trebia, spurred forward towards + them, while Malchus hung behind to let the first greeting pass over before + he joined the family circle. He had, however, been noticed, and Clotilde's + cheeks were colouring hotly when her father rode up, from some laughing + remark from her sisters. Brunilda received Malchus cordially, saying that + she had often heard of him in the messages sent by her husband. + </p> + <p> + “He has come to stop the winter with us,” Allobrigius said. “I promised + him a warm welcome, and he needs rest and quiet, as do we all, for it has + been hard work even to seasoned men like us. What with snow and rain I + have scarcely been dry since I left you.” + </p> + <p> + “That would not matter to the young Carthaginian lord,” the eldest girl + said with a smile; “we know that he rather likes getting wet, don't we, + Clotilde?” she said, turning to her sister, who was, contrary to her usual + custom, standing shyly behind her. + </p> + <p> + “I am afraid I shall never hear the last of that,” Malchus laughed; “I can + only say that I meant well.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course you did,” Allobrigius said; “you could not know that our + Gaulish maidens could swim and march, and, if necessary, fight as stoutly + as the men. The Romans before now have learned that, in the absence of the + men from the camp, the women of Gaul can fight desperately for country, + and home, and honour. Do not let yourself be troubled by what these wild + girls say, my lord Malchus; you know our Gaulish women are free of tongue, + and hold not their men in such awe and deference as is the custom among + other nations.” + </p> + <p> + “I am accustomed to be laughed at,” Malchus said smiling; “I have two + sisters at home, and, whatever respect women may pay to their lords in + Carthage, I suppose that neither there nor anywhere else have girls + respect for their brothers.” + </p> + <p> + The music at this moment struck up, the harpers began a song which they + had composed in honour of the occasion, the tribesmen fell into their + ranks again, and Allobrigius placed himself at their head. Malchus + dismounted, and, leading his horse, walked by the side of Brunilda, who, + with the rest of the women, walked on the flanks of the column on its way + back to the village. + </p> + <p> + The next three months passed very pleasantly to Malchus. In the day he + hunted the boar, the bear, and the wolf among the mountains with + Allobrigius; of an evening he sat by the fire and listened to the songs of + the harpers or to the tales of the wars and wanderings of the Gaulish + tribes, or himself told the story of Carthage and Tyre and the wars of the + former with the Romans, described the life and manners of the great city, + or the hunting of the lion in the Libyan deserts. + </p> + <p> + While his listeners wondered at the complex life and strange arts and + magnificence of Carthage, Malchus was struck with the simple existence, + the warm family ties, the honest sincerity, and the deep love of freedom + of the Gauls. When Brunilda and her daughter sighed with envy at the + thought of the luxuries and pleasures of the great city, he told them that + they would soon weary of so artificial an existence, and that Carthage, + with its corruption, its ever present dread of the rising of one class + against another, its constant fear of revolt from the people it had + enslaved, its secret tribunals, its oppression and tyranny, had little + which need be envied by the free tribes of Gaul. + </p> + <p> + “I grant,” he said, “that you would gain greater comfort by adopting + something of our civilization. You might improve your dwellings, hangings + round your walls would keep out the bitter winds, well made doors are in + winter very preferable to the skins which hang at your entrance, and I do + think that a Carthaginian cook might, with advantage, give lessons to the + tribes as to preparations of food; but beyond that I think that you have + the best of it.” + </p> + <p> + “The well built houses you speak of,” Allobrigius said, “have their + advantages, but they have their drawbacks. A people who once settle down + into permanent abodes have taken the first step towards losing their + freedom. Look at all the large towns in the plains; until lately each of + them held a Roman garrison. In the first place, they offer an incentive to + the attack of a covetous foe; in the second, they bind their owners to + them. The inhabitants of a town cling to their houses and possessions, + and, if conquered, become mere slaves to their captors; we who live in + dwellings which cost but a few weeks of work, whose worldly goods are the + work of our own hands, or the products of the chase, should never be + conquered; we may be beaten, but if so, we can retire before our enemies + and live in freedom in the forest or mountains, or travel beyond the reach + of our foes. + </p> + <p> + “Had not your army come and freed us from Rome I was already meditating + moving with my tribe across the great mountains to the north and settling + among Brunilda's people in the German forests, far beyond the reach of + Rome. What though, as she tells me, the winters are long and severe, the + people ignorant of many of the comforts which we have adopted from our + neighbours; at least we should be free, and of all blessings none is to + compare with that.” + </p> + <p> + “I agree with you,” Malchus said, thinking of the plots and conspiracies, + the secret denunciations, the tyranny and corruption of Carthage, “it is + good to be great, but it is better to be free. However,” he added more + cheerfully, “I trust that we are going to free you from all future fear of + Rome, and that you will be able to enjoy your liberty here without having + to remove to the dark forests and long winter of the country north of the + Alps.” + </p> + <p> + So passed the winter. Early in the spring a messenger arrived from + Hannibal bidding Malchus rejoin him, and calling upon Allobrigius to + prepare to take the field against the Romans. Similar messages had been + sent to all the Gaulish tribes friendly to Carthage, and early in March + Hannibal prepared to cross the Apennines and to advance against Rome. + </p> + <p> + The position occupied by the two Roman armies barred the only two roads by + which it was believed that Hannibal could march upon Rome, but as soon as + the spring commenced Hannibal started by a path, hitherto untrodden by + troops, across the Apennines. In the march the troops suffered even + greater hardships than those which they had undergone in the passage of + the Alps, for during four days and three nights they marched knee deep in + water, unable for a single moment to lie down. + </p> + <p> + While ever moving backwards and forwards among his men to encourage them + with his presence and words, even the iron frame of Hannibal gave way + under the terrible hardships. The long continued strain, the want of + sleep, and the obnoxious miasma from the marshes, brought on a fever and + cost him the sight of one of his eyes. Of all the elephants but one + survived the march, and it was with an army as worn out and exhausted as + that which had issued from the Alps that he descended into the fertile + plains of Tuscany, near Fiesole. + </p> + <p> + The army of Flaminius, 30,000 strong, was still lying at Arezzo, on his + direct road south, and it was with this only that Hannibal had now to + deal, the force of Servilius being still far away at Rimini. His own army + was some 35,000 strong, and crossing the Upper Arno near Florence, + Hannibal marched towards Arezzo. Flaminius, as soon as he had heard that + Hannibal was ascending the slopes of the Apennines, had sent to Servilius + to join him, but the latter, alleging that he feared an invasion by the + Gaulish tribes on the north, refused to move, but sent four thousand + cavalry to Flaminius. This brought the armies to nearly equal strength, + but, although Hannibal marched his troops within sight of Arezzo, + Flaminius would not issue from his camp to attack him. + </p> + <p> + He knew that Hannibal had defeated a force of tried troops, much exceeding + his own in numbers, in the north, and that he would therefore probably be + successful against one which scarcely equalled his own. He hoped, too, + that Hannibal would attack him in his intrenched position. This the + Carthaginian general had no intention of doing, but, leaving the camp + behind him, marched on, plundering and ravaging the country towards Rome. + Flaminius at once broke up his camp and followed on his track, preparing + to take any opportunity which might occur to fall upon the Carthaginians, + and knowing that the senate would at once call up the army of Servilius to + assist him. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, by means of scouts left in his rear, found that Flaminius was + marching on with his troops in solid column, taking no precaution against + surprise, secure in the belief that Hannibal's object was to march on Rome + without a stop. The Carthaginian general prepared at once to take + advantage of his enemy's carelessness. He halted his troops at Cortona. + The road by which he had passed wound along the shore of Lake Trasimene, + at the foot of a range of steep hills, which approached closely to the + water. + </p> + <p> + Half way along these hills a stream runs down a valley into the lake, and + in the valley, completely hidden from the sight of an enemy approaching, + Hannibal placed the Numidian cavalry and the Gaulish infantry. Among some + woods clothing the lower slope of the hills facing the lake he placed his + light troops, while the Spanish and African infantry and the Gaulish + cavalry were similarly hidden on the outer slopes of the hill in readiness + to close in on the rear of the Romans when they had entered on the road + between the hills and the lake. + </p> + <p> + No better position could have been chosen for a surprise. When once the + Romans had entered the path between the hills and the lake there was no + escape for them. They were shut up between the wood clad hills swarming + with the Carthaginian light troops and the lake, while the heavy infantry + and cavalry of Hannibal were ready to fall on them front and rear. + </p> + <p> + When Flaminius arrived at Cortona late at night he heard of the ravages + and executions committed by the Carthaginians, as they had passed through + early in the morning, and resolved to press forward at daybreak in hopes + of finding some opportunity for falling upon and punishing them. When day + broke it seemed favourable to his design, for a thick mist was rising from + the lake and marshes. This, he thought, would conceal his advance from the + Carthaginians, while, as the high ground ahead rose above the mist, he + would be enabled to see their position. He pushed forward then rapidly, + thinking that he should be able to overtake the rear of the Carthaginian + army as it moved slowly along encumbered with its plunder. + </p> + <p> + As he neared the entrance to the pass he caught sight of the heavy armed + Carthaginians on the distant hill above the level of the mist, and + believing that his own movements were hidden from the enemy, pushed + forward as fast as the infantry could march. But the moment the rear of + his column had entered the narrow flat between the foot of the hills and + the lake, the Numidians quietly moved down and closed the pass behind + them, while Hannibal with his heavy infantry descended from the farther + hill to confront him. When all was ready he gave the signal, and at once + in front, on their right flank, and on their rear the Carthaginians fell + upon them. + </p> + <p> + The light troops heralded their attack by rolling a vast quantity of rocks + down the hill on the long column, and then, pressing down through the + woods, poured their arrows and javelins into the struggling mass. + </p> + <p> + Taken wholly by surprise, unable to advance or retreat, desperate at + finding themselves thus caught in a trap, the Romans fought bravely but in + vain. An earthquake shook the ground on which the terrible fight was going + on; but not for a moment did it interrupt the struggle. For three hours + the Romans, although suffering terribly, still fought on; then Flaminius + was killed, and from that time they thought only of escape. But this was + next to impossible. Six thousand only cut their way out. Fifteen thousand + fell, and nine thousand were taken prisoners. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the battle was over Hannibal despatched Maharbal with his + division of the army in pursuit of the six thousand who had escaped, and, + overtaking them next morning at Perugia, Maharbal forced them to + surrender. At the same time he detached a strong force against the four + thousand horsemen, whom Servilius had despatched from Rimini to aid his + colleague, and the whole of these were surrounded and taken prisoners. + Thus of the Roman army, thirty-six thousand strong, not a single man + escaped. + </p> + <p> + In all history there is no record of so great and successful a surprise. + Hannibal retained as prisoners the Roman citizens and Latins, but released + the rest of the captives, telling them that, far from being their enemy, + he had invaded Italy for the purpose of liberating its helpless people + from the tyranny of the Roman domination. The loss to the Carthaginians in + the battle of Lake Trasimene was only fifteen hundred men. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal has been blamed for not advancing against Rome after the battle + of Lake Trasimene; but he knew that he could not hope to subdue that city + so long as she was surrounded by faithful allies. His army was numerically + insufficient to undertake such a siege, and was destitute of the machines + for battering the walls. Rome was still defended by the city legions, + besides which every man capable of bearing arms was a soldier. The bitter + hostility of the Latins would have rendered it difficult in the extreme + for the army to have obtained provisions while carrying on the siege, + while in its rear, waiting for an opportunity to attack, would have lain + the army of Servilius, thirty thousand strong, and growing daily more + numerous as the friends and allies of Rome flocked to its banners. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal saw that to undertake such an enterprise at present would be + ruin. His course was clear. He had to beat the armies which Rome could put + into the field; to shake the confidence of the Italian tribes in the power + of Rome; to subsist his army upon their territories, and so gradually to + detach them from their alliance with Rome. He hoped that, by the time this + work was finished, Carthage would send another great army to his + assistance provided with siege materials, and he would then be able to + undertake with confidence the great task of striking a vital blow at Rome + herself. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus,” Hannibal said one day, “I wish you to ride north. The tribes at + the foot of the hills promised to aid us, but have so far done nothing. If + they would pour down to the plains now they would occupy the tribes + friendly to the Romans, and would prevent them from sending men and stores + to them. They sent me a message a month ago, saying that they were still + willing to help us, and I then replied that I had been long waiting to + hear that they had risen, and urged them to do so without loss of time. I + have not heard since, and fear that the Roman agents have, by promises of + money and privileges, prevailed upon them to keep quiet. It is a service + of danger; for if they have been bought over they may seize you and send + you in token of their goodwill as a prisoner to Rome; but I know that will + not deter you.” + </p> + <p> + “I am ready to go,” Malchus said, “and will start today. What force shall + I take with me, and which of the chiefs shall I first see?” + </p> + <p> + “You had best go first to Ostragarth. He is the most powerful of the + chiefs on this side of the Apennines. You can select from the treasury + such presents as you may choose for him and the others. You can promise + them large grants of the land of the tribes aiding the Romans, together + with a share in the plunder of the cities. I leave you quite free. In + those respects you will be guided by what you see they want; but any + promises you may make I will ratify. As to men I should not take a large + escort. Force will, of course, be of no avail, and the appearance of a + large number of troops might alarm them at once. Twenty men will be + sufficient for dignity, and as a protection against any small bodies of + the hostile tribesmen you may meet on your way; but have no frays if you + can avoid it. The mission is an important one, and its success should not + be risked merely to defeat a body of tribesmen. Go in your handsomest + armour, and make as brave a show as you can, as my ambassador and kinsman. + Take twenty of the Carthaginian horse; they will impose more upon the + barbarians than would the Libyans or Numidians. Take your friend Trebon as + their commander and a companion for yourself.” + </p> + <p> + In two hours Malchus and his escort were ready to start. As their journey + would be rapid they carried no stores with them, save three days' + provisions, which each man carried at his saddlebow, and a bag containing + a few feeds of corn for the horse. They took with them, however, two + baggage horses laden with arms, armour, garments, and other presents for + the chiefs. + </p> + <p> + They passed rapidly across the country, meeting with no hostile parties, + for the raids of Hannibal's light armed horse had so terrified the people + that the villages were for the most part deserted, the inhabitants having + sought refuge in the fortified towns. After two days' brisk riding they + arrived at the foot of the hills, and their progress was now slower. The + village of Ostragarth lay far up among them, and, being ignorant of the + direction, Malchus broke the troop up into parties of four, and sent them + up different valleys with orders to capture the first native they came + across, and oblige him either by threats or promises to act as a guide to + the stronghold of the chief. + </p> + <p> + “I sincerely trust that this barbarian is friendly, Malchus, for the + country looks wild and difficult in the extreme, and the forests which + clothe these hills are thick and tangled. On the plain we can laugh at the + natives, however numerous, and with twenty men I would charge a thousand + of them; but among these hills it is different, one cannot find a level + spot for a charge, and, if it comes to running, the mountaineers are as + fleet as a horse on the broken ground of their hills.” + </p> + <p> + “I agree with you, Trebon, that it would go hard with us, and that the + utmost we could hope for would be a visit to Rome as captives. Still, + these chiefs all offered alliance to Hannibal as he went south, and the + success which has attended us should surely bind them to our interests. + They are ever willing to join the winning side, and so far fortune has + been wholly with us.” + </p> + <p> + “That is so, Malchus, but then they see that the tribes of the plains + still hold aloof from us and pin their faith on Rome. They must know that + we are receiving no reinforcements to fill the gaps made in battle, and + may well fear to provoke the anger of Rome by taking part with us before + our success is, as they consider, absolutely secure.” + </p> + <p> + “On the same grounds then, Trebon, they will be equally unwilling to + offend us by any hostility until the scale is decidedly weighed down + against us. Hannibal's anger might be as terrible as that of the Romans.” + </p> + <p> + “There is something in that, Malchus, but not so much as you think. If + Rome wins, Rome will have ample time and ample power, with the aid of all + her native allies, to punish any who may have declared against her. On the + other hand, should Carthage triumph, they may consider it probable that we + should sack and burn Rome and then retire, or that if we remain there will + be so much to arrange, so many tribes in the plains to subjugate and + pacify, that we shall be little likely to undertake expeditions in the + mountains. Therefore, you see, prudent men would decide for Rome. Could we + have marched straight on after the victory at Lake Trasimene and have + captured Rome, all these mountain tribes would have taken the opportunity + to pour down into the plains to plunder and slay under the pretence of + being our allies.” + </p> + <p> + It was not until nightfall that the five parties returned to the spot + where they had left their leaders. Three of them had been entirely + unsuccessful, but the other two had each brought in a native. These men + looked sullen and obstinate, and it was not until Malchus had ordered a + halter to be placed round their necks and threatened them with instant + death that they consented to act as guides. + </p> + <p> + A vigilant watch was kept over them all night, and at daybreak next + morning the party started. For some miles they rode along at the foot of + the mountains, and then entered a valley up which a little used track ran. + The men upon being questioned intimated that it was several hours' journey + to the village of the chief of whom they were in search. + </p> + <p> + This, indeed, proved to be the case, for it was not till the afternoon, + after many hours' weary journey up gorges and through mountain valleys, + that they arrived within sight of the village of Ostragarth. It was + situated on one side of the valley, and consisted of huts surrounded by a + rough stone wall of such height that only the tops of the circular roofs + were visible above it. A loud shrill cry was heard as they came in sight, + a cow horn was blown in the village, and instantly men could be seen + running in. Others, engaged in tending flocks of goats high up on the + mountain side, left their charges and began to hurry down. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV: A MOUNTAIN TRIBE + </h2> + <p> + “It is a petty place for a chief of any power,” Trebon said. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” Malchus agreed, “but I fancy these hill tribes are broken up into a + very large number of small villages in isolated valleys, only uniting when + the order of the chief calls upon them to defend the mountains against an + invader, or to make a simultaneous raid upon the plains.” + </p> + <p> + As they neared the village several persons were seen to issue out from the + gate, and among these was a small and elderly man, evidently the chief of + the party. His white hair descended to his waist; a boy standing behind + him carried his bow and several javelins. The rest of the men appeared to + be unarmed. + </p> + <p> + “He is a crafty looking old fellow,” Malchus said as he alighted and + advanced towards the chief, “but I suppose he has made up his mind to + receive us as friends, at any rate for the present. + </p> + <p> + “I come, chief, as an ambassador from the Carthaginian general. When we + passed south he received messengers from you, saying that you were ready + to enter into an alliance with him. To this he agreed, and sent presents. + Since then you have done nothing, although he has sent to you urging you + to aid him by making an attack on the tribes allied to Rome. In every + battle which he has fought with the Romans he has defeated them with great + slaughter; but, owing to the aid which they have received from the tribes + in alliance with them, they are enabled continually to put fresh armies in + the field. Therefore it is that he has sent me to you and to the other + chiefs of the tribes inhabiting the mountains, to urge you to descend with + your forces into the plains, and so oblige the tribes there to turn their + attention to their own defence rather than to the sending of assistance to + Rome. He has sent by my hands many valuable presents, and has authorized + me to promise you, in his name, such lands as you may wish to obtain + beyond the foot of the hills. He promises you, also, a share in the booty + taken at the sack of the Italian cities.” + </p> + <p> + “Will you please to enter,” the chief said, speaking a patois of Latin + which Malchus found it difficult to understand. “We will then discuss the + matters concerning which you speak.” + </p> + <p> + So saying he led the way through the gates to a hut somewhat larger than + the rest. + </p> + <p> + “Do you enter with me, Trebon, but let your men remain in their saddle, + and hold our horses in readiness for us to mount speedily if there be + need. I doubt the friendliness of this old fellow and his people.” + </p> + <p> + Upon entering the hut Malchus observed at once that the walls were covered + with hangings which were new and fresh, and he detected some costly armour + half hidden in a corner. + </p> + <p> + “The Romans have been here before us,” he muttered to his companion; “the + question is, how high have they bid for his support.” + </p> + <p> + The chief took his seat on a roughly carved chair, and seats were brought + in for his visitors. He began by asking an account of the state of affairs + in the plains. Malchus answered him truthfully, except that he exaggerated + a little the effects that the Carthaginian victories had produced among + the natives. The chief asked many questions, and was evidently by some + means well informed on the subject. He then expressed a desire to see the + presents which they had brought him. Trebon went out and returned with two + soldiers bearing them. + </p> + <p> + “I don't like the look of things,” he said in a low voice. “The number of + men in the village has trebled since we arrived, and they still keep + coming in. None of them show arms at present, but no doubt they are hidden + close at hand. I believe the chief is only keeping us in conversation till + he considers that a sufficient force has arrived to make sure of us.” + </p> + <p> + “We can't break it off now,” Malchus said, “and must take our chance. It + would not do to ensure a failure by showing suspicion.” + </p> + <p> + The chief examined the presents with great care and announced his + satisfaction at them. Then he entered upon the question of the land which + he was to receive, inquired whether the towns were to be captured by the + Carthaginians and handed over to him, or were to be captured by his + forces. When these points had been arranged, as it seemed, satisfactorily, + he entered upon questions in dispute between himself and other chiefs of + the mountain tribes. Malchus said he had no instructions as to these + points, which were new to him, but that in all questions between the chief + and tribes hostile to Carthage, full satisfaction would be given him. As + to those between himself and other chiefs, who might also join against the + Romans, if they elected to submit them to Hannibal for decision he would + arbitrate between them. + </p> + <p> + At this moment a horn was blown outside. A din of voices instantly arose, + which was followed immediately afterwards by the clashing of weapons. + Malchus and his companion leaped to their feet and rushed from the hut. + They found that their men were attacked by a crowd of mountaineers. In an + instant they leaped on their horses, and drawing their swords joined in + the fray. The number of their foes was large, a great many men having come + in since Trebon had last issued out. The attack was a determined one. + Those next to the horsemen hewed at them with axes, those further back + hurled darts and javelins, while others crept in among the horses and + stabbed them from beneath with their long knives. + </p> + <p> + “We must get out of this or we are lost,” Trebon exclaimed, and, + encouraging the men with his shouts, he strove to hew a way through the + crowd to the gate, while Malchus faced some of the men round and covered + the rear. Several of the Carthaginians were already dismounted, owing to + their horses being slain, and some of them were despatched before they + could gain their feet. Malchus shouted to the others to leap up behind + their comrades. + </p> + <p> + By dint of desperate efforts Trebon and the soldiers with him cleared the + way to the gate, but those behind were so hampered by the enemy that they + were unable to follow. The natives clung to their legs and strove to pull + them off their horses, while a storm of blows was hurled upon them. + Trebon, seeing the danger of those behind, had turned, and in vain tried + to cut his way back to them; but the number of the natives was too great. + Malchus seeing this shouted at the top of his voice: + </p> + <p> + “Fly, Trebon, you cannot help us, save those you can.” Seeing that he + could render his friend no assistance, Trebon turned round and galloped + off with nine of the soldiers who had made their way with him to the gate. + Five had already fallen, and Malchus shouted to the other six to throw + down their arms and yield themselves as prisoners. This they did, but two + of them were killed before the villagers perceived they had surrendered. + </p> + <p> + Malchus and the others were dragged from their horses, bound hand and + foot, and thrown into one of the huts. The natives shouted in triumph, and + yells of delight arose as the packages borne by the baggage animals were + examined, and the variety of rich presents, intended for the various + chiefs, divided among them. + </p> + <p> + Most of the captives were more or less severely wounded, and some of the + natives presently came into the hut and examined and bound up the wounds. + </p> + <p> + “Keep up your spirits,” Malchus said cheerfully, “it is evident they don't + intend to kill us. No doubt they are going to send us prisoners to the + Romans, and in that case we shall be exchanged sooner or later. At any + rate the Romans would not dare ill treat us, for Hannibal holds more than + a hundred prisoners in his hands to every one they have taken.” + </p> + <p> + Three days passed, food was brought to the captives regularly, and their + bonds were sufficiently relaxed for them to feed themselves. At the end of + that time they were ordered to rise and leave the hut. Outside the chief + with some forty of his followers were waiting them. All were armed, and + the prisoners being placed in their midst, the party started. + </p> + <p> + They proceeded by the same road by which Malchus had ridden to the + village, and some miles were passed without incident, when, as they were + passing through a narrow valley, a great number of rocks came bounding + down the hillside, and at different points along it several Carthaginians + appeared. In these Malchus recognized at once the soldiers of his escort. + One of these shouted out: + </p> + <p> + “Surrender, or you are all dead men. A strong force surrounds you on both + sides, and my officers, whom you see, will give orders to their men, who + will loose such an avalanche of rocks that you will all be swept away.” + </p> + <p> + “It is only the men who escaped us,” the chief cried; “push forward at + once.” + </p> + <p> + But the instant the movement began the Carthaginians all shouted orders, + and a great number of rocks came bounding down, proving that they were + obeyed by an invisible army. Several of the mountaineers were crushed by + the stones, and the old chief, struck by a great rock in the chest, fell + dead. A Carthaginian standing next to Malchus was also slain. + </p> + <p> + The tribesmen gave a cry of terror. Hand to hand they were ready to fight + valiantly, but this destruction by an unseen foe terrified them. The + Carthaginian leader raised his hand, and the descent of the stones ceased. + </p> + <p> + “Now,” he said, “you see the truth of my words. Hesitate any longer and + all will be lost; but if you throw down your arms, and, leaving your + captives behind, retire by the way you came, you are free to do so. + Hannibal has no desire for the blood of the Italian people. He has come to + free them from the yoke of Rome, and your treacherous chief, who, after + our making an alliance with him, sold you to the Romans, has been slain, + therefore I have no further ill will against you.” + </p> + <p> + The tribesmen, dismayed by the loss of their chief, and uncertain as to + the strength of the foes who surrounded them, at once threw down their + arms, and, glad to escape with their lives, fled at all speed up the pass + towards their village, leaving their captives behind them. + </p> + <p> + The Carthaginians then descended, Trebon among them. + </p> + <p> + “I did not show myself, Malchus,” the latter said as he joined his friend, + “for the chief knew me by sight, and I wished him to be uncertain whether + we were not a fresh party who had arrived.” + </p> + <p> + “But who are your army?” Malchus asked; “you have astonished me as much as + the barbarians.” + </p> + <p> + “There they are,” Trebon said, laughing, as some fifty or sixty women and + a dozen old men and boys began to make their way down the hill. + “Fortunately the tribesmen were too much occupied with their plunder and + you to pursue us, and I got down safely with my men. I was, of course, + determined to try to rescue you somehow, but did not see how it was to be + done. Then a happy thought struck me, and the next morning we rode down to + the plain till we came to a walled village. I at once summoned it to + surrender, using threats of bringing up a strong body to destroy the place + if they refused. They opened the gates sooner than I had expected, and I + found the village inhabited only by women, old men, and children, the + whole of the fighting men having been called away to join the Romans. They + were, as you may imagine, in a terrible fright, and expected every one of + them to be killed. However, I told them that we would not only spare their + lives, but also their property, if they would obey my orders. + </p> + <p> + “They agreed willingly enough, and I ordered all those who were strong + enough to be of any good to take each sufficient provisions for a week and + to accompany me. Astonished as they were at the order, there was nothing + for them to do but to obey, and they accordingly set out. I found by + questioning them that the road we had travelled was the regular one up to + the village, and that you would be sure to be brought down by it if the + chief intended to send you to Rome. + </p> + <p> + “By nightfall we reached this valley. The next morning we set to work and + cut a number of strong levers, then we went up on the hillside to where + you saw us, and I posted them all behind the rocks. We spent all the day + loosing stones and placing them in readiness to roll down, and were then + prepared for your coming. At nightfall I assembled them all, and put a + guard over them. We posted them again at daybreak yesterday, but watched + all day in vain, and here we should have remained for a month if + necessary, as I should have sent down some of the boys for more provisions + when those they brought were gone. However, I was right glad when I saw + you coming today, for it was dull work. I would have killed the whole of + these treacherous savages if I had not been afraid of injuring you and the + men. As it was I was in terrible fright when the stones went rushing down + at you. One of our men has been killed, I see; but there was no help for + it.” + </p> + <p> + The whole party then proceeded down the valley. On emerging from the hills + Trebon told his improvised army that they could return to their village, + as he had no further need of their services, and, delighted at having + escaped without damage or injury, they at once proceeded on their way. + </p> + <p> + “We had best halt here for the night,” Trebon said, “and in the morning I + will start off with the mounted men and get some horses from one of the + villages for the rest of you. No doubt they are all pretty well stripped + of fighting men.” + </p> + <p> + The next day the horses were obtained, and Malchus, seeing that, now he + had lost all the presents intended for the chiefs, it would be useless to + pursue his mission further, especially as he had learned that the Roman + agents had already been at work among the tribes, returned with his party + to Hannibal's camp. + </p> + <p> + “I am sorry, Malchus,” the Carthaginian general said, when he related his + failure to carry out the mission, “that you have not succeeded, but it is + clear that your failure is due to no want of tact on your part. The attack + upon you was evidently determined upon the instant you appeared in sight + of the village, for men must have been sent out at once to summon the + tribe. Your friend Trebon behaved with great intelligence in the matter of + your rescue, and I shall at once promote him a step in rank.” + </p> + <p> + “I am ready to set out again and try whether I can succeed better with + some of the other chiefs if you like,” Malchus said. + </p> + <p> + “No, Malchus, we will leave them alone for the present. The Romans have + been beforehand with us, and as this man was one of their principal + chiefs, it is probable that, as he has forsaken his alliance with us, the + others have done the same. Moreover, the news of his death, deserved as it + was, at the hands of a party of Carthaginians, will not improve their + feelings towards us. Nothing short of a general movement among the hill + tribes would be of any great advantage to us, and it is clear that no + general movement can be looked for now. Besides, now that we see the + spirit which animates these savages, I do not care to risk your loss by + sending you among them.” + </p> + <p> + The news of the disaster of Lake Trasimene was met by Rome in a spirit + worthy of her. No one so much as breathed the thought of negotiations with + the enemy, not even a soldier was recalled from the army of Spain. Quintus + Fabius Maximus was chosen dictator, and he with two newly raised legions + marched to Ariminum and assumed the command of the army there, raised by + the reinforcements he brought with him to fifty thousand men. + </p> + <p> + Stringent orders were issued to the inhabitants of the districts through + which Hannibal would march on his way to Rome to destroy their crops, + drive off their cattle, and take refuge in the fortified towns. Servilius + was appointed to the command of the Roman fleet, and ordered to oppose the + Carthaginians at sea. The army of Fabius was now greatly superior to that + of Hannibal, but was inferior in cavalry. He had, moreover, the advantage + of being in a friendly country, and of being provisioned by the people + through whose country he moved, while Hannibal was obliged to scatter his + army greatly to obtain provisions. + </p> + <p> + Fabius moved his army until within six miles of that of Hannibal, and then + took up his position upon the hills, contenting himself with watching from + a distance the movements of the Carthaginians. Hannibal marched unmolested + through some of the richest provinces of Italy till he descended into the + plain of Campania. He obtained large quantities of rich booty, but the + inhabitants in all cases held aloof from him, their belief in the star of + Rome being still unshaken in spite of the reverses which had befallen her. + </p> + <p> + Fabius followed at a safe distance, avoiding every attempt of Hannibal to + bring on a battle. + </p> + <p> + The Roman soldiers fretted with rage and indignation at seeing the enemy, + so inferior in strength to themselves, wasting and plundering the country + at their will. Minucius, the master of horse and second in command, a + fiery officer, sympathized to the full with the anger of the soldiers, and + continually urged upon Fabius to march the army to the assault, but Fabius + was immovable. The terrible defeats which Hannibal had inflicted upon two + Roman armies showed him how vast would be the danger of engaging such an + opponent unless at some great advantage. + </p> + <p> + Such advantage he thought he saw when Hannibal descended into the plain of + Campania. This plain was inclosed on the south by the river Vulturnus, + which could be passed only at the bridge at Casilinum, defended by the + Roman garrison at that town, while on its other sides it was surrounded by + an unbroken barrier of steep and wooded hills, the passes of which were + strongly guarded by the Romans. + </p> + <p> + After seeing that every road over the hills was strongly held by his + troops, Fabius sat down with his army on the mountains, whence he could + watch the doings of Hannibal's force on the plains. He himself was amply + supplied with provisions from the country in his rear, and he awaited + patiently the time when Hannibal, having exhausted all the resources of + the Campania, would be forced by starvation to attack the Romans in their + almost impregnable position in the passes. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal was perfectly aware of the difficulties of his position. Had he + been free and unencumbered by baggage he might have led his army directly + across the wooded mountains, avoiding the passes guarded by the Romans, + but with his enormous trail of baggage this was impossible unless he + abandoned all the rich plunder which the army had collected. Of the two + outlets from the plain, by the Appian and Latin roads which led to Rome, + neither could be safely attempted, for the Roman army would have followed + in his rear, and attacked him while endeavouring to force the passages in + the mountains. + </p> + <p> + The same objection applied to his crossing the Vulturnus. The only bridge + was strongly held by the Romans, and the river was far too deep and rapid + for a passage to be attempted elsewhere with the great Roman army close at + hand. The mountain range between the Vulturnus and Cades was difficult in + the extreme, as the passes were few and very strongly guarded, but it was + here that Hannibal resolved to make the attempt to lead his army from the + difficult position in which it was placed. He waited quietly in the plain + until the supplies of food were beginning to run low, and then prepared + for his enterprise. + </p> + <p> + An immense number of cattle were among the plunder. Two thousand of the + stoutest of these were selected, torches were fastened to their horns, and + shortly before midnight the light troops drove the oxen to the hills, + avoiding the position of the passes guarded by the enemy. The torches were + then lighted, and the light troops drove the oxen straight up the hill. + The animals, maddened by fear, rushed tumultuously forward, scattering in + all directions on the hillside, but, continually urged by the troops + behind them, mounting towards the summits of the hills. + </p> + <p> + The Roman defenders of the passes, seeing this great number of lights + moving upwards, supposed that Hannibal had abandoned all his baggage, and + was leading his army straight across the hills. This idea was confirmed by + the light troops, on gaining the crest of the hills, commencing an attack + upon the Romans posted below them in the pass through which Hannibal + intended to move. The Roman troops thereupon quitted the pass, and scaled + the heights to interrupt or harass the retreating foe. + </p> + <p> + As soon as Hannibal saw the lights moving on the top of the hills he + commenced his march. The African infantry led the way; they were followed + by the cavalry; then came the baggage and booty, and the rear was covered + by the Spaniards and Gauls. The defile was found deserted by its + defenders, and the army marched through unopposed. Meanwhile Fabius with + his main army had remained inactive. The Roman general had seen with + astonishment the numerous lights making their way up the mountain side, + but he feared that this was some device on the part of Hannibal to entrap + him into an ambush, as he had entrapped Flaminius on Lake Trasimene. He + therefore held his army in readiness for whatever might occur until + morning broke. + </p> + <p> + Then he saw that he had been outwitted. The rear of the Carthaginian army + was just entering the defile, and in a short time Fabius saw the Gauls and + Spaniards scaling the heights to the assistance of their comrades, who + were maintaining an unequal fight with the Romans. The latter were soon + driven with slaughter into the plain, and the Carthaginian troops + descended into the defile and followed their retreating army. Hannibal now + came down into the fertile country of Apulia, and determined to winter + there. He took by storm the town of Geronium, where he stored his supplies + and placed his sick in shelter, while his army occupied an intrenched camp + which he formed outside the town. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI: IN THE DUNGEONS OF CARTHAGE + </h2> + <p> + Fabius, after the escape of Hannibal from the trap in which he believed he + had caught him, followed him into Apulia, and encamped on high ground in + his neighbourhood intending to continue the same waiting tactics. He was, + however, soon afterwards recalled to Rome to consult with the senate on + matters connected with the army. He left Minucius in command, with strict + orders that he should on no account suffer himself to be enticed into a + battle. Minucius moved forward to within five miles of Geronium, and then + encamped upon a spur of the hills. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, aware that Fabius had left, hoped to be able to tempt the + impatient Minucius to an action. He accordingly drew nearer to the Romans + and encamped upon a hill three miles from their position. + </p> + <p> + Another hill lay about halfway between the two armies. Hannibal occupied + this during the night with two thousand of his light troops, but next day + Minucius attacked the position, drove off its defenders, and encamped + there with his whole army. For some days Hannibal kept his force united in + his intrenchments, feeling sure that Minucius would attack him. The + latter, however, strictly obeyed the orders of Fabius and remained + inactive. + </p> + <p> + It was all important to the Carthaginians to collect an ample supply of + food before winter set in, and Hannibal, finding that the Romans would not + attack him, was compelled to resume foraging expeditions. Two-thirds of + the army were despatched in various directions in strong bodies, while the + rest remained to guard the intrenchment. + </p> + <p> + This was the opportunity for which Minucius had been waiting. He at once + despatched the whole of his cavalry to attack the foraging parties, and + with his infantry he advanced to the attack of the weakly defended + Carthaginian camp. For a time Hannibal had the greatest difficulty in + resisting the assault of the Romans; but at last a body of four thousand + of the foragers, who had beaten off the Roman cavalry and made their way + into Geronium, came out to his support, and the Romans retired. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, seeing the energy which Minucius had displayed, fell back to his + old camp near Geronium, and Minucius at once occupied the position which + he had vacated. The partial success of Minucius enabled the party in Rome + who had long been discontented with the waiting tactics of Fabius to make + a fresh attack upon his policy, and Minucius was now raised to an equal + rank with Fabius. + </p> + <p> + Minucius, elated with his elevation, proposed to Fabius either that they + should command the whole army on alternate days, or each should + permanently command one-half. Fabius chose the latter alternative, for he + felt certain that the impetuosity of his colleague would sooner or later + get him into trouble with such an adversary as Hannibal, and that it was + better to risk the destruction of half the army than of the whole. + </p> + <p> + Minucius withdrew the troops allotted to him, and encamped in the plains + at a distance of a mile and a half from Fabius. Hannibal resolved at once + to take advantage of the change, and to tempt the Romans to attack him by + occupying a hill which lay about halfway between the camp of Minucius and + Geronium. + </p> + <p> + The plain which surrounded the hill was level and destitute of wood, but + Hannibal on a careful examination found that there were several hollows in + which troops could be concealed, and in these during the night he posted + five thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry. The position occupied by + them was such that they would be able to take the Romans in flank and rear + should they advance against the hill. Having made these dispositions he + sent forward a body of light troops in the morning to occupy the hill. + Minucius immediately despatched his light troops, supported by cavalry, to + drive them from it. Hannibal reinforced his Carthaginians by small bodies + of troops, and the fight was obstinately maintained until Minucius, whose + blood was now up, marched towards the hill with his legions in order of + battle. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal on his side advanced with the remains of his troops, and the + battle became fierce and general, until Hannibal gave the signal to his + troops in ambush, who rushed out and charged the Romans in rear and flank. + Their destruction would have been as complete and terrible as that which + had befallen the army of Sempronius at the Trebia, had not Fabius moved + forward with his troops to save the broken legions of Minucius. + </p> + <p> + Fabius now offered battle, but Hannibal, well content with the heavy blow + which he had struck, and the great loss which he had inflicted upon the + command of Minucius, fell back to his camp. Minucius acknowledged that + Fabius had saved his army from total destruction, and at once resigned his + command into his hands, and reverted to his former position under him. + Both armies then went into winter quarters. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had not been present at the fighting near Geronium. Two days after + Hannibal broke through the Roman positions round the plains of Campania he + intrusted Malchus with an important commission. Commanding the bodyguard + of the general, and being closely related to him, Malchus was greatly in + Hannibal's confidence, and was indeed on the same footing with Mago, + Hannibal's brother, and two or three other of his most trusted generals. + Gathered in the general's tent on the previous evening, these had agreed + with their leader that final success could not be looked for in their + enterprise unless reinforcements were received from Carthage. + </p> + <p> + It was now a year since they had emerged from the Alps on to the plains of + Northern Italy. They had annihilated two Roman armies, had marched almost + unopposed through some of the richest provinces of Italy, and yet they + were no nearer the great object of their enterprise than they were when + they crossed the Alps. + </p> + <p> + Some of the Cisalpine Gauls had joined them, but even in the plains north + of the Apennines the majority of the tribes had remained firm to their + alliance with the Romans, while south of that range of mountains the + inhabitants had in every case shown themselves bitterly hostile. + Everywhere on the approach of the Carthaginians they had retired to their + walled towns, which Hannibal had neither the time nor the necessary + machines to besiege. + </p> + <p> + Although Rome had lost two armies she had already equipped and placed in + the field a third force superior in number to that of the Carthaginians; + her army in Spain had not been drawn upon; her legion north of the + Apennines was operating against the revolted tribes; other legions were in + course of being raised and equipped, and Rome would take the field in the + spring with an army greatly superior in strength to that of Carthage. + Victorious as Hannibal had been in battle, the army which had struggled + through the Alps had in the year which had elapsed, greatly diminished in + numbers. Trebia and Trasimene had both lessened their strength, but their + losses had been much heavier in the terrible march across the Apennines in + the spring, and by fevers subsequently contracted from the pestiferous + malaria of the marshes in the summer. In point of numbers the gaps had + been filled up by the contingents furnished by their Gaulish allies. But + the loss of all the elephants, of a great number of the cavalry, and of + the Carthaginian troops, who formed the backbone of the army, was not to + be replaced. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus,” Hannibal said, “you know what we were speaking of yesterday + evening. It is absolutely necessary that we should receive reinforcements. + If Carthage aids me I regard victory as certain. Two or three campaigns + like the last would alike break down the strength of Rome, and will detach + her allies from her. + </p> + <p> + “The Latins and the other Italian tribes, when they find that Rome is + powerless to protect them, that their flocks and herds, their crops and + possessions are at our mercy, will at length become weary of supporting + her cause, and will cast in their lot with us; but if the strife is to be + continued, Carthage must make an effort—must rouse herself from the + lethargy in which she appears to be sunk. It is impossible for me to leave + the army, nor can I well spare Mago. The cavalry are devoted to him, and + losing him would be like losing my right hand; yet it is clear that + someone must go to Carthage who can speak in my name, and can represent + the true situation here. + </p> + <p> + “Will you undertake the mission? It is one of great danger. In the first + place you will have to make your way by sea to Greece, and thence take + ship for Carthage. When you arrive there you will be bitterly opposed by + Hanno and his faction, who are now all powerful, and it may be that your + mission may cost you your life; for not only do these men hate me and all + connected with me, but, like most demagogues, they place their own selfish + aims and ends, the advantage of their own faction, and the furtherance of + their own schemes far above the general welfare of the state, the loss of + all the colonies of Carthage, and the destruction of her imperial power. + The loss of national prestige and honour are to these men as nothing in + comparison with the question whether they can retain their places and + emoluments as rulers of Carthage. + </p> + <p> + “Rome is divided as we are, her patricians and plebeians are ever bitterly + opposed to each other; but at present patriotism rises above party, and + both sink their disputes when the national cause is at stake. The time + will doubtless come—that is, unless we cut her course short—that + as Rome increases in wealth and in luxury she will suffer from the like + evils that are destroying Carthage. Party exigencies will rise above + patriotic considerations, and Rome will fall to pieces unless she finds + some man strong and vigourous enough to grasp the whole power of the + state, to silence the chattering of the politicians, and to rule her with + a rod of iron. But I am wandering from my subject. Will you undertake this + mission?” + </p> + <p> + “I will,” Malchus replied firmly, “if you think me worthy of it. I have no + eloquence as a speaker, and know nothing of the arts of the politician.” + </p> + <p> + “There will be plenty of our friends there who will be able to harangue + the multitude,” Hannibal replied. “It is your presence there as the + representative of the army, as my kinsman, and as the son of the general + who did such good service to the state that will profit our cause. + </p> + <p> + “It is your mission to tell Carthage that now is her time or never; that + Rome already totters from the blows I have struck her, and that another + blow only is requisite to stretch her in the dust. A mighty effort is + needed to overthrow once for all our great rival. + </p> + <p> + “Sacrifices will be needed, and great ones, to obtain the object, but Rome + once fallen the future of Carthage is secure. What is needed is that + Carthage should obtain and keep the command of the sea for two years, that + at least twenty-five thousand men should be sent over in the spring, and + as many in the spring following. With such reinforcements I will undertake + to destroy absolutely the power of Rome. Tomorrow I will furnish you with + letters to our friends at home, giving full details as to the course they + should pursue and particulars of our needs. + </p> + <p> + “A party of horse shall accompany you to the coast, with a score of men + used to navigation. There you will seize a ship and sail for Corinth, + whence you will have no difficulty in obtaining passage to Carthage.” + </p> + <p> + After nightfall the next day Malchus started, taking Nessus with him as + his attendant and companion. The party travelled all night, and in the + morning the long line of the sea was visible from the summits of the hills + they were crossing. They waited for some hours to rest and refresh their + horses, and then, continuing their journey, came down in the afternoon + upon a little port at the mouth of the river Biferno. So unexpected was + their approach that the inhabitants had not time to shut their gates, and + the troops entered the town without resistance, the people all flying to + their houses. + </p> + <p> + Malchus at once proclaimed that the Carthaginians came as friends, and + would, if, unmolested, injure no one; but if any armed attempt was made + against them they would sack and destroy the town. Two or three vessels + were lying in the port; Malchus took possession of the largest, and, + putting his party of seamen on board her, ordered the crew to sail for + Corinth. The horsemen were to remain in the town until the vessel + returned, when, with the party on board her, they would at once rejoin + Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + The wind was favourable, and the next morning the mountains of Greece were + in sight, and in the afternoon they entered the port of Corinth. The + anchor was dropped at a short distance from the shore, the small boat was + lowered, and Malchus, accompanied by Nessus, was rowed ashore by two of + his own men. These then returned on board the ship, which at once weighed + anchor and set sail on her return. + </p> + <p> + Corinth was a large and busy port, and the arrival and departure of the + little vessel from Italy passed altogether unnoticed, and without + attracting any particular attention Malchus and his companion made their + way along the wharves. The trade of Corinth was large and flourishing, and + the scene reminded Malchus of that with which he was so familiar in + Carthage. Ships of many nationalities were ranged along the quays. Galleys + from Tyre and Cyprus, from Syria and Egypt, from Carthage and Italy, were + all assembled in this neutral port. + </p> + <p> + Corinth was, like Carthage, essentially a trading community; and while the + power and glory of the rival cities of the Peloponnesus were rapidly + failing Corinth was rising in rank, and was now the first city of Greece. + Malchus had no difficulty in finding a Carthaginian trading ship. He was + amply supplied with money, and soon struck a bargain that the captain + should, without waiting to take in further cargo, at once sail for + Carthage. + </p> + <p> + The captain was much surprised at the appearance in Corinth of a young + Carthaginian evidently of high rank, but he was too well satisfied at the + bargain he had made to ask any questions. An hour later the mooring ropes + were cast off, and the vessel, spreading her sails, started on her voyage. + The weather was warm and pleasant, and Malchus, stretched on a couch + spread on the poop, greatly enjoyed the rest and quiet, after the long + months which had been spent in almost incessant activity. Upon the + following day Nessus approached him. + </p> + <p> + “My lord Malchus,” he said, “there are some on board the ship who know + you. I have overheard the men talking together, and it seems that one of + them recognized you as having been in the habit of going out with a + fisherman who lived next door to him at Carthage.” + </p> + <p> + “It matters not,” Malchus said indifferently; “I have no particular motive + in concealing my name, though it would have been as well that I should be + able to meet my friends in Carthage and consult with them before my + arrival there was generally known. However, before I leave the ship I can + distribute some money among the crew, and tell them that for certain + reasons of state I do not wish them to mention on shore that I have been a + passenger.” + </p> + <p> + Had Malchus been aware that the ship in which he had taken passage was one + of the great fleet of traders owned by Hanno, he would have regarded the + discovery of his personality by the sailors in a more serious light; as it + was, he thought no more of the matter. No change in the manner of the + captain showed that he was aware of the name and rank of his passenger, + and Malchus, as he watched the wide expanse of sea, broken only by a few + distant sails, was too intent upon the mission with which he was charged + to give the matter another moment's thought. + </p> + <p> + The wind fell light and it was not until the evening of the eighth day + after leaving Corinth that Carthage, with the citadel of Byrsa rising + above it, could be distinguished. The ship was moving but slowly through + the water, and the captain said that unless a change took place they would + not make port until late the next morning. Malchus retired to his couch + feeling sorry that the period of rest and tranquillity was at an end, and + that he was now about to embark in a difficult struggle, which, though he + felt its importance, was altogether alien to his taste and disposition. + </p> + <p> + He had not even the satisfaction that he should see his mother and sister, + for news had come a short time before he sailed that their position was so + uncomfortable at Carthage that they had left for Spain, to take up their + abode there with Adherbal and Anna. His mother was, he heard, completely + broken down in health by grief for the loss of his father. + </p> + <p> + He was wakened in the night by the splash of the anchor and the running + out of he cable through the hawse hole, and supposed that the breeze must + have sprung up a little, and that they had anchored at the entrance to the + harbour. He soon went off to sleep again, but was presently aroused by + what seemed to him the sound of a short struggle followed by another + splash; he dreamingly wondered what it could be and then went off to sleep + again. When he awoke it was daylight. Somewhat surprised at the + non-appearance of Nessus, who usually came into his cabin the first thing + in the morning to call him, he soon attired himself. + </p> + <p> + On going to the door of his cabin he was surprised to find it fastened + without. He knocked loudly against it to attract attention, but almost + immediately found himself in darkness. Going to the porthole to discover + the cause of this sudden change, he found that a sack had been stuffed + into it, and immediately afterwards the sound of hammering told him that a + plank was being nailed over this outside to keep it in its place. + </p> + <p> + The truth washed across him—he was a prisoner. Drawing his sword he + flung himself with all his force against the door, but this had been so + securely fastened without that it did not yield in the slightest to his + efforts. After several vain efforts he abandoned the attempt, and sitting + down endeavoured to realize the position. He soon arrived at something + like the truth: the trading interests of Carthage were wholly at the + disposal of Hanno and his party, and he doubted not that, having been + recognized, the captain had determined to detain him as a prisoner until + he communicated to Hanno the fact of his arrival, and received + instructions from him as to whether Malchus was to be allowed to land. + </p> + <p> + Malchus recalled the sounds he had heard in the night, and uttered an + exclamation of grief and anger as he concluded that his faithful follower + had been attacked and doubtless killed and thrown overboard. At present he + was powerless to do anything, and with his sword grasped in his hand he + lay on the couch in readiness to start up and fight his way out, as soon + as he heard those without undoing the fastenings of the door. + </p> + <p> + The day passed slowly. He could hear voices without and footsteps on the + deck of the poop overhead, but no one came near him; and after a time his + watchfulness relaxed, as he made up his mind that his captors, whatever + their intentions might be, would not attempt to carry them out until after + nightfall. At last he heard a moving of the heavy articles which had been + piled against the door; he sprang to his feet, the door opened two or + three inches, and a voice said: + </p> + <p> + “In the name of the republic I declare you to be my prisoner.” + </p> + <p> + “I warn you I shall resist,” Malchus exclaimed. “I am Malchus, the son of + Hamilcar, late a general of the republic, and I come to Carthage on a + mission from Hannibal. Whatever complaint the state may have against me I + am ready to answer at the proper time, and shall not fail to appear when + called upon; but at present I have Hannibal's mission to discharge, and + those who interfere with me are traitors to the republic, whomsoever they + may be, and I will defend myself until the last.” + </p> + <p> + “Open the door and seize him,” a voice exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + As the door was opened Malchus sprang forward, but the lights of several + lanterns showed a dozen men with levelled spears standing in front of the + cabin. + </p> + <p> + “I surrender,” he said, seeing that against such a force as this + resistance would be vain, “but in the name of Hannibal I protest against + this interference with the messenger whom he has sent to explain, in his + name, to the senate the situation in Italy.” + </p> + <p> + So saying Malchus laid down his shield and sword, took off his helmet, and + walked quietly from the cabin. At an order from their superior four of the + men laid down their weapons and seized him. In a minute he was bound hand + and foot, a gag was forced into his mouth, a cloak thrown over his head, + and he was roughly thrown into a large boat alongside the ship. + </p> + <p> + Short as was the time which he had at liberty, Malchus had thrown a glance + over the bulwarks of each side of the ship, and perceived that any + resistance would have been useless, for far away lay the lights of + Carthage; and it was evident that the vessel had made little progress + since he had retired to rest on the previous evening. Had she been inside + the harbour he had intended to spring overboard at once and to trust to + escape by swimming. + </p> + <p> + The person in command of the party which had seized Malchus took his place + at the helm of the boat, and his twelve agents seated themselves at the + oars and rowed away towards Carthage. The town was nearly eight miles + away, and they were two hours before they arrived there. The place where + they landed was at some distance from the busy part of the port. Two men + were waiting for them there with a stretcher. Upon this Malchus was laid, + four men lifted it on their shoulders, the others fell in round it as a + guard, and the party then proceeded through quiet streets towards the + citadel. + </p> + <p> + The hour was late and but few people were about. Any who paused for a + moment to look at the little procession, shrank away hastily on hearing + the dreaded words, “In the name of the republic,” uttered by the leader of + the party. The citizens of Carthage were too well accustomed to midnight + arrests to give the matter further thought, save a momentary wonder as to + who was the last victim of the tyrants of the city, and to indulge, + perhaps, in a secret malediction upon them. Malchus had from the first no + doubt as to his destination, and when he felt a sudden change in the angle + at which the stretcher was carried, knew that he was being taken up the + steep ascent to Byrsa. + </p> + <p> + He heard presently the challenge of a sentry, then there was a pause as + the gates were opened, then he was carried forward for awhile, there was + another stop, and the litter was lowered to the ground, his cords were + unfastened, and he was commanded to rise. It needed but a glance upwards + to tell him where he was. Above him towered the dark mass of the temple of + Moloch, facing him was a small door known to every citizen of Carthage as + leading to the dungeons under the temple. + </p> + <p> + Brave as he was, Malchus could not resist a shudder as he entered the + portal, accompanied by four of his guards and preceded by a jailer. No + questions were asked by the latter, and doubtless the coming of the + prisoner had been expected and prepared for. The way lay down a long + flight of steps and through several passages, all hewn in the solid rock. + They passed many closed doors, until at last they turned into one which + stood open. The gag was then removed from Malchus' mouth, the door was + closed behind him, he heard the bolts fastened, and then remained alone in + perfect darkness. + </p> + <p> + Malchus felt round the walls of his cell and found that it was about six + feet square. In one corner was a bundle of straw, and, spreading this out, + he threw himself upon it and bitterly meditated over the position into + which he had fallen. His own situation was desperate enough. He was + helpless in the hands of Hanno. The friends and partisans of Hannibal were + ignorant of his coming, and he could hope for no help from them. He had + little doubt as to what his fate would be; he would be put to death in + some cruel way, and Hannibal, his relatives, and friends would never know + what had become of him from the moment when he left the Italian vessel in + the port of Corinth. + </p> + <p> + But hopeless as was his own situation, Malchus thought more of Hannibal + and his brave companions in arms than of himself. The manner in which he + had been kidnapped by the agents of Hanno, showed how determined was that + demagogue to prevent the true state of things which prevailed in Italy + from becoming known to the people of Carthage. In order to secure their + own triumph, he and his party were willing to sacrifice Hannibal and his + army, and to involve Carthage in the most terrible disasters. + </p> + <p> + At last Malchus slept. When he awoke a faint light was streaming down into + his cell. In the centre of the room was an opening of about a foot square, + above which a sort of chimney extended twenty feet up through the solid + rock to the surface, where it was covered with an iron grating. Malchus + knew where he was. Along each side of the great temple extended a row of + these gratings level with the floor, and every citizen knew that it was + through these apertures that light and air reached the prisoners in the + cells below. Sometimes groans and cries were heard to rise, but those who + were near would hurry from the spot, for they knew that the spies of the + law were ever on the watch, and that to be suspected of entering into + communication with the prisoners would be sufficient to ensure + condemnation and death. + </p> + <p> + It was the sight of these gratings, and the thought of the dismal cells + below, which had increased the aversion which Malchus had felt as a boy to + enter the bloodstained temple, little as he had dreamed that the day would + come when he himself would be lying a prisoner in one of them. He knew + that it was useless for him to attempt by shouting to inform his friends + in the city of his presence there. The narrowness of the air passage and + the closeness of the grating above deadened and confused the voice, unless + to a person standing immediately above the opening, and as the visitors to + the temple carefully avoided the vicinity of the gratings, it would be but + a waste of breath to attempt to call their attention. + </p> + <p> + As to escape it was out of the question. The cell was cut in the solid + rock. The door was of enormous strength, and even could that have been + overcome, there were many others which would have to be passed before he + could arrive at the entrance to the dungeon. + </p> + <p> + In a short time a Numidian entered, bearing some bread and a pitcher of + water. Malchus addressed him; but the negro opened his mouth, and Malchus + saw that his tongue had been cut out, perhaps in childhood, perhaps as a + punishment for a crime; but more probably the man was a slave captured in + war, who had been mutilated to render him a safe and useful instrument of + the officers of the law. + </p> + <p> + Three hours later the door again opened, and two men appeared. They + ordered Malchus to follow them, and led him through a number of meandering + passages, until at last, opening a door, they ushered him into a large + chamber. This was lighted by torches. At a table in the centre of the room + were seated seven figures. In the one seated in a chair very slightly + above the others Malchus at once recognized Hanno. His companions were all + leading men of his faction. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus, son of Hamilcar,” Hanno said, “what have you to say why you thus + secretly come to Carthage?” + </p> + <p> + “I come not secretly,” Malchus replied, “I come hither as the messenger of + Hannibal to the senate. I am charged by him to lay before them the exact + situation in Italy, to tell them how much he has already accomplished, and + what yet remains to be done, and to explain to them the need there is that + reinforcements should be despatched to him to carry out his great designs + for the annihilation of the power of Rome. I come not in secret. I passed + in a ship from Italy to Corinth, and there at once hired a vessel to + convey me hither.” + </p> + <p> + “As we are members of the senate,” Hanno said, “you can deliver your + message to us.” + </p> + <p> + “I fear that it will go no further,” Malchus replied. “The fact that I + have been thus secretly seized and carried here, shows how far it is your + wish that the people of Carthage should know my message. Still, as even in + your breasts all patriotism may not yet be dead, and as my words may move + you yet to do something to enable Hannibal to save the republic, I will + give you the message he sent me to deliver to the senate.” + </p> + <p> + A murmur of angry surprise arose from the seven men at the bold words and + the defiant bearing of their prisoner. + </p> + <p> + “How dare you thus address your judges?” Hanno exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “Judges!” Malchus repeated scornfully, “executioners, you should say. + Think you that I know not that my death is resolved on? Even if you would + you dare not free a noble of Carthage, a son of a general who has lost his + life in her service, a cousin of the great Hannibal, after you have thus + treacherously seized and thrown him into a dungeon. Cowed as the people of + Carthage are by your tyranny, corrupted as they are by your gold, this + lawless act of oppression would rouse them to resistance. No, Hanno, it is + because I know that my doom is sealed I thus fearlessly defy you and your + creatures.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus then proceeded to deliver the message of Hannibal to the senate. + He showed the exact situation of affairs in Italy, urged that if the + reinforcements asked for were sent, the success of the arms of Carthage + and the final defeat and humiliation of Rome were assured; while, on the + other hand, if Hannibal were left unaided, his army must in time dwindle + away until too feeble to resist the assaults of the Romans and their + allies. He warned his hearers that if this catastrophe should come about, + Rome, flushed with victory, smarting under the defeats and humiliation + which Hannibal had inflicted upon them, would in turn become the + aggressor, and would inflict upon Carthage a blow similar to that with + which Rome had been menaced by Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + Hanno and his companions listened in silence. Malchus for a time forgot + his own position and the character of the men he addressed, and pleaded + with an earnestness and passion such as he would have used had he been + addressing the whole senate. When he had finished, Hanno without a word + motioned to the jailers, and these, placing themselves one on each side of + Malchus, led him back to his cell. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII: THE ESCAPE + </h2> + <p> + For the next two days Malchus was visited only by the Numidian who brought + his food. The third night, as he was lying on his straw, wondering how + long Hanno would be before he decided his fate, he started to his feet as + he heard, apparently close at hand, his name whispered. It was repeated, + and he now perceived that it came from above. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” he said in a low tone, looking upwards, “I am Malchus. Who speaks + to me?” + </p> + <p> + “It is I, Nessus,” the voice replied. “Thanks to the gods, I have found my + lord.” + </p> + <p> + “How did you get here, Nessus? I feared that you were drowned.” + </p> + <p> + “I swam to shore,” the Arab said, “and then watched outside the gate here. + I saw several prisoners brought in, and doubted not that you were among + them. I was at the port when the ship came in, and found that she brought + no passenger. Then I came up here again, soon found friends among the Arab + regiment in the garrison; these obtained me employment in the stables of + the elephants. Each night, when all has been still, I have crept here, and + have whispered your name down each of the gratings. Tonight you have heard + me. Now that I know where you are, I will set to work to contrive your + escape. Is the passage from your cell here wide enough to admit your being + drawn up?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” Malchus replied; “it would be a close fit, but with a rope you + could get me up through it.” + </p> + <p> + “I will set to work to loosen these bars at once,” Nessus said; “but the + difficulty is not to get you out from here, but to get you beyond the + gates of the citadel. The watch is extremely strict, and the gates are not + opened until nine o'clock. Before that your escape would be discovered, + and it will be impossible for you to pass out undetected. I must find a + hiding place where you can lie concealed until the search is over, and the + vigilance of the sentries is relaxed; but it will be no easy matter. And + now let us speak no more; it is dangerous to breathe, much less to speak + here.” + </p> + <p> + Not another word was spoken for hours. Malchus could hear a low continuous + scraping noise as Nessus with his dagger worked away upon the stone into + which the grating fitted. At last Nessus spoke again. “I have nearly + finished, my lord, the greater part of the grating is loose, and in half + an hour I can complete the work. Daylight will soon be breaking and I must + go. Tomorrow night I will return with a rope. I hope today to find some + place where you may be concealed.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus with renewed hope threw himself upon the straw, and lay there + until about noon when he was again summoned to the presence of his judges. + They were the same whom he had seen previously. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus, son of Hamilcar,” Hanno said, “you are now brought before us to + hear the crime with which you are charged. We have here before us the + written list of the names of the members of the conspiracy, headed by + Giscon, which had for its aim the murder of many of the senate of Carthage + and the overthrow of her constitution. We have also here the confession of + several of the conspirators confirming this list, and saying that you were + one of the party.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not deny,” Malchus said firmly, “that I did once visit the place in + which those you speak of met, and that my name was then entered on the + roll; but when I went there I was wholly ignorant of the purposes of the + association, and as soon as I learned their aims and objects I withdrew + from them, and did not again visit their place of meeting.” + </p> + <p> + “You could not well do that,” Hanno said, “since it is writ down that you + sailed very shortly afterwards for Spain.” + </p> + <p> + “I own that I did so,” Malchus replied, “but I told Giscon on the very day + that I accompanied him to the meeting that I would go there no more. + Moreover, your commissioners with Hannibal's army have already inquired + into the circumstances, and they, in consideration of the fact that I was + then little more than sixteen years old, that I was led ignorantly into + the plot, and at once separated myself from it, absolved me from blame.” + </p> + <p> + “The commissioners had no authority to do so,” Hanno replied; “they were + ordered to send you to Carthage, and failed to carry out their orders only + because Hannibal then, as always, set himself above the authority of the + republic. As you have confessed that you were a member of this conspiracy, + no further trial is needed, and this court awards to you the same + punishment which was meted to all the others concerned in the conspiracy—you + will tomorrow be put to death by the usual punishment of the press.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus abstained from all reply, for it struck him at once that were he + to defy and anger his judges they might order him to be instantly + executed. He therefore without a word turned and accompanied his jailer to + his cell. He waited impatiently for night, and the hours seemed long + indeed before he heard the whisper of Nessus above. Directly the Arab + received the reply, assuring him that Malchus was still there, he again + set to work. + </p> + <p> + In an hour the grating was removed and the rope lowered. Malchus fastened + it under his arms, knotting it in front, and then whispered to Nessus that + he was ready. The Arab drew him slowly and steadily up until his head was + in the entrance of the narrow passage. Malchus had grasped the rope as + high as possible above his head and hung by his hands, thereby drawing the + shoulders upwards, and reducing their width as much as possible. He then + managed to swing himself so that his body was diagonally across the + opening, and when thus placed he found to his joy that the passage was + large enough for him to pass through without much difficulty. + </p> + <p> + Slowly and steadily Nessus drew him up until his shoulders were above the + level of the ground, when Malchus, placing his hands on the pavement, + sprang noiselessly out. The grating was replaced, and without a word being + spoken they glided from the temple. Not a word was said until they had + gone some little distance. + </p> + <p> + “You have saved my life again, Nessus,” Malchus said, laying his hand upon + his shoulder. “Another twelve hours and it would have been too late. I was + to have been put to death in the morning.” + </p> + <p> + Nessus gave a fierce exclamation and placed his hand on his knife. + </p> + <p> + “Had they slain my lord,” he said, “I would have avenged you. I would have + dogged your enemies night and day till, one by one, my knife should have + found its way to their hearts!” + </p> + <p> + “Have you found a hiding place, Nessus?” + </p> + <p> + “There is but one place of safety, my lord, that I can think of. I have + talked it over with two or three faithful friends, and they agree that so + rigid will be the search that it will be well nigh impossible for anyone + within the walls of the citadel to escape detection. The spies of Hanno + are everywhere, and men fear within these walls even to whisper what they + think. At any rate, no more secure hiding place could be found than that + which we have decided upon.” + </p> + <p> + “And where is that, Nessus?” + </p> + <p> + “It is in the reservoirs. With four water skins and some planks we have + prepared a raft. My two friends are waiting for us at one of the + entrances. They will have fitted the raft together, and all will be in + readiness. They are not likely to search for you there.” + </p> + <p> + “The idea is excellent, Nessus.” + </p> + <p> + The reservoirs of Carthage were of enormous extent, and some of these + remain to this day and are the wonder and admiration of travellers. They + were subterranean, and were cut from the solid rock, the stone extracted + from them being used for the walls of the buildings of the city. Pillars + were left at intervals to support the roof, and it was calculated that + these underground lakes—for they were no less—contained + sufficient water to supply the wants of the great city for at least six + months. These vast storing places for water were an absolute necessity in + a climate like that of Northern Africa, where the rain falls but seldom. + Without them, indeed, Carthage would have been at the mercy of the first + army which laid siege to it. + </p> + <p> + The greatest pains were devoted to the maintenance of the water supply. + The rainfall from the roofs of the temples and houses was conducted to the + reservoirs, and these stores were never drawn upon on ordinary occasions, + the town being supplied with water brought by aqueducts from long + distances among the hills. Here and there openings were cut in the rock + which formed the roof of the reservoirs, for the admission of air, and at + a few points steps from the surface led down to the water. Iron gates + guarded the entrance to these. + </p> + <p> + Nessus and his friends had the evening before unfastened one of these + gates. The lock was old and little used, as the gate was placed rather to + prevent children and others going down to the water than for any other + purpose, and the Arabs had found little difficulty in picking the rough + lock. + </p> + <p> + Malchus followed Nessus down the steps until he reached the edge of the + water, some fifty feet below the surface. Here stood two Arabs bearing + torches. At the foot of the steps floated the raft, formed, as Nessus had + said, of four inflated sheepskins connected by a framework of planks. + Across these a bullock's hide had been stretched, forming a platform. On + this were some rugs, a skin of wine, and a pile of flat cakes and fruit, + together with half a dozen torches. + </p> + <p> + “Thanks, my friends!” Malchus said to the Arabs. “Some day I may be able + to prove that I am grateful to you.” + </p> + <p> + “The friends of Nessus are our friends,” one of the Arabs replied simply; + “his lord is our master.” + </p> + <p> + “Here is a paddle, my lord,” Nessus said. “I propose that you should + paddle straight away as far as you can see a torch burning here; then that + you should fasten the raft to a pillar. Every other night I will come with + provisions here and show a light. If you see the light burn steadily it is + safe for you to approach, and I come only to bring food or news; if you + see the torch wave to and fro, it is a warning that they intend to search + the reservoirs. I do not think it likely they will do so; still it is best + to be prepared, and in that case you must paddle far away in the recesses. + They might search for a long time before they find you. I trust that your + imprisonment here will not be long, but that we may hit upon some plan of + getting you out of the citadel. I would gladly go with you to share your + solitude, but I must remain outside to plan some way of escape.” + </p> + <p> + With a short farewell to his faithful follower Malchus took his place on + the raft, having lit a torch and fastened it upright upon it. Then he + paddled slowly away, keeping between the lines of heavy columns. His rate + of progress was slow, and for half an hour he kept the torch in sight. By + this time he felt sure that he must be approaching the boundary of the + reservoir. He therefore moored his raft against a pillar and waved his + torch backwards and forwards. The signal was answered by a similar + movement of the distant light, which then disappeared. Malchus now + extinguished his own torch, placed the means of relighting it with which + Nessus had furnished him close to his hand, and then, wrapping himself in + a rug, lay down to sleep. + </p> + <p> + When he awoke it was day. The light was streaming down on to the water + from an opening two or three hundred yards away, while far in the distance + he could see a faint light which marked the place of the steps at which he + had embarked. In the neighbourhood of the opening the columns stood up + clear and gray against the dark background. A little further off their + outlines were dim and misty; and wherever else he looked an inky darkness + met his eye, save one or two faint bands of misty light, which marked the + position of distant openings. + </p> + <p> + The stillness which reigned in this vast cavern was almost oppressive. + Sometimes a faint rustling whisper, the echo of some sound in the citadel + above, passed among the columns; and the plaintive squeak of a bat was + heard now and then, for numbers of these creatures were flitting + noiselessly in the darkness, their forms visible for an instant as they + passed and repassed between Malchus and the light. He wondered vaguely + what they could find to eat here, and then remembered that he had heard + that at nightfall numbers of bats could be seen flying up from the + openings to the reservoirs to seek food without, returning to their hiding + places when morning approached. + </p> + <p> + Malchus amused himself by thinking over the fury and astonishment of Hanno + and his colleagues on hearing that their prisoner had disappeared, and he + pictured to himself the hot search which was no doubt going on throughout + the citadel. He thought it improbable in the extreme that any search would + be made in the reservoir. Nessus would refasten the gate after passing + through it again, and the idea that he could be floating on the + subterranean lake could hardly occur to them. + </p> + <p> + Then he turned over in his mind the various devices by which it might be + possible to get beyond the walls of the citadel. The anxiety of Hanno and + those acting with him to prevent the manner in which they had kidnapped + and sentenced to death the messenger and kinsman of Hannibal from becoming + known in the city, would be so great that extraordinary vigilance would be + used to prevent any from leaving the citadel. The guards on the walls + would be greatly increased; none would be allowed to pass the gate without + the most rigourous examination; while every nook and corner of the + citadel, the temples, the barracks, storehouses, and stables, would be + searched again and again. Even should a search be made in the reservoir, + Malchus had little fear of discovery; for even should a boat come towards + the spot where he was lying, he would only have to pass the raft round to + the opposite side of the great pillar, some twelve feet square, against + which he was lying. + </p> + <p> + When the light faded out he again lay down to sleep. As before, he slept + soundly; for, however great the heat above, the air in the subterranean + chambers was always fresh and cool, and he could well bear the rugs which + Nessus had provided. The next day passed more slowly, for he had less to + think about. After the daylight had again faded he began to look forward + expectantly for the signal, although he knew that many hours must still + elapse before Nessus would be able to make his way to the place of + meeting. + </p> + <p> + So slowly did the hours pass, indeed, that he began at last to fear that + something must have happened—perhaps that Nessus had been in some + way recognized, and was now in the dungeons below the temple of Moloch. At + last, however, to his joy Malchus saw the distant light; it burned + steadily, and he at once set out to paddle towards it. He did not light + his torch—it would have taken time, and he knew that, quietly as he + paddled, the sound would be borne along the surface of the water to + Nessus. At last he arrived at the steps. Nessus was there alone; beside + him was a basket of fresh provisions. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Nessus, what news?” + </p> + <p> + “All is well, my lord; but Hanno is moving heaven and earth to find you. + The gates of the citadel were kept closed all day yesterday; and although + today they have again been opened, the examination of those who pass out + is so strict that no disguise would avail to deceive the scrutiny of the + searchers. One or other of the men who attended you in the prison is + always at the gate. The barracks have been searched from end to end, the + troops occupying them being all turned out while the agents of the law + searched them from top to bottom. The same has been done with the stables; + and it is well that we did not attempt to hide you above ground, for + assuredly if we had done so they would have found you, however cunningly + we had stowed you away. Of course the name of the prisoner who has escaped + is known to none, but the report that an important prisoner had escaped + from the state prisons beneath the temple has created quite an excitement + in the city, for it is said that such an event never took place before. At + present I can hit on no plan whatever for getting you free.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I must be content to wait for a while, Nessus. After a time their + vigilance is sure to relax, as they will think that I must have got beyond + the walls.” + </p> + <p> + “Are there any to whom you would wish me to bear news that you are here?” + </p> + <p> + This was a question which Malchus had debated with himself over and over + again. It appeared to him, however, that Hanno's power was so great that + it would be dangerous for anyone to come forward and accuse him. No doubt + every one of the leading men of the Barcine party was strictly watched; + and did Hanno suspect that any of them were in communication with the + escaped prisoner, he would take instant steps against them. He thought it + better, therefore, that none should be acquainted with the secret until he + was free. He therefore replied in the negative to the question of Nessus. + </p> + <p> + “I must wait till I am free. Any action now might bring down the vengeance + of Hanno upon others. He would find no difficulty in inventing some excuse + for dealing a blow at them. You think there is no possibility of escape at + present?” + </p> + <p> + “I can think on no plan, my lord. So strict is the search that when the + elephants went down today to the fountains for water every howdah was + examined to see that no one was hidden within it.” + </p> + <p> + “It will be necessary also, Nessus, if you do hit upon some plan for + getting me out, to arrange a hiding place in the city.” + </p> + <p> + “That will be easy enough,” Nessus replied. “My friends have many + relations in the Arab quarter, and once free, you might be concealed there + for any time. And now I will wait no longer, for last night visits were + made in all the barracks and stables by the agents of the law, to see that + every man was asleep in his place. Therefore I will return without delay. + In two days I will be here again; but should anything occur which it is + needful to tell you I will be here tomorrow night.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus watched for the light on the following evening with but faint hope + of seeing it, but at about the same hour as before he saw it suddenly + appear again. Wondering what had brought Nessus before his time, he + paddled to the stairs. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Nessus, what is your news?” + </p> + <p> + “We have hit upon a plan of escape, my lord. As I told you my friend and I + are in the stable with the elephants, our duties being to carry in the + forage for the great beasts, and to keep the stables in order. We have + taken one of the Indian mahouts into our confidence, and he has promised + his aid; the elephant of which he is in charge is a docile beast, and his + driver has taught him many tricks. At his signal he will put up his trunk + and scream and rush here and there as if in the state which is called + must, when they are dangerous of approach. The mahout, who is a crafty + fellow, taught him to act thus, because when in such a state of temper the + elephants cannot be worked with the others, but remain in the stables, and + their drivers have an easy time of it. + </p> + <p> + “On the promise of a handsome reward the mahout has agreed that tomorrow + morning, before the elephants are taken out, you shall be concealed in the + bottom of the howdah. He will manage that the elephant is the first in the + procession. When we get out into the courtyard he will slyly prick the + beast, and give him the signal to simulate rage; he will then so direct + him that, after charging several times about the court, he shall make a + rush at the gate. You may be sure that the guards there will step aside + quickly enough, for a furious elephant is not a creature to be hindered. + </p> + <p> + “When he is once down to the foot of the hill the driver will direct him + to some quiet spot. That he will find easily enough, for at his approach + there will be a general stampede. When he reaches some place where no one + is in sight he will halt the elephant and you will at once drop off him. I + shall be near at hand and will join you. The elephant will continue his + course for some little distance, and the mahout, feigning to have at last + recovered control over him, will direct him back to the citadel.” + </p> + <p> + “The idea is a capital one,” Malchus said, “and if carried out will surely + succeed. You and I have often seen during our campaigns elephants in this + state, and know how every one flies as they come along screaming loudly, + with their trunks high, and their great ears out on each side of their + heads. At any rate it is worth trying, Nessus, and if by any chance we + should fail in getting through the gate, the mahout would, of course, take + his elephant back to the stable, and I might slip out there and conceal + myself till night, and then make my way back here again.” + </p> + <p> + “That's what we have arranged,” Nessus said. “And now, my lord, I will + leave you and go back to the stables, in case they should search them + again tonight. If you will push off and lie a short distance away from the + steps I will be here again half an hour before daybreak. I will bring you + a garb like my own, and will take you direct to the stable where the + animal is kept. There will be no one there save the mahout and my two + friends, so that it will be easy for us to cover you in the howdah before + the elephants go out. There is little chance of anyone coming into the + stables before that, for they have been searched so frequently during the + last two days that Hanno's agents must by this time be convinced that + wherever you are hidden you are not there. Indeed, today the search has + greatly relaxed, although the vigilance at the gate and on the walls is as + great as ever; so I think that they despair of finding you, and believe + that you must either have made your escape already, or that if not you + will sooner or later issue from your hiding place and fall into their + hands.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus slept little that night, and rejoiced when he again saw Nessus + descending the steps. A few strokes of his paddle sent the raft alongside. + Nessus fastened a cord to it to prevent it from drifting away. + </p> + <p> + “We may need it again,” he said briefly. Malchus placed his own clothes + upon it and threw over his shoulders the bernous which Nessus had brought. + He then mounted the steps with him, the gate was closed and the bolt shot, + and they then made their way across to the stables. It was still perfectly + dark, though a very faint light, low in the eastern sky, showed that ere + long the day would break. + </p> + <p> + Five minutes' walking and they arrived at the stables of the elephants. + These, like those of the horses and the oxen which drew the cumbrous war + machines, were formed in the vast thickness of the walls, and were what + are known in modern times as casemates. As Nessus had said, the Indian + mahout and the other two Arabs were the only human occupants of the + casemate. The elephant at once showed that he perceived the newcomer to be + a stranger by an uneasy movement, but the mahout quieted him. + </p> + <p> + While they were waiting for morning, Nessus described, more fully than he + had hitherto had an opportunity of doing, the attack made upon him on + board the ship. + </p> + <p> + “I was,” he said, “as my lord knows, uneasy when I found that they had + recognized you, and when we were within a day's sail of Carthage I + resolved to keep a lookout—therefore, although I wrapped myself in + my cloak and lay down, I did not go to sleep. After a while I thought I + heard the sound of oars, and, standing up, went to the bulwark to listen. + Suddenly some of the sailors, who must have been watching me, sprang upon + me from behind, a cloak was thrown over my head, a rope was twisted round + my arms, and in a moment I was lifted and flung overboard. + </p> + <p> + “I did not cry out, because I had already made up my mind that it was + better not to arouse you from sleep whatever happened, as, had you run + out, you might have been killed, and I thought it likely that their object + would be, if you offered no resistance, to take you a prisoner, in which + case I trusted that I might later on hope to free you. As my lord knows, I + am a good swimmer. I let myself sink, and when well below the surface soon + got rid of the rope which bound me, and which was, indeed, but hastily + twisted round my arms. I came up to the surface as noiselessly as + possible, and after taking a long breath dived and swam under water as far + as I could. When I came up the ship was so far away that there was little + fear of their seeing me; however, I dived again and again until in perfect + safety. + </p> + <p> + “I heard a boat rowed by many oars approach the vessel. I listened for a + time and found that all was quiet, and then laid myself out for the long + swim to shore, which I reached without difficulty. All day I kept my eye + on the vessel, which remained at anchor. As I could not tell to which + landing place you might be brought I went up in the evening and took my + post on the road leading up here, and when towards morning a party + entered, carrying one with them on a stretcher, I had little doubt that it + was you. + </p> + <p> + “I was sure to find friends among the Arabs either belonging to the + regiment stationed in Byrsa or those employed in the storehouses or + stables; so the next morning I entered the citadel and soon met these men, + who belonged to my tribe and village. After that my way was plain; my only + fear was that they might kill you before I could discover the place in + which you were confined, and my heart sank the first night when I found + that, though I whispered down every one of the gratings, I could obtain no + reply. + </p> + <p> + “I had many answers, indeed, but not from you. There might be many cells + besides those with openings into the temple, and were you placed in one of + these I might never hear of you again. I had resolved that if the next + night passed without my being able to find you, I would inform some of + those known to be friends of Hannibal that you were a prisoner, and leave + it in their hands to act as they liked, while I still continued my efforts + to communicate with you. You may imagine with what joy I heard your reply + on the following night.” + </p> + <p> + “I must have been asleep the first night,” Malchus said, “and did not hear + your voice.” + </p> + <p> + “I feared to speak above a whisper, my lord; there are priests all night + in the sanctuary behind the great image.” + </p> + <p> + Day had by this time broken, and a stir and bustle commenced in front of + the long line of casemates; the elephants were brought out from their + stables and stood rocking themselves from side to side while their keepers + rubbed their hides with pumice stone. Nessus was one of those who was + appointed to make the great flat cakes of coarse flour which formed the + principal food of the elephants. The other Arabs busied themselves in + bringing in fresh straw, which Malchus scattered evenly over the stall; + heaps of freshly cut forage were placed before each elephant. + </p> + <p> + In a short time one of the Arabs took the place of Nessus in preparing the + cakes, while Nessus moved away and presently went down into the town to + await the coming of Malchus. By this arrangement if the superintendent of + the stables came round he would find the proper number of men at work, and + was not likely to notice the substitution of Malchus for Nessus, with + whose face he could not yet have become familiar. By this time numbers of + the townsmen were as usual coming up to the citadel to worship in the + temple or to visit friends dwelling there. Malchus learned that since his + escape had been known each person on entrance received a slip of brass + with a stamp on it which he had to give up on leaving. + </p> + <p> + All employed in the citadel received a similar voucher, without which none + could pass the gate. The time was now come when the elephants were + accustomed to be taken down to the fountains in the town below, and the + critical moment was at hand. The mahout had already begun to prepare his + elephant for the part he was to play. It had been trumpeting loudly and + showing signs of impatience and anger. The animal was now made to kneel by + the door of its stable, where Malchus had already lain down at the bottom + of the howdah, a piece of sacking being thrown over him by the Arabs. The + two Arabs and the mahout carried the howdah out, placed it on the + elephant, and securely fastened it in its position. + </p> + <p> + These howdahs were of rough construction, being in fact little more than + large open crates, for the elephants after being watered went to the + forage yard, where the crates were filled with freshly cut grass or young + boughs of trees, which they carried up for their own use to the citadel. + </p> + <p> + The mahout took his position on its neck, and the elephant then rose to + its feet. The symptoms of bad temper which it had already given were now + redoubled. It gave vent to a series of short vicious squeals, it trumpeted + loudly and angrily, and, although the mahout appeared to be doing his best + to pacify it, it became more and more demonstrative. The superintendent of + the elephants rode up. + </p> + <p> + “You had better dismount and take that brute back to the stable,” he said; + “he is not safe to take out this morning.” As he approached the elephant + threw up his trunk, opened his mouth, and rushed suddenly at him. The + officer fled hastily, shouting loudly to the other mahouts to bring their + animals in a circle round the elephant, but the mahout gave him a sudden + prod with his pricker and the elephant set off with great strides, his + ears out, his trunk in the air, and with every sign of an access of fury, + at the top of his speed. He rushed across the great courtyard, the people + flying in all directions with shouts of terror; he made two or three turns + up and down, each time getting somewhat nearer to the gate. + </p> + <p> + As he approached it for the third time the mahout guided him towards it, + and, accustomed at this hour to sally out, the elephant made a sudden rush + in that direction. The officer on guard shouted to his men to close the + gate, but before they could attempt to carry out the order the elephant + charged through, and at the top of his speed went down the road. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII: CANNAE + </h2> + <p> + As the elephant tore down the road to the town many were the narrow + escapes that, as they thought, those coming up had of being crushed or + thrown into the air by the angry beast. Some threw themselves on their + faces, others got over the parapet and hung by their hands until he had + passed, while some squeezed themselves against the wall; but the elephant + passed on without doing harm to any. + </p> + <p> + On reaching the foot of the descent the mahout guided the animal to the + left, and, avoiding the busy streets of the town, directed its course + towards the more quiet roads of the opulent quarter of Megara. The cries + of the people at the approach of the elephant preceded its course, and all + took refuge in gardens or houses. The latter became less and less + frequent, until, at a distance of two miles from the foot of the citadel, + the mahout, on looking round, perceived no one in sight. He brought the + elephant suddenly to a standstill. + </p> + <p> + “Quick, my lord,” he exclaimed, “now is the time.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus threw off the sack, climbed out of the howdah, and slipped down by + the elephant's tail, the usual plan for dismounting when an elephant is on + its feet. Then he sprang across the road, leaped into a garden, and hid + himself among some bushes. The mahout now turned the elephant, and, as if + he had succeeded at last in subduing it, slowly retraced his steps towards + the citadel. + </p> + <p> + A minute or two later Malchus issued out and quietly followed it. He had + gone some distance when he saw an Arab approaching him, and soon + recognized Nessus. They turned off together from the main road and made + their way by bystreets until they reached the lower city. At a spot near + the port they found one of the Arabs from above awaiting them, and he at + once led the way to the house inhabited by his family. The scheme had been + entirely successful. Malchus had escaped from the citadel without the + possibility of a suspicion arising that he had issued from its gates, and + in his Arab garb he could now traverse the streets unsuspected. + </p> + <p> + Nessus was overjoyed at the success of the stratagem, and Malchus himself + could hardly believe that he had escaped from the terrible danger which + threatened him. Nessus and the Arab at once returned to the citadel. It + was agreed that the former had better continue his work as usual until the + evening, and then ask for his discharge on the plea that he had received a + message requiring his presence in his native village, for it was thought + that suspicion might be excited were he to leave suddenly without drawing + his pay, and possibly a search might be instituted in the city to discover + his whereabouts. + </p> + <p> + At nightfall he returned, and then went to the house of one of the leaders + of the Barcine party with a message from Malchus to tell him where he was, + and the events which had occurred since his landing at Carthage, and + asking him to receive him privately in two hours' time, in order that he + might consult him as to the best plan to be followed. + </p> + <p> + Nessus returned saying that Manon was at home and was awaiting him, and + the two at once set out for his house. Manon, who was a distant relation + of Malchus, received him most warmly, and listened in astonishment to his + story of what had befallen him. Malchus then explained the mission with + which Hannibal had charged him, and asked his advice as to the best course + to be adopted. Manon was silent for a time. + </p> + <p> + “Hanno's faction is all powerful at present,” he said, “and were Hannibal + himself here I doubt whether his voice could stir the senate into taking + action such as is needed. The times have been hard, and Hanno and his + party have lavished money so freely among the lower classes that there is + no hope of stirring the populace up to declare against him. I think it + would be in the highest degree dangerous were we, as you propose, to + introduce you suddenly to the senate as Hannibal's ambassador to them, and + leave you to plead his cause. You would obtain no hearing. Hanno would + rise in his place and denounce you as one already condemned by the + tribunals as an enemy to the republic, and would demand your instant + execution, and, as he has a great majority of votes in the senate, his + demand would be complied with. You would, I am convinced, throw away your + life for no good purpose, while your presence and your mysterious escape + from prison would be made the pretense for a fresh series of persecutions + of our partisans. I understand as well as you do the urgency for + reinforcements being sent to Italy; but in order to do this the navy, now + rotting in our harbours, must be repaired, the command of the sea must be + regained, and fresh levies of troops made. + </p> + <p> + “To ask Carthage to make these sacrifices in her present mood is hopeless; + we must await an opportunity. I and my friends will prepare the way, will + set our agents to work among the people, and when the news of another + victory arrives and the people's hopes are aroused and excited, we will + strike while the iron is hot, and call upon them to make one great effort + to bring the struggle to a conclusion and to finish with Rome forever. + </p> + <p> + “Such is, in my opinion, the only possible mode of proceeding. To move now + would be to ensure a rejection of our demands, to bring fresh persecutions + upon us, and so to weaken us that we should be powerless to turn to good + account the opportunity which the news of another great victory would + afford. I will write at once to Hannibal and explain all the circumstances + of the situation, and will tell him why I have counselled you to avoid + carrying out his instructions, seeing that to do so now would be to ensure + your own destruction and greatly damage our cause. + </p> + <p> + “In the meantime you must, for a short time, remain in concealment, while + I arrange for a ship to carry you back to Italy.” + </p> + <p> + “The sooner the better,” Malchus said bitterly, “for Carthage with its + hideous tyranny, its foul corruption, its forgetfulness of its glory, its + honour, and even its safety, is utterly hateful to me. I trust that never + again shall I set foot within its walls. Better a thousand times to die in + a battlefield than to live in this accursed city.” + </p> + <p> + “It is natural that you should be indignant,” Manon said, “for the young + blood runs hotly in your veins, and your rage at seeing the fate which is + too certainly impending over Carthage, and which you are powerless to + prevent, is in no way to be blamed. We old men bow more resignedly to the + decrees of the gods. You know the saying, 'Those whom the gods would + destroy they first strike with madness.' Carthage is such. She sees + unmoved the heroic efforts which Hannibal and his army are making to save + her, and she will not stretch out a hand to aid him. She lives contentedly + under the constant tyranny of Hanno's rule, satisfied to be wealthy, + luxurious, and slothful, to carry on her trade, to keep her riches, caring + nothing for the manly virtues, indifferent to valour, preparing herself + slowly and surely to fall an easy prey to Rome. + </p> + <p> + “The end probably will not come in my time, it may come in yours, but come + it certainly and surely will. A nation which can place a mere handful of + its own citizens in the line of battle voluntarily dooms herself to + destruction.” + </p> + <p> + “Whether it comes in my time or not,” Malchus said, “I will be no sharer + in the fate of Carthage. I have done with her; and if I do not fall in the + battlefield I will, when the war is over, seek a refuge among the Gauls, + where, if the life is rough, it is at least free and independent, where + courage and manliness and honour count for much, and where the enervating + influence of wealth is as yet unknown. Such is my firm resolution.” + </p> + <p> + “I say nothing to dissuade you, Malchus,” the old man replied, “such are + the natural sentiments of your age; and methinks, were my own time to come + over again, I too would choose such a life in preference to an existence + in the polluted atmosphere of ungrateful Carthage. And now, will you stop + here with me, or will you return to the place where you are staying? I + need not say how gladly I would have you here, but I cannot answer + certainly for your safety. Every movement of those belonging to our party + is watched by Hanno, and I doubt not that he has his spies among my slaves + and servants. + </p> + <p> + “Therefore deem me not inhospitable if I say that it were better for you + to remain in hiding where you are. Let your follower come nightly to me + for instructions; let him enter the gate and remain in the garden near it. + I will come down and see him; his visits, were they known, would excite + suspicion. Bid him on his return watch closely to see that he is not + followed, and tell him to go by devious windings and to mix in the + thickest crowds in order to throw any one who may be following off his + track before he rejoins you. I trust to be able to arrange for a ship in + the course of three or four days. Come again and see me before you leave. + Here is a bag of gold; you will need it to reward those who have assisted + in your escape.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus at once agreed that it would be better for him to return to his + abode among the Arabs, and thanking Manon for his kindness he returned + with Nessus, who had been waiting without. + </p> + <p> + As they walked along Malchus briefly related to his follower the substance + of his interview with Manon. Suddenly Nessus stopped and listened, and + then resumed his walk. + </p> + <p> + “I think we are followed, my lord,” he said, “one of Hanno's spies in + Manon's household is no doubt seeking to discover who are the Arabs who + have paid his master a visit. I have thought once before that I heard a + footfall, now l am sure of it. When we get to the next turning do you walk + on and I will turn down the road. If the man behind us be honest he will + go straight on; if he be a spy, he will hesitate and stop at the corner to + decide which of us he shall follow; then I shall know what to do.” + </p> + <p> + Accordingly at the next crossroad they came to Nessus turned down and + concealed himself a few paces away, while Malchus, without pausing, walked + straight on. A minute later Nessus saw a dark figure come stealthily + along. He stopped at the junction of the roads and stood for a few seconds + in hesitation, then he followed Malchus. + </p> + <p> + Nessus issued from his hiding place, and, with steps as silent and + stealthy as those of a tiger tracking his prey, followed the man. When + within a few paces of him he gave a sudden spring and flung himself upon + him, burying his knife between his shoulders. Without a sound the man fell + forward on his face. Nessus coolly wiped his knife upon the garments of + the spy, and then proceeded at a rapid pace until he overtook Malchus. + </p> + <p> + “It was a spy,” he said, “but he will carry no more tales to Hanno.” + </p> + <p> + Two days later, Nessus, on his return from his visit to Manon, brought + news that the latter had arranged with the captain of a ship owned by a + friend to carry them across to Corinth, whence they would have no + difficulty in taking a passage to Italy. They were to go on board late the + following night, and the ship would set sail at daybreak. + </p> + <p> + The next evening Malchus accompanied by Nessus paid a farewell visit to + Manon, and repeated to him all the instructions of Hannibal, and Manon + handed him his letter for the general, and again assured him that he + would, with his friends, at once set to work to pave the way for an appeal + to the populace at the first favourable opportunity. + </p> + <p> + After bidding farewell to the old noble, Malchus returned to the house of + the Arab and prepared for his departure. He had already handsomely + rewarded the two men and the mahout for the services they had rendered + him. In the course of the day he had provided himself with the garments of + a trader, the character which he was now about to assume. + </p> + <p> + At midnight, when all was quiet, he and Nessus set out and made their way + down to the port, where, at a little frequented landing stage, a boat was + awaiting them, and they were at once rowed to the ship, which was lying at + anchor half a mile from the shore in readiness for an early start in the + morning. + </p> + <p> + Although it seemed next to impossible that they could have been traced, + Malchus walked the deck restlessly until the morning, listening to every + sound, and it was not until the anchor was weighed, the sails hoisted, and + the vessel began to draw away from Carthage that he went into his cabin. + On the sixth day after leaving Carthage the ship entered the port of + Corinth. + </p> + <p> + There were several vessels there from Italian ports, but before proceeding + to arrange for a passage Malchus went to a shop and bought, for himself + and Nessus, such clothing and arms as would enable them to pass without + difficulty as fighting men belonging to one of the Latin tribes. Then he + made inquiries on the quay, and, finding that a small Italian craft was to + start that afternoon for Brundusium, he went on board and accosted the + captain. + </p> + <p> + “We want to cross to Italy,” he said, “but we have our reasons for not + wishing to land at Brundusium, and would fain be put ashore at some + distance from the town. We are ready, of course, to pay extra for the + trouble.” + </p> + <p> + The request did not seem strange to the captain. Malchus had spoken in + Greek, the language with which all who traded on the Mediterranean were + familiar. He supposed that they had in some way embroiled themselves with + the authorities at Brundusium, and had fled for awhile until the matter + blew over, and that they were now anxious to return to their homes without + passing through the town. He asked rather a high price for putting them + ashore in a boat as they wished, and Malchus haggled over the sum for a + considerable time, as a readiness to pay an exorbitant price might have + given rise to doubts in the captain's mind as to the quality of his + passengers. Once or twice he made as if he would go ashore, and the + captain at last abated his demands to a reasonable sum. + </p> + <p> + When this was settled Malchus went no more ashore, but remained on board + until the vessel sailed, as he feared that he might again be recognized by + some of the sailors of the Carthaginian vessels in port. The weather was + fair and the wind light, and on the second day after sailing the vessel + lay to in a bay a few miles from Brundusium. The boat was lowered, and + Malchus and his companions set on shore. + </p> + <p> + They had before embarking laid in a store of provisions not only for a + voyage, but for their journey across the country, as the slight knowledge + which Malchus had of the Latin tongue would have betrayed him at once were + he obliged to enter a town or village to purchase food. Carrying the + provisions in bundles they made for the mountains, and after three days' + journey reached without interruption or adventure the camp of Hannibal. He + was still lying in his intrenched camp near Geronium. The Roman army was + as before watching him at a short distance off. + </p> + <p> + Malchus at once sought the tent of the general, whose surprise at seeing + him enter was great, for he had not expected that he would return until + the spring. Malchus gave him an account of all that had taken place since + he left him. Hannibal was indignant in the extreme at Hanno having + ventured to arrest and condemn his ambassador. When he learned the result + of the interview with Manon, and heard how completely the hostile faction + were the masters of Carthage, he agreed that the counsels of the old + nobleman were wise, and that Malchus could have done no good, whereas he + would have exposed himself to almost certain death, by endeavouring + further to carry out the mission with which he had been charged. + </p> + <p> + “Manon knows what is best, and, no doubt, a premature attempt to excite + the populace to force Hanno into sending the reinforcements we so much + need would have not only failed, but would have injured our cause. He and + his friends will doubtless work quietly to prepare the public mind, and I + trust that ere very long some decisive victory will give them the + opportunity for exciting a great demonstration on our behalf.” + </p> + <p> + The remainder of the winter passed quietly. Malchus resumed his post as + the commander of Hannibal's bodyguard, but his duties were very light. The + greater part of his time was spent in accompanying Hannibal in his visits + to the camps of the soldiers, where nothing was left undone which could + add to the comfort and contentment of the troops. There is no stronger + evidence of the popularity of Hannibal and of the influence which he + exercised over his troops than the fact that the army under him, composed, + as it was, of men of so many nationalities, for the most part originally + compelled against their will to enter the service of Carthage, maintained + their discipline unshaken, not only by the hardships and sacrifices of the + campaigns, but through the long periods of enforced idleness in their + winter quarters. + </p> + <p> + From first to last, through the long war, there was neither grumbling, nor + discontent, nor insubordination among the troops. They served willingly + and cheerfully. They had absolute confidence in their general, and were + willing to undertake the most tremendous labours and to engage in the most + arduous conflicts to please him, knowing that he, on his part, was + unwearied in promoting their comfort and well being at all other times. + </p> + <p> + As the spring advanced the great magazines which Hannibal had brought with + him became nearly exhausted, and no provisions could be obtained from the + surrounding country, which had been completely ruined by the long presence + of the two armies. It became, therefore, necessary to move from the + position which he had occupied during the winter. The Romans possessed the + great advantage over him of having magazines in their rear constantly + replenished by their allies, and move where they might, they were sure of + obtaining subsistence without difficulty. Thus, upon the march, they were + unembarrassed by the necessity of taking a great baggage train with them, + and, when halted, their general could keep his army together in readiness + to strike a blow whenever an opportunity offered; while Hannibal, on the + other hand, was forced to scatter a considerable portion of the army in + search of provisions. + </p> + <p> + The annual elections at Rome had just taken place, and Terentius Varro and + Emilius Paulus had been chosen consuls. Emilius belonged to the + aristocratic party, and had given proof of military ability three years + before when he had commanded as consul in the Illyrian war. Varro belonged + to the popular party, and is described by the historians of the period as + a coarse and brutal demagogue, the son of a butcher, and having himself + been a butcher. But he was unquestionably an able man, and possessed some + great qualities. The praetor Marcellus, who had slain a Gaulish king with + his own hand in the last Gaulish war, was at Ostia with a legion. He was + destined to command the fleet and to guard the southern coasts of Italy, + while another praetor, Lucius Postumius, with one legion, was in Cisalpine + Gaul keeping down the tribes friendly to Carthage. + </p> + <p> + But before the new consuls arrived to take the command of the army + Hannibal had moved from Geronium. + </p> + <p> + The great Roman magazine of Apulia was at Cannae, a town near the river + Aulidus. This important place was but fifty miles by the shortest route + across the plain from Geronium; but the Romans were unable to follow + directly across the plain, for at this time the Carthaginians greatly + outnumbered them in cavalry, and they would, therefore, have to take the + road round the foot of the mountains, which was nearly seventy miles long; + and yet, by some unaccountable blunder, they neglected to place a + sufficient guard over their great magazines at Cannae to defend them for + even a few days against a sudden attack. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal saw the opportunity, and when spring was passing into summer + broke up his camp and marched straight to Cannae, where the vast magazines + of the Romans at once fell into his hands. He thus not only obtained + possession of his enemy's supplies, but interposed between the Romans and + the low lying district of Southern Apulia, where alone, at, this early + season of the year, the corn was fully ripe. + </p> + <p> + The Romans had now no choice but to advance and fight a battle for the + recovery of their magazines, for, had they retired, the Apulians, who had + already suffered terribly from the war, would, in sheer despair, have been + forced to declare for Carthage, while it would have been extremely + difficult to continue any longer the waiting tactics of Fabius, as they + would now have been obliged to draw their provisions from a distance, + while Hannibal could victual his army from the country behind him. The + senate therefore, having largely reinforced the army, ordered the consuls + to advance and give battle. + </p> + <p> + They had under them eight full legions, or eighty thousand infantry and + seven thousand two hundred cavalry. To oppose these Hannibal had forty + thousand infantry and ten thousand excellent cavalry, of whom two thousand + were Numidians. On the second day after leaving the neighbourhood of + Geronium the Romans encamped at a distance of six miles from the + Carthaginians. Here the usual difference of opinion at once arose between + the Roman consuls, who commanded the army on alternate days. Varro wished + to march against the enemy without delay, while Emilius was adverse to + risking an engagement in a country which, being level and open, was + favourable to the action of Hannibal's superior cavalry. + </p> + <p> + On the following day Varro, whose turn it was to command, marched towards + the hostile camp. Hannibal attacked the Roman advanced guard with his + cavalry and light infantry, but Varro had supported his cavalry not only + by his light troops, but by a strong body of his heavy armed infantry, and + after an engagement, which lasted for several hours, he repulsed the + Carthaginians with considerable loss. + </p> + <p> + That evening the Roman army encamped about three miles from Cannae, on the + right bank of the Aufidus. The next morning Emilius, who was in command, + detached a third of his force across the river, and encamped them there + for the purpose of supporting the Roman foraging parties on that side and + of interrupting those of the Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + The next day passed quietly, but on the following morning Hannibal quitted + his camp and formed his army in order of battle to tempt the Romans to + attack; but Emilius, sensible that the ground was against him, would not + move, but contented himself with further strengthening his camps. + Hannibal, seeing that the Romans would not fight, detached his Numidian + cavalry across the river to cut off the Roman foraging parties and to + surround and harass their smaller camp on that side of the river. On the + following morning Hannibal, knowing that Varro would be in command, and + feeling sure that, with his impetuous disposition, the consul would be + burning to avenge the insult offered by the surrounding of his camp by the + Numidians, moved his army across the river, and formed it in order of + battle, leaving eight thousand of his men to guard his camp. + </p> + <p> + By thus doing he obtained a position which he could the better hold with + his inferior forces, while the Romans, deeming that he intended to attack + their camp on that side of the river, would be likely to move their whole + army across and to give battle. This in fact Varro proceeded to do. + Leaving ten thousand men in his own camp with orders to march out and + attack that of Hannibal during the engagement, he led the rest of his + troops over the river, and having united his force with that in the camp + on the right bank, marched down the river until he faced the position + which Hannibal had taken up. + </p> + <p> + This had been skillfully chosen. The river, whose general course was east + and west, made a loop, and across this Hannibal had drawn up his army with + both wings resting upon the river. Thus the Romans could not outflank him, + and the effect of their vastly superior numbers in infantry would to some + extent be neutralized. The following was the disposition of his troops. + </p> + <p> + The Spaniards and Gauls occupied the centre of the line of infantry. The + Africans formed the two wings. On his left flank between the Africans and + the river he placed his heavy African and Gaulish horse, eight thousand + strong, while the two thousand Numidians were posted between the infantry + and the river on the right flank. Hannibal commanded the centre of the + army in person, Hanno the right wing, Hasdrubal the left wing; Maharbal + commanded the cavalry. + </p> + <p> + Varro placed his infantry in close and heavy order, so as to reduce their + front to that of the Carthaginians. The Roman cavalry, numbering two + thousand four hundred men, was on his right wing, and was thus opposed to + Hannibal's heavy cavalry, eight thousand strong. The cavalry of the + Italian allies, four thousand eight hundred strong, was on the left wing + facing the Numidians. + </p> + <p> + Emilius commanded the Roman right, Varro the left. The Carthaginians faced + north, so that the wind, which was blowing strongly from the south, swept + clouds of dust over their heads full into the faces of the enemy. The + battle was commenced by the light troops on both sides, who fought for + some time obstinately and courageously, but without any advantage to + either. While this contest was going on, Hannibal advanced his centre so + as to form a salient angle projecting in front of his line. The whole of + the Gauls and Spaniards took part in this movement, while the Africans + remained stationary; at the same time he launched his heavy cavalry + against the Roman horse. + </p> + <p> + The latter were instantly overthrown, and were driven from the field with + great slaughter. Emilius himself was wounded, but managed to join the + infantry. While the Carthaginian heavy horse were thus defeating the Roman + cavalry, the Numidians maneuvered near the greatly superior cavalry of the + Italian allies, and kept them occupied until the heavy horse, after + destroying the Roman cavalry, swept round behind their infantry and fell + upon the rear of the Italian horse, while the Numidians charged them + fiercely in front. + </p> + <p> + Thus caught in a trap the Italian horse were completely annihilated, and + so, before the heavy infantry of the two armies met each other, not a + Roman cavalry soldier remained alive and unwounded on the field. + </p> + <p> + The Roman infantry now advanced to the charge, and from the nature of + Hannibal's formation their centre first came in contact with the head of + the salient angle formed by the Gauls and Spaniards. These resisted with + great obstinacy. The principes, who formed the second line of the Roman + infantry, came forward and joined the spearmen, and even the triarii + pressed forward and joined in the fight. Fighting with extreme obstinacy + the Carthaginian centre was forced gradually back until they were again in + a line with the Africans on their flanks. + </p> + <p> + The Romans had insensibly pressed in from both flanks upon the point where + they had met with resistance, and now occupied a face scarcely more than + half that with which they had begun the battle. Still further the Gauls + and Spaniards were driven back until they now formed an angle in rear of + the original line, and in this angle the whole of the Roman infantry in a + confused mass pressed upon them. This was the moment for which Hannibal + had waited. He wheeled round both his flanks, and the Africans, who had + hitherto not struck a blow, now fell in perfect order upon the flanks of + the Roman mass, while Hasdrubal with his victorious cavalry charged down + like a torrent upon their rear. Then followed a slaughter unequalled in + the records of history. Unable to open out, to fight, or to fly, with no + quarter asked or given, the Romans and their Latin allies fell before the + swords of their enemies, till, of the seventy thousand infantry which had + advanced to the fight, forty thousand had fallen on the field. Three + thousand were taken prisoners, seven thousand escaped to the small camp, + and ten thousand made their way across the river to the large camp, where + they joined the force which had been left there, and which had, in + obedience to Varro's orders, attacked the Carthaginian camp, but had been + repulsed with a loss of two thousand men. All the troops in both camps + were forced to surrender on the following morning, and thus only fifteen + thousand scattered fugitives escaped of the eighty-seven thousand two + hundred infantry and cavalry under the command of the Roman consuls. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal's loss in the battle of Cannae amounted to about six thousand + men. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX: IN THE MINES + </h2> + <p> + The exultation of the Carthaginians at the total destruction of their + enemies was immense, and Maharbal and some of the other leaders urged + Hannibal at once to march upon Rome; but Hannibal knew the spirit of the + Roman people, and felt that the capture of Rome, even after the + annihilation of its army, would be a greater task than he could undertake. + History has shown how desperate a defence may be made by a population + willing to die rather than surrender, and the Romans, an essentially + martial people, would defend their city until the last gasp. They had an + abundance of arms, and there were the two city legions, which formed the + regular garrison of the capital. + </p> + <p> + The instant the news of the defeat reached Rome, a levy of all males over + seventeen years of age was ordered, and this produced another ten thousand + men and a thousand cavalry. Eight thousand slaves who were willing to + serve were enlisted and armed, and four thousand criminals and debtors + were released from prison and pardoned, on the condition of their taking + up arms. The praetor Marcellus was at Ostia with the ten thousand men with + which he was about to embark for Sicily. + </p> + <p> + Thus Rome would be defended by forty-three thousand men, while Hannibal + had but thirty-three thousand infantry, and his cavalry, the strongest arm + of his force, would be useless. From Cannae to Rome was twelve days' march + with an army encumbered with booty. He could not, therefore, hope for a + surprise. The walls of Rome were exceedingly strong, and he had with him + none of the great machines which would have been necessary for a siege. He + must have carried with him the supplies he had accumulated for the + subsistence of his force, and when these were consumed he would be + destitute. Fresh Roman levies would gather on his rear, and before long + his whole army would be besieged. + </p> + <p> + In such an undertaking he would have wasted time, and lost the prestige + which he had acquired by his astonishing victory. Varro, who had escaped + from the battle, had rallied ten thousand of the fugitives at the strong + place of Canusium, and these would be a nucleus round which the rest of + those who had escaped would rally, and would be joined by fresh levies of + the Italian allies of Rome. + </p> + <p> + The Romans showed their confidence in their power to resist a siege by at + once despatching Marcellus with his ten thousand men to Canusium. Thus, + with a strongly defended city in front, an army of twenty thousand Roman + soldiers, which would speedily increase to double that number, in his + rear, Hannibal perceived that were he to undertake the siege of Rome he + would risk all the advantages he had gained. He determined, therefore, to + continue the policy which he had laid down for himself, namely, to move + his army to and fro among the provinces of Italy until the allies of Rome + one by one fell away from her, and joined him, or until such + reinforcements arrived from Carthage as would justify him in undertaking + the siege of Rome. + </p> + <p> + Rome herself was never grander than in this hour of defeat; not for a + moment was the courage and confidence of her citizens shaken. The + promptness with which she prepared for defence, and still more the + confidence which she showed by despatching Marcellus with his legion to + Canusium instead of retaining him for the defence of the city, show a + national spirit and manliness worthy of the highest admiration. Varro was + ordered to hand over his command to Marcellus, and to return to Rome to + answer before the senate for his conduct. + </p> + <p> + Varro doubted not that his sentence would be death, for the Romans, like + the Carthaginians, had but little mercy for a defeated general. His + colleague and his army had undoubtedly been sacrificed by his rashness. + Moreover, the senate was composed of his bitter political enemies, and he + could not hope that a lenient view would be taken of his conduct. + Nevertheless Varro returned to Rome and appeared before the senate. That + body nobly responded to the confidence manifested in it; party feeling was + suspended, the political adversary, the defeated general, were alike + forgotten, it was only remembered how Varro had rallied his troops, how he + had allayed the panic which prevailed among them, and had at once restored + order and discipline. His courage, too, in thus appearing, after so great + a disaster, to submit himself to the judgment of the country, counted in + his favour. His faults were condoned, and the senate publicly thanked him, + because he had not despaired of the commonwealth. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, in pursuance of his policy to detach the allies of Italy from + Rome, dismissed all the Italian prisoners without ransom. The Roman + prisoners he offered to admit to ransom, and a deputation of them + accompanied an ambassador to offer terms of peace. The senate, however, + not only refused to discuss any terms of peace, but absolutely forbade the + families and friends of the prisoners to ransom them, thinking it politic + neither to enrich their adversary nor to show indulgence to soldiers who + had surrendered to the enemy. + </p> + <p> + The victory of Cannae and Hannibal's clemency began to bear the effects + which he hoped for. Apulia declared for him at once, and the towns of Arpi + and Celapia opened their gates to him; Bruttium, Lucania, and Samnium were + ready to follow. Mago with one division of the army was sent into Bruttium + to take possession of such towns as might submit. Hanno was sent with + another division to do the same in Lucania. Hannibal himself marched into + Samnium, and making an alliance with the tribes, there stored his plunder, + and proceeded into Campania, and entered Capua, the second city of Italy, + which concluded an alliance with him. Mago embarked at one of the ports of + Bruttium to carry the news of Hannibal's success to Carthage, and to + demand reinforcements. + </p> + <p> + Neither Rome nor Carthage had the complete mastery of the sea, and as the + disaster which had befallen Rome by land would greatly lessen her power to + maintain a large fleet, Carthage could now have poured reinforcements in + by the ports of Bruttium without difficulty. But unfortunately Hannibal's + bitterest enemies were to be found not in Italy but in the senate of + Carthage, where, in spite of the appeals of Mago and the efforts of the + patriotic party, the intrigues of Hanno and his faction and the demands + made by the war in Spain, prevented the reinforcements from being + forwarded which would have enabled him to terminate the struggle by the + conquest of Rome. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, after receiving the submission of several other towns and + capturing Casilinum, went into winter quarters at Capua. During the winter + Rome made gigantic efforts to place her army upon a war footing, and with + such success that, excluding the army of Scipio in Spain, she had, when + the spring began, twelve legions or a hundred and twenty thousand men + again under arms; and as no reinforcements, save some elephants and a + small body of cavalry, ever reached Hannibal from Carthage, he was, during + the remaining thirteen years of the war, reduced to stand wholly on the + defensive, protecting his allies, harassing his enemy, and feeding his own + army at their expense; and yet so great was the dread which his genius had + excited that, in spite of their superior numbers, the Romans after Cannae + never ventured again to engage him in a pitched battle. + </p> + <p> + Soon after the winter set in Hannibal ordered Malchus to take a number of + officers and a hundred picked men, and to cross from Capua to Sardinia, + where the inhabitants had revolted against Rome, and were harassing the + praetor, Quintus Mucius, who commanded the legion which formed the + garrison of the island. Malchus and the officers under him were charged + with the duty of organizing the wild peasantry of the island, and of + drilling them in regular tactics; for unless acting as bodies of regular + troops, however much they might harass the Roman legion, they could not + hope to expel them from their country. Nessus of course accompanied + Malchus. + </p> + <p> + The party embarked in two of the Capuan galleys. They had not been many + hours at sea when the weather, which had when they started been fine, + changed suddenly, and ere long one of the fierce gales which are so + frequent in the Mediterranean burst upon them. The wind was behind them, + and there was nothing to do but to let the galleys run before it. The sea + got up with great rapidity, and nothing but the high poops at their stern + prevented the two galleys being sunk by the great waves which followed + them. The oars were laid in, for it was impossible to use them in such a + sea. + </p> + <p> + As night came on the gale increased rather than diminished. The + Carthaginian officers and soldiers remained calm and quiet in the storm, + but the Capuan sailors gave themselves up to despair, and the men at the + helm were only kept at their post by Malchus threatening to have them + thrown overboard instantly if they abandoned it. After nightfall he + assembled the officers in the cabin in the poop. + </p> + <p> + “The prospects are bad,” he said. “The pilot tells me that unless the gale + abates or the wind changes we shall, before morning, be thrown upon the + coast of Sardinia, and that will be total destruction; for upon the side + facing Italy the cliffs, for the most part, rise straight up from the + water, the only port on that side being that at which the Romans have + their chief castle and garrison. He tells me there is nothing to be done, + and I see nought myself. Were we to try to bring the galley round to the + wind she would be swamped in a moment, while even if we could carry out + the operation, it would be impossible to row in the teeth of this sea. + Therefore, my friends, there is nothing for us to do save to keep up the + courage of the men, and to bid them hold themselves in readiness to seize + upon any chance of getting to shore should the vessel strike.” + </p> + <p> + All night the galley swept on before the storm. The light on the other + boat had disappeared soon after darkness had set in. Half the soldiers and + crew by turns were kept at work baling out the water which found its way + over the sides, and several times so heavily did the seas break into her + that all thought that she was lost. However, when morning broke she was + still afloat. The wind had hardly shifted a point since it had begun to + blow, and the pilot told Malchus that they must be very near to the coast + of Sardinia. As the light brightened every eye was fixed ahead over the + waste of angry foaming water. Presently the pilot, who was standing next + to Malchus, grasped his arm. + </p> + <p> + “There is the land,” he cried, “dead before us.” + </p> + <p> + Not until a few minutes later could Malchus make out the faint outline + through the driving mist. It was a lofty pile of rock standing by itself. + </p> + <p> + “It is an island!” he exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “It is Caralis,” the pilot replied; “I know its outline well; we are + already in the bay. Look to the right, you can make out the outline of the + cliffs at its mouth, we have passed it already. You do not see the shore + ahead because the rock on which Caralis stands rises from a level plain, + and to the left a lagoon extends for a long way in; it is there that the + Roman galleys ride. The gods have brought us to the only spot along the + coast where we could approach it with a hope of safety.” + </p> + <p> + “There is not much to rejoice at,” Malchus said; “we may escape the sea, + but only to be made prisoners by the Romans.” + </p> + <p> + “Nay, Malchus, the alternative is not so bad,” a young officer who was + standing next to him said. “Hannibal has thousands of Roman prisoners in + his hands, and we may well hope to be exchanged. After the last twelve + hours any place on shore, even a Roman prison, is an elysium compared to + the sea.” + </p> + <p> + The outline of the coast was now clearly visible. The great rock of + Caralis, now known as Cagliari, rose dark and threatening, the low shores + of the bay on either side were marked by a band of white foam, while to + the left of the rock was the broad lagoon, dotted with the black hulls of + a number of ships and galleys rolling and tossing heavily, for as the wind + blew straight into the bay the lagoon was covered with short, angry waves. + </p> + <p> + The pilot now ordered the oars to be got out. The entrance to the lagoon + was wide, but it was only in the middle that the channel was deep, and on + either side of this long breakwaters of stone were run out from the shore, + to afford a shelter to the shipping within. The sea was so rough that it + was found impossible to use the oars, and they were again laid in and a + small sail was hoisted. This enabled the head to be laid towards the + entrance of the lagoon. For a time it was doubtful whether the galley + could make it, but she succeeded in doing so, and then ran straight on + towards the upper end of the harbour. + </p> + <p> + “That is far enough,” the pilot said presently; “the water shoals fast + beyond. We must anchor here.” + </p> + <p> + The sail was lowered, the oars got out on one side, and the head of the + galley brought to the wind. The anchor was then dropped. As the storm + beaten galley ran right up the lagoon she had been viewed with curiosity + and interest by those who were on board the ships at anchor. That she was + an Italian galley was clear, and also that she was crowded with men, but + no suspicion was entertained that these were Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + The anchor once cast Malchus held a council with the other officers. They + were in the midst of foes, and escape seemed altogether impossible. Long + before the gale abated sufficiently to permit them to put to sea again, + they would be visited by boats from the other vessels to ask who they were + and whence they came. As to fighting their way out it was out of the + question, for there were a score of triremes in the bay, any one of which + could crush the Capuan galley, and whose far greater speed rendered the + idea of flight as hopeless as that of resistance. The council therefore + agreed unanimously that the only thing to be done was to surrender without + resistance. + </p> + <p> + The storm continued for another twenty-four hours, then the wind died out + almost as suddenly as it began. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the sea began to abate two galleys were seen putting out from + the town, and these rowed directly towards the ship. The fact that she had + shown no flag had no doubt excited suspicion in the minds of the garrison. + Each galley contained fifty soldiers. As they rowed alongside a Roman + officer on the poop of one of the galleys hailed the ship, and demanded + whence it came. + </p> + <p> + “We are from Capua,” the pilot answered. “The gale has blown us across + thence. I have on board fifty Carthaginian officers and soldiers, who now + surrender to you.” + </p> + <p> + As in those days, when vessels could with difficulty keep the sea in a + storm, and in the event of a gale springing up were forced to run before + it, it was by no means unusual for galleys to be blown into hostile ports, + the announcement excited no great surprise. + </p> + <p> + “Who commands the party?” the Roman officer asked. + </p> + <p> + “I do,” Malchus replied. “I am Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, who was + killed at the Trebia, a cousin of Hannibal and captain of his guard. I + surrender with my followers, seeing that resistance is hopeless.” + </p> + <p> + “It is hopeless,” the Roman replied, “and you are right not to throw away + the lives of your men when there is no possibility of resistance.” + </p> + <p> + As he spoke he stepped on board, ordered the anchor to be weighed, and the + galley, accompanied by the two Roman boats, was rowed to the landing + place. A messenger was at once sent up to Mucius to tell him what had + happened, and the praetor himself soon appeared upon the spot. The officer + acquainted him with the name and rank of the leader of the Carthaginian + party, and said that there were with him two officers of noble families of + the Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + “That is well,” the praetor said, “it is a piece of good fortune. The + Carthaginians have so many of our officers in their hands, that it is well + to have some whom we may exchange for them. Let them be landed.” + </p> + <p> + As they left the ship the Carthaginians laid down their arms and armour. + By this time a large number of the Roman garrison, among whom the news had + rapidly spread, were assembled at the port. Many of the young soldiers had + never yet seen a Carthaginian, and they looked with curiosity and interest + at the men who had inflicted such terrible defeats upon the armies of the + Romans. They were fine specimens of Hannibal's force, for the general had + allowed Malchus to choose his own officers and men, and, knowing that + strength, agility, and endurance would be needed for a campaign in so + mountainous a country as Sardinia, he had picked both officers and men + with great care. + </p> + <p> + His second in command was his friend Trebon, who had long since obtained a + separate command, but who, on hearing from Malchus of the expedition on + which he was bound, had volunteered to accompany him. The men were all + Africans accustomed to desert fighting and trained in warfare in Spain. + The Romans, good judges of physical strength, could not repress a murmur + of admiration at the sight of these sinewy figures. Less heavy than + themselves, there was about them a spring and an elasticity resembling + that of the tiger. Long use had hardened their muscles until they stood up + like cords through their tawny skin, most of them bore numerous scars of + wounds received in battle, and the Romans, as they viewed them, + acknowledged to themselves what formidable opponents these men would be. + </p> + <p> + A strong guard formed up on either side of the captives, and they were + marched through the town to the citadel on the upper part of the rock. + Here a large chamber, opening on to the courtyard, was assigned to the + officers, while the men, who were viewed in the light of slaves, were at + once set to work to carry stores up to the citadel from a ship which had + arrived just as the storm broke. + </p> + <p> + A fortnight later a vessel arrived from Rome with a message from the + senate that they would not exchange prisoners, and that the Carthaginians + were at once to be employed as slaves in the mines. The governor + acquainted Malchus with the decision. + </p> + <p> + “I am sorry,” he said, “indeed, that it is so; but the senate are + determined that they will exchange no prisoners. Of course their view of + the matter is, that when a Roman lays down his arms he disgraces himself, + and the refusal to ransom him or allow him to be exchanged is intended to + act as a deterrent to others. This may be fair enough in cases where large + numbers surrender to a few, or where they lay down their arms when with + courage and determination they might have cut their way through the enemy; + but in cases where further resistance would be hopeless, in my mind men + are justified in surrendering. However, I can only obey the orders I have + received, and tomorrow must send you and your men to the mines.” + </p> + <p> + As Malchus had seen the Iberian captives sent to labour as slaves in the + mines in Spain, the fate thus announced to him did not appear surprising + or barbarous. In those days captives taken in war were always made slaves + when they were not put to death in cold blood, and although Hannibal had + treated with marked humanity and leniency the Roman and Italian captives + who had fallen into his hands, this had been the result of policy, and was + by no means in accordance with the spirit in which war was then conducted. + Accordingly, the next day the Carthaginians were, under a strong guard, + marched away to the mines, which lay on the other side of the island, some + forty miles due west of the port, and three miles from the western sea + coast of the island. The road lay for some distance across a dead flat. + The country was well cultivated and thickly studded with villages, for + Rome drew a heavy tribute in corn annually from the island. + </p> + <p> + After twenty miles' march they halted for the night, pursuing their way on + the following morning. They had now entered a wide and fertile valley with + lofty hills on either side. In some places there were stagnant marshes, + and the officer in charge of the guard informed Malchus that in the autumn + a pestilential miasma rose from these, rendering a sojourn in the valley + fatal to the inhabitants of the mainland. The native people were wild and + primitive in appearance, being clad chiefly in sheepskins. They lived in + beehive shaped huts. The hills narrowed in towards the end of the day's + march, and the valley terminated when the party arrived within half a mile + of their destination. Here stood a small town named Metalla, with a strong + Roman garrison, which supplied guards over the slaves employed in working + the mines. This town is now called Iglesias. + </p> + <p> + The principal mine was situated in a narrow valley running west from the + town down to the sea coast. The officer in command of the escort handed + over Malchus and his companions to the charge of the officer at the head + mining establishment. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was surprised at the large number of people gathered at the spot. + They lived for the most part in low huts constructed of boughs or sods, + and ranged in lines at the bottom of the valley or along the lower slopes + of the hill. A cordon of Roman sentries was placed along the crest of the + hill at either side, and a strong guard was posted in a little camp in the + centre of the valley, in readiness to put down any tumult which might + arise. + </p> + <p> + The great majority of the slaves gathered there were Sards, men belonging + to tribes which had risen in insurrection against the Romans. There were + with them others of their countrymen who were not like them slaves, though + their condition was but little better except that they received a nominal + rate of payment. These were called free labourers, but their labour was as + much forced as was that of the slaves—each district in the island + being compelled to furnish a certain amount of labourers for this or the + mines further to the north. The men so conscripted were changed once in + six months. With the Sards were mingled people of many nations. Here were + Sicilians and members of many Italian tribes conquered by the Romans, + together with Gauls from the northern plains and from Marseilles. + </p> + <p> + There were many mines worked in different parts of the island, but Metalla + was the principal. The labour, in days when gunpowder had not become the + servant of man, was extremely hard. The rocks had to be pierced with hand + labour, the passages and galleries were of the smallest possible + dimensions, the atmosphere was stifling; consequently the mortality was + great, and it was necessary to keep up a constant importation of labour. + </p> + <p> + “If these people did but possess a particle of courage,” Trebon said, + “they would rise, overpower the guard, and make for the forests. The whole + island is, as the officer who brought us here told us, covered with + mountains with the exception of the two broad plains running through it; + as we could see the hills are covered with woods, and the whole Roman army + could not find them if they once escaped.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true enough,” Malchus said, “but there must be at least five or + six thousand slaves here. How could these find food among the mountains? + They might exist for a time upon berries and grain, but they would in the + end be forced to go into the valleys for food, and would then be + slaughtered by the Romans. Nevertheless a small body of men could no doubt + subsist among the hills, and the strength of the guard you see on the + heights shows that attempts to escape are not rare. Should we find our + existence intolerable here, we will at any rate try to escape. There are + fifty of us, and if we agreed in common action we could certainly break + through the guards and take to the hills. As you may see by their faces, + the spirit of these slaves is broken. See how bent most of them are by + their labour, and how their shoulders are wealed by the lashes of their + taskmasters!” + </p> + <p> + The officer in charge of the mines told Malchus that he should not put him + and the other two officers to labour, but would appoint them as overseers + over gangs of the men, informing them that he had a brother who was at + present a captive in the hands of Hannibal; and he trusted that Malchus, + should he have an opportunity, would use his kind offices on his behalf. + </p> + <p> + One of the lines of huts near the Roman camp was assigned to the + Carthaginians, and that evening they received rations of almost black + bread similar to those served out to the others. The following morning + they were set to work. Malchus and his two friends found their tasks by no + means labourious, as they were appointed to look after a number of Sards + employed in breaking up and sorting the lead ore as it was brought up from + the mine. The men, however, returned in the evening worn out with toil. + All had been at work in the mines. Some had had to crawl long distances + through passages little more than three feet high and one foot wide, until + they reached the broad lode of lead ore. + </p> + <p> + Here some of the party had been set to work, others had been employed in + pushing on the little galleries, and there had sat for hours working in a + cramped position, with pick, hammer, and wedge. Others had been lowered by + ropes down shafts so narrow that when they got to the bottom it was only + with extreme difficulty that they were able to stoop to work at the rock + beneath their feet. Many, indeed, of these old shafts have been found in + the mines of Montepone, so extremely narrow that it is supposed that they + must have been bored by slaves lowered by ropes, head foremost, it + appearing absolutely impossible for a man to stoop to work if lowered in + the ordinary way. + </p> + <p> + The Carthaginians, altogether unaccustomed to work of this nature, + returned to their huts at night utterly exhausted, cramped, and aching in + every limb. Many had been cruelly beaten for not performing the tasks + assigned to them. All were filled with a dull despairing rage. In the + evening a ration of boiled beans, with a little native wine, was served + out to each, the quantity of the food being ample, it being necessary to + feed the slaves well to enable them to support their fatigues. + </p> + <p> + After three days of this work five or six of the captives were so + exhausted that they were unable to take their places with the gang when + ordered for work in the morning. They were, however, compelled by blows to + rise and take their places with the rest. Two of them died during the + course of the day in their stifling working places; another succumbed + during the night; several, too, were attacked by the fever of the country. + Malchus and his friends were full of grief and rage at the sufferings of + their men. + </p> + <p> + “Anything were better than this,” Malchus said. “A thousand times better + to fall beneath the swords of the Romans than to die like dogs in the + holes beneath that hill!” + </p> + <p> + “I quite agree with you, Malchus,” Halco, the other officer with the + party, said, “and am ready to join you in any plan of escape, however + desperate.” + </p> + <p> + “The difficulty is about arms,” Trebon observed. “We are so closely + watched that it is out of the question to hope that we should succeed in + getting possession of any. The tools are all left in the mines; and as the + men work naked, there is no possibility of their secreting any. The stores + here are always guarded by a sentry; and although we might overpower him, + the guard would arrive long before we could break through the solid doors. + Of course if we could get the other slaves to join us, we might crush the + guard even with stones.” + </p> + <p> + “That is out of the question,” Malchus said. “In the first place, they + speak a strange language, quite different to the Italians. Then, were we + seen trying to converse with any of them, suspicions might be roused; and + even could we get the majority to join us, there would be many who would + be only too glad to purchase their own freedom by betraying the plot to + the Romans. No, whatever we do must be done by ourselves alone; and for + arms we must rely upon stones, and upon the stoutest stakes we can draw + out from our huts. The only time that we have free to ourselves is the + hour after work is over, when we are allowed to go down to the stream to + wash and to stroll about as we will until the trumpet sounds to order us + to retire to our huts for the night. + </p> + <p> + “It is true that at that time the guards are particularly vigilant, and + that we are not allowed to gather into knots; and an Italian slave I spoke + to yesterday told me that he dared not speak to me, for the place swarms + with spies, and that any conversation between us would be sure to be + reported, and those engaged in it put to the hardest and cruelest work. I + propose, therefore, that tomorrow—for if it is to be done, the + sooner the better, before the men lose all their strength—the men + shall on their return from work at once eat their rations; then each man, + hiding a short stick under his garment and wrapping a few heavy stones in + the corner of his robe, shall make his way up towards the top of the hill + above the mine. + </p> + <p> + “No two men must go together—all must wander as if aimlessly among + the huts. When they reach the upper line on that side and see me, let all + rapidly close up, and we will make a sudden rush at the sentries above. + They cannot get more than five or six together in time to oppose us, and + we shall be able to beat them down with our stones. Once through them, the + heavy armed men will never be able to overtake us till we reach the + forest, which begins, I believe, about half a mile beyond the top.” + </p> + <p> + The other two officers at once agreed to the plan; and when the camp was + still Malchus crept cautiously from hut to hut, telling his men of the + plan that had been formed and giving orders for the carrying of it out. + </p> + <p> + All assented cheerfully; for although the stronger were now becoming + accustomed to their work, and felt less exhausted than they had done the + first two days, there was not one but felt that he would rather suffer + death than endure this terrible fate. Malchus impressed upon them strongly + that it was of the utmost consequence to possess themselves of the arms of + any Roman soldiers they might overthrow, as they would to a great extent + be compelled to rely upon these to obtain food among the mountains. + </p> + <p> + Even the men who were most exhausted, and those stricken with fever, + seemed to gain strength at once at the prospect of a struggle for liberty, + and when the gang turned out in the morning for work none lagged behind. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX: THE SARDINIAN FORESTS + </h2> + <p> + The Carthaginians returned in the evening in groups from the various + scenes of their labour and without delay consumed the provisions provided + for them. Then one by one they sauntered away down towards the stream. + Malchus was the last to leave, and having seen that all his followers had + preceded him, he, too, crossed the stream, paused a moment at a heap of + debris from the mine, and picking up three or four pieces of rock about + the size of his fist, rolled them in the corner of his garment, and + holding this in one hand moved up the hill. + </p> + <p> + Here and there he paused a moment as if interested in watching the groups + of slaves eating their evening meal, until at last he reached the upper + line of little huts. Between these and the hill top upon which the + sentries stood was a distance of about fifty yards, which was kept + scrupulously clear to enable them to watch the movements of any man going + beyond the huts. The sentries were some thirty paces apart, so that, as + Malchus calculated, not more than four or five of them could assemble + before he reached them, if they did not previously perceive anything + suspicious which might put them on the alert. + </p> + <p> + Looking round him Malchus saw his followers scattered about among the + slaves at a short distance. Standing behind the shelter of the hut he + raised his hand, and all began to move towards him. As there was nothing + in their attire, which consisted of one long cloth wound round them, to + distinguish them from the other slaves, the movement attracted no + attention from the sentries, who were, from their position, able to + overlook the low huts. + </p> + <p> + When he saw that all were close, Malchus gave a shout and dashed up the + hill, followed by his comrades. + </p> + <p> + The nearest sentry, seeing a body of fifty men suddenly rushing towards + him, raised a shout, and his comrades from either side ran towards him; + but so quickly was the movement performed that but five had gathered when + the Carthaginians reached them, although many others were running towards + the spot. The Carthaginians, when they came close to their levelled + spears, poured upon them a shower of heavy stones, which knocked two of + them down and so bruised and battered the others that they went down at + once when the Carthaginians burst upon them. + </p> + <p> + The nearest Romans halted to await the arrival of their comrades coming up + behind them, and the Carthaginians, seizing the swords, spears, and + shields of their fallen foes, dashed on at full speed. The Romans soon + followed, but with the weight of their weapons, armour, and helmets they + were speedily distanced, and the fugitives reached the edge of the forest + in safety and dashed into its recesses. + </p> + <p> + After running for some distance they halted, knowing that the Romans would + not think of pursuing except with a large force. The forests which covered + the mountains of Sardinia were for the most part composed of evergreen + oak, with, in some places, a thick undergrowth of shrubs and young trees. + Through this the Carthaginians made their way with some difficulty, until, + just as it became dark, they reached the bottom of a valley comparatively + free of trees and through which ran a clear stream. + </p> + <p> + “Here we will halt for the night,” Malchus said; “there is no fear of the + Romans pursuing at once, if indeed they do so at all, for their chance of + finding us in these mountains, covered with hundreds of square miles of + forests, is slight indeed; however, we will at once provide ourselves with + weapons.” + </p> + <p> + The five Roman swords were put into requisition, and some straight young + saplings were felled, and their points being sharpened they were converted + into efficient spears, each some fourteen feet long. + </p> + <p> + “It is well we have supped,” Malchus said; “our breakfast will depend on + ourselves. Tomorrow we must keep a sharp lookout for smoke rising through + the trees; there are sure to be numbers of charcoal burners in the forest, + for upon them the Romans depend for their fuel. One of the first things to + do is to obtain a couple of lighted brands. A fire is essential for warmth + among these hills, even putting aside its uses for cooking.” + </p> + <p> + “That is when we have anything to cook,” Halco said laughingly. + </p> + <p> + “That is certainly essential,” Malchus agreed; “but there is sure to be + plenty of wild boar and deer among these forests. We have only to find a + valley with a narrow entrance, and post ourselves there and send all the + men to form a circle on the hills around it and drive them down to us; + besides, most likely we shall come across herds of goats and pigs, which + the villagers in the lower valleys will send up to feed on the acorns. I + have no fear but we shall be able to obtain plenty of flesh; as to corn, + we have only to make a raid down into the plain, and when we have found + out something about the general lay of the country, the hills and the + extent of the forest, we will choose some spot near its centre and erect + huts there. If it were not for the peasants we might live here for years, + for all the Roman forces in Sardinia would be insufficient to rout us out + of these mountains; but unfortunately, as we shall have to rob the + peasants, they will act as guides to the Romans, and we shall be obliged + to keep a sharp lookout against surprise. If it gets too hot for us we + must make a night march across the plain to the mountains on the eastern + side. I heard at Caralis that the wild part there is very much larger than + it is on this side of the island, and it extends without a break from the + port right up to the north of the island.” + </p> + <p> + Safe as he felt from pursuit Malchus posted four men as sentries, and the + rest of the band lay down to sleep, rejoicing in the thought that on the + morrow they should not be wakened to take their share in the labours in + the mine. + </p> + <p> + At daybreak all were on the move, and a deep spot having been found in the + stream, they indulged in the luxury of a bath. That done they started on + the march further into the heart of the forest. The hills were of great + height, with bare crags often beetling up among the trees hundreds of + feet, with deep valleys and rugged precipices. In crossing one of these + valleys Nessus suddenly lifted his hand. + </p> + <p> + “What is it?” Malchus asked. + </p> + <p> + “I heard a pig grunt,” Nessus replied, “on our right there.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus at once divided the band in two and told them to proceed as + quietly as possible along the lower slopes of the hill, leaving a man at + every fifteen paces. + </p> + <p> + When all had been posted, the ends of the line were to descend until they + met in the middle of the valley, thus forming a circle. A shout was to + tell the rest that this was done, and then all were to move down until + they met in the centre. One officer went with each party, Malchus remained + at the spot where he was standing. In ten minutes the signal was heard, + and then all moved forward, shouting as they went, and keeping a sharp + lookout between the trees to see that nothing passed them. As the + narrowing circle issued into the open ground at the bottom of the valley + there was a general shout of delight, for, huddled down by a stream, + grunting and screaming with fright, was a herd of forty or fifty pigs, + with a peasant, who appeared stupefied with alarm at the sudden uproar. + </p> + <p> + On seeing the men burst out with their levelled spears from the wood, the + Sard gave a scream of terror and threw himself upon his face. When the + Carthaginians came up to him Malchus stirred him with his foot, but he + refused to move; he then pricked him with the Roman spear he held, and the + man leaped to his feet with a shout. Malchus told him in Italian that he + was free to go, but that the swine must be confiscated for the use of his + followers. The man did not understand his words, but, seeing by his + gestures that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed, hardly + believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in no way + concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property of + various individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the hills—it + being then, as now, the custom for several men owning swine to send them + together under the charge of a herdsman into the mountains, where for + months together they live in a half wild state on acorns and roots, a + villager going up occasionally with supplies of food for the swineherd. + </p> + <p> + No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the men + some fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus. + </p> + <p> + “Here is the man's fire, my lord.” + </p> + <p> + A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of all this + meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every one. Malchus hurried + to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still glowing embers. Some of + the men at once set to work to collect dried sticks, and in a few minutes + a great fire was blazing. One of the pigs was slaughtered and cut up into + rations, and in a short time each man was cooking his portion stuck on a + stick over the fire. + </p> + <p> + A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distance away, + and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchus and his two + companions. After the meal the spears were improved by the points being + hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness to march two of the men + were told off as fire keepers, and each of these took two blazing brands + from the fire, which, as they walked, they kept crossed before them, the + burning points keeping each other alight. Even with one man there would be + little chance of losing the fire, but with two such a misfortune could + scarcely befall them. + </p> + <p> + A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the whole then + started for the point they intended to make to in the heart of the + mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping place was selected + in a watered valley. The men then set to work to cut down boughs and erect + arbours. Fires were lighted and another pig being killed those who + preferred it roasted his flesh over the fire, while others boiled their + portions, the Roman shields being utilized as pans. + </p> + <p> + “What do you think of doing, Malchus?” Halco asked as they stretched + themselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finished their + meal. “We are safe here, and in these forests could defy the Romans to + find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at the foot of the + hills, and there must be many swine in the forest beside this herd which + we have captured. The life will not be an unpleasant one, but—” and + he stopped. + </p> + <p> + “But you don't wish to end your days here,” Malchus put in for him, “nor + do I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is a waste of our + lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating the might of Rome we + cannot be content to live like members of the savage tribes here. I have + no doubt that we shall excite such annoyance and alarm by our raids among + the villages in the plains that the Romans will ere long make a great + effort to capture us, and doubtless they will enlist the natives in their + search. Still, we may hope to escape them, and there are abundant points + among these mountains where we may make a stand and inflict such heavy + loss upon them that they will be glad to come to terms. All I would ask is + that they shall swear by their gods to treat us well and to convey us as + prisoners of war to Rome, there to remain until exchanged. In Rome we + could await the course of events patiently. Hannibal may capture the city. + The senate, urged by the relatives of the many prisoners we have taken, + may agree to make an exchange, and we may see chances of our making our + escape. At any rate we shall be in the world and shall know what is going + on.” + </p> + <p> + “But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our freedom?” + </p> + <p> + “I do not think so,” Malchus said. “It would be too much for Roman pride + to allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in that way, and even + if the prefect of this island were to agree to the terms, I do not believe + that the senate would ratify them. We had better not ask too much. For + myself I own to a longing to see Rome. As Carthage holds back and will + send no aid to Hannibal, I have very little hope of ever entering it as a + conqueror, and rather than not see it at all I would not mind entering it + as a prisoner. There are no mines to work there, and the Romans, with so + vast a number of their own people in the hands of Hannibal, would not dare + to treat us with any cruelty or severity. + </p> + <p> + “Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach Hannibal, and + had every one of us died in those stifling mines he would never have been + the wiser.” + </p> + <p> + The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, they were + all too well pleased with their present liberty and their escape from the + bondage to give a thought to the morrow. + </p> + <p> + The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of the + neighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys by which + their camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees were cleared + away, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for making bonfires, and two + sentries were placed at each of these posts, their orders being to keep a + vigilant lookout all over the country, to light a fire instantly the + approach of any enemy was perceived, and then to descend to the camp to + give particulars as to his number and the direction of his march. + </p> + <p> + A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions as to + what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set out with the rest + of the party across the mountains. The sun was their only guide as to the + direction of their course, and it was late in the afternoon before they + reached the crest of the easternmost hills and looked down over the wide + plain which divides the island into two portions. Here they rested until + the next morning, and then, starting before daybreak, descended the + slopes. They made their way to a village of some size at the mouth of a + valley, and were unnoticed until they entered it. Most of the men were + away in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedily beaten down by the + short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried in addition to their + spears. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not to be + used, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to be hurt or ill + used unless in the act of offering resistance. For a few minutes the + confusion was great, women and children running about screaming in wild + alarm. They were, however, pacified when they found that no harm was + intended. + </p> + <p> + On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered and + abundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of these + with as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number of other + articles which would be useful to them were also taken—cooking pots, + wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could be found. Laden with these + the Carthaginians set out on their return to camp. Loaded as they were it + was a long and toilsome journey, and they would have had great difficulty + in finding their way back had not Malchus taken the precaution of leaving + four or five men at different points with instructions to keep fires of + damp wood burning so that the smoke should act as a guide. It was, + however, late on the second day after their leaving the village before + they arrived in camp. Here the men set to work to crush the grain between + flat stones, and soon a supply of rough cakes were baking in the embers. + </p> + <p> + A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when the + supplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visited they + captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, the journeys + were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One morning as the troop + were taking their breakfast a column of bright smoke rose from one of the + hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped to their feet. + </p> + <p> + “Finish your breakfast,” Malchus said, “there will be plenty of time. Slay + two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three or four pounds of + flesh and a supply of meal.” + </p> + <p> + Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookout + arrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of the + valleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left—these were + driven into the forest. The grain and other stores were also carried away + and carefully hidden, and the band, who were now all well armed with + weapons taken in the different raids on the villages, marched away from + their camp. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys in the + neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various points for defence. + One of these was on the line by which the enemy were approaching. The + valley narrowed in until it was almost closed by perpendicular rocks on + either side. On the summit of these the Carthaginians took their post. + They could now clearly make out the enemy; there were upwards of a + thousand Roman troops, and they were accompanied by fully five hundred + natives. + </p> + <p> + When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valley the + soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. They + reported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved forward. When it + reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fell from + the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at once recalled + the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside, wherever the + ground permitted their doing so. After much labour they reached the crag + from which they had been assailed, but found it deserted. + </p> + <p> + All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. The natives + were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returned unsuccessful, + but two of them were suddenly attacked by the Carthaginians, and many were + slaughtered. + </p> + <p> + For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but never + once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, on several + occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessible from below + and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards had been attacked + several times, and were so disheartened by the losses inflicted upon them + that they now refused to stir into the woods unless accompanied by the + Romans. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursue the + fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Roman commander + ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. He had lost + between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred of the Sards + had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest he was + overtaken by one of the natives. + </p> + <p> + “I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians,” the man said, + “and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver a message + to the general.” The man was at once brought before the officer. + </p> + <p> + “The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you,” he said, “that had + you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attempt to + capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few square miles of + the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away from you, you did + not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of square miles, and, did + he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might search in vain. He bids + me say that he could hold out for years and harry all the villages of the + plains; but he and his men do not care for living the life of a mountain + tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of surrender with you, and will + meet you outside the forest here with two men with him if you on your part + will be here with the same number at noon tomorrow. He took before me a + solemn oath that he will keep the truce inviolate, and requires you to do + the same. I have promised to take back your answer.” + </p> + <p> + The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the long + continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence of this + determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined by some of + the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side of the Roman + force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved by this + unexpected proposal. + </p> + <p> + “Return to him who sent you,” he said, “and tell him that I, Publius + Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do hereby + swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that I + will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow.” + </p> + <p> + At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just inside + the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with two + companions; they at once went forward to meet them. + </p> + <p> + “I am come,” Malchus said, “to offer to surrender to you on certain terms. + I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. With my band + here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but I do not care + to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats his captives + mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and my + companions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by a + tempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this, that we + shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we be allowed to + march without guard or escort down to the port, where we will go straight + on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then lay down our arms + and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn agreement taken and + signed by you and the governor of the island, and approved and ratified by + the senate of Rome, that, in the first place, the garments and armour of + which we were deprived when captured, shall be restored to us, and that we + shall then be conveyed in the ship to Rome, there to remain as prisoners + of war until exchanged, being sent nowhere else, and suffering no pains or + penalties whatever for what has taken place on this island.” + </p> + <p> + The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation of the + demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon being restored + with his companions to the Carthaginian army in Italy. Such a proposition + he would have been unwilling to forward to Rome, for it would have been a + confession that all the Roman force in the island was incapable of + overcoming this handful of desperate men, and he did not think that the + demand if made would have been agreed to by the senate. The present + proposition was vastly more acceptable. He could report without + humiliation that the Carthaginian slaves had broken loose and taken to the + mountains, where there would be great difficulty in pursuing them, and + they would serve as a nucleus round which would assemble all the + disaffected in the island; and could recommend that, as they only demanded + to be sent to Rome as prisoners of war, instead of being kept in the + island, the terms should be agreed to. After a moment's delay, therefore, + he replied: + </p> + <p> + “I agree to your terms, sir, as far as I am concerned, and own they appear + to me as moderate and reasonable. I will draw out a document, setting them + forth and my acceptance of them, and will send it at once to the prefect, + praying him to sign it, and to forward it to Rome for the approval of the + senate. Pending an answer I trust that you will abstain from any further + attacks upon the villages.” + </p> + <p> + “It may be a fortnight before the answer returns,” Malchus replied; “but + if you will send up to this point a supply of cattle and flour sufficient + for our wants till the answer comes, I will promise to abstain from all + further action.” + </p> + <p> + To this the Roman readily agreed, and for a fortnight Malchus and his + friends amused themselves by hunting deer and wild boar among the + mountains. After a week had passed a man had been sent each day to the + spot agreed upon to see if any answer had been received from Rome. It was + nearly three weeks before he brought a message to Malchus that the terms + had been accepted, and that the Roman commander would meet him there on + the following day with the document. The interview took place as arranged, + and the Roman handed to Malchus the document agreeing to the terms + proposed, signed by himself and the prefect, and ratified by the senate. + He said that if Malchus with his party would descend into the road on the + following morning three miles below Metalla they would find an escort of + Roman soldiers awaiting them, and that a vessel would be ready at the port + for them to embark upon their arrival. + </p> + <p> + Next day, accordingly, Malchus with his companions left the forest, and + marched down to the valley in military order. At the appointed spot they + found twenty Roman soldiers under an officer. The latter saluted Malchus, + and informed him that his orders were to escort them to the port, and to + see that they suffered no molestation or interference at the hands of the + natives on their march. Two days' journey took them to Caralis, and in + good order and with proud bearing they marched through the Roman soldiers, + who assembled in the streets to view so strange a spectacle. Arrived at + the port they embarked on board the ship prepared for them, and there + piled their arms on deck. A Roman officer received them, and handed over, + in accordance with the terms of the agreement, the whole of the clothing + and armour of which they had been deprived. A guard of soldiers then + marched on board, and an hour later the sails were hoisted and the vessel + started for her destination. + </p> + <p> + Anxiously Malchus and his companions gazed round the horizon in hopes that + some galleys of Capua or Carthage might appear in sight, although indeed + they had but small hopes of seeing them, for no Carthaginian ship would be + likely to be found so near the coast of Italy, except indeed if bound with + arms for the use of the insurgents in the northern mountains of Sardinia. + However, no sail appeared in sight until the ship entered the mouth of the + Tiber. As they ascended the river, and the walls and towers of Rome were + seen in the distance, the prisoners forgot their own position in the + interest excited by the appearance of the great rival of Carthage. + </p> + <p> + At that time Rome possessed but little of the magnificence which + distinguished her buildings in the days of the emperors. Everything was + massive and plain, with but slight attempt at architectural adornment. The + temples of the gods rose in stately majesty above the mass of buildings, + but even these were far inferior in size and beauty to those of Carthage, + while the size of the city was small indeed in comparison to the wide + spreading extent of its African rival. + </p> + <p> + The vessel anchored in the stream until the officer in command landed to + report his arrival with the prisoners and to receive instructions. An hour + later he returned, the prisoners were landed and received by a strong + guard of spearmen at the water gate. The news had spread rapidly through + the city. A crowd of people thronged the streets, while at the windows and + on the roofs were gathered numbers of ladies of the upper classes. A party + of soldiers led the way, pushing back the crowd as they advanced. A line + of spearmen marched on either side of the captives, and a strong guard + brought up the rear to prevent the crowd from pressing in there. Malchus + walked at the head of the prisoners, followed by his officers, after whom + came the soldiers walking two and two. + </p> + <p> + There was no air of dejection in the bearing of the captives, and they + faced the regards of the hostile crowd with the air rather of conquerors + than of prisoners. They remembered that it was but by accident that they + had fallen into the hands of the Romans, that in the battlefield they had + proved themselves over and over again more than a match for the soldiers + of Rome, and that it was the walls of the city alone which had prevented + their marching through her streets as triumphant conquerors. + </p> + <p> + It was no novel sight in Rome for Carthaginian prisoners to march through + the streets, for in the previous campaigns large numbers of Carthaginians + had been captured; but since Hannibal crossed the Alps and carried his + victorious army through Italy, scarce a prisoner had been brought to Rome, + while tens of thousands of Romans had fallen into the hands of Hannibal. + The lower class of the population of Rome were at all times rough and + brutal, and the captives were assailed with shouts of exultation, with + groans and menaces, and with bitter curses by those whose friends and + relatives had fallen in the wars. + </p> + <p> + The better classes at the windows and from the housetops abstained from + any demonstration, but watched the captives as they passed with a critical + eye, and with expressions of admiration at their fearless bearing and + haughty mien. + </p> + <p> + “Truly, that youth who marches at their head might pose for a Carthaginian + Apollo, Sempronius,” a Roman matron said as she sat at the balcony of a + large mansion at the entrance to the Forum. “I have seldom seen a finer + face. See what strength his limbs show, although he walks as lightly as a + girl. I have a fancy to have him as a slave; he would look well to walk + behind me and carry my mantle when I go abroad. See to it, Sempronius; as + your father is the military praetor, you can manage this for me without + trouble.” + </p> + <p> + “I will do my best, Lady Flavia,” the young Roman said; “but there may be + difficulties.” + </p> + <p> + “What difficulties?” Flavia demanded imperiously. “I suppose the + Carthaginians will as usual be handed over as slaves; and who should have + a better right to choose one among them than I, whose husband, Tiberius + Gracchus, is Consul of Rome?” + </p> + <p> + “None assuredly,” Sempronius replied. “It was only because, as I hear, + that youth is a cousin of Hannibal himself, and, young as he is, the + captain of his bodyguard, and I thought that my father might intend to + confine him in the prison for better security.” + </p> + <p> + Flavia waved her hand imperiously. + </p> + <p> + “When did you ever hear of a slave escaping from Rome, Sempronius? Are not + the walls high and strong, and the sentries numerous? And even did they + pass these, would not the badge of slavery betray them at once to the + first who met them without, and they would be captured and brought back? + No, I have set my mind upon having him as a slave. He will go well with + that Gaulish maiden whom Postumius sent me from the banks of the Po last + autumn. I like my slaves to be as handsome as my other surroundings, and I + see no reason why I should be baulked of my fancy.” + </p> + <p> + “I will do my best to carry out your wishes, Lady Flavia,” Sempronius + replied deferentially, for the wife of the consul was an important + personage in Rome. Her family was one of the most noble and powerful in + the city, and she herself—wealthy, luxurious, and strong willed—was + regarded as a leader of society at Rome. + </p> + <p> + Sempronius deemed it essential for his future advancement to keep on good + terms with her. At the same time he was ill pleased at this last fancy of + hers. In the first place, he was a suitor for the hand of her daughter + Julia. In the second, he greatly admired the northern beauty of the + Gaulish slave girl whom she had spoken of, and had fully intended that + when Flavia became tired of her—and her fancies seldom lasted long—he + would get his mother to offer to exchange a horse, or a hawk, or something + else upon which Flavia might set her mind, for the slave girl, in which + case she would, of course, be in his power. He did not, therefore, approve + of Flavia's intention of introducing this handsome young Carthaginian as a + slave into her household. It was true that he was but a slave at present, + but he was a Carthaginian noble of rank as high as that of Flavia. + </p> + <p> + That he was brave was certain, or he would not be the captain of + Hannibal's bodyguard. Julia was fully as capricious as her mother, and + might take as warm a fancy for Malchus as Flavia had done, while, now the + idea of setting this Gaulish girl and the Carthaginian together had seized + Flavia, it would render more distant the time when the Roman lady might be + reasonably expected to tire of the girl. However, he felt that Flavia's + wishes must be carried out; whatever the danger might be, it was less + serious than the certainty of losing that lady's favour unless he humoured + her whims. + </p> + <p> + His family was far less distinguished than hers, and her approval of his + suit with Julia was an unexpected piece of good fortune which he owed, as + he knew, principally to the fact that Gracchus wished to marry his + daughter to Julius Marcius, who had deeply offended Flavia by an outspoken + expression of opinion, that the Roman ladies mingled too much in public + affairs, and that they ought to be content to stay at home and rule their + households and slaves. + </p> + <p> + He knew that he would have no difficulty with his father. The praetor was + most anxious that his son should make an alliance with the house of + Gracchus, and it was the custom that such prisoners taken in war, as were + not sacrificed to the gods, should be given as slaves to the nobles. As + yet the great contests in the arena, which cost the lives of such vast + numbers of prisoners taken in war, were not instituted. Occasional + combats, indeed, took place, but these were on a small scale, and were + regarded rather as a sacrifice to Mars than as an amusement for the + people. + </p> + <p> + Sempronius accordingly took his way moodily home. The praetor had just + returned, having seen Malchus and the officers lodged in prison, while the + men were set to work on the fortifications. Sempronius stated Flavia's + request. The praetor looked doubtful. + </p> + <p> + “I had intended,” he said, “to have kept the officers in prison until the + senate decided what should be done with them; but, of course, if Flavia + has set her mind on it I must strain a point. After all there is no + special reason why the prisoners should be treated differently to others. + Of course I cannot send the leader of the party to Flavia and let the + others remain in prison. As there are two of them I will send them as + presents to two of the principal families in Rome, so that if any question + arises upon the subject I shall at once have powerful defenders; at any + rate, it will not do to offend Flavia.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus, as he was led through the streets of Rome, had been making + comparisons by no means to the favour of Carthage. The greater simplicity + of dress, the absence of the luxury which was so unbridled at Carthage, + the plainness of the architecture of the houses, the free and manly + bearing of the citizens, all impressed him. Rough as was the crowd who + jeered and hooted him and his companions, there was a power and a vigour + among them which was altogether lacking at home. Under the influence of + excitement the populace there was capable of rising and asserting + themselves, but their general demeanour was that of subservience to the + wealthy and powerful. + </p> + <p> + The tyranny of the senate weighed on the people, the numerous secret + denunciations and arrests inspired each man with a mistrust of his + neighbour, for none could say that he was safe from the action of secret + enemies. The Romans, on the other hand, were no respecters of persons. + Every free citizen deemed himself the equal of the best; the plebeians + held their own against the patricians, and could always return one of the + consuls, generally selecting the man who had most distinguished himself by + his hostility to the patricians. + </p> + <p> + The tribunes, whose power in Rome was nearly equal to that of the consuls, + were almost always the representatives and champions of the plebeians, and + their power balanced that of the senate, which was entirely in the + interests of the aristocracy. Malchus was reflecting over these things in + the prison, when the door of his cell opened and Sempronius, accompanied + by two soldiers, entered. The former addressed him in Greek. + </p> + <p> + “Follow me,” he said. “You have been appointed by my father, the praetor + Caius, to be the domestic slave of the lady Flavia Gracchus, until such + time as the senate may determine upon your fate.” + </p> + <p> + As Carthage also enslaved prisoners taken in war Malchus showed no + surprise, although he would have preferred labouring upon the + fortifications with his men to domestic slavery, however light the latter + might be. Without a comment, then, he rose and accompanied Sempronius from + his prison. + </p> + <p> + Domestic slavery in Rome was not as a whole a severe fate. The masters, + indeed, had the power of life and death over their slaves, they could flog + and ill use them as they chose; but as a rule they treated them well and + kindly. + </p> + <p> + The Romans were essentially a domestic people, kind to their wives, and + affectionate, although sometimes strict, with their children. The slaves + were treated as the other servants; and, indeed, with scarce an exception, + all servants were slaves. The rule was easy and the labour by no means + hard. Favourite slaves were raised to positions of trust and confidence, + they frequently amassed considerable sums of money, and were often granted + their freedom after faithful services. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI: THE GAULISH SLAVE + </h2> + <p> + On arriving at the mansion of Gracchus, Sempronius led Malchus to the + apartment occupied by Flavia. Her face lighted with satisfaction. + </p> + <p> + “You have done well, my Sempronius,” she said; “I shall not forget your + ready gratification of my wish. So this is the young Carthaginian? My + friends will all envy me at having so handsome a youth to attend upon me. + Do you speak our tongue?” she asked graciously. + </p> + <p> + “A few words only,” Malchus answered. “I speak Greek.” + </p> + <p> + “It is tiresome,” Flavia said, addressing Sempronius, “that I do not know + that language; but Julia has been taught it. Tell him, Sempronius, that + his duties will be easy. He will accompany me when I walk abroad, and will + stand behind me at table, and will have charge of my pets. The young lion + cub that Tiberius procured for me is getting troublesome and needs a firm + hand over him; he nearly killed one of the slaves yesterday.” + </p> + <p> + Sempronius translated Flavia's speech to Malchus. + </p> + <p> + “I shall dress him,” Flavia said, “in white and gold; he will look + charming in it.” + </p> + <p> + “It is hardly the dress for a slave,” Sempronius ventured to object. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose I can dress him as I please. Lesbia, the wife of Emilius, + dresses her household slaves in blue and silver, and I suppose I have as + much right as she has to indulge my fancies.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, Lady Flavia,” Sempronius said reverentially. “I only thought + that such favours shown to the Carthaginian might make the other slaves + jealous.” + </p> + <p> + Flavia made no answer, but waved her fan to Sempronius in token of + dismissal. The young Roman, inwardly cursing her haughty airs, took his + leave at once, and Flavia handed Malchus over to the charge of the chief + of the household, with strict directions as to the dress which was to be + obtained for him, and with orders to give the animals into his charge. + </p> + <p> + Malchus followed the man, congratulating himself that if he must serve as + a slave, at least he could hardly have found an easier situation. The pets + consisted of some bright birds from the East, a Persian greyhound, several + cats, a young bear, and a half grown lion. Of these the lion alone was + fastened up, in consequence of his attack upon the slave on the previous + day. + </p> + <p> + Malchus was fond of animals, and at once advanced boldly to the lion. The + animal crouched as if for a spring, but the steady gaze of Malchus + speedily changed its intention, and, advancing to the full length of its + chain, it rubbed itself against him like a great cat. Malchus stroked its + side, and then, going to a fountain, filled a flat vessel with water and + placed it before it. The lion lapped the water eagerly. Since its assault + upon the slave who usually attended to it, none of the others had ventured + to approach it. They had, indeed, thrown it food, but had neglected to + supply it with water. + </p> + <p> + “We shall get on well together, old fellow,” Malchus said. “We are both + African captives, and ought to be friends.” + </p> + <p> + Finding from the other slaves that until the previous day the animal had + been accustomed to run about the house freely and to lie in Flavia's room, + Malchus at once unfastened the chain and for some time played with the + lion, which appeared gentle and good tempered. As the master of the + household soon informed the others of the orders he had received + respecting Malchus, the slaves saw that the newcomer was likely, for a + time at least, to stand very high in the favour of their capricious + mistress, and therefore strove in every way to gain his goodwill. + </p> + <p> + Presently Malchus was sent for again, and found Julia sitting on the couch + by the side of her mother, and he at once acknowledged to himself that he + had seldom seen a fairer woman. She was tall, and her figure was full and + well proportioned. Her glossy hair was wound in a coil at the back of her + head, her neck and arms were bare, and she wore a garment of light green + silk, and embroidered with gold stripes along the bottom, reaching down to + her knees, while beneath it a petticoat of Tyrian purple reached nearly to + the ground. + </p> + <p> + “Is he not good looking, Julia?” Flavia asked. “There is not a slave in + Rome like him. Lesbia and Fulvia will be green with envy.” + </p> + <p> + Julia made no reply, but sat examining the face of Malchus with as much + composure as if he had been a statue. He had bowed on entering, as he + would have done in the presence of Carthaginian ladies, and now stood + composedly awaiting Flavia's orders. + </p> + <p> + “Ask him, Julia, if it is true that he is a cousin of Hannibal and the + captain of his guard. Such a youth as he is, I can hardly believe it; and + yet how strong and sinewy are his limbs, and he has an air of command in + his face. He interests me, this slave.” + </p> + <p> + Julia asked in Greek the questions that her mother had dictated. + </p> + <p> + “Ask him now, Julia,” Flavia said, when her daughter had translated the + answer, “how he came to be captured.” + </p> + <p> + Malchus recounted the story of his being blown by a gale into the Roman + ports; then, on her own account, Julia inquired whether he had been + present at the various battles of the campaign. After an hour's + conversation Malchus was dismissed. In passing through the hall beyond he + came suddenly upon a female who issued from one of the female apartments. + They gave a simultaneous cry of astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “Clotilde!” Malchus exclaimed, “you here, and a captive?” + </p> + <p> + “Alas! yes,” the girl replied. “I was brought here three months since.” + </p> + <p> + “I have heard nothing of you all,” Malchus said, “since your father + returned with his contingent after the battle of Trasimene. We knew that + Postumius with his legion was harrying Cisalpine Gaul, but no particular + has reached us.” + </p> + <p> + “My father is slain,” the girl said. “He and the tribe were defeated. The + next day the Romans attacked the village. We, the women and the old men, + defended it till the last. My two sisters were killed. I was taken + prisoner and sent hither as a present to Flavia by Postumius. I have been + wishing to die, but now, since you are here, I shall be content to live + even as a Roman slave.” + </p> + <p> + While they were speaking they had been standing with their hands clasped. + Malchus, looking down into her face, over which the tears were now + streaming as she recalled the sad events at home, wondered at the change + which eighteen months had wrought in it. Then she was a girl, now she was + a beautiful woman—the fairest he had ever seen, Malchus thought, + with her light brown hair with a gleam of gold, her deep gray eyes, and + tender, sensitive mouth. + </p> + <p> + “And your mother?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “She was with my father in the battle, and was left for dead on the field; + but I heard from a captive, taken a month after I was, that she had + survived, and was with the remnant of the tribe in the well nigh + inaccessible fastnesses at the head of the Orcus.” + </p> + <p> + “We had best meet as strangers,” Malchus said. “It were well that none + suspect we have met before. I shall not stay here long—if I am not + exchanged. I shall try to escape whatever be the risks, and if you will + accompany me I will not go alone.” + </p> + <p> + “You know I will, Malchus,” Clotilde answered frankly. “Whenever you give + the word I am ready, whatever the risk is. It should break my heart were I + left here alone again.” + </p> + <p> + A footstep was heard approaching, and Clotilde, dropping Malchus' hands, + fled away into the inner apartments, while Malchus walked quietly on to + the part of the house appropriated to the slaves. The next day, having + assumed his new garments, and having had a light gold ring, as a badge of + servitude, fastened round his neck, Malchus accompanied Flavia and her + daughter on a series of visits to their friends. + </p> + <p> + The meeting with Clotilde had delighted as much as it had surprised + Malchus. The figure of the Gaulish maiden had been often before his eyes + during his long night watches. When he was with her last he had resolved + that when he next journeyed north he would ask her hand of the chief, and + since his journey to Carthage his thoughts had still more often reverted + to her. The loathing which he now felt for Carthage had converted what + was, when he was staying with Allobrigius, little more than an idea, into + a fixed determination that he would cut himself loose altogether from + corrupt and degenerate Carthage, and settle among the Gauls. That he + should find Clotilde captive in Rome had never entered his wildest + imagination, and he now blessed, as a piece of the greatest good fortune, + the chance, which had thrown him into the hands of the Romans, and brought + him into the very house where Clotilde was a slave. Had it not been for + that he would never again have heard of her. When he returned to her + ruined home he would have found that she had been carried away by the + Roman conquerors, but of her after fate no word could ever have reached + him. + </p> + <p> + Some weeks passed, but no mode of escape presented itself to his mind. + Occasionally for a few moments he saw Clotilde alone, and they were often + together in Flavia's apartment, for the Roman lady was proud of showing + off to her friends her two slaves, both models of their respective races. + </p> + <p> + Julia had at first been cold and hard to Malchus, but gradually her manner + had changed, and she now spoke kindly and condescendingly to him, and + would sometimes sit looking at him from under her dark eyebrows with an + expression which Malchus altogether failed to interpret. Clotilde was more + clear sighted. One day meeting Malchus alone in the atrium she said to + him: “Malchus, do you know that I fear Julia is learning to love you. I + see it in her face, in the glance of her eye, in the softening of that + full mouth of hers.” + </p> + <p> + “You are dreaming, little Clotilde,” Malchus said laughing. + </p> + <p> + “I am not,” she said firmly; “I tell you she loves you.” + </p> + <p> + “Impossible!” Malchus said incredulously. “The haughty Julia, the fairest + of the Roman maidens, fall in love with a slave! You are dreaming, + Clotilde.” + </p> + <p> + “But you are not a common slave, Malchus, you are a Carthaginian noble and + the cousin of Hannibal. You are her equal in all respects.” + </p> + <p> + “Save for this gold collar,” Malchus said, touching the badge of slavery + lightly. + </p> + <p> + “Are you sure you do not love her in return, Malchus? She is very + beautiful.” + </p> + <p> + “Is she?” Malchus said carelessly. “Were she fifty times more beautiful it + would make no difference to me, for, as you know as well as I do, I love + some one else.” + </p> + <p> + Clotilde flushed to the brow. “You have never said so,” she said softly. + </p> + <p> + “What occasion to say so when you know it? You have always known it, ever + since the day when we went over the bridge together.” + </p> + <p> + “But I am no fit mate for you,” she said. “Even when my father was alive + and the tribe unbroken, what were we that I should wed a great + Carthaginian noble? Now the tribe is broken, I am only a Roman slave.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you anything else to observe?” Malchus said quietly. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, a great deal more,” she went on urgently. “How could you present + your wife, an ignorant Gaulish girl, to your relatives, the haughty dames + of Carthage? They would look down upon me and despise me.” + </p> + <p> + “Clotilde, you are betraying yourself,” Malchus said smiling, “for you + have evidently thought the matter over in every light. No,” he said, + detaining her, as, with an exclamation of shame, she would have fled away, + “you must not go. You knew that I loved you, and for every time you have + thought of me, be it ever so often, I have thought of you a score. You + knew that I loved you and intended to ask your hand from your father. As + for the dames of Carthage, I think not of carrying you there; but if you + will wed me I will settle down for life among your people.” + </p> + <p> + A footstep was heard approaching. Malchus pressed Clotilde for a moment + against his breast, and then he was alone. The newcomer was Sempronius. He + was still a frequent visitor, but he was conscious that he had lately lost + rather than gained ground in the good graces of Julia. Averse as he had + been from the first to the introduction of Malchus into the household, he + was not long in discovering the reason for the change in Julia, and the + dislike he had from the first felt of Malchus had deepened to a feeling of + bitter hatred. + </p> + <p> + “Slave,” he said haughtily, “tell your mistress that l am here.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not your slave,” Malchus said calmly, “and shall not obey your + orders when addressed in such a tone.” + </p> + <p> + “Insolent hound,” the young Roman exclaimed, “I will chastise you,” and he + struck Malchus with his stick. In an instant the latter sprang upon him, + struck him to the ground, and wrenching the staff from his hand laid it + heavily across him. At that moment Flavia, followed by her daughter, + hurried in at the sound of the struggle. “Malchus,” she exclaimed, “what + means this?” + </p> + <p> + “It means,” Sempronius said rising livid with passion, “that your slave + has struck me—me, a Roman patrician. I will lodge a complaint + against him, and the penalty, you know, is death.” + </p> + <p> + “He struck me first, Lady Flavia,” Malchus said quietly, “because I would + not do his behests when he spoke to me as a dog.” + </p> + <p> + “If you struck my slave, Sempronius,” Flavia said coldly, “I blame him not + that he returned the blow. Although a prisoner of war, he is, as you well + know, of a rank in Carthage superior to your own, and I wonder not that, + if you struck him, he struck you in return. You know that you had no right + to touch my slave, and if you now take any steps against him I warn you + that you will never enter this house again.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor will I ever speak a word to you,” Julia added. + </p> + <p> + “But he has struck me,” Sempronius said furiously; “he has knocked me down + and beaten me.” + </p> + <p> + “Apparently you brought it upon yourself,” Flavia said. “None but + ourselves know what has happened; therefore, neither shame nor disgrace + can arise from it. My advice to you is, go home now and remain there until + those marks of the stick have died out; it will be easy for you to assign + an excuse. If you follow the matter up, I will proclaim among my friends + how I found you here grovelling on the ground while you were beaten. What + will then be said of your manliness? Already the repeated excuses which + have served you from abstaining to join the armies in the field have been + a matter for much comment. You best know whether it would improve your + position were it known that you had been beaten by a slave. Why, you would + be a jest among young Romans.” + </p> + <p> + Sempronius stood irresolute. His last hopes of winning Julia were + annihilated by what had happened. The tone of contempt in which both + mother and daughter had spoken sufficiently indicated their feelings, and + for a moment he hesitated whether he would not take what revenge he could + by denouncing Malchus. But the thought was speedily put aside. He had been + wrong in striking the domestic slave of another; but the fact that Malchus + had been first attacked, and the whole influence of the house of Gracchus, + its relations, friends, and clients exerted in his behalf, would hardly + suffice to save him. Still the revenge would be bought dearly in the + future hostility of Flavia and her friends, and in the exposure of his own + humiliating attitude. He, therefore, with a great effort subdued all signs + of anger and said: + </p> + <p> + “Lady Flavia, your wish has always been law to me, and I would rather that + anything should happen than that I should lose your favour and patronage, + therefore, I am willing to forget what has happened, the more so as I own + that I acted wrongly in striking your slave. I trust that after this + apology you will continue to be the kindly friend I have always found + you.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, Sempronius,” Flavia said graciously, “and I shall not forget + your ready acquiescence in my wishes.” + </p> + <p> + It was the more easy for Sempronius to yield, inasmuch as Malchus had, + after stating that he had been first struck, quietly left the apartment. + For some little time things went on as before. Malchus was now at home in + Rome. As a slave of one of the most powerful families, as was indicated by + the badge he wore on his dress, he was able, when his services were not + required, to wander at will in the city. He made the circuit of the walls, + marked the spots which were least frequented and where an escape would be + most easily made; and, having selected a spot most remote from the busy + quarter of the town, he purchased a long rope, and carrying it there + concealed it under some stones close to one of the flights of steps by + which access was obtained to the summit of the wall. + </p> + <p> + The difficulty was not how to escape from Rome, for that, now that he had + so much freedom of movement, was easy, but how to proceed when he had once + gained the open country. For himself he had little doubt that he should be + able to make his way through the territories of the allies of Rome, but + the difficulty of travelling with Clotilde would be much greater. + </p> + <p> + “Clotilde,” he said one day, “set your wits to work and try and think of + some disguise in which you might pass with me. I have already prepared for + getting beyond the walls; but the pursuit after us will be hot, and until + we reach the Carthaginian lines every man's hand will be against us.” + </p> + <p> + “I have thought of it, Malchus; the only thing that I can see is for me to + stain my skin and dye my hair and go as a peasant boy.” + </p> + <p> + “That is what I, too, have thought of, Clotilde. The disguise would be a + poor one, for the roundness of your arms and the colour of your eyes would + betray you at once to any one who looked closely at you. However, as I can + see no better way, I will get the garments and some for myself to match, + and some stuff for staining the skin and hair.” + </p> + <p> + The next day Malchus bought the clothes and dye and managed to bring them + into the house unobserved, and to give to Clotilde those intended for her. + </p> + <p> + The lion, under the influence of the mingled firmness and kindness of + Malchus, had now recovered his docility, and followed him about the house + like a great dog, sleeping stretched out on a mat by the side of his + couch. + </p> + <p> + Sempronius continued his visits. Malchus was seldom present when he was + with Flavia, but Clotilde was generally in the room. It was now the height + of summer, and her duty was to stand behind her mistress with a large fan, + with which she kept up a gentle current of air over Flavia's head and + drove off the troublesome flies. Sometimes she had to continue doing so + for hours, while Flavia chatted with her friends. + </p> + <p> + Sempronius was biding his time. The two slaves were still high in Flavia's + favour, but he was in hopes that something might occur which would render + her willing to part with them. He watched Julia narrowly whenever Malchus + entered the room, and became more and more convinced that she had taken a + strong fancy for the Carthaginian slave, and the idea occurred to him that + by exciting her jealousy he might succeed in obtaining his object. So + careful were Malchus and Clotilde that he had no idea whatever that any + understanding existed between them. This, however, mattered but little; + nothing was more likely than that these two handsome slaves should fall in + love with each other, and he determined to suggest the idea to Julia. + </p> + <p> + Accordingly one day when he was sitting beside her, while Flavia was + talking with some other visitors, he remarked carelessly, “Your mother's + two slaves, the Carthaginian and the Gaul, would make a handsome couple.” + </p> + <p> + He saw a flush of anger in Julia's face. For a moment she did not reply, + and then said in a tone of indifference: + </p> + <p> + “Yes, they are each well favoured in their way.” + </p> + <p> + “Methinks the idea has occurred to them,” Sempronius said. “I have seen + them glance at each other, and doubt not that when beyond your presence + they do not confine themselves to looks.” + </p> + <p> + Julia was silent, but Sempronius saw, in the tightly compressed lips and + the lowering brow with which she looked from one to the other, that the + shaft had told. + </p> + <p> + “I have wondered sometimes,” he said, “in an idle moment, whether they + ever met before. The Carthaginians were for some time among the Cisalpine + Gauls, and the girl was, you have told me, the daughter of a chief there; + they may well have met.” + </p> + <p> + Julia made no reply, and Sempronius, feeling that he had said enough, + began to talk on other subjects. Julia scarcely answered him, and at last + impatiently waved him away. She sat silent and abstracted until the last + of the visitors had left, then she rose from her seat and walked quietly + up to her mother and said abruptly to Clotilde, who was standing behind + her mistress: “Did you know the slave Malchus before you met here?” + </p> + <p> + The suddenness of the question sent the blood up into the cheeks of the + Gaulish maiden, and Julia felt at once that the hints of Sempronius were + fully justified. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” Clotilde answered quietly, “I met him when, with Hannibal, he came + down from the Alps into our country.” + </p> + <p> + “Why did you not say so before?” Julia asked passionately. “Mother, the + slaves have been deceiving us.” + </p> + <p> + “Julia,” Flavia said in surprise, “why this heat? What matters it to us + whether they have met before?” + </p> + <p> + Julia did not pay any attention, but stood with angry eyes waiting for + Clotilde's answer. + </p> + <p> + “I did not know, Lady Julia,” the girl said quietly, “that the affairs of + your slaves were of any interest to you. We recognized each other when we + first met. Long ago now, when we were both in a different position—” + </p> + <p> + “And when you loved each other?” Julia said in a tone of concentrated + passion. + </p> + <p> + “And when we loved each other,” Clotilde repeated, her head thrown back + now, and her bearing as proud and haughty as that of Julia. + </p> + <p> + “You hear that, mother? you hear this comedy that these slaves have been + playing under your nose? Send them both to the whipping post.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear Julia,” Flavia exclaimed, more and more surprised at her anger, + “what harm has been done? You astonish me. Clotilde, you can retire. What + means all this, Julia?” she went on more severely when they were alone; + “why all this strange passion because two slaves, who by some chance have + met each other before, are lovers? What is this Gaulish girl, what is this + Carthaginian slave, to you?” + </p> + <p> + “I love him, mother!” Julia said passionately. + </p> + <p> + “You!” Flavia exclaimed in angry surprise; “you, Julia, of the house of + Gracchus, love a slave! You are mad, girl, and shameless.” + </p> + <p> + “I say so without shame,” Julia replied, “and why should I not? He is a + noble of Carthage, though now a prisoner of war. What if my father is a + consul? Malchus is the cousin of Hannibal, who is a greater man than Rome + has ever yet seen. Why should I not wed him?” + </p> + <p> + “In the first place, it seems, Julia,” Flavia said gravely, “because he + loves someone else. In the second place, because, as I hear, he is likely + to be exchanged very shortly for a praetor taken prisoner at Cannae, and + will soon be fighting against us. In the third place, because all Rome + would be scandalized were a Roman maiden of the patrician order, and of + the house of Gracchus, to marry one of the invaders of her country. Go to, + Julia, I blush for you! So this is the reason why of late you have behaved + so coldly to Sempronius. Shame on you, daughter! What would your father + say, did he, on his return from the field, hear of your doings? Go to your + chamber, and do not let me see you again till you can tell me that you + have purged this madness from your veins.” + </p> + <p> + Without a word Julia turned and left the room. Parental discipline was + strong in Rome, and none dare disobey a parent's command, and although + Julia had far more liberty and license than most unmarried Roman girls, + she did not dare to answer her mother when she spoke in such a tone. + </p> + <p> + Flavia sat for some time in thought, then she sent for Malchus. He had + already exchanged a few words with Clotilde, and was therefore prepared + for her questions. + </p> + <p> + “Malchus, is it true that you love my Gaulish slave girl?” + </p> + <p> + “It is true,” Malchus replied quietly. “When we met in Gaul, two years + since, she was the daughter of a chief, I a noble of Carthage. I loved + her; but we were both young, and with so great a war in hand it was not a + time to speak of marriage.” + </p> + <p> + “Would you marry her now?” + </p> + <p> + “Not as a slave,” Malchus replied; “when I marry her it shall be before + the face of all men—I as a noble of Carthage, she as a noble Gaulish + maiden.” + </p> + <p> + “Hannibal is treating for your exchange now,” Flavia said. “There are + difficulties in the way, for, as you know, the senate have refused to + allow its citizens who surrender to be ransomed or exchanged; but the + friends of the praetor Publius are powerful and are bringing all their + influence to bear to obtain the exchange of their kinsman, whom Hannibal + has offered for you. I will gladly use what influence I and my family + possess to aid them. I knew when you came to me that, as a prisoner of + war, it was likely that you might be exchanged.” + </p> + <p> + “You have been very kind, my Lady Flavia,” Malchus said, “and I esteem + myself most fortunate in having fallen into such hands. Since you know now + how it is with me and Clotilde, I can ask you at once to let me ransom her + of you. Any sum that you like to name I will bind myself, on my return to + the Carthaginian camp, to pay for her.” + </p> + <p> + “I will think it over,” Flavia said graciously. “Clotilde is useful to me, + but I can dispense with her services, and will ask you no exorbitant + amount for her. If the negotiations for your exchange come to aught, you + may rely upon it that she shall go hence with you.” + </p> + <p> + With an expression of deep gratitude Malchus retired. Flavia, in thus + acceding to the wishes of Malchus, was influenced by several motives. She + was sincerely shocked at Julia's conduct, and was most desirous of getting + both Malchus and Clotilde away, for she knew that her daughter was + headstrong as she was passionate, and the presence of Clotilde in the + house would, even were Malchus absent, be a source of strife and + bitterness between herself and her daughter. + </p> + <p> + In the second place, it would be a pretty story to tell her friends, and + she should be able to take credit to herself for her magnanimity in + parting with her favourite attendant. Lastly, in the present state of + affairs it might possibly happen that it would be of no slight advantage + to have a friend possessed of great power and influence in the + Carthaginian camp. Her husband might be captured in fight—it was not + beyond the bounds of possibility that Rome itself might fall into the + hands of the Carthaginians. It was, therefore, well worth while making a + friend of a man who was a near relation of Hannibal. + </p> + <p> + For some days Julia kept her own apartment. All the household knew that + something had gone wrong, though none were aware of the cause. A general + feeling of uneasiness existed, for Julia had from a child in her fits of + temper been harsh with her slaves, venting her temper by cruelly beating + and pinching them. Many a slave had been flogged by her orders at such a + time, for her mother, although herself an easy mistress, seldom interfered + with her caprices, and all that she did was good in the eyes of her + father. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the week Flavia told Malchus that the negotiations for his + release had been broken off, the Roman senate remaining inflexible in the + resolve that Romans who surrendered to the enemy should not be exchanged. + Malchus was much disappointed, as it had seemed that the time of his + release was near; however, he had still his former plan of escape to fall + back upon. + </p> + <p> + A day or two later Julia sent a slave with a message to Sempronius, and in + the afternoon sallied out with a confidential attendant, who always + accompanied her when she went abroad. In the Forum she met Sempronius, who + saluted her. + </p> + <p> + “Sempronius,” she said coming at once to the purpose, “will you do me a + favour?” + </p> + <p> + “I would do anything to oblige you, Lady Julia, as you know.” + </p> + <p> + “That is the language of courtesy,” Julia said shortly; “I mean would you + be ready to run some risk?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly,” Sempronius answered readily. + </p> + <p> + “You will do it the more readily, perhaps,” Julia said, “inasmuch as it + will gratify your revenge. You have reason to hate Malchus, the + Carthaginian slave.” + </p> + <p> + Sempronius nodded. + </p> + <p> + “Your suspicion was true, he loves the Gaulish slave; they have been + questioned and have confessed it. I want them separated.” + </p> + <p> + “But how?” Sempronius asked, rejoicing inwardly at finding that Julia's + wishes agreed so nearly with his own. + </p> + <p> + “I want her carried off,” Julia said shortly. “When once you have got her + you can do with her as you will; make her your slave, kill her, do as you + like with her, that is nothing to me—all I want is that she shall + go. I suppose you have some place where you could take her?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” Sempronius said, “I have a small estate among the Alban Hills where + she would be safe enough from searchers; but how to get her there? She + never goes out except with Lady Flavia.” + </p> + <p> + “She must be taken from the house,” Julia said shortly; “pretty slaves + have been carried off before now, and no suspicion need light upon you. + You might find some place in the city to hide her for a few days, and then + boldly carry her through the gates in a litter. None will think of + questioning you.” + </p> + <p> + “The wrath of Lady Flavia would be terrible,” Sempronius said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + “My mother would be furious at first,” Julia said coldly; “but get her a + new plaything, a monkey or a Numidian slave boy, and she will soon forget + all about the matter.” + </p> + <p> + “But how do you propose it should be done?” Sempronius asked. + </p> + <p> + “My slave shall withdraw all the bolts of the back entrance to the house,” + Julia said; “do you be there at two in the morning, when all will be sound + asleep; bring with you a couple of barefooted slaves. My woman will be at + the door and will guide you to the chamber where the girl sleeps; you have + only to gag her and carry her quietly off.” + </p> + <p> + Sempronius stood for a moment in doubt. The enterprise was certainly + feasible. Wild adventures of this kind were not uncommon among the + dissolute young Romans, and Sempronius saw at once that were he detected + Julia's influence would prevent her mother taking the matter up hotly. + Julia guessed his thoughts. + </p> + <p> + “If you are found out,” she said, “I will take the blame upon myself, and + tell my mother that you were acting solely at my request.” + </p> + <p> + “I will do it, Julia,” he agreed; “tonight at two o'clock I will be at the + back door with two slaves whom I can trust. I will have a place prepared + to which I can take the girl till it is safe to carry her from the city.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII: THE LION + </h2> + <p> + Malchus was sleeping soundly that night when he was awakened by a low + angry sound from the lion. + </p> + <p> + He looked up, and saw by the faint light of a lamp which burned in the + hall, from which the niche like bed chambers of the principal slaves + opened, that the animal had risen to its feet. Knowing that, docile as it + was with those it knew, the lion objected to strangers, the thought + occurred to him that some midnight thief had entered the house for the + purpose of robbery. Malchus took his staff and sallied out, the lion + walking beside him. + </p> + <p> + He traversed the hall and went from room to room until he entered the + portion of the house inhabited by Flavia and the female slaves. Here he + would have hesitated, but the lion continued its way, crouching as it + walked, with its tail beating its sides with short quick strokes. + </p> + <p> + There was no one in the principal apartment. He entered the corridor, from + which as he knew issued the bed chambers of the slaves. Here he stopped in + sudden surprise at seeing a woman holding a light, while two men were + issuing from one of the apartments bearing between them a body wrapped up + in a cloak. Sempronius stood by the men directing their movements. The + face of the person carried was invisible, but the light of the lamp fell + upon a mass of golden brown hair, and Malchus knew at once that it was + Clotilde who was being carried off. + </p> + <p> + Malchus sprang forward and with a blow of his staff levelled one of the + slaves to the ground; Sempronius with a furious exclamation drew his sword + and rushed at him, while the other slave, dropping his burden, closed with + Malchus and threw his arms around him. For a moment Malchus felt + powerless, but before Sempronius could strike there was a deep roar, a + dark body sprang forward and hurled itself upon him, levelling him to the + ground with a crushing blow of its paw, and then seized him by the + shoulder and shook him violently. The slave who held Malchus loosed his + hold and fled with a cry of affright, the female slave dropped the light + and fled also. Clotilde had by this time gained her feet. + </p> + <p> + “Quick, love!” Malchus said; “seize your disguise and join me at the back + gate. Sempronius is killed; I will join you as quickly as I can.” + </p> + <p> + By this time the household was alarmed, the shout of Malchus and the roar + of the lion had aroused everyone, and the slaves soon came hurrying with + lights to the spot. Malchus checked them as they came running out. + </p> + <p> + “Fetch the net,” he said. The net in question had been procured after the + lion had before made an attack upon the slave, but had not since been + required. + </p> + <p> + Malchus dared not approach the creature now, for though he was not afraid + for himself, it was now furious, and might, if disturbed, rush among the + others and do terrible destruction before it could be secured. The net was + quickly brought, and Malchus, with three of the most resolute of the + slaves, advanced and threw it over the lion, which was lying upon the + prostrate body of Sempronius. It sprang to its feet, but the net was round + it, and in its struggle to escape it fell on its side. Another twist of + the net and it was helplessly inclosed; the four men lifted the ends and + carried it away. Cutting a portion of the net Malchus placed the massive + iron collar attached to the chain round its neck and then left it, saying + to the others: + </p> + <p> + “We can cut the rest of the net off it afterwards.” + </p> + <p> + He then hurried back to the scene of the struggle. Flavia was already + there. + </p> + <p> + “What is all this, Malchus,” she asked. “Here I find Sempronius dead and + one of his slaves senseless beside him; they tell me when he first arrived + you were here.” + </p> + <p> + “I know nothing of it, lady,” Malchus replied, “save that the lion aroused + me by growling, and thinking that robbers might have entered the house, I + arose and searched it and came upon three men. One I levelled to the + ground with my staff; doubtless he is only stunned and will be able to + tell you more when he recovers. I grappled with another, and while engaged + in a struggle with him the third attacked me with a sword, and would have + slain me had not the lion sprang upon him and felled him. The other man + then fled—this is all I know about it.” + </p> + <p> + “What can it all mean?” Flavia said. “What could Sempronius with two + slaves be doing in my house after midnight? It is a grave outrage, and + there will be a terrible scandal in Rome tomorrow—the son of a + praetor and a friend of the house!” + </p> + <p> + She then ordered the slaves to raise the body of Sempronius and carry it + to a couch, and to send at once for a leech. She also bade them throw + water on the slave and bring him to consciousness, and then to bring him + before her to be questioned. + </p> + <p> + “Where is my daughter?” she said suddenly; “has she not been roused by all + this stir?” One of the female slaves stole into Julia's apartment, and + returned saying that her mistress was sound asleep on her couch. + </p> + <p> + An expression of doubt crossed Flavia's face, but she only said, “Do not + disturb her,” and then thoughtfully returned to her room. It was not until + an hour later that the prisoner was sufficiently recovered to be brought + before Flavia. He had already heard that his master was killed, and, + knowing that concealment would be useless, he threw himself on the ground + before Flavia, and owned that he and another slave had been brought by + Sempronius to carry off a slave girl. + </p> + <p> + Acting on his instructions they had thrust a kerchief into her mouth, and + wrapped a cloak round her, and were carrying her off when a man rushed at + him, and he supposed struck him, for he remembered nothing more. He then + with many tears implored mercy, on the ground that he was acting but on + his master's orders. At this moment the praetor himself arrived, Flavia + having sent for him immediately she had ascertained that Sempronius was + dead. He was confused and bewildered at the suddenness of his loss. + </p> + <p> + “I thought at first,” Flavia said, “that he must have been engaged in some + wild scheme to carry off Julia, though why he should do so I could not + imagine, seeing that he had my approval of his wooing; but Julia is + asleep, not having been a wakened by the noise of the scuffle. It must + have been one of the slave girls.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah!” she exclaimed suddenly. “I did not see Clotilde.” She struck a bell, + and her attendant entered. + </p> + <p> + “Go,” she said, “and summon Clotilde here.” + </p> + <p> + In a few minutes the slave returned, saying that Clotilde was not to be + found. + </p> + <p> + “She may have been carried off by the other slave,” Flavia said, “but + Malchus was there, and would have pursued. Fetch him here.” + </p> + <p> + But Malchus too was found to be missing. + </p> + <p> + “They must have fled together,” Flavia said. “There was an understanding + between them. Doubtless Malchus feared that this affair with your son + might cause him to be taken away from here. Perhaps it is best so, and I + trust that they may get away, though I fear there is little chance, since + no slaves are allowed to leave the city without a pass, and even did they + succeed in gaining the open country they would be arrested and brought + back by the first person who met them. But that is not the question for + the present.” + </p> + <p> + “What think you, my friend, what are we to do in this terrible business?” + </p> + <p> + “I know not,” the praetor said with a groan. + </p> + <p> + “The honour of both our families is concerned,” Flavia said calmly. “Your + son has been found in my house at night and slain by my lion. All the + world knows that he was a suitor for Julia's hand. There's but one thing + to be done; the matter must be kept secret. It would not do to try and + remove Sempronius tonight, for the litter might be stopped by the watch; + it must be taken boldly away in daylight. Send four slaves whom you can + trust, and order them to be silent on pain of death. I will tell my + household that if a word is breathed of what has taken place tonight, I + will hand whoever disobeys me over to the executioners. When you have got + your son's body home you can spread a rumour that he is sick of the fever. + There will be no difficulty in bribing the leech. Then in a few days you + will give out that he is dead, and none will be any the wiser.” + </p> + <p> + The praetor agreed that this was the best plan that could be adopted, and + it was carried out in due course, and so well was the secret kept that no + one in Rome ever doubted that Sempronius had fallen a victim to fever. + </p> + <p> + Julia's anger in the morning, when she heard that the Gaulish slave girl + and the Carthaginian were missing, was great, and she hurried to her + mother's room to demand that a hue and cry should be at once made for + them, and a reward offered for their apprehension. She had, when informed + of the scenes which had taken place in the night, and of the death of + Sempronius, expressed great astonishment and horror, and indeed the news + that her accomplice had been killed had really shocked her. The sentiment, + however, had faded to insignificance in the anger which she felt when, as + the narrative continued, she heard of the escape of the two slaves. + </p> + <p> + A stormy scene took place between her and her mother, Julia boldly avowing + that she was the author of the scheme which had had so fatal a + termination. Flavia, in her indignation at her daughter's conduct, sent + her away at once to a small summer retreat belonging to her in the hills, + and there she was kept for some months in strict seclusion under the + watchful guardianship of some old and trusted slaves. + </p> + <p> + Malchus, having seen the lion fastened up, had seized the bundle + containing his disguise, and hurried away to the gate where Clotilde was + awaiting him. + </p> + <p> + “How long you have been!” she said with a gasp of relief. + </p> + <p> + “I could not get away until the lion was secured,” he said, “for I should + have been instantly missed. Now we will be off at once.” Both had thrown + large dark cloaks over their garments, and they now hurried along through + the deserted streets, occasionally drawing aside into bylanes as they + heard the tramp of the city watch. + </p> + <p> + At last, after half an hour's walking, they reached the wall. Malchus knew + the exact spot where he had hidden the rope, and had no difficulty in + finding it. They mounted the steps and stood on the battlements. The + sentries were far apart, for no enemy was in the neighbourhood of Rome. + Malchus fastened the rope round Clotilde, and lowered her down over the + battlements. When he found that she had reached the ground he made fast + the end of the rope and slid down till he stood beside her. They proceeded + with the utmost caution until at some distance from the walls; and then + shaped their course until, after a long walk, they came down upon the + Tiber below the city. + </p> + <p> + Day had by this time broken, and Malchus bade Clotilde enter a little wood + to change her garments and dye her skin. He then proceeded to do the same, + and rolling up the clothes he had taken off, hid them under a bush. + Clotilde soon joined him again. She wore the dress of a peasant boy, + consisting of a tunic of rough cloth reaching to her knees. Her limbs, + face, and neck were dyed a sunny brown, and her hair, which was cut quite + short, was blackened. Dyes were largely in use by Roman ladies, and + Malchus had had no difficulty in procuring those necessary for their + disguises. + </p> + <p> + “I don't think anyone would suspect you, Clotilde,” he said; “even I + should pass you without notice. What a pity you have had to part with all + your sunny hair!” + </p> + <p> + “It will soon grow again,” she said; “and now, Malchus, do not let us + waste a moment. I am in terror while those dark walls are in sight.” + </p> + <p> + “We shall soon leave them behind,” Malchus said encouragingly. “There are + plenty of fishermen's boats moored along the bank here. We shall soon + leave Rome behind us.” + </p> + <p> + They stepped into a boat, loosened the moorings, and pushed off, and + Malchus, getting out the oars, rowed steadily down the river until they + neared its mouth. Then they landed, pushed the boat into the stream again, + lest, if it were found fastened up, it might give a clue to any who were + in pursuit of them, and then struck off into the country. After travelling + some miles they turned into a wood, where they lay down for several hours, + and did not resume their course until nightfall. + </p> + <p> + Malchus had, before starting, entered the kitchen, and had filled a bag + with cold meat, oatmeal cakes, and other food, and this, when examined, + proved ample for four days' supply, and he had, therefore, no occasion to + enter the villages to buy provisions. They kept by the seashore until they + neared Terracina, and then took to the hills, and skirted these until they + had left the state of Latium. They kept along at the foot of the great + range which forms the backbone of Italy, and so passing along Samnium, + came down upon the Volturnus, having thus avoided the Roman army, which + lay between Capua and Rome. + </p> + <p> + Their journey had been a rough one, for, by the winding road they had + followed along the mountains, the distance they traversed was over one + hundred miles. The fatigue had been great, and it was well that Clotilde + had had a Gaulish training. After their provisions were exhausted they had + subsisted upon corn which they gathered in the patches of cultivated + ground near the mountain villages, and upon fruits which they picked in + the woods. + </p> + <p> + Twice, too, they had come upon herds of half wild goats in the mountains, + and Malchus had succeeded in knocking down a kid with a stone. They had + not made very long journeys, resting always for a few hours in the heat of + the day, and it was ten days after they had left Rome before, from an + eminence, they saw the walls of Capua. + </p> + <p> + “How can I go in like this?” Clotilde exclaimed in a sudden fit of + shyness. + </p> + <p> + “We will wait until it is dusk,” Malchus said; “the dye is fast wearing + off, and your arms are strangely white for a peasant girl's. I will take + you straight to Hannibal's palace, and you will soon be fitted out + gorgeously. There are spoils enough stored up to clothe all the women of + Rome.” + </p> + <p> + They sat down in the shade of a clump of trees, and waited till the heat + of the day was past; then they rose and walked on until, after darkness + had fallen, they entered the town of Capua. They had no difficulty in + discovering the palace where Hannibal was lodged. They were stopped at the + entrance by the guards, who gave a cry of surprise and pleasure when + Malchus revealed himself. At first they could hardly credit that, in the + dark skinned peasant, their own commander stood before them, and as the + news spread rapidly the officers of the corps ran down and saluted him + with a joyous greeting. While this was going on Clotilde shrank back out + of the crowd. + </p> + <p> + As soon as he could extricate himself from his comrades, Malchus joined + her, and led her to Hannibal, who, hearing the unusual stir, was issuing + from his apartment to see what had occasioned it. The shouts of “Long live + Malchus!” which rose from the soldiers informed him of what had happened, + and he at once recognized his kinsman in the figure advancing to meet him. + </p> + <p> + “My dear Malchus,” he exclaimed, “this is a joyous surprise. I have been + in vain endeavouring to get you out of the hands of the Romans, but they + were obstinate in refusing an exchange; but knowing your adroitness, I + have never given up hopes of seeing you appear some day among us. But whom + have you here?” he asked as he re-entered his room accompanied by Malchus + and his companion. + </p> + <p> + “This is Clotilde, daughter of Allobrigius, the chief of the Orcan tribe,” + Malchus replied, “and my affianced wife. Her father has been defeated and + killed by Postumius, and she was carried as a slave to Rome. There good + fortune and the gods threw us together, and I have managed to bring her + with me.” + </p> + <p> + “I remember you, of course,” Hannibal said to the girl, “and that I joked + my young kinsman about you. This is well, indeed; but we must see at once + about providing you with proper garments. There are no females in my + palace, but I will send at once for Chalcus, who is now captain of my + guard, and who has married here in Capua, and beg him to bring hither his + wife; she will I am sure take charge of you, and furnish you with + garments.” + </p> + <p> + Clotilde was soon handed over to the care of the Italian lady, and Malchus + then proceeded to relate to Hannibal the various incidents which had + occurred since he had sailed from Capua for Sardinia. He learned in return + that the mission of Mago to Carthage had been unsuccessful. He had brought + over a small reinforcement of cavalry and elephants, which had landed in + Bruttium and had safely joined the army; but this only repaired a few of + the many gaps made by the war, and was useless to enable Hannibal to carry + out his great purpose. + </p> + <p> + “Hanno's influence was too strong,” Hannibal said, “and I foresee that + sooner or later the end must come. I may hold out for years here in + Southern Italy, but unless Carthage rises from her lethargy, I must + finally be overpowered.” + </p> + <p> + “It seems to me,” Malchus said, “that the only hope is in rousing the + Gauls to invade Italy from the north.” + </p> + <p> + “I know nothing of what is passing there,” Hannibal said; “but it is clear + from the disaster which has befallen our friends the Orcans that the + Romans are more than holding their own north of the Apennines. Still, if a + diversion could be made it would be useful. I suppose you are desirous of + taking your bride back to her tribe.” + </p> + <p> + “Such is my wish, certainly,” Malchus said. “As I have told you, Hannibal, + I have made up my mind never to return to Carthage. It is hateful to me. + Her tame submission to the intolerable tyranny of Hanno and his faction, + her sufferance of the corruption which reigns in every department, her + base ingratitude to you and the army which have done and suffered so much, + the lethargy which she betrays when dangers are thickening and her fall + and destruction are becoming more and more sure, have sickened me of her. + I have resolved, as I have told you, to cast her off, and to live and die + among the Gauls—a life rough and simple, but at least free.” + </p> + <p> + “But it seems that the Gauls have again been subjected to Rome,” Hannibal + said. + </p> + <p> + “On this side of the Alps,” Malchus replied, “but beyond are great tribes + who have never as yet heard of Rome. It is to them that Clotilde's mother + belongs, and we have settled that we will first try and find her mother + and persuade her to go with us, and that if she is dead we will journey + alone until we join her tribe in Germany. But before I go I will, if it be + possible, try and rouse the Gauls to make another effort for freedom by + acting in concert, by driving out the Romans and invading Italy. You will, + I trust, Hannibal, not oppose my plans.” + </p> + <p> + “Assuredly not, Malchus; I sympathize with you, and were I younger and + without ties and responsibilities would fain do the same. It is a + sacrifice, no doubt, to give up civilization and to begin life anew, but + it is what our colonists are always doing. At any rate it is freedom—freedom + from the corruption, the intrigue, the sloth, and the littleness of a + decaying power like that of Carthage. You will be happy at least in having + your wife with you, while the gods only know when I shall see the face of + my beloved Imilce. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Malchus, follow your own devices. Carthage, when she flung you in + prison and would have put you to a disgraceful death, forfeited all + further claim upon you. You have rendered her great services, you have + risked your life over and over again in her cause, you have repaid tenfold + the debt which you incurred when she gave you birth. You are free now to + carry your sword where you will. I shall deeply regret your loss, but your + father has gone and many another true friend of mine, and it is but one + more in the list of those I have lost. Follow your own wishes, and live in + that freedom which you will never attain in the service of Carthage.” + </p> + <p> + The next day the marriage of Malchus and Clotilde took place. Hannibal + himself joined their hands and prayed the gods to bless their union. Three + weeks later Hannibal arranged that a body of a hundred Carthaginian horse + should accompany Malchus to the north, where he would endeavour to raise + the Gaulish tribes. They were to cross into Apulia, to travel up the east + coast until past the ranges of the Apennines, and then make their way + across the plains to the Alps. A dozen officers accompanied him; these + were to aid him in his negotiations with the chiefs, and in organizing the + new forces, should his efforts be successful. + </p> + <p> + To the great joy of Malchus, on the very evening before he started Nessus + arrived in the camp. He had, when Malchus was at Rome, been employed with + the other Carthaginian soldiers on the fortifications. Malchus had once or + twice seen him as, with the others, he was marched from the prison to the + walls, and had exchanged a few words with him. He had told him that he + intended to escape, but could not say when he should find an opportunity + to do so; but that if at any time a month passed without his seeing him, + Nessus would know that he had gone. + </p> + <p> + The extra rigour with which the prisoners were guarded had led Nessus to + suspect that a prisoner had escaped, and a month having passed without his + seeing Malchus, he determined on making an attempt at flight. So rigourous + was the watch that there was no possibility of this being done secretly, + and, therefore, one day when they were employed in repairing the + foundations of the wall outside the city Nessus seized the opportunity, + when the attention of the guards was for a moment directed in another + quarter, to start at the top of his speed. He had chosen the hottest hour + of the day for the attempt, when few people were about, and the peasants + had left the fields for an hour's sleep under the shade of trees. + </p> + <p> + The Roman guard had started in pursuit, but Nessus had not overrated his + powers. Gradually he left them behind him, and, making straight for the + Tiber, plunged in and swam the river. He had followed the right bank up to + the hills, and on the second evening after starting made his appearance at + Capua. When he heard the plans of Malchus he announced, as a matter of + course, that he should accompany him. Malchus pointed out that, with the + rewards and spoils he had obtained, he had now sufficient money to become + a man of importance among his own people. Nessus quietly waved the remark + aside as if it were wholly unworthy of consideration. + </p> + <p> + The cavalry who were to accompany Malchus were light armed Numidians, + whose speed would enable them to distance any bodies of the enemy they + might meet on their way. With them were thirty lead horses, some of them + carrying a large sum of money, which Hannibal had directed should be paid + to Malchus from the treasury, as his share, as an officer of high rank, of + the captured booty. The rest of the horses were laden with costly arms, + robes of honour, and money as presents for the Gaulish chiefs. These also + were furnished from the abundant spoils which had fallen into the hands of + the Carthaginians. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal directed Malchus that, in the event of his failing in his + mission, he was not to trouble to send these things back, but was to + retain them to win the friendship and goodwill of the chiefs of the + country to which he proposed to journey. The next morning Malchus took an + affectionate farewell of the general and his old comrades, and then, with + Clotilde riding by his side—for the women of the Gauls were as well + skilled as the men in the management of horses—he started at the + head of his party. He followed the route marked out for him without any + adventure of importance. He had one or two skirmishes with parties of + tribesmen allied with Rome, but his movements were too rapid for any force + sufficient to oppose his passage being collected. + </p> + <p> + After ascending the sea coast the troop skirted the northern slopes of the + Apennines, passing close to the battlefield of Trebia, and crossing the Po + by a ford, ascended the banks of the Orcus, and reached Clotilde's native + village. A few ruins alone marked where it had stood. Malchus halted there + and despatched scouts far up the valley. These succeeded in finding a + native, who informed them that Brunilda with the remains of the tribe were + living in the forests far up on the slopes. The scouts delivered to them + the message with which they were charged: that Clotilde and Malchus, with + a Carthaginian force, were at Orca. The following evening Brunilda and her + followers came into camp. + </p> + <p> + Deep was the joy of the mother and daughter. The former had long since + given up all hope of ever hearing of Clotilde again, and had devoted her + life to vengeance on the Romans. From her fastness in the mountain she had + from time to time led her followers down, and carried fire and sword over + the fields and plantations of the Roman colonists, retiring rapidly before + the garrisons could sally from the towns and fall upon her. She was + rejoiced to find that her child had found a husband and protector in the + young Carthaginian, still more rejoiced when she found that the latter had + determined upon throwing in his lot with the Gauls. + </p> + <p> + All that night mother and daughter sat talking over the events which had + happened since they parted. Brunilda could give Malchus but little + encouragement for the mission on which he had come. The legion of + Postumius had indeed been defeated and nearly destroyed in a rising which + had taken place early in the spring; but fresh troops had arrived, + dissensions had, as usual, broken out among the chiefs, many of them had + again submitted to the Romans, and the rest had been defeated and crushed. + Brunilda thought that there was little hope at present of their again + taking up arms. + </p> + <p> + For some weeks Malchus attempted to carry out Hannibal's instructions; he + and his lieutenants, accompanied by small parties of horse, rode through + the country and visited all the chiefs of Cisalpine Gaul, but the spirit + of the people was broken. The successes they had gained had never been + more than partial, the Roman garrison towns had always defied all their + efforts, and sooner or later the Roman legions swept down across the + Apennines and carried all before them. + </p> + <p> + In vain Malchus told them of the victories that Hannibal had won, that + Southern Italy was in his hands, and the Roman dominion tottering. In + reply they pointed to the garrisons and the legion, and said that, were + Rome in a sore strait, she would recall her legion for her own defence, + and no arguments that Malchus could use could move them to lay aside their + own differences and to unite in another effort for freedom. Winter was now + at hand. Malchus remained in the mountains with the Orcans until spring + came, and then renewed his efforts with no greater success than before. + Then he dismissed the Carthaginians, with a letter giving Hannibal an + account of all he had done, and bade them find their way back to Capua by + the road by which they had come. + </p> + <p> + Brunilda had joyfully agreed to his proposal that they should cross the + Alps and join her kinsmen in Germany, and the remnant of the tribe + willingly consented to accompany them. Accordingly in the month of May + they set out, and journeying north made their way along the shore of the + lake now called the Lago di Guarda, and, crossing by the pass of the + Trentino, came down on the northern side of the Alps, and, after + journeying for some weeks among the great forests which covered the + country, reached the part inhabited by the tribe of the Cherusei, to which + Brunilda belonged. + </p> + <p> + Here they were hospitably received. Brunilda's family were among the + noblest of the tribe, and the rich presents which the ample resources of + Malchus enabled him to distribute among all the chiefs, at once raised him + to a position of high rank and consideration among them. Although + accepting the life of barbarism Malchus was not prepared to give up all + the usages of civilization. He built a house, which, although it would + have been but a small structure in Carthage, was regarded with admiration + and wonder by the Gauls. Here he introduced the usages and customs of + civilization. The walls, indeed, instead of being hung with silk and + tapestry, were covered with the skins of stags, bears, and other animals + slain in the chase; but these were warmer and better suited for the rigour + of the climate in winter than silks would have been. The wealth, + knowledge, and tact of Malchus gained him an immense influence in the + tribe, and in time he was elected the chief of that portion of it dwelling + near him. He did not succeed in getting his followers to abandon their own + modes of life, but he introduced among them many of the customs of + civilization, and persuaded them to adopt the military formation in use + among the Carthaginians. It was with some reluctance that they submitted + to this; but so complete was the victory which they obtained over a rival + tribe, upon their first encounter when led by Malchus and his able + lieutenant Nessus, that he had no difficulty in future on this score. + </p> + <p> + The advantages, indeed, of fighting in solid formation, instead of the + irregular order in which each man fought for himself, were so overwhelming + that the tribe rapidly increased in power and importance, and became one + of the leading peoples in that part of Germany. Above all, Malchus + inculcated them with a deep hatred of Rome, and warned them that when the + time came, as it assuredly would do, that the Romans would cross the Alps + and attempt the conquest of the country, it behooved the German tribes to + lay aside all their disputes and to join in a common resistance against + the enemy. + </p> + <p> + From time to time rumours, brought by parties of Cisalpine Gauls, who, + like the Orcans, fled across the Alps to escape the tyranny of Rome, + reached Malchus. For years the news came that no great battle had been + fought, that Hannibal was still in the south of Italy defeating all the + efforts of the Romans to dislodge him. + </p> + <p> + It was not until the thirteenth year after Hannibal had crossed the Alps + that any considerable reinforcement was sent to aid the Carthaginian + general. Then his brother Hasdrubal, having raised an army in Spain and + Southern Gaul, crossed the Alps to join him. But he was met, as he marched + south, by the consuls Livius and Nero with an army greatly superior to his + own; and was crushed by them on the river Metaurus, the Spanish and + Ligurian troops being annihilated and Hasdrubal himself killed. + </p> + <p> + For four years longer Hannibal maintained his position in the south of + Italy. No assistance whatever reached him from Carthage, but alone and + unaided he carried on the unequal war with Rome until, in 204 B.C., Scipio + landed with a Roman force within a few miles of Carthage, captured Utica, + defeated two Carthaginian armies with great slaughter, and blockaded + Carthage. Then the city recalled the general and the army whom they had so + grossly neglected and betrayed. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal succeeded in safely embarking his army and in sailing to + Carthage; but so small was the remnant of the force which remained to him, + that when he attempted to give battle to Scipio he was defeated, and + Carthage was forced to make peace on terms which left her for the future + at the mercy of Rome. She was to give up all her ships of war except ten, + and all her elephants, to restore all Roman prisoners, to engage in no war + out of Africa—and none in Africa except with the consent of Rome, to + restore to Massinissa, a prince of Numidia who had joined Rome, his + kingdom, to pay a contribution of two hundred talents a year for fifty + years, and to give a hundred hostages between the ages of fourteen and + thirty, to be selected by the Roman general. + </p> + <p> + These terms left Carthage at the mercy of Rome, when the latter, confident + in her power, entered upon the third Punic war, the overthrow and the + destruction of her rival were a comparatively easy task for her. Hannibal + lived nineteen years after his return to Carthage. For eight years he + strove to rectify the administration, to reform abuses, and to raise and + improve the state; but his exposure of the gross abuses of the public + service united against him the faction which had so long profited by them, + and, in B. C. 196, the great patriot and general was driven into exile. + </p> + <p> + He then repaired to the court of Antiochus, King of Syria, who was at that + time engaged in a war against Rome; but that monarch would not follow the + advice he gave him, and was in consequence defeated at Magnesia, and was + forced to sue for peace and to accept the terms the Romans imposed, one of + which was that Hannibal should be delivered into their hands. + </p> + <p> + Hannibal, being warned in time, left Syria and went to Bithynia. But Rome + could not be easy so long as her great enemy lived, and made a demand upon + Prusias, King of Bithynia, for his surrender. He was about to comply with + the request when Hannibal put an end to his life, dying at the age of + sixty-four. + </p> + <p> + No rumour of this event ever reached Malchus, but he heard, fifteen years + after he had passed into Germany, that Hannibal had at last retired from + Italy, and had been defeated at Zama, and that Carthage had been obliged + to submit to conditions which placed her at the mercy of Rome. Malchus + rejoiced more than ever at the choice he had made. His sons were now + growing up, and he spared no efforts to instill in them a hatred and + distrust of Rome, to teach them the tactics of war, and to fill their + minds with noble and lofty thoughts. + </p> + <p> + Nessus had followed the example of his lord and had married a Gaulish + maiden, and he was now a subchief in the tribe. Malchus and Clotilde lived + to a great age, and the former never once regretted the choice he had + made. From afar he heard of the ever growing power of Rome, and warned his + grandsons, as he had warned his sons, against her, and begged them to + impress upon their descendants in turn the counsels he had given them. The + injunction was observed, and the time came when Arminius, a direct + descendant of Malchus, then the leader of the Cherusei, assembled the + German tribes and fell upon the legions of Varus, inflicting upon them a + defeat as crushing and terrible as the Romans had ever suffered at the + hands of Hannibal himself, and checking for once and all the efforts of + the Romans to subdue the free people of Germany. + </p> + <p> + THE END <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Carthaginian, by G.A. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Carthaginian + A Story of The Times of Hannibal + +Author: G.A. Henty + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5128] +Posting Date: June 14, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + +THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN + +A STORY OF THE TIMES OF HANNIBAL, + +By G. A. Henty + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS, + +When I was a boy at school, if I remember rightly, our sympathies were +generally with the Carthaginians as against the Romans. Why they were +so, except that one generally sympathizes with the unfortunate, I do +not quite know; certainly we had but a hazy idea as to the merits of +the struggle and knew but little of its events, for the Latin and Greek +authors, which serve as the ordinary textbooks in schools, do not treat +of the Punic wars. That it was a struggle for empire at first, and +latterly one for existence on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a +great and skilful general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake +Trasimenus, and Cannae, and all but took Rome, and that the Romans +behaved with bad faith and great cruelty at the capture of Carthage, +represents, I think, pretty nearly the sum total of our knowledge. + +I am sure I should have liked to know a great deal more about this +struggle for the empire of the world, and as I think that most of you +would also like to do so, I have chosen this subject for my story. +Fortunately there is no lack of authentic material from which to glean +the incidents of the struggle. Polybius visited all the passes of the +Alps some forty years after the event, and conversed with tribesmen who +had witnessed the passage of Hannibal, and there can be no doubt that +his descriptions are far more accurate than those of Livy, who wrote +somewhat later and had no personal knowledge of the affair. Numbers of +books have been written as to the identity of the passes traversed by +Hannibal. The whole of these have been discussed and summarized by +Mr. W. J. Law, and as it appears to me that his arguments are quite +conclusive I have adopted the line which he lays down as that followed +by Hannibal. + +In regard to the general history of the expedition, and of the manners, +customs, religion, and politics of Carthage, I have followed M. +Hennebert in his most exhaustive and important work on the subject. I +think that when you have read to the end you will perceive that although +our sympathies may remain with Hannibal and the Carthaginians, it was +nevertheless for the good of the world that Rome was the conqueror in +the great struggle for empire. At the time the war began Carthage was +already corrupt to the core, and although she might have enslaved many +nations she would never have civilized them. Rome gave free institutions +to the people she conquered, she subdued but she never enslaved them, +but rather strove to plant her civilization among them and to raise them +to her own level. Carthage, on the contrary, was from the first a cruel +mistress to the people she conquered. Consequently while all the peoples +of Italy rallied round Rome in the days of her distress, the tribes +subject to Carthage rose in insurrection against her as soon as the +presence of a Roman army gave them a hope of escape from their bondage. + +Had Carthage conquered Rome in the struggle she could never have +extended her power over the known world as Rome afterwards did, but +would have fallen to pieces again from the weakness of her institutions +and the corruption of her people. Thus then, although we may feel +sympathy for the failure and fate of the noble and chivalrous Hannibal +himself, we cannot regret that Rome came out conqueror in the strife, +and was left free to carry out her great work of civilization. + +Yours sincerely, + +G. A. Henty + + + +CHAPTER I: THE CAMP IN THE DESERT + + +It is afternoon, but the sun's rays still pour down with great power +upon rock and sand. How great the heat has been at midday may be seen +by the quivering of the air as it rises from the ground and blurs all +distant objects. It is seen, too, in the attitudes and appearance of a +large body of soldiers encamped in a grove. Their arms are thrown aside, +the greater portion of their clothing has been dispensed with. Some +lie stretched on the ground in slumber, their faces protected from any +chance rays which may find their way through the foliage above by little +shelters composed of their clothing hung on two bows or javelins. Some, +lately awakened, are sitting up or leaning against the trunks of the +trees, but scarce one has energy to move. + +The day has indeed been a hot one even for the southern edge of the +Libyan desert. The cream coloured oxen stand with their heads down, +lazily whisking away with their tails the flies that torment them. The +horses standing near suffer more; the lather stands on their sides, +their flanks heave, and from time to time they stretch out their +extended nostrils in the direction from which, when the sun sinks a +little lower, the breeze will begin to blow. + +The occupants of the grove are men of varied races, and, although there +is no attempt at military order, it is clear at once that they are +divided into three parties. One is composed of men more swarthy than +the others. They are lithe and active in figure, inured to hardship, +accustomed to the burning sun. Light shields hang against the trees with +bows and gaily painted quivers full of arrows, and near each man are +three or four light short javelins. They wear round caps of metal, with +a band of the skin of the lion or other wild animal, in which are stuck +feathers dyed with some bright colour. They are naked to the waist, save +for a light breastplate of brass. A cloth of bright colours is wound +round their waist and drops to the knees, and they wear belts of leather +embossed with brass plates; on their feet are sandals. They are the +light armed Numidian horse. + +Near them are a party of men lighter in hue, taller and stouter in +stature. Their garb is more irregular, their arms are bare, but they +wear a sort of shirt, open at the neck and reaching to the knees, and +confined at the waist by a leather strap, from which hangs a pouch of +the same material. Their shirts, which are of roughly made flannel, are +dyed a colour which was originally a deep purple, but which has faded, +under the heat of the sun, to lilac. They are a company of Iberian +slingers, enlisted among the tribes conquered in Spain by the +Carthaginians. By them lie the heavy swords which they use in close +quarters. + +The third body of men are more heavily armed. On the ground near the +sleepers lie helmets and massive shields. They have tightly fitting +jerkins of well-tanned leather, their arms are spears and battleaxes. +They are the heavy infantry of Carthage. Very various is their +nationality; fair skinned Greeks lie side by side with swarthy negroes +from Nubia. Sardinia, the islands of the Aegean, Crete and Egypt, Libya +and Phoenicia are all represented there. + +They are recruited alike from the lower orders of the great city and +from the tribes and people who own her sway. + +Near the large grove in which the troops are encamped is a smaller one. +A space in the centre has been cleared of trees, and in this a large +tent has been erected. Around this numerous slaves are moving to and +fro. + +A Roman cook, captured in a sea fight in which his master, a wealthy +tribune, was killed, is watching three Greeks, who are under his +superintendence, preparing a repast. Some Libyan grooms are rubbing down +the coats of four horses of the purest breed of the desert, while +two Nubians are feeding, with large flat cakes, three elephants, who, +chained by the leg to trees, stand rocking themselves from side to side. + +The exterior of the tent is made of coarse white canvas; this is thickly +lined by fold after fold of a thin material, dyed a dark blue, to keep +out the heat of the sun, while the interior is hung with silk, purple +and white. The curtains at each end are looped back with gold cord to +allow a free passage of the air. + +A carpet from the looms of Syria covers the ground, and on it are spread +four couches, on which, in a position half sitting half reclining, +repose the principal personages of the party. The elder of these is a +man some fifty years of age, of commanding figure, and features which +express energy and resolution. His body is bare to the waist, save for +a light short sleeved tunic of the finest muslin embroidered round the +neck and sleeves with gold. + +A gold belt encircles his waist, below it hangs a garment resembling the +modern kilt, but reaching halfway between the knee and the ankle. It +is dyed a rich purple, and three bands of gold embroidery run round +the lower edge. On his feet he wears sandals with broad leather lacings +covered with gold. His toga, also of purple heavily embroidered with +gold, lies on the couch beside him; from one of the poles of the tent +hang his arms, a short heavy sword, with a handle of solid gold in a +scabbard incrusted with the same metal, and a baldrick, covered with +plates of gold beautifully worked and lined with the softest leather, by +which it is suspended over his shoulder. + +Two of his companions are young men of three or four and twenty, both +fair like himself, with features of almost Greek regularity of outline. +Their dress is similar to his in fashion, but the colours are gayer. +The fourth member of the party is a lad of some fifteen years old. His +figure, which is naked to the waist, is of a pure Grecian model, the +muscles, showing up clearly beneath the skin, testify to hard exercise +and a life of activity. + +Powerful as Carthage was, the events of the last few years had shown +that a life and death struggle with her great rival in Italy was +approaching. For many years she had been a conquering nation. Her +aristocracy were soldiers as well as traders, ready at once to embark on +the most distant and adventurous voyages, to lead the troops of Carthage +on toilsome expeditions against insurgent tribes of Numidia and Libya, +or to launch their triremes to engage the fleets of Rome. + +The severe checks which they had lately suffered at the hands of the +newly formed Roman navy, and the certainty that ere long a tremendous +struggle between the two powers must take place, had redoubled the +military ardour of the nobles. Their training to arms began from their +very childhood, and the sons of the noblest houses were taught, at the +earliest age, the use of arms and the endurance of fatigue and hardship. + +Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, the leader of the expedition in the +desert, had been, from his early childhood, trained by his father in the +use of arms. When he was ten years old Hamilcar had taken him with him +on a campaign in Spain; there, by a rigourous training, he had learned +to endure cold and hardships. + +In the depth of winter his father had made him pass the nights uncovered +and almost without clothing in the cold. He had bathed in the icy water +of the torrents from the snow clad hills, and had been forced to keep +up with the rapid march of the light armed troops in pursuit of the +Iberians. He was taught to endure long abstinence from food and to bear +pain without flinching, to be cheerful under the greatest hardships, +to wear a smiling face when even veteran soldiers were worn out and +disheartened. + +"It is incumbent upon us, the rulers and aristocracy of this great +city, my son, to show ourselves superior to the common herd. They must +recognize that we are not only richer and of better blood, but that we +are stronger, wiser, and more courageous than they. So, only, can we +expect them to obey us, and to make the sacrifices which war entails +upon them. It is not enough that we are of pure Phoenician blood, that +we come of the most enterprising race the world has ever seen, while +they are but a mixed breed of many people who have either submitted to +our rule or have been enslaved by us. + +"This was well enough in the early days of the colony when it was +Phoenician arms alone that won our battles and subdued our rivals. In +our days we are few and the populace are many. Our armies are composed +not of Phoenicians, but of the races conquered by us. Libya and Numidia, +Sicily, Sardinia, and Spain, all in turn conquered by us, now furnish us +with troops. + +"Carthage is a mighty city, but it is no longer a city of Phoenicians. +We form but a small proportion of the population. It is true that all +power rests in our hands, that from our ranks the senate is chosen, the +army officered, and the laws administered, but the expenses of the state +are vast. The conquered people fret under the heavy tributes which they +have to pay, and the vile populace murmur at the taxes. + +"In Italy, Rome looms greater and more powerful year by year. Her people +are hardy and trained to arms, and some day the struggle between us +and her will have to be fought out to the death. Therefore, my son, +it behooves us to use every effort to make ourselves worthy of our +position. Set before yourself the example of your cousin Hannibal, +who, young as he is, is already viewed as the greatest man in Carthage. +Grudge no hardship or suffering to harden your frame and strengthen your +arms. + +"Some day you too may lead armies in the field, and, believe me, they +will follow you all the better and more cheerfully if they know that in +strength and endurance, as well as in position, their commander is the +foremost man in his army." + +Malchus had been an apt pupil, and had done justice to the pains which +his father had bestowed upon him and to the training he had undergone. +He could wield the arms of a man, could swim the coldest river, endure +hardship and want of food, traverse long distances at the top of his +speed, could throw a javelin with unerring aim, and send an arrow to the +mark as truly as the best of the Libyan archers. + +"The sun is going down fast, father," the lad said, "the shadows are +lengthening and the heat is declining." + +"We have only your word for the decline of the heat, Malchus," one of +the younger men laughed; "I feel hotter than ever. This is the fifteenth +time that you have been to the door of the tent during the last half +hour. Your restlessness is enough to give one the fever." + +"I believe that you are just as eager as I am, Adherbal," the boy +replied laughing. "It's your first lion hunt as well as mine, and I am +sure you are longing to see whether the assault of the king of beasts is +more trying to the nerves than that of the Iberian tribesmen." + +"I am looking forward to it, Malchus, certainly," the young man replied; +"but as I know the lions will not quit their coverts until after +nightfall, and as no efforts on my part will hasten the approach of that +hour, I am well content to lie quiet and to keep myself as cool as may +be." + +"Your cousin is right," the general said, "and impatience is a fault, +Malchus. We must make allowances for your impatience on the present +occasion, for the lion is a foe not to be despised, and he is truly +as formidable an antagonist when brought to bay as the Iberians on the +banks of the Ebro--far more so than the revolted tribesmen we have been +hunting for the past three weeks." + +"Giscon says nothing," Adherbal remarked; "he has a soul above even +the hunting of lions. I warrant that during the five hours we have been +reclining here his thoughts have never once turned towards the hunt we +are going to have tonight." + +"That is true enough," Giscon said, speaking for the first time. "I +own that my thoughts have been of Carthage, and of the troubles that +threaten her owing to the corruption and misgovernment which are sapping +her strength." + +"It were best not to think too much on the subject, Giscon," the general +said; "still better not to speak of it. You know that I lament, as you +do, the misgovernment of Carthage, and mourn for the disasters which +have been brought upon her by it. But the subject is a dangerous one; +the council have spies everywhere, and to be denounced as one hostile to +the established state of things is to be lost." + +"I know the danger," the young man said passionately. "I know that +hitherto all who have ventured to raise their voices against the +authority of these tyrants have died by torture--that murmuring has been +stamped out in blood. Yet were the danger ten times as great," and the +speaker had risen now from his couch and was walking up and down the +tent, "I could not keep silent. What have our tyrants brought us to? +Their extravagance, their corruption, have wasted the public funds and +have paralyzed our arms. Sicily and Sardinia have been lost; our allies +in Africa have been goaded by their exactions again and again into +rebellion, and Carthage has more than once lately been obliged to fight +hard for her very existence. The lower classes in the city are utterly +disaffected; their earnings are wrung from them by the tax gatherers. +Justice is denied them by the judges, who are the mere creatures of the +committee of five. The suffetes are mere puppets in their hands. Our +vessels lie unmanned in our harbours, because the funds which should pay +the sailors are appropriated by our tyrants to their own purposes. How +can a Carthaginian who loves his country remain silent?" + +"All you say is true, Giscon," the general said gravely, "though I +should be pressed to death were it whispered in Carthage that I said so; +but at present we can do nothing. Had the great Hamilcar Barca lived I +believe that he would have set himself to work to clear out this Augean +stable, a task greater than that accomplished by our great hero, the +demigod Hercules; but no less a hand can accomplish it. You know how +every attempt at revolt has failed; how terrible a vengeance fell on +Matho and the mercenaries; how the down trodden tribes have again and +again, when victory seemed in their hands, been crushed into the dust. + +"No, Giscon, we must suffer the terrible ills which you speak of until +some hero arises--some hero whose victories will bind not only the army +to him, but will cause all the common people of Carthage--all her allies +and tributaries--to look upon him as their leader and deliverer. + +"I have hopes, great hopes, that such a hero may be found in my nephew, +Hannibal, who seems to possess all the genius, the wisdom, and the +talent of his father. Should the dream which he cherished, and of which +I was but now speaking to you, that of leading a Carthaginian army +across the Ebro, over the Apennines, through the plains of lower Gaul, +and over the Alps into Italy, there to give battle to the cohorts of +Rome on their own ground,--should this dream be verified I say, should +success attend him, and Rome be humbled to the dust, then Hannibal would +be in a position to become the dictator of Carthage, to overthrow the +corrupt council, to destroy this tyranny--misnamed a republic--and to +establish a monarchy, of which he should be the first sovereign, and +under which Carthage, again the queen of the world, should be worthy +of herself and her people. And now let us speak of it no more. The very +walls have ears, and I doubt not but even among my attendants there are +men who are spies in the pay of the council. I see and lament as much +as any man the ruin of my country; but, until I see a fair hope of +deliverance, I am content to do the best I can against her enemies, to +fight her battles as a simple soldier." + +There was silence in the tent. Malchus had thrown himself down on his +couch, and for a time forgot even the approaching lion hunt in the +conversation to which he had listened. + +The government of Carthage was indeed detestable, and was the chief +cause both of the misfortunes which had befallen her in the past, and +of the disasters which were in the future to be hers. The scheme of +government was not in itself bad, and in earlier and simpler times had +acted well. Originally it had consisted of three estates, which answered +to the king, lords, and commons. At the head of affairs were two +suffetes chosen for life. Below them was the senate, a very numerous +body, comprising all the aristocracy of Carthage. Below this was the +democracy, the great mass of the people, whose vote was necessary to +ratify any law passed by the senate. + +In time, however, all authority passed from the suffetes, the general +body of the senate and the democracy, into the hands of a committee of +the senate, one hundred in number, who were called the council, the real +power being invested in the hands of an inner council, consisting of +from twenty to thirty of the members. The deliberations of this body +were secret, their power absolute. They were masters of the life and +property of every man in Carthage, as afterwards were the council of ten +in the republic of Venice. For a man to be denounced by his secret +enemy to them as being hostile to their authority was to ensure his +destruction and the confiscation of his property. + +The council of a hundred was divided into twenty subcommittees, each +containing five members. Each of these committees was charged with the +control of a department--the army, the navy, the finances, the roads +and communications, agriculture, religion, and the relations with the +various subject tribes, the more important departments being entirely in +the hands of the members of the inner council of thirty. + +The judges were a hundred in number. These were appointed by the +council, and were ever ready to carry out their behest, consequently +justice in Carthage was a mockery. Interest and intrigue were paramount +in the law courts, as in every department of state. Every prominent +citizen, every successful general, every man who seemed likely, by his +ability or his wealth, to become a popular personage with the masses, +fell under the ban of the council, and sooner or later was certain to be +disgraced. The resources of the state were devoted not to the needs of +the country but to aggrandizement and enriching of the members of the +committee. + +Heavy as were the imposts which were laid upon the tributary peoples of +Africa for the purposes of the state, enormous burdens were added by the +tax gatherers to satisfy the cupidity of their patrons in the council. +Under such circumstances it was not to be wondered at that Carthage, +decaying, corrupt, ill governed, had suffered terrible reverses at the +hands of her young and energetic rival Rome, who was herself some day, +when she attained the apex of her power, to suffer from abuses no +less flagrant and general than those which had sapped the strength of +Carthage. + +With the impetuosity of youth Malchus naturally inclined rather to the +aspirations of his kinsman Giscon than to the more sober counsels of his +father. He had burned with shame and anger as he heard the tale of the +disasters which had befallen his country, because she had made money +her god, had suffered her army and her navy to be regarded as secondary +objects, and had permitted the command of the sea to be wrested from her +by her wiser and more far seeing rival. + +As evening closed in the stir in the neighbouring camp aroused Malchus +from his thoughts, and the anticipation of the lion hunt, in which he +was about to take part, again became foremost. + +The camp was situated twenty days' march from Carthage at the foot of +some hills in which lions and other beasts of prey were known to abound, +and there was no doubt that they would be found that evening. + +The expedition had been despatched under the command of Hamilcar to +chastise a small tribe which had attacked and plundered some of +the Carthaginian caravans on their way to Ethiopia, then a rich and +prosperous country, wherein were many flourishing colonies, which had +been sent out by Carthage. + +The object of the expedition had been but partly successful. The lightly +clad tribesmen had taken refuge far among the hills, and, although by +dint of long and fatiguing marches several parties had been surprised +and slain, the main body had evaded all the efforts of the Carthaginian +general. + +The expedition had arrived at its present camping place on the previous +evening. During the night the deep roaring of lions had been heard +continuously among the hills, and so bold and numerous were they that +they had come down in such proximity to the camp that the troops had +been obliged to rise and light great fires to scare them from making an +attack upon the horses. + +The general had therefore consented, upon the entreaties of his nephew +Adherbal, and his son, to organize a hunt upon the following night. As +soon as the sun set the troops, who had already received their orders, +fell into their ranks. The full moon rose as soon as the sun dipped +below the horizon, and her light was ample for the object they had in +view. + +The Numidian horse were to take their station on the plain; the infantry +in two columns, a mile apart, were to enter the mountains, and having +marched some distance, leaving detachments behind them, they were to +move along the crest of the hills until they met; then, forming a great +semicircle, they were to light torches, which they had prepared during +the day, and to advance towards the plain shouting and dashing their +arms, so as to drive all the wild animals inclosed in the arc down into +the plain. + +The general with the two young officers and his son, and a party of +fifty spearmen, were to be divided between the two groves in which the +camps were pitched, which were opposite the centre of the space facing +the line inclosed by the beaters. Behind the groves the Numidian horse +were stationed, to give chase to such animals as might try to make their +escape across the open plain. The general inspected the two bodies +of infantry before they started, and repeated his instructions to the +officers who commanded them, and enjoined them to march as noiselessly +as possible until the semicircle was completed and the beat began in +earnest. + +The troops were to be divided into groups of eight, in order to be able +to repel the attacks of any beasts which might try to break through the +line. When the two columns had marched away right and left towards the +hills, the attendants of the elephants and baggage animals were ordered +to remove them into the centre of the groves. The footmen who remained +were divided into two parties of equal strength. The general with +Malchus remained in the grove in which his tent was fixed with one of +these parties, while Adherbal and Giscon with the others took up their +station in the larger grove. + +"Do you think the lions are sure to make for these groves?" Malchus +asked his father as, with a bundle of javelins lying by his side, his +bow in his hand, and a quiver of arrows hung from his belt in readiness, +he took his place at the edge of the trees. + +"There can be no certainty of it, Malchus; but it seems likely that the +lions, when driven out of their refuges among the hills, will make +for these groves, which will seem to offer them a shelter from their +pursuers. The fires here will have informed them of our presence last +night; but as all is still and dark now they may suppose that the groves +are deserted. In any case our horses are in readiness among the trees +close at hand, and if the lions take to the plains we must mount and +join the Numidians in the chase." + +"I would rather meet them here on foot, father." + +"Yes, there is more excitement, because there is more danger in it, +Malchus; but I can tell you the attack of a wounded lion is no joke, +even for a party of twenty-five well armed men. Their force and fury are +prodigious, and they will throw themselves fearlessly upon a clump of +spears in order to reach their enemies. One blow from their paws is +certain death. Be careful, therefore, Malchus. Stir not from my side, +and remember that there is a vast difference between rashness and +bravery." + + + +CHAPTER II: A NIGHT ATTACK + + +The time seemed to Malchus to pass slowly indeed as he sat waiting the +commencement of the hunt. Deep roars, sounding like distant thunder, +were heard from time to time among the hills. Once or twice Malchus +fancied that he could hear other sounds such as would be made by a heavy +stone dislodged from its site leaping down the mountain side; but he was +not sure that this was not fancy, or that the sound might not be caused +by the roaring of lions far away among the hills. + +His father had said that three hours would probably elapse before the +circuit would be completed. The distance was not great, but the troops +would have to make their way with the greatest care along the rocky +hills through brushwood and forest, and their advance would be all the +more slow that they had to take such pains to move noiselessly. + +It was indeed more than three hours after the column had left the camp +when the sound of a distant horn was heard far up the hillside. Almost +instantaneously lights burst out in a great semicircle along the +hillside, and a faint confused sound, as of the shouting of a large body +of men, was heard on the still night air. + +"That is very well done," the general said in a tone of satisfaction. "I +had hardly expected it to be so well managed; for the operation on such +broken and difficult ground was not easy to carry out, even with the +moon to help them." + +"But see, father!" Malchus said, "there are many patches of darkness in +the line, and the lions might surely escape through these." + +"It would not be possible, Malchus, to place the parties at equal +distances over such broken ground. Nor are the lions likely to discover +the gaps in the line; they will be far too much terrified by the uproar +and sudden blaze of light to approach the troops. Hark, how they are +roaring! Truly it is a majestic and terrible sound, and I do not +wonder that the wild natives of these mountains regard the animals with +something of the respect which we pay to the gods. And now do you keep +a sharp eye along the foot of the hills. There is no saying how soon the +beasts may break cover." + +Slowly the semicircle of light was seen to contract as the soldiers +who formed it moved forward towards the foot of the hill; but although +Malchus kept his eyes strained upon the fringe of trees at its foot, he +could see no signs of movement. + +The roaring still continued at intervals, and it was evident that the +beasts inclosed in the arc had descended to the lower slopes of the +hill. + +"They may be upon us sooner than you expect, Malchus. Their colour well +nigh matches with that of the sand, and you may not see them until they +are close upon us." + +Presently a Numidian soldier standing behind Malchus touched him on the +shoulder and said in a whisper: "There they are!" pointing at the same +time across the plain. + +Malchus could for a time see nothing; then he made out some indistinct +forms. + +"There are six of them," the general said, "and they are making for this +grove. Get your bows ready." + +Malchus could now clearly see the lions approaching. They were advancing +slowly, turning occasionally to look back as if reluctant to quit +the shelter of the hills; and Malchus could hardly resist a start of +uneasiness as one of them suddenly gave vent to a deep, threatening +roar, so menacing and terrible that the very leaves of the trees seemed +to quiver in the light of the moon under its vibrations. The lions +seemed of huge dimensions, especially the leader of the troop, who +stalked with a steady and majestic step at their head. When within fifty +yards of the grove the lions suddenly paused; their leader apparently +scented danger. Again the deep terrible roar rose in the air, answered +by an angry snarling noise on the part of the females. + +"Aim at the leader," the general whispered, "and have your brands in +readiness." + +Immediately behind the party a fire was burning; it had been suffered +to die down until it was a mere pile of glowing embers, and in this the +ends of a dozen stakes of dried wood were laid. The glow of the fire was +carefully hidden by a circle of sticks on which thick cloths had been +hung. The fire had been prepared in readiness in case the lions should +appear in numbers too formidable to be coped with. The leading lion was +within twenty-five paces of the spot where the party was standing when +Hamilcar gave the word, and a volley of arrows shot forth from their +hiding place. + +The lion gave a roar of rage and pain, then, crouching for a moment, +with a few tremendous bounds he reached the edge of the wood. He could +see his enemies now, and with a fierce spring threw himself upon them. +But as soon as they had discharged their arrows the soldiers had caught +up their weapons and formed in a close body, and the lion was received +upon the points of a dozen spears. + +There was a crashing of wood and a snarling growl as one of the soldiers +was struck dead with a blow of the mighty paw of the lion, who, ere he +could recover himself, received half a dozen javelins thrust deep into +his flanks, and fell dead. + +The rest of the troop had followed him as he sprang forward, but some of +the soldiers, who had been told off for the purpose, seized the lighted +brands and threw them over the head of the leader among his followers. +As the glowing brands, after describing fiery circles in the air, fell +and scattered at their feet, the lions paused, and turning abruptly off +dashed away with long bounds across the front of the grove. + +"Now, Malchus, to horse!" Hamilcar exclaimed. And the general and his +son, leaping upon their steeds, dashed out from the grove in pursuit of +the troop of lions. These, passing between the two clumps of trees, were +making for the plain beyond, when from behind the other grove a dark +band of horsemen rode out. + +"Let them pass," Hamilcar shouted; "do not head them back." + +The cavalry reined up until the troop of lions had passed. Hamilcar rode +up to the officer in command. + +"Bring twenty of your men," he said; "let the rest remain here. There +will doubtless be more of them yet." + +Then with the twenty horsemen he rode on in pursuit of the lions. + +The chase was an exciting one. For a time the lions, with their long +bounds, kept ahead of the horsemen; but the latter, splendidly mounted +on their well bred steeds, soon began to gain. When they were within +a hundred yards of them one of the lions suddenly faced round. The +Numidians, well accustomed to the sport, needed no orders from their +chief. They scattered at once and broke off on each flank so as to +encircle the lion, who had taken his post on a hummock of sand and lay +couched on his haunches, with his tail lashing his sides angrily, like a +great cat about to make his spring. + +The horsemen circled round him, dashing up to within five-and-twenty +yards, discharging their arrows, and then wheeling away. Each time the +lion was struck he uttered a sharp, angry growl, and made a spring in +the direction of the horsemen, and then fell back to his post. + +One of the soldiers, thinking that the lion was now nearly crippled, +ventured to ride somewhat closer; he discharged his arrow, but before he +could wheel his horse the lion with two tremendous springs was upon him. + +A single blow of his paw brought the horse to the ground. Then the lion +seized the soldier by the shoulder, shook him as a cat would a mouse, +and throwing him on the sand lay with his paw across him. At this moment +Malchus galloped past at full speed, his bow drawn to the arrow head and +fixed. The arrow struck the lion just behind its shoulder. The fierce +beast, which was in the act of rising, sank down quietly again; its +majestic head drooped between its forepaws on to the body of the Numidian, +and there it lay as if overtaken with a sudden sleep. Two more arrows +were fired into it, but there was no movement. + +"The brave beast is dead," Malchus said. "Here is the arrow with which I +slew it." + +"It was well done, Malchus, and the hide is yours. Let us set off after +the others." + +But the stand which the lion had made had been sufficiently long to +enable the rest of the troop to escape. Leaving two or three of their +comrades to remove the body of the soldier, the horsemen scattered in +various directions; but although they rode far over the plain, they +could see no signs of the troop they had pursued. + +After a time they gave up the pursuit and rode back towards the camp. +When they reached it they found that another troop of lions, eight in +number, had approached the other grove, where two had been killed by the +party commanded by Adherbal and Giscon, and the rest of the cavalry were +still in pursuit of the others. They presently returned, bringing in +four more skins; so that eight lions in all had fallen in the night's +work. + +"Well, Malchus, what do you think of lion hunting?" Adherbal asked as +they gathered again in the general's tent. + +"They are terrible beasts," Malchus said. "I had not thought that any +beast could make so tremendous a roar. Of course I have heard those +in captivity in Carthage, but it did not seem nearly so terrible as it +sounded here in the stillness of the desert." + +"I own that it made my blood run cold," Adherbal said; "and their charge +is tremendous--they broke through the hedge of spears as if they had +been reeds. Three of our men were killed." + +"Yes," Malchus agreed; "it seemed almost like a dream for a minute when +the great beast was among us. I felt very glad when he rolled over on to +his side." + +"It is a dangerous way of hunting," Hamilcar said. "The chase on +horseback in the plains has its dangers, as we saw when that Numidian +was killed; but with proper care and skill it is a grand sport. But this +work on foot is too dangerous, and has cost the republic the loss of +five soldiers. Had I had nets with me I would have adopted the usual +plan of stretching one across the trees ten paces in front of us. This +breaks the lion's spring, he becomes entangled in its meshes, and can be +destroyed with but little danger. But no skill or address avails against +the charge of a wounded lion. But you are wounded, Giscon." + +"It is a mere nothing," Giscon said. + +"Nay," Hamilcar replied, "it is an ugly scratch, Giscon; he has laid +open your arm from the shoulder to the elbow as if it were by the cut of +a knife." + +"It served me right for being too rash," Giscon said. "I thought he +was nearly dead, and approached with my sword to give him a finishing +thrust. When he struck viciously at me I sprang back, but one of his +claws caught my shoulder. A few inches nearer and he would have stripped +the flesh from my arm, and perhaps broken the limb and shoulder bone." + +While he was speaking a slave was washing the wound, which he then +carefully bandaged up. A few minutes later the whole party lay down to +sleep. Malchus found it difficult to close his eyes. His pulse was still +throbbing with excitement, and his mind was busy with the brief but +stirring scene of the conflict. + +Two or three hours passed, and he felt drowsiness creeping over him, +when he heard a sudden challenge, followed instantly by a loud and +piercing yell from hundreds of throats. He sprang in an instant to his +feet, as did the other occupants of the tent. + +"To arms!" Hamilcar cried; "the enemy are upon us." + +Malchus caught up his shield and sword, threw his helmet on his head, +and rushed out of the tent with his father. + +A tremendous din had succeeded the silence which had just before reigned +in the desert, and the yells of the barbarians rose high in the air, +answered by shouts and loud words of command from the soldiers in the +other grove. The elephants in their excitement were trumpeting loudly; +the horses stamped the ground; the draught cattle, terrified by the din, +strove to break away. + +Large numbers of dark figures occupied the space some two hundred yards +wide between the groves. The general's guards, twenty in number, +had already sprung to their feet and stood to arms; the slaves and +attendants, panic stricken at the sudden attack, were giving vent to +screams and cries and were running about in confusion. + +Hamilcar sternly ordered silence. + +"Let each man," he said, "take a weapon of some kind and stand steady. +We are cut off from the main body and shall have to fight for our lives. +Do you," he said to the soldiers, "lay aside your spears and shoot +quickly among them. Fire fast. The great object is to conceal from them +the smallness of our number." + +Moving round the little grove Hamilcar posted the slaves at short +distances apart, to give warning should the enemy be attempting an +attack upon the other sides, and then returned to the side facing the +other grove, where the soldiers were keeping up a steady fire at the +enemy. + +The latter were at present concentrating their attention upon their +attack upon the main body. Their scouts on the hills during the previous +day had no doubt ascertained that the Carthaginian force was encamped +here, and the occupants of the smaller grove would fall easy victims +after they had dealt with the main body. The fight was raging furiously +here. The natives had crept up close before they were discovered by the +sentries, and with a fierce rush they had fallen upon the troops before +they had time to seize their arms and gather in order. + +The fight raged hand to hand, bows twanged and arrows flew, the light +javelins were hurled at close quarters with deadly effect, the shrill +cries of the Numidians mingled with the deeper shouts of the Iberians +and the yells of the natives. Hamilcar stood for a minute irresolute. + +"They are neglecting us," he said to Adherbal, "until they have finished +with the main body; we must go to their assistance. At present our men +are fighting without order or regularity. Unless their leaders are with +them they are lost, our presence will encourage and reanimate them. +Bring up the elephants quickly." + +The three elephants were at once brought forward, their drivers mounted +on their necks. Four soldiers with their bows and arrows took their +places on the back of each, the general with the rest of the fighting +men followed closely behind. + +At the orders of their drivers the well trained animals broke into a +trot, and the party advanced from the shadow of the grove. The natives +scattered between it and the wood fired a volley of arrows and then +broke as the elephants charged down upon them. Trained to warfare +the elephants dashed among them, catching some up in their trunks and +dashing them lifeless to the ground, knocking down and trampling upon +others, scattering terror wherever they went, while the archers on their +backs kept up a deadly fire. As soon as the way was open Hamilcar led +the little party on foot at full speed towards the wood. + +As he entered it he ordered his trumpeter to blow his horn. The well +known signal revived the hopes and courage of the sorely pressed troops, +who, surprised and discouraged, had been losing ground, great numbers +falling before the arrows and javelins of their swarming and active +foes. The natives, surprised at the trumpet sound in the rear, paused +a moment, and before they could turn round to face their unexpected +adversaries, Hamilcar with his little band burst his way through them +and joined his soldiers, who, gathered now in a close body in the centre +of the grove, received their leader with a shout of welcome. + +Hamilcar's measures were promptly taken. He saw that if stationary his +band must melt away under the shower of missiles which was being poured +upon them. He gave the command and the troops rapidly formed into three +groups, the men of each corps gathering together. Adherbal, who was in +command of the Numidians, placed himself at their head, Giscon led the +Iberians, and Hamilcar headed the heavily armed troops, Malchus taking +his place at his side. Hamilcar had already given his orders to the +young officers. No response was to be made to the fire of the arrows and +javelins, but with spear, sword, and battleaxe the troops were to fall +upon the natives. + +"Charge!" he shouted in a voice that was heard above the yells of the +barbarians. "Clear the wood of these lurking enemies, they dare not face +you. Sweep them before your path." + +With an answering shout the three bodies of men sprang forward, each in +a different direction. In vain the natives poured in volleys of arrows +and javelins; many fell, more were wounded, but all who could keep their +feet rushed forward with fury upon their assailants. + +The charge was irresistible. The natives, fighting each for himself, +were unable for a moment to withstand the torrent, and, vastly superior +in numbers as they were, were driven headlong before it. When they +reached the edge of the wood each of the bodies broke into two. The +Numidians had directed their course towards their horses, which a party +of their own men were still defending desperately against the attacks of +a large body of natives. Through these they cut their way, and springing +upon their steeds dashed out into the plain, and sweeping round the +grove fell upon the natives there, and cut down the parties of men who +emerged in confusion from its shelter, unable to withstand the assaults +of Hamilcar and his infantry within. + +The heavy infantry and the Iberians, when they gained the edge of the +wood, had swept to the right and left, cleared the edge of the grove of +their enemies until they met, then joining they again plunged into the +centre. Thus they traversed the wood in every direction until they had +completely cleared it of foes. + +When the work was done the breathless and exhausted troops gathered +outside, in the light of the moon. More than half their number had +fallen; scarce one but was bleeding from wounds of arrow or javelin. The +plain beyond was thickly dotted to the foot of the hills with the bodies +of the natives who had been cut up by the Numidian horse or trampled +by the elephants, while the grove within was thickly strewn with their +bodies. + +As there was no fear of a renewal of the attack, Hamilcar ordered the +men to fall out of ranks, and the hours until daybreak were passed in +extracting arrows and binding up wounds, and in assisting their comrades +who were found to be still living in the grove. Any natives still +breathing were instantly slain. + +Hamilcar found that a party of the enemy had made their way into his own +camp. His tent had been hastily plundered, but most of the effects were +found in the morning scattered over the ground between the groves and +the hills, having been thrown away in their flight by the natives +when the horsemen burst out of the wood in pursuit. Of the slaves and +attendants several had been killed, but the greater portion had, when +Hamilcar left the grove with the troops, climbed up into trees, and +remained there concealed until the rout of the assailants. + +It was found in the morning that over one hundred and fifty of the three +hundred Carthaginian troops had fallen, and that four hundred of the +natives had been slain either in the grove or in the pursuit by cavalry. + +The following day two envoys arrived from the hostile tribe offering the +submission of their chief. + +As pursuit in the hills would be useless Hamilcar offered them +comparatively easy terms. A heavy fine in horses and cattle was to be +paid to the republic, and ten of the principal members of the tribe were +to be delivered up as hostages for their future good behaviour. The +next day the hostages were brought into the camp with a portion of the +ransom; and Hamilcar, having thus accomplished the mission he had been +charged to perform, marched away with his troops to Carthage. + +As they approached the coast the whole character of the scenery changed. +The desert had been left behind them, and they entered a fertile tract +of country which had been literally turned into a garden by the skill +and industry of the Carthaginian cultivators, at that time celebrated +throughout the world for their knowledge of the science of agriculture. +The rougher and more sterile ground was covered with groves of olive +trees, while rich vineyards and orchards of fig and other fruit trees +occupied the better soil. Wherever it was possible little canals leading +water from reservoirs and dammed up streams crossed the plains, and +every foot of the irrigated ground was covered with a luxuriant crop. + +The villages were scattered thickly, and when the troops arrived within +a day's march of Carthage they came upon the country villas and mansions +of the wealthy inhabitants. These in the richness of their architecture, +the perfection and order of their gardens, and the beauty and taste of +the orchards and grounds which surrounded them, testified alike to the +wealth and taste of their occupants. + +Fountains threw their water into the air, numerous waterfalls splashed +with a cool, soothing sound over artificial rocks. Statues wrought +by Greek sculptors stood on the terraces, shady walks offered a cool +retreat during the heat of the day, the vine, the pomegranate, and the +fig afforded refreshment to the palate as well as pleasure to the eye. +Palm trees with their graceful foliage waved gently in the passing +breezes. All the countries with which the Carthaginians traded had +supplied their contingent of vegetation to add to the beauty and +production of these gardens, which were the admiration and envy of the +civilized world. + +Crossing the brow of a low range of hills the detachment came in sight +of Carthage. The general and his three companions, who were riding +in the rear of the column, drew in their horses and sat for a while +surveying the scene. It was one which, familiar as it might be, it was +impossible to survey without the deepest feeling of admiration. + +In the centre stood the great rock of Byrsa, a flat topped eminence +with almost perpendicular sides rising about two hundred feet above the +surrounding plain. This plateau formed the seat of the ancient Carthage, +the Phoenician colony which Dido had founded. It was now the acropolis +of Carthage. Here stood the temples of the chief deities of the town; +here were immense magazines and storehouses capable of containing +provisions for a prolonged siege for the fifty thousand men whom the +place could contain. The craggy sides of the rock were visible but in +few places. Massive fortifications rising from its foot to its summit +defended every point where the rock was not absolutely perpendicular. +These walls were of enormous thickness, and in casemates or recesses in +their thickness were the stables for the elephants, horses, and cattle +of the garrison. + +Round the upper edge of the rock extended another massive wall, above +which in picturesque outline rose the temple and other public edifices. +At the foot of this natural citadel stretched the lower town, with its +crowded population, its dense mass of houses, its temples and forum. +The style of architecture was peculiar to the city. The Carthaginians +abhorred straight lines, and all their buildings presented curves. The +rooms were for the most part circular, semicircular, or oval, and all +exterior as well as interior angles were rounded off. The material used +in their construction was an artificial stone composed of pieces of +rock cemented together with fine sand and lime, and as hard as natural +conglomerate. The houses were surmounted by domes or cupolas. Their +towers were always round, and throughout the city scarce an angle +offended the eye of the populace. + +Extending into the bay lay the isthmus, known as the Tana, some three +miles in length, communicating with the mainland by a tongue of land a +hundred yards wide. + +This was the maritime quarter of Carthage; here were the extensive docks +in which the vessels which bore the commerce of the city to and from the +uttermost parts of the known world loaded and unloaded. Here were the +state dockyards where the great ships of war, which had so long made +Carthage the mistress of the sea, were constructed and fitted out. The +whole line of the coast was deeply indented with bays, where rode at +anchor the ships of the mercantile navy. Broad inland lakes dotted +the plain; while to the north of Byrsa, stretching down to the sea and +extending as far as Cape Quamart, lay Megara, the aristocratic suburb of +Carthage. + +Here, standing in gardens and parks, were the mansions of the wealthy +merchants and traders, the suburb presenting to the eye a mass of green +foliage dotted thickly with white houses. Megara was divided from the +lower town by a strong and lofty wall, but lay within the outer wall +which inclosed Byrsa and the whole of Carthage and stretched from sea to +sea. + +The circumference of the inclosed space was fully twenty miles; the +population contained within it amounted to over eight hundred +thousand. On the north side near the sea, within the line of the outer +fortifications, rose a low hill, and here on the face which sloped +gently down to the sea was the great necropolis--the cemetery of +Carthage, shaded by broad spreading trees, dotted with the gorgeous +mausoleums of the wealthy and the innumerable tombs of the poorer +families, and undermined by thousands of great sepulchral chambers, +which still remain to testify to the vastness of the necropolis of +Carthage, and to the pains which her people bestowed upon the burying +places of their dead. + +Beyond all, from the point at which the travellers viewed it, stretched +the deep blue background of the Mediterranean, its line broken only in +the foreground by the lofty citadel of Byrsa, and far out at sea by the +faint outline of the Isle of Zinbre. + +For some minutes the party sat immovable on their horses, then Hamilcar +broke the silence: + +"'Tis a glorious view," he said; "the world does not contain a site +better fitted for the seat of a mighty city. Nature seems to have marked +it out. With the great rock fortress, the splendid bays and harbours, +the facilities for commerce, the fertile country stretching away on +either hand; give her but a government strong, capable, and honest, a +people patriotic, brave, and devoted, and Carthage would long remain the +mistress of the world." + +"Surely she may yet remain so," Adherbal exclaimed. + +"I fear not," Hamilcar said gravely, shaking his head. "It seems to be +the fate of all nations, that as they grow in wealth so they lose their +manly virtues. With wealth comes corruption, indolence, a reluctance +to make sacrifices, and a weakening of the feeling of patriotism. Power +falls into the hands of the ignorant many. Instead of the destinies of +the country being swayed by the wisest and best, a fickle multitude, +swayed by interested demagogues, assumes the direction of affairs, and +the result is inevitable--wasted powers, gross mismanagement, final +ruin." + +So saying Hamilcar set his horse in motion and, followed silently by +his companions, rode with a gloomy countenance after his little columns +towards the capital. + + + +CHAPTER III: CARTHAGE + + +Carthage was at that time divided between two factions, the one led by +the relatives and friends of the great Hamilcar Barca and known as the +Barcine party. The other was led by Hanno, surnamed the Rich. This man +had been the rival of Hamilcar, and the victories and successes of the +latter had been neutralized by the losses and defeats entailed upon +the republic by the incapacity of the former. Hanno, however, had the +support of the greater part of the senate, of the judges, and of the +lower class, which he attached to himself by a lavish distribution of +his vast wealth, or by the common tie of wholesale corruption. + +The Barcine party were very inferior in numbers, but they comprised +among them the energy, the military genius, and the patriotism of the +community. They advocated sweeping reforms, the purification of the +public service, the suppression of the corruption which was rampant in +every department, the fair administration of justice, the suppression of +the tyranny of the committee, the vigourous prosecution of the struggle +with Rome. They would have attached to Carthage the but half subdued +nations round her who now groaned under her yoke, ground down to the +dust by the enormous tribute necessitated by the extravagance of the +administration of the state, the corruption and wholesale peculation of +its officials. + +Hamilcar Barca had been the founder of the party; in his absence at the +seat of war it had been led at Carthage by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, +whose fiery energy and stirring eloquence had rendered him a popular +idol in Carthage. But even the genius of Hamilcar and the eloquence of +Hasdrubal would not have sufficed to enable the Barcine party to make +head against the enormous power of the council and the judges, backed by +the wealth of Hanno and his associates, had it not been for the military +successes which flattered the patriotic feelings of the populace. + +The loss of Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily had been atoned for by the +conquest of the greater portion of Spain by Hamilcar, and that general +might eventually have carried out his plans for the purification of the +government of Carthage had he not fallen in a battle with the Iberians. +This loss was a terrible blow to the Barcine faction, but the deep +feeling of regret among the population at the death of their great +general enabled them to carry the election of Hasdrubal to be one of the +suffetes in his place, and to obtain for him the command of the army in +Spain. + +There was the less difficulty in the latter appointment, since Hanno's +party were well content that the popular leader should be far removed +from the capital. Hasdrubal proved himself a worthy successor of his +father-in-law. He carried out the policy inaugurated by the latter, +won many brilliant victories over the Iberians, fortified and firmly +established Carthagena as a port and city which seemed destined to rival +the greatness of its mother city, and Carthage saw with delight a great +western settlement growing in power which promised to counterbalance the +influence of the ever spreading territory of her great rival in Italy. + +After seeing his detachment safely lodged in the barracks Hamilcar and +his companions rode along the streets to the Barcine Syssite, or club, +one of the grandest buildings in Carthage. Throwing the reins of their +horses to some slaves who stood in readiness at the foot of the steps, +they entered the building. As they rode through the streets they had +noticed that the population appeared singularly quiet and dejected, +and the agitation which reigned in the club showed them that something +unusual had happened. Groups of men were standing talking excitedly +in the great hall. Others with dejected mien were pacing the marble +pavement. As Hamilcar entered, several persons hurried up to him. + +"Welcome back again!" they exclaimed; "your presence is most opportune +at this sad moment." + +"What has happened?" Hamilcar asked; "I have but this moment arrived, +and rode straight here to hear the news of what has taken place in my +absence." + +"What! have you not heard?" they exclaimed; "for the last four days +nothing else has been talked of, nothing else thought of--Hasdrubal has +been assassinated!" + +Hamilcar recoiled a step as if struck. + +"Ye gods!" he exclaimed, "can this be so? Hasdrubal the handsome, as +he was well called, the true patriot, the great general, the eloquent +orator, the soul of generosity and patriotism, our leader and hope, +dead! Surely it cannot be." + +"It is too true, Hamilcar. Hasdrubal is dead--slain by the knife of an +Iberian, who, it seems, has for months been in his service, awaiting +the chance for revenge for some injuries which his family or people have +suffered from our arms. + +"It is a terrible blow. This morning a swift sailing ship has arrived +with the news that the army of Spain have with one voice acclaimed the +young Hannibal as their general, and that they demand the ratification +of their choice by the senate and people. Need I tell you how important +it is that this ratification should be gained? Hanno and his satellites +are furious, they are scattering money broadcast, and moving heaven and +earth to prevent the choice falling upon Hannibal, and to secure the +appointment for Hanno himself or one of his clique. They say that to +appoint a youth like this to such a position would be a thing unheard +of, that it would bring countless dangers upon the head of the +republic. We know, of course, that what they fear is not the youth and +inexperience, but the talent and genius of Hannibal. + +"Young though he is, his wonderful abilities are recognized by us all. +His father, Hamilcar, had the very highest hopes of him, Hasdrubal has +written again and again saying that in his young kinsman he recognized +his superior, and that in loftiness of aim, in unselfish patriotism, in +clearness of judgment, in the marvellous ascendency he has gained over +the troops, in his talent in administration, and in the greatness of his +military conceptions, he saw in him a genius of the highest order. If +it be in man to overthrow the rising greatness of Rome, to reform our +disordered administration, to raise Carthage again to the climax of her +glory and power, that man is Hannibal. + +"Thus, then, on him our hopes rest. If we can secure for him the command +of the army in Spain, he may do all and more than all that Hamilcar +and Hasdrubal have done for us. If we fail, we are lost; Hanno will +be supreme, the official party will triumph, man by man we shall be +denounced and, destroyed by the judges, and, worse than all, our hopes +of saving Carthage from the corruption and tyranny which have so long +been pressing her into the dust are at an end. It is a good omen of +success that you have returned from your expedition at such a critical +moment. All has gone well with you, I hope. You know the fate that +awaits an unsuccessful general here." + +"Ay, I know," Hamilcar said bitterly; "to be judged by a secret tribunal +of civilians, ignorant of even the rudimentary laws of war, and bent +not upon arriving at the truth, but of gratifying their patrons and +accomplices; the end, disgrace and execution. + +"No, my success has been complete, although not brilliant. I have +obtained the complete submission of the Atarantes, and have brought with +me ten of their principal chiefs as hostages; but my success narrowly +escaped being not only a failure but a disaster. I had in vain striven +to come to blows with them, when suddenly they fell upon me at night, +and in the desperate combat which followed, well nigh half my force +fell; but in the end we inflicted a terrible chastisement upon them and +completely humbled their pride." + +"So long as you succeeded in humbling them and bringing home hostages +for their good behaviour, all is well; the lives of a few score of +soldiers, more or less, matters little to Carthage. We have but to send +out an order to the tribes and we can replace them a hundred fold in a +week; 'tis only a failure which would be fatal. Carthage has suffered +such terrible disasters at the hands of her tributaries that she +trembles at the slightest rising, for its success might be the signal +for another general insurrection. If you have humbled the Atarantes, all +is well. + +"I know the council have been anxiously expecting news of your +expedition. Our opinion here has been from the first that, from the +small force they placed at your command, they purposely sent you to +disaster, risking the chance of extended trouble in order to obtain +a ground of complaint by which they could inflame the minds of the +populace against our party. But now, I recommend you to take some +refreshment at once after your journey. The inner council of the club +will meet in an hour, and their deliberations are likely to be long as +well as important, for the whole future of our party, and of Carthage +itself, depends upon the issue." + +"Malchus," Hamilcar said, "do you mount your horse and ride out at +once and tell your mother that all has gone well with us, but that I +am detained here on important business, and may not return until +nightfall." + +"May I come back here, father, after I see my mother? I would fain be of +some use, if I may. I am known to many of the sailors down at the +port; I might go about among them trying to stir them up in favour of +Hannibal." + +"You may come back if you like, Malchus; your sailors may aid us with +their voices, or, should it come to anything like a popular disturbance, +by their arms. But, as you know, in the voting the common people +count for nothing, it is the citizens only who elect, the traders, +shopkeepers, and employers of labour. Common people count for no more +than the slaves, save when it comes to a popular tumult, and they +frighten the shopkeeping class into voting in accordance with their +views. However, we will leave no stone unturned that may conduce to +our success. Do not hurry away from home, my boy, for your mother would +think it unkind after three months' absence. Our council is likely to +last for some hours; when it is at an end I will look for you here and +tell you what has been determined upon." + +Malchus mounted his horse and rode out through the narrow streets of the +lower city, through the gateway leading into the suburb, then he loosed +the rein and the horse started at a gallop along the broad road, lined +with stately mansions, and in a quarter of an hour stopped in front of +the villa of Hamilcar. + +Throwing his bridle to a slave he ran up the broad steps of the portico +and entered the hall. His mother, a stately woman, clad in a long +flowing garment of rich material embroidered in gold, arms and neck +bare, her hair bound up in a knot at the back of her head, which was +encircled by a golden fillet, with pendants of the same metal encrusted +with gems falling on her forehead, rose eagerly to meet him, and his two +sisters, girls older than himself, clad in white robes, confined at the +waist with golden belts, leaped to their feet with a cry of gladness. + +"Welcome back, my own son," his mother said; "all is well, I hope, with +your father; It is so, I am sure, for I should read evil news in your +face." + +"He is well, mother, well and victorious, though we had a rare fight +for it, I can tell you. But he is kept at the Barcine Syssite on matters +connected with this terrible business of the death of Hasdrubal. He bade +me give you his love, and say he would be back here as soon as he could +get away." + +"It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow to +Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but for the +moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How the sun has +bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller and stouter +since you have been away. + +"Yes," one of the sisters laughed, "the child is growing up, mother; you +will have to choose another name for him." + +"I think it is about time," Malchus said, joining in the laugh, +"considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a +desperate hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even my +mother must own that I am attaining the dignity of youth." + +"I wonder your father let you take part in such strife," the mother said +anxiously; "he promised me that he would, as far as possible, keep you +out of danger." + +"Why, mother," Malchus said indignantly, "you don't suppose that my +father was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls here. You +know he has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian guard, and +fight in the next campaign. I think it has been very hard on me not to +have had a chance of distinguishing myself as my cousin Hannibal did +when he was no older than I am." + +"Poor boy," his sister laughed, "he has indeed been unfortunate. Who +can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would have been +a general by this time, and that Rome would have been trembling at the +clash of his armour." + +Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself. + +"I shall never grow to be a general," he said, "unless you get me some +food; it is past midday, and I have not broken my fast this morning. I +warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures until I have +eaten, therefore the sooner you order a meal to be served the better." + +The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with his +mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition. There was +a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters when he told +them that he was going to return to the Syssite to hear what had been +determined by the conclave. + +"Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus," Thyra, the +elder, said. + +"Yes; but I may be useful," Malchus replied. "There will be lots to be +done, and we shall all do our utmost." + +"Listen to him, mother," Anna, the younger sister, said, clapping her +hands; "this comes of slaying lions and combating with the Atarantes; do +not let us hinder him; beg the slaves to bring round a horse instantly. +Carthage totters, let Malchus fly to its support. What part are you +thinking of taking, my brother, do you mean to harangue the people, or +to urge the galley slaves to revolt, or to lead the troops against the +council?" + +The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus, +although colouring a little, joined heartily. + +"You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what has been +done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not such a boy as +you girls think me, just because you happen to be two or three years +older than I am. You persist in regarding me as a child; father doesn't +do so, and I can tell you I may be more good than you think." + +"Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don't get into +mischief and remember, my boy," his mother added, "that Carthage is a +place where it is well that no one should make more enemies than he can +help. A secret foe in the council or among the judges is enough to ruin +the strongest. You know how many have been crucified or pressed to death +without a shadow of pretext, save that they had foes. I would not see +you other than your father's son; you will belong, of course, to the +Barcine party, but there is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon +yourself before you are in a position to do real service to the cause. +And now ride off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf +ears, and that willful lads will go their own way." + +A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club. On his +arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council was not +yet finished. The building was thronged with the adherents of the party +waiting to ascertain what course was determined upon. He presently +came across Adherbal and Giscon. The former, as usual, was gay, light +hearted, and disposed to view matters in a humorous light; Giscon was +stern and moody. + +"So, here you are again, Malchus," Adherbal said. "I thought you would +soon be back. I am glad you have come, for Giscon here grows monotonous +as a companion. Nature in making him forgot to give him that spice of +humour which is to existence what seasoning is to meat. I am ready to +fight if it comes to fighting, to orate if talking is necessary, and +to do anything else which may be within the limits of my powers, but I +can't for the life of me take matters as if the existence of the state +depended on me alone. I have already heard that all is well with you at +home. I shall ride out there and see your mother when this business is +over. What they can find to talk about so long I can't make out. + +"The question is a simple one, surely. Will it be better for Carthage at +large, and our party in particular, for Hannibal to stay at the head +of the army in Spain, or to come home and bring the influence of his +popularity and reputation to bear upon the populace? There is the +question put in a nutshell, and if they can't decide upon it let them +toss up. There is virtue, I am ready to maintain, in an appeal to dame +Fortune. + +"Look round now, Malchus, is it not amusing to study men's characters. +Look at little Philene going about among the groups, standing on tiptoe +to whisper into the ear first of one and then of another. He prides +himself on his knowledge of affairs, and in his heart believes that +he is shamefully wronged inasmuch as he is not already on the secret +committee. + +"Look at Bomilca leaning against that pillar and lazily pulling his +mustache, an easygoing giant, who looks upon the whole thing as a +nuisance, but who, if he received orders from the conclave, would put +himself at the head of the Libyans, and would march to storm Hanno's +house, and to slaughter his Numidian guard without a question. + +"Look at Magon's face of importance as he walks about without speaking +to anyone. He is trying to convey to all the impression that he knows +perfectly well what is going on inside, and could if he chose tell +you what the decision will be. There is Carthalon, who is thinking at +present, I warrant, more of the match which he has made of his Arab +steed against that of his comrade Phano, than of the matter in hand. +But see, there is a stir, the curtains are drawing aside at last, the +meeting is over." + +As he spoke the heavy curtains which shut off an inner room from the +hall were drawn aside, and the council of the Syssite came out. Each +was speedily surrounded by a group of the members of his own family, or +those who specially looked up to him as a leader. Malchus and the two +young officers were among those who gathered round Hamilcar. + +"It has been decided," the general said, "that Hannibal shall be +retained in his command. Therefore, now let all set to work, each in his +own sphere. The populace must be stirred up. We have a small majority +in the council, but the middle class, the men who will vote, are with +Hanno. Some have been bought with his gold, some of the weak fools dream +that Carthage can be great simply as a trading power without army +or navy, and think only of the present advantage they would gain by +remission of taxation. It is these we have to fear, and we must operate +upon them by means of the populace. + +"If the people gather in the streets and shout for Hannibal, these +cowards will hesitate. They are accessible only in their moneybags, and +rather than risk a riot they would vote for the destruction of Moloch's +temple. Giscon and Adherbal, do you go to the barracks, get as many +of your comrades together as are of our way of thinking, talk to the +soldiers of the glories of Hamilcar Barca, of the rich booty they won +under him, of the glory of their arms when he led them, tell them that +in Hannibal they have their old commander revived, and that Hanno and +his companions seek only to have him removed, because they fear that the +luster of his deeds will overshadow them. + +"Urge that he is the elect of the army of Spain, that the voice of the +soldiers has acclaimed him, and that the troops here should join their +voices to those of their comrades in Spain. They too may ere long have +to take share in the war, and would it not be far better for them to be +led by a soldier like Hannibal than by Hanno, whose incapacity has been +proved a score of times, and who is solely chosen because he is rich, +and because he has pandered to the fat traders and lazy shopkeepers? + +"Do you, Stryphex, go to the weavers' quarter; you have influence there. +Work upon the men, point out to them how, since Hamilcar and Hasdrubal +have conquered Spain, and the gold and silver from the mines have poured +into Carthage, their trade has flourished. Before that gold was scarce +known in the city, none could purchase their choice productions, their +wages would scarce keep the wolf from the door. Show them that under +Hanno disaster will be sure to befall our arms, that the Iberians will +reconquer their soil, that the mines will be lost, and we shall have to +return to the leather money of twenty years back." + +So one by one Hamilcar despatched the groups round him on various +missions, until Malchus alone remained. + +"You, Malchus, can, as you suggested, go down to the port; ask the +sailors and fishermen what will become of their trade were the Roman +galleys cruising in our bay. Point out that our conquests in Spain have +already caused the greatest alarm in Rome, and that under Hannibal our +arms will so flourish that Rome will be glad to come to terms with us, +and to leave us free to trade with the world. + +"Point out how great is the trade and commerce which Carthagena has +already produced. Ask them if they are willing that all this shall be +hazarded, in order that Hanno may gratify his personal ambition, and +his creatures may wring the last penny from the over taxed people of +Carthage. Don't try too much, my boy. Get together a knot of men whom +you know; prime them with argument, and send them among their fellows. +Tell them to work day and night, and that you will see that their time +is well paid. Find out if there are any men who have special influence +with their fellows, and secure them on our side. Promise them what they +will; the Syssite will spend money like water to carry its object. Be +discreet, Malchus; when you have lit the fire, and see that it is well +on its way, withdraw quietly." + +Malchus hurried off, and in half an hour was down by the port. Through +the densely packed district which lay behind the lofty warehouses +crammed with goods brought by sea from all parts of the world, he made +his way until he reached the abode of a fisherman, in whose boat he +often put to sea. + +The old man, with three or four grownup sons, was reclining on a pile of +rushes. + +"Welcome back, my lord Malchus," he said; "glad am I to see you safely +returned. We have often talked of you, me and my sons, and wondered when +you would again go out for a night's fishing with us. You have come back +at the right time. The tunny are just entering the bay, and in another +week we shall have rare sport." + +"I shall be glad, indeed, of another sail with you," Malchus said; "but +at present I have other matters in hand. Hanno and his friends have +determined to oppose the appointment of Hannibal to the army in Spain." +The fisherman gave a grunt, which signified that the matter was one of +which he knew nothing, and which affected him not in the slightest. + +"Don't you see the importance of this?" Malchus said. "If Hannibal +doesn't get the command our troops will be beaten, and we shall lose all +our trade with Spain." The fisherman still appeared apathetic. + +"My sons have all taken to fishing," he said indifferently, "and it +matters nothing to them whether we lose the trade of Spain or not." + +"But it would make a difference," Malchus said, "if no more gold and +silver came from Spain, because then, you know, people wouldn't be +able to pay a good price for fish, and there would be bad times for you +fishermen. But that is not the worst of it. The Romans are so alarmed by +our progress in Spain that they are glad to keep friends with us, but if +we were driven out from there they would soon be at war again. You and +your sons would be pressed for the ships of war, and like enough you +might see the Roman fleets hovering on our coasts and picking up our +fishing boats." + +"By Astarte," the fisherman exclaimed, "but that would be serious, +indeed; and you say all this will happen unless Hannibal remains as +general in Spain?" + +"That is so," Malchus nodded. + +"Then I tell you what, my boys," the fisherman said, rising and rubbing +his hands, "we must put our oars into this business. You hear what my +lord Malchus tells us. Get up, there is work to be done. Now, sir, what +is the best way to stop this affair you tell us of? If it's got to be +done we will do it, and I think I can answer for three or four thousand +fishing hands here who ain't going to stand by any more than I am and +see the bread taken out of their mouths. They know old Calcon, and will +listen to what he says. I will set about it at once." + +"That is just what I want," Malchus said. "I want you and your sons to +go about among the fishermen and tell them what is proposed to be done, +and how ruinous it will be for them. You know how fond of fishermen I +am, and how sorry I should be to see them injured. You stir them up for +the next three or four days, and get them to boiling point. I will let +you know when the time comes. There are other trades who will be injured +by this business, and when the time comes you fishermen with your oars +in your hands must join the others and go through the streets shouting +'Hannibal for general! Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!'" + +"Down with the tax gatherers is a good cry," the old fisherman said. +"They take one fish of every four I bring in, and always choose the +finest. Don't you be afraid, sir; we will be there, oars and all, when +you give the word." + +"And now I want you to tell me the names of a few men who have influence +among the sailors of the mercantile ships, and among those who load and +discharge the cargoes; their interest is threatened as well as yours. I +am commissioned to pay handsomely all who do their best for the cause, +and I promise you that you and your sons shall earn as much in four +days' work as in a month's toiling on the sea. The Barcine Club is known +to be the true friend of Carthage, the opponent of those who grind down +the people, and it will spare no money to see that this matter is well +carried out." + +The fisherman at once went round with Malchus to the abodes of several +men regarded as authorities by the sailors and stevedores. With these, +partly by argument, but much more by the promises of handsome pay for +their exertions, Malchus established an understanding, and paved the way +for a popular agitation among the working classes of the waterside in +favour of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IV: A POPULAR RISING + + +Day after day Malchus went down to the port. His father was well pleased +with his report of what he had done and provided him with ample funds +for paying earnest money to his various agents, as a proof that their +exertions would be well rewarded. He soon had the satisfaction of seeing +that the agitation was growing. + +Work was neglected, the sailors and labourers collected on the quays and +talked among themselves, or listened to orators of their own class, who +told them of the dangers which threatened their trade from the hatred of +Hanno and his friends the tax collectors for Hannibal, whose father and +brother-in-law had done such great things for Carthage by conquering +Spain and adding to her commerce by the establishment of Carthagena and +other ports. Were they going to stand tamely by and see trade ruined, +and their families starving, that the tyrants who wrung from them the +taxes should fatten at ease? + +Such was the tenor of the orations delivered by scores of men to their +comrades on the quays. A calm observer might have noticed a certain +sameness about the speeches, and might have come to the conclusion that +the orators had received their instructions from the same person, but +this passed unnoticed by the sailors and workmen, who were soon roused +into fury by the exhortations of the speakers. They knew nothing either +of Hannibal or of Hanno, but they did know that they were ground down +to the earth with taxation, and that the conquest of Spain and the trade +that had arisen had been of enormous benefit to them. It was, then, +enough to tell them that this trade was threatened, and that it was +threatened in the interest of the tyrants of Carthage, for them to enter +heart and soul into the cause. + +During these four days the Barcine Club was like the headquarters of +an army. Night and day the doors stood open, messengers came and went +continually, consultations of the leading men of the city were held +almost without a break. Every man belonging to it had his appointed +task. The landed proprietors stirred up the cultivators of the soil, the +manufacturers were charged with the enlightenment of their hands as to +the dangers of the situation, the soldiers were busy among the +troops; but theirs was a comparatively easy task, for these naturally +sympathized with their comrades in Spain, and the name of the great +Hamilcar was an object of veneration among them. + +Hanno's faction was not idle. The Syssite which was composed of his +adherents was as large as its rival. Its orators harangued the people in +the streets on the dangers caused to the republic by the ambition of +the family of Barca, of the expense entailed by the military and naval +establishments required to keep up the forces necessary to carry out +their aggressive policy, of the folly of confiding the principal army of +the state to the command of a mere youth. They dilated on the wealth and +generosity of Hanno, of his lavish distribution of gifts among the poor, +of his sympathy with the trading community. Each day the excitement +rose, business was neglected, the whole population was in a fever of +excitement. + +On the evening of the fourth day the agents of the Barcine Club +discovered that Hanno's party were preparing for a public demonstration +on the following evening. They had a certainty of a majority in the +public vote, which, although nominally that of the people, was, as has +been said, confined solely to what would now be called the middle class. + +Hitherto the Barcine party had avoided fixing any period for their own +demonstration, preferring to wait until they knew the intention of their +opponents. The council now settled that it should take place on the +following day at eleven o'clock, just when the working classes would +have finished their morning meal. + +The secret council, however, determined that no words should be +whispered outside their own body until two hours before the time, in +order that it should not be known to Hanno and his friends until too +late to gather their adherents to oppose it. Private messengers were, +however, sent out late to all the members to assemble early at the club. + +At nine o'clock next morning the Syssite was crowded, the doors were +closed, and the determination of the council was announced to the +members, each of whom was ordered to hurry off to set the train in +motion for a popular outbreak for eleven o'clock. It was not until an +hour later that the news that the Barcine party intended to forestall +them reached Hanno's headquarters. Then the most vigourous efforts +were made to get together their forces, but it was too late. At eleven +o'clock crowds of men from all the working portions of the town +were seen making their way towards the forum, shouting as they went, +"Hannibal for general!" "Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!" + +Conspicuous among them were the sailors and fishermen from the port, +armed with oars, and the gang of stevedores with heavy clubs. Hanno and +a large number of his party hurried down to the spot and tried to pacify +the crowd, but the yells of execration were so loud and continuous that +they were forced to leave the forum. The leaders of the Barcine party +now appeared on the scene, and their most popular orator ascended the +rostrum. When the news spread among the crowd that he was a friend of +Hannibal and an opponent of Hanno, the tumult was stayed in order that +all might hear his words. + +"My friends," he said, "I am glad to see that Carthage is still true to +herself, and that you resent the attempt made by a faction to remove the +general of the army's choice, the son of the great Hamilcar Barca. To +him and to Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, you owe the conquest of Spain, you +owe the wealth which has of late years poured into Carthage, you owe the +trade which is already doing so much to mitigate your condition. What +have Hanno and his friends done that you should listen to him? It is +their incapacity which has lost Carthage so many of its possessions. It +is their greed and corruption which place such burdens on your backs. +They claim that they are generous. It is easy to be generous with the +money of which they have plundered you; but let them know your will, and +they must bend before it. Tell them that you will have Hannibal and none +other as the general of your armies, and Spain is secure, and year by +year your commerce with that country will increase and flourish." + +A roar of assent arose from the crowd. At the same instant a tumult was +heard at the lower entrance to the forum, and the head of a dense body +of men was seen issuing from the street, with shouts of "Hanno forever!" +They were headed by the butchers and tanners, an important and powerful +body, for Carthage did a vast trade in leather. + +For a time they bore all before them, but the resistance increased every +foot they advanced. The shouts on both sides became louder and more +angry. Blows were soon exchanged, and ere long a pitched battle was +raging. The fishermen and sailors threw themselves into the thick of +it, and for ten minutes a desperate fight raged in the forum. Soon +the battle extended, as bodies of men belonging to either faction +encountered each other as they hurried towards the forum. + +Street frays were by no means unusual in Carthage, but this was a +veritable battle. Hanno had at its commencement, accompanied by a strong +body of his friends, ridden to Byrsa, and had called upon the soldiers +to come out and quell the tumult. They, however, listened in sullen +silence, their sympathies were entirely with the supporters of Hannibal, +and they had already received orders from their officers on no account +to move, whosoever might command them to do so, until Hamilcar placed +himself at their head. + +The general delayed doing this until the last moment. Hannibal's friends +had hoped to carry their object without the intervention of the troops, +as it was desirable in every way that the election should appear to be a +popular one, and that Hannibal should seem to have the suffrages of the +people as well as of the army. That the large majority of the people +were with them they knew, but the money which Hanno's friends had +lavishly spent among the butchers, skinners, tanners, and smiths had +raised up a more formidable opposition than they had counted upon. + +Seeing that their side was gaining but little advantage, that already +much blood had been shed, and that the tumult threatened to involve all +Carthage, Hamilcar and a number of officers rode to the barracks. The +troops at once got under arms, and, headed by the elephants, moved out +from Byrsa. Being desirous to avoid bloodshed, Hamilcar bade his men +leave their weapons behind them, and armed them with headless spear +shafts, of which, with all other things needed for war, there was a +large store in the citadel. As the column sallied out it broke up into +sections. The principal body marched toward the forum, while others, +each led by officers, took their way down the principal streets. + +The appearance of the elephants and troops, and the loud shouts of the +latter for Hannibal, quickly put an end to the tumult. Hanno's hired +mob, seeing that they could do nothing against such adversaries, at once +broke up and fled to their own quarters of the city, and Hanno and his +adherents sought their own houses. The quiet citizens, seeing that the +fight was over, issued from their houses, and the forum was soon again +crowded. + +The proceedings were now unanimous, and the shouts raised that the +senate should assemble and confirm the vote of the army were loud and +strenuous. Parties of men went out in all directions to the houses of +the senators to tell them the people demanded their presence at the +forum. Seeing the uselessness of further opposition, and fearing the +consequences if they resisted, Hanno and his friends no longer offered +any opposition. + +The senate assembled, and, by a unanimous vote the election of Hannibal +as one of the suffetes in place of Hasdrubal, and as commander-in-chief +of the army in Spain, was carried, and was ratified by that of the +popular assembly, the traders and manufacturers of Hanno's party not +venturing to oppose the will of the mass of mechanics and seafaring +population. + +"It has been a victory," Hamilcar said, when, accompanied by a number of +his friends, he returned to his home that evening, "but Hanno will not +forget or forgive the events of this day. As long as all goes well in +Spain we may hope for the support of the people, but should any disaster +befall our arms it will go hard with all who have taken a prominent part +in this day's proceedings. Hanno's friends have so much at stake that +they will not give up the struggle. They have at their back all the +moneys which they wring from the people and the tributaries of Carthage, +and they will work night and day to strengthen their party and to buy +over the lower classes. We are the stronger at present; but to carry +the popular vote on a question which would put a stop to the frightful +corruption of our administration, to suppress the tyranny of the +council, to sweep away the abuses which prevail in every class in the +state--for that we must wait till Hannibal returns victorious. Let him +but humble the pride of Rome, and Carthage will be at his feet." + +The party were in high spirits at the result of the day's proceedings. +Not only had they succeeded in their principal object of electing +Hannibal, but they had escaped from a great personal danger; for, +assuredly, had Hanno and his party triumphed, a stern vengeance would +have been taken upon all the leading members of the Barcine faction. + +After the banquet, while Hamilcar and his companions reclined on their +couches at tables, a Greek slave, a captive in war, sang songs of his +native land to the accompaniment of the lyre. A party of dancing girls +from Ethiopia performed their rhythmical movements to the sound of the +tinkling of a little guitar with three strings, the beating of a small +drum, the clashing of cymbals, and the jingling of the ornaments and +little metal bells on their arms and ankles. Perfumes were burned in +censers, and from time to time soft strains of music, played by a party +of slaves among the trees without, floated in through the casements. + +Malchus was in wild spirits, for his father had told him that it was +settled that he was to have the command of a body of troops which were +very shortly to proceed to Spain to reinforce the army under Hannibal, +and that he should allow Malchus to enter the band of Carthaginian horse +which was to form part of the body under his command. + +The regular Carthaginian horse and foot formed but a very small portion +of the armies of the republic. They were a corps d'elite, composed +entirely of young men of the aristocratic families of Carthage, on whom +it was considered as almost a matter of obligation to enter this +force. They had the post of honour in battle, and it was upon them the +Carthaginian generals relied principally to break the ranks of the enemy +in close battle. All who aspired to distinguish themselves in the eyes +of their fellow citizens, to rise to power and position in the state, to +officer the vast bodies of men raised from the tributary nations, and to +command the armies of the country, entered one or other of these bodies. +The cavalry was the arm chosen by the richer classes. It was seldom that +it numbered more than a thousand strong. The splendour of their armour +and appointments, the beauty of their horses, the richness of the +garments of the cavaliers, and the trappings of their steeds, caused +this body to be the admiration and envy of Carthage. Every man in it was +a member of one of the upper ranks of the aristocracy; all were nearly +related to members of the senate, and it was considered the highest +honour that a young Carthaginian could receive to be admitted into it. + +Each man wore on his wrist a gold band for each campaign which he had +undertaken. There was no attempt at uniformity as to their appointments. +Their helmets and shields were of gold or silver, surmounted with plumes +or feathers, or with tufts of white horsehair. Their breastplates were +adorned with arabesques or repousse work of the highest art. Their belts +were covered with gold and studded with gems. Their short kilted skirts +were of rich Tyrian purple embroidered with gold. + +The infantry were composed of men of good but less exalted families. +They wore a red tunic without a belt. They carried a great circular +buckler of more than a yard in diameter, formed of the tough hide of the +river horse, brought down from the upper Nile, with a central boss of +metal with a point projecting nearly a foot in front of the shield, +enabling it to be used as an offensive weapon in a close fight. They +carried short heavy swords similar to those of the Romans, and went +barefooted. Their total strength seldom exceeded two thousand. + +These two bodies constituted the Carthaginian legion, and formed but +a small proportion indeed of her armies, the rest of her forces being +entirely drawn from the tributary states. The fact that Carthage, with +her seven hundred thousand inhabitants, furnished so small a contingent +of the fighting force of the republic, was in itself a proof of the +weakness of the state. A country which relies entirely for its defence +upon mercenaries is rapidly approaching decay. + +She may for a time repress one tributary with the soldiers of the +others; but when disaster befalls her she is without cohesion and falls +to pieces at once. As the Roman orator well said of Carthage: "She was +a figure of brass with feet of clay"--a noble and imposing object to +the eye, but whom a vigourous push would level in the dust. Rome, on the +contrary, young and vigourous, was a people of warriors. Every one of +her citizens who was capable of bearing arms was a soldier. The manly +virtues were held in the highest esteem, and the sordid love of wealth +had not as yet enfeebled her strength or sapped her powers. Her citizens +were men, indeed, ready to make any sacrifice for their country; and +such being the case, her final victory over Carthage was a matter of +certainty. + +The news which afforded Malchus such delight was not viewed with the +same unmixed satisfaction by the members of his family. Thyra had for +the last year been betrothed to Adherbal, and he, too, was to accompany +Hamilcar to Spain, and none could say how long it might be before they +would return. + +While the others were sitting round the festive board, Adherbal and +Thyra strolled away among the groves in the garden. + +"I do not think you care for me, Adherbal," she said reproachfully as he +was speaking of the probabilities of the campaign. "You know well +that this war may continue in Spain for years, and you seem perfectly +indifferent to the fact that we must be separated for that time." + +"I should not be indifferent to it, Thyra, if I thought for a moment +that this was to be the case. I may remain, it is true, for years in +Spain; but I have not the most remote idea of remaining there alone. At +the end of the first campaign, when our army goes into winter quarters, +I shall return here and fetch you." + +"That's all very well," the girl said, pouting; "but how do you know +that I shall be willing to give up all the delights of Carthage to go +among the savage Iberians, where they say the ground is all white in +winter and even the rivers stop in their courses?" + +Adherbal laughed lightly. "Then it is not for you to talk about +indifference, Thyra; but it won't be so bad as you fear. At Carthagena +you will have all the luxuries of Carthage. I do not say that your villa +shall be equal to this; but as you will have me it should be a thousand +times dearer to you." + +"Your conceit is superb, Adherbal," Thyra laughed. "You get worse +and worse. Had I ever dreamed of it I should never have consented +so submissively when my father ordered me to regard you as my future +husband." + +"You ought to think yourself a fortunate girl, Thyra," Adherbal said, +smiling; "for your father might have taken it into his head to have +done as Hamilcar Barca did, and married his daughters to Massilian and +Numidian princes, to become queens of bands of nomad savages." + +"Well, they were queens, that was something, even if only of nomads." + +"I don't think that it would have suited you, Thyra--a seat on horseback +for a throne, and a rough tent for a palace, would not be in your way at +all. I think a snug villa on the slopes of the bay of Carthagena, will +suit you better, not to mention the fact that I shall make an infinitely +more pleasant and agreeable master than a Numidian chief would do." + +"You are intolerable, Adherbal, with your conceit and your mastership. +However, I suppose when the time comes I shall have to obey my father. +What a pity it is we girls cannot choose our husbands for ourselves! +Perhaps the time may come when we shall do so." + +"Well, in your case, Thyra," Adherbal said, "it would make no +difference, because you know you would have chosen me anyhow; but most +girls would make a nice business of it. How are they to know what men +really are? They might be gamesters, drunkards, brutal and cruel +by nature, idle and spendthrift. What can maidens know of a man's +disposition? Of course they only see him at his best. Wise parents +can make careful inquiries, and have means of knowing what a man's +disposition and habits really are." + +"You don't think, Adherbal," Thyra said earnestly, "that girls are such +fools that they cannot read faces; that we cannot tell the difference +between a good man and a bad one." + +"Yes, a girl may know something about every man save the one she loves, +Thyra. She may see other's faults clearly enough; but she is blind to +those of the man she loves. Do you not know that the Greeks depict Cupid +with a bandage over his eyes?" + +"I am not blind to your faults," Thyra said indignantly. "I know that +you are a great deal more lazy than becomes you; that you are not +sufficiently earnest in the affairs of life; that you will never rise to +be a great general like my cousin Hannibal." + +"That is all quite true," Adherbal laughed; "and yet you see you love +me. You perceive my faults only in theory and not in fact, and you do +not in your heart wish to see me different from what I am. Is it not +so?" + +"Yes," the girl said shyly, "I suppose it is. Anyhow, I don't like the +thought of your going away from me to that horrid Iberia." + +Although defeated for the moment by the popular vote, the party of Hanno +were not discouraged. They had suffered a similar check when they had +attempted to prevent Hannibal joining Hasdrubal in Spain. + +Not a moment was lost in setting to work to recover their lost ground. +Their agents among the lower classes spread calumnies against the +Barcine leaders. Money was lavishly distributed, and the judges, who +were devoted to Hanno's party, set their machinery to work to strike +terror among their opponents. Their modes of procedure were similar to +those which afterwards made Venice execrable in the height of her power. +Arrests were made secretly in the dead of night. Men were missing from +their families, and none knew what had become of them. + +Dead bodies bearing signs of strangulation were found floating in the +shallow lakes around Carthage; and yet, so great was the dread inspired +by the terrible power of the judges, that the friends and relations of +those who were missing dared make neither complaint nor inquiry. It was +not against the leaders of the Barcine party that such measures were +taken. Had one of these been missing the whole would have flown to arms. +The dungeons would have been broken open, and not only the captives +liberated, but their arrest might have been made the pretext for an +attack upon the whole system under which such a state of things could +exist. + +It was chiefly among the lower classes that the agents of Hanno's +vengeance operated. Among these the disappearance of so many men who +were regarded as leaders among the rest spread a deep and mysterious +fear. Although none dared to complain openly, the news of these +mysterious disappearances was not long in reaching the leaders of the +Barcine party. + +These, however, were for the time powerless to act. Certain as they +might be of the source whence these unseen blows descended, they had no +evidence on which to assail so formidable a body as the judges. It +would be a rash act indeed to accuse such important functionaries of the +state, belonging, with scarcely an exception, to powerful families, of +arbitrary and cruel measures against insignificant persons. + +The halo of tradition still surrounded the judges, and added to the fear +inspired by their terrible and unlimited power. In such an attack the +Barcine party could not rely upon the population to side with them; for, +while comparatively few were personally affected by the arrests which +had taken place, the fear of future consequences would operate upon all. + +Among the younger members of the party, however, the indignation aroused +by these secret blows was deep. Giscon, who was continually brooding +over the tyranny and corruption which were ruining his country, was one +of the leaders of this section of the party; with him were other spirits +as ardent as himself. They met in a house in a quiet street in the lower +town, and there discussed all sorts of desperate projects for freeing +the city of its tyrants. + +One day as Giscon was making his way to this rendezvous he met Malchus +riding at full speed from the port. + +"What is it, Malchus, whither away in such haste?" + +"It is shameful, Giscon, it is outrageous. I have just been down to the +port to tell the old fisherman with whom I often go out that I would +sail with him tomorrow, and find that four days ago he was missing, and +his body was yesterday found by his sons floating in the lagoon. He +had been strangled. His sons are as much overpowered with terror as by +grief, they believe that he has suffered for the part he took in rousing +the fishermen to declare for Hannibal a fortnight since, and they fear +lest the terrible vengeance of Hanno should next fall upon them. + +"How it happened they know not. A man arrived late in the evening and +said that one of their father's best customers wanted a supply of fish +for a banquet he was to give next day, and that he wanted to speak +to him at once to arrange about the quantity and quality of fish he +required. Suspecting nothing the old man left at once, and was never +heard of afterwards. Next morning, seeing that he had not returned, one +of his sons went to the house to which he had been fetched, but found +that its owner knew nothing of the affair, and denied that he had sent +any message whatever to him. Fearing that something was wrong they +searched everywhere, but it was not until last night that his body was, +as I have told you, found. + +"They are convinced that their father died in no private feud. He had +not, as far as they know, an enemy in the world. You may imagine how l +feel this; not only did I regard him as a friend, but I feel that it was +owing to his acting as I led him that he has come to his death." + +"The tyrants!" Giscon exclaimed in a low voice. "But what can you do, +Malchus?" + +"I am going to my father," Malchus replied, "to ask him to take the +matter up." + +"What can he do?" Giscon said with a bitter laugh. "What can he prove? +Can he accuse our most noble body of judges, without a shadow of proof, +of making away with this unknown old fisherman. No, Malchus, if you are +in earnest to revenge your friend come with me, I will introduce you to +my friends, who are banded together against this tyranny, and who are +sworn to save Carthage. You are young, but you are brave and full of +ardour; you are a son of General Hamilcar, and my friends will gladly +receive you as one of us." + +Malchus did not hesitate. That there would be danger in joining such +a body as Giscon spoke of he knew, but the young officer's talk during +their expedition had aroused in him a deep sense of the tyranny and +corruption which were sapping the power or his country, and this blow +which had struck him personally rendered him in a mood to adopt any +dangerous move. + +"I will join you, Giscon," he said, "if you will accept me. I am young, +but I am ready to go all lengths, and to give my life if needs be to +free Carthage." + + + +CHAPTER V: THE CONSPIRACY + + +Giscon led his companion along the narrow lanes until he reached the +back entrance of the house where the meetings were held. Knocking in +a particular way it was opened at once and closed behind them. As they +entered a slave took Malchus' horse without a word and fastened it to a +ring in the wall, where four or five other horses were standing. + +"I rather wonder you are not afraid of drawing attention by riding on +horseback to a house in such a quarter," Malchus said. + +"We dare not meet secretly, you know. The city is full of spies, and +doubtless the movements of all known to be hostile to Hanno and his +party are watched, therefore we thought it best to meet here. We have +caused it to be whispered as a secret in the neighbourhood, that the +house has been taken as a place where we can gamble free from the +presence of our elders. Therefore the only comments we excite is, 'There +go those young fools who are ruining themselves.' It is only because you +are on horseback that I have come round to this gate; had you come on +foot we should have entered by the front. Fortunately there are among us +many who are deemed to be mere pleasure seekers--men who wager fortunes +on their horses, who are given to banquets, or whose lives seem to be +passed in luxury and indolence, but who at heart are as earnest in the +cause of Carthage as I am. The presence of such men among us gives a +probability to the tale that this is a gambling house. Were we all of my +stamp, men known to be utterly hostile to Hanno and his party, suspicion +would fall upon our meetings at once. But here we are." + +As he spoke he drew aside some heavy curtains and entered a large room. +Some ten or twelve young men were assembled there. They looked up in +surprise as Giscon entered followed by his companion. + +"I have brought a recruit," Giscon said, "one whom all of you know by +repute if not personally; it is Malchus, the son of General Hamilcar. He +is young to be engaged in a business like ours, but I have been with him +in a campaign and can answer for him. He is brave, ready, thoughtful and +trustworthy. He loves his country and hates her tyrants. I can guarantee +that he will do nothing imprudent, but can be trusted as one of +ourselves. Being young he will have the advantage of being less likely +to be watched, and may be doubly useful. He is ready to take the oath of +our society." + +As Giscon was the leading spirit of the band his recommendation was +taken as amply sufficient. The young men rose and formed in a circle +round Malchus. All drew their daggers, and one, whom Malchus recognized +with a momentary feeling of surprise as Carthalon, whom Adherbal had +pointed out at the Barcine Club as one who thought only of horse racing, +said: + +"Do you swear by Moloch and Astarte to be true to this society, to +devote yourself to the destruction of the oppressors of Carthage, to +carry out all measures which may be determined upon, even at the certain +risk of your life, and to suffer yourself to be torn to pieces by the +torture rather than reveal aught that passes within these walls?" + +"That I swear solemnly," Malchus said. + +"I need not say," Carthalon said carelessly, "that the punishment of the +violation of the oath is death. It is so put in our rules. But we are +all nobles of Carthage, and nobles do not break their oaths, so we +can let that pass. When a man's word is good enough to make him beggar +himself in order to discharge a wager, he can be trusted to keep his +word in a matter which concerns the lives of a score of his fellows. And +now that this business is arranged we can go on with our talk; but first +let us have some wine, for all this talking is thirsty work at best." + +The young men threw themselves upon the couches around the room and, +while slaves brought round wine, chatted lightly with each other about +horses, the play presented the day before, the respective merits of the +reigning beauties of Carthage, and other similar topics, and Malchus, +who was impressed with the serious nature of the secret conspiracy which +he had just sworn to aid, could not help being surprised at the careless +gaiety of the young men, although engaged in a conspiracy in which they +risked their lives. + +It was not until some minutes after the slaves had left the apartment +that the light talk and banter ceased, as Giscon rose and said: + +"Now to business. Malchus has told me that an old fisherman, who took +a lead in stirring up his fellows to declare for Hannibal, has been +decoyed away from his home and murdered; his body has been found +floating in the lake, strangled. This is the nineteenth in the course of +a week. These acts are spreading terror among the working classes, and +unless they are put a stop to we can no longer expect assistance from +them. + +"That these deeds are the work of the officials of the tribunals we have +no doubt. The sooner we strike the better. Matters are getting ripe. I +have eight men sworn into my section among the weavers, and need but +two more to complete it. We will instruct our latest recruit to raise +a section among the fishermen. The sons of the man just murdered should +form a nucleus. We agreed from the first that three hundred resolute +men besides ourselves were required, and that each of us should raise +a section of ten. Malchus brings up our number here to thirty, and when +all the sections are filled up we shall be ready for action. + +"Failure ought to be impossible. The houses of Hanno and thirty of his +party will be attacked, and the tyrants slain before any alarm can be +given. Another thirty at least should be slain before the town is fairly +aroused. Maybe each section can undertake three if our plans are well +laid, and each chooses for attack three living near each other. We have +not yet settled whether it will be better to separate when this is +done, content with the first blow against our tyrants, or to prepare +beforehand for a popular rising, to place ourselves at the head of the +populace, and to make a clean sweep of the judges and the leaders of +Hanno's party." + +Giscon spoke in an ordinary matter-of-fact tone, as if he were +discussing the arrangements of a party of pleasure; but Malchus could +scarcely repress a movement of anxiety as he heard this proposal for the +wholesale destruction of the leading men of Carthage. The council thus +opened was continued for three hours. Most of those present spoke, but, +to the surprise of Malchus, there was an entire absence of that gloom +and mystery with which the idea of a state conspiracy was associated in +his mind. + +The young men discussed it earnestly, indeed, but in the same spirit +in which they would have agreed over a disputed question as to the +respective merits of two horses. They laughed, joked, offered and +accepted wagers and took the whole matter with a lightness of heart +which Malchus imitated to the best of his power, but which he was very +far from feeling; and yet he felt that beneath all this levity his +companions were perfectly in earnest in their plans, but they joked now +as they would have joked before the commencement of a battle in which +the odds against them were overwhelming and great. + +Even Giscon, generally grave and gloomy, was as light hearted as the +rest. The aristocracy of Carthage were, like the aristocracy of all +other countries, from tradition, training, and habit, brave to excess. +Just as centuries later the noblesse of France chatted gaily on the +tumbril on their way to execution, and offered each other their snuff +boxes on the scaffold, so these young aristocrats of Carthage smiled and +jested, though well aware that they were risking their lives. + +No decision was arrived at, for this could only be decided upon at +a special meeting, at which all the members of the society would +be present. Among those now in council opinions were nearly equally +divided. The one party urged that, did they take steps to prepare the +populace for a rising, a rumour would be sure to meet the ears of their +opponents and they would be on their guard; whereas, if they scattered +quickly after each section had slain two of their tyrants, the operation +might be repeated until all the influential men of Hanno's faction had +been removed. + +In reply to these arguments the other party urged that delays were +always dangerous, that huge rewards would be offered after the first +attempts, that some of the men of the sections might turn traitors, that +Hanno's party would be on their guard in future, and that the judges +would effect wholesale arrests and executions; whereas, were the +populace appealed to in the midst of the excitement which would be +caused by the death of Hanno and his principal adherents, the people +would rise and finish with their tyrants. + +After all who wished to speak on the subject had given their opinions, +they proceeded to details; each gave a statement of the number of men +enrolled in his section, with a few words as to the disposition of each. +Almost without an exception each of these men was animated with a +sense of private wrong. Some had lost near relatives, executed for some +trifling offence by the tribunals, some had been ruined by the extortion +of the tax gatherers. All were stated to be ready to give their lives +for vengeance. + +"These agents of ours, you see, Malchus, are not for the most part +animated by any feeling of pure patriotism, it is their own wrongs and +not the injuries of Carthage which they would avenge. But we must take +them as we find them; one cannot expect any deep feeling of patriotism +on the part of the masses, who, it must be owned, have no very great +reason to feel any lively interest in the glories of the republic. So +that they eat and drink sufficiently, and can earn their living, it +matters not very greatly to them whether Carthage is great and glorious, +or humbled and defeated. But this will not always be so. When we have +succeeded in ridding Carthage of her tyrants we must next do all we can +so to raise the condition of the common people that they may feel that +they too have a common interest in the fate of our country. I should +not, of course, propose giving to them a vote; to bestow the suffrage +upon the ignorant, who would simply follow the demagogues who would use +them as tools, would be the height of madness. The affairs of state, the +government of the country, the making of the laws, must be solely in +the hands of those fitted for the task--of the men who, by education, +by birth, by position, by study and by leisure have prepared their minds +for such a charge. But the people should share in the advantages of +a good government; they should not be taxed more than they could +reasonably pay, and any tax gatherers who should extort a penny beyond +the legal amount should be disgraced and punished. + +"The courts should be open to all, the judges should be impartial and +incorruptible; every man should have his rights and his privileges, then +each man, feeling an interest in the stability of the state, would +be ready to bear arms in its defence, and Carthage, instead of being +dependent entirely upon her tributaries and mercenaries, would be able +to place a great army in the field by her own unaided exertions. + +"The barbarian tribes would cease to revolt, knowing that success would +be hopeless. And as we should be strong at home we should be respected +abroad, and might view without apprehension the rising power of Rome. +There is plenty of room for both of us. For us, Africa and Spain; for +her all the rest of Europe and as much of Asia as she cares to take. We +could look without jealousy at each other's greatness, each secure in +his own strength and power. Yes, there may be a grand future before +Carthage yet." + +The meeting now broke up. + +"Where are you going, Malchus?" Giscon asked the lad as they went out +into the courtyard; "to see the sacrifices? You know there is a grand +function today to propitiate Moloch and to pray for victory for our +arms." + +"No," Malchus said with a shudder. "I don't think I am a coward, Giscon, +but these terrible rites frighten me. I was taken once by my father, and +I then swore that never again, unless it be absolutely necessary for me +in the performance of public office, will I be present at such a scene. +For weeks afterwards I scarcely slept; day and night there was before +me that terrible brazen image of Moloch. If I fell off to sleep, I woke +bathed in perspiration as I heard the screams of the infants as they +were dropped into those huge hands, heated to redness, stretched out to +receive them. I cannot believe, Giscon, that the gods are so cruel. + +"Then there was the slaughter of a score of captives taken in war. I +see them now, standing pale and stern, with their eyes directed to the +brazen image which was soon to be sprinkled with their blood, while the +priests in their scarlet robes, with the sacrificial knives in hand, +approached them. I saw no more, for I shut my eyes till all was over. +I tell you again, Giscon, I do not believe the gods are so cruel. Why +should the gods of Phoenicia and Carthage alone demand blood? Those +of Greece and Rome are not so bloodthirsty, and yet Mars gives as many +victories to the Roman arms as Moloch does to ours." + +"Blaspheme not the gods, Malchus," Giscon said gloomily; "you may be +sure that the wreath of a conquering general will never be placed around +your brow if you honour them not." + +"If honouring them means approval of shedding the blood of infants and +captives, I will renounce all hopes of obtaining victory by their aid." + +"I would you had spoken so before, Malchus; had I known that you were +a scorner of the gods I would not have asked you to join in our +enterprise. No good fortune can be expected to attend our efforts unless +we have the help of the gods." + +"The matter is easily mended, Giscon," Malchus said calmly. "So far +I have taken no step towards carrying out your plans, and have but +listened to what you said, therefore, no harm can yet have been done. +Strike my name off the list, and forget that I have been with you. You +have my oath that I will say nought of anything that I have heard. You +can well make some excuse to your comrades. Tell them, for example, that +though I fear not for myself, I thought that, being the son of Hamilcar, +I had no right to involve his name and family in such an enterprise, +unless by his orders." + +"Yes, it were better so," Giscon said after a pause; "I dare not +continue the enterprise with one who condemns the gods among us; it +would be to court failure. I did not dream of this; who could have +thought that a lad of your age would have been a spurner of the gods?" + +"I am neither a condemner nor a spurner," Malchus said indignantly; "I +say only that I believe you worship them wrongfully, that you do them +injustice. I say it is impossible that the gods who rule the world +can have pleasure in the screams of dying infants or the groans of +slaughtered men." + +Giscon placed his hand to his ears as if to shut out such blasphemy, +and hurried away, while Malchus, mounting his horse, rode out slowly and +thoughtfully to his father's villa. He was not at heart sorry that he +was freed from this association into which, without knowing the measures +by which it intended to carry out its aims, he had rashly entered. He +was ready for armed insurrection against the tyrants of Carthage, but he +revolted from the thought of this plan for a midnight massacre--it was +not by such means that he would have achieved the regeneration of his +country. He felt, too, that the reason which he had given Giscon was a +valid one. He had no right, at his age, to involve his family in such a +conspiracy. Did it fail, and were he found to be among the conspirators, +Hanno and his associates would be sure to seize the fact as a pretext +for assailing Hamilcar. They would say that Malchus would never have +joined in such a plot had he not known that it had the approval of his +father, and that he was in fact but the representative of his family in +the design for overthrowing the constitution of the republic. + +Fortunately for Malchus, a few days later orders were given for the +instant embarkation of a portion of the reinforcements destined for +Hannibal. Hamilcar was to proceed in command of them, and, busied +with his preparation for the start, Malchus thought little more of the +conspiracy which was brewing. Thirty large merchant ships were hired +to convey the troops, who numbered six thousand. These were principally +Libyan footmen. The main body, with the Numidian horse, were to follow +shortly. At last the day for embarkation arrived, and the troops defiled +through the temple of Moloch, where sacrifices were offered up for the +success of the enterprise. + +Malchus, under the pretense that something was not ready, at the last +moment lingered at home, and only joined his comrades, a hundred young +men of the Carthaginian horse, on the quays. This body, all composed +of young men of the best families of Carthage, were to sail in the same +ship which carried Hamilcar. The scene was a busy one--the docks +of Carthage were extensive, and the ships which were to convey the +expedition lay in deep water by the quays, so that the troops could +march on board. A great crowd of the populace had assembled to view the +embarkation. These were with difficulty kept from crowding the troops +and impeding their movement by a cordon of soldiers. + +As the troops marched on to the quay they were formed up in parties by +the side of the ships which were to convey them. Very different was the +demeanour of the men of the different nationalities. The Libyans were +stern and silent, they were part of the contingent which their state +was bound to furnish to Carthage, and went unwillingly, cursing in their +hearts the power which tore them from their homes to fight in a war in +which they had neither concern nor interest. + +Near them were a body of Garamantes, wrapped in the long bernous which +then as now was the garb of the children of the desert. Tall, swarthy +figures these, lissome and agile, with every muscle standing out clear +through the brown skin. Strange as must have been the scene to them, +there was no wonder expressed in the keen glances which they shot around +them from underneath their dark eyebrows. Silent and taciturn, scarce +a word was to be heard among them as they stood awaiting the orders to +embark; they were there unwillingly, and their hearts were far away in +the distant desert, but none the less would they be willing to fight +when the time came. Terrible foes these would be in a night attack, +with their stealthy tiger-like tread, their gleaming, vengeful eyes, and +their cruel mouths. + +Very different were the band of Ethiopians from the distant Soudan, with +their cloaks of lion skin, and the gaudy feathers fastened in a fillet +round their heads. Their black faces were alive with merriment and +wonder--everything was new and extraordinary to them. The sea, +the ships, the mighty city, the gathered crowd, all excited their +astonishment, and their white teeth glistened as they chatted +incessantly with a very babel of laughter and noise. + +Not less light hearted were the chosen band of young nobles grouped by +the general's ship. Their horses were held in ranks behind them for the +last time by their slaves, for in future they would have to attend to +them themselves, and as they gathered in groups they laughed and jested +over the last scandal in Carthage, the play which had been produced the +night before at the theatre, or the horse race which was to be run on +the following day. As to the desperate work on which they were to be +engaged--for it was whispered that Hannibal had in preparation some +mighty enterprise--it troubled them not at all, nor the thought that +many of them might never look on Carthage again. In their hearts perhaps +some of them, like Malchus, were thinking sadly of the partings they had +just gone through with those they loved, but no signs of such thoughts +were apparent in their faces or conversation. + +Presently a blast of trumpets sounded, and the babel of voices was +hushed as if by magic. The soldiers fell into military order, and stood +motionless. Then Hamilcar walked along the quays inspecting carefully +each group, asking questions of the captains of the ships as to their +store of provisions and water, receiving from the officers charged with +that duty the lists of the war machines and stores which were stored +away in the hulls; and, having assured himself that everything was in +order, he gave the signal to his trumpeter, who again blew a long and +piercing blast. + +The work of embarkation at once commenced. The infantry were soon on +board, but the operation of shipping the horses of the cavalry took +longer. Half of these were stored away in the hold of the general's +ship, the rest in another vessel. When the troops were all on board +the soldiers who had kept back the crowd were withdrawn, and the +Carthaginians thronged down on to the quay. A small space was still kept +clear on the wharf by whose side the admiral's ship was lying, and here +was gathered a throng of the aristocracy of the city to see the last of +their sons and relatives of the guard. + +Having seen their horses safely stowed below the young men crowded to +the side of the ship to exchange adieus with their friends. The parting +was a brief one, for the wind was fair, and the general anxious to be +well out of the bay before nightfall. Therefore the signal was hoisted. +Numbers of slaves seized the hawsers of the ships and towed them along +through the narrow passage which connected the docks with the sea. A +shout of adieu rose from the crowd, the sails were hoisted, and the +fleet proceeded on its way. + +The arrangements for the comfort of the troops at sea were simple and +primitive. Each man shifted for himself. The whole space below was +occupied by cargo or horses. The troops lived and slept on deck. Here, +on wide flat stones, they cooked their meals, whiled away the day by +games of chance, and slept at night on skins or thick rugs. Fortunately +the weather was fair. It was early in March, but the nights were not +cold. + +The fleet hugged the coast, anchoring at night, until the northern +shores stood out clear and well defined as Spain stretched down towards +Africa. Then they crossed and cruised along until they arrived at +Carthagena. Short as was the time which had elapsed since the foundation +of that city, its aspect was already imposing and extensive. It lay at +the head of a gulf facing south, about a mile in depth and nearly double +that width. Across the mouth of this bay was an island, with but a +narrow passage on each side, protecting it from the southern winds, and +forming with it a magnificent harbour. + +On a bold hill at the head of the harbour stood the town. This hill rose +from a wide lagoon, which communicated on one side with the sea, and +was on the other separated from it only by a strip of land, four hundred +yards wide. Through this a wide channel had been dug. Thus the hill, +which was of considerable extent, rugged and precipitous, was isolated, +and could only be attacked by sea. + +The town was built in a sort of amphitheatre facing the sea, and +was surrounded by a strong fortification two miles and a half in +circumference, so that even should an assailant cross the lagoon, which +in summer was nearly dry, he would have before him an almost impregnable +defence to carry. Here, in buildings whose magnitude surprised the +newcomers, acquainted as they were with the buildings of Carthage, +were stored the treasures, the baggage, the ammunition of war, and the +provisions of the army. + +It had been the aim of the great Hamilcar, and of Hasdrubal after him, +to render the army of Spain as far as possible independent of the mother +country. They well knew how often the treasury of Carthage was empty +owing to the extravagance and dishonesty of her rulers, and how +impossible it would be to obtain thence the supplies required for +the army. Therefore they established immense workshops, where arms, +munitions of war, machines for sieges, and everything required for the +use of the army were fabricated. + +Vast as were the expenses of these establishments, the revenues +of Iberia were amply sufficient not only to defray all the cost of +occupation, but to transmit large sums to Carthage. These revenues were +derived partly from the tribute paid by conquered tribes, partly from +the spoils taken in captured cities, but most of all from the mines of +gold and silver, which were at that time immensely rich, and were worked +by the labour of slaves taken in war or of whole tribes subdued. + +Some idea of the richness of these mines may be formed by the fact that +one mine, which Hannibal had inherited from his father, brought in to +him a revenue of nearly a thousand pounds a day; and this was but one +of his various sources of wealth. This was the reason that Hamilcar, +Hasdrubal, and Hannibal were able to maintain themselves in spite of the +intrigues of their enemies in the capital. Their armies were their own +rather than those of the country. + +It was to them that the soldiers looked for their pay, as well as for +promotion and rewards for valour, and they were able, therefore, to +carry out the plans which their genius suggested untrammelled by orders +from Carthage. They occupied, indeed, a position very similar to that of +Wallenstein, when, with an army raised and paid from his private means, +he defended the cause of the empire against Gustavus Adolphus and the +princes of the Protestant league. It is true that the Carthaginian +generals had always by their side two commissioners of the senate. +The republic of Carthage, like the first republic of France, was ever +jealous of her generals, and appointed commissioners to accompany them +on their campaigns, to advise and control their movements and to report +on their conduct; and many of the defeats of the Carthaginians were due +in no small degree to their generals being hampered by the interference +of the commissioners. They were present, as a matter of course, with the +army of Hannibal, but his power was so great that their influence over +his proceedings was but nominal. + +The war which was about to break out with Rome is called the second +Punic war, but it should rather be named the war of Hannibal with +Rome. He conceived and carried it out from his own resources, without +interference and almost without any assistance from Carthage. Throughout +the war her ships lay idle in her harbour. Even in his greatest need +Carthage never armed a galley for his assistance. The pay of the army +came solely from his coffers, the material for the war from the arsenals +constructed by his father, his brother-in-law, and himself. It was a war +waged by a single man against a mighty power, and as such there is, with +the exception of the case of Wallenstein, nothing to resemble it in the +history of the world. + +Passing through the narrow passage into the harbour the fleet sailed up +to the end of the bay, and were soon alongside the spacious quays which +had been erected. A large quantity of shipping already lay there, for +the trade of Carthagena with the mother city and with the ports of +Spain, Africa, and the East already rivaled that of Carthage. A group of +officers were gathered on the quay as Hamilcar's ship, which was +leading the fleet, neared it, and Hamilcar exclaimed, "There is Hannibal +himself!" + +As the ship moored alongside the quay Hannibal came on board and warmly +embraced his cousin, and then bestowed a cordial greeting upon Malchus. + +"Why, cousin Malchus," he said, "though it is but a year since I was in +Carthage, I should scarce have known you, so much have you grown. I see +you have entered the cavalry. That is well. You cannot begin too early +to accustom yourself to war." + +Then turning, he went among the young men of the guard, to all of whom +he was personally known, greeting them with a cordiality and kindness +which greatly gratified them. Malchus gazed at him with admiration. +Fortunately an accurate description of Hannibal has come down to us. He +was one who, even at first sight, won all hearts by his lofty and noble +expression, by the kindness and sincerity which his face expressed. The +Carthaginians, as a race, were short, but Hannibal was very tall, and +his great width of shoulders testified to his immense strength. + +The beauty of the Carthaginian race was proverbial, but even among +them he was remarkable. His head was well placed on his shoulders; his +carriage was upright and commanding; his forehead lofty; his eye, though +soft and gentle at ordinary times, was said to be terrible in time of +battle. His head was bare. His hair, of a golden brown, was worn long, +and encircled by a golden band. His nose was long and straight, forming, +with the forehead, a perfect profile. The expression of the mouth was +kind but firm. His beard was short. The whole contour of the face was +noble in the extreme. + +In battle he wore a helmet of bronze closely fitting the head, behind +which projected a curved metal plate covering his neck. A band of gold +surrounded the helmet; in front were five laurel leaves in steel; at the +temples two leaves of the lotus of the same metal. On the crest, rising +from an ornament enriched with pearls, was a large plume of feathers, +sometimes red and sometimes white. A tuft of white horsehair fell from +the plate behind. A coat of mail, made of a triple tissue of chains of +gold, covered his body. Above this he wore a shirt of the finest white +linen, covered to the waist by a jerkin of leather overlaid with gold +plates. A large mantle of purple embroidered with gold hung from his +shoulders. He wore sandals and leggings of red morocco leather. + +But it was only on special occasions that Hannibal was thus +magnificently clad. On the march he dressed generally in a simple blouse +like that worn by his soldiers. His arms were borne behind him by an +esquire. These consisted of his shield, of Galatian manufacture. Its +material was bronze, its shape circular. In the centre was a conical, +sharply pointed boss. The face of the shield was ornamented with +subjects taken from the history of Carthage in relief. The offensive +arms were a sword, a lance, and a bow with arrows. But it was not to the +splendour of his appearance that Hannibal owed the enthusiasm by which +he was regarded by his troops. His strength and skill were far superior +to those of any man in his army. His food was as simple as that of his +soldiers, he was capable of going for days without eating, and it was +seldom that he broke his fast until the day's work was over. When he ate +it would be sitting on horseback, or as he walked about seeing to the +needs of the soldiers. + +At night he slept among them, lying on a lion skin without covering. He +was indifferent to heat and cold, and in the heaviest tempest of wind +and rain would ride bareheaded among his troops, apparently unconscious +of the tempest against which he was struggling. So far as was known +he was without a vice. He seldom touched wine. His morals were +irreproachable. He never gave way to anger. His patience under trials +and difficulties of all sorts was illimitable. + +In the midst of the greatest trials and dangers he preserved his +cheerfulness, and had ever an encouraging word for his soldiers. Various +as were the nationalities of the troops who followed him, constrained +as most of them had been to enter the service of Carthage, so great was +their love and admiration for their commander that they were ready +to suffer all hardships, to dare all dangers for his sake. It was his +personal influence, and that alone, which welded this army, composed of +men of various nationalities and tribes, into one whole, and enabled it +to perform the greatest military exploits in the world's history, and +for years to sustain a terrible struggle against the whole power of +Rome. + + + +CHAPTER VI: A CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN + + +Among the young officers who had followed Hannibal on board were +some who had left Carthage only a few months before and were known to +Malchus. From them he learned with delight that the troops would take +the field at once. + +"We are going on a campaign against the Vacaei," one of them said. "The +army marched out two days since. Hannibal has been waiting here for your +arrival, for a fast sailing ship which started a few hours after you +brought the news that you were on your way, and you will set off to join +the rest without delay. It is going to be a hard campaign." + +"Where is the country of the Vacaei?" Malchus asked. + +"A long way off," the other replied. "The marches will be long and +tiresome. Their country lies somewhat to the northwest of the great +plateau in the centre of Iberia. We shall have to ascend the mountains +on this side, to cross the plateau, to follow the rivers which flow to +the great ocean." + +The Vacaei, in fact, dwelt in the lands bordered by the upper Duero, +their country comprising a portion of old Castille, Leon, and the Basque +provinces. The journey would indeed be a long and difficult one; and +Hannibal was undertaking the expedition not only to punish the turbulent +Vacaei, who had attacked some of the tribes which had submitted to +Carthage, but to accustom the troops to fatigues and hardships, and to +prepare them for the great expedition which he had in view. No time was +indeed lost, for as soon as the troops were landed they were formed up +and at once started on their march. + +"This is more than we bargained for," Trebon, a young guardsman whose +place in the ranks was next to Malchus, said to him. "I thought we +should have had at least a month here before we set out. They say the +city is as gay as Carthage; and as I have many friends here I have +looked forward to a month of jollity before starting. Every night when I +lay down on the hard planks of the deck I have consoled myself with the +thought that a soft bed awaited me here; and now we have to take at once +to the bare ground, with nothing but this skin strapped on the pommel of +my saddle to sleep on, and my bernous to cover me. It is colder already +a great deal than it was at Carthage; and if that is so here, what will +it be on the tops of those jagged mountains we see before us? Why, as I +live, that highest one over there is of dazzling white! That must be the +snow we have heard of--the rain turned solid by cold, and which they say +causes a pain to the naked limbs something like hot iron. Fancy having +to sleep in such stuff!" + +Malchus laughed at the complaints of his comrade. + +"I confess I am glad we are off at once," he said, "for I was sick of +doing nothing but idling away my time at Carthage; and I suppose it +would be just the same here. How busy are the streets of the town! +Except for the sight of the mountains which we see through the breaks of +the houses, one might believe one's self still at home." + +The aspect of Carthagena, indeed, closely resembled that of the mother +city, and the inhabitants were of the same race and blood. + +Carthagena had in the first place been formed by a great colony of +Libyans. The inhabitants of that province inhabiting the seaports and +coasts near Carthage were a mixture of Phoenician and native blood. They +were ever impatient of the supremacy of Carthage, and their rebellions +were frequent and often dangerous. After the suppression of these +insurrections, Carthage, sensible of the danger arising from the +turbulence of her neighbours, deported great numbers of them to form +colonies. Vast numbers were sent up into the Soudan, which was then one +of the most important possessions of the republic. The most extensive, +however, of these forced emigrations was the great colony sent to found +Carthagena, which had thus in a very few years, under the fostering +genius of the great Hamilcar, become a great and prosperous city. + +Carthage itself had thus suddenly sprung into existence. After many +internal troubles the democracy of Tyre had gained the upper hand in +that city; and finding their position intolerable, the whole of the +aristocracy decided to emigrate, and, sailing with a great fleet under +their queen Dido or Elisa--for she was called by both names--founded +Carthage. This triumph of the democracy in Tyre, as might be expected, +proved the ruin of that city. Very rapidly she fell from the lofty +position she had held, and her place in the world and her proud position +as Queen of the Seas was very speedily taken by Carthage. + +The original Libyan colony of Carthagena had been very largely increased +by subsequent emigration, and the populace presented an appearance very +similar to that of the mother city, save that instead of the swarthy +desert tribesmen, with their passive face and air of proud indifference, +mingling with the population of the town, there was in Carthagena a +large admixture of native Iberians, who, belonging to the tribes first +subdued by Carthage, had either been forced to settle here to supply +manual labour needed for the rising city, or who had voluntarily +abandoned their wandering life and adopted the more settled habitudes +and more assured comforts of existence in a great town. + +Skirting the lower part of the city, Hamilcar's force marched along the +isthmus and crossed the bridge over the canal cut through it, and +was soon in the country beyond. The ground rose gradually, and after +marching for six miles the brigade was halted at a spot to which +Hannibal had, when the fleet was first discerned approaching along the +coast, despatched some bullocks and other provisions for their use. The +march was a short one, but after a week's confinement on board ship +the men were little fitted for a long journey. The bullocks and other +rations were served out to the various companies, and the work of +preparing the repast began. Malchus was amused, although rather +disgusted at his first experience in a real campaign. When with Hamilcar +on the expedition against the Atarantes he had formed part of his +father's suite and had lived in luxury. He was now a simple soldier, and +was called upon to assist to cut up the bullock which had fallen to the +share of the Carthaginian cavalry. + +Some of the party went out to cut and bring in wood for the fires and +cooking; others moistened the flour and made dough for the flat cakes +which would be baked in the hot embers and eaten with the meat. +Loud shouts of laughter rose as the young soldiers worked at their +unaccustomed tasks, superintended by the officers, who, having all made +several campaigns, were able to instruct them as to their duties. From +a culinary point of view the meal could not be pronounced a success, +and was, indeed, a contrast to the food to which the young nobles were +accustomed. The march, however, and the keen bracing air had given them +good appetites, and the novelty and strangeness of the experience gave +a zest to the food; and in spite of the roughness of the meal, all +declared that they had never dined better. Many fires were now lit; and +round these, as the evening closed in, the men gathered in groups, all +closely wrapped in their bernouses, which were worn alike by officers +and men of the whole of the nationalities serving in the Carthaginian +army, serving as a cloak by day and a blanket at night. Presently a +trampling of horses was heard, and Hannibal and his personal staff rode +into the encampment. + +He had not started until several hours after them, when, having given +his last orders and made all final arrangements for the management +of affairs during his absence, he had ridden on to join the army. +Dismounting, he went at once on foot among the troops, chatting gaily +with them and inquiring how they fared. After visiting all the other +detachments he came to the bivouac of the Carthaginian horse, and for an +hour sat talking by their fires. + +"Ah!" he said as he rose to go, "the others will sleep well enough +tonight; but you sybarites, accustomed to your soft couches and your +luxuries, will fare badly. I remember my first night on the hard ground, +although 'tis now sixteen years back, how my limbs ached and how I +longed for morning. Now, let me give you a hint how to make your beds +comfortable. Mind, this is not for the future, but till your limbs get +accustomed to the ground you may indulge in luxuries. Before you try +to go off to sleep note exactly where your hip bones and shoulders will +rest; take your daggers and scoop out the earth at these points so as +to make depressions in which they may lie. Then spread your lion skins +above them and lie down. You will sleep as comfortably as if on a soft +couch." + +Many of the young soldiers followed Hannibal's advice; others, among +whom was Malchus, determined to accustom themselves at once to the hard +ground. Malchus was not long in getting to sleep, his last thought being +that the precaution advised by Hannibal to ensure repose was altogether +unnecessary. But he changed his opinion when, two or three hours later, +he woke up with acute pains in his hip and shoulder. After trying +vainly, by changing his position, again to go off to sleep, he rose, +rolled up the skin, and set to work to make the excavations recommended +by the general. Then spreading out the skin again he lay down, and was +astonished to find how immense was the relief afforded by this simple +expedient. + +At daybreak the party were in motion. Their march was a long one; for +Hannibal wished to come up with the main army as soon as possible, and +no less than thirty miles were encompassed before they halted for the +night. They were now far up on the slopes of the Sierras. The latter +part of the journey had been exceedingly toilsome. The route was mostly +bare rock, which sorely tried the feet of the soldiers, these being +in most cases unprotected even by sandals. Malchus and his mounted +companions did not of course suffer in their feet. But they were almost +as glad as the infantry when the camping place was reached, for nothing +is more fatiguing to a horseman than to be obliged to travel in the +saddle for ten hours at the pace of footmen. The halting place this +time was near the upper edge of the forest which then clothed the lower +slopes of the mountains. + +Enough meat had been killed on the previous evening for three days' +rations for the troops, and there was therefore no loss of time in +preparing the meal. Wood, of course, was in abundance, and the pots +were soon hanging from thick poles placed above the fires. The night was +exceedingly cold, and the soldiers were grateful for the shelter which +the trees afforded from the piercing wind which blew across the snow +covered peaks of the higher range of mountains. + +"What is that noise?" Malchus asked one of the officers as, after the +meal was finished and silence began to reign in the camp, a deep sound +was heard in the forest. + +"That is the howling of a pack of wolves," the officer said. "They are +savage brutes, and when in company will not hesitate to attack small +parties of men. They abound in the mountains, and are a scourge to +the shepherds of the plains, especially in the cold weather, when they +descend and commit terrible damage among the flocks." + +"I thought I did not know the sound," Malchus said. "The nights were +noisy enough sometimes at the southern edge of the desert. The packs +of jackals, with their sharp yelping cry, abounded; then there was the +deeper note of the hyenas, and the barking cry of troops of monkeys, and +the thundering roar of the lions. They were unpleasant enough, and at +first used to keep one awake; but none of them were so lugubrious +as that mournful howl I hear now. I suppose sometimes, when there is +nothing else to do, we get up hunting parties?" + +"Yes," the officer replied; "it is the chief amusement of our garrisons +in winter among the wild parts of the country. Of course, near +Carthagena these creatures have been eradicated; but among the mountains +they abound, and the carcass of a dead horse is sure to attract plenty +of them. It is a sport not without danger; and there are many instances +where parties of five or six have gone out, taking with them a carcass +to attract the wolves, and have never returned; and a search has +resulted in the discovery of their weapons, injured and perhaps broken, +of stains of blood and signs of a desperate struggle, but of them not so +much as a bone has remained behind." + +"I thought lion hunting was an exciting sport but the lions, although +they may move and hunt in companies, do not fight in packs, as these +fierce brutes seem to do. I hope some day to try it. I should like to +send back two of their heads to hang on the wall by the side of that of +the lion I killed up in the desert." + +"Next winter you may do so," the officer said. "The season is nearly +over now, and you may be sure that Hannibal will give us enough to do +without our thinking of hunting wolves. The Vacaei are fierce enough. +Perhaps two of their heads would do instead of those of wolves." + +"I do not think my mother and sisters would approve of that," Malchus +laughed; "so I must wait for the winter." + +The night did not pass so quietly as that which had preceded it. The +distant howling of the wolves, as they hunted in the forest, kept the +horses in a tremor of terror and excitement, and their riders were +obliged over and over again to rise and go among them, and by speaking +to and patting them, to allay their fear. So long as their masters were +near them the well trained horses were quiet and tractable, and would +at a whispered order lie down and remain in perfect quiet; but no sooner +had they left them and again settled to sleep than, at the first howl +which told that the pack were at all approaching, the horses would lift +their heads, prick their ears in the direction of the sound, and rise +to their feet and stand trembling, with extended nostrils snuffing the +unknown danger, pawing the ground, and occasionally making desperate +efforts to break loose from their picket ropes. + +The work of soothing had then to be repeated, until at last most of the +riders brought their lions' skins and lay down by the prostrate horses, +with their heads upon their necks. The animals, trained thus to sleep +with their riders by their side, and reassured by the presence of their +masters, were for the most part content to lie quiet, although the packs +of wolves, attracted by the scent of the meat that had been cooked, +approached close to the camp and kept up a dismal chorus round it until +morning. + +Day by day the march was continued. The country was wild and rugged, +foaming torrents had to be crossed, precipices surmounted, barren tracts +traversed. But after a week's hard marching the column had overcome the +greater part of the difficulty, had crossed the Sierras and gained the +plateau, which with a gradual fall slopes west down to the Atlantic, and +was for the most part covered with a dense growth of forests. They now +to their satisfaction overtook the main body of the army, and their +marches would be somewhat less severe, for hitherto they had each day +traversed extra distances to make up for the two days' loss in starting. +Here Malchus for the first time saw the bands of Gaulish mercenaries. + +The Spanish troops had excited the admiration and astonishment of the +Carthaginians by their stature and strength; but the Gauls were a still +more powerful race. They belonged to the tribes which had poured down +over the Apennines, and occupied the northern portion of Spain long +anterior to the arrival of the Carthaginians. Their countenances were +rugged, and as it seemed to Malchus, savage. Their colour was much +lighter than that of any people he had yet seen. Their eyes were blue, +their hair, naturally fair or brown, was dyed with some preparation +which gave it a red colour. + +Some wore their long locks floating over their shoulders, others tied +it in a knot on the top of their heads. They wore a loose short trouser +fastened at the knee, resembling the baggy trousers of the modern Turks. +A shirt with open sleeves came halfway down their thighs, and over +it was a blouse or loose tunic decorated with ornaments of every +description, and fastened at the neck by a metal brooch. Their helmets +were of copper, for the most part ornamented with the horns of stags or +bulls. On the crest of the helmet was generally the figure of a bird +or wild beast. The whole was surmounted by immense tufts of feathers, +something like those of our Highland bonnets, adding greatly to the +height and apparent stature of the wearers. + +The Gauls had a passion for ornaments, and adorned their persons with a +profusion of necklaces, bracelets, rings, baldricks, and belts of gold. +Their national arms were long heavy pikes--these had no metal heads, +but the points were hardened by fire; javelins of the same +description--these before going into battle they set fire to, and hurled +blazing at the enemy--lighter darts called mat ras saunions, pikes +with curved heads, resembling the halberds of later times; and straight +swords. Hannibal, however, finding the inconvenience of this diversity +of weapons, had armed his Gaulish troops only with their long straight +swords. These were without point, and made for cutting only, and were +in the hands of these powerful tribesmen terrible weapons. These swords +were not those they had been accustomed to carry, which were made of +copper only, and often bent at the first blow, but were especially made +for them in Carthage of heavy steel, proof against all accident. + +The march was conducted with all military precautions, although +they were still traversing a country which had been already subdued. +Nevertheless they moved as if expecting an instant attack. The light +horse scoured the country. The lithe and active soldiers furnished by +the desert tribes formed the advanced guard of the army, and marched +also on its flanks, while the heavy armed soldiery marched in solid +column ready for battle. Behind them came the long train of baggage +protected by a strong rear guard. + +At last they reached a fertile country, and were now in the land of the +Vacaei and their allies. Arbocala, now called Tordesillas, was captured +without much difficulty. The siege was then laid to Salamanca, the chief +town of the enemy. In the actual siege operations the Carthaginian +horse took no part. The place resisted vigourously, but the machines +of Hannibal effected a breach in the walls, and the inhabitants, +seeing that further resistance was impossible, offered to capitulate, +stipulating that they should be allowed to depart unharmed, leaving +behind them all their arms and their treasure. + +The Carthaginian army were drawn up in readiness to march into the town +as the Vacaei came out. As they filed past the Carthaginians they were +inspected to see that they had carried out the terms of the agreement. +It was found that they had done so rigidly--not an arm of any kind was +found upon them. Their necklaces, bracelets, and ornaments had all been +left behind. + +"What a savage looking race!" Malchus remarked to Trebon; "they look at +us as if they would gladly spring on us, unarmed as they are, and +tear us with their hands. They are well nigh as dark skinned as the +Numidians." + +"Here come their women!" Trebon said; "verily I would as soon fight the +men as these creatures. Look how they glare at us! You see they have +all had to give up their ornaments, so they have each their private +grievance as well as their national one." + +When the whole of the population had filed out, the Carthaginian army +entered the town, with the exception of a body of light horse who were +ordered to remain without and keep an eye on the doings of the late +garrison. Malchus was amused at the scene within. The members of the +Carthaginian horse disdained to join in the work of plunder, and were, +therefore, free to watch with amusement their comrades at work. The +amount of booty was large, for the number of gold ornaments found in +every house, deposited there by the inhabitants on departing, was very +great; but not satisfied with this the soldiers dug up the floors in +search of buried treasure, searched the walls for secret hiding places, +and rummaged the houses from top to bottom. Besides the rich booty, the +soldiers burdened themselves with a great variety of articles which it +would be impossible for them to carry away. + +Men were seen staggering under the weight of four or five heavy skins. +Some had stuck feathers in their helmets until their heads were scarce +visible. Some had great bundles of female garments, which they had +collected with a vague idea of carrying them home to their families. +The arms had in the first place been collected and placed under a +strong guard, and picked troops were placed as sentries over the public +treasury, whose contents were allotted to the general needs of the army. + +Night fell soon after the sack commenced. Malchus with a number of his +comrades took possession of one of the largest houses in the place, and, +having cleared it of the rubbish with which it was strewn, prepared +to pass the night there. Suddenly a terrible uproar was heard--shouts, +cries, the clashing of arms, the yells of the enemy, filled the air. The +cavalry charged to watch the Vacaei, believing that these had departed +quietly, had abandoned their post, and had entered the town to join in +the work of plunder. + +As the garrison had marched out the men had been rigidly searched; but +the women had been allowed to pass out without any close inspection. +This carelessness cost the Carthaginians dear, for under their garments +they had hidden the swords and daggers of the men. Relying upon the +disorder which would reign in the city, the Vacaei had returned, and now +poured in through the gates, slaying all whom they met. + +For a short time a terrible panic reigned among the Carthaginians, great +numbers were cut down, and it seemed as if the whole force would be +destroyed. Hannibal and his generals rode about trying to get the +scattered men to form and oppose the enemy; but the panic was too +general, and had it not been for the Carthaginian legion all would have +been lost. The horse and foot, however, of this body, having abstained +from joining in the pillage, had, for the most part, kept together in +bodies, and these now sallied out in close and regular order, and fell +upon the attacking enemy. + +The streets were too narrow for cavalry to act, and Malchus and his +comrades fought on foot. The enemy, who had scattered on their work of +slaughter, were in their turn taken at a disadvantage, and were unable +to withstand the steady attack of the solid bodies. These, in the first +place, cut their way to the square in the centre of the town, and there +united. Hannibal, seeing he had now a solid body of troops under his +command, at once broke them up into parties and advanced down all the +streets leading from the central square. The hand-to-hand fight which +was going on all over the town was soon terminated. The Carthaginians +fell in in good order behind the ranks of their comrades, and the small +bodies soon became columns which swept the enemy before them. + +The enemy fought desperately, firing the houses, hurling stones from the +roofs upon the columns, and throwing themselves with reckless bravery +upon the spears, but their efforts were in vain. Foot by foot they +were driven back, until they were again expelled from the town. Keeping +together, and ever showing front to the Carthaginians, the Vacaei, now +reduced to less than half their number, retired to an eminence near the +town, and there prepared to sell their lives dearly. The Carthaginians +now fell into their regular ranks, and prepared to storm the enemy's +position; but Hannibal rode forward alone towards the Vacaei, being +plainly visible to them in the broad blaze of light from the burning +city. + +From his long residence in Spain he was able to speak the Iberian tongue +with fluency, and indeed could converse with all the troops of the +various nationalities under the banner of Carthage in their own +language. + +"Men of Salamanca," he said, "resist no longer. Carthage knows how to +honour a brave enemy, and never did men fight more valiantly in defence +of their homes than you have done, and although further resistance would +be hopeless, I will press you no further. Your lives are spared. You may +retain the arms you know so well how to wield, and tomorrow my army will +evacuate your town and leave you free to return to it." + +Hannibal's clemency was politic. He would have lost many more men before +he finally overcame the desperate band, and he was by no means desirous +of exciting a deep feeling of hate among any of the tribes, just as +he was meditating withdrawing the greater portion of the army for his +enterprise against Rome. With the fall of Salamanca the resistance of +the Vacaei ceased, and Hannibal prepared to march back to Carthagena. + +A storm, however, had gathered in his rear. Great numbers of the Vacaei +had sought refuge among the Olcades, who had been subdued the previous +autumn, and together they had included the whole of the fierce tribes +known as the Carpatans, who inhabited the country on the right bank of +the upper Tagus, to make common cause with them against the invaders. As +Hannibal approached their neighbourhood they took up their position on +the right bank of the river near Toledo. Here the stream is rapid and +difficult of passage, its bed being thickly studded with great boulders +brought down in time of flood from the mountains. The country on each +side of the river is sandy, free from forests or valleys, which would +cover the movements of an army. + +The host gathered to oppose the Carthaginians were fully one hundred +thousand strong, and Hannibal saw at once that his force, weakened as it +was with its loss at Salamanca, and encumbered by the great train laden +with the booty they had gathered from the Vacaei, would have no chance +whatever in a battle with so vast a body. The enemy separated as he +approached the river, their object being evidently to fall upon his rear +when engaged in the difficult operation of crossing. The Carthaginians +moved in two heavy columns, one on each side of their baggage, and +Hannibal's orders were stringent that on no account should they engage +with the enemy. + +The natives swarmed around the columns, hurling darts and javelins; but +the Carthaginians moved forward in solid order, replying only with +their arrows and slings, and contenting themselves with beating off the +attacks which the bolder of their foes made upon them. Night was falling +when they arrived on the bank of the river. The enemy then desisted from +their attack, believing that in the morning the Carthaginians would be +at their mercy, encumbered by their vast booty on one side and cut off +from retreat by a well nigh impassable river on the other. + +As soon as the army reached the river Hannibal caused the tents of all +the officers to be erected. The baggage wagons were arranged in order, +and the cattle unharnessed. The troops began to throw up intrenchments, +and all seemed to show that the Carthaginians were determined to fight +till the last on the ground they held. It was still light enough for the +enemy to perceive what was being done, and, secure of their prey in the +morning, they drew off to a short distance for the night. Hannibal had +learned from a native that morning of a ford across the river, and it +was towards this that he had been marching. As soon as it was perfectly +dark a number of men entered the river to search for the ford. This was +soon discovered. + +Then the orders were passed noiselessly round to the soldiers, and +these, in regular order and in the most perfect quiet, rose to their +feet and marched down to the ford. A portion of the infantry first +passed, then the wagons were taken over, the rest of the infantry +followed, and the cavalry and the elephants brought up the rear. The +point where the river was fordable was at a sharp angle, and Hannibal +now occupied its outer side. As daylight approached he placed his +archers on the banks of the river where, owing to the sharp bend, their +arrows would take in flank an enemy crossing the ford, and would also +sweep its approaches. + +The cavalry were withdrawn some distance, and were ordered not to charge +until the Spaniards had got across the river. The elephants, forty +in number, were divided into two bodies. One of these was allotted to +protect each of the bodies of infantry on the bank from attack, should +the Spaniards gain a strong footing on the left bank. When day broke +the enemy perceived that the Carthaginians had made the passage of the +river. Believing that they had been too much alarmed to risk a battle, +and were retreating hastily, the natives thronged down in a multitude to +the river without waiting for their leaders or for orders to be given, +and rushing forward, each for himself, leaped into the river. + +Numbers were at once swept away by the stream, but the crowd who had +struck upon the ford pressed forward. When they were in midstream in a +tumultuous mass Hannibal launched his cavalry upon them, and a desperate +conflict ensued in the river. The combat was too unequal to last +long. The Spaniards, waist deep in the rapid stream, had difficulty +in retaining their feet, they were ignorant of the width or precise +direction of the ford, and were hampered by their own masses; the +cavalry, on the other hand, were free to use their weapons, and the +weight and impetus of their charge was alone sufficient to sweep the +Spanish from their footing into deep water. + +Many were drowned, many more cut down, and the rest driven in disorder +back across the river. But fresh hordes had now arrived; Hannibal +sounded the retreat, and the cavalry retired as the Spaniards again +threw themselves into the stream. As the confused mass poured across the +ford the two divisions of infantry fell upon them, while the arrows +of the archers swept the struggling mass. Without order or discipline, +bewildered at this attack by a foe whom they had regarded as flying, the +Spaniards were driven back across the river, the Carthaginians crossing +in their rear. + +The flying Iberians scattered terror among their comrades still flocking +down to the bank, and as the Carthaginian infantry in solid column fell +upon them, a panic seized the whole host and they scattered over the +plain. The Carthaginian cavalry followed close behind the infantry, and +at once dashed forward among the broken masses, until the Spanish army, +lately so confident of victory, was but a broken mass of panic stricken +fugitives. + +The victory of Toledo was followed at once by the submission of the +whole of the tribes of Spain south of the Ebro, and Hannibal, having +seen that the country was everywhere pacified, marched back with his +army to Carthagena to pass the winter there (220-219 B.C.). + + + +CHAPTER VII: A WOLF HUNT + + +The summer's work had been a hard one and the young soldiers of the +Carthaginian cavalry rejoiced when they marched into Carthagena again, +with the prospect of four months' rest and gaiety. When in the field +their discipline was as strict and their work as hard as that of the +other corps, but, whereas, when they went into winter quarters, the rest +of the army were placed under tents or huts, this corps d'elite were for +the time their own masters. + +Two or three times a week they drilled and exercised their horses, but +with these exceptions they were free to do as they chose. Scarce one +but had relations or friends in Carthagena with whom they took up their +abode, and those who were not so fortunate found a home at the great +military club, of which, ranking as they did with the officers of other +corps, they were all members. + +Hamilcar and Malchus had rooms assigned to them in the splendid mansion +of Hannibal, which was the centre of the life and gaiety of the place, +for Hannibal had, before starting on his campaign in the spring, married +Imilce, the daughter of Castalius, a Spaniard of noble blood, and his +household was kept up with a lavish magnificence, worthy alike of his +position as virtual monarch of Spain and of his vast private wealth. +Fetes were given constantly for the amusement of the people. At these +there were prizes for horse and foot racing, and the Numidian cavalry +astonished the populace by the manner in which they maneuvered their +steeds; bowmen and slingers entered the lists for prizes of value given +by the general; and the elephants exhibited proof of their docility and +training. + +In the bay there were races between the galleys and triremes, and +emulation was encouraged among the troops by large money prizes to the +companies who maneuvered with the greatest precision and activity. For +the nobles there were banquets and entertainments of music. The rising +greatness of Carthagena had attracted to her musicians and artists from +all parts of the Mediterranean. Snake charmers from the far Soudan and +jugglers from the distant East exhibited their skill. Poets recited +their verses, and bards sung their lays before the wealth and beauty of +Carthagena. Hannibal, anxious at once to please his young wife and +to increase his popularity, spared no pains or expense in these +entertainments. + +Gay as they were Malchus longed for a more stirring life, and with five +or six of his comrades obtained leave of absence for a month, to go on +a hunting expedition in the mountains. He had heard, when upon the +campaign, the issue of the plot in which he had been so nearly engaged. +It had failed. On the very eve of execution one of the subordinates had +turned traitor, and Giscon and the whole of those engaged in it had been +arrested and put to a cruel death. + +Malchus himself had been denounced, as his name was found upon the list +of the conspirators, and an order had been sent to Hannibal that he +should be carried back a prisoner to Carthage. Hannibal had called the +lad before him, and had inquired of him the circumstances of the case. +Malchus explained that he had been to their meeting but once, being +taken there by Giscon, and being in entire ignorance of the objects of +the plot, and that he had refused when he discovered them to proceed +in the matter. Hannibal and Hamilcar blamed him severely for allowing +himself at his age to be mixed up in any way in public affairs; but they +so represented the matter to the two Carthaginian commissioners with the +army, that these had written home to say, that having inquired into the +affair they found that beyond a boyish imprudence in accompanying Giscon +to the place where the conspirators met, Malchus was not to blame in the +matter. + +The narrow escape that he had had was a lesson which was not lost upon +Malchus. Hamilcar lectured him sternly, and pointed out to him that the +affairs of nations were not to be settled by the efforts of a handful of +enthusiasts, but that grievances, however great, could only be righted +when the people at large were determined that a change should be made. + +"There would be neither order nor stability in affairs, Malchus, if +parties of desperate men of one party or another were ever striving for +change, for revolution would be met by counter revolution. The affairs +of nations march slowly; sudden changes are ever to be deprecated. If +every clique of men who chance to be supported by a temporary wave of +public opinion, were to introduce organic changes, there would be no +stability in affairs. Capital would be alarmed; the rich and powerful, +seeing their possessions threatened and their privileges attacked by the +action of the demagogues of the hour, would do as did our forefathers of +Tyre, when the whole of the aristocracy emigrated in a body to Carthage, +and Tyre received a blow from which she has never recovered." + +For some time after this event Malchus had felt that he was in disgrace, +but his steadiness and good conduct in the campaign, and the excellent +reports which his officers gave of him, had restored him to favour; and +indeed his father and Hannibal both felt that a lad might well be led +away by an earnest enthusiast like Giscon. + +The hunting party took with them a hundred Iberian soldiers used to the +mountains, together with six peasants acquainted with the country and +accustomed to the chase. They took several carts laden with tents, wine, +and provisions. Four days' journey from Carthagena took the party into +the heart of the mountains, and here, in a sheltered valley through +which ran a stream, they formed their camp. + +They had good sport. Sometimes with dogs they tracked the bears to their +lair, sometimes the soldiers made a wide sweep in the hills, and, having +inclosed a considerable tract of forest, moved forward, shouting and +clashing their arms until they drove the animals inclosed down through a +valley in which Malchus and his companions had taken post. + +Very various was the game which then fell before their arrows and +javelins. Sometimes a herd of deer would dart past, then two bears +with their family would come along growling fiercely as they went, and +looking back angrily at the disturbers of their peace. Sometimes a pack +of wolves, with their red tongues hanging out, and fierce, snarling +barks, would hurry along, or a wild boar would trot leisurely past, +until he reached the spot where the hunters were posted. The wolves and +deer fell harmlessly before the javelins of the Carthaginians, but the +bears and wild boars frequently showed themselves formidable opponents, +and there were several desperate fights before these yielded to the +spears and swords of the hunters. + +Sometimes portions of the animals they had killed were hung up at night +from the bough of a tree at a distance from the camp, to attract the +bears, and one or two of the party, taking their post in neighbouring +trees, would watch all night for the coming of the beasts. The snow +was now lying thick on the tops of the mountains, and the wolves were +plentiful among the forests. + +One day Malchus and two of his companions had followed a wounded deer +far up among the hills, and were some miles away from the camp when the +darkness began to set in. + +"I think we had better give it up," Malchus said; "we shall find it +difficult as it is to find our way back; I had no idea that it was so +late." + +His companions at once agreed, and they turned their faces towards the +camp. In another half hour it was perfectly dark under the shadow of the +trees, but the moon was shining, and its position afforded them a means +of judging as to the direction where the camp lay. But even with such +assistance it was no easy matter making their way. The country was rough +and broken; ravines had to be crossed, and hills ascended. After pushing +on for two hours, Halcon, the eldest of the party, said: + +"I am by no means sure that we are going right after all. We have had +a long day's work now, and I do not believe we shall find the camp +tonight. I think we had better light a fire here and wrap ourselves in +our cloaks. The fire will scare wild beasts away, and we shall be easily +able to find the camp in the morning." + +The proposal was at once accepted; sticks were collected, and, with +flint and steel and the aid of some dried fungus which they carried in +their pouches, a fire was soon lit, and some choice portions of a deer +which they had killed early in the day were soon broiling on sticks over +it. + +"We must keep watch by turns," Halcon said; "it will not do to let +the fire burn low, for likely enough we may be visited by bears before +morning." + +After eating their meal and chatting for some time, Halcon and his +companions lay down to rest, Malchus volunteering to keep the first +watch. For some time he sat quietly, occasionally throwing logs on the +fire from the store which they had collected in readiness. Presently +his attitude changed, he listened intently and rose to his feet. Several +times he had heard the howls of wolves wandering in the woods, but he +now made out a long, deep, continuous howling; he listened for a minute +or two and then aroused his companions. + +"There is a large pack of wolves approaching," he said, "and by the +direction of the sound I judge they are hunting on the traces of our +footsteps. That is the line by which we came down from yonder brow, and +it seems to me that they are ascending the opposite slope." + +"Yes, and by the sound there must be a very large pack of them," Halcon +agreed; "pile up the fire and set yourselves to gather more wood as +quickly as possible; these beasts in large packs are formidable foes." + +The three men set to work, vigourously cutting down brushwood and +lopping off small boughs of trees with their swords. + +"Divide the fire in four," Halcon said, "and pile the fuel in the +centre; they will hardly dare to pass between the fires." + +The pack was now descending the slope, keeping up a chorus of howls and +short yelps which sent a shiver of uneasiness through Malchus. As the +wolves approached the spot the howling suddenly ceased. + +"They see us," Halcon said; "keep a sharp lookout for them, but do not +throw away a shot, we shall need all our arrows before daylight." + +Standing perfectly quiet, the friends could hear the pattering sound +made by the wolves' feet upon the fallen leaves; but the moon had sunk +now, and they were unable to make out their figures. + +"It seems to me," Malchus said in a whisper, "that I can see specks of +fire gleaming on the bushes." + +"It is the reflection of the fire in their eyes," Halcon replied. "See! +they are all round us! There must be scores of them." + +For some time the wolves approached no closer; then, encouraged by the +silence of the little group standing in the centre of the fire, two or +three gray forms showed themselves in the circle of light. Three bows +twanged. Two of the wolves fell, and the third, with a howl of pain, +fled in the darkness. There was a sound of snarling and growling; a cry +of pain, a fierce struggle, and then a long continued snarling. + +"What are they doing?" Malchus asked with a shudder. + +"I believe they are eating their wounded comrade," Halcon replied. "I +have heard such is the custom of the savage brutes. See, the carcasses +of the other two have disappeared already." + +Short as had been the time which had elapsed since they had fallen, +other wolves had stolen out, and had dragged away the bodies of the two +which had been killed. This incident, which showed how extreme was the +hunger of the wolves, and how noiseless were their motions, redoubled +the vigilance of the party. + +Malchus threw a handful of brushwood on to each of the fires. + +"We must be careful of the fuel," Halcon said. "I would we had thought +of this before we lay down to sleep. If we had collected fuel enough for +our fires we should have been safe; but I doubt much if our supply will +last now till morning." + +As the hours went on the attitude of the wolves became more and more +threatening, and in strong bodies they advanced close up to the fires. +Every time that they did so armfuls of fuel were thrown on, and as the +flames leaped up brightly they each time fell back, losing several of +their numbers from the arrows of the little party. But the pile of +fuel was now sinking fast, and except when the wolves advanced it was +necessary to let the fires burn down. + +"It must want four hours yet of daylight," Halcon said, as he threw on +the last piece of wood. "Look round as the fire blazes up and see if you +can make out any tree which may be climbed. I would that we had taken to +them at first instead of trusting to our fires." + +Unfortunately they had chosen a somewhat open space of ground for their +encampment, for the brushwood grew thick among the trees. + +"There is a tree over there," Malchus said, pointing to it, "with a +bough but six feet from the ground. One spring on to that and we are +safe." + +"Very well," Halcon assented; "we will attempt it at once before the +fire burns low. Put your swords into your sheaths, sling your bows and +arrows behind you, and take each a burning brand. These will be better +weapons in such a case than swords or spears. Now, are you ready? Now!" + +Waving the burning brands over their heads, the three Carthaginians +dashed across the intervening space towards the tree. + +It seemed as if the wolves were conscious that their prey were +attempting to escape them; for, with a fierce howl, they sprang from the +bushes and rushed to meet them; and, undeterred by the blazing brands, +sprang upon them. + +Malchus scarce knew what passed in the short, fierce struggle. One wolf +sprang upon his shield and nearly brought him to the ground; but the +sharp boss pierced its body, and he flung it from him, at the same +moment that he dashed the brand full in the face of another. A third +sprang upon his shoulder, and he felt its hot breath in his face. +Dropping his brand, he drove his dagger deep into its side. Then he +hurled his heavy shield among the mass of wolves before him, took a +bound into their midst, and grasping the bough, swung himself into the +tree and sat there with his legs drawn up as a score of wolves leaped up +towards him with open mouths. + +He gave a cry of horror. His two friends were down, and a confused mass +of struggling bodies alone showed where they had fallen. For an instant +he hesitated, debating whether he should leap down and strive to rescue +them; but a glance below showed him that he would be pulled down long +before he could reach the spot where they had fallen. + +Shifting himself along the arm until he reached the trunk, he rose to +his feet and sent his arrows vengefully into the midst of the struggling +mass of wolves until he had but three or four shafts left. These he +reserved as a last resource. + +There was nothing to do now, and he sat down on the branch, and burst +into tears over the fate of his comrades. When he looked up again all +was quiet. The fierce pack had devoured not only his comrades, but their +own fallen companions, and now sat in a circle with their red tongues +hanging out and their eyes fixed upon him. As the fire gradually died +out their form disappeared; but he could hear their quick breathing, and +knew that they were still on the watch. + +Malchus climbed the tree until he reached a fork where he could sit at +ease, and there waited for morning, when he hoped that his foes would +disappear. But as the gray light dawned he saw them still on the watch; +nor, as the dawn brightened into day, did they show any signs of moving. + +When he saw they had no intention of leaving the place, Malchus began to +consider seriously what he had best do. He might still be, for aught +he knew, miles away from the camp, and his friends there would have +no means of knowing the position in which he was placed. They would +no doubt send out all the soldiers in search of the party; but in that +broken wilderness of forest and mountain, it was the merest chance +whether they would find the spot where he was prisoner. Still, it +appeared to him that this was the only possibility of his rescue. The +trees grew thickly together, and he could easily have climbed from that +in which he was stationed to the next, and might so have made his way +for some distance; but as the wolves were watching him, and could see +as well by night as by day, there was no advantage in shifting his +position. + +The day passed slowly. The wolves had for the most part withdrawn from +beneath the tree, but a few kept their station there steadily, and +Malchus knew that the rest were only lying beneath the bushes round; +for he could hear their frequent snarling, and sometimes a gray head was +thrust out, and a pair of eager eyes looked hungrily towards him. From +time to time Malchus listened breathlessly in hopes of hearing the +distant shouts of his comrades; but all was still in the forest, and +he felt sure that the wolves would hear anyone approaching before he +should. + +Once or twice, indeed, he fancied that by their pricked ears and +attitude of attention they could hear sounds inaudible to him; but the +alarm, if such it was, soon passed away, and it might have been that +they were listening only to the distant footsteps of some stag passing +through the forest. Night came again with its long, dreary hours. +Malchus strapped himself by his belt to the tree to prevent himself from +falling and managed to obtain a few hours of uneasy sleep, waking up +each time with a start, in a cold perspiration of fear, believing that +he was falling into the hungry jaws below. In the morning a fierce +desire to kill some of his foes seized him, and he descended to the +lowest branch. + +The wolves, seeing their prey so close at hand, thronged thickly under +it, and strove to leap up at him. Lying down on the bough, and twisting +his legs firmly under it to give him a purchase, Malchus thrust his +sword nearly to the hilt between the jaws, which snapped fiercely as a +wolf sprang to within a few inches of the bough. Several were killed in +this way, and the rest, rendered cautious, withdrew to a short distance. +Suddenly an idea struck Malchus. He took off his belt and formed it +into a running noose, and then waited until the wolves should summon up +courage to attack again. It was not long. Furious with hunger, which the +prey they had already devoured was only sufficient to whet, the wolves +again approached and began to spring towards the bough. + +Malchus dropped the noose over one of their necks, and with an effort, +hauled it to the bough, and despatched it with his dagger. Then he moved +along the bough and hung it on a branch some ten feet from the ground, +slashing open with his dagger its chest and stomach. Having done this he +returned to his place. Six wolves were one after the other so hauled +up and despatched, and as Malchus expected, the smell of their blood +rendered the pack more savage than ever. They assembled round the +foot of the tree, and continued to spring at the trunk, making vain +endeavours to get at the supply of food which hung tantalizingly at so +short a distance beyond their reach. + +So the day passed as before without signs of rescue. When it became +dark Malchus again descended to the lowest trunk, and fired his three +remaining arrows among the wolves below him. Loud howls followed each +discharge, followed by a desperate struggle below. Then he tumbled from +their position the six dead wolves to the ground below, and then as +noiselessly as possible made his way along a bough into an adjoining +tree, and so into another, till he had attained some distance from the +spot where the wolves were fighting and growling over the remains of +their companions, far too absorbed in their work for any thought of him. + +Then he dropped noiselessly to the ground and fled at the top of +his speed. It would be, he was sure, some time before the wolves had +completed their feast; and even should they discover that he was missing +from the tree, it would probably be some time before they could hit upon +his scent, especially, as, having just feasted on blood, their sense of +smell would for a time be dulled. His previsions were accurate. Several +times he stopped and listened in dread lest he should hear the distant +howl, which would tell him that the pack was again on his scent. All was +quiet, save for the usual cries and noises in the forest. In two hours +he saw a distant glow of light, and was soon in the encampment of his +friends. + +"Why, Malchus!" his comrades exclaimed as he entered the tent, "where +have you been these two days? Why, you are splashed with blood. Where +are Halcon and Chalcus?" + +"Dead," Malchus said--"devoured by wolves." + +A cry of horror broke from the three young guardsmen. + +"'Tis too true," Malchus went on; "but give me food and wine. I have +neither eaten nor drunk for the last two days, and I have gone through a +terrible time. Even now I seem to see all round me countless cruel eyes, +and hungry open mouths with their red tongues." + +Seeing that Malchus was utterly worn and exhausted his companions +hastened to place food and drink before him before asking any further +questions. + +Malchus drank a cup of wine and took a mouthful of bread; but he was too +faint and exhausted at present to eat more. He had supported well +the terrible strain for the last forty-eight hours, and as he had run +through the forest he had not noticed how it had told upon him; but now +that he was safe among his friends he felt as weak as a child. For +a time he lay upon the lion skin on which he had thrown himself upon +entering the tent, unable to reply to his comrades' questions. Then, as +the cordial began to take effect, he roused himself and forced himself +to eat more. After that he told his friends what had happened. + +"You have indeed had an escape, Malchus; but how was it you did not take +to the trees at once?" + +"I did not think of it," Malchus said, "nor, I suppose, did the others. +Halcon was our leader, and we did as he told us. He thought the fires +would keep them off. Who could have thought the beasts would have +ventured to attack us!" + +"I have always heard they were terrible," one of the others said; "but I +should have thought that three armed men would have been a match for any +number of them." + +"It would have been as much as thirty could have done to withstand +them," Malchus replied; "they did not seem to care for their lives, but +sought only to slay. There were hundreds and hundreds of them. I would +rather march alone to the assault of a walled city than face those +terrible beasts." + +In the morning the whole party started for the scene of the encounter. + +Malchus had some difficulty in discovering it; but at last, after +searching a long time he came upon it. + +The ground beneath the tree was everywhere trampled and torn by the +wolves in their struggles, and was spotted with patches of dry blood. +The helmets, shields and arms of Halcon and Chalcus lay there, but not +a remnant of their bones remained, and a few fragments of skin and some +closely gnawed skulls alone testified to the wolves which had fallen +in the encounter. The arms were gathered up, and the party returned +to their camp, and the next day started for Carthagena for, after that +experience, none cared for any further hunting. + +It was some weeks before Malchus completely recovered from the effects +of the strain he had undergone. His nights were disturbed and restless. +He would constantly start from his couch, thinking that he heard the +howl of the wolves, and any sudden noise made him start and turn pale. +Seeing how shaken his young kinsmen was, and what he had passed through, +Hannibal sent him several times in ships which were going across to +Africa for stores. He did not venture to send him to Carthage; for +although his influence with the commissioners had been sufficient to +annul the order of the council for the sending of Malchus as a prisoner +there, it was probable that were he to return he would be seized and put +to death--not for the supposed crime he had committed, but to gratify +the hatred of Hanno against himself and his adherents. + +The sea voyages soon restored Malchus to his accustomed health. Trained +and disciplined as his body had been by constant exercise, his nerves +were not easily shaken, and soon recovered their tone, and when, early +in March, he rejoined his regiment, he was able to enter with zest and +energy into the preparations which Hannibal was making for the siege of +Saguntum. Difficult as this operation would be, the preparations +which were being made appeared enormous. Every week ships brought over +reinforcements of troops, and the Iberian contingents were largely +increased. + +One day Malchus entered an apartment where his father and Hannibal were +talking earnestly together with a large map spread out before them. He +would have retired at once, but Hannibal called him in. + +"Come in, Malchus, I would have no secrets from you. Although you are +young I know that you are devoted to Carthage, that you are brave and +determined. I see in you what I was myself at your age, but nine years +ago, and it may be that some day you will be destined to continue the +work which I am beginning. You, too, have commenced early, your training +has been severe. As your father's son and my cousin your promotion will +naturally be rapid. I will, therefore, tell you my plans. It is clear +that Rome and Carthage cannot both exist--one or the other must be +destroyed. It is useless to strike at extremities, the blow must be +dealt at the heart. Unfortunately our fleet is no longer superior to +that of Rome, and victories at sea, however important, only temporarily +cripple an enemy. + +"It is by land the blow must be struck. Were the sea ours, I should say, +land troops in southern Italy, and continue to pour over reinforcements +until all the fighting men of North Africa are at the gates of Rome. But +without the absolute command of the sea this cannot be done. Therefore +I intend to make Spain our base, and to march through Southern Gaul over +the Alps into Italy, and there to fight the Romans on their own ground. +Already I have agents at work among the Gauls and the northern tribes of +Italy, who will, I trust, join me in the war against our common enemy. +The enterprise is a great one, but it is not impossible; if it succeeds, +Rome will be destroyed and Carthage will reign, without a rival, +mistress of the world. The plan was Hasdrubal's, but it has fallen to me +to carry it out." + +"It is a grand plan indeed," Malchus exclaimed enthusiastically--"a +glorious plan, but the difficulties seem tremendous." + +"Difficulties are made to be overcome by brave men," Hannibal said. +"The Alps are the greatest barrier, but my agents tell me that the +difficulties are not insuperable even for elephants. But before we start +we have Spain to subdue. Saguntum is under the protection of Rome, and +must be crushed, and all the country north of the Ebro conquered and +pacified. This done the passage of reinforcements to my army in Italy +will be easy. The Gauls will favour us, the mountains tribes will +be crushed or bought over, so that the route for the advance of +reinforcements, or for our retreat, if too hardly pressed, will be +always open. But all this is for yourself alone. + +"My plans must not yet be known. Already our enemies in Carthage are +gaining in strength. Many of our adherents have been put to death and +the estates of others confiscated; but the capture of Saguntum will +restore our supremacy, and the enthusiasm which it will incite among the +populace will carry all before it. The spoils which will be taken there +will be sufficient to silence every murmur in Carthage. Now leave us, +Malchus, we have much to talk over and to arrange, and I have given you +plenty to think about for the present." + + + +CHAPTER VIII: A PLOT FRUSTRATED + + +After leaving Hannibal, Malchus did not rejoin his comrades, but mounted +the hills behind the town and sat down there, looking over the sea, and +thinking over the vast plan which Hannibal's words had laid before him, +and to which his father had once alluded in his presence. Malchus +had been brought up by Hamilcar to regard Rome as the deadly enemy of +Carthage, but he had not till now seen the truth which Hannibal had +grasped, that it was a struggle not for empire only between the two +republics, but one of life and death--that Carthage and Rome could not +coexist, and that one or other of them must be absolutely destroyed. + +This, indeed, was the creed of the Barcine party, and was, apart from +the minor questions of internal reforms, the great point on which they +differed from Hanno and the trading portion of the community, who were +his chief supporters. These were in favour of Carthage abandoning her +colonies and conquests, and devoting herself solely to commerce and the +acquisition of wealth. Believing that Rome, who would then have open +to her all Europe and Asia to conquer, would not grudge to Carthage the +northern seaboard of Africa, they forgot that a nation which is rich and +defenceless will speedily fall a victim to the greed of a powerful +and warlike neighbour, and that a conqueror never needs excuses for an +attack upon a defenceless neighbour. + +Hitherto Malchus had thought only of a war with Rome made up of sea +fights and of descents upon Sicily and Sardinia. The very idea of +invading Italy and striking at Rome herself had never even entered his +mind, for the words of his father had been forgotten in the events +which followed so quickly upon them. The prospect which the words opened +seemed immense. First Northern Spain was to be conquered, Gaul to be +crossed, the terrible mountains of which he had heard from travellers +were next to be surmounted, and finally a fight for life and death to +be fought out on the plains of Italy. The struggle would indeed be a +tremendous one, and Malchus felt his heart beat fast at the thought that +he was to be an actor in it. Surely the history of the world told of no +greater enterprise than this. Even the first step which was to be taken, +a mere preliminary to this grand expedition, was a most formidable one. + +Saguntum stood as an outpost of Rome. While Carthage had been advancing +from the south Rome had been pressing forward from the east along +the shores of the Mediterranean, and had planted herself firmly at +Marseilles, a port which gave her a foothold in Gaul, and formed a base +whence she could act in Spain. In order to check the rising power of +the Carthaginians there she had entered into a firm alliance with the +Saguntines, whose country occupied what is now the district of Valencia. +By the terms of the last treaty between the two republics each was +forbidden to make war upon tribes in alliance with their rivals, and +Saguntum being thus under the jurisdiction of Rome, an attack upon it +would be almost equivalent to a declaration of war. + +The position of the city was one of great strength. It stood on an +almost isolated rock at the foot of a spur of the mountains which +formed an amphitheatre behind it. Around it extended a rich and fertile +country, the sea was less than a mile from its walls, and the Romans +could thus quickly send succour to their allies. The rock on which the +town stood was well nigh inaccessible, falling sheer down from the foot +of the walls, and was assailable only on the western side, where the +rocks sloped gradually down to the plain. Here the walls were extremely +strong and lofty, and were strengthened by a great tower which dominated +the whole slope. It would be difficult to form approaches, for the rock +was bare of soil and afforded no cover of any kind. + +Hitherto the Carthaginian generals had scrupulously respected the +territory of the Saguntines, but now that the rest of Spain was subdued +it was necessary to reduce this advanced post of Rome--this open door +through which Rome, now mistress of the sea, could at any moment pour +her legions into the heart of Spain. + +The Saguntines were not ignorant of the danger which threatened them. +They had again and again sent urgently to Rome to demand that a legion +should be stationed there for their protection. But Rome hesitated at +despatching a legion of troops to so distant a spot, where, in case of a +naval reverse, they would be isolated and cut off. + +Hannibal had not far to look for an excuse for an attack upon Saguntum. +On the previous year, while he had been engaged in his campaign +against the Carpatans, the Saguntines, taking advantage of his critical +position, had made war upon the town of Torbola, an ally of Carthage. +Torbola had implored the assistance of Hannibal, and he was now +preparing to march against Saguntum with his whole force without waiting +for the arrival of spring. His preparations had been silently made. The +Saguntines, although uneasy, had no idea of any imminent danger, and +the Carthaginian army collected in and around Carthagena were in entire +ignorance that they were about to be called upon to take the field. + +"What say you, Malchus?" Hannibal asked that evening. "It is time now +that I gave you a command. As my near relative it is fitting that you +should be in authority. You have now served a campaign, and are eligible +for any command that I may give you. You have shown yourself prompt in +danger and worthy to command men. Which would you rather that I should +place under you--a company of these giant Gauls, of the steady Iberians, +of the well disciplined Libyans, or the active tribesmen of the desert? +Choose which you will, and they shall be yours." + +Malchus thought for some time. + +"In the day of battle," he said at last, "I would rather lead Gauls, +but, in such a march as you have told me you are meditating, I would +rather have a company of Numidian footmen to act as scouts and feel +the way for the army. There would not, perhaps, be so much glory to be +obtained, but there would be constant work and excitement, and this will +be far better than marching in the long column of the army." + +"I think your choice is a good one," Hannibal replied. "Such a corps +will be needed to feel the way as we advance, to examine the roads and +indicate that by which the column had best move, and to guard against +ambushes and surprises. Tomorrow I will inspect the Numidian footmen +and will put them through their exercises. We will have foot races and +trials of skill with the bow, and I will bid their officers pick me out +two hundred of the most active and vigourous among them; these you +shall have under your command. You can choose among your comrades of the +guards one whom you would like to have as your lieutenant." + +"I will take Trebon," Malchus said; "we fought side by side through the +last campaign. He is prompt and active, always cheerful under fatigue, +and as brave as a lion. I could not wish a better comrade." + +"So be it," Hannibal replied, "henceforth you are captain of the +advanced company of the army. Remember, Malchus, that the responsibility +is a great one, and that henceforward there must be no more boyish +tricks. Your company will be the eyes of the army, and upon your +vigilance its safety, when we once start upon our expedition, will in +no slight degree depend. Remember, too, that you have by your conduct to +justify me in choosing my young kinsman for so important a post." + +The next day the Numidians were put through their exercises, and by +nightfall the two hundred picked men were chosen from their ranks and +were placed by Hannibal under the command of Malchus. Trebon was greatly +pleased when he found himself appointed as lieutenant of the company. +Although of noble family his connections were much less influential +than those of the majority of his comrades, and he had deemed himself +exceptionally fortunate in having been permitted to enter the chosen +corps of the Carthaginian cavalry, and had not expected to be made an +officer for years to come, since promotion in the Carthaginian army was +almost wholly a matter of family influence. + +"I am indeed obliged to you, Malchus," he said as he joined his friend +after Hannibal had announced his appointment to him. "The general told +me that he had appointed me at your request. I never even hoped that +such good fortune would befall me. Of course I knew that you would +speedily obtain a command, but my people have no influence whatever. +The general says that your company are to act as scouts for the army, +so there will be plenty of opportunity to distinguish ourselves. +Unfortunately I don't see much chance of fighting at present. The +Iberian tribesmen had such a lesson last autumn that they are not likely +for a long time to give us further trouble." + +"Do not make yourself uneasy on that score, Trebon," Malchus said, "I +can tell you, but let it go no further, that ere long there will be +fighting enough to satisfy even the most pugnacious." + +One evening Malchus had left the club early. Full as he was of the +thoughts of the tremendous struggle which was soon to begin between the +great antagonists, he wearied of the light talk of his gay comrades. The +games of chance, to which a room in the club was allotted, afforded him +no pleasure; nor had he any interest in the wagering which was going +on as to the merits of the horses which were to run in the races on the +following day. On leaving the club he directed his footsteps towards the +top of the hill on which Carthagena stood, and there, sitting alone +on one of the highest points, looked over the sea sparkling in the +moonlight, the many vessels in the harbour and the lagoons stretching +inland on each side of the city. + +He tried to imagine the course that the army was to follow, the terrible +journey through the snow covered passes of that tremendous range of +mountains of which he had heard, the descent into the plains of Italy, +and the first sight of Rome. He pictured to himself the battles which +would have to be fought by the way, and above all, the deadly conflict +which would take place before Rome could be carried by assault, and the +great rival of Carthage be humbled to the dust. Then he pictured the +return of the triumphant expedition, the shouting multitudes who would +acclaim Hannibal the sole arbitrator of the destinies of Carthage, +and in his heart rejoiced over the changes which would take place--the +overthrow of the faction of Hanno, the reform of abuses, the +commencement of an era of justice, freedom, and prosperity for all. + +For more than three hours he sat thus, and then awoke to the fact that +the night was cold and the hour late. Drawing his bernous tightly round +him he descended into the city, which was now for the most part wrapped +in sleep. He was passing through the native quarter when a door opened +and several men came out. Scarcely knowing why he did so Malchus drew +back into a doorway until they had moved on ahead of him, and then +followed them at some little distance. At any other time he would have +thought nothing of such an incident, but his nerves were highly strung +at the moment, and his pause was dictated more by an indisposition to +encounter anything which might disturb the current of his thoughts than +by any other motive. + +In the moonlight he could see that two of the five men ahead of him +were members of the Carthaginian horse guard, for the light glittered +on their helmets; the other three were, by their attire, natives. Two +of the latter soon separated from the others, and on reaching the better +part of the town the two Carthaginians turned down a side street, and in +the still night Malchus heard the parting words to their neighbour, "At +the same place tomorrow night." The remaining native kept straight along +the road which Malchus was following. Still onward he went, and +Malchus, to his surprise, saw him go up to one of the side entrances to +Hannibal's palace. He must have knocked very quietly, or someone must +have been waiting to admit him, for without a sound the door was opened +and the man entered. + +Malchus went round to the principal entrance, and after a little +badinage from the officer on guard as to the lateness of the hour at +which he returned, made his way to his apartment. + +He was puzzled by what he had seen. It was strange that two of the +Carthaginian guard, men necessarily belonging to noble families, should +have been at a native gathering of some sort in the upper town. Strange, +too, that a man probably an attendant or slave belonging to the palace +should also have been present. The more he thought of it the more he was +puzzled to account for it, and before he went to sleep he came to the +resolution that he would, if possible, on the following night discover +the object of such a gathering. + +Next evening, therefore, he returned from the Syssite early, exchanged +his helmet for a skullcap, and, wrapping himself in his cloak, made his +way to the house from which he had seen the men come forth. It stood at +the corner of the street. Thick hangings hung across the openings for +the windows, and prevented even a ray of light from finding its way out. +Listening attentively Malchus could hear a low hum of voices within. As +there were still people about he moved away for half an hour. + +On his return the street was deserted. Malchus put his hand through +a window opening into the side street and felt that the hanging was +composed of rushes tightly plaited together. With the point of his +dagger he very cautiously cut a slit in this, and applying his eye to it +was able to obtain a glimpse of the apartment within. On low stools by +a fire two Carthaginians were sitting, while four natives were seated on +the rushes which covered the floor. Malchus recognized the Carthaginians +at once, for they were members of the troop in which he had served. +Neither of them were men popular among their fellows, for they belonged +to families closely related to Hanno. They had always, however, +professed the greatest admiration for Hannibal, and had declared that +for their part they altogether repudiated the doings of the party to +which their family belonged. + +The conversation was carried on in low tones, a precaution absolutely +necessary in the day when glass windows were unknown, unless the +discourse was upon general subjects. Malchus listened attentively, but +although he thought he caught the words Hanno and Hannibal repeated +several times, he was unable to hear more. At the end of the half hour +the conference was apparently at an end, for all rose to their feet. +One of the Carthaginians put a bag, which was evidently heavy, into +the hands of one of the natives, and the party then went out. Malchus +stepped to the corner and caught the words, "Tomorrow night, then, +without fail." + +The party then separated, the Carthaginians passing straight on, the +natives waiting until they had gone some little distance ahead before +they followed. Malchus remained for some little time in the side street +before he sallied out and took his way after them. After he saw two of +the natives leave the other, he quickened his steps and passed the +man, who proceeded alone towards the palace, a short distance before he +arrived there. As he did so he glanced at his face, and recognized him +as one of the attendants who waited at Hannibal's table. Malchus did +not turn his head, however, but kept straight on his way and entered the +palace as usual. + +"Malchus," the captain of the guard laughed as he went in, "assuredly +I shall have to tell Hamilcar of your doings. Last night you entered an +hour after every one had retired to rest, tonight you are back in better +time, but assuredly you have not been to the Syssite in that hunting +cap. This savours of a mystery. Do not pretend to me that you have +been looking after your company of Numidians at this time of the night, +because, did you swear it by Astarte, I should not believe you." + +"No; I think I could invent a better story than that if I were put to +it," Malchus said with a laugh; "but as I am not obliged to invent one +at all, I will leave you to do so for me. In truth I have been about +some private business, but what that business is is a profound secret." + +"A secret of state, no doubt," the officer rejoined. "Well, I will say +nothing this time; but do not let it occur again, or I shall think that +some Iberian maiden has captured that susceptible heart of yours." + +After Malchus had reached his chamber he sat down for some time in +deep thought. It was clear to him that something was wrong. This secret +meeting of the two Carthaginians with natives, one of whom was employed +in Hannibal's household, could mean no good. Money had passed, too, and, +judging from the size and apparent weight of the bag, no inconsiderable +amount. What could it mean? It was but a few months before that +Hasdrubal had fallen beneath the dagger of a native servant. Could this +be a plot against the life of Hannibal? + +The two Carthaginians were connected with Hanno, and might well be +agents employed to rid him of his great rival. And yet he had heard +nothing which would justify his bringing so grave an accusation against +these men. The money which he had seen exchanged might be for the price +of a horse or of a slave, and he might only make himself ridiculous +were he to speak to Hannibal or his father as to what had occurred. He +decided, therefore, that any action he might take must be on his own +account. If the words he had overheard meant anything, and if a plot +were really on hand, it was to be carried out on the following night. +Malchus determined to take steps to meet it. + +The next day he took Trebon into his counsels and told him of the +mysterious meetings which he had accidentally discovered. There was free +access to Hannibal's palace; officers were constantly coming in and out, +and soldiers arriving and leaving with messages and orders. Malchus, +had, therefore, had no difficulty in passing into his apartment, one +by one, ten picked men of his company. They had orders to remain there +perfectly quiet, and Trebon also took post with them, Malchus telling +him to make some excuse or other to prevent any attendant or slave from +entering the apartment while he was absent. + +There was a concert that evening; the palace was crowded with guests. +From time to time Malchus stole away to his room, where the Numidians +were seated on the ground silent and immovable as so many bronze +statues. At other times he kept near Hannibal, watching closely the +movements of every native who passed near him; and ready to spring +forward instantly if he saw any signs of an evil intention. However, he +did not much apprehend, that even if his suspicions were correct and +a plot was on foot against Hannibal, any attempt would be made to +assassinate him in the midst of a crowded assembly, where there would +be no possibility of escape for the perpetrators of such a deed. At +last the guests began to depart, and an hour later all was quiet in the +palace. Laying aside his sandals, Malchus stole noiselessly over the +marble pavements until he approached the entrance which he had twice +seen opened so late. A slave was lying close to it. + +Unobserved Malchus stole away again to his chamber and bade the +Numidians follow him. Noiselessly the troop of barefooted Arabs moved +shadowlike through the lofty halls and corridors. Two of them he placed +at the entrance to the chamber where Hannibal slept, with orders +to allow no one to pass until he returned, then with the others he +proceeded to the entrance. Few lights only were burning in the passages, +and it was not until they were close at hand that the slave perceived +the approaching figures. He leaped to his feet, but before he could cry +out Malchus stepped forward and said: + +"Silence, if you value your life. You know me; I am Malchus the son of +Hamilcar. Now, tell me the truth, or tomorrow the torture shall wring it +from you. Who placed you here, and why?" + +"Carpadon, one of the chief attendants, ordered me to remain here to +admit him on his return. I knew not there was harm in it," the slave +said. + +"Is it the first time you have kept watch for such a purpose?" + +"No, my lord, some six or seven times he has gone out late." + +"Do you know the cause of his absence?" + +"No, my lord, it would not become a slave to question one of the chief +attendants of my lord Hannibal as to why he goes or comes." + +The man's manner was so natural, and his surprise at the interest which +one of the rank of Malchus showed in the doings of an attendant so +genuine, that Malchus was convinced he knew nothing of any enterprise in +which the man who had placed him there might be engaged. + +"Very well," he said, "I will believe what you tell me. Now, do you +resume your place at the door, and open it as usual at his signal. Say +no word and make no sign which may lead him to know of our presence +here. Mind, my eye will be upon you, and your life will pay for any +treachery." + +Malchus with four of his men now took post on one side of the door, +standing well back in the shadow so that their presence would not be +noticed by anyone entering. Trebon with the remaining four men took up a +similar position on the other side of the doorway. + +Two hours passed. At length a low tap followed by two others was heard +at the door. The slave at once opened it. Carpadon entered, and with a +sudden movement threw one arm round the slave's neck and with the other +stabbed him to the heart. Then he opened the door wide, and said in a +low tone: + +"Enter, all is safe." + +In a moment a dark mass of men poured in at the door. The matter was +more serious than Malchus had expected. He had looked for the entry +perhaps of three or four men, and had intended to close in behind them +and cut them off; but here were a score at least, and how many more +might be outside he knew not. He therefore gave the signal by shouting +"Carthage," and at once with his followers fell upon one flank of the +natives, for such their dress showed them to be, while Trebon attacked +them on the other. There was a shout of surprise and alarm at the +unexpected onslaught, and several were cut down at once. The others, +drawing their swords, began to defend themselves, trying at the same +time to retreat to the door, through which, however, many others were +still pressing in. For a few minutes a severe fight went on, and the +numbers and desperation of Carpadon's followers began to tell, and, in +spite of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, they would have been +forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, had not help been +at hand. + +The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and the +officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing torches, +came running at full speed from their post at the chief entrance. As the +guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to do, or among whom the +conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment drew out from the fray. + +"Seize and disarm all the natives," he said; "the Numidians are here by +my orders." + +The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, and +the natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were speedily +disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they saw the torches +approaching, taken to flight. + +A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident at +the palace came running up. + +"What means this fray, Malchus?" + +"It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been +fortunate enough to discover and defeat." + +"Who are these men?" Hamilcar asked. + +"So far as I know they are natives," Malchus replied. "The chief of +the party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your +attendants." + +One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face. + +"It is Carpadon," Hannibal said. "I believed him honest and faithful." + +"He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this +night's work." + +Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and then, +with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. The lamps were +lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew. + +"Now, Malchus, tell us your story," Hannibal said. "It seems strange to +me that you should have said nought to your father or me of what you +had learned, and left us to take such measures as might seem fit to us, +instead of taking the matter into your own hands." + +"Had I had certainties to go upon I should assuredly have done so, but, +as you will see when I tell you all I had learned, I had nothing but +suspicions, and those of the vaguest, and for aught I knew I might be +altogether in the wrong." + +Malchus then gave the full details of the manner in which his suspicions +had been first excited, and in which on the previous night he had taken +steps to ascertain whether there were any foundation for them. + +"You see," he concluded, "there was no sort of certainty, nothing to +prove that the money was not paid for the purchase of a horse or slave. +It was only the one fact that one of the party was a servant here that +rendered what I discovered serious. Had it not been for the fate of +Hasdrubal I should never have given the matter a second thought; but, +knowing that he was assassinated by a trusted servant, and seeing two +men whose families I knew belonged to Hanno's faction engaged in secret +talk with one of your attendants, the suspicion struck me that a similar +deed might again be attempted. The only words I had to go upon were, +'Tomorrow night, then, without fail.' This was not enough for me to +bring an accusation against two men of noble family; and, had I told +you the tale without the confirmation it has now received, you would +probably have treated it but lightly. I resolved, therefore, to wait +and see, taking such precaution that no harm could come of my secrecy. I +concealed in my room ten of my Numidians, with my lieutenant Trebon--an +ample force whatever might betide. + +"If, as I suspected, this man intended, with two or three others, to +steal into your chamber and slay you while you slept, we could at once +have stopped the attempt; should he come with a larger force, we could, +as is proved, resist them until the guard arrived on the spot. If, on +the other hand, night passed off quietly and my suspicions proved to be +altogether erroneous, I should escape the ridicule which would certainly +have been forthcoming had I alarmed you without cause." + +"You have acted very wisely and well, my son," Hamilcar said, "and +Carthage owes you the life of our beloved Hannibal. You indeed reasoned +with great wisdom and forethought. Had you informed us of what you had +discovered we should have taken precautions which would doubtless have +effected the object; but they would probably have become known to the +plotters, and the attempt would have been postponed and attempted some +other time, and perhaps with success. What say you, Hannibal, have I not +reason to be proud of this young son of mine?" + +"You have indeed, Hamilcar, and deeply am I indebted to him. It is not +my life I care for, although that now is precious to me for the sake +of my beloved Imilce, but had I fallen now all the plans which we have +thought of together would have been frustrated, and the fairest chance +which Carthage ever had of fighting out the quarrel with her rival would +have been destroyed. Truly it has been a marvellous escape, and it seems +to me that the gods themselves must have inspired Malchus to act as he +did on such slight grounds as seeing two Carthaginians of the guard in +company with three or four natives at a late hour of the evening." + +"What do you think will be best to do with the traitors who have plotted +against your life, Hannibal? Shall we try and execute them here, or send +them to Carthage to be dealt with?" + +Hannibal did not answer for a minute. + +"I think, Hamilcar, the best plan will be to keep silent altogether as +to the danger I have run. The army would be furious but would at the +same time be dispirited were it known in Carthage that two of her nobles +had been executed for an attempt on my life. It would only cause a fresh +outbreak of animosity and an even deadlier feud than before between +Hanno's friends and ours. Therefore, I say, let the men taken tonight be +executed in the morning without question asked, and let no word be said +by them or by us that they were bribed by Carthaginians. All in the +palace now know that a party of natives have broken in, and will guess +that my life was their object; there is no need that they should know +more. As to the two men, I will call them before me tomorrow, with none +but you present, and will let them know that I am aware that they are +the authors of this attempt, and will bid them resign their places in +the guard and return at once to Carthage." + +"It grieves me that they should go unpunished," Hamilcar said; "but +doubtless your plan is the wisest." + +"Then," Hannibal said, rising, "we will to bed again. Malchus, acquaint +Trebon of our determination that silence is to be kept; tell him that I +shall bear him in mind, and not forget his share in this night's work. +As for you, Malchus, henceforth you are more than my cousin; you have +saved my life, and I shall never forget it. I shall tell Imilce in the +morning of the danger which has passed, for it is sure to come to her +ears, and she will know better than I do how to thank you." + +Accordingly in the morning Hannibal's orders were carried out; the +twelve natives taken prisoners were beheaded without any of the usual +tortures which would have been inflicted upon a similar occasion. +No less than fourteen others had been killed in the fight. The two +Carthaginian nobles were sent for by Hannibal. They came prepared to +die, for they knew already by rumour that the attempt had failed, and +doubted not when the summons reached them that Carpadon had denounced +them as his accomplices. But they went to their certain doom with the +courage of their class--pale, perhaps, but otherwise unmoved. Hannibal +was alone with Hamilcar when they entered. + +"That assassination is not an altogether unknown crime in Carthage," he +said quietly, "I was well aware, but I did not before think that nobles +in the Carthaginian horse would stoop to it. I know that it was you who +provided the gold for the payment of the men who made an attempt upon my +life, that you personally paid my attendant Carpadon to hire assassins, +and to lead them to my chamber. Were I to denounce you, my soldiers +would tear you in pieces. The very name of your families would be held +accursed by all honest men in Carthage for all time. I do not ask you +whether I have given you cause for offence, for I know that I have not +done so; you acted simply for the benefit of Hanno. Whether you were +instructed by him I do not deign to ask. I shall not harm you. The tale +of your infamy is known to but four persons, and none others will ever +know it. I am proud of the honour of the nobles of Carthage, and would +not that the scum of the people should bandy the name of your families +on their lips as guilty of so foul an act of treason. You will, of +course, at once resign your positions in the Carthaginian horse. Make +what pretext you will--illness or private affairs. Tomorrow sail for +Carthage, and there strive by efforts for the good of your country to +efface the remembrance of this blow which you would have struck her." + +So saying, with a wave of the hand he dismissed them. + +They went without a word, too astonished at his clemency, too humiliated +by their own disgrace even to utter a word of thanks. When they were +fairly beyond the palace they looked at each other as men awakened from +a dream. + +"What a man!" one of them exclaimed. "No wonder the soldiers adore him! +He has given us our lives--more, he has saved our names from disgrace. +Henceforth, Pontus, we, at least, can never again take part against +him." + +"It is almost too much to bear," the other said; "I feel that I would +rather that he had ordered us to instant execution." + +"Ay, for our own sakes, Pontus, but not for those of others. For myself +I shall retire to the country; it seems to me that never again shall I +be able to mix with others; they may know nothing of it, but it will be +ever on my mind. How they would shrink back in horror were what we have +done whispered to them! Truly, were it not for my family, I would prefer +death with the worst torture to life as it will be now." + +The excitement in the army was intense when it became known that a +body of Iberians had attempted to break into Hannibal's palace with the +design of murdering him, and many of the soldiers, seizing their arms, +hurried towards the city, and had not an officer ridden with the news to +Hannibal, they would assuredly have fallen upon the native inhabitants, +and a general massacre would have taken place. + +Hannibal at once mounted and rode out to meet the soldiers. He was +received with enthusiastic acclamations; at length he raised his arm to +restore silence, and then addressed the troops, telling them how deeply +he valued the evidence of their affection, but that he prayed them to +return to their camps and lay by their arms. + +"We must not," he said, "confound the innocent with the guilty. Those +who were concerned in the attempt have paid the penalty with their +lives; it is not because a handful of Spaniards have plotted against me +that you are to swear hatred against the whole race; were you to punish +the innocent for the guilty you would arouse the fury of the Iberians +throughout the whole peninsula, and all our work would have to be done +over again. You know that above all things I desire the friendship and +goodwill of the natives. Nothing would grieve me more than that, just as +we are attaining this, our efforts should be marred by a quarrel between +yourselves and the people here. I pray you, therefore, as a personal +favour to me, to abstain from all tumult, and go quietly back to your +camp. The attack upon my palace was made only by some thirty or forty of +the scum of the inhabitants, and the attempt was defeated by the wisdom +and courage of my young cousin Malchus, whom you must henceforth regard +as the saviour of my life." + +The soldiers at once acceded to the request of their general, and after +another outburst of cheering they returned quietly to their camp. + +The result of this affair was to render Malchus one of the most +popular personages in the army, and the lad was quite abashed by the +enthusiastic reception which the soldiers gave him when he passed among +them. It removed, too, any feeling of jealousy which might have existed +among his former comrades of the Carthaginian horse, for although it +was considered as a matter of course in Carthage that generals should +appoint their near relatives to posts of high command, human nature was +then the same as now, and men not possessed of high patronage could not +help grumbling a little at the promotion of those more fortunate than +themselves. Henceforth, however, no voice was ever raised against the +promotion of Malchus, and had he at once been appointed to a command of +importance none would have deemed such a favour undeserved by the youth +who had saved the life of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IX: THE SIEGE OF SAGUNTUM + + +A few days later the Carthaginian army were astonished by the issue +of an order that the whole were to be in readiness to march upon the +following day. The greatest excitement arose when the news got abroad. +None knew against whom hostilities were to be directed. No one had heard +aught of the arrival of messengers announcing fresh insurrection among +the recently conquered tribes, and all sorts of surmises were indulged +in as to the foe against whom this great force, the largest which had +ever been collected by Carthage, were about to get in motion. + +The army now gathered around Carthagena amounted, indeed, to a hundred +and fifty thousand men, and much surprise had for some time existed +at the continual arrival of reinforcements from home, and at the large +number of troops which had during the winter been raised and disciplined +from among the friendly tribes. + +Simultaneously with the issue of the order long lines of wagons, laden +with military stores, began to pour out from the arsenals, and all day +long a procession of carts moved across the bridge over the canal in the +isthmus to the mainland. The tents were struck at daylight, the baggage +loaded up into the wagons told off to accompany the various bodies of +soldiers, and the troops formed up in military order. + +When Hannibal rode on to the ground, surrounded by his principal +officers, a shout of welcome rose from the army; and he proceeded to +make a close inspection of the whole force. The officers then placed +themselves at the head of their respective commands, the trumpets gave +the signal, and the army set out on a march, as to whose direction and +distance few present had any idea, and from which few, indeed, were ever +destined to return. + +There was no longer any occasion for secrecy as to the object of the +expedition. The generals repeated it to their immediate staffs, these +informed the other officers, and the news speedily spread through the +army that they were marching against Saguntum. The importance of the +news was felt by all. Saguntum was the near ally of Rome, and an attack +upon that city could but mean that Carthage was entering upon another +struggle with her great rival. + +Saguntum lay about 140 miles north of Carthagena, and the army had to +cross the range of mountains now known as the Sierra Morena, which +run across the peninsula from Cape St. Vincent on the west to Cape St. +Martin on the east. The march of so large an army, impeded as it was +by a huge train of wagons with stores and the machines necessary for a +siege, was toilsome and arduous in the extreme. But all worked with the +greatest enthusiasm and diligence; roads were made with immense labour +through forests, across ravines, and over mountain streams. + +Hannibal himself was always present, encouraging the men by his praises, +and sharing all their hardships. + +At last the mountains were passed, and the army poured down into +the fertile plains of Valencia, which town, however, was not then in +existence. Passing over the site where it is now situated they continued +their march north until Saguntum, standing on its rocky eminence, came +into view. + +During the march Malchus and his company had led the way, guided by +natives, who pointed out the easiest paths. As there were no enemies to +be guarded against, they had taken their full share in the labours of +the army. + +The Saguntines were already aware of the approach of the expedition. No +sooner had it crossed the crest of the mountains than native runners +had carried the news of its approach, and the inhabitants had spent the +intervening time in laying in great stores of provisions, and in making +every preparation for defence. The garrison was small in comparison with +the force marching against it, but it was ample for the defence of the +walls, for its position rendered the city well nigh impregnable against +the machines in use at the time, and was formidable in the extreme even +against modern artillery, for 2000 years afterwards Saguntum, with a +garrison of 3000 men, resisted for a long time all the efforts of a +French army under General Suchet. As soon as his force arrived near the +town Hannibal rode forward, and, in accordance with the custom of the +times, himself summoned the garrison to surrender. Upon their refusal +he solemnly declared war by hurling his javelin against the walls. The +troops at once advanced to the assault, and poured flights of arrows, +masses of stones from their machines, javelins, and missiles of all +descriptions into the city, the defenders replying with equal vigour +from the walls. At the end of the first day's fighting Hannibal +perceived that his hopes of carrying the place by assault were vain--for +the walls were too high to be scaled, too thick to be shaken by any +irregular attack--and that a long siege must be undertaken. + +This was a great disappointment to him, as it would cause a long +delay that it would be scarce possible to commence the march which he +meditated that summer. As to advancing, with Saguntum in his rear, it +was not to be thought of, for the Romans would be able to land their +armies there and to cut him off from all communication with Carthagena +and Carthage. There was, then, nothing to be done but to undertake the +siege in regular order. + +The army formed an encampment in a circle round the town. A strong force +was left to prevent the garrison from making a sortie, and the whole of +the troops were then marched away in detachments to the hills to fell +and bring down the timber which would be required for the towers and +walls, the bareness of the rock rendering it impossible to construct the +approaches as usual with earth. In the first place, a wall, strengthened +by numerous small towers, was erected round the whole circumference +of the rock; then the approaches were begun on the western side, where +attack was alone possible. + +This was done by lines of wooden towers, connected one with another by +walls of the same material; movable towers were constructed to be pushed +forward against the great tower which formed the chief defence of the +wall, and on each side the line of attack was carried onward by portable +screens covered with thick hide. In the meantime the Saguntines were +not idle. Showers of missiles of all descriptions were hurled upon the +working parties, great rocks from the machines on the walls crashed +through the wooden erections, and frequent and desperate sorties were +made, in which the Carthaginians were almost always worsted. The nature +of the ground, overlooked as it was by the lofty towers and walls, and +swept by the missiles of the defenders, rendered it impossible for any +considerable force to remain close at hand to render assistance to the +workers, and the sudden attacks of the Saguntines several times drove +them far down the hillside, and enabled the besieged, with axe and fire, +to destroy much of the work which had been so labouriously carried out. + +In one of these sorties Hannibal, who was continually at the front, +overlooking the work, was seriously wounded by a javelin in the thigh. +Until he was cured the siege languished, and was converted into a +blockade, for it was his presence and influence alone which encouraged +the men to continue their work under such extreme difficulties, +involving the death of a large proportion of those engaged. Upon +Hannibal's recovery the work was pressed forward with new vigour, and +the screens and towers were pushed on almost to the foot of the walls. +The battering rams were now brought up, and--shielded by massive +screens, which protected those who worked them from the darts and stones +thrown down by the enemy, and by lofty towers, from whose tops the +Carthaginian archers engaged the Saguntines on the wall--began their +work. + +The construction of walls was in those days rude and primitive, and they +had little of the solidity of such structures in succeeding ages. +The stones were very roughly shaped, no mortar was used, and the +displacement of one stone consequently involved that of several others. +This being the case it was not long before the heavy battering rams of +the Carthaginians produced an effect on the walls, and a large breach +was speedily made. Three towers and the walls which connected them fell +with a mighty crash, and the besiegers, believing that the place was +won, advanced to the assault. But the Saguntines met them in the breach, +and for hours a desperate battle raged there. + +The Saguntines hurled down upon the assailants trunks of trees bristling +with spearheads and spikes of iron, blazing darts and falariques--great +blocks of wood with projecting spikes, and covered thickly with a mass +of pitch and sulphur which set on fire all they touched. Other species +of falariques were in the form of spindles, the shaft wrapped round with +flax dipped in pitch. Hannibal fought at the head of his troops with +desperate bravery, and had a narrow escape of being crushed by an +enormous rock which fell at his feet; but in spite of his efforts +and those of his troops they were unable to carry the breach, and at +nightfall fell back to their camp, having suffered very heavy losses. + +Singularly enough the French columns were repulsed in an effort to +carry a breach at almost the same spot, the Spaniards hurling among them +stones, hand grenades of glass bottles and shells, and defending the +breach with their long pikes against all the efforts of Suchet's troops. + +Some days passed before the attack was renewed, as the troops were worn +out by their labours. A strong guard in the meantime held the advanced +works against any sorties of the Saguntines. + +These, on their side, worked night and day, and by the time the +Carthaginians again advanced the wall was rebuilt and the breach closed. +But Hannibal had also been busy. Seeing that it was impossible for +his troops to win an entrance by a breach, as long as the Saguntines +occupied every point commanding it, he caused a vast tower to be built, +sufficiently lofty to overlook every point of the defences, arming each +of its stages with catapults and ballistas. He also built near the walls +a great terrace of wood higher than the walls themselves, and from this +and from the tower he poured such torrents of missiles into the town +that the defenders could no longer remain upon the walls. Five hundred +Arab miners now advanced, and these, setting to work with their +implements, soon loosened the lower stones of the wall, and this again +fell with a mighty crash and a breach was opened. + +The Carthaginians at once swarmed in and took possession of the wall; +but while the besiegers had been constructing their castle and terrace, +the Saguntines had built an interior wall, and Hannibal saw himself +confronted with a fresh line of defences. + +As preparations were being made for the attack of the new defences +messengers arrived saying that the Carpatans and Orotans, furious at the +heavy levies of men which had been demanded from them for the army, had +revolted. Leaving Maharbal to conduct the siege in his absence, Hannibal +hurried away with a portion of his force, and returned in two months, +having put down the revolt and severely punished the tribesmen. + +While the siege had been continuing the Romans had been making vain +efforts to induce the Carthaginians to desist. No sooner had the +operations commenced than agents from the Roman senate waited on +Hannibal and begged him to abandon the siege. Hannibal treated their +remonstrance with disdain, at the same time writing to Carthage to say +that it was absolutely necessary that the people of Saguntum, who were +insolent and hostile, relying on the protection of Rome, should be +punished. The envoys then went to Carthage, where they made an animated +protest against what they regarded as an unprovoked attack upon their +allies. Rome, in fact, was anxious at this moment to postpone the +struggle with Carthage for the same reason that Hannibal was anxious to +press it on. + +She had but just finished a long struggle with the Gaulish tribes of +Northern Italy, and was anxious to recover her strength before she +engaged in another war. It was for this very reason that Hannibal +desired to force on the struggle. His friends at Carthage persuaded the +senate to refuse to listen to the envoys of Rome. Another embassy was +sent to Hannibal, but the general would not give them an interview, +and, following the instructions they had received, the ambassadors then +sailed to Carthage to make a formal demand for reparation, and for the +person of Hannibal to be delivered over to them for punishment. + +But the Barcine party were for the moment in the ascendancy; long +negotiations took place which led to nothing, and all this time the +condition of the Saguntines was becoming more desperate. Five new +ambassadors were therefore sent from Rome to ask in the name of the +republic whether Hannibal was authorized by the Carthaginians to lay +siege to Saguntum, to demand that he should be delivered to Rome, and, +in case of refusal, to declare war. The Carthaginian senate met in the +temple of Moloch and there received the Roman ambassadors. Q. Fabius, +the chief man of the embassy, briefly laid the demands of Rome before +the senate. Cestar, one of the Barcine leaders, replied, refusing the +demands. Fabius then rose. + +"I give you the choice--peace or war?" + +"Choose yourself," the Carthaginians cried. + +"Then I choose war," Fabius said. + +"So be it," the assembly shouted. + +And thus war was formally declared between the two Republics. But +Saguntum had now fallen. The second wall had been breached by the time +Hannibal had returned from his expedition, and an assault was ordered. +As before, the Saguntines fought desperately, but after a long struggle +the Carthaginians succeeded in winning a footing upon the wall. + +The Saguntines, seeing that further resistance was vain, that the +besiegers had already won the breach, that there was no chance of +assistance from Rome, and having, moreover, consumed their last +provisions, sought for terms. Halcon, the Saguntine general, and a noble +Spaniard named Alorcus, on the part of Hannibal, met in the breach. +Alorcus named the conditions which Hannibal had imposed--that the +Saguntines should restore to the Torbolates the territory they had +taken from them, and that the inhabitants, giving up all their goods and +treasures, should then be permitted to leave the town and to found a new +city at a spot which Hannibal would name. + +The Saguntines, who were crowding round, heard the terms. Many of the +principal senators at once left the place, and hurrying into their +houses carried the gold and silver which they had there, and also some +of that in the public treasury, into the forum, and piling up a vast +heap of wood set it alight and threw themselves into the flames. This +act caused a tremendous commotion in the city. A general tumult broke +out, and Hannibal, seeing that his terms were refused, poured his troops +across the breach, and after a short but desperate fight captured the +city. In accordance with the cruel customs of the times, which, however, +were rarely carried into effect by Hannibal, the male prisoners were +all put to the sword, as on this occasion he considered it necessary +to strike terror into the inhabitants of Spain, and to inflict a lesson +which would not be forgotten during his absence in the country. + +The siege had lasted eight months. The booty taken was enormous. Every +soldier in the army had a rich share of the plunder, and a vast sum was +sent to Carthage; besides which the treasure chests of the army were +filled up. All the Spanish troops had leave given them to return to +their homes for the winter, and they dispersed highly satisfied with the +booty with which they were laden. This was a most politic step on the +part of the young general, as the tribesmen, seeing the wealth with +which their countrymen returned, no longer felt it a hardship to fight +in the Carthaginian ranks, and the levies called out in the spring went +willingly and even eagerly. + +Hannibal returned with his African troops to spend the winter at +Carthagena. He was there joined by the emissaries he had sent to +examine Southern Gaul and the passes of the Alps, to determine the most +practicable route for the march of the army, and to form alliances +with the tribes of Southern Gaul and Northern Italy. Their reports were +favourable, for they had found the greatest discontent existing among +the tribes north of the Apennines, who had but recently been conquered +by the Romans. + +Their chiefs, smarting under the heavy yoke of Rome, listened eagerly +to the offers of Hannibal's agents, who distributed large sums of money +among them, and promised them, in return for their assistance, not only +their freedom from their conqueror, but a full share in the spoils of +Rome. The chiefs replied that they would render any assistance to the +Carthaginians as soon as they passed the Alps, and that they would then +join them with all their forces. The reports as to the passes of the +Alps were less satisfactory. Those who had examined them found that the +difficulties they offered to the passage of an army were enormous, and +that the tribes who inhabited the lower passes, having suffered in +no way yet at the hands of Rome, would probably resist any army +endeavouring to cross. + +By far the easiest route would be to follow the seashore, but this was +barred against the Carthaginians by the fact that the Massilians (the +people of Marseilles) were the close allies of Rome. They had admitted +Roman colonists among them, and carried on an extensive trade with the +capital. Their town was strong, and their ports would be open to the +Roman fleets. The tribes in their neighourhood were all closely allied +with them. + +Hannibal saw at once that he could not advance by the route by the sea +without first reducing Marseilles. This would be an even more difficult +operation than the siege of Saguntum, as Rome would be able to send any +number of men by sea to the aid of the besieged, and the great struggle +would be fought out in Southern Gaul instead of, as he wished, in Italy. +Thus he decided to march by a route which would take him far north of +Marseilles, even although it would necessitate a passage through the +terrible passes of the Alps. + +During the winter Hannibal laboured without intermission in preparing +for his expedition. He was ever among his soldiers, and personally saw +to everything which could conduce to their comfort and well being. He +took a lively interest in every minute detail which affected them; saw +that their clothing was abundant and of good quality, inspected their +rations, and saw that these were well cooked. + +It was this personal attention to the wants of his soldiers which, as +much as his genius as a general, his personal valour, and his brilliant +qualities, endeared him to his troops. They saw how anxious he was for +their welfare; they felt that he regarded every man in his army as a +friend and comrade, and in return they were ready to respond to every +appeal, to make every sacrifice, to endure, to suffer, to fight to the +death for their beloved leader. His troops were mercenaries--that is, +they fought for pay in a cause which in no way concerned them--but +personal affection for their general supplied in them the place of the +patriotism which inspires modern soldiers, and transformed these semi +barbarous tribesmen into troops fit to cope with the trained legionaries +of Rome. + +Hannibal was far in advance of any of the generals of his time in all +matters of organization. His commissariat was as perfect as that of +modern armies. It was its duty to collect grain from the country through +which the army marched, to form magazines, to collect and drive with the +troops herds of cattle, to take over the provisions and booty brought +in by foraging parties, and, to see to the daily distribution of rations +among the various divisions. + +Along the line of communication depots were formed, where provisions, +clothing, and arms were stored in readiness for use, and from which the +whole army could, in case of necessity, be supplied with fresh clothing +and shoes. A band of surgeons accompanied the army, at the head of whom +was Synhalus, one of the most celebrated physicians of the time. So +perfect were the arrangements that it is said that throughout the +long campaign in Italy not a single day passed but that the troops, +elephants, and animals of all descriptions accompanying the army +received their daily rations of food. + + + +CHAPTER X: BESET + +During the winter Hannibal made every preparation to ensure the +tranquillity of Spain while he was absent. In order to lessen the number +of possible enemies there he raised a body of twelve hundred horse and +fourteen thousand infantry from among the most turbulent tribes, and +sent them across to Africa to serve as garrisons in Carthage and other +points, while an equal number of African troops were brought over to +garrison Spain, of which Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, was to have the +government during his absence. + +Hanno, an able general, was to command the force which was to be left in +southern Gaul to keep open the communications between the Pyrenees and +the Alps, while the youngest brother, Mago, a youth of about the same +age as Malchus, was to accompany him to Italy. Hannibal's wife and a +child which had been born in the preceding spring, were sent by ship to +Carthage. + +In the early spring the march commenced, the army following the coast +line until it reached the mouth of the Ebro. The mountainous and broken +country lying between this river and the Pyrenees, and now known as +Catalonia, was inhabited by fierce tribes unconquered as yet by Roman or +Carthaginian. Its conquest presented enormous difficulties. There was +no coherence between its people; but each valley and mountain was a +stronghold to be defended desperately until the last. The inhabitants, +accustomed to the mountains, were hardy, active, and, vigourous, ready +to oppose a desperate resistance so long as resistance was possible, and +then to flee across their hills at a speed which defied the fleetest of +their pursuers. + +Every man was a soldier, and at the first alarm the inhabitants of the +villages abandoned their houses, buried their grain, and having driven +away their cattle into almost inaccessible recesses among the hills, +returned to oppose the invaders. The conquest of such a people was +one of the most difficult of undertakings, as the French generals +of Napoleon afterwards discovered, to their cost. The cruelty of the +mountaineers was equal to their courage, and the lapse of two thousand +years changed them but little, for in their long struggle against the +French they massacred every detachment whom they could surprise among +the hills, murdered the wounded who fell into their hands, and poisoned +wells and grain. + +The army which Hannibal had brought to the foot of this country through +which he had to pass, amounted to 102,000 men, of which 12,000 were +cavalry and 90,000 infantry. This force passed the Ebro in three bodies +of equal strength. The natives opposed a desperate resistance, but the +three columns pressed forward on parallel lines. The towns were besieged +and captured, and after two months of desperate fighting Catalonia was +subdued, but its conquest cost Hannibal twenty-one thousand men, a fifth +of his whole army. Hanno was for the time left here with ten thousand +infantry and a thousand cavalry. He was to suppress any fresh rising, to +hold the large towns, to form magazines for the army, and to keep open +the passes of the Pyrenees. He fixed his headquarters at Burgos. His +operations were facilitated by the fact that along the line of the sea +coast were a number of Phoenician colonies who were natural allies of +the Carthaginians, and aided them in every way in their power. Before +advancing through the passes of the Pyrenees Hannibal still further +reduced the strength of his force by weeding out all those who had in +the conflict among the mountains shown themselves wanting in personal +strength or in military qualities. Giving these leave to return home he +advanced at the head of fifty thousand picked infantry and nine thousand +cavalry. + +The company under Malchus had rendered good service during the campaign +of Catalonia. It had accompanied the column marching by the seashore; +with this were the elephants, the treasure, and the heavy baggage of the +army. It had throughout been in advance of the column, feeling the +way, protecting it from ambushes, and dispersing any small bodies of +tribesmen who might have placed themselves on heights, whence with +arrows and slings they could harass the column on its march. The company +had lost comparatively few men in the campaign, for it had taken no part +in the various sieges. Its duties, however, were severe in the extreme. +The men were ever on the watch, scouting the country round, while the +army was engaged in siege operations, sometimes ascending mountains +whence they could command views over the interior or pursuing bands of +tribesmen to their refuges among the hills. + +Severely as Malchus had trained himself in every exercise, he found it +at first difficult to support the fatigues of such a life; but every day +his muscles hardened, and by the end of the campaign he was able to keep +on foot as long as the hardest of his men. + +One day he had followed a party of the tribesmen far up among the +mountains. The enemy had scattered, and the Arabs in their hot pursuit +had also broken up into small parties. Malchus kept his eye upon the man +who appeared to be the chief of the enemy's party, and pressing hotly +upon him brought him to bay on the face of a steep and rugged gorge. +Only one of the Numidians was at hand, a man named Nessus, who was +greatly attached to his young leader, and always kept close to him in +his expeditions. The savage, a bulky and heavy man, finding he could +no longer keep ahead of his fleet footed pursuers, took his post at a +narrow point in the path where but one could oppose him; and there, with +his heavy sword drawn, he awaited the attack. Malchus advanced to meet +him, sword in hand, when an arrow from Nessus whizzed past him and +struck the chief in the throat, and his body fell heavily down the +rocks. + +"That is not fair," Malchus said angrily. "I would fain have fought him +hand to hand." + +The Arab bowed his head. + +"My lord," he said, "the combat would not have been even; the man had +the upper ground, and you would have fought at a grievous disadvantage. +Why should you risk your life in a fight with the swords, when my arrow +has answered all purposes? What should I have said if I had gone back +without you? What satisfaction would it have been to me to avenge your +fall? What would they have said to me when I told them that I looked on +idly while you engaged in such a struggle? Valour is valour, and we all +know that my lord is the bravest among us; but the life of the cousin of +our general is too valuable to be risked for nought when we are embarked +upon a great enterprise." + +"Look, Nessus! what is there?" Malchus exclaimed, his attention +attracted by a dark object which was crossing the narrow path some +distance ahead and ascending the steep side of the gorge. "It is a bear, +let us follow him; his flesh will form a welcome change for the company +tonight." + +The bear, who had been prowling in the bottom of the ravine, had been +disturbed by the fall of the body of the savage near him, and started +hastily to return to its abode, which lay high up on the face of the +cliff. Malchus and his companion hurried forward to the spot where it +had crossed the path. The way was plain enough; there were scratches on +the rock, and the bushes growing in the crevices were beaten down. The +path had evidently been frequently used by the animal. + +"Look out, my lord!" Nessus exclaimed as Malchus hurried along. "These +bears of the Pyrenees are savage brutes. See that he does not take you +unawares." + +The rocks were exceedingly steep; and Malchus, with his bow in his hand +and the arrow fitted and ready to draw, climbed on, keeping his eyes on +every clump of bush lest the bear should be lurking there. At last he +paused. They had reached a spot now but a short distance from the top. +The cliff here fell almost perpendicularly down, and along its face was +a narrow ledge scarcely a foot wide. Along this it was evident the bear +had passed. + +"I should think we must be near his den now, Nessus. I trust this ledge +widens out before it gets there. It would be an awkward place for a +conflict, for a stroke of his paw would send one over the edge." + +"I shall be close behind you, my lord," said Nessus, whose blood was now +up with the chase. "Should you fail to stop him, drop on one knee that I +may shoot over you." + +For some fifty yards the ledge continued unbroken. Malchus moved along +cautiously, with his arrow in the string and his shield shifted round +his shoulder, in readiness for instant action. Suddenly, upon turning a +sharp corner of the cliff, he saw it widened ten feet ahead into a +sort of platform lying in the angle of the cliff, which beyond it again +jutted out. On this platform was a bear, which with an angry growl at +once advanced towards him. Malchus discharged his arrow; it struck the +bear full on the chest, and penetrated deeply. With a stroke of his paw +the animal broke the shaft asunder and rushed forward. Malchus threw +forward the point of his spear, and with his shield on his arm awaited +the onset. He struck the bear fairly on the chest, but, as before, it +snapped the shaft with its paw, and rising to its feet advanced. + +"Kneel, my lord!" Nessus exclaimed. + +Malchus dropped on one knee, bracing himself as firmly as he could +against the rock, and, with his shield above his head and his sword in +his hand, awaited the attack of the enraged animal. He heard the twang +of the bow behind him; then he felt a mighty blow, which beat down his +shield and descended with terrible force upon his helmet, throwing him +forward on to his face. Then there was a heavy blow on his back; and it +was well for him that he had on backpiece as well as breastplate, or the +flesh would have been torn from his shoulder to his loins. As the blow +fell there was an angry roar. For a moment he felt crushed by a weight +which fell upon him. This was suddenly removed, and he heard a crash far +below as the bear, pierced to the heart by the Arab's spear, fell over +the precipice. Nessus hastened to raise him. + +"My lord is not hurt, I hope?" + +"In no way, Nessus, thanks to you; but my head swims and my arm is well +nigh broken with that blow. Who would have thought a beast like that +could have struck so hard? See, he has dented in my helmet and has bent +my shield! Now, before we go back and search for the body, let us see +what its den is like." + +"Do you take my spear, my lord; your own is broken, and your bow has +gone over the precipice. It may be that there is another bear here. +Where one is, the other is seldom far off." + +They advanced on to the platform, and saw in the corner of the angle +a cave entering some distance into the hill. As they approached the +entrance a deep growl was heard within. + +"We had best leave it alone, my lord," Nessus said as they both recoiled +a step at the entrance. "This is doubtless the female, and these are +larger and fiercer than the males." + +"I agree with you, Nessus," Malchus said. "Were we on other ground I +should say let us attack it, but I have had enough of fighting bears on +the edge of a precipice. There is as much meat as we can carry ready for +us below. Besides, the hour is late and the men will be getting uneasy. +Moreover, we are but half armed; and we cannot get at her without +crawling through that hole, which is scarce three feet high. Altogether, +we had best leave her alone." + +While they were speaking the bear began to roar angrily, the deeper +notes being mingled with a chorus of snarls and whinings which showed +that there was a young family with her. + +"Do you go first, Nessus," Malchus said. "The rear is the post of honour +here, though I fancy the beast does not mean to come out." + +Nessus without a word took the lead, and advanced across the platform +towards the corner. + +As he was in the act of turning it he sprang suddenly back, while an +arrow flew past, grazing the corner of the rock. + +"There are a score of natives on the path!" he exclaimed. "We are in a +trap." + +Malchus looked round in dismay. It was evident that some of the natives +must have seen the fall of their leader and watched them pursue the +bear, and had now closed in behind them to cut off their retreat. The +situation was a most unpleasant one. The ledge extended no further than +the platform; below, the precipice fell away sheer down a hundred feet; +above, it rose as high. The narrow path was occupied with numerous foes. +In the den behind them was the angry bear. + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in consternation. + +"We are fairly caught, Nessus," Malchus said. "There is one thing, they +can no more attack us than we can attack them. Only one can come round +this corner at a time, and we can shoot or spear them as they do so. We +are tolerably safe from attack, but they can starve us out." + +"They can shoot over from the other side of the ravine," Nessus said; +"their arrows will carry from the opposite brow easily enough." + +"Then," Malchus said firmly, "we must dispose of the bear; we must have +the cave. We shall be safe there from their arrows, while, lying at the +entrance, we could shoot any that should venture past the corner. First, +though, I will blow my horn. Some of our men may be within hearing." + +Malchus pulled forth the horn which he carried. It was useless, being +completely flattened with the blow that the bear had struck him. + +"That hope is gone, Nessus," he said. "Now let us get the bear to come +out as soon as possible, and finish with her. Do you stand at the corner +with your arrow ready, in case the natives should try to surprise us, +and be ready to aid me when she rushes out." + +Malchus went to the mouth of the den, struck his spear against the side, +and threw in some pieces of stone; but, although the growling was deep +and continuous, the bear showed no signs of an intention of coming out. + +The Arab was an old hunter, and he now asked Malchus to take his place +with the bow while he drove the bear out. He first took off his bernous, +cut off several strips from the bottom, knotted them together, and then +twisted the strip into a rope. Growing out from a crevice in the rock, +some three feet above the top of the cave, was a young tree; and round +this, close to the root, Nessus fastened one end of his rope, the other +he formed into a slip-knot and let the noose fall in front of the cave, +keeping it open with two twigs placed across it. Then he gathered some +brushwood and placed it at the entrance, put a bunch of dried twigs and +dead leaves among it, and, striking a light with his flint and steel on +some dried fungus, placed this in the middle of the sticks and blew upon +it. In a minute a flame leaped up. "Now, my lord," he said, "be ready +with your sword and spear. The beast will be out in a minute; she cannot +stand the smoke." + +Malchus ran to the corner and looked round. The natives were at a +distance along the ledge, evidently with no intention of attacking a foe +of whom they felt sure. A taunting shout was raised and an arrow flew +towards him, but he instantly withdrew his head and ran back to the +platform. + +A minute later there was a fierce growl and the bear rushed out. The +brushwood was scattered as, checked suddenly in its rush by the noose, +the animal rose on its hind legs. In an instant the spear of Nessus was +plunged deeply into it on one side, while Malchus buried his sword to +the hilt in its body under the fore shoulder of the other. Stabbed to +the heart, the beast fell prostrate. Nessus repeated his blow, but +the animal was dead. Five young bears rushed out after their mother, +growling and snapping; but as these were only about a quarter grown they +were easily despatched. + +"There is a supply of food for a long time," Malchus said cheerfully; +"and as there is a drip of water coming down in this angle we shall be +able to quench our thirst. Ah! we are just in time." + +As he spoke an arrow struck the rock close to them and dropped at their +feet. Others came in rapid succession; and, looking at the brow of the +opposite side of the ravine, they saw a number of natives. + +"Pull the bear's body across the mouth of the cave," Malchus said, "it +will prevent the arrows which strike the rock in front from glancing in. +The little bears will do for food at present." + +They were soon in the cave, which opened beyond the entrance and +extended some distance into the mountain; it was seven or eight feet +wide and lofty enough to stand upright in. Nessus lay down behind the +bear, with his bow and arrow so as to command the angle of the rock. +Malchus seated himself further in the cave, sheltered by the entrance +from the arrows which from time to time glanced in at the mouth. Only +once did Nessus have to shoot. The natives on the ledge, informed by +their comrades on the opposite side of the gorge that their foes had +sought refuge in the cave, ventured to advance; but the moment the first +turned the corner he fell over the precipice, transfixed by an arrow +from the bow of Nessus, and the rest hastily retreated. + +"Hand me your flint and steel, Nessus, and a piece of fungus. I may as +well have a look round the cave." + +A light was soon procured, and Malchus found that the cave extended some +fifty feet back, narrowing gradually to the end. It had evidently been +used for a long time by wild animals. The floor was completely covered +with dry bones of various sizes. + +As soon as he saw that this was the case Malchus tore off a strip of his +linen shirt, and rolling it into a ball set it on fire. On this he +piled up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon had a bright +and almost smokeless fire. He now took the place of Nessus. The latter +skinned and cut up one of the small bears, and soon had some steaks +broiling over the fire. By this time it was getting dusk without. + +When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then sallied +out from the cave and took his post as sentry with his spear close to +the angle of the rock, as by this time the natives on the opposite side, +being no longer able to see in the gathering darkness, had ceased +to shoot. Malchus ate his food at his leisure, and then joined his +companion. + +"We must get out of here somehow, Nessus. Our company will search for us +tomorrow; but they might search for a week without finding us here; and, +as the army is advancing, they could not spare more than a day; so, if +we are to get away, it must be by our own exertions." + +"I am ready to fight my way along this ledge, my lord, if such is your +wish. They cannot see us to fire at, and as only one man can stand +abreast, their numbers would be of no avail to them." + +"Not on the ledge, Nessus; but they would hardly defend that. No doubt +they are grouped at the further end, and we should have to fight against +overwhelming numbers. No, that is not to be thought of. The only way of +escape I can think of would be to let ourselves down the precipice; but +our bernouses would not make a rope long enough." + +"They would not reach a third of the distance," Nessus replied, shaking +his head. "They have been worn some time, and the cloth is no longer +strong. It would need a broad strip to support us." + +"That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long +enough, nevertheless." + +"I do not understand you, my lord. Our other garments would be of but +little use." + +"Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we have +the skins of the bears--the hide of the old bear at least is thick and +tough--and a narrow strip would bear our weight." + +"Of course," Nessus said. "How stupid of me not to think of it, for in +the desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide. If you will +stand sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at once." + +Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the bear, +and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, and having +fastened them together, twisted them into a rope. + +The bernouses--which when on the march were rolled up and worn over one +shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers carry their +blankets in modern times--were also cut up and twisted, and in three +hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was long enough to +reach to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently strong to bear +their weight. + +One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope was +then thrown over the edge of the platform. One of the young bear's skins +was fastened round and round it at the point where it crossed the edge +of the rocky platform, to prevent it from being cut when the weight was +put upon it, and they then prepared for their descent. + +"Do you go first," Malchus said. "As soon as I feel that the rope is +loose, I will follow you." + +The Arab swung himself off the edge, and in a very short time Malchus +felt the rope slacken. He followed at once. The first twenty feet the +descent was absolutely perpendicular, but after that the rock inclined +outward in a steep but pretty regular slope. Malchus was no longer +hanging by the rope; but throwing the principal portion of his weight +still upon it, and placing his feet on the inequalities of the rock, he +made his way down without difficulty. Presently he stood by Nessus at +the foot of the slope. + +"We had better make up the ravine. There will be numbers of them at its +mouth. We can see the glow of their fires from here." + +"But we may not be able to find a way up," Nessus said; "the sides seem +to get steeper and steeper, and we may find ourselves caught in a trap +at the end of this gorge. At any rate we will try that way first. I +wish the moon was up; it is as black as a wolf's mouth here, and the +bottom of the gorge is all covered with boulders. If we stumble, and +our arms strike a stone, it will be heard by the natives on the opposite +heights." + +They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; but in +the dense darkness the task of making their way among the boulders was +difficult in the extreme. They had proceeded but a short distance when +a loud yell rose from the height above them. It was repeated again and +again, and was answered by shouts from the opposite side and from the +mouth of the ravine. + +"By Astarte!" Malchus exclaimed, "they have found out that we have +escaped already." + +It was so. One of the natives had crept forward along the path, hoping +to find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and stab him. When +he got to the angle of the rock he could see no form before him, +nor hear the slightest sound. Creeping forward he found the platform +deserted. He listened attentively at the entrance to the cave, and +the keen ear of the savage would have detected had any been slumbering +there; but all was still. + +He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, when +his head struck against something. He put up his hand and felt the rope, +and saw how the fugitives had escaped. He at once gave the alarm to his +comrades. In a minute or two a score of men with blazing brands came +running along the path. On seeing the rope, they entered the cave, and +found that their prey had really escaped. + +Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given. + +"We had better be going, my lord," the Arab said as he saw the men with +torches retracing their steps along the brow. "They will soon be after +us." + +"I think not, Nessus. Their chance of finding us among these boulders +in the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks to our +arrows that they would hardly enter upon it. No, I think they will wait +till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of the ravine, and +along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent could be made. Hark, the +men on the heights there are calling to others along the brow." + +"Very well, my lord," Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, "then we +will sell our lives as dearly as possible." + +"I hope it has not come to that, Nessus. There is a chance of safety for +us yet. The only place they are not likely to look for us is the cave, +and as we have climbed down from above with the rope, there will be no +difficulty in ascending." + +Nessus gave an exclamation, which expressed at once admiration of his +leader's idea and gratification at the thought of escape. They began +without delay to retrace their steps, and after some trouble again found +the rope. + +Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any inequality +of the surface of the rock. Whenever he came to a ledge which afforded +him standing room he shook the rope, and waited until Malchus joined +him. + +At last they stood together at the foot of the perpendicular rock at the +top. The lightly armed Arab found no difficulty whatever in climbing the +rope; but it was harder work for Malchus, encumbered with the weight +of his armour. The numerous knots, however, helped him, and when he was +within a few feet of the top, Nessus seized the rope and hauled it up +by sheer strength until Malchus was level with the top. Then he gave him +his hand, and assisted him to gain his feet. They entered the cave and +made their way to the further end, and there threw themselves down. They +had not long been there when they saw a flash of light at the mouth of +the cave and heard voices. + +Malchus seized his spear and would have leaped to his feet, but Nessus +pressed his hand on his shoulder. + +"They are come for the she bear," he said. "It is not likely they will +enter." + +Lying hidden in the darkness the fugitives watched the natives roll the +bear over, tie its legs together, and put a stout pole through them. +Then four men lifted the pole on their shoulders and started. + +Another holding a brand entered the cave. The two fugitives held their +breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to shoot. The +brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, picking up the +bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close to the entrance, +threw them over his shoulder, and crawled back out of the cave again. As +they heard his departing footsteps the fugitives drew a long breath of +relief. + +Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave. He returned in +a minute. + +"They have taken the rope with them," he said, "and it is well, for when +they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging there, it might +occur to them that we have made our way up. Now that it is gone they can +never suspect that we have returned here." + +"There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus. We can +sleep as securely as if were in our camp." + +So saying, Malchus chose a comfortable place, and was soon asleep. + +Nessus, however, did not lie down, but sat watching with unwearied eyes +the entrance to the cave. As soon as day had fairly broken, a chorus +of loud shouts and yells far down the ravine told that the search had +begun. For hours it continued. Every bush and boulder in the bottom was +searched by the natives. + +Again and again they went up and down the gorge, convinced that the +fugitives must be hidden somewhere; for, as Nessus had anticipated, the +cliffs at the upper end were so precipitous that an escape there was +impossible, and the natives had kept so close a watch all night along +the slopes at the lower end, and at the mouth, that they felt sure that +their prey could not have escaped them unseen. And yet at last they were +forced to come to the conclusion that in some inexplicable way this must +have been the case, for how else could they have escaped? The thought +that they had reascended by the rope before it was removed, and that +they were hidden in the cave at the time the bodies of the bear and its +cubs were carried away, never occurred to them. + +All day they wandered about in the bottom of the ravine, searching every +possible place, and sometimes removing boulders with great labour, where +these were piled together in such a manner that any one could be hidden +beneath them. + +At nightfall they feasted upon the body of the bear first killed, which +had been found where it had fallen in the ravine. The body of one of the +young bears which lay far up the cave, had escaped their search, and +a portion of this furnished a meal to the two prisoners, who were, +however, obliged to eat it raw, being afraid to light a fire, lest the +smoke, however slight, should be observed coming out at the entrance. + +The next morning, so far as they could see, the place was deserted by +the natives. Lying far back in the cave they could see that the men +on the opposite side of the ravine had retired; but as it was quite +possible that the natives, feeling still convinced that the fugitives +must be hidden somewhere, had set a watch at some spot commanding a +view of the whole ravine, they did not venture to show themselves at the +entrance. + +After making another meal of the bear, they sallied out, when it again +became dark, and made their way along the path. When they neared the end +they saw a party of the enemy sitting round a great fire at the mouth +of the ravine below them. They retired a short distance, and sat down +patiently until at last the fire burned low, and the natives, leaving +two of the party on watch, lay down to sleep. Then Malchus and his +companion rose to their feet, and made their way along the path. When +they were nearly abreast of the fire, Malchus happened to tread upon a +loose stone, which went bouncing down the side of the hill. + +The scouts gave a shout, which called their companions to their feet, +and started up the hillside towards the spot where the stone had fallen. + +Nessus discharged an arrow, which struck full on the chest of the leader +of the party, and then followed Malchus along the hillside. + +A shout of rage broke from the natives as their comrade fell; but +without pausing they pushed on. Malchus did not hurry. Silence now was +of more importance than speed. He strode along, then, with a rapid but +careful step, Nessus following closely behind him. The shouts of +the savages soon showed that they were at fault. Malchus listened +attentively as he went. Whenever the babel of tongues ceased for a +moment he stopped perfectly still, and only ventured on when they were +renewed. + +At last they had placed a long gap between them and their pursuers, and +came out on a level shoulder of the hill. They continued their way until +they found themselves at the edge of the forest. It was so dark under +the trees that they could no longer advance, and Malchus therefore +determined to wait till the dawn should enable them to continue their +journey. Whether they were in a clump of trees or in the forest, which +covered a large portion of the mountain side, they were unable to tell; +nor, as not a single star could be seen, had they any indication of the +direction which they should take. Retiring then for some little distance +among the trees, they lay down and were soon asleep. + +When the first dawn of day appeared they were on their way again, and +soon found that the trees under which they had slept formed part of the +forest. Through occasional openings, formed by trees which had fallen +from age or tempest, they obtained a view of the surrounding country, +and were enabled to form an idea where lay the camp which they had left +two days before. + +They had not proceeded far when they heard in the distance behind them +the shouting of men and the barking of dogs, and knew that the +enemy were upon their track. They ran now at the top of their speed, +convinced, however, that the natives, who would have to follow the +track, could not travel as fast as they did. Suddenly Malchus stopped. + +"Listen!" he said. They paused, and far down the hillside heard the +distant sound of a horn. "Those must be our men," Malchus exclaimed, +"they are searching for us still; Hannibal must have allowed them to +stay behind when the army proceeded on its way." + +In another half hour the horn sounded close at hand and they were +speedily among a body of Malchus' own followers, who received them with +shouts of delight. The men were utterly worn out, for they had searched +continuously day and night from the time they had missed their leader, +sometimes high up among the hills, sometimes among the lower valleys. +The party which he met comprised but a fourth of the band, for they had +divided into four parties, the better to range the country. + +They were now ascending the hills again at a distance of two miles +apart, and messengers were at once sent off to the other bodies to +inform them that Malchus had returned. Malchus quickly recounted to his +men the story of what had befallen them, and then bade them lie down to +rest while he and Nessus kept watch. + +The natives who had been in pursuit did not make their appearance, +having doubtless heard the horn which told of the approach of a body of +the Carthaginians. In two hours the whole of the band were collected, +and after a few hours' halt, to enable the men to recover from their +long fatigue and sleeplessness, Malchus put himself at their head +and they marched away to join the main body of their army, which they +overtook two days later. + +Malchus was received with great delight by his father and Hannibal, who +had given him up for lost. Nessus had over and over again recounted all +the details of their adventure to his comrades, and the quickness of +Malchus at hitting upon the stratagem of returning to the cave, and so +escaping from a position where escape seemed well nigh impossible, +won for him an even higher place than before in the admiration of his +followers. + + + +CHAPTER XI: THE PASSAGE OF THE RHONE + + +The army was now moving through the passes of the Pyrenees. The labour +was great; no army had ever before crossed this mountain barrier; roads +had to be made, streams bridged, and rocks blasted away, to allow the +passage of the elephants and baggage wagons. Opinions have differed as +to the explosives used by the Carthaginian miners, but it is certain +that they possessed means of blasting rocks. The engineers of Hannibal's +force possessed an amount of knowledge and science vastly in excess of +that attained by the Romans at that time, and during the campaign the +latter frequently endeavoured, and sometimes with success, by promises +of high rewards, to induce Hannibal's engineers to desert and take +service with them. A people well acquainted with the uses of sulphur +and niter, skilled in the Oriental science of chemistry, capable of +manufacturing Greek fire--a compound which would burn under water--may +well have been acquainted with some mixture resembling gunpowder. + +The art of making this explosive was certainly known to the Chinese in +very remote ages, and the Phoenicians, whose galleys traversed the most +distant seas to the east, may have acquired their knowledge from that +people. + +The wild tribes of the mountains harassed the army during this difficult +march, and constant skirmishes went on between them and Hannibal's light +armed troops. However, at last all difficulties were overcome, and the +army descended the slopes into the plains of Southern Gaul. + +Already Hannibal's agents had negotiated for an unopposed passage +through this country; but the Gauls, alarmed at the appearance of +the army, and at the news which had reached them of the conquest of +Catalonia, assembled in arms. Hannibal's tact and a lavish distribution +of presents dissipated the alarm of the Gauls, and their chiefs visited +Hannibal's camp at Elne, and a treaty was entered into for the passage +of the army. + +A singular article of this treaty, and one which shows the esteem in +which the Gauls held their women, was that all complaints on the part +of the natives against Carthaginian troops should be carried to Hannibal +himself or the general representing him, and that all complaints of the +Carthaginians against the natives should be decided without appeal by a +council composed of Gaulish women. This condition caused much amusement +to the Carthaginians, who, however, had no cause to regret its +acceptance, for the decisions of this singular tribunal were marked by +the greatest fairness and impartiality. The greater part of the tribes +through whose country the army marched towards the Rhone observed the +terms of the treaty with good faith; some proved troublesome, but were +wholly unable to stand against the Carthaginian arms. + +The exact route traversed by the army has been a subject of long and +bitter controversy; but, as no events of very great importance occurred +on the way, the precise line followed in crossing Gaul is a matter of +but slight interest. Suffice that, after marching from the Pyrenees at +a high rate of speed, the army reached the Rhone at the point where +Roquemaure now stands, a short distance above Avignon. + +This point had been chosen by Hannibal because it was one of the few +spots at which the Rhone runs in a single stream, its course being for +the most part greatly broken up by islands. Roquemaure lies sixty-five +miles from the sea, and it was necessary to cross the Rhone at some +distance from its mouth, for Rome was now thoroughly alarmed, and +Scipio, with a fleet and powerful army, was near Marseilles waiting to +engage Hannibal on the plains of Gaul. + +During the last few days' march no inhabitants had been encountered. +The Arecomici, who inhabited this part of the country, had not been +represented at the meeting, and at the news of the approach of the +Carthaginians had deserted their country and fled across the Rhone, +where, joined by the tribes dwelling upon the further bank, they +prepared to offer a desperate opposition to the passage of the river. +The appearance of this mass of barbarians, armed with bows and arrows +and javelins, on the further side of the wide and rapid river which had +to be crossed, was not encouraging. + +"It was bad enough crossing the Pyrenees," Malchus said to Trebon, +"but that was nothing to this undertaking; it is one thing to climb a +precipice, however steep, to the assault of an enemy, another to swim +across at the head of the army under such a shower of missiles as we +shall meet with on the other side." + +Hannibal, however, had prepared to overcome the difficulty. Messengers +had been sent up and down the river to all the people living on the +right bank, offering to buy from them at good prices every barge and +boat in their possession, promising them freedom from all exactions +and hard treatment, and offering good pay to those who would render +assistance to the army in the passage. Hannibal's offers were accepted +without hesitation. That the army, which could, had it chosen, have +taken all their boats by force and impressed their labour, should offer +to pay liberally for both, filled them with admiration, and they were, +moreover, only too glad to aid this formidable army of strangers to pass +out of their country. + +The dwellers upon the Rhone at this period carried on an extensive +commerce, not only with the tribes of the upper river, but with +Marseilles and the ports of Spain and Northern Italy, consequently a +large number of vessels and barges of considerable tonnage were at once +obtained. + +To add to the means of transport the whole army were set to work, and, +assisted by the natives, the soldiers cut down trees, and, hollowing +them out roughly, formed canoes capable of carrying two or three men. +So industriously did the troops work that in two days enough canoes +were made to carry the army across the river; but there was still the +opposition of the natives to be overcome, and when the canoes were +finished Hannibal ordered Hanno, one of his best generals, to start with +a division at nightfall up the bank of the river. + +Hanno marched five miles, when he found a spot where the river was +smooth and favourable for the passage. The troops set to at once to +cut trees; rafts were formed of these, and the troops passed over. The +Spanish corps, accustomed to the passage of rivers, simply stripped, and +putting their broad shields of hides beneath them, passed the river by +swimming. Once across Hanno gave his men twenty-four hours' rest, and +then, calculating that Hannibal's preparations would be complete, he +marched down the river until he reached a hill, whose summit was visible +from Hannibal's camp at daybreak. Upon this he lit a signal fire. + +The moment the smoke was seen in the camp Hannibal gave orders for the +troops to embark. The light infantry took to their little canoes, the +cavalry embarked in the larger vessels, and, as these were insufficient +to carry all the horses, a great many of the animals were made to enter +the river attached by ropes to the vessels. The heavier craft started +highest up, in order that they might to some extent break the roughness +of the waves and facilitate the passage of the canoes. + +The din was prodigious. Thousands of men tugged at the oars, the roughly +made canoes were dashed against each other and often upset, while from +the opposite bank rose loudly the defiant yells of the natives, prepared +to dispute to the last the landing of the flotilla. Suddenly these cries +assumed a different character. A mass of smoke was seen to rise from the +tents of the enemy's camp, and Hanno's division poured down upon their +rear. The Arecomici, taken wholly by surprise, were seized with a panic, +and fled hastily in all directions, leaving the bank clear for the +landing of Hannibal. The whole of the army were brought across at once +and encamped that night on the river. + +In the morning Hannibal sent off five hundred Numidian horse to +reconnoitre the river below, and ascertain what Scipio's army, which was +known to have landed at its mouth, was doing. He then assembled his army +and introduced to them some chiefs of the tribes beyond the Alps, who +had a day or two before arrived in the camp with the agents he had +sent to their country. They harangued the soldiers, an interpreter +translating their speeches, and assured them of the welcome they +would meet in the rich and fertile country beyond the Alps, and of the +alacrity with which the people there would join them against the Romans. + +Hannibal himself then addressed the soldiers, pointed out to them that +they had already accomplished by far the greatest part of their journey, +had overcome every obstacle, and that there now remained but a few +days' passage over the mountains, and that Italy, the goal of all their +endeavours, would then lie before them. + +The soldiers replied with enthusiastic shouts, and Hannibal, after +offering up prayers to the gods on behalf of the army, dismissed the +soldiers, and told them to prepare to start on the following day. Soon +after the assembly had broken up the Numidian horse returned in great +confusion, closely pressed by the Roman cavalry, who had been sent by +Scipio to ascertain Hannibal's position and course. The hostile cavalry +had charged each other with fury. A hundred and forty of the Romans and +two hundred of the Numidians were slain. + +Hannibal saw that there was no time to be lost. The next morning, at +daybreak, the whole of his cavalry were posted to the south to cover the +movements of the army and to check the Roman advance. The infantry were +then set in motion up the bank of the river and Hannibal, with a small +party, remained behind to watch the passage of the elephants, which had +not yet been brought across. + +The elephants had not been trained to take to the water, and the +operation was an extremely difficult one. Very strong and massive rafts +were joined together until they extended two hundred feet into the +river, being kept in their place by cables fastened to trees on the bank +above them. At the end of this floating pier was placed another raft +of immense size, capable of carrying four elephants at a time. A thick +covering of earth was laid over the whole, and on this turf was placed. +The elephants were then led forward. + +So solid was the construction that they advanced upon it without +hesitation. When four had taken their place on the great raft at the +end, the fastenings which secured it to the rest of the structure were +cut, and a large number of boats and barges filled with rowers began to +tow the raft across the river. The elephants were seized with terror at +finding themselves afloat, but seeing no way of escape remained trembling +in the centre of the raft until they reached the other side. When it was +safely across, the raft and towing boats returned, and the operation was +repeated until all the elephants were over. + +Some of the animals, however, were so terrified that they flung +themselves from the rafts into the river and made their way to shore, +keeping their probosces above the surface of the water. The Indians who +directed them were, however, all swept away and drowned. As soon as the +elephants were all across Hannibal called in his cavalry, and with them +and the elephants followed the army. + +The Romans did not arrive at the spot until three days after the +Carthaginians had left. Scipio was greatly astonished when he found that +Hannibal had marched north, as he believed that the Alps were impassable +for an army, and had reckoned that Hannibal would certainly march down +the river and follow the seashore. Finding that the Carthaginians had +left he marched his army down to his ships again, re-embarked them, and +sailed for Genoa, intending to oppose Hannibal as he issued from the +defiles of the Alps, in the event of his succeeding in making the +passage. + +Four days' march up the Rhone brought Hannibal to the point where the +Isere runs into that river. He crossed it, and with his army entered the +region called by Polybius "The Island," although the designation is an +incorrect one, for while the Rhone flows along one side of the triangle +and the Isere on the other, the base is formed not by a third river, but +by a portion of the Alpine chain. + +Malchus and his band had been among the first to push off from the +shore when the army began to cross the Rhone. Malchus was in a roughly +constructed canoe, which was paddled by Nessus and another of his men. +Like most of the other canoes, their craft soon became waterlogged, +for the rapid and angry current of the river, broken and agitated by so +large a number of boats, splashed over the sides of the clumsy canoes, +which were but a few inches above the water. The buoyancy of the wood +was sufficient to float them even when full, but they paddled slowly and +heavily. + +The confusion was prodigious. The greater part of the men, unaccustomed +to rowing, had little control over their boats. Collisions were +frequent, and numbers of the boats were upset and their occupants +drowned. The canoe which carried Malchus was making fair progress, but, +to his vexation, was no longer in the front line. He was urging the +paddlers to exert themselves to the utmost, when Nessus gave a sudden +cry. + +A horse which had broken loose from its fastenings behind one of the +barges was swimming down, frightened and confused at the din. It was +within a few feet of them when Nessus perceived it, and in another +moment it struck the canoe broadside with its chest. The boat rolled +over at once, throwing its occupants into the water. Malchus grasped the +canoe as it upset, for he would instantly have sunk from the weight of +his armour. Nessus a moment later appeared by his side. + +"I will go to the other side, my lord," he said, "that will keep the +tree from turning over again." + +He dived under the canoe, and came up on the opposite side, and giving +Malchus his hand across it, there was no longer any fear of the log +rolling over. The other rower did not reappear above the surface. +Malchus shouted in vain to some of the passing boats to pick him up, but +all were so absorbed in their efforts to advance and their eagerness to +engage the enemy that none paid attention to Malchus or the others in +like plight. Besides, it seemed probable that all, if they stuck to +their canoes, would presently gain one bank or other of the river. +Malchus, too, had started rather low down, and he was therefore soon out +of the flotilla. + +The boat was nearly in midstream when the accident happened. + +"The first thing to do," Malchus said when he saw that there was no +chance of their being picked up, "is to rid myself of my armour. I can +do nothing with it on, and if the tree turns over I shall go down like +a stone. First of all, Nessus, do you unloose your sword belt. I will +do the same. If we fasten them together they are long enough to go round +the canoe, and if we take off our helmets and pass the belts through the +chin chains they will, with our swords, hang safely." + +This was with some difficulty accomplished. + +"Now," Malchus continued, "let us make our way to the stern of the +canoe. I will place my hand on the tree there, and do you unfasten the +shoulder and waist straps of my breast and backpieces. I cannot do it +myself." + +This was also accomplished, and the two pieces of armour laid on the +tree. They were now free to look round. The rapid stream had already +taken them half a mile below the point where the army were crossing, and +they were now entering a spot where the river was broken up by islands, +and raced along its pent up channel with greater velocity than before, +its surface broken with short angry waves, which rendered it difficult +for them to retain their hold of the tree. + +For a time they strove by swimming to give the canoe an impetus towards +one bank or the other; but their efforts were vain. Sometimes they +thought they were about to succeed, and then an eddy would take the boat +and carry it into the middle of the stream again. + +"It is useless, Nessus," Malchus said at last. "We are only wearing +ourselves out, and our efforts are of no avail whatever. We must be +content to drift down the river until our good luck throws us into some +eddy which may carry us near one bank or the other." + +It was a long time, indeed, before that stroke of fortune befell them, +and they were many miles down the river before the current took them +near the eastern bank at a point where a sharp curve of the river threw +the force of the current over in that direction; but although they were +carried to within a few yards of the shore, so numbed and exhausted +were they by their long immersion in the cold water that it was with +the greatest difficulty that they could give the canoe a sufficient +impulsion to carry it to the bank. + +At last, however, their feet touched the bottom, and they struggled to +shore, carrying with them the arms and armour; then, letting the canoe +drift away again, they crawled up the bank, and threw themselves down, +utterly exhausted. It was some time before either of them spoke. Then +Malchus said: + +"We had best strip off our clothes and wring them as well as we can; +after that they will soon dry on us. We have no means of drying them +here, so we must lie down among some bushes to shelter us from this +bitter wind which blows from the mountains." + +The clothes were wrung until the last drop was extracted from them and +then put on again. They were still damp and cold, but Malchus and his +companion had been accustomed to be drenched to the skin, and thought +nothing of this. They were still too exhausted, however, to walk +briskly, and therefore lay down among some thick bushes until they +should feel equal to setting out on the long tramp to rejoin their +companions. After lying for a couple of hours Malchus rose to his feet, +and issuing from the bushes looked round. He had resumed his armour +and sword. As he stepped out a sudden shout arose, and he saw within a +hundred yards of him a body of natives some hundred strong approaching. +They had already caught sight of him. + +"Nessus," he exclaimed, without looking round, "lie still. I am seen, +and shall be taken in a minute. It is hopeless for me to try to escape. +You will do me more good by remaining hid and trying to free me from +their hands afterwards." + +So saying, and without drawing his sword, Malchus quietly advanced +towards the natives, who were rushing down towards him with loud shouts. +Flight or resistance would be, as he had at once seen, hopeless, and it +was only by present submission he could hope to save his life. + +The natives were a portion of the force which had opposed Hannibal's +landing, and had already killed several Carthaginians who had, like +Malchus, struggled to the bank after being upset in the passage. Seeing +that he attempted neither to fly nor to defend himself, they rushed upon +him tumultuously, stripped him of his arms and armour, and dragged him +before their leader. The latter briefly ordered him to be brought +along, and the party continued their hurried march, fearing that the +Carthaginian horse might at any moment pursue them. For the rest of the +afternoon they marched without a halt, but at nightfall stopped in a +wood. + +No fires were lit, for they knew not how close the Carthaginians might +be behind them. Malchus was bound hand and foot and thrown down in their +midst. There was no sleep that night. Half the party remained on watch, +the others sat together round the spot where Malchus lay and +discussed the disastrous events of the day--the great flotilla of the +Carthaginians, the sudden attack in their rear, the destruction of their +camp, the capture of the whole of their goods, and the slaughter and +defeat which had befallen them. + +As their dialect differed but little from that of the Gauls in the +Carthaginian service, Malchus was enabled to understand the greater part +of their conversation, and learned that the only reason why he was not +put to death at once was that they wished to keep him until beyond the +risk of pursuit of the Carthaginians, when he could be sacrificed to +their gods formally and with the usual ceremonies. + +All the time that they were talking Malchus listened anxiously for any +sudden outbreak which would tell that Nessus had been discovered. That +the Numidian had followed on their traces and was somewhere in the +neighbourhood Malchus had no doubt, but rescue in his present position +was impossible, and he only hoped that his follower would find that this +was so in time and would wait for a more favourable opportunity. The +night passed off quietly, and in the morning the natives continued their +march. After proceeding for three or four hours a sudden exclamation +from one of them caused the others to turn, and in the distance a +black mass of horsemen was seen approaching. At a rapid run the natives +started off for the shelter of a wood half a mile distant. Malchus was +forced to accompany them. He felt sure that the horsemen were a party +of Hannibal's cavalry, and he wondered whether Nessus was near enough to +see them, for if so he doubted not that he would manage to join them and +lead them to his rescue. + +Just before they reached the wood the natives suddenly stopped, for, +coming from the opposite direction was another body of cavalry. It +needed not the joyous shouts of the natives to tell Malchus that these +were Romans, for they were coming from the south and could only be a +party of Scipio's cavalry. The natives halted at the edge of the wood +to watch the result of the conflict, for the parties evidently saw each +other, and both continued to advance at full speed. The Roman trumpets +were sounding, while the wild yells which came up on the breeze told +Malchus that Hannibal's cavalry were a party of the Numidians. + +The Romans were somewhat the most numerous; but, had the cavalry opposed +to them consisted of the Carthaginian horse, Malchus would have had +little doubt as to the result; he felt, however, by no means certain +that the light armed Numidians were a match for the Roman cavalry. The +party had stopped but a quarter of a mile from the spot where the rival +bands met, and the crash of bodies driven violently against each other +and the clash of steel on armour could be plainly heard. + +For a few minutes it was a wild confused melee, neither party appearing +to have any advantage. Riderless steeds galloped off from the throng, +but neither party seemed to give way a foot. The whole mass seemed +interlaced in conflict. It was a moving struggling throng of bodies with +arms waving high and swords rising and falling. The Romans fought in +silence, but the wild yells of the Numidians rose shrill and continuous. + +At last there was a movement, and Malchus gave a groan while the natives +around him shouted in triumph as the Numidians were seen to detach +themselves from the throng and to gallop off at full speed, hotly +followed by the Romans, both, however, in greatly diminished numbers, +for the ground on which the conflict had taken place was thickly strewn +with bodies; nearly half of those who had engaged in that short but +desperate strife were lying there. + +No sooner had the pursuers and pursued disappeared in the distance than +the natives thronged down to the spot. Such of the Numidians as were +found to be alive were instantly slaughtered, and all were despoiled of +their clothes, arms, and ornaments. The Romans were left untouched, and +those among them who were found to be only wounded were assisted by +the natives, who unbuckled their armour, helped them into a sitting +position, bound up their wounds, and gave them water. + +Highly satisfied with the booty they obtained, and having no longer any +fear of pursuit, the natives halted to await the return of the Romans. +Malchus learned from their conversation that they had some little doubt +whether the Romans would approve of their appropriating the spoils of +the dead Numidians, and it was finally decided to hand over Malchus, +whose rich armour proclaimed him to be a prisoner of importance, to the +Roman commander. + +The main body of the natives, with all the spoil which had been +collected, moved away to the wood, while the chief, with four of his +companions and Malchus, remained with the wounded Romans. It was late in +the evening before the Romans returned, after having, as has been said, +followed the Numidians right up to Hannibal's camp. There was some +grumbling on the part of the Roman soldiers when they found that their +allies had forestalled them with the spoil; but the officer in command +was well pleased at finding that the wounded had been carefully attended +to, and bade the men be content that they had rendered good service +to the public, and that Scipio would be well satisfied with them. The +native chief now exhibited the helmet and armour of Malchus, who was led +forward by two of his men. + +"Who are you?" the commander asked Malchus in Greek, a language which +was understood by the educated both of Rome and Carthage. + +"I am Malchus, and command the scouts of Hannibal's army." + +"You are young for such a post," the officer said; "but in Carthage +it is interest not valour which secures promotion. Doubtless you are +related to Hannibal." + +"I am his cousin," Malchus said quietly. + +"Ah!" the Roman said sarcastically, "that accounts for one who is a mere +lad being chosen for so important a post. However, I shall take you +to Scipio, who will doubtless have questions to ask of you concerning +Hannibal's army." + +Many of the riderless horses on the plain came in on hearing the sound +of the Roman trumpets and rejoined the troop. Malchus was placed on +one of these. Such of the wounded Romans as were able to ride mounted +others, and a small party being left behind to look after those unable +to move, the troops started on their way. + +They were unable, however, to proceed far; the horses had been +travelling since morning and were now completely exhausted; therefore, +after proceeding a few miles the troop halted. Strong guards were +posted, and the men lay down by their horses, ready to mount at a +moment's notice, for it was possible that Hannibal might have sent a +large body of horsemen in pursuit. As on the night before, Malchus felt +that even if Nessus had so far followed him he could do nothing while so +strong a guard was kept up, and he therefore followed the example of the +Roman soldiers around him and was soon fast asleep. + +At daybreak next morning the troops mounted and again proceeded to the +south. Late in the afternoon a cloud of dust was seen in the distance, +and the party presently rode into the midst of the Roman army, who had +made a day's march from their ships and were just halting for the night. +The commander of the cavalry at once hastened to Scipio's tent to inform +him of the surprising fact that Hannibal had already, in the face of +the opposition of the tribes, forced the passage of the Rhone, and that, +with the exception of the elephants, which had been seen still on the +opposite bank, all the army were across. + +Scipio was greatly mortified at the intelligence, for he had deemed it +next to impossible that Hannibal could carry his army across so wide and +rapid a river in the face of opposition. He had little doubt now that +Hannibal's intention was to follow the Rhone down on its left bank to +its mouth, and he prepared at once for a battle. Hearing that a prisoner +of some importance had been captured, he ordered Malchus to be brought +before him. As the lad, escorted by a Roman soldier on each side, was +led in, Scipio, accustomed to estimate men, could not but admire the +calm and haughty self possession of his young prisoner. His eye fell +with approval upon his active sinewy figure, and the knotted muscles of +his arms and legs. + +"You are Malchus, a relation of Hannibal, and the commander of the +scouts of his army, I hear," Scipio began. + +Malchus bowed his head in assent. + +"What force has he with him, and what are his intentions?" + +"I know nothing of his intentions," Malchus replied quietly, "as to his +force, it were better that you inquired of your allies, who saw us pass +the river. One of them was brought hither with me, and can tell you what +he saw." + +"Know you not," Scipio said, "that I can order you to instant execution +if you refuse to answer my questions?" + +"Of that I am perfectly well aware," Malchus replied; "but I +nevertheless refuse absolutely to answer any questions." + +"I will give you until tomorrow morning to think the matter over, and if +by that time you have not made up your mind to give me the information I +require, you die." + +So saying he waved his hand to the soldiers, who at once removed Malchus +from his presence. He was taken to a small tent a short distance away, +food was given to him, and at nightfall chains were attached to his +ankles, and from these to the legs of two Roman soldiers appointed to +guard him during the night, while a sentry was placed at the entrance. +The chains were strong, and fitted so tightly round the ankles that +escape was altogether impossible. Even had he possessed arms and could +noiselessly have slain the two soldiers, he would be no nearer getting +away, for the chains were fastened as securely round their limbs as +round his own. Malchus, therefore, at once abandoned any idea of escape, +and lying quietly down meditated on his fate in the morning. + + + +CHAPTER XII: AMONG THE PASSES + + +It was not until long after the guards to whom he was chained had fallen +asleep that Malchus followed their example. It seemed to him he had been +asleep a long time when a pressure by a hand on his shoulder woke him; +at the same moment another hand was placed over his mouth. + +"Hush, my lord!" a voice said. It was Nessus. "Arise and let us go. +There is no time to be lost, for it is nigh morning. I have been the +whole night in discovering where you were." + +"But the guards, Nessus?" + +"I have killed them," Nessus said in a tone of indifference. + +"But I am chained to them by the ankles." + +Nessus gave a little exclamation of impatience, and then in the darkness +felt the irons to discover the nature of the fastenings. In a minute +there was a sound of a dull crashing blow, then Nessus moved to the +other side and the sound was repeated. With two blows of his short heavy +sword the Arab had cut off the feet of the dead Romans at the ankle, and +the chains were free. + +"Put on the clothes of this man, my lord, and take his arms; I will take +those of the other." + +As soon as this was done Nessus wrapped some folds of cloth round each +of the chains to prevent their clanking, then passing a band through the +ends he fastened them to Malchus' waist. + +"Quick, my lord," he said as he finished the work; "daylight is +beginning to break." + +They stepped over the dead sentry at the door of the tent and were going +on when Malchus said: + +"Best lift him inside, Nessus; it may be some little time before it is +noticed that he is missing from his post." + +This was quickly done, and they then moved away quietly among the tents +till they approached the rear of the camp. It was now light enough to +enable them to see dimly the figures of the Roman sentries placed at +short intervals round the camp. + +"We cannot get through unseen," Malchus said. + +"No, my lord," Nessus replied; "I have wasted too much time in finding +you." + +"Then we had best lie down quietly here," Malchus said; "in a short time +the men will be moving about, and we can then pass through the sentries +without remark." + +As the light spread over the sky sounds of movement were heard in the +camp, and soon figures were moving about, some beginning to make fires, +others to attend to their horses. The two Carthaginians moved about +among the tents as if similarly occupied, secure that their attire as +Roman soldiers would prevent any observation being directed towards +them. They were anxious to be off, for they feared that at any moment +they might hear the alarm raised on the discovery that the sentry was +missing. + +It was nearly broad daylight now, and when they saw two or three +soldiers pass out between the sentries unquestioned they started at once +to follow them. The morning was very cold, and the soldiers who were +about were all wearing their military cloaks. Malchus had pulled the +irons as high up as he could possibly force them, and they did not show +below his cloak. + +Walking carelessly along they passed through the sentries, whose duties, +now that morning had dawned, related only to discovering an enemy +approaching the camp, the soldiers being now free to enter or leave as +they pleased. + +"It is of no use to go far," Malchus said; "the nearer we hide to the +camp the better. We are less likely to be looked for there than at a +distance, and it is impossible for me to travel at any speed until I get +rid of these heavy irons. As soon as we get over that little brow ahead +we shall be out of sight of the sentries, and will take to the first +hiding place we see." + +The little rise was but a short distance from camp, the country beyond +was open but was covered with low brushwood. As soon as they were over +the brow and were assured that none of those who had left the camp +before them were in sight, they plunged into the brushwood, and, making +their way on their hands and knees for a few hundred yards, lay down in +the midst of it. + +"They are not likely to search on this side of the camp," Malchus said. +"They will not know at what hour I escaped, and will naturally suppose +that I started at once to regain our camp. Listen, their trumpets are +blowing. No doubt they are about to strike their camp and march; by +this time my escape must be known. And now tell me, Nessus, how did you +manage to follow and discover me?" + +"It was easy to follow you, my lord," Nessus said. "When I heard your +order I lay still, but watched through the bushes your meeting with the +Gauls. My arrow was in the string, and had they attacked you I should +have loosed it among them, and then rushed out to die with you, but +when I saw them take you a prisoner I followed your orders. I had no +difficulty in keeping you in sight until nightfall. Then I crept up to +the wood and made my way until I was within a few yards of you and lay +there till nearly morning; but, as the men around you never went to +sleep, I could do nothing and stole away again before daylight broke. +Then I followed again until I saw our horsemen approaching. I had +started to run towards them to lead them to you when I saw the Roman +horse, and I again hid myself. + +"The next night again the Romans kept too vigilant a watch for me to do +anything, and I followed them all yesterday until I saw them enter the +Roman camp. As soon as it was dark I entered, and, getting into the +part of the camp occupied by the Massilians, whose Gaulish talk I could +understand a little, I gathered that a Carthaginian prisoner who had +been brought in was to be executed in the morning. So I set to work +to find you; but the night was too dark to see where the sentries were +placed, and I had to crawl round every tent to see if one stood at the +entrance on guard, for I was sure that a sentry would be placed over +you. I entered seven tents, at whose doors sentries were placed, before +I found yours, but they were all those of Roman generals or persons of +importance. I entered each time by cutting a slit in the back of the +tent. At last when I was beginning to despair, I found your tent. + +"It was the smallest of any that had been guarded, and this made me +think I was right. When I crawled in I found feeling cautiously about, +that two Roman soldiers were asleep on the ground and that you were +lying between them. Then I went to the entrance. The sentry was standing +with his back to it. I struck a blow on his neck from behind, and he +died without knowing he was hurt. I caught him as I struck and lowered +him gently down, for the crash of his arms as he fell would have roused +everyone near. After that it was easy to stab the two guards sleeping by +you, and then I woke you." + +"You have saved my life, Nessus, and I shall never forget it," Malchus +said gratefully. + +"My life is my lord's," the Arab replied simply. "Glad am I indeed that +I have been able to do you a service." + +Just as he spoke they saw through the bushes a party of Roman horse +ride at a gallop over the brow between them and the camp. They halted, +however, on passing the crest, and an officer with them gazed long and +searchingly over the country. For some minutes he sat without speaking, +then he gave an order and the horsemen rode back again over the crest. + +"I think we shall see no more of them," Malchus said. "His orders were, +no doubt, that if I was in sight they were to pursue, if not, it would +be clearly useless hunting over miles of brushwood in the hope of +finding me, especially as they must deem it likely that I am far away in +the opposite direction." + +An hour later Nessus crept cautiously forward among the bushes, making a +considerable detour until he reached the spot whence he could command a +view of the Roman camp. It had gone, not a soul remained behind, but at +some distance across the plain he could see the heavy column marching +north. He rose to his feet and returned to the spot where he had left +Malchus, and told him that the Romans had gone. + +"The first thing, Nessus, is to get rid of these chains." + +"It is easy as to the chains," Nessus said, "but the rings around your +legs must remain until we rejoin the camp, it will need a file to free +you from them." + +The soil was sandy, and Nessus could find no stone sufficiently large +for his purpose. They, therefore, started in the direction which the +Romans had taken until, after two hours' slow walking, they came upon +the bed of a stream in which were some boulders sufficiently large for +the purpose. + +The rings were now pushed down again to the ankles, and Nessus wound +round them strips of cloth until he had formed a pad between the iron +and the skin to lessen the jar of the blow, then he placed the link of +the chain near to the leg upon the edge of the boulder, and, drawing his +sharp heavy sword, struck with all his force upon the iron. + +A deep notch was made; again and again he repeated the blow, until the +link was cut through, then, with some difficulty, he forced the two +ends apart until the shackle of the ring would pass between them. The +operation was repeated on the other chain, and then Malchus was free, +save for the two iron rings around his ankles. The work had taken +upwards of an hour, and when it was done they started at a rapid walk in +the direction taken by the column. They had no fear now of the natives, +for should any come upon them they would take them for two Roman +soldiers who had strayed behind the army. + +Scipio made a long day's march, and it was not until nightfall that his +army halted. Malchus and his companion made a long detour round the camp +and continued their way for some hours, then they left the track that +the army would follow, and, after walking for about a mile, lay down +among some bushes and were soon asleep. + +In the morning they agreed that before proceeding further it was +absolutely necessary to obtain some food. Malchus had been fed when +among the Romans, but Nessus had had nothing from the morning when he +had been upset in the Rhone four days before, save a manchet of bread +which he had found in one of the tents he had entered. Surveying the +country round carefully, the keen eye of the Arab perceived some light +smoke curling up at the foot of the hills on their right, and they at +once directed their course towards it. An hour's walking brought them +within sight of a native village. + +As soon as they perceived it they dropped on their hands and knees and +proceeded with caution until within a short distance of it. They were +not long in discovering a flock of goats browsing on the verdure in some +broken ground a few hundred yards from the village. They were under the +charge of a native boy, who was seated on a rock near them. They made +their way round among the brushwood until they were close to the spot. + +"Shall I shoot him?" Nessus asked, for he had carried his bow and arrows +concealed in his attire as a Roman soldier. + +"No, no," Malchus replied, "the lad has done us no harm; but we must +have one of his goats. His back is towards us, and, if we wait, one of +them is sure to come close to us presently." + +They lay quiet among the bushes until, after a delay of a quarter of an +hour, a goat, browsing upon the bushes, passed within a yard or two of +them. + +Nessus let fly his arrow, it passed almost through the animal, right +behind its shoulder, and it fell among the bushes. In an instant +Nessus was upon it, and, grasping its mouth tightly to prevent it from +bleating, cut its throat. They dragged it away until a fall in the +ground hid them from the sight of the natives, then they quickly skinned +and cut it up, devoured some of the meat raw, and then, each taking a +leg of the animal, proceeded upon their way. + +They now walked without a halt until, late in the evening, they came +down upon the spot where the Carthaginian army had crossed. It was +deserted. Going down to the edge of the river they saw the great rafts +upon which the elephants had crossed. + +"We had best go on a mile or two ahead," Nessus said, "the Roman cavalry +may be here in the morning, though the column will be still a day's +march away. By daylight we shall have no difficulty in finding the +traces of the army." + +Malchus took the Arab's advice, and the next morning followed on the +traces of the army, which were plainly enough to be seen in the broken +bushes, the trampled ground, and in various useless articles dropped or +thrown away by the troops. They were forced to advance with caution, for +they feared meeting any of the natives who might be hanging on the rear +of the army. + +After three days' travelling with scarce a pause they came upon the army +just as the rear guard was crossing the Isere, and Malchus received a +joyous welcome from his friends, who had supposed him drowned at the +passage of the Rhone. His account of his adventure was eagerly listened +to, and greatly surprised were they when they found that he had been a +prisoner in the camp of Scipio, and had been rescued by the fidelity and +devotion of Nessus. Hannibal asked many questions as to the strength +of Scipio's army, but Malchus could only say that, not having seen it +except encamped, he could form but a very doubtful estimate as to its +numbers, but considered it to be but little superior to that of the +Carthaginian. + +"I do not think Scipio will pursue us," Hannibal said. "A defeat here +would be as fatal to him as it would be to us, and I think it more +likely that, when he finds we have marched away north, he will return to +his ships and meet us in Italy." + +Malchus learned that everything had progressed favourably since the army +had crossed the Rhone, the natives having offered no further opposition +to their advance. A civil war was going on in the region the army had +now entered, between two rival princes, brothers, of the Allobroges. +Hannibal was requested to act as umpire in the quarrel, and decided in +favour of the elder brother and restored order. In return he received +from the prince whom he reseated on his throne, provisions, clothing, +and other necessaries for the army, and the prince, with his troops, +escorted the Carthaginians some distance up into the Alps, and prevented +the tribes dwelling at the foot of the mountains from attacking them. + +The conquest of Catalonia, the passage of the Pyrenees, and the march +across the south of Gaul, had occupied many months. Summer had come and +gone, autumn had passed, and winter was at hand. It was the eighteenth +of October when Hannibal led his army up the narrow valleys into the +heart of the Alps. The snow had already fallen thickly upon the upper +part of the mountains, and the Carthaginians shuddered at the sight +of these lofty summits, these wild, craggy, and forbidding wastes. +The appearance of the wretched huts of the inhabitants, of the people +themselves, unshaved and unkempt and clad in sheepskins, and of the +flocks and herds gathering in sheltered spots and crowding together to +resist the effects of the already extreme cold, struck the Carthaginian +troops with dismay. Large bodies of the mountaineers were perceived +posted on the heights surrounding the valleys, and the column, +embarrassed by its length and the vast quantity of baggage, was also +exposed to attack by hordes who might at any moment rush out from the +lateral ravines. Hannibal, therefore, ordered his column to halt. + +Malchus was now ordered to go forward with his band of scouts, and to +take with him a party of Gauls, who, their language being similar +to that of the natives, could enter into conversation with them. The +mountaineers, seeing but a small party advancing, allowed them to +approach peaceably and entered freely into conversation with them. They +declared that they would on no account permit the Carthaginian army to +pass forward, but would oppose every foot of their advance. + +The Gauls learned, however, that, believing the great column could only +move forward in the daytime, the natives were in the habit of retiring +from their rocky citadels at nightfall. Malchus returned with this news +to Hannibal, who prepared to take advantage of it. The camp was at once +pitched, and the men set to work to form an intrenchment round it as if +Hannibal meditated a prolonged halt there. Great fires were lit and the +animals unloaded. The natives, seeing from above everything that was +being done, deserted their posts as usual at nightfall, confident that +the Carthaginians had no intention of moving forward. + +Malchus with his scouts crept on along the path, and soon sent down +word to Hannibal that the heights were deserted. The general himself now +moved forward with all his light troops, occupied the head of the pass, +and posted strong parties of men upon the heights commanding it. As soon +as day broke the rest of the army got into motion and proceeded up the +pass. The natives were now seen approaching in great numbers, but they +halted in dismay on seeing that the Carthaginians had already gained +possession of the strong places. + +The road by which the column was ascending wound along the face of +a precipice, and was so narrow that it was with difficulty that the +horses, snorting with fright, could be persuaded to proceed. The +natives, seeing the confusion which the fright of the animals created in +the column, at once took to the mountains, climbing up rugged precipices +which appeared to the Carthaginians absolutely inaccessible, and +presently made their appearance far up on the mountain side above the +column. + +Here, sending up the most piercing yells, they began to roll rocks and +stones down upon the column. The confusion below became terrible. The +horses, alarmed by the strange wild cries, echoed and re-echoed a score +of times among the mountains, and struck by the falling stones, plunged +and struggled wildly to escape. Some tore along the path, precipitating +those in front of them over the precipice, others lost their footing, +and, dragging with them the carts to which they were attached, fell +into the valley below. All order was lost. Incapable of defence or of +movement the column appeared to be on the verge of destruction. + +"Come, my men," Malchus exclaimed to his Arabs, "where these men can +climb we can follow them; the safety of the whole column is at stake." + +Slinging their weapons behind them the scouts began to climb the crags. +Sure footed and hardy as they were, it was with the greatest difficulty +that they could make their way up. Many lost their footing, and rolling +down were dashed to pieces; but the great majority succeeded in climbing +the heights, and at once became engaged in desperate battle with the +natives. + +Every narrow ledge and crag was the scene of a conflict. The natives +from the distant heights encouraged their companions with their shouts, +and for a time the confusion in the column below was heightened by the +combat which was proceeding far above them. Every stone dislodged by the +feet of the combatants thundered down upon them, and the falling bodies +of those hit by arrow or javelin came crushing down with a dull thud +among the mass. + +At last the bravery and superior weapons of the Arabs prevailed. The +precipice was cleared of the natives, and as the uproar ceased and the +missiles ceased to fall, the column recovered its order, and again moved +forward until the whole army gained the top of the pass. Here Hannibal +took possession of a rough fort erected by the natives, captured several +villages, and enough flocks and herds to feed his army for three days. +Then descending from the top of the pass, which is now known as the +Gol-du-Chat, he entered the valley of Chambery, and marched forward for +three days without opposition. + +Malchus and his scouts received the warmest congratulations for their +conduct at the pass, for they had undoubtedly saved the army from what +had at one time threatened to be a terrible disaster. On arrival at a +town supposed to be identical with the modern Conflans, the inhabitants +came out with green boughs and expressed their desire for peace and +friendship. They said that they had heard of the fate which had befallen +those who ventured to oppose the Carthaginians, and that they were +anxious to avoid such misfortunes. They offered to deliver hostages as a +proof of their good intentions, to supply sheep and goats for the army, +and to furnish guides through the difficult country ahead. + +For two days the march continued. The route the army was passing was +that now known as the little St. Bernard. Fortunately Hannibal had from +the first entertained considerable doubt as to the good faith of his +guides, and never relaxed his vigilance. The scouts and light infantry, +with the cavalry, preceded the great column of baggage, the heavy +cavalry defended the rear. + +The track, which had for the last five days' march proceeded along a +comparatively level valley, now mounted rapidly, and turning aside from +the valley of the Isere it led up the deep bed of the mountain torrent +known as the Reclus; this stream ran in a deep trough hollowed out in a +very narrow valley. The bed is now so piled with rocks and stones as to +be impassable, and the Romans afterwards cut a road along on the side +of the mountain. But at this time it was possible for men and animals to +proceed along the bed of the torrent. + +Suddenly while struggling with the difficulties of the ascent, a vast +number of the natives appeared on the hills on either side, and began to +hurl down stones and rocks upon the column below, while at the same +time a still stronger force attacked them in the rear. The instant +the natives made their appearance the treacherous guides, who were +proceeding with the scouts at the head of the column, attempted to make +their escape by climbing the mountain side. The Arabs were starting off +in pursuit, but Malchus checked them. + +"Keep together," he shouted, "and on no account scatter; the enemy are +upon us in force, and it behooves us all to be steady and deliberate in +our action." + +A flight of arrows was, however, sent after the traitors, and most of +them rolled lifeless down the slope again. + +Hannibal's first care was to extricate his cavalry from the gorge. This +was performed with great difficulty, and they were drawn up in good +order on the narrow piece of level ground between the gorge in which the +river ran and the mountains bordering the side of the pass. + +The light troops now ascended the hills on both sides, and speedily +became engaged with the enemy. The confusion in the bed of the torrent +was tremendous. Great numbers of men and animals were killed by the +rocks and missiles from above, but more of the soldiers were trampled to +death by the frightened horses. The heavy infantry in the rear remained +steady, and repulsed every effort of the main body of the enemy to break +in upon the column. + +As night fell the combat ceased, but Hannibal and the troops in advance +of the column passed the night under arms at the foot of a certain white +rock standing above the ravine, and which still marks the exact site of +the conflict. The natives had suffered heavily both from their conflict +with the light troops upon the hillside, and from the repulse of their +assaults upon the rear guard, and in the morning they did not venture +to renew the attack, and the column moved forward out of the ravine +and continued its march, the natives from time to time dashing down to +attack it. + +The elephants were placed on the flank of the line of march, and the +appearance of these strange beasts so terrified the enemy that they +desisted from their attack, and by evening the army encamped on the +summit of the pass. + +The snow had already fallen deeply, the army were worn out and +dispirited by the exertions and dangers through which they had passed, +and had suffered great losses in men and animals in the nine days which +had elapsed since they first entered the mountains. Hannibal gave them +two days' rest, in which time they were joined by many stragglers who +had fallen behind, and by beasts of burden which, in the terror and +confusion of the attack, had got rid of their loads and had escaped, but +whose instinct led them to follow the line of march. + +At the end of the second day Hannibal assembled his troops and addressed +them in a stirring speech. He told them that the worst part of their +journey was now over. He pointed to them the plains of Italy, of which a +view could be obtained through the pass ahead, and told them that there +they would find rest and friends, wealth and glory. The soldiers as +usual responded to the words of their beloved general with shouts of +acclamation, and with renewed spirits prepared to meet the difficulties +which still lay before them. + +The next morning the march was renewed. The snow lay deep on the track, +and the soldiers found that, great as had been the difficulties of the +ascent, those of the descent were vastly greater, for the slopes of the +Alps on the Italian side are far steeper and more abrupt than are those +on the French. Every step had to be made with care; those who strayed in +the slightest from the path found the snow gave way beneath their feet +and fell down the precipice beside them. + +Many of the baggage animals thus perished; but at last the head of the +column found itself at the foot of the steep descent in a ravine with +almost perpendicular walls, amid whose foot was in summer occupied by a +mountain stream. Into the depth of this ravine the rays of the sun never +penetrated, and in it lay a mass of the previous year's snow which had +never entirely melted, but which formed with the water of the torrent a +sheet of slippery ice. + +The newly formed snow prevented the troops from seeing the nature of the +ground, and as they stepped upon it they fell headlong, sliding in +their armour down the rapidly sloping bed of ice, many dashing out +their brains or breaking their limbs against the great boulders which +projected through it. The cavalry next attempted the passage, but with +even less success, for the hoofs of the horses broke through the hard +upper crust of the old snow and the animals sank in to their bellies. +Seeing that it was impossible to pass this obstacle, Hannibal turned +back the head of the column until they reached the top of the ascent +down which they had just come. There he cleared away the snow and +erected a camp; all the infantry were then brought down into the pass +and set to work to build up a road along the side of the ravine. + +The engineers with fire and explosives blasted away the foot of the +cliffs; the infantry broke up the rocks and formed a level track. All +night the work continued, the troops relieving each other at frequent +intervals, and by the morning a path which could be traversed by men +on foot, horses, and baggage animals was constructed for a distance of +three hundred yards, beyond which the obstacle which had arrested the +advance of the army did not continue. + +The cavalry, baggage animals, and a portion of the infantry at once +continued their way down the valley, while the rest of the infantry +remained behind to widen the road sufficiently for the elephants to +pass along. Although the work was pressed on with the greatest vigour it +needed three days of labour in all before the elephants could be passed +through. The animals were by this time weak with hunger, for from the +time when they had turned aside from the valley of the Isere the Alps +had been wholly bare of trees, and the ground being covered with snow, +no foliage or forage had been obtainable to eke out the store of flour +which they carried for their consumption. Nor was any wood found with +which to manufacture the flat cakes into which the flour was formed for +their rations. + +The elephants once through, the march was continued, and, joining the +troops in advance, who had halted in the woods below the snow level, +the column continued its march. On the third day after passing the gorge +they issued out on to the plain of the Po, having lost in the fifteen +days' passage of the Alps great numbers of men from the attacks of +the enemy, from the passage of the rapid torrents, from falls over the +precipices, and from cold, and having suffered still more severely in +horses and baggage animals. + +Of the 59,000 picked troops with which he had advanced after the +conquest of Catalonia, Hannibal reached the plains of Italy with but +12,000 African infantry, 8,000 Spanish and Gaulish infantry, and 6,000 +cavalry--in all 26,000 men. A small force indeed with which to enter +upon the struggle with the might and power of Rome. Of the 33,000 men +that were missing, 13,000 had fallen in the passes of the Pyrenees and +the march through Gaul, 20,000 had died in the passage of the Alps. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA + + +Well was it for the Carthaginians that Hannibal had opened +communications with the Gaulish tribes in the plains at the foot of +the Alps, and that on its issue from the mountain passes his army found +itself among friends, for had it been attacked it was in no position to +offer a vigorous resistance, the men being utterly broken down by their +fatigues and demoralized by their losses. Many were suffering terribly +from frostbites, the cavalry were altogether unable to act, so worn out +and enfeebled were the horses. Great numbers of the men could scarce +drag themselves along owing to the state of their feet; their shoes and +sandals, well enough adapted for sandy plains, were wholly unfitted for +traversing rocky precipices, and the greater part of the army was almost +barefoot. + +So long as they had been traversing the mountains they had struggled on +doggedly and desperately; to lag behind was to be slain by the natives, +to lie down was to perish of cold; but with the cessation of the +absolute necessity for exertion the power for exertion ceased also. +Worn out, silent, exhausted, and almost despairing, the army of Hannibal +presented the appearance of one which had suffered a terrible defeat, +rather than that of a body of men who had accomplished a feat of arms +unrivalled in the history of war. + +Happily they found themselves among friends. The Insubres, who had been +looking forward eagerly to their coming, flocked in great numbers to +receive them as they issued out into the plain, bringing with them +cattle, grain, wine, and refreshments of all kinds, and inviting the +army to take up their quarters among them until recovered from their +fatigues. This offer Hannibal at once accepted. The army was broken +up and scattered among the various towns and villages, where the +inhabitants vied with each other in attending to the comforts of the +guests. A fortnight's absolute rest, an abundance of food, and the +consciousness that the worst of their labours was over, did wonders for +the men. + +Malchus had arrived in a state of extreme exhaustion, and had, indeed, +been carried for the last two days of the march on the back of one of +the elephants. The company which he commanded no longer existed; they +had borne far more than their share of the fatigues of the march; they +had lost nearly half their number in the conflict among the precipices +with the natives, and while the rest of the army had marched along a +track where the snow had already been beaten hard by the cavalry in +front of them, the scouts ahead had to make their way through snow knee +deep. Inured to fatigue and hardship, the Arabs were unaccustomed to +cold, and every day had diminished their numbers, until, as they issued +out into the plain, but twenty men of the company remained alive. + +Hannibal committed his young kinsman to the care of one of the chiefs +of the Insubres. The latter caused a litter to be constructed by his +followers, and carried the young Carthaginian away to his village, which +was situated at the foot of the hills on the banks of the river Orcus. + +Here he was handed over to the care of the women. The wounds and bruises +caused by falls on the rocks and ice were bathed and bandaged, then he +was placed in a small chamber and water was poured on to heated stones +until it was filled with hot steam, and Malchus began to think that +he was going to be boiled alive. After being kept for an hour in this +vapour bath, he was annointed with oil, and was rubbed until every limb +was supple, he was then placed on a couch and covered with soft skins, +and in a few more minutes was sound asleep. + +It was late next day before he woke, and on rising he found himself a +new man. A breakfast of meat, fresh cheese formed from goats' milk, and +flat cakes was set before him, and, had it not been that his feet were +still completely disabled from the effects of the frostbites, he felt +that he was fit again to take his place in the ranks. The chief's wife +and daughters waited upon him. The former was a tall, majestic looking +woman. She did not belong to the Insubres, but was the daughter of a +chief who had, with a portion of his tribe, wandered down from their +native home far north of the Alps and settled in Italy. + +Two of the daughters were young women of over twenty, tall and robust in +figure like their mother, the third was a girl of some fifteen years of +age. The girls took after their German mother, and Malchus wondered at +the fairness of their skins, the clearness of their complexion, and the +soft light brown of their hair, for they were as much fairer than the +Gauls as these were fairer than the Carthaginians. Malchus was able to +hold little converse with his hosts, whose language differed much from +that of the Transalpine Gauls. + +His stay here was destined to be much longer than he had anticipated, +for his feet had been seriously frostbitten, and for some time it +was doubtful whether he would not lose them. Gradually, however, the +inflammation decreased, but it was six weeks after his arrival before he +was able to walk. From time to time messengers had arrived from Hannibal +and his father to inquire after him, and from them he learned that the +Carthaginians had captured the towns of Vercella, Valentinum, and +Asta, and the less important towns of Ivrea, Chivasso, Bodenkmag, and +Carbantia. + +By the time he was cured he was able to talk freely with his hosts, for +he soon mastered the points of difference between their language and +that of the Gauls, with which he was already acquainted. The chief, with +the greater part of his followers, now started and joined the army of +Hannibal, which laid siege to the town of Turin, whose inhabitants were +in alliance with Rome. It was strongly fortified. Hannibal erected an +intrenchment at a distance of sixty yards from the wall, and under cover +of this sank a well, and thence drove a wide gallery, the roof above +being supported by props. + +Divided in brigades, each working six hours, the troops laboured night +and day, and in three days from its commencement the gallery was carried +under the walls. It was then driven right and left for thirty yards each +way, and was filled with wood, combustibles, and explosives. The workers +then retired and the wood was fired, the props supporting the roof were +soon burned away, the earth above fell in bringing down the walls, and +a great breach was made, through which the besiegers, drawn up in +readiness, rushed in and captured the town. + +On the same day that Hannibal captured Turin, Scipio entered Piacenza. +After finding that Hannibal had escaped him on the Rhone, he had +despatched the principal part of his army, under his brother Cneius, to +Spain, their original destination, and with the rest sailed to Pisa and +landed there. Marching with all haste north he enlisted 10,000 troops +from among the inhabitants of the country, many of them having already +served in the Roman army. He then marched north to Tenneto, where he was +joined by the praetors Manlius and Attilius with over 20,000 men, with +whom he marched to Piacenza. + +Hannibal, after, as usual, rousing the enthusiasm of his soldiers by +an address, marched towards Scipio. The latter, with his cavalry, had +crossed the Ticino and was within five miles of Vercella, when Hannibal, +also with his cavalry, came within sight. Scipio's front was covered +with a swarm of foot skirmishers mixed with irregular Gaulish horsemen; +the Roman cavalry and the cavalry of the Italian allies formed his main +body. + +Hannibal ordered the Carthaginian horse to charge full upon the centre +of the enemy, and the Numidians to attack them on both flanks. The +Romans, in those days, little understood the use of cavalry, the troops +frequently dismounting and fighting on foot. Hannibal's soldiers were, +on the other hand, trained to fight in tactics resembling those +of modern days. No sooner was the word given to charge than the +Carthaginian horse, delighted at being at last, after all their toils +and sufferings, within striking distance of their foes, gave a mighty +shout, and setting spurs to their splendid horses flung themselves at +the enemy. + +The charge of this solid mass of picked cavalry was irresistible. They +swept before them the skirmishers and Gaulish horse, and fell with fury +upon the main body, cleaving a way far into its ranks. Before the Romans +could recover from their confusion the Numidian horse burst down upon +their flanks. The charge was irresistible; large numbers of the +Romans were killed and the rest fled in panic, hotly pursued by the +Carthaginians, until they reached the shelter of the Roman infantry, +which was advancing behind them. Scipio, who had been wounded in the +fight, at once led his army back to Piacenza. + +The news of this battle reached Malchus just as he was preparing to +depart. The messenger who brought it brought also a lead horse, which +Hamilcar had sent for his son's use. Resuming his armour Malchus mounted +and rode off at once, after many warm thanks to his friends, whom he +expected to see again shortly, as they, with the rest of that section +of the tribe, were about to join the chief--the Gaulish women frequently +accompanying their husbands in their campaigns. + +Malchus was delighted to rejoin the army, from which he had now been +separated more than two months. He saw with pleasure that they had now +completely recovered from the effects of their hardships, and presented +as proud and martial an appearance as when they had started from +Carthagena. + +The issue of their first fight with the Romans had raised their spirits +and confidence, and all were eager to enter upon the campaign which +awaited them. Malchus, upon his arrival, was appointed to the command of +the company of Gauls who formed the bodyguard of the general. Hannibal +moved up the Po and prepared to cross that river at Gambio, two days' +easy march above its junction with the Ticino. The army was accompanied +by a considerable number of the Insubres. The work of constructing a +bridge was at once commenced. + +Malchus, riding through the camp, came upon the tents of his late host, +who had been joined that day by his family. To them Malchus did the +honours of the camp, took them through the lines of the Carthaginian +cavalry, showed them the elephants, and finally conducted them to +Hannibal, who received them most kindly, and presented them with many +presents in token of his thanks for their care of his kinsman. The next +day the bridge was completed and the troops began to pass over, the +natives crowding to the banks and even venturing on the bridge to +witness the imposing procession of the troops. + +Malchus remained with Hannibal in the rear, but seeing that there was a +delay as the elephants crossed, he was ordered to ride on to the bridge +and see what was the matter. Finding the crowd too great to enable him +to pass on horseback, Malchus gave his horse to a soldier and pressed +forward on foot. When he reached the head of the column of elephants he +found that one of the leading animals, entertaining a doubt as to the +stability of the bridge at this point, obstinately refused to move +further. Ordering the mahout to urge the animal forward, and telling +some soldiers to prick the beast with a spear from behind, Malchus +entered into conversation with the wife and daughters of the Insubrian +chief, who had received from Hannibal a special order allowing them to +take up their position on the bridge to witness their crossing. + +While he was speaking to them the elephant suddenly wheeled round +and, trumpeting loudly, tried to force his way back. A scene of wild +confusion ensued. The crowd gave way before him, several soldiers were +thrust off the bridge into the river, and Malchus and his companions +were borne along by the crowd; there was a little cry, and Malchus saw +the youngest of the girls pushed off the bridge into the river. + +He flung off his helmet, unbuckled the fastenings of his breast plate +and back piece, undid the belt of his sword, and leaped in. As he rose +to the surface he heard a merry laugh beside him, and saw the girl +swimming quietly close by. Although mortified at having so hastily +assumed that she was unable to take care of herself he joined in her +laugh, and swam by her side until they reached the bank some distance +down. Encumbered by the trappings which he still retained, Malchus had +far more difficulty than the girl in gaining the shore. + +"What, did you think," she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, +"that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?" + +"I did not think anything about it," Malchus said; "I saw you pushed in +and followed without thinking at all." + +Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was +clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in +his face. + +"I thank you," she said, "just the same as if you had saved my life. You +meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, +to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde will never forget." + +By the time they reached the bridge the column had moved on. A more +docile elephant had been placed in front, and this having moved across +the doubtful portion of the bridge, the others had quickly followed. +Just as Malchus and his companion reached the end of the bridge they met +her mother and sisters coming to meet them. + +There was a smile of amusement on their faces as they thanked Malchus +for his attempt at rescue, and Clotilde's sisters whispered some +laughing remarks into her ear which caused the girl to flush hotly, +and to draw her slight figure indignantly to its full height. Malchus +retired to his tent to provide himself with fresh armour and sword, for +he doubted not that those thrown aside had been carried over the bridge +in the confusion. The soldier had returned with his horse, and in a few +minutes he took his place at the head of the Gauls who were drawn up +near Hannibal's tent. + +The general himself soon appeared, and mounting his horse rode forward. +Malchus followed with his command, waving an adieu to the party who +stood watching the departure, and not ill pleased that those who had +before known him only as a helpless invalid, should now see him riding +at the head of the splendid bodyguard of the great commander. + +Hannibal was marching nearly due east, with the intention of forcing +Scipio to give battle south of the Po. A strong Roman fortress, +Castegglo (Clastidium), lying at the foot of the hills, should have +barred his way; but Hannibal, by the medium of one of his native allies, +bribed the Roman commander to abstain from interrupting his march. Then +he pressed forward until on the third day after crossing the Po he came +within sight of Piacenza, under whose walls the Roman army were ranged. + +Scipio, after his disastrous cavalry conflict, had written to Rome +urging his inability, with the force under his command, to give +battle single handed to Hannibal, and begging that he might be at +once reinforced by the army under Sempronius, then lying at Ariminum +(Rimini). The united consular armies, he represented, should take up +their position on the river Trebia. + +This river rose in the Apennines but a short distance from Genoa, and +flowed nearly due north into the Po at Piacenza. The Roman army there +would therefore effectually bar Hannibal's march into the rich plains +to the east, and would prevent him from making across the Apennines and +following the road by the coast, as they would, should he undertake such +a movement, be able to fall on his rear. + +Hannibal pitched his camp on the Nure, about five miles from Piacenza, +but Scipio remained immovable in his lines waiting for the arrival of +his colleague. Hannibal's position was a difficult one. He had traversed +the Pyrenees and the Alps that he might attack Rome; but between him and +Southern Italy lay yet another barrier, the Apennines. Scipio had missed +him after he had crossed the Pyrenees, had been too late to attack him +when, exhausted and worn out, his army emerged from the Alps; but +now, united with Sempronius, he hoped to crush him at the foot of the +Apennines. Hannibal wished, if possible, to prevent a junction of the +two Roman armies, but if that could not be done he determined to fight +them together. + +Scipio perceived the danger of his position; and in order to be able +the better to join Sempronius he left Piacenza under cover of night, +and took up a strong position on the banks of the Trebia. Here he +could maintain his communications direct with Rome, and, if absolutely +necessary, fall back and join his colleague advancing towards him. +Hannibal, when he perceived Scipio's change of position, broke up his +camp and took post on the Trebiola, a little stream running into the +Trebia and facing the Roman camp at a distance of four miles. + +He was now powerless to prevent the junction of the two Roman armies, +and for nearly a month Scipio and Hannibal lay watching each other. By +that time Sempronius was within a day's march of Scipio. Hannibal +had not been idle during this time of rest. He had been occupied in +cementing his alliance with the Gaulish tribes inhabiting the Lombard +plains. These, seeing how rapidly Hannibal had cleared the province of +the Romans, believed that their deliverance would be accomplished, and +for the most part declared for the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal's agents had also been at work at Clastidium, and the prefect +of the garrison was induced by a bribe to surrender the place to him. +This was of enormous advantage to Hannibal, and a corresponding blow +to the Romans, for Clastidium was the chief magazine north of the +Apennines. The news of the fall of this important place filled +Sempronius, an energetic and vigorous general, with fury. He at once +rode down from his camp to that of Scipio and proposed that Hannibal +should be attacked instantly. + +Scipio, who was still suffering from the wound he had received in the +cavalry engagement, urged that the Roman army should remain where they +were, if necessary, through the coming winter. He pointed out that +Hannibal's Gaulish allies would lose heart at seeing him inactive, and +would cease to furnish him with supplies, and that he would be obliged +either to attack them at a disadvantage or to retire from the position +he occupied. But Sempronius was an ambitious man, the time for the +consular election was approaching, and he was unwilling to leave for his +successor the glory of crushing Hannibal. + +The fact, too, that Scipio was wounded and unable to take part in the +battle added to his desire to force it on, since the whole glory of the +victory would be his. He therefore told his colleague that although he +saw the force of his arguments, public opinion in Rome was already so +excited at Hannibal having been allowed, without a battle, to wrest so +wide a territory from Rome, that it was absolutely necessary that an +action should be fought. The two armies were now united on the Trebia, +and opinion was among the officers and troops, as between the consuls, +widely divided as to the best course to be pursued. + +Hannibal's spies among the natives kept him acquainted with what was +going on in the Roman camp, and he determined to provoke the Romans to +battle. He therefore despatched two thousand infantry and a thousand +cavalry to ravage the lands of some Gaulish allies of the Romans. +Sempronius sent off the greater part of his cavalry, with a thousand +light infantry, to drive back the Carthaginians. + +In the fight which ensued the Romans were worsted. Still more furious, +Sempronius marched to support them with his army. Hannibal called in +his troops and drew them off before Sempronius would arrive. The +disappointment and rage of the Roman general were great, and Hannibal +felt that he could now bring on a battle when he would. He determined +to fight in the plain close to his own position. This was flat and bare, +and was traversed by the Trebiola. This stream ran between steep banks +below the level of the plain; its banks were covered with thick bushes +and reeds, and the narrow gap across the plain was scarce noticeable. + +On the evening of the twenty-fifth of December Hannibal moved his army +out from the camp and formed up on the plain facing the Trebia, +ordering the corps commanded by his brother Mago to enter the bed of the +Trebiola, and to conceal themselves there until they received his orders +to attack. The position Mago occupied would bring him on the left rear +of an army which had crossed the Trebia, and was advancing to attack +the position taken up by Hannibal. Having thus prepared for the battle, +Hannibal proceeded to provoke it. + +At daybreak on the twenty-sixth he despatched a strong body of horsemen +across the river. Crossing the Trebia partly by ford and partly by +swimming, the Carthaginian horse rode up to the palisade surrounding +the Roman camp, where, with insulting shouts and the hurling of their +javelins, they aroused the Roman soldiers from their slumber. This +insult had the desired effect, Sempronius rushed from his tent, furious +at what he deemed the insolence of the Carthaginians, and called his +troops to arms. With their accustomed discipline the Romans fell into +their ranks. The light cavalry first issued from the palisade, the +infantry followed, the heavy cavalry brought up the rear. The insulting +Numidians had already retired, but Sempronius was now determined to +bring on the battle. He marched down the river and crossed at a ford. + +The water was intensely cold, the river was in flood, the ford waist +deep as the soldiers marched across it. Having gained the opposite bank, +the Roman general formed his army in order of battle. His infantry, +about forty-five thousand strong, was formed in three parallel lines; +the cavalry, five thousand strong, was on the flanks. The infantry +consisted of sixteen thousand Roman legionary or heavy infantry, and +six thousand light infantry. The Italian tribes, allied to Rome, had +supplied twenty thousand infantry; the remaining three thousand were +native allies. The infantry occupied a front of two and a half miles in +length; the cavalry extended a mile and a quarter on each flank. Thus +the Roman front of battle was five miles in extent. + +Hannibal's force was inferior in strength; his infantry of the line were +twenty thousand strong. He had eight thousand light infantry and ten +thousand cavalry. The Carthaginian formation was much deeper than the +Roman, and Hannibal's line of battle was less than two miles long. In +front of it were the elephants, thirty-six in number, divided in pairs, +and placed in intervals of a hundred yards between each pair. + +While the Romans, exposed to a bitterly cold wind, chilled to the bone +by their immersion in the stream, and having come breakfastless from +camp, were forming their long order of battle, Hannibal's troops, +gathered round blazing fires, were eating a hearty breakfast; after +which, in high spirits and confidence, they prepared for the fight. + +Hannibal called the officers together and addressed them in stirring +words, which were repeated by them to the soldiers. The Roman +preparations had occupied a long time, and it was afternoon before +they advanced in order of battle. When within a short distance of the +Carthaginians they halted, and the trumpets and musical instruments on +both sides blew notes of defiance. Then the Carthaginian slingers +stole out between the ranks of their heavy infantry, passed between the +elephants, and commenced the battle. + +Each of these men carried three slings, one of which was used for long +distances, another when nearer to the foe, the third when close at hand. +In action one of these slings was wound round the head, one round the +body, the third carried in hand. Their long distance missiles were +leaden bullets, and so skilful were they that it is said they could hit +with certainty the face of a foe standing at slinging distance. + +Naked to the waist they advanced, and with their long distance slings +hurled the leaden bullets at the Roman infantry. When closer they +exchanged their slings and discharged from them egg shaped pebbles which +they had gathered from the bed of the Trebia. When within still closer +distance with the third slings they poured in volleys of much larger and +heavier stones, with such tremendous force that it seemed as though they +were sent from catapults. Against such a storm of missiles the Roman +skirmishers could make no stand, and were instantly driven back. + +Their Cretan archers, after shooting away their arrows with but small +effect, for the strings had been damped in crossing the river, also fled +behind the heavy troops; and these in turn were exposed to the hail of +stones. Disorganized by this attack, the like of which they had never +experienced before, their helmets crushed in, their breastplates and +shields battered and dented, the front line of the Romans speedily +fell into confusion. Sempronius ordered up his war machines for casting +stones and javelins, but these too had been injured in their passage +across the river. + +The hail of Carthaginian missiles continued until the Roman light +infantry were forced to fall back; and the slingers were then recalled, +and the heavy infantry of the two armies stood facing each other. The +Carthaginians took up close order, and, shoulder to shoulder, their +bodies covered with their shields, they advanced to meet the legions of +Rome. As they moved, their music--flute, harp, and lyre--rose on the +air in a military march, and keeping step the long line advanced with +perfect order and regularity. In the centre were the Carthaginian foot +soldiers and their African allies, clothed alike in a red tunic, with +helmet of bronze, steel cuirass and circular shield, and carrying, +besides their swords, pikes of twenty feet in length. On the left were +the Spaniards, in white tunics bordered with purple, with semicircular +shields four feet in length and thirty-two inches in width, armed with +long swords used either for cutting or thrusting. + +On the left were the native allies, naked to the waist, armed with +shields and swords similar to those of the Gauls, save that the swords +were used only for cutting. + +Sempronius brought up his second line to fill the intervals in the +first, and the Romans advanced with equal steadiness to the conflict; +but the much greater closeness of the Carthaginian formation served +them in good stead. They moved like a solid wall, their shields locked +closely together, and pressed steadily forward in spite of the desperate +efforts of the Roman centre in its more open order to resist them; for +each Roman soldier in battle was allowed the space of a man's width +between him and his comrade on either side, to allow him the free use of +his weapon. Two Carthaginians were therefore opposed to each Roman, in +addition to which the greater depth of the African formation gave them a +weight and impetus which was irresistible. + +While this fight was going on the Numidian horsemen, ten thousand +strong, charged the Roman cavalry. These, much more lightly armed than +their opponents and inferior in numbers, were unable for a moment to +withstand the shock, and were at once driven from the field. Leaving the +elephants to pursue them and prevent them from rallying, the Numidian +horsemen turned and fell on the flanks of the long Roman line; while at +the same moment the Carthaginian slingers, issuing out again from behind +the main body, opened a tremendous fire with stones heated in furnaces +brought to the spot. + +Although taken in flank, crushed under a storm of missiles, with their +cavalry defeated and their centre broken, the Romans fought steadily and +well. Hannibal now launched against their ranks the elephants attached +to the infantry, which, covered in steel armour and trumpeting loudly, +carried death and confusion into the Roman ranks. But still the legions +fought on obstinately and desperately until the sound of wild music +in their rear filled them with dismay, as Mago, with his division of +Numidian infantry, emerged from his hiding place and fell upon the +Romans from behind. + +Struck with terror at the sudden appearance of these wild soldiers, of +whose ferocity they had heard so much, the Romans lost all heart and +strove now only to escape. But it was in vain. The Carthaginian infantry +were in their front, the cavalry on their flank, the Numidians in their +rear. + +Some ten thousand Roman soldiers only, keeping in a solid body, cut +their way through the cavalry and reached Piacenza. + +Thirty thousand were slaughtered on the plain. Many were drowned in +trying to swim the Trebia, and only the legion which had remained to +guard the camp, the broken remains of the cavalry, and the body which +had escaped from Piacenza remained of the fifty thousand men whom +Sempronius commanded. + +The exultation of the victors was unbounded. The hitherto invincible +legions of Rome had been crushed. The way to Rome was clear before them. +All the fatigues and hardships they had undergone were forgotten in the +hour of triumph, and their native allies believed that their freedom +from Rome was now assured. + +The verdict of great commanders of all ages has assigned to the battle +of the Trebia the glory of being the greatest military exploit ever +performed. The genius of Hannibal was shown not only in the plan of +battle and the disposition of his troops, but in the perfection with +which they were handled, in the movements which he had himself invented +and taught them, and the marvellous discipline with which he had +inculcated them. + +Napoleon the First assigned to Hannibal the leading place among the +great generals of the world, and the Trebia was his masterpiece. But the +Carthaginians, exulting in their victory, did not gauge the extent +of the stubbornness and resources of Rome. Sempronius himself set the +example to his countrymen. At Piacenza he rallied the remnants of his +army, and wrote to Rome, saying that he had been victorious, but that a +sudden storm had saved the enemy from destruction. + +The senate understood the truth, but acted in the spirit in which he had +written. They announced to the people that a victory had been won, and +ordered the consular election to take place as usual, at the same time +issuing orders to all parts of the Roman dominion for the enrolment of +fresh troops. + +Hannibal attempted to surprise Piacenza, but Scipio issued out with his +cavalry and inflicted a check upon him, Hannibal himself being slightly +wounded. The Carthaginians then marched away and stormed the town of +Vicumve, and during their absence the two consuls evacuated Piacenza +and marched south. Scipio led his portion of the little army to Ariminum +(Rimini), Sempronius took his command to Arretium (Mezzo), where they +both speedily received reinforcements. Hannibal made an attempt to cross +the Apennines, but the snow lay deep among the mountains, and, unable to +effect his purpose, he fell back again to winter in the plain. + +In the meantime Cneius Servilius Geminus and Caius Flaminius had been +elected consuls. Flaminius succeeded Sempronius in command of the Roman +army at Arretium, while Geminus took the command of that at Rimini. +Between these consuls, as was usually the case in Rome, a bitter +jealousy existed. Geminus was the nominee of the aristocratic party, +while Flaminius was the idol of the populace, and, as has often been +the case in war, this rivalry between two generals possessing equal +authority wrought great evil to the armies they commanded. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE + + +The battle of Trebia cost Malchus the loss of his father. It was against +the portion of the force headed by Hamilcar that the Romans, who cut +their way through the circle of foes which Hannibal had thrown round +them, flung themselves. Hamilcar had in vain attempted to stem the +torrent. Surrounded by his bravest officers, he had cast himself in the +way of the Roman legion; but nothing could withstand the rush of the +heavy armed spearmen, who, knowing that all was lost, and that their +only hope was in cutting their way through the Carthaginians, pressed +forward, shoulder to shoulder, and swept aside the opposition of +their more lightly armed foes. Hamilcar and most of his officers fell, +striving to the last to stem the current. + +It was a grievous blow to Malchus, when, as he was exulting in the great +victory which had been gained, the news came to him that his father had +fallen. Hamilcar was very dear to him. He had been his companion and his +friend, his guide and adviser. He had encouraged him in his aspirations, +and had from his earliest years urged him to make the sacrifices and +exertions necessary to qualify him to bear a prominent part under his +cousin Hannibal. + +He had been his tutor in arms, and had striven to inspire him with the +noblest sentiments. Since they had reached Spain he had seen less of him +than before, for Hamilcar felt that it was best for his son to depend +upon himself alone. He was proud of the name which Malchus was already +winning for himself, and knew that it was better for him that his +advancement should be considered due to his own exertions and gallantry +and not to the influence of his father. + +When, however, they were thrown together, their relations were +unchanged. Malchus was as affectionate, as respectful, and as eager to +listen to his father's advice, as he had been as a boy, while Hamilcar +was glad in the society of his son to forget the cares and toils of the +expedition in which they had embarked and to talk of the dear ones at +home. + +It was only three days before the battle that they had rejoiced together +over the news which had reached them by a messenger from Gaul that +Thyra had married Adherbal, and had immediately set out with him for +Carthagena, where Adherbal had been offered a command by Hannibal's +brother Hasdrubal, the governor of Spain, in his absence. + +Father and son had rejoiced at this for several reasons. Hanno's +faction had now gained the upper hand, and the friends of Hannibal were +subjected to persecution of all kinds. The very life of Adherbal as a +prominent member of the Barcine party had been menaced. And it was +only by embarking secretly for Spain that he had succeeded in avoiding +arrest. The property of many of Hannibal's friends had been confiscated. +Several had been put to death under one pretext or another, and although +Hamilcar did not think that Hanno's faction would venture to bring +forward any accusation against him while he was fighting the battles +of his country, he experienced a sense of relief at the knowledge that, +should the worst happen, his wife and Anna would find a refuge and +asylum with Adherbal in Spain. Hamilcar and Malchus had discussed the +matter long and seriously, and had talked, Hamilcar with sorrow, Malchus +with indignation and rage, of the state of Carthage. + +"It makes one hate one's country," Malchus exclaimed passionately, "when +one hears of these things. You taught me to love Carthage, father, and +to be proud of her. How can one be proud of a country so misgoverned, so +corrupt, so base as this? Of what use are sacrifices and efforts here, +when at home they think of nothing but luxury and ease and the making of +money, when the best and bravest of the Carthaginians are disgraced and +dishonoured, and the people bow before these men whose wealth has been +gained solely by corruption and robbery? It makes one wish one had been +born a Roman." + +"Did not one hope that a better time would come, Malchus, when Carthage +will emancipate herself from the rule of men like Hanno and his corrupt +friends, I should, indeed, despair of her, for even the genius of +Hannibal and the valour of his troops cannot avail alone to carry to a +successful conclusion a struggle between such a state as Carthage now is +and a vigourous, patriotic, and self-reliant people like those of Rome. + +"We may win battles, but, however great the victories may be, we can +never succeed in the long run against the power of Rome unless Carthage +proves true to herself. Our army is not a large one. Rome and her Latin +allies can, if need be, put ten such in the field. If Carthage at this +crisis of her fate proves worthy of the occasion, if she by a great +effort again wins the sovereignty of the sea, and sends over armies to +support us in our struggle, we may in the end triumph. If not, glorious +as may be our success for a time, we are in the end doomed to failure, +and our failure will assuredly involve the final destruction of +Carthage. + +"Rome will not be slow to profit by the lesson which Hannibal is +teaching her. His genius perceives that only by striking at Rome in +Italy could a vital blow be given to her. The Romans in turn will +perceive that only by an invasion of Africa can Carthage be humbled. +Her task will then be far easier than ours is now, for not only is Rome +fresh, strong, and vigourous, but she has had the wisdom to bind the +Latin peoples around her closely to her by bestowing upon them the +rights of citizenship, by making them feel that her cause is theirs. + +"Upon the other hand, Carthage has throughout her history been paving +the way for her fall. She fights, but it is with foreign mercenaries. +She stamps under foot the people she has conquered, and while her tax +collectors grind them to the earth, and she forces them to send their +sons to fight her battles, she gives them no share in her privileges, no +voice in her councils. + +"I had hoped, Malchus, that at such a moment as this faction would have +been silent at Carthage, and a feeling of patriotism would once again +have asserted itself. I find that it is not so, and my heart sinks for +my country. Were it not for my wife and family, Malchus, I would gladly +die in the coming battle." + +The words recurred to Malchus as he sat in his tent by the side of his +father's body on the night after the battle of the Trebia, and a deep +bitterness mingled with his sorrow. + +"Giscon was right," he exclaimed. "All means are justifiable to rid +one's country of those who are destroying her. It makes one mad to think +that while men like my father are fighting and dying for their country, +the tribunes of the democracy, who fatten on our spoils, are plotting +against them at home. Henceforth, I fight not as a Carthaginian, but as +a soldier of Hannibal, and will aid him in his endeavour to humble Rome; +not that Carthage, with her blood stained altars, her corrupt officials, +and her indolent population, may continue to exist, but that these manly +and valiant Gauls who have thrown in their lot with us may live free and +independent of the yoke of Rome. These people are rude and primitive, +but their simple virtues, their love of freedom, their readiness to die +rather than to be slaves, put the sham patriotism of Carthage to shame." + +When the army went into winter quarters, and Hannibal dismissed his +Gaulish allies, with many rich presents, to their homes, Malchus +obtained leave from Hannibal to depart with Allobrigius--the chief of +the Insubrian tribe living on the Orcus--who had, with his fighting +men, accompanied Hannibal through the campaign. The chief's wife and +daughters had returned after seeing the army across the Po. Malchus +had sought the society of his late host during the campaign, had often +ridden beside him on the march, and had spent the evening in his tent +talking either of the civilization of Carthage, which seemed wonderful +indeed to the simple Gaulish chieftain, or of the campaign on which they +were engaged. + +Malchus had by this time mastered the differences between the dialect +of the Cisalpine Gauls and that of those in Gaul itself and Iberia, +with which he was already acquainted. The chief was gratified by the +friendship of Hannibal's kinsman, and liked the frank simplicity of his +manner. He had laughed loudly when his wife had told him how Malchus had +leaped from the bridge to save the life of Clotilde when she fell into +the river. But the act had proved that Malchus was grateful for the +kindness which had been shown him, and had cemented the friendship +between them. Therefore, when the campaign came to a close, he had +offered a hearty invitation to Malchus to spend the time, until the +army should again assemble, with him in his village on the banks of the +Orcus. Hannibal had smiled when Malchus had asked for leave of absence. + +"Those daughters of the chief whom you presented to me on the day when +we crossed the Po are the fairest I have seen in Gaul. Malchus, are you +thinking of keeping up the traditions of our family? My father wedded +all my sisters, as you know, to native princes in Africa, and I took an +Iberian maiden as my wife. It would be in every way politic and to be +desired that one so nearly related to me as yourself should form an +alliance by marriage with one of these Gaulish chiefs." + +Malchus laughed somewhat confusedly. + +"It will be time to talk about marriage some years hence, Hannibal; I am +scarce twenty yet, and she is but a girl." + +"Oh! there is a she in the case," Hannibal laughed; "and my arrow drawn +at a venture has struck home. Ah! yes, there were three of them, two +tall and stately maidens and one still a slim and unformed girl. Indeed, +I remember now having heard that you lost your armour and helmet in +jumping off the bridge across the Po to fish out one of the daughters +of Allobrigius, who turned out to be able to swim much better than you +could. I had a hearty laugh over it with your poor father, but with the +Romans at Piacenza and a great battle before us the matter passed from +my mind. So that is how the wind lies. Well, as you say, you are both +young, and there is no saying what the next two or three years may bring +forth. However, bear in mind that such an alliance would please me much, +and remember also that the Gaulish maidens marry young, and in times +like ours, Malchus, it is never well to delay long." + +Malchus took with him Nessus, who had, from the day when they escaped +together from Scipio's camp, been always near his person, had carried +his helmet on the line of march, slept next to him by the campfire, and +fought by his side in battle, ready at any moment to give his life to +avert harm from his leader. + +The return of Allobrigius and his tribesmen was celebrated by great +rejoicings on the Orcus. The women and old men and boys met them some +miles from the village, raising loud cries of welcome and triumph +as they returned from their successful campaign against their former +oppressors. Among no people were family ties held more precious than +among the Gauls, and the rough military order which the tribesmen had +preserved upon their march was at once broken up when the two parties +met. + +Wives rushed into the arms of husbands, mothers embraced their sons, +girls hung on the necks of their fathers and brothers. There was nothing +to mar the joy of the meeting, for messengers had from time to time +carried news from the army to the village, and the women who had lost +those dearest to them in the campaign remained behind in the village, so +that their mourning should not mar the brightness of the return of the +tribe. + +Brunilda, the wife of the chief, stood with her daughters a little +apart from the crowd on a rising knoll of ground, and the chief, who +was mounted upon a horse taken from the Romans at the Trebia, spurred +forward towards them, while Malchus hung behind to let the first +greeting pass over before he joined the family circle. He had, however, +been noticed, and Clotilde's cheeks were colouring hotly when her father +rode up, from some laughing remark from her sisters. Brunilda received +Malchus cordially, saying that she had often heard of him in the +messages sent by her husband. + +"He has come to stop the winter with us," Allobrigius said. "I promised +him a warm welcome, and he needs rest and quiet, as do we all, for it +has been hard work even to seasoned men like us. What with snow and rain +I have scarcely been dry since I left you." + +"That would not matter to the young Carthaginian lord," the eldest girl +said with a smile; "we know that he rather likes getting wet, don't we, +Clotilde?" she said, turning to her sister, who was, contrary to her +usual custom, standing shyly behind her. + +"I am afraid I shall never hear the last of that," Malchus laughed; "I +can only say that I meant well." + +"Of course you did," Allobrigius said; "you could not know that our +Gaulish maidens could swim and march, and, if necessary, fight as +stoutly as the men. The Romans before now have learned that, in +the absence of the men from the camp, the women of Gaul can fight +desperately for country, and home, and honour. Do not let yourself be +troubled by what these wild girls say, my lord Malchus; you know our +Gaulish women are free of tongue, and hold not their men in such awe and +deference as is the custom among other nations." + +"I am accustomed to be laughed at," Malchus said smiling; "I have two +sisters at home, and, whatever respect women may pay to their lords +in Carthage, I suppose that neither there nor anywhere else have girls +respect for their brothers." + +The music at this moment struck up, the harpers began a song which they +had composed in honour of the occasion, the tribesmen fell into their +ranks again, and Allobrigius placed himself at their head. Malchus +dismounted, and, leading his horse, walked by the side of Brunilda, who, +with the rest of the women, walked on the flanks of the column on its +way back to the village. + +The next three months passed very pleasantly to Malchus. In the day +he hunted the boar, the bear, and the wolf among the mountains with +Allobrigius; of an evening he sat by the fire and listened to the songs +of the harpers or to the tales of the wars and wanderings of the Gaulish +tribes, or himself told the story of Carthage and Tyre and the wars of +the former with the Romans, described the life and manners of the great +city, or the hunting of the lion in the Libyan deserts. + +While his listeners wondered at the complex life and strange arts and +magnificence of Carthage, Malchus was struck with the simple existence, +the warm family ties, the honest sincerity, and the deep love of freedom +of the Gauls. When Brunilda and her daughter sighed with envy at the +thought of the luxuries and pleasures of the great city, he told them +that they would soon weary of so artificial an existence, and that +Carthage, with its corruption, its ever present dread of the rising of +one class against another, its constant fear of revolt from the people +it had enslaved, its secret tribunals, its oppression and tyranny, had +little which need be envied by the free tribes of Gaul. + +"I grant," he said, "that you would gain greater comfort by adopting +something of our civilization. You might improve your dwellings, +hangings round your walls would keep out the bitter winds, well made +doors are in winter very preferable to the skins which hang at your +entrance, and I do think that a Carthaginian cook might, with advantage, +give lessons to the tribes as to preparations of food; but beyond that I +think that you have the best of it." + +"The well built houses you speak of," Allobrigius said, "have their +advantages, but they have their drawbacks. A people who once settle down +into permanent abodes have taken the first step towards losing their +freedom. Look at all the large towns in the plains; until lately each of +them held a Roman garrison. In the first place, they offer an incentive +to the attack of a covetous foe; in the second, they bind their +owners to them. The inhabitants of a town cling to their houses and +possessions, and, if conquered, become mere slaves to their captors; we +who live in dwellings which cost but a few weeks of work, whose worldly +goods are the work of our own hands, or the products of the chase, +should never be conquered; we may be beaten, but if so, we can retire +before our enemies and live in freedom in the forest or mountains, or +travel beyond the reach of our foes. + +"Had not your army come and freed us from Rome I was already meditating +moving with my tribe across the great mountains to the north and +settling among Brunilda's people in the German forests, far beyond the +reach of Rome. What though, as she tells me, the winters are long +and severe, the people ignorant of many of the comforts which we have +adopted from our neighbours; at least we should be free, and of all +blessings none is to compare with that." + +"I agree with you," Malchus said, thinking of the plots and +conspiracies, the secret denunciations, the tyranny and corruption +of Carthage, "it is good to be great, but it is better to be free. +However," he added more cheerfully, "I trust that we are going to free +you from all future fear of Rome, and that you will be able to enjoy +your liberty here without having to remove to the dark forests and long +winter of the country north of the Alps." + +So passed the winter. Early in the spring a messenger arrived from +Hannibal bidding Malchus rejoin him, and calling upon Allobrigius to +prepare to take the field against the Romans. Similar messages had been +sent to all the Gaulish tribes friendly to Carthage, and early in March +Hannibal prepared to cross the Apennines and to advance against Rome. + +The position occupied by the two Roman armies barred the only two roads +by which it was believed that Hannibal could march upon Rome, but +as soon as the spring commenced Hannibal started by a path, hitherto +untrodden by troops, across the Apennines. In the march the troops +suffered even greater hardships than those which they had undergone +in the passage of the Alps, for during four days and three nights they +marched knee deep in water, unable for a single moment to lie down. + +While ever moving backwards and forwards among his men to encourage them +with his presence and words, even the iron frame of Hannibal gave way +under the terrible hardships. The long continued strain, the want of +sleep, and the obnoxious miasma from the marshes, brought on a fever +and cost him the sight of one of his eyes. Of all the elephants but one +survived the march, and it was with an army as worn out and exhausted as +that which had issued from the Alps that he descended into the fertile +plains of Tuscany, near Fiesole. + +The army of Flaminius, 30,000 strong, was still lying at Arezzo, on his +direct road south, and it was with this only that Hannibal had now to +deal, the force of Servilius being still far away at Rimini. His own +army was some 35,000 strong, and crossing the Upper Arno near Florence, +Hannibal marched towards Arezzo. Flaminius, as soon as he had heard +that Hannibal was ascending the slopes of the Apennines, had sent +to Servilius to join him, but the latter, alleging that he feared an +invasion by the Gaulish tribes on the north, refused to move, but sent +four thousand cavalry to Flaminius. This brought the armies to nearly +equal strength, but, although Hannibal marched his troops within sight +of Arezzo, Flaminius would not issue from his camp to attack him. + +He knew that Hannibal had defeated a force of tried troops, much +exceeding his own in numbers, in the north, and that he would therefore +probably be successful against one which scarcely equalled his own. He +hoped, too, that Hannibal would attack him in his intrenched position. +This the Carthaginian general had no intention of doing, but, leaving +the camp behind him, marched on, plundering and ravaging the country +towards Rome. Flaminius at once broke up his camp and followed on his +track, preparing to take any opportunity which might occur to fall upon +the Carthaginians, and knowing that the senate would at once call up the +army of Servilius to assist him. + +Hannibal, by means of scouts left in his rear, found that Flaminius +was marching on with his troops in solid column, taking no precaution +against surprise, secure in the belief that Hannibal's object was to +march on Rome without a stop. The Carthaginian general prepared at once +to take advantage of his enemy's carelessness. He halted his troops at +Cortona. The road by which he had passed wound along the shore of Lake +Trasimene, at the foot of a range of steep hills, which approached +closely to the water. + +Half way along these hills a stream runs down a valley into the +lake, and in the valley, completely hidden from the sight of an enemy +approaching, Hannibal placed the Numidian cavalry and the Gaulish +infantry. Among some woods clothing the lower slope of the hills facing +the lake he placed his light troops, while the Spanish and African +infantry and the Gaulish cavalry were similarly hidden on the outer +slopes of the hill in readiness to close in on the rear of the Romans +when they had entered on the road between the hills and the lake. + +No better position could have been chosen for a surprise. When once the +Romans had entered the path between the hills and the lake there was no +escape for them. They were shut up between the wood clad hills swarming +with the Carthaginian light troops and the lake, while the heavy +infantry and cavalry of Hannibal were ready to fall on them front and +rear. + +When Flaminius arrived at Cortona late at night he heard of the ravages +and executions committed by the Carthaginians, as they had passed +through early in the morning, and resolved to press forward at daybreak +in hopes of finding some opportunity for falling upon and punishing +them. When day broke it seemed favourable to his design, for a thick +mist was rising from the lake and marshes. This, he thought, would +conceal his advance from the Carthaginians, while, as the high ground +ahead rose above the mist, he would be enabled to see their position. He +pushed forward then rapidly, thinking that he should be able to overtake +the rear of the Carthaginian army as it moved slowly along encumbered +with its plunder. + +As he neared the entrance to the pass he caught sight of the heavy +armed Carthaginians on the distant hill above the level of the mist, +and believing that his own movements were hidden from the enemy, pushed +forward as fast as the infantry could march. But the moment the rear of +his column had entered the narrow flat between the foot of the hills and +the lake, the Numidians quietly moved down and closed the pass behind +them, while Hannibal with his heavy infantry descended from the farther +hill to confront him. When all was ready he gave the signal, and at once +in front, on their right flank, and on their rear the Carthaginians fell +upon them. + +The light troops heralded their attack by rolling a vast quantity of +rocks down the hill on the long column, and then, pressing down through +the woods, poured their arrows and javelins into the struggling mass. + +Taken wholly by surprise, unable to advance or retreat, desperate at +finding themselves thus caught in a trap, the Romans fought bravely but +in vain. An earthquake shook the ground on which the terrible fight was +going on; but not for a moment did it interrupt the struggle. For three +hours the Romans, although suffering terribly, still fought on; then +Flaminius was killed, and from that time they thought only of escape. +But this was next to impossible. Six thousand only cut their way out. +Fifteen thousand fell, and nine thousand were taken prisoners. + +As soon as the battle was over Hannibal despatched Maharbal with his +division of the army in pursuit of the six thousand who had escaped, +and, overtaking them next morning at Perugia, Maharbal forced them to +surrender. At the same time he detached a strong force against the four +thousand horsemen, whom Servilius had despatched from Rimini to aid his +colleague, and the whole of these were surrounded and taken prisoners. +Thus of the Roman army, thirty-six thousand strong, not a single man +escaped. + +In all history there is no record of so great and successful a surprise. +Hannibal retained as prisoners the Roman citizens and Latins, but +released the rest of the captives, telling them that, far from being +their enemy, he had invaded Italy for the purpose of liberating its +helpless people from the tyranny of the Roman domination. The loss +to the Carthaginians in the battle of Lake Trasimene was only fifteen +hundred men. + +Hannibal has been blamed for not advancing against Rome after the battle +of Lake Trasimene; but he knew that he could not hope to subdue that +city so long as she was surrounded by faithful allies. His army was +numerically insufficient to undertake such a siege, and was destitute +of the machines for battering the walls. Rome was still defended by +the city legions, besides which every man capable of bearing arms was +a soldier. The bitter hostility of the Latins would have rendered it +difficult in the extreme for the army to have obtained provisions while +carrying on the siege, while in its rear, waiting for an opportunity to +attack, would have lain the army of Servilius, thirty thousand strong, +and growing daily more numerous as the friends and allies of Rome +flocked to its banners. + +Hannibal saw that to undertake such an enterprise at present would be +ruin. His course was clear. He had to beat the armies which Rome could +put into the field; to shake the confidence of the Italian tribes in +the power of Rome; to subsist his army upon their territories, and so +gradually to detach them from their alliance with Rome. He hoped that, +by the time this work was finished, Carthage would send another great +army to his assistance provided with siege materials, and he would then +be able to undertake with confidence the great task of striking a vital +blow at Rome herself. + +"Malchus," Hannibal said one day, "I wish you to ride north. The tribes +at the foot of the hills promised to aid us, but have so far done +nothing. If they would pour down to the plains now they would occupy the +tribes friendly to the Romans, and would prevent them from sending men +and stores to them. They sent me a message a month ago, saying that they +were still willing to help us, and I then replied that I had been long +waiting to hear that they had risen, and urged them to do so without +loss of time. I have not heard since, and fear that the Roman agents +have, by promises of money and privileges, prevailed upon them to keep +quiet. It is a service of danger; for if they have been bought over they +may seize you and send you in token of their goodwill as a prisoner to +Rome; but I know that will not deter you." + +"I am ready to go," Malchus said, "and will start today. What force +shall I take with me, and which of the chiefs shall I first see?" + +"You had best go first to Ostragarth. He is the most powerful of the +chiefs on this side of the Apennines. You can select from the treasury +such presents as you may choose for him and the others. You can promise +them large grants of the land of the tribes aiding the Romans, together +with a share in the plunder of the cities. I leave you quite free. In +those respects you will be guided by what you see they want; but any +promises you may make I will ratify. As to men I should not take a large +escort. Force will, of course, be of no avail, and the appearance of +a large number of troops might alarm them at once. Twenty men will be +sufficient for dignity, and as a protection against any small bodies of +the hostile tribesmen you may meet on your way; but have no frays if you +can avoid it. The mission is an important one, and its success +should not be risked merely to defeat a body of tribesmen. Go in your +handsomest armour, and make as brave a show as you can, as my ambassador +and kinsman. Take twenty of the Carthaginian horse; they will impose +more upon the barbarians than would the Libyans or Numidians. Take your +friend Trebon as their commander and a companion for yourself." + +In two hours Malchus and his escort were ready to start. As their +journey would be rapid they carried no stores with them, save three +days' provisions, which each man carried at his saddlebow, and a bag +containing a few feeds of corn for the horse. They took with them, +however, two baggage horses laden with arms, armour, garments, and other +presents for the chiefs. + +They passed rapidly across the country, meeting with no hostile parties, +for the raids of Hannibal's light armed horse had so terrified +the people that the villages were for the most part deserted, the +inhabitants having sought refuge in the fortified towns. After two days' +brisk riding they arrived at the foot of the hills, and their progress +was now slower. The village of Ostragarth lay far up among them, and, +being ignorant of the direction, Malchus broke the troop up into parties +of four, and sent them up different valleys with orders to capture +the first native they came across, and oblige him either by threats or +promises to act as a guide to the stronghold of the chief. + +"I sincerely trust that this barbarian is friendly, Malchus, for the +country looks wild and difficult in the extreme, and the forests which +clothe these hills are thick and tangled. On the plain we can laugh +at the natives, however numerous, and with twenty men I would charge a +thousand of them; but among these hills it is different, one cannot find +a level spot for a charge, and, if it comes to running, the mountaineers +are as fleet as a horse on the broken ground of their hills." + +"I agree with you, Trebon, that it would go hard with us, and that the +utmost we could hope for would be a visit to Rome as captives. Still, +these chiefs all offered alliance to Hannibal as he went south, and the +success which has attended us should surely bind them to our interests. +They are ever willing to join the winning side, and so far fortune has +been wholly with us." + +"That is so, Malchus, but then they see that the tribes of the plains +still hold aloof from us and pin their faith on Rome. They must know +that we are receiving no reinforcements to fill the gaps made in battle, +and may well fear to provoke the anger of Rome by taking part with us +before our success is, as they consider, absolutely secure." + +"On the same grounds then, Trebon, they will be equally unwilling to +offend us by any hostility until the scale is decidedly weighed down +against us. Hannibal's anger might be as terrible as that of the +Romans." + +"There is something in that, Malchus, but not so much as you think. If +Rome wins, Rome will have ample time and ample power, with the aid of +all her native allies, to punish any who may have declared against +her. On the other hand, should Carthage triumph, they may consider it +probable that we should sack and burn Rome and then retire, or that if +we remain there will be so much to arrange, so many tribes in the plains +to subjugate and pacify, that we shall be little likely to undertake +expeditions in the mountains. Therefore, you see, prudent men would +decide for Rome. Could we have marched straight on after the victory at +Lake Trasimene and have captured Rome, all these mountain tribes would +have taken the opportunity to pour down into the plains to plunder and +slay under the pretence of being our allies." + +It was not until nightfall that the five parties returned to the spot +where they had left their leaders. Three of them had been entirely +unsuccessful, but the other two had each brought in a native. These men +looked sullen and obstinate, and it was not until Malchus had ordered a +halter to be placed round their necks and threatened them with instant +death that they consented to act as guides. + +A vigilant watch was kept over them all night, and at daybreak next +morning the party started. For some miles they rode along at the foot +of the mountains, and then entered a valley up which a little used track +ran. The men upon being questioned intimated that it was several hours' +journey to the village of the chief of whom they were in search. + +This, indeed, proved to be the case, for it was not till the afternoon, +after many hours' weary journey up gorges and through mountain valleys, +that they arrived within sight of the village of Ostragarth. It was +situated on one side of the valley, and consisted of huts surrounded +by a rough stone wall of such height that only the tops of the circular +roofs were visible above it. A loud shrill cry was heard as they came in +sight, a cow horn was blown in the village, and instantly men could be +seen running in. Others, engaged in tending flocks of goats high up on +the mountain side, left their charges and began to hurry down. + + + +CHAPTER XV: A MOUNTAIN TRIBE + + +"It is a petty place for a chief of any power," Trebon said. + +"Yes," Malchus agreed, "but I fancy these hill tribes are broken up into +a very large number of small villages in isolated valleys, only uniting +when the order of the chief calls upon them to defend the mountains +against an invader, or to make a simultaneous raid upon the plains." + +As they neared the village several persons were seen to issue out from +the gate, and among these was a small and elderly man, evidently +the chief of the party. His white hair descended to his waist; a boy +standing behind him carried his bow and several javelins. The rest of +the men appeared to be unarmed. + +"He is a crafty looking old fellow," Malchus said as he alighted and +advanced towards the chief, "but I suppose he has made up his mind to +receive us as friends, at any rate for the present. + +"I come, chief, as an ambassador from the Carthaginian general. When we +passed south he received messengers from you, saying that you were +ready to enter into an alliance with him. To this he agreed, and sent +presents. Since then you have done nothing, although he has sent to you +urging you to aid him by making an attack on the tribes allied to Rome. +In every battle which he has fought with the Romans he has defeated them +with great slaughter; but, owing to the aid which they have received +from the tribes in alliance with them, they are enabled continually to +put fresh armies in the field. Therefore it is that he has sent me to +you and to the other chiefs of the tribes inhabiting the mountains, to +urge you to descend with your forces into the plains, and so oblige the +tribes there to turn their attention to their own defence rather than to +the sending of assistance to Rome. He has sent by my hands many valuable +presents, and has authorized me to promise you, in his name, such lands +as you may wish to obtain beyond the foot of the hills. He promises you, +also, a share in the booty taken at the sack of the Italian cities." + +"Will you please to enter," the chief said, speaking a patois of Latin +which Malchus found it difficult to understand. "We will then discuss +the matters concerning which you speak." + +So saying he led the way through the gates to a hut somewhat larger than +the rest. + +"Do you enter with me, Trebon, but let your men remain in their saddle, +and hold our horses in readiness for us to mount speedily if there be +need. I doubt the friendliness of this old fellow and his people." + +Upon entering the hut Malchus observed at once that the walls were +covered with hangings which were new and fresh, and he detected some +costly armour half hidden in a corner. + +"The Romans have been here before us," he muttered to his companion; +"the question is, how high have they bid for his support." + +The chief took his seat on a roughly carved chair, and seats were +brought in for his visitors. He began by asking an account of the state +of affairs in the plains. Malchus answered him truthfully, except that +he exaggerated a little the effects that the Carthaginian victories +had produced among the natives. The chief asked many questions, and was +evidently by some means well informed on the subject. He then expressed +a desire to see the presents which they had brought him. Trebon went out +and returned with two soldiers bearing them. + +"I don't like the look of things," he said in a low voice. "The number +of men in the village has trebled since we arrived, and they still keep +coming in. None of them show arms at present, but no doubt they +are hidden close at hand. I believe the chief is only keeping us in +conversation till he considers that a sufficient force has arrived to +make sure of us." + +"We can't break it off now," Malchus said, "and must take our chance. It +would not do to ensure a failure by showing suspicion." + +The chief examined the presents with great care and announced his +satisfaction at them. Then he entered upon the question of the land +which he was to receive, inquired whether the towns were to be captured +by the Carthaginians and handed over to him, or were to be captured +by his forces. When these points had been arranged, as it seemed, +satisfactorily, he entered upon questions in dispute between himself and +other chiefs of the mountain tribes. Malchus said he had no instructions +as to these points, which were new to him, but that in all questions +between the chief and tribes hostile to Carthage, full satisfaction +would be given him. As to those between himself and other chiefs, who +might also join against the Romans, if they elected to submit them to +Hannibal for decision he would arbitrate between them. + +At this moment a horn was blown outside. A din of voices instantly +arose, which was followed immediately afterwards by the clashing of +weapons. Malchus and his companion leaped to their feet and rushed +from the hut. They found that their men were attacked by a crowd of +mountaineers. In an instant they leaped on their horses, and drawing +their swords joined in the fray. The number of their foes was large, +a great many men having come in since Trebon had last issued out. The +attack was a determined one. Those next to the horsemen hewed at them +with axes, those further back hurled darts and javelins, while others +crept in among the horses and stabbed them from beneath with their long +knives. + +"We must get out of this or we are lost," Trebon exclaimed, and, +encouraging the men with his shouts, he strove to hew a way through the +crowd to the gate, while Malchus faced some of the men round and covered +the rear. Several of the Carthaginians were already dismounted, owing to +their horses being slain, and some of them were despatched before they +could gain their feet. Malchus shouted to the others to leap up behind +their comrades. + +By dint of desperate efforts Trebon and the soldiers with him cleared +the way to the gate, but those behind were so hampered by the enemy that +they were unable to follow. The natives clung to their legs and strove +to pull them off their horses, while a storm of blows was hurled upon +them. Trebon, seeing the danger of those behind, had turned, and in vain +tried to cut his way back to them; but the number of the natives was too +great. Malchus seeing this shouted at the top of his voice: + +"Fly, Trebon, you cannot help us, save those you can." Seeing that he +could render his friend no assistance, Trebon turned round and galloped +off with nine of the soldiers who had made their way with him to the +gate. Five had already fallen, and Malchus shouted to the other six to +throw down their arms and yield themselves as prisoners. This they did, +but two of them were killed before the villagers perceived they had +surrendered. + +Malchus and the others were dragged from their horses, bound hand and +foot, and thrown into one of the huts. The natives shouted in triumph, +and yells of delight arose as the packages borne by the baggage animals +were examined, and the variety of rich presents, intended for the +various chiefs, divided among them. + +Most of the captives were more or less severely wounded, and some of +the natives presently came into the hut and examined and bound up the +wounds. + +"Keep up your spirits," Malchus said cheerfully, "it is evident they +don't intend to kill us. No doubt they are going to send us prisoners to +the Romans, and in that case we shall be exchanged sooner or later. At +any rate the Romans would not dare ill treat us, for Hannibal holds more +than a hundred prisoners in his hands to every one they have taken." + +Three days passed, food was brought to the captives regularly, and their +bonds were sufficiently relaxed for them to feed themselves. At the end +of that time they were ordered to rise and leave the hut. Outside the +chief with some forty of his followers were waiting them. All were +armed, and the prisoners being placed in their midst, the party started. + +They proceeded by the same road by which Malchus had ridden to the +village, and some miles were passed without incident, when, as they were +passing through a narrow valley, a great number of rocks came +bounding down the hillside, and at different points along it several +Carthaginians appeared. In these Malchus recognized at once the soldiers +of his escort. One of these shouted out: + +"Surrender, or you are all dead men. A strong force surrounds you on +both sides, and my officers, whom you see, will give orders to their +men, who will loose such an avalanche of rocks that you will all be +swept away." + +"It is only the men who escaped us," the chief cried; "push forward at +once." + +But the instant the movement began the Carthaginians all shouted orders, +and a great number of rocks came bounding down, proving that they were +obeyed by an invisible army. Several of the mountaineers were crushed by +the stones, and the old chief, struck by a great rock in the chest, fell +dead. A Carthaginian standing next to Malchus was also slain. + +The tribesmen gave a cry of terror. Hand to hand they were ready to +fight valiantly, but this destruction by an unseen foe terrified them. +The Carthaginian leader raised his hand, and the descent of the stones +ceased. + +"Now," he said, "you see the truth of my words. Hesitate any longer and +all will be lost; but if you throw down your arms, and, leaving your +captives behind, retire by the way you came, you are free to do so. +Hannibal has no desire for the blood of the Italian people. He has come +to free them from the yoke of Rome, and your treacherous chief, who, +after our making an alliance with him, sold you to the Romans, has been +slain, therefore I have no further ill will against you." + +The tribesmen, dismayed by the loss of their chief, and uncertain as to +the strength of the foes who surrounded them, at once threw down their +arms, and, glad to escape with their lives, fled at all speed up the +pass towards their village, leaving their captives behind them. + +The Carthaginians then descended, Trebon among them. + +"I did not show myself, Malchus," the latter said as he joined his +friend, "for the chief knew me by sight, and I wished him to be +uncertain whether we were not a fresh party who had arrived." + +"But who are your army?" Malchus asked; "you have astonished me as much +as the barbarians." + +"There they are," Trebon said, laughing, as some fifty or sixty women +and a dozen old men and boys began to make their way down the hill. +"Fortunately the tribesmen were too much occupied with their plunder and +you to pursue us, and I got down safely with my men. I was, of course, +determined to try to rescue you somehow, but did not see how it was to +be done. Then a happy thought struck me, and the next morning we rode +down to the plain till we came to a walled village. I at once summoned +it to surrender, using threats of bringing up a strong body to destroy +the place if they refused. They opened the gates sooner than I had +expected, and I found the village inhabited only by women, old men, and +children, the whole of the fighting men having been called away to join +the Romans. They were, as you may imagine, in a terrible fright, and +expected every one of them to be killed. However, I told them that we +would not only spare their lives, but also their property, if they would +obey my orders. + +"They agreed willingly enough, and I ordered all those who were strong +enough to be of any good to take each sufficient provisions for a week +and to accompany me. Astonished as they were at the order, there was +nothing for them to do but to obey, and they accordingly set out. I +found by questioning them that the road we had travelled was the regular +one up to the village, and that you would be sure to be brought down by +it if the chief intended to send you to Rome. + +"By nightfall we reached this valley. The next morning we set to work +and cut a number of strong levers, then we went up on the hillside to +where you saw us, and I posted them all behind the rocks. We spent all +the day loosing stones and placing them in readiness to roll down, and +were then prepared for your coming. At nightfall I assembled them all, +and put a guard over them. We posted them again at daybreak yesterday, +but watched all day in vain, and here we should have remained for a +month if necessary, as I should have sent down some of the boys for more +provisions when those they brought were gone. However, I was right glad +when I saw you coming today, for it was dull work. I would have killed +the whole of these treacherous savages if I had not been afraid of +injuring you and the men. As it was I was in terrible fright when the +stones went rushing down at you. One of our men has been killed, I see; +but there was no help for it." + +The whole party then proceeded down the valley. On emerging from the +hills Trebon told his improvised army that they could return to their +village, as he had no further need of their services, and, delighted at +having escaped without damage or injury, they at once proceeded on their +way. + +"We had best halt here for the night," Trebon said, "and in the morning +I will start off with the mounted men and get some horses from one of +the villages for the rest of you. No doubt they are all pretty well +stripped of fighting men." + +The next day the horses were obtained, and Malchus, seeing that, now he +had lost all the presents intended for the chiefs, it would be useless +to pursue his mission further, especially as he had learned that the +Roman agents had already been at work among the tribes, returned with +his party to Hannibal's camp. + +"I am sorry, Malchus," the Carthaginian general said, when he related +his failure to carry out the mission, "that you have not succeeded, but +it is clear that your failure is due to no want of tact on your part. +The attack upon you was evidently determined upon the instant you +appeared in sight of the village, for men must have been sent out +at once to summon the tribe. Your friend Trebon behaved with great +intelligence in the matter of your rescue, and I shall at once promote +him a step in rank." + +"I am ready to set out again and try whether I can succeed better with +some of the other chiefs if you like," Malchus said. + +"No, Malchus, we will leave them alone for the present. The Romans have +been beforehand with us, and as this man was one of their principal +chiefs, it is probable that, as he has forsaken his alliance with us, +the others have done the same. Moreover, the news of his death, deserved +as it was, at the hands of a party of Carthaginians, will not improve +their feelings towards us. Nothing short of a general movement among the +hill tribes would be of any great advantage to us, and it is clear that +no general movement can be looked for now. Besides, now that we see the +spirit which animates these savages, I do not care to risk your loss by +sending you among them." + +The news of the disaster of Lake Trasimene was met by Rome in a spirit +worthy of her. No one so much as breathed the thought of negotiations +with the enemy, not even a soldier was recalled from the army of Spain. +Quintus Fabius Maximus was chosen dictator, and he with two newly raised +legions marched to Ariminum and assumed the command of the army there, +raised by the reinforcements he brought with him to fifty thousand men. + +Stringent orders were issued to the inhabitants of the districts through +which Hannibal would march on his way to Rome to destroy their crops, +drive off their cattle, and take refuge in the fortified towns. +Servilius was appointed to the command of the Roman fleet, and ordered +to oppose the Carthaginians at sea. The army of Fabius was now greatly +superior to that of Hannibal, but was inferior in cavalry. He had, +moreover, the advantage of being in a friendly country, and of being +provisioned by the people through whose country he moved, while Hannibal +was obliged to scatter his army greatly to obtain provisions. + +Fabius moved his army until within six miles of that of Hannibal, +and then took up his position upon the hills, contenting himself with +watching from a distance the movements of the Carthaginians. Hannibal +marched unmolested through some of the richest provinces of Italy till +he descended into the plain of Campania. He obtained large quantities of +rich booty, but the inhabitants in all cases held aloof from him, their +belief in the star of Rome being still unshaken in spite of the reverses +which had befallen her. + +Fabius followed at a safe distance, avoiding every attempt of Hannibal +to bring on a battle. + +The Roman soldiers fretted with rage and indignation at seeing the +enemy, so inferior in strength to themselves, wasting and plundering +the country at their will. Minucius, the master of horse and second in +command, a fiery officer, sympathized to the full with the anger of the +soldiers, and continually urged upon Fabius to march the army to the +assault, but Fabius was immovable. The terrible defeats which Hannibal +had inflicted upon two Roman armies showed him how vast would be the +danger of engaging such an opponent unless at some great advantage. + +Such advantage he thought he saw when Hannibal descended into the +plain of Campania. This plain was inclosed on the south by the river +Vulturnus, which could be passed only at the bridge at Casilinum, +defended by the Roman garrison at that town, while on its other sides +it was surrounded by an unbroken barrier of steep and wooded hills, the +passes of which were strongly guarded by the Romans. + +After seeing that every road over the hills was strongly held by his +troops, Fabius sat down with his army on the mountains, whence he could +watch the doings of Hannibal's force on the plains. He himself was amply +supplied with provisions from the country in his rear, and he awaited +patiently the time when Hannibal, having exhausted all the resources +of the Campania, would be forced by starvation to attack the Romans in +their almost impregnable position in the passes. + +Hannibal was perfectly aware of the difficulties of his position. Had +he been free and unencumbered by baggage he might have led his army +directly across the wooded mountains, avoiding the passes guarded by +the Romans, but with his enormous trail of baggage this was impossible +unless he abandoned all the rich plunder which the army had collected. +Of the two outlets from the plain, by the Appian and Latin roads which +led to Rome, neither could be safely attempted, for the Roman army would +have followed in his rear, and attacked him while endeavouring to force +the passages in the mountains. + +The same objection applied to his crossing the Vulturnus. The only +bridge was strongly held by the Romans, and the river was far too deep +and rapid for a passage to be attempted elsewhere with the great Roman +army close at hand. The mountain range between the Vulturnus and Cades +was difficult in the extreme, as the passes were few and very strongly +guarded, but it was here that Hannibal resolved to make the attempt to +lead his army from the difficult position in which it was placed. He +waited quietly in the plain until the supplies of food were beginning to +run low, and then prepared for his enterprise. + +An immense number of cattle were among the plunder. Two thousand of the +stoutest of these were selected, torches were fastened to their horns, +and shortly before midnight the light troops drove the oxen to the +hills, avoiding the position of the passes guarded by the enemy. The +torches were then lighted, and the light troops drove the oxen straight +up the hill. The animals, maddened by fear, rushed tumultuously forward, +scattering in all directions on the hillside, but, continually urged by +the troops behind them, mounting towards the summits of the hills. + +The Roman defenders of the passes, seeing this great number of lights +moving upwards, supposed that Hannibal had abandoned all his baggage, +and was leading his army straight across the hills. This idea was +confirmed by the light troops, on gaining the crest of the hills, +commencing an attack upon the Romans posted below them in the pass +through which Hannibal intended to move. The Roman troops thereupon +quitted the pass, and scaled the heights to interrupt or harass the +retreating foe. + +As soon as Hannibal saw the lights moving on the top of the hills +he commenced his march. The African infantry led the way; they were +followed by the cavalry; then came the baggage and booty, and the rear +was covered by the Spaniards and Gauls. The defile was found deserted by +its defenders, and the army marched through unopposed. Meanwhile Fabius +with his main army had remained inactive. The Roman general had seen +with astonishment the numerous lights making their way up the mountain +side, but he feared that this was some device on the part of Hannibal +to entrap him into an ambush, as he had entrapped Flaminius on Lake +Trasimene. He therefore held his army in readiness for whatever might +occur until morning broke. + +Then he saw that he had been outwitted. The rear of the Carthaginian +army was just entering the defile, and in a short time Fabius saw the +Gauls and Spaniards scaling the heights to the assistance of their +comrades, who were maintaining an unequal fight with the Romans. +The latter were soon driven with slaughter into the plain, and the +Carthaginian troops descended into the defile and followed their +retreating army. Hannibal now came down into the fertile country of +Apulia, and determined to winter there. He took by storm the town of +Geronium, where he stored his supplies and placed his sick in shelter, +while his army occupied an intrenched camp which he formed outside the +town. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: IN THE DUNGEONS OF CARTHAGE + + +Fabius, after the escape of Hannibal from the trap in which he believed +he had caught him, followed him into Apulia, and encamped on high ground +in his neighbourhood intending to continue the same waiting tactics. +He was, however, soon afterwards recalled to Rome to consult with the +senate on matters connected with the army. He left Minucius in command, +with strict orders that he should on no account suffer himself to be +enticed into a battle. Minucius moved forward to within five miles of +Geronium, and then encamped upon a spur of the hills. + +Hannibal, aware that Fabius had left, hoped to be able to tempt the +impatient Minucius to an action. He accordingly drew nearer to the +Romans and encamped upon a hill three miles from their position. + +Another hill lay about halfway between the two armies. Hannibal occupied +this during the night with two thousand of his light troops, but +next day Minucius attacked the position, drove off its defenders, and +encamped there with his whole army. For some days Hannibal kept his +force united in his intrenchments, feeling sure that Minucius would +attack him. The latter, however, strictly obeyed the orders of Fabius +and remained inactive. + +It was all important to the Carthaginians to collect an ample supply of +food before winter set in, and Hannibal, finding that the Romans would +not attack him, was compelled to resume foraging expeditions. Two-thirds +of the army were despatched in various directions in strong bodies, +while the rest remained to guard the intrenchment. + +This was the opportunity for which Minucius had been waiting. He at once +despatched the whole of his cavalry to attack the foraging parties, +and with his infantry he advanced to the attack of the weakly defended +Carthaginian camp. For a time Hannibal had the greatest difficulty in +resisting the assault of the Romans; but at last a body of four thousand +of the foragers, who had beaten off the Roman cavalry and made their way +into Geronium, came out to his support, and the Romans retired. + +Hannibal, seeing the energy which Minucius had displayed, fell back to +his old camp near Geronium, and Minucius at once occupied the position +which he had vacated. The partial success of Minucius enabled the party +in Rome who had long been discontented with the waiting tactics of +Fabius to make a fresh attack upon his policy, and Minucius was now +raised to an equal rank with Fabius. + +Minucius, elated with his elevation, proposed to Fabius either that +they should command the whole army on alternate days, or each should +permanently command one-half. Fabius chose the latter alternative, for +he felt certain that the impetuosity of his colleague would sooner or +later get him into trouble with such an adversary as Hannibal, and +that it was better to risk the destruction of half the army than of the +whole. + +Minucius withdrew the troops allotted to him, and encamped in the plains +at a distance of a mile and a half from Fabius. Hannibal resolved at +once to take advantage of the change, and to tempt the Romans to attack +him by occupying a hill which lay about halfway between the camp of +Minucius and Geronium. + +The plain which surrounded the hill was level and destitute of wood, but +Hannibal on a careful examination found that there were several hollows +in which troops could be concealed, and in these during the night he +posted five thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry. The position +occupied by them was such that they would be able to take the Romans in +flank and rear should they advance against the hill. Having made these +dispositions he sent forward a body of light troops in the morning +to occupy the hill. Minucius immediately despatched his light troops, +supported by cavalry, to drive them from it. Hannibal reinforced his +Carthaginians by small bodies of troops, and the fight was obstinately +maintained until Minucius, whose blood was now up, marched towards the +hill with his legions in order of battle. + +Hannibal on his side advanced with the remains of his troops, and the +battle became fierce and general, until Hannibal gave the signal to +his troops in ambush, who rushed out and charged the Romans in rear and +flank. Their destruction would have been as complete and terrible as +that which had befallen the army of Sempronius at the Trebia, had not +Fabius moved forward with his troops to save the broken legions of +Minucius. + +Fabius now offered battle, but Hannibal, well content with the heavy +blow which he had struck, and the great loss which he had inflicted upon +the command of Minucius, fell back to his camp. Minucius acknowledged +that Fabius had saved his army from total destruction, and at once +resigned his command into his hands, and reverted to his former position +under him. Both armies then went into winter quarters. + +Malchus had not been present at the fighting near Geronium. Two days +after Hannibal broke through the Roman positions round the plains of +Campania he intrusted Malchus with an important commission. Commanding +the bodyguard of the general, and being closely related to him, Malchus +was greatly in Hannibal's confidence, and was indeed on the same footing +with Mago, Hannibal's brother, and two or three other of his most +trusted generals. Gathered in the general's tent on the previous +evening, these had agreed with their leader that final success could not +be looked for in their enterprise unless reinforcements were received +from Carthage. + +It was now a year since they had emerged from the Alps on to the plains +of Northern Italy. They had annihilated two Roman armies, had marched +almost unopposed through some of the richest provinces of Italy, and yet +they were no nearer the great object of their enterprise than they were +when they crossed the Alps. + +Some of the Cisalpine Gauls had joined them, but even in the plains +north of the Apennines the majority of the tribes had remained firm to +their alliance with the Romans, while south of that range of mountains +the inhabitants had in every case shown themselves bitterly hostile. +Everywhere on the approach of the Carthaginians they had retired +to their walled towns, which Hannibal had neither the time nor the +necessary machines to besiege. + +Although Rome had lost two armies she had already equipped and placed in +the field a third force superior in number to that of the Carthaginians; +her army in Spain had not been drawn upon; her legion north of the +Apennines was operating against the revolted tribes; other legions were +in course of being raised and equipped, and Rome would take the field +in the spring with an army greatly superior in strength to that of +Carthage. Victorious as Hannibal had been in battle, the army which had +struggled through the Alps had in the year which had elapsed, greatly +diminished in numbers. Trebia and Trasimene had both lessened their +strength, but their losses had been much heavier in the terrible +march across the Apennines in the spring, and by fevers subsequently +contracted from the pestiferous malaria of the marshes in the summer. +In point of numbers the gaps had been filled up by the contingents +furnished by their Gaulish allies. But the loss of all the elephants, +of a great number of the cavalry, and of the Carthaginian troops, who +formed the backbone of the army, was not to be replaced. + +"Malchus," Hannibal said, "you know what we were speaking of +yesterday evening. It is absolutely necessary that we should receive +reinforcements. If Carthage aids me I regard victory as certain. Two +or three campaigns like the last would alike break down the strength of +Rome, and will detach her allies from her. + +"The Latins and the other Italian tribes, when they find that Rome is +powerless to protect them, that their flocks and herds, their crops and +possessions are at our mercy, will at length become weary of supporting +her cause, and will cast in their lot with us; but if the strife is to +be continued, Carthage must make an effort--must rouse herself from the +lethargy in which she appears to be sunk. It is impossible for me to +leave the army, nor can I well spare Mago. The cavalry are devoted to +him, and losing him would be like losing my right hand; yet it is clear +that someone must go to Carthage who can speak in my name, and can +represent the true situation here. + +"Will you undertake the mission? It is one of great danger. In the first +place you will have to make your way by sea to Greece, and thence take +ship for Carthage. When you arrive there you will be bitterly opposed by +Hanno and his faction, who are now all powerful, and it may be that your +mission may cost you your life; for not only do these men hate me and +all connected with me, but, like most demagogues, they place their +own selfish aims and ends, the advantage of their own faction, and the +furtherance of their own schemes far above the general welfare of the +state, the loss of all the colonies of Carthage, and the destruction +of her imperial power. The loss of national prestige and honour are to +these men as nothing in comparison with the question whether they can +retain their places and emoluments as rulers of Carthage. + +"Rome is divided as we are, her patricians and plebeians are ever +bitterly opposed to each other; but at present patriotism rises above +party, and both sink their disputes when the national cause is at +stake. The time will doubtless come--that is, unless we cut her course +short--that as Rome increases in wealth and in luxury she will suffer +from the like evils that are destroying Carthage. Party exigencies will +rise above patriotic considerations, and Rome will fall to pieces unless +she finds some man strong and vigourous enough to grasp the whole power +of the state, to silence the chattering of the politicians, and to rule +her with a rod of iron. But I am wandering from my subject. Will you +undertake this mission?" + +"I will," Malchus replied firmly, "if you think me worthy of it. I +have no eloquence as a speaker, and know nothing of the arts of the +politician." + +"There will be plenty of our friends there who will be able to harangue +the multitude," Hannibal replied. "It is your presence there as the +representative of the army, as my kinsman, and as the son of the general +who did such good service to the state that will profit our cause. + +"It is your mission to tell Carthage that now is her time or never; that +Rome already totters from the blows I have struck her, and that another +blow only is requisite to stretch her in the dust. A mighty effort is +needed to overthrow once for all our great rival. + +"Sacrifices will be needed, and great ones, to obtain the object, but +Rome once fallen the future of Carthage is secure. What is needed is +that Carthage should obtain and keep the command of the sea for two +years, that at least twenty-five thousand men should be sent over in the +spring, and as many in the spring following. With such reinforcements I +will undertake to destroy absolutely the power of Rome. Tomorrow I will +furnish you with letters to our friends at home, giving full details as +to the course they should pursue and particulars of our needs. + +"A party of horse shall accompany you to the coast, with a score of men +used to navigation. There you will seize a ship and sail for Corinth, +whence you will have no difficulty in obtaining passage to Carthage." + +After nightfall the next day Malchus started, taking Nessus with him as +his attendant and companion. The party travelled all night, and in the +morning the long line of the sea was visible from the summits of the +hills they were crossing. They waited for some hours to rest and refresh +their horses, and then, continuing their journey, came down in the +afternoon upon a little port at the mouth of the river Biferno. So +unexpected was their approach that the inhabitants had not time to shut +their gates, and the troops entered the town without resistance, the +people all flying to their houses. + +Malchus at once proclaimed that the Carthaginians came as friends, and +would, if, unmolested, injure no one; but if any armed attempt was made +against them they would sack and destroy the town. Two or three vessels +were lying in the port; Malchus took possession of the largest, and, +putting his party of seamen on board her, ordered the crew to sail +for Corinth. The horsemen were to remain in the town until the vessel +returned, when, with the party on board her, they would at once rejoin +Hannibal. + +The wind was favourable, and the next morning the mountains of Greece +were in sight, and in the afternoon they entered the port of Corinth. +The anchor was dropped at a short distance from the shore, the small +boat was lowered, and Malchus, accompanied by Nessus, was rowed ashore +by two of his own men. These then returned on board the ship, which at +once weighed anchor and set sail on her return. + +Corinth was a large and busy port, and the arrival and departure of +the little vessel from Italy passed altogether unnoticed, and without +attracting any particular attention Malchus and his companion made their +way along the wharves. The trade of Corinth was large and flourishing, +and the scene reminded Malchus of that with which he was so familiar +in Carthage. Ships of many nationalities were ranged along the quays. +Galleys from Tyre and Cyprus, from Syria and Egypt, from Carthage and +Italy, were all assembled in this neutral port. + +Corinth was, like Carthage, essentially a trading community; and while +the power and glory of the rival cities of the Peloponnesus were rapidly +failing Corinth was rising in rank, and was now the first city of +Greece. Malchus had no difficulty in finding a Carthaginian trading +ship. He was amply supplied with money, and soon struck a bargain that +the captain should, without waiting to take in further cargo, at once +sail for Carthage. + +The captain was much surprised at the appearance in Corinth of a young +Carthaginian evidently of high rank, but he was too well satisfied at +the bargain he had made to ask any questions. An hour later the mooring +ropes were cast off, and the vessel, spreading her sails, started on her +voyage. The weather was warm and pleasant, and Malchus, stretched on a +couch spread on the poop, greatly enjoyed the rest and quiet, after the +long months which had been spent in almost incessant activity. Upon the +following day Nessus approached him. + +"My lord Malchus," he said, "there are some on board the ship who know +you. I have overheard the men talking together, and it seems that one +of them recognized you as having been in the habit of going out with a +fisherman who lived next door to him at Carthage." + +"It matters not," Malchus said indifferently; "I have no particular +motive in concealing my name, though it would have been as well that +I should be able to meet my friends in Carthage and consult with them +before my arrival there was generally known. However, before I leave the +ship I can distribute some money among the crew, and tell them that for +certain reasons of state I do not wish them to mention on shore that I +have been a passenger." + +Had Malchus been aware that the ship in which he had taken passage was +one of the great fleet of traders owned by Hanno, he would have regarded +the discovery of his personality by the sailors in a more serious light; +as it was, he thought no more of the matter. No change in the manner +of the captain showed that he was aware of the name and rank of his +passenger, and Malchus, as he watched the wide expanse of sea, broken +only by a few distant sails, was too intent upon the mission with which +he was charged to give the matter another moment's thought. + +The wind fell light and it was not until the evening of the eighth day +after leaving Corinth that Carthage, with the citadel of Byrsa rising +above it, could be distinguished. The ship was moving but slowly through +the water, and the captain said that unless a change took place they +would not make port until late the next morning. Malchus retired to his +couch feeling sorry that the period of rest and tranquillity was at an +end, and that he was now about to embark in a difficult struggle, which, +though he felt its importance, was altogether alien to his taste and +disposition. + +He had not even the satisfaction that he should see his mother and +sister, for news had come a short time before he sailed that their +position was so uncomfortable at Carthage that they had left for Spain, +to take up their abode there with Adherbal and Anna. His mother was, +he heard, completely broken down in health by grief for the loss of his +father. + +He was wakened in the night by the splash of the anchor and the running +out of he cable through the hawse hole, and supposed that the breeze +must have sprung up a little, and that they had anchored at the entrance +to the harbour. He soon went off to sleep again, but was presently +aroused by what seemed to him the sound of a short struggle followed by +another splash; he dreamingly wondered what it could be and then went +off to sleep again. When he awoke it was daylight. Somewhat surprised at +the non-appearance of Nessus, who usually came into his cabin the first +thing in the morning to call him, he soon attired himself. + +On going to the door of his cabin he was surprised to find it fastened +without. He knocked loudly against it to attract attention, but almost +immediately found himself in darkness. Going to the porthole to discover +the cause of this sudden change, he found that a sack had been stuffed +into it, and immediately afterwards the sound of hammering told him that +a plank was being nailed over this outside to keep it in its place. + +The truth washed across him--he was a prisoner. Drawing his sword he +flung himself with all his force against the door, but this had been so +securely fastened without that it did not yield in the slightest to +his efforts. After several vain efforts he abandoned the attempt, and +sitting down endeavoured to realize the position. He soon arrived at +something like the truth: the trading interests of Carthage were wholly +at the disposal of Hanno and his party, and he doubted not that, having +been recognized, the captain had determined to detain him as a prisoner +until he communicated to Hanno the fact of his arrival, and received +instructions from him as to whether Malchus was to be allowed to land. + +Malchus recalled the sounds he had heard in the night, and uttered +an exclamation of grief and anger as he concluded that his faithful +follower had been attacked and doubtless killed and thrown overboard. At +present he was powerless to do anything, and with his sword grasped in +his hand he lay on the couch in readiness to start up and fight his way +out, as soon as he heard those without undoing the fastenings of the +door. + +The day passed slowly. He could hear voices without and footsteps on the +deck of the poop overhead, but no one came near him; and after a time +his watchfulness relaxed, as he made up his mind that his captors, +whatever their intentions might be, would not attempt to carry them out +until after nightfall. At last he heard a moving of the heavy articles +which had been piled against the door; he sprang to his feet, the door +opened two or three inches, and a voice said: + +"In the name of the republic I declare you to be my prisoner." + +"I warn you I shall resist," Malchus exclaimed. "I am Malchus, the son +of Hamilcar, late a general of the republic, and I come to Carthage on a +mission from Hannibal. Whatever complaint the state may have against me +I am ready to answer at the proper time, and shall not fail to appear +when called upon; but at present I have Hannibal's mission to discharge, +and those who interfere with me are traitors to the republic, whomsoever +they may be, and I will defend myself until the last." + +"Open the door and seize him," a voice exclaimed. + +As the door was opened Malchus sprang forward, but the lights of several +lanterns showed a dozen men with levelled spears standing in front of +the cabin. + +"I surrender," he said, seeing that against such a force as this +resistance would be vain, "but in the name of Hannibal I protest against +this interference with the messenger whom he has sent to explain, in his +name, to the senate the situation in Italy." + +So saying Malchus laid down his shield and sword, took off his helmet, +and walked quietly from the cabin. At an order from their superior four +of the men laid down their weapons and seized him. In a minute he was +bound hand and foot, a gag was forced into his mouth, a cloak thrown +over his head, and he was roughly thrown into a large boat alongside the +ship. + +Short as was the time which he had at liberty, Malchus had thrown a +glance over the bulwarks of each side of the ship, and perceived that +any resistance would have been useless, for far away lay the lights of +Carthage; and it was evident that the vessel had made little progress +since he had retired to rest on the previous evening. Had she been +inside the harbour he had intended to spring overboard at once and to +trust to escape by swimming. + +The person in command of the party which had seized Malchus took his +place at the helm of the boat, and his twelve agents seated themselves +at the oars and rowed away towards Carthage. The town was nearly eight +miles away, and they were two hours before they arrived there. The place +where they landed was at some distance from the busy part of the port. +Two men were waiting for them there with a stretcher. Upon this Malchus +was laid, four men lifted it on their shoulders, the others fell in +round it as a guard, and the party then proceeded through quiet streets +towards the citadel. + +The hour was late and but few people were about. Any who paused for a +moment to look at the little procession, shrank away hastily on hearing +the dreaded words, "In the name of the republic," uttered by the leader +of the party. The citizens of Carthage were too well accustomed to +midnight arrests to give the matter further thought, save a momentary +wonder as to who was the last victim of the tyrants of the city, and to +indulge, perhaps, in a secret malediction upon them. Malchus had from +the first no doubt as to his destination, and when he felt a sudden +change in the angle at which the stretcher was carried, knew that he was +being taken up the steep ascent to Byrsa. + +He heard presently the challenge of a sentry, then there was a pause as +the gates were opened, then he was carried forward for awhile, there was +another stop, and the litter was lowered to the ground, his cords were +unfastened, and he was commanded to rise. It needed but a glance upwards +to tell him where he was. Above him towered the dark mass of the +temple of Moloch, facing him was a small door known to every citizen of +Carthage as leading to the dungeons under the temple. + +Brave as he was, Malchus could not resist a shudder as he entered the +portal, accompanied by four of his guards and preceded by a jailer. +No questions were asked by the latter, and doubtless the coming of the +prisoner had been expected and prepared for. The way lay down a long +flight of steps and through several passages, all hewn in the solid +rock. They passed many closed doors, until at last they turned into one +which stood open. The gag was then removed from Malchus' mouth, the door +was closed behind him, he heard the bolts fastened, and then remained +alone in perfect darkness. + +Malchus felt round the walls of his cell and found that it was about six +feet square. In one corner was a bundle of straw, and, spreading this +out, he threw himself upon it and bitterly meditated over the position +into which he had fallen. His own situation was desperate enough. He was +helpless in the hands of Hanno. The friends and partisans of Hannibal +were ignorant of his coming, and he could hope for no help from them. He +had little doubt as to what his fate would be; he would be put to death +in some cruel way, and Hannibal, his relatives, and friends would never +know what had become of him from the moment when he left the Italian +vessel in the port of Corinth. + +But hopeless as was his own situation, Malchus thought more of Hannibal +and his brave companions in arms than of himself. The manner in which +he had been kidnapped by the agents of Hanno, showed how determined was +that demagogue to prevent the true state of things which prevailed in +Italy from becoming known to the people of Carthage. In order to secure +their own triumph, he and his party were willing to sacrifice Hannibal +and his army, and to involve Carthage in the most terrible disasters. + +At last Malchus slept. When he awoke a faint light was streaming down +into his cell. In the centre of the room was an opening of about a foot +square, above which a sort of chimney extended twenty feet up through +the solid rock to the surface, where it was covered with an iron +grating. Malchus knew where he was. Along each side of the great temple +extended a row of these gratings level with the floor, and every citizen +knew that it was through these apertures that light and air reached the +prisoners in the cells below. Sometimes groans and cries were heard to +rise, but those who were near would hurry from the spot, for they +knew that the spies of the law were ever on the watch, and that to be +suspected of entering into communication with the prisoners would be +sufficient to ensure condemnation and death. + +It was the sight of these gratings, and the thought of the dismal cells +below, which had increased the aversion which Malchus had felt as a boy +to enter the bloodstained temple, little as he had dreamed that the day +would come when he himself would be lying a prisoner in one of them. He +knew that it was useless for him to attempt by shouting to inform his +friends in the city of his presence there. The narrowness of the air +passage and the closeness of the grating above deadened and confused the +voice, unless to a person standing immediately above the opening, and +as the visitors to the temple carefully avoided the vicinity of the +gratings, it would be but a waste of breath to attempt to call their +attention. + +As to escape it was out of the question. The cell was cut in the solid +rock. The door was of enormous strength, and even could that have been +overcome, there were many others which would have to be passed before he +could arrive at the entrance to the dungeon. + +In a short time a Numidian entered, bearing some bread and a pitcher +of water. Malchus addressed him; but the negro opened his mouth, and +Malchus saw that his tongue had been cut out, perhaps in childhood, +perhaps as a punishment for a crime; but more probably the man was a +slave captured in war, who had been mutilated to render him a safe and +useful instrument of the officers of the law. + +Three hours later the door again opened, and two men appeared. They +ordered Malchus to follow them, and led him through a number of +meandering passages, until at last, opening a door, they ushered him +into a large chamber. This was lighted by torches. At a table in the +centre of the room were seated seven figures. In the one seated in a +chair very slightly above the others Malchus at once recognized Hanno. +His companions were all leading men of his faction. + +"Malchus, son of Hamilcar," Hanno said, "what have you to say why you +thus secretly come to Carthage?" + +"I come not secretly," Malchus replied, "I come hither as the messenger +of Hannibal to the senate. I am charged by him to lay before them +the exact situation in Italy, to tell them how much he has already +accomplished, and what yet remains to be done, and to explain to them +the need there is that reinforcements should be despatched to him to +carry out his great designs for the annihilation of the power of Rome. I +come not in secret. I passed in a ship from Italy to Corinth, and there +at once hired a vessel to convey me hither." + +"As we are members of the senate," Hanno said, "you can deliver your +message to us." + +"I fear that it will go no further," Malchus replied. "The fact that +I have been thus secretly seized and carried here, shows how far it is +your wish that the people of Carthage should know my message. Still, as +even in your breasts all patriotism may not yet be dead, and as my +words may move you yet to do something to enable Hannibal to save the +republic, I will give you the message he sent me to deliver to the +senate." + +A murmur of angry surprise arose from the seven men at the bold words +and the defiant bearing of their prisoner. + +"How dare you thus address your judges?" Hanno exclaimed. + +"Judges!" Malchus repeated scornfully, "executioners, you should say. +Think you that I know not that my death is resolved on? Even if you +would you dare not free a noble of Carthage, a son of a general who has +lost his life in her service, a cousin of the great Hannibal, after you +have thus treacherously seized and thrown him into a dungeon. Cowed as +the people of Carthage are by your tyranny, corrupted as they are +by your gold, this lawless act of oppression would rouse them to +resistance. No, Hanno, it is because I know that my doom is sealed I +thus fearlessly defy you and your creatures." + +Malchus then proceeded to deliver the message of Hannibal to the senate. +He showed the exact situation of affairs in Italy, urged that if the +reinforcements asked for were sent, the success of the arms of Carthage +and the final defeat and humiliation of Rome were assured; while, on the +other hand, if Hannibal were left unaided, his army must in time dwindle +away until too feeble to resist the assaults of the Romans and their +allies. He warned his hearers that if this catastrophe should come +about, Rome, flushed with victory, smarting under the defeats and +humiliation which Hannibal had inflicted upon them, would in turn become +the aggressor, and would inflict upon Carthage a blow similar to that +with which Rome had been menaced by Hannibal. + +Hanno and his companions listened in silence. Malchus for a time forgot +his own position and the character of the men he addressed, and pleaded +with an earnestness and passion such as he would have used had he been +addressing the whole senate. When he had finished, Hanno without a word +motioned to the jailers, and these, placing themselves one on each side +of Malchus, led him back to his cell. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: THE ESCAPE + + +For the next two days Malchus was visited only by the Numidian who brought +his food. The third night, as he was lying on his straw, wondering how +long Hanno would be before he decided his fate, he started to his +feet as he heard, apparently close at hand, his name whispered. It was +repeated, and he now perceived that it came from above. + +"Yes," he said in a low tone, looking upwards, "I am Malchus. Who speaks +to me?" + +"It is I, Nessus," the voice replied. "Thanks to the gods, I have found +my lord." + +"How did you get here, Nessus? I feared that you were drowned." + +"I swam to shore," the Arab said, "and then watched outside the gate +here. I saw several prisoners brought in, and doubted not that you were +among them. I was at the port when the ship came in, and found that +she brought no passenger. Then I came up here again, soon found friends +among the Arab regiment in the garrison; these obtained me employment +in the stables of the elephants. Each night, when all has been still, I +have crept here, and have whispered your name down each of the gratings. +Tonight you have heard me. Now that I know where you are, I will set to +work to contrive your escape. Is the passage from your cell here wide +enough to admit your being drawn up?" + +"Yes," Malchus replied; "it would be a close fit, but with a rope you +could get me up through it." + +"I will set to work to loosen these bars at once," Nessus said; "but the +difficulty is not to get you out from here, but to get you beyond the +gates of the citadel. The watch is extremely strict, and the gates +are not opened until nine o'clock. Before that your escape would be +discovered, and it will be impossible for you to pass out undetected. I +must find a hiding place where you can lie concealed until the search +is over, and the vigilance of the sentries is relaxed; but it will be no +easy matter. And now let us speak no more; it is dangerous to breathe, +much less to speak here." + +Not another word was spoken for hours. Malchus could hear a low +continuous scraping noise as Nessus with his dagger worked away upon the +stone into which the grating fitted. At last Nessus spoke again. "I have +nearly finished, my lord, the greater part of the grating is loose, and +in half an hour I can complete the work. Daylight will soon be breaking +and I must go. Tomorrow night I will return with a rope. I hope today to +find some place where you may be concealed." + +Malchus with renewed hope threw himself upon the straw, and lay there +until about noon when he was again summoned to the presence of his +judges. They were the same whom he had seen previously. + +"Malchus, son of Hamilcar," Hanno said, "you are now brought before us +to hear the crime with which you are charged. We have here before us the +written list of the names of the members of the conspiracy, headed +by Giscon, which had for its aim the murder of many of the senate of +Carthage and the overthrow of her constitution. We have also here the +confession of several of the conspirators confirming this list, and +saying that you were one of the party." + +"I do not deny," Malchus said firmly, "that I did once visit the place +in which those you speak of met, and that my name was then entered on +the roll; but when I went there I was wholly ignorant of the purposes +of the association, and as soon as I learned their aims and objects I +withdrew from them, and did not again visit their place of meeting." + +"You could not well do that," Hanno said, "since it is writ down that +you sailed very shortly afterwards for Spain." + +"I own that I did so," Malchus replied, "but I told Giscon on the very +day that I accompanied him to the meeting that I would go there no more. +Moreover, your commissioners with Hannibal's army have already inquired +into the circumstances, and they, in consideration of the fact that I +was then little more than sixteen years old, that I was led ignorantly +into the plot, and at once separated myself from it, absolved me from +blame." + +"The commissioners had no authority to do so," Hanno replied; "they were +ordered to send you to Carthage, and failed to carry out their orders +only because Hannibal then, as always, set himself above the authority +of the republic. As you have confessed that you were a member of this +conspiracy, no further trial is needed, and this court awards to you +the same punishment which was meted to all the others concerned in the +conspiracy--you will tomorrow be put to death by the usual punishment of +the press." + +Malchus abstained from all reply, for it struck him at once that were +he to defy and anger his judges they might order him to be instantly +executed. He therefore without a word turned and accompanied his jailer +to his cell. He waited impatiently for night, and the hours seemed long +indeed before he heard the whisper of Nessus above. Directly the Arab +received the reply, assuring him that Malchus was still there, he again +set to work. + +In an hour the grating was removed and the rope lowered. Malchus +fastened it under his arms, knotting it in front, and then whispered to +Nessus that he was ready. The Arab drew him slowly and steadily up until +his head was in the entrance of the narrow passage. Malchus had grasped +the rope as high as possible above his head and hung by his hands, +thereby drawing the shoulders upwards, and reducing their width as +much as possible. He then managed to swing himself so that his body was +diagonally across the opening, and when thus placed he found to his joy +that the passage was large enough for him to pass through without much +difficulty. + +Slowly and steadily Nessus drew him up until his shoulders were +above the level of the ground, when Malchus, placing his hands on the +pavement, sprang noiselessly out. The grating was replaced, and without +a word being spoken they glided from the temple. Not a word was said +until they had gone some little distance. + +"You have saved my life again, Nessus," Malchus said, laying his hand +upon his shoulder. "Another twelve hours and it would have been too +late. I was to have been put to death in the morning." + +Nessus gave a fierce exclamation and placed his hand on his knife. + +"Had they slain my lord," he said, "I would have avenged you. I would +have dogged your enemies night and day till, one by one, my knife should +have found its way to their hearts!" + +"Have you found a hiding place, Nessus?" + +"There is but one place of safety, my lord, that I can think of. I have +talked it over with two or three faithful friends, and they agree that +so rigid will be the search that it will be well nigh impossible for +anyone within the walls of the citadel to escape detection. The spies +of Hanno are everywhere, and men fear within these walls even to whisper +what they think. At any rate, no more secure hiding place could be found +than that which we have decided upon." + +"And where is that, Nessus?" + +"It is in the reservoirs. With four water skins and some planks we +have prepared a raft. My two friends are waiting for us at one of the +entrances. They will have fitted the raft together, and all will be in +readiness. They are not likely to search for you there." + +"The idea is excellent, Nessus." + +The reservoirs of Carthage were of enormous extent, and some of these +remain to this day and are the wonder and admiration of travellers. They +were subterranean, and were cut from the solid rock, the stone extracted +from them being used for the walls of the buildings of the city. Pillars +were left at intervals to support the roof, and it was calculated that +these underground lakes--for they were no less--contained sufficient +water to supply the wants of the great city for at least six months. +These vast storing places for water were an absolute necessity in a +climate like that of Northern Africa, where the rain falls but seldom. +Without them, indeed, Carthage would have been at the mercy of the first +army which laid siege to it. + +The greatest pains were devoted to the maintenance of the water supply. +The rainfall from the roofs of the temples and houses was conducted +to the reservoirs, and these stores were never drawn upon on ordinary +occasions, the town being supplied with water brought by aqueducts from +long distances among the hills. Here and there openings were cut in the +rock which formed the roof of the reservoirs, for the admission of air, +and at a few points steps from the surface led down to the water. Iron +gates guarded the entrance to these. + +Nessus and his friends had the evening before unfastened one of these +gates. The lock was old and little used, as the gate was placed rather +to prevent children and others going down to the water than for any +other purpose, and the Arabs had found little difficulty in picking the +rough lock. + +Malchus followed Nessus down the steps until he reached the edge of the +water, some fifty feet below the surface. Here stood two Arabs bearing +torches. At the foot of the steps floated the raft, formed, as Nessus +had said, of four inflated sheepskins connected by a framework of +planks. Across these a bullock's hide had been stretched, forming a +platform. On this were some rugs, a skin of wine, and a pile of flat +cakes and fruit, together with half a dozen torches. + +"Thanks, my friends!" Malchus said to the Arabs. "Some day I may be able +to prove that I am grateful to you." + +"The friends of Nessus are our friends," one of the Arabs replied +simply; "his lord is our master." + +"Here is a paddle, my lord," Nessus said. "I propose that you should +paddle straight away as far as you can see a torch burning here; then +that you should fasten the raft to a pillar. Every other night I will +come with provisions here and show a light. If you see the light burn +steadily it is safe for you to approach, and I come only to bring food +or news; if you see the torch wave to and fro, it is a warning that they +intend to search the reservoirs. I do not think it likely they will do +so; still it is best to be prepared, and in that case you must paddle +far away in the recesses. They might search for a long time before they +find you. I trust that your imprisonment here will not be long, but that +we may hit upon some plan of getting you out of the citadel. I would +gladly go with you to share your solitude, but I must remain outside to +plan some way of escape." + +With a short farewell to his faithful follower Malchus took his place +on the raft, having lit a torch and fastened it upright upon it. Then +he paddled slowly away, keeping between the lines of heavy columns. His +rate of progress was slow, and for half an hour he kept the torch +in sight. By this time he felt sure that he must be approaching the +boundary of the reservoir. He therefore moored his raft against a pillar +and waved his torch backwards and forwards. The signal was answered by +a similar movement of the distant light, which then disappeared. Malchus +now extinguished his own torch, placed the means of relighting it with +which Nessus had furnished him close to his hand, and then, wrapping +himself in a rug, lay down to sleep. + +When he awoke it was day. The light was streaming down on to the water +from an opening two or three hundred yards away, while far in the +distance he could see a faint light which marked the place of the +steps at which he had embarked. In the neighbourhood of the opening the +columns stood up clear and gray against the dark background. A little +further off their outlines were dim and misty; and wherever else he +looked an inky darkness met his eye, save one or two faint bands of +misty light, which marked the position of distant openings. + +The stillness which reigned in this vast cavern was almost oppressive. +Sometimes a faint rustling whisper, the echo of some sound in the +citadel above, passed among the columns; and the plaintive squeak of a +bat was heard now and then, for numbers of these creatures were flitting +noiselessly in the darkness, their forms visible for an instant as they +passed and repassed between Malchus and the light. He wondered vaguely +what they could find to eat here, and then remembered that he had heard +that at nightfall numbers of bats could be seen flying up from the +openings to the reservoirs to seek food without, returning to their +hiding places when morning approached. + +Malchus amused himself by thinking over the fury and astonishment of +Hanno and his colleagues on hearing that their prisoner had disappeared, +and he pictured to himself the hot search which was no doubt going on +throughout the citadel. He thought it improbable in the extreme that any +search would be made in the reservoir. Nessus would refasten the gate +after passing through it again, and the idea that he could be floating +on the subterranean lake could hardly occur to them. + +Then he turned over in his mind the various devices by which it might +be possible to get beyond the walls of the citadel. The anxiety of +Hanno and those acting with him to prevent the manner in which they had +kidnapped and sentenced to death the messenger and kinsman of Hannibal +from becoming known in the city, would be so great that extraordinary +vigilance would be used to prevent any from leaving the citadel. The +guards on the walls would be greatly increased; none would be allowed to +pass the gate without the most rigourous examination; while every nook +and corner of the citadel, the temples, the barracks, storehouses, and +stables, would be searched again and again. Even should a search be made +in the reservoir, Malchus had little fear of discovery; for even should +a boat come towards the spot where he was lying, he would only have +to pass the raft round to the opposite side of the great pillar, some +twelve feet square, against which he was lying. + +When the light faded out he again lay down to sleep. As before, he slept +soundly; for, however great the heat above, the air in the subterranean +chambers was always fresh and cool, and he could well bear the rugs +which Nessus had provided. The next day passed more slowly, for he had +less to think about. After the daylight had again faded he began to look +forward expectantly for the signal, although he knew that many hours +must still elapse before Nessus would be able to make his way to the +place of meeting. + +So slowly did the hours pass, indeed, that he began at last to fear that +something must have happened--perhaps that Nessus had been in some way +recognized, and was now in the dungeons below the temple of Moloch. +At last, however, to his joy Malchus saw the distant light; it burned +steadily, and he at once set out to paddle towards it. He did not light +his torch--it would have taken time, and he knew that, quietly as he +paddled, the sound would be borne along the surface of the water to +Nessus. At last he arrived at the steps. Nessus was there alone; beside +him was a basket of fresh provisions. + +"Well, Nessus, what news?" + +"All is well, my lord; but Hanno is moving heaven and earth to find +you. The gates of the citadel were kept closed all day yesterday; and +although today they have again been opened, the examination of those +who pass out is so strict that no disguise would avail to deceive the +scrutiny of the searchers. One or other of the men who attended you in +the prison is always at the gate. The barracks have been searched from +end to end, the troops occupying them being all turned out while the +agents of the law searched them from top to bottom. The same has been +done with the stables; and it is well that we did not attempt to hide +you above ground, for assuredly if we had done so they would have found +you, however cunningly we had stowed you away. Of course the name of +the prisoner who has escaped is known to none, but the report that an +important prisoner had escaped from the state prisons beneath the temple +has created quite an excitement in the city, for it is said that such an +event never took place before. At present I can hit on no plan whatever +for getting you free." + +"Then I must be content to wait for a while, Nessus. After a time their +vigilance is sure to relax, as they will think that I must have got +beyond the walls." + +"Are there any to whom you would wish me to bear news that you are +here?" + +This was a question which Malchus had debated with himself over and over +again. It appeared to him, however, that Hanno's power was so great +that it would be dangerous for anyone to come forward and accuse him. +No doubt every one of the leading men of the Barcine party was strictly +watched; and did Hanno suspect that any of them were in communication +with the escaped prisoner, he would take instant steps against them. He +thought it better, therefore, that none should be acquainted with the +secret until he was free. He therefore replied in the negative to the +question of Nessus. + +"I must wait till I am free. Any action now might bring down the +vengeance of Hanno upon others. He would find no difficulty in inventing +some excuse for dealing a blow at them. You think there is no possibility +of escape at present?" + +"I can think on no plan, my lord. So strict is the search that when the +elephants went down today to the fountains for water every howdah was +examined to see that no one was hidden within it." + +"It will be necessary also, Nessus, if you do hit upon some plan for +getting me out, to arrange a hiding place in the city." + +"That will be easy enough," Nessus replied. "My friends have many +relations in the Arab quarter, and once free, you might be concealed +there for any time. And now I will wait no longer, for last night visits +were made in all the barracks and stables by the agents of the law, +to see that every man was asleep in his place. Therefore I will return +without delay. In two days I will be here again; but should anything +occur which it is needful to tell you I will be here tomorrow night." + +Malchus watched for the light on the following evening with but faint +hope of seeing it, but at about the same hour as before he saw it +suddenly appear again. Wondering what had brought Nessus before his +time, he paddled to the stairs. + +"Well, Nessus, what is your news?" + +"We have hit upon a plan of escape, my lord. As I told you my friend and +I are in the stable with the elephants, our duties being to carry in the +forage for the great beasts, and to keep the stables in order. We have +taken one of the Indian mahouts into our confidence, and he has promised +his aid; the elephant of which he is in charge is a docile beast, and +his driver has taught him many tricks. At his signal he will put up his +trunk and scream and rush here and there as if in the state which is +called must, when they are dangerous of approach. The mahout, who is a +crafty fellow, taught him to act thus, because when in such a state of +temper the elephants cannot be worked with the others, but remain in the +stables, and their drivers have an easy time of it. + +"On the promise of a handsome reward the mahout has agreed that tomorrow +morning, before the elephants are taken out, you shall be concealed in +the bottom of the howdah. He will manage that the elephant is the first +in the procession. When we get out into the courtyard he will slyly +prick the beast, and give him the signal to simulate rage; he will then +so direct him that, after charging several times about the court, he +shall make a rush at the gate. You may be sure that the guards there +will step aside quickly enough, for a furious elephant is not a creature +to be hindered. + +"When he is once down to the foot of the hill the driver will direct him +to some quiet spot. That he will find easily enough, for at his approach +there will be a general stampede. When he reaches some place where no +one is in sight he will halt the elephant and you will at once drop +off him. I shall be near at hand and will join you. The elephant will +continue his course for some little distance, and the mahout, feigning +to have at last recovered control over him, will direct him back to the +citadel." + +"The idea is a capital one," Malchus said, "and if carried out will +surely succeed. You and I have often seen during our campaigns elephants +in this state, and know how every one flies as they come along screaming +loudly, with their trunks high, and their great ears out on each side +of their heads. At any rate it is worth trying, Nessus, and if by any +chance we should fail in getting through the gate, the mahout would, of +course, take his elephant back to the stable, and I might slip out there +and conceal myself till night, and then make my way back here again." + +"That's what we have arranged," Nessus said. "And now, my lord, I will +leave you and go back to the stables, in case they should search them +again tonight. If you will push off and lie a short distance away from +the steps I will be here again half an hour before daybreak. I will +bring you a garb like my own, and will take you direct to the stable +where the animal is kept. There will be no one there save the mahout +and my two friends, so that it will be easy for us to cover you in the +howdah before the elephants go out. There is little chance of anyone +coming into the stables before that, for they have been searched so +frequently during the last two days that Hanno's agents must by this +time be convinced that wherever you are hidden you are not there. +Indeed, today the search has greatly relaxed, although the vigilance +at the gate and on the walls is as great as ever; so I think that they +despair of finding you, and believe that you must either have made your +escape already, or that if not you will sooner or later issue from your +hiding place and fall into their hands." + +Malchus slept little that night, and rejoiced when he again saw +Nessus descending the steps. A few strokes of his paddle sent the raft +alongside. Nessus fastened a cord to it to prevent it from drifting +away. + +"We may need it again," he said briefly. Malchus placed his own clothes +upon it and threw over his shoulders the bernous which Nessus had +brought. He then mounted the steps with him, the gate was closed and the +bolt shot, and they then made their way across to the stables. It was +still perfectly dark, though a very faint light, low in the eastern sky, +showed that ere long the day would break. + +Five minutes' walking and they arrived at the stables of the elephants. +These, like those of the horses and the oxen which drew the cumbrous war +machines, were formed in the vast thickness of the walls, and were what +are known in modern times as casemates. As Nessus had said, the Indian +mahout and the other two Arabs were the only human occupants of the +casemate. The elephant at once showed that he perceived the newcomer to +be a stranger by an uneasy movement, but the mahout quieted him. + +While they were waiting for morning, Nessus described, more fully than +he had hitherto had an opportunity of doing, the attack made upon him on +board the ship. + +"I was," he said, "as my lord knows, uneasy when I found that they +had recognized you, and when we were within a day's sail of Carthage I +resolved to keep a lookout--therefore, although I wrapped myself in my +cloak and lay down, I did not go to sleep. After a while I thought +I heard the sound of oars, and, standing up, went to the bulwark to +listen. Suddenly some of the sailors, who must have been watching me, +sprang upon me from behind, a cloak was thrown over my head, a rope was +twisted round my arms, and in a moment I was lifted and flung overboard. + +"I did not cry out, because I had already made up my mind that it was +better not to arouse you from sleep whatever happened, as, had you run +out, you might have been killed, and I thought it likely that their +object would be, if you offered no resistance, to take you a prisoner, +in which case I trusted that I might later on hope to free you. As my +lord knows, I am a good swimmer. I let myself sink, and when well below +the surface soon got rid of the rope which bound me, and which was, +indeed, but hastily twisted round my arms. I came up to the surface as +noiselessly as possible, and after taking a long breath dived and swam +under water as far as I could. When I came up the ship was so far away +that there was little fear of their seeing me; however, I dived again +and again until in perfect safety. + +"I heard a boat rowed by many oars approach the vessel. I listened for a +time and found that all was quiet, and then laid myself out for the long +swim to shore, which I reached without difficulty. All day I kept my eye +on the vessel, which remained at anchor. As I could not tell to which +landing place you might be brought I went up in the evening and took +my post on the road leading up here, and when towards morning a party +entered, carrying one with them on a stretcher, I had little doubt that +it was you. + +"I was sure to find friends among the Arabs either belonging to the +regiment stationed in Byrsa or those employed in the storehouses or +stables; so the next morning I entered the citadel and soon met these +men, who belonged to my tribe and village. After that my way was plain; +my only fear was that they might kill you before I could discover the +place in which you were confined, and my heart sank the first night when +I found that, though I whispered down every one of the gratings, I could +obtain no reply. + +"I had many answers, indeed, but not from you. There might be many cells +besides those with openings into the temple, and were you placed in one +of these I might never hear of you again. I had resolved that if the +next night passed without my being able to find you, I would inform some +of those known to be friends of Hannibal that you were a prisoner, and +leave it in their hands to act as they liked, while I still continued my +efforts to communicate with you. You may imagine with what joy I heard +your reply on the following night." + +"I must have been asleep the first night," Malchus said, "and did not +hear your voice." + +"I feared to speak above a whisper, my lord; there are priests all night +in the sanctuary behind the great image." + +Day had by this time broken, and a stir and bustle commenced in front +of the long line of casemates; the elephants were brought out from +their stables and stood rocking themselves from side to side while their +keepers rubbed their hides with pumice stone. Nessus was one of those +who was appointed to make the great flat cakes of coarse flour which +formed the principal food of the elephants. The other Arabs busied +themselves in bringing in fresh straw, which Malchus scattered evenly +over the stall; heaps of freshly cut forage were placed before each +elephant. + +In a short time one of the Arabs took the place of Nessus in preparing +the cakes, while Nessus moved away and presently went down into the +town to await the coming of Malchus. By this arrangement if the +superintendent of the stables came round he would find the proper number +of men at work, and was not likely to notice the substitution of Malchus +for Nessus, with whose face he could not yet have become familiar. By +this time numbers of the townsmen were as usual coming up to the citadel +to worship in the temple or to visit friends dwelling there. Malchus +learned that since his escape had been known each person on entrance +received a slip of brass with a stamp on it which he had to give up on +leaving. + +All employed in the citadel received a similar voucher, without which +none could pass the gate. The time was now come when the elephants were +accustomed to be taken down to the fountains in the town below, and the +critical moment was at hand. The mahout had already begun to prepare his +elephant for the part he was to play. It had been trumpeting loudly and +showing signs of impatience and anger. The animal was now made to kneel +by the door of its stable, where Malchus had already lain down at the +bottom of the howdah, a piece of sacking being thrown over him by the +Arabs. The two Arabs and the mahout carried the howdah out, placed it on +the elephant, and securely fastened it in its position. + +These howdahs were of rough construction, being in fact little more than +large open crates, for the elephants after being watered went to the +forage yard, where the crates were filled with freshly cut grass or +young boughs of trees, which they carried up for their own use to the +citadel. + +The mahout took his position on its neck, and the elephant then rose to +its feet. The symptoms of bad temper which it had already given were +now redoubled. It gave vent to a series of short vicious squeals, it +trumpeted loudly and angrily, and, although the mahout appeared to be +doing his best to pacify it, it became more and more demonstrative. The +superintendent of the elephants rode up. + +"You had better dismount and take that brute back to the stable," he +said; "he is not safe to take out this morning." As he approached the +elephant threw up his trunk, opened his mouth, and rushed suddenly at +him. The officer fled hastily, shouting loudly to the other mahouts to +bring their animals in a circle round the elephant, but the mahout gave +him a sudden prod with his pricker and the elephant set off with great +strides, his ears out, his trunk in the air, and with every sign of +an access of fury, at the top of his speed. He rushed across the great +courtyard, the people flying in all directions with shouts of terror; he +made two or three turns up and down, each time getting somewhat nearer +to the gate. + +As he approached it for the third time the mahout guided him towards it, +and, accustomed at this hour to sally out, the elephant made a sudden +rush in that direction. The officer on guard shouted to his men to +close the gate, but before they could attempt to carry out the order +the elephant charged through, and at the top of his speed went down the +road. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: CANNAE + + +As the elephant tore down the road to the town many were the narrow +escapes that, as they thought, those coming up had of being crushed or +thrown into the air by the angry beast. Some threw themselves on their +faces, others got over the parapet and hung by their hands until he +had passed, while some squeezed themselves against the wall; but the +elephant passed on without doing harm to any. + +On reaching the foot of the descent the mahout guided the animal to the +left, and, avoiding the busy streets of the town, directed its course +towards the more quiet roads of the opulent quarter of Megara. The cries +of the people at the approach of the elephant preceded its course, and +all took refuge in gardens or houses. The latter became less and +less frequent, until, at a distance of two miles from the foot of the +citadel, the mahout, on looking round, perceived no one in sight. He +brought the elephant suddenly to a standstill. + +"Quick, my lord," he exclaimed, "now is the time." + +Malchus threw off the sack, climbed out of the howdah, and slipped down +by the elephant's tail, the usual plan for dismounting when an elephant +is on its feet. Then he sprang across the road, leaped into a garden, +and hid himself among some bushes. The mahout now turned the elephant, +and, as if he had succeeded at last in subduing it, slowly retraced his +steps towards the citadel. + +A minute or two later Malchus issued out and quietly followed it. He +had gone some distance when he saw an Arab approaching him, and soon +recognized Nessus. They turned off together from the main road and made +their way by bystreets until they reached the lower city. At a spot near +the port they found one of the Arabs from above awaiting them, and he +at once led the way to the house inhabited by his family. The scheme had +been entirely successful. Malchus had escaped from the citadel without +the possibility of a suspicion arising that he had issued from +its gates, and in his Arab garb he could now traverse the streets +unsuspected. + +Nessus was overjoyed at the success of the stratagem, and Malchus +himself could hardly believe that he had escaped from the terrible +danger which threatened him. Nessus and the Arab at once returned to the +citadel. It was agreed that the former had better continue his work as +usual until the evening, and then ask for his discharge on the plea that +he had received a message requiring his presence in his native village, +for it was thought that suspicion might be excited were he to leave +suddenly without drawing his pay, and possibly a search might be +instituted in the city to discover his whereabouts. + +At nightfall he returned, and then went to the house of one of the +leaders of the Barcine party with a message from Malchus to tell him +where he was, and the events which had occurred since his landing at +Carthage, and asking him to receive him privately in two hours' time, in +order that he might consult him as to the best plan to be followed. + +Nessus returned saying that Manon was at home and was awaiting him, and +the two at once set out for his house. Manon, who was a distant relation +of Malchus, received him most warmly, and listened in astonishment to +his story of what had befallen him. Malchus then explained the mission +with which Hannibal had charged him, and asked his advice as to the best +course to be adopted. Manon was silent for a time. + +"Hanno's faction is all powerful at present," he said, "and were +Hannibal himself here I doubt whether his voice could stir the senate +into taking action such as is needed. The times have been hard, and +Hanno and his party have lavished money so freely among the lower +classes that there is no hope of stirring the populace up to declare +against him. I think it would be in the highest degree dangerous +were we, as you propose, to introduce you suddenly to the senate as +Hannibal's ambassador to them, and leave you to plead his cause. You +would obtain no hearing. Hanno would rise in his place and denounce you +as one already condemned by the tribunals as an enemy to the republic, +and would demand your instant execution, and, as he has a great majority +of votes in the senate, his demand would be complied with. You would, +I am convinced, throw away your life for no good purpose, while your +presence and your mysterious escape from prison would be made the +pretense for a fresh series of persecutions of our partisans. I +understand as well as you do the urgency for reinforcements being sent +to Italy; but in order to do this the navy, now rotting in our harbours, +must be repaired, the command of the sea must be regained, and fresh +levies of troops made. + +"To ask Carthage to make these sacrifices in her present mood is +hopeless; we must await an opportunity. I and my friends will prepare +the way, will set our agents to work among the people, and when the +news of another victory arrives and the people's hopes are aroused and +excited, we will strike while the iron is hot, and call upon them to +make one great effort to bring the struggle to a conclusion and to +finish with Rome forever. + +"Such is, in my opinion, the only possible mode of proceeding. To +move now would be to ensure a rejection of our demands, to bring fresh +persecutions upon us, and so to weaken us that we should be powerless +to turn to good account the opportunity which the news of another great +victory would afford. I will write at once to Hannibal and explain +all the circumstances of the situation, and will tell him why I have +counselled you to avoid carrying out his instructions, seeing that to +do so now would be to ensure your own destruction and greatly damage our +cause. + +"In the meantime you must, for a short time, remain in concealment, +while I arrange for a ship to carry you back to Italy." + +"The sooner the better," Malchus said bitterly, "for Carthage with its +hideous tyranny, its foul corruption, its forgetfulness of its glory, +its honour, and even its safety, is utterly hateful to me. I trust that +never again shall I set foot within its walls. Better a thousand times +to die in a battlefield than to live in this accursed city." + +"It is natural that you should be indignant," Manon said, "for the young +blood runs hotly in your veins, and your rage at seeing the fate which +is too certainly impending over Carthage, and which you are powerless +to prevent, is in no way to be blamed. We old men bow more resignedly to +the decrees of the gods. You know the saying, 'Those whom the gods would +destroy they first strike with madness.' Carthage is such. She sees +unmoved the heroic efforts which Hannibal and his army are making to +save her, and she will not stretch out a hand to aid him. She lives +contentedly under the constant tyranny of Hanno's rule, satisfied to +be wealthy, luxurious, and slothful, to carry on her trade, to keep her +riches, caring nothing for the manly virtues, indifferent to valour, +preparing herself slowly and surely to fall an easy prey to Rome. + +"The end probably will not come in my time, it may come in yours, but +come it certainly and surely will. A nation which can place a mere +handful of its own citizens in the line of battle voluntarily dooms +herself to destruction." + +"Whether it comes in my time or not," Malchus said, "I will be no sharer +in the fate of Carthage. I have done with her; and if I do not fall in +the battlefield I will, when the war is over, seek a refuge among the +Gauls, where, if the life is rough, it is at least free and independent, +where courage and manliness and honour count for much, and where the +enervating influence of wealth is as yet unknown. Such is my firm +resolution." + +"I say nothing to dissuade you, Malchus," the old man replied, "such are +the natural sentiments of your age; and methinks, were my own time to +come over again, I too would choose such a life in preference to an +existence in the polluted atmosphere of ungrateful Carthage. And now, +will you stop here with me, or will you return to the place where you +are staying? I need not say how gladly I would have you here, but +I cannot answer certainly for your safety. Every movement of those +belonging to our party is watched by Hanno, and I doubt not that he has +his spies among my slaves and servants. + +"Therefore deem me not inhospitable if I say that it were better for you +to remain in hiding where you are. Let your follower come nightly to me +for instructions; let him enter the gate and remain in the garden near +it. I will come down and see him; his visits, were they known, would +excite suspicion. Bid him on his return watch closely to see that he is +not followed, and tell him to go by devious windings and to mix in the +thickest crowds in order to throw any one who may be following off his +track before he rejoins you. I trust to be able to arrange for a ship +in the course of three or four days. Come again and see me before you +leave. Here is a bag of gold; you will need it to reward those who have +assisted in your escape." + +Malchus at once agreed that it would be better for him to return to his +abode among the Arabs, and thanking Manon for his kindness he returned +with Nessus, who had been waiting without. + +As they walked along Malchus briefly related to his follower the +substance of his interview with Manon. Suddenly Nessus stopped and +listened, and then resumed his walk. + +"I think we are followed, my lord," he said, "one of Hanno's spies in +Manon's household is no doubt seeking to discover who are the Arabs who +have paid his master a visit. I have thought once before that I heard +a footfall, now l am sure of it. When we get to the next turning do you +walk on and I will turn down the road. If the man behind us be honest +he will go straight on; if he be a spy, he will hesitate and stop at the +corner to decide which of us he shall follow; then I shall know what to +do." + +Accordingly at the next crossroad they came to Nessus turned down and +concealed himself a few paces away, while Malchus, without pausing, +walked straight on. A minute later Nessus saw a dark figure come +stealthily along. He stopped at the junction of the roads and stood for +a few seconds in hesitation, then he followed Malchus. + +Nessus issued from his hiding place, and, with steps as silent and +stealthy as those of a tiger tracking his prey, followed the man. When +within a few paces of him he gave a sudden spring and flung himself upon +him, burying his knife between his shoulders. Without a sound the +man fell forward on his face. Nessus coolly wiped his knife upon +the garments of the spy, and then proceeded at a rapid pace until he +overtook Malchus. + +"It was a spy," he said, "but he will carry no more tales to Hanno." + +Two days later, Nessus, on his return from his visit to Manon, brought +news that the latter had arranged with the captain of a ship owned by +a friend to carry them across to Corinth, whence they would have no +difficulty in taking a passage to Italy. They were to go on board late +the following night, and the ship would set sail at daybreak. + +The next evening Malchus accompanied by Nessus paid a farewell visit to +Manon, and repeated to him all the instructions of Hannibal, and Manon +handed him his letter for the general, and again assured him that he +would, with his friends, at once set to work to pave the way for an +appeal to the populace at the first favourable opportunity. + +After bidding farewell to the old noble, Malchus returned to the house +of the Arab and prepared for his departure. He had already handsomely +rewarded the two men and the mahout for the services they had rendered +him. In the course of the day he had provided himself with the garments +of a trader, the character which he was now about to assume. + +At midnight, when all was quiet, he and Nessus set out and made their +way down to the port, where, at a little frequented landing stage, a +boat was awaiting them, and they were at once rowed to the ship, which +was lying at anchor half a mile from the shore in readiness for an early +start in the morning. + +Although it seemed next to impossible that they could have been traced, +Malchus walked the deck restlessly until the morning, listening to every +sound, and it was not until the anchor was weighed, the sails hoisted, +and the vessel began to draw away from Carthage that he went into his +cabin. On the sixth day after leaving Carthage the ship entered the port +of Corinth. + +There were several vessels there from Italian ports, but before +proceeding to arrange for a passage Malchus went to a shop and bought, +for himself and Nessus, such clothing and arms as would enable them to +pass without difficulty as fighting men belonging to one of the Latin +tribes. Then he made inquiries on the quay, and, finding that a small +Italian craft was to start that afternoon for Brundusium, he went on +board and accosted the captain. + +"We want to cross to Italy," he said, "but we have our reasons for not +wishing to land at Brundusium, and would fain be put ashore at some +distance from the town. We are ready, of course, to pay extra for the +trouble." + +The request did not seem strange to the captain. Malchus had spoken in +Greek, the language with which all who traded on the Mediterranean were +familiar. He supposed that they had in some way embroiled themselves +with the authorities at Brundusium, and had fled for awhile until the +matter blew over, and that they were now anxious to return to their +homes without passing through the town. He asked rather a high price for +putting them ashore in a boat as they wished, and Malchus haggled over +the sum for a considerable time, as a readiness to pay an exorbitant +price might have given rise to doubts in the captain's mind as to the +quality of his passengers. Once or twice he made as if he would go +ashore, and the captain at last abated his demands to a reasonable sum. + +When this was settled Malchus went no more ashore, but remained on board +until the vessel sailed, as he feared that he might again be recognized +by some of the sailors of the Carthaginian vessels in port. The weather +was fair and the wind light, and on the second day after sailing +the vessel lay to in a bay a few miles from Brundusium. The boat was +lowered, and Malchus and his companions set on shore. + +They had before embarking laid in a store of provisions not only for +a voyage, but for their journey across the country, as the slight +knowledge which Malchus had of the Latin tongue would have betrayed him +at once were he obliged to enter a town or village to purchase food. +Carrying the provisions in bundles they made for the mountains, and +after three days' journey reached without interruption or adventure +the camp of Hannibal. He was still lying in his intrenched camp near +Geronium. The Roman army was as before watching him at a short distance +off. + +Malchus at once sought the tent of the general, whose surprise at seeing +him enter was great, for he had not expected that he would return until +the spring. Malchus gave him an account of all that had taken place +since he left him. Hannibal was indignant in the extreme at Hanno having +ventured to arrest and condemn his ambassador. When he learned the +result of the interview with Manon, and heard how completely the hostile +faction were the masters of Carthage, he agreed that the counsels of +the old nobleman were wise, and that Malchus could have done no good, +whereas he would have exposed himself to almost certain death, by +endeavouring further to carry out the mission with which he had been +charged. + +"Manon knows what is best, and, no doubt, a premature attempt to excite +the populace to force Hanno into sending the reinforcements we so much +need would have not only failed, but would have injured our cause. He +and his friends will doubtless work quietly to prepare the public mind, +and I trust that ere very long some decisive victory will give them the +opportunity for exciting a great demonstration on our behalf." + +The remainder of the winter passed quietly. Malchus resumed his post as +the commander of Hannibal's bodyguard, but his duties were very light. +The greater part of his time was spent in accompanying Hannibal in his +visits to the camps of the soldiers, where nothing was left undone which +could add to the comfort and contentment of the troops. There is no +stronger evidence of the popularity of Hannibal and of the influence +which he exercised over his troops than the fact that the army under +him, composed, as it was, of men of so many nationalities, for the most +part originally compelled against their will to enter the service +of Carthage, maintained their discipline unshaken, not only by the +hardships and sacrifices of the campaigns, but through the long periods +of enforced idleness in their winter quarters. + +From first to last, through the long war, there was neither grumbling, +nor discontent, nor insubordination among the troops. They served +willingly and cheerfully. They had absolute confidence in their general, +and were willing to undertake the most tremendous labours and to engage +in the most arduous conflicts to please him, knowing that he, on his +part, was unwearied in promoting their comfort and well being at all +other times. + +As the spring advanced the great magazines which Hannibal had brought +with him became nearly exhausted, and no provisions could be obtained +from the surrounding country, which had been completely ruined by the +long presence of the two armies. It became, therefore, necessary to move +from the position which he had occupied during the winter. The Romans +possessed the great advantage over him of having magazines in their rear +constantly replenished by their allies, and move where they might, they +were sure of obtaining subsistence without difficulty. Thus, upon +the march, they were unembarrassed by the necessity of taking a great +baggage train with them, and, when halted, their general could keep +his army together in readiness to strike a blow whenever an opportunity +offered; while Hannibal, on the other hand, was forced to scatter a +considerable portion of the army in search of provisions. + +The annual elections at Rome had just taken place, and Terentius Varro +and Emilius Paulus had been chosen consuls. Emilius belonged to the +aristocratic party, and had given proof of military ability three +years before when he had commanded as consul in the Illyrian war. Varro +belonged to the popular party, and is described by the historians of +the period as a coarse and brutal demagogue, the son of a butcher, and +having himself been a butcher. But he was unquestionably an able man, +and possessed some great qualities. The praetor Marcellus, who had slain +a Gaulish king with his own hand in the last Gaulish war, was at Ostia +with a legion. He was destined to command the fleet and to guard the +southern coasts of Italy, while another praetor, Lucius Postumius, with +one legion, was in Cisalpine Gaul keeping down the tribes friendly to +Carthage. + +But before the new consuls arrived to take the command of the army +Hannibal had moved from Geronium. + +The great Roman magazine of Apulia was at Cannae, a town near the river +Aulidus. This important place was but fifty miles by the shortest route +across the plain from Geronium; but the Romans were unable to follow +directly across the plain, for at this time the Carthaginians greatly +outnumbered them in cavalry, and they would, therefore, have to take +the road round the foot of the mountains, which was nearly seventy miles +long; and yet, by some unaccountable blunder, they neglected to place a +sufficient guard over their great magazines at Cannae to defend them for +even a few days against a sudden attack. + +Hannibal saw the opportunity, and when spring was passing into summer +broke up his camp and marched straight to Cannae, where the vast +magazines of the Romans at once fell into his hands. He thus not only +obtained possession of his enemy's supplies, but interposed between the +Romans and the low lying district of Southern Apulia, where alone, at, +this early season of the year, the corn was fully ripe. + +The Romans had now no choice but to advance and fight a battle for the +recovery of their magazines, for, had they retired, the Apulians, who +had already suffered terribly from the war, would, in sheer despair, +have been forced to declare for Carthage, while it would have been +extremely difficult to continue any longer the waiting tactics of +Fabius, as they would now have been obliged to draw their provisions +from a distance, while Hannibal could victual his army from the country +behind him. The senate therefore, having largely reinforced the army, +ordered the consuls to advance and give battle. + +They had under them eight full legions, or eighty thousand infantry and +seven thousand two hundred cavalry. To oppose these Hannibal had forty +thousand infantry and ten thousand excellent cavalry, of whom +two thousand were Numidians. On the second day after leaving the +neighbourhood of Geronium the Romans encamped at a distance of six miles +from the Carthaginians. Here the usual difference of opinion at once +arose between the Roman consuls, who commanded the army on alternate +days. Varro wished to march against the enemy without delay, while +Emilius was adverse to risking an engagement in a country which, being +level and open, was favourable to the action of Hannibal's superior +cavalry. + +On the following day Varro, whose turn it was to command, marched +towards the hostile camp. Hannibal attacked the Roman advanced guard +with his cavalry and light infantry, but Varro had supported his cavalry +not only by his light troops, but by a strong body of his heavy armed +infantry, and after an engagement, which lasted for several hours, he +repulsed the Carthaginians with considerable loss. + +That evening the Roman army encamped about three miles from Cannae, +on the right bank of the Aufidus. The next morning Emilius, who was in +command, detached a third of his force across the river, and encamped +them there for the purpose of supporting the Roman foraging parties on +that side and of interrupting those of the Carthaginians. + +The next day passed quietly, but on the following morning Hannibal +quitted his camp and formed his army in order of battle to tempt the +Romans to attack; but Emilius, sensible that the ground was against him, +would not move, but contented himself with further strengthening his +camps. Hannibal, seeing that the Romans would not fight, detached his +Numidian cavalry across the river to cut off the Roman foraging parties +and to surround and harass their smaller camp on that side of the +river. On the following morning Hannibal, knowing that Varro would be +in command, and feeling sure that, with his impetuous disposition, the +consul would be burning to avenge the insult offered by the surrounding +of his camp by the Numidians, moved his army across the river, and +formed it in order of battle, leaving eight thousand of his men to guard +his camp. + +By thus doing he obtained a position which he could the better hold +with his inferior forces, while the Romans, deeming that he intended +to attack their camp on that side of the river, would be likely to move +their whole army across and to give battle. This in fact Varro proceeded +to do. Leaving ten thousand men in his own camp with orders to march out +and attack that of Hannibal during the engagement, he led the rest of +his troops over the river, and having united his force with that in +the camp on the right bank, marched down the river until he faced the +position which Hannibal had taken up. + +This had been skillfully chosen. The river, whose general course was +east and west, made a loop, and across this Hannibal had drawn up his +army with both wings resting upon the river. Thus the Romans could +not outflank him, and the effect of their vastly superior numbers in +infantry would to some extent be neutralized. The following was the +disposition of his troops. + +The Spaniards and Gauls occupied the centre of the line of infantry. The +Africans formed the two wings. On his left flank between the Africans +and the river he placed his heavy African and Gaulish horse, eight +thousand strong, while the two thousand Numidians were posted between +the infantry and the river on the right flank. Hannibal commanded the +centre of the army in person, Hanno the right wing, Hasdrubal the left +wing; Maharbal commanded the cavalry. + +Varro placed his infantry in close and heavy order, so as to reduce +their front to that of the Carthaginians. The Roman cavalry, numbering +two thousand four hundred men, was on his right wing, and was thus +opposed to Hannibal's heavy cavalry, eight thousand strong. The cavalry +of the Italian allies, four thousand eight hundred strong, was on the +left wing facing the Numidians. + +Emilius commanded the Roman right, Varro the left. The Carthaginians +faced north, so that the wind, which was blowing strongly from the +south, swept clouds of dust over their heads full into the faces of the +enemy. The battle was commenced by the light troops on both sides, +who fought for some time obstinately and courageously, but without any +advantage to either. While this contest was going on, Hannibal advanced +his centre so as to form a salient angle projecting in front of his +line. The whole of the Gauls and Spaniards took part in this movement, +while the Africans remained stationary; at the same time he launched his +heavy cavalry against the Roman horse. + +The latter were instantly overthrown, and were driven from the field +with great slaughter. Emilius himself was wounded, but managed to join +the infantry. While the Carthaginian heavy horse were thus defeating +the Roman cavalry, the Numidians maneuvered near the greatly superior +cavalry of the Italian allies, and kept them occupied until the heavy +horse, after destroying the Roman cavalry, swept round behind their +infantry and fell upon the rear of the Italian horse, while the +Numidians charged them fiercely in front. + +Thus caught in a trap the Italian horse were completely annihilated, and +so, before the heavy infantry of the two armies met each other, not a +Roman cavalry soldier remained alive and unwounded on the field. + +The Roman infantry now advanced to the charge, and from the nature of +Hannibal's formation their centre first came in contact with the head of +the salient angle formed by the Gauls and Spaniards. These resisted with +great obstinacy. The principes, who formed the second line of the Roman +infantry, came forward and joined the spearmen, and even the triarii +pressed forward and joined in the fight. Fighting with extreme obstinacy +the Carthaginian centre was forced gradually back until they were again +in a line with the Africans on their flanks. + +The Romans had insensibly pressed in from both flanks upon the point +where they had met with resistance, and now occupied a face scarcely +more than half that with which they had begun the battle. Still further +the Gauls and Spaniards were driven back until they now formed an angle +in rear of the original line, and in this angle the whole of the Roman +infantry in a confused mass pressed upon them. This was the moment for +which Hannibal had waited. He wheeled round both his flanks, and the +Africans, who had hitherto not struck a blow, now fell in perfect order +upon the flanks of the Roman mass, while Hasdrubal with his victorious +cavalry charged down like a torrent upon their rear. Then followed a +slaughter unequalled in the records of history. Unable to open out, to +fight, or to fly, with no quarter asked or given, the Romans and their +Latin allies fell before the swords of their enemies, till, of the +seventy thousand infantry which had advanced to the fight, forty +thousand had fallen on the field. Three thousand were taken prisoners, +seven thousand escaped to the small camp, and ten thousand made their +way across the river to the large camp, where they joined the force +which had been left there, and which had, in obedience to Varro's +orders, attacked the Carthaginian camp, but had been repulsed with a +loss of two thousand men. All the troops in both camps were forced +to surrender on the following morning, and thus only fifteen thousand +scattered fugitives escaped of the eighty-seven thousand two hundred +infantry and cavalry under the command of the Roman consuls. + +Hannibal's loss in the battle of Cannae amounted to about six thousand +men. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: IN THE MINES + + +The exultation of the Carthaginians at the total destruction of their +enemies was immense, and Maharbal and some of the other leaders urged +Hannibal at once to march upon Rome; but Hannibal knew the spirit of +the Roman people, and felt that the capture of Rome, even after +the annihilation of its army, would be a greater task than he could +undertake. History has shown how desperate a defence may be made by +a population willing to die rather than surrender, and the Romans, an +essentially martial people, would defend their city until the last gasp. +They had an abundance of arms, and there were the two city legions, +which formed the regular garrison of the capital. + +The instant the news of the defeat reached Rome, a levy of all males +over seventeen years of age was ordered, and this produced another ten +thousand men and a thousand cavalry. Eight thousand slaves who were +willing to serve were enlisted and armed, and four thousand criminals +and debtors were released from prison and pardoned, on the condition of +their taking up arms. The praetor Marcellus was at Ostia with the ten +thousand men with which he was about to embark for Sicily. + +Thus Rome would be defended by forty-three thousand men, while Hannibal +had but thirty-three thousand infantry, and his cavalry, the strongest +arm of his force, would be useless. From Cannae to Rome was twelve days' +march with an army encumbered with booty. He could not, therefore, hope +for a surprise. The walls of Rome were exceedingly strong, and he had +with him none of the great machines which would have been necessary for +a siege. He must have carried with him the supplies he had accumulated +for the subsistence of his force, and when these were consumed he would +be destitute. Fresh Roman levies would gather on his rear, and before +long his whole army would be besieged. + +In such an undertaking he would have wasted time, and lost the prestige +which he had acquired by his astonishing victory. Varro, who had escaped +from the battle, had rallied ten thousand of the fugitives at the strong +place of Canusium, and these would be a nucleus round which the rest of +those who had escaped would rally, and would be joined by fresh levies +of the Italian allies of Rome. + +The Romans showed their confidence in their power to resist a siege by +at once despatching Marcellus with his ten thousand men to Canusium. +Thus, with a strongly defended city in front, an army of twenty thousand +Roman soldiers, which would speedily increase to double that number, in +his rear, Hannibal perceived that were he to undertake the siege of +Rome he would risk all the advantages he had gained. He determined, +therefore, to continue the policy which he had laid down for himself, +namely, to move his army to and fro among the provinces of Italy until +the allies of Rome one by one fell away from her, and joined him, or +until such reinforcements arrived from Carthage as would justify him in +undertaking the siege of Rome. + +Rome herself was never grander than in this hour of defeat; not for +a moment was the courage and confidence of her citizens shaken. The +promptness with which she prepared for defence, and still more the +confidence which she showed by despatching Marcellus with his legion to +Canusium instead of retaining him for the defence of the city, show a +national spirit and manliness worthy of the highest admiration. Varro +was ordered to hand over his command to Marcellus, and to return to Rome +to answer before the senate for his conduct. + +Varro doubted not that his sentence would be death, for the Romans, +like the Carthaginians, had but little mercy for a defeated general. His +colleague and his army had undoubtedly been sacrificed by his rashness. +Moreover, the senate was composed of his bitter political enemies, and +he could not hope that a lenient view would be taken of his conduct. +Nevertheless Varro returned to Rome and appeared before the senate. That +body nobly responded to the confidence manifested in it; party feeling +was suspended, the political adversary, the defeated general, were alike +forgotten, it was only remembered how Varro had rallied his troops, how +he had allayed the panic which prevailed among them, and had at once +restored order and discipline. His courage, too, in thus appearing, +after so great a disaster, to submit himself to the judgment of the +country, counted in his favour. His faults were condoned, and the senate +publicly thanked him, because he had not despaired of the commonwealth. + +Hannibal, in pursuance of his policy to detach the allies of Italy from +Rome, dismissed all the Italian prisoners without ransom. The Roman +prisoners he offered to admit to ransom, and a deputation of them +accompanied an ambassador to offer terms of peace. The senate, however, +not only refused to discuss any terms of peace, but absolutely forbade +the families and friends of the prisoners to ransom them, thinking it +politic neither to enrich their adversary nor to show indulgence to +soldiers who had surrendered to the enemy. + +The victory of Cannae and Hannibal's clemency began to bear the effects +which he hoped for. Apulia declared for him at once, and the towns +of Arpi and Celapia opened their gates to him; Bruttium, Lucania, and +Samnium were ready to follow. Mago with one division of the army was +sent into Bruttium to take possession of such towns as might submit. +Hanno was sent with another division to do the same in Lucania. Hannibal +himself marched into Samnium, and making an alliance with the tribes, +there stored his plunder, and proceeded into Campania, and entered +Capua, the second city of Italy, which concluded an alliance with him. +Mago embarked at one of the ports of Bruttium to carry the news of +Hannibal's success to Carthage, and to demand reinforcements. + +Neither Rome nor Carthage had the complete mastery of the sea, and as +the disaster which had befallen Rome by land would greatly lessen +her power to maintain a large fleet, Carthage could now have poured +reinforcements in by the ports of Bruttium without difficulty. But +unfortunately Hannibal's bitterest enemies were to be found not in Italy +but in the senate of Carthage, where, in spite of the appeals of Mago +and the efforts of the patriotic party, the intrigues of Hanno and +his faction and the demands made by the war in Spain, prevented the +reinforcements from being forwarded which would have enabled him to +terminate the struggle by the conquest of Rome. + +Hannibal, after receiving the submission of several other towns and +capturing Casilinum, went into winter quarters at Capua. During the +winter Rome made gigantic efforts to place her army upon a war footing, +and with such success that, excluding the army of Scipio in Spain, +she had, when the spring began, twelve legions or a hundred and twenty +thousand men again under arms; and as no reinforcements, save some +elephants and a small body of cavalry, ever reached Hannibal from +Carthage, he was, during the remaining thirteen years of the war, +reduced to stand wholly on the defensive, protecting his allies, +harassing his enemy, and feeding his own army at their expense; and yet +so great was the dread which his genius had excited that, in spite of +their superior numbers, the Romans after Cannae never ventured again to +engage him in a pitched battle. + +Soon after the winter set in Hannibal ordered Malchus to take a number +of officers and a hundred picked men, and to cross from Capua to +Sardinia, where the inhabitants had revolted against Rome, and were +harassing the praetor, Quintus Mucius, who commanded the legion which +formed the garrison of the island. Malchus and the officers under him +were charged with the duty of organizing the wild peasantry of the +island, and of drilling them in regular tactics; for unless acting +as bodies of regular troops, however much they might harass the Roman +legion, they could not hope to expel them from their country. Nessus of +course accompanied Malchus. + +The party embarked in two of the Capuan galleys. They had not been many +hours at sea when the weather, which had when they started been fine, +changed suddenly, and ere long one of the fierce gales which are so +frequent in the Mediterranean burst upon them. The wind was behind them, +and there was nothing to do but to let the galleys run before it. The +sea got up with great rapidity, and nothing but the high poops at their +stern prevented the two galleys being sunk by the great waves which +followed them. The oars were laid in, for it was impossible to use them +in such a sea. + +As night came on the gale increased rather than diminished. The +Carthaginian officers and soldiers remained calm and quiet in the storm, +but the Capuan sailors gave themselves up to despair, and the men at the +helm were only kept at their post by Malchus threatening to have them +thrown overboard instantly if they abandoned it. After nightfall he +assembled the officers in the cabin in the poop. + +"The prospects are bad," he said. "The pilot tells me that unless the +gale abates or the wind changes we shall, before morning, be thrown upon +the coast of Sardinia, and that will be total destruction; for upon the +side facing Italy the cliffs, for the most part, rise straight up from +the water, the only port on that side being that at which the Romans +have their chief castle and garrison. He tells me there is nothing to be +done, and I see nought myself. Were we to try to bring the galley round +to the wind she would be swamped in a moment, while even if we could +carry out the operation, it would be impossible to row in the teeth of +this sea. Therefore, my friends, there is nothing for us to do save +to keep up the courage of the men, and to bid them hold themselves in +readiness to seize upon any chance of getting to shore should the vessel +strike." + +All night the galley swept on before the storm. The light on the other +boat had disappeared soon after darkness had set in. Half the soldiers +and crew by turns were kept at work baling out the water which found its +way over the sides, and several times so heavily did the seas break into +her that all thought that she was lost. However, when morning broke she +was still afloat. The wind had hardly shifted a point since it had begun +to blow, and the pilot told Malchus that they must be very near to the +coast of Sardinia. As the light brightened every eye was fixed ahead +over the waste of angry foaming water. Presently the pilot, who was +standing next to Malchus, grasped his arm. + +"There is the land," he cried, "dead before us." + +Not until a few minutes later could Malchus make out the faint outline +through the driving mist. It was a lofty pile of rock standing by +itself. + +"It is an island!" he exclaimed. + +"It is Caralis," the pilot replied; "I know its outline well; we are +already in the bay. Look to the right, you can make out the outline of +the cliffs at its mouth, we have passed it already. You do not see the +shore ahead because the rock on which Caralis stands rises from a level +plain, and to the left a lagoon extends for a long way in; it is there +that the Roman galleys ride. The gods have brought us to the only spot +along the coast where we could approach it with a hope of safety." + +"There is not much to rejoice at," Malchus said; "we may escape the sea, +but only to be made prisoners by the Romans." + +"Nay, Malchus, the alternative is not so bad," a young officer who was +standing next to him said. "Hannibal has thousands of Roman prisoners in +his hands, and we may well hope to be exchanged. After the last twelve +hours any place on shore, even a Roman prison, is an elysium compared to +the sea." + +The outline of the coast was now clearly visible. The great rock of +Caralis, now known as Cagliari, rose dark and threatening, the low +shores of the bay on either side were marked by a band of white foam, +while to the left of the rock was the broad lagoon, dotted with the +black hulls of a number of ships and galleys rolling and tossing +heavily, for as the wind blew straight into the bay the lagoon was +covered with short, angry waves. + +The pilot now ordered the oars to be got out. The entrance to the lagoon +was wide, but it was only in the middle that the channel was deep, and +on either side of this long breakwaters of stone were run out from the +shore, to afford a shelter to the shipping within. The sea was so rough +that it was found impossible to use the oars, and they were again +laid in and a small sail was hoisted. This enabled the head to be laid +towards the entrance of the lagoon. For a time it was doubtful whether +the galley could make it, but she succeeded in doing so, and then ran +straight on towards the upper end of the harbour. + +"That is far enough," the pilot said presently; "the water shoals fast +beyond. We must anchor here." + +The sail was lowered, the oars got out on one side, and the head of the +galley brought to the wind. The anchor was then dropped. As the storm +beaten galley ran right up the lagoon she had been viewed with curiosity +and interest by those who were on board the ships at anchor. That she +was an Italian galley was clear, and also that she was crowded with men, +but no suspicion was entertained that these were Carthaginians. + +The anchor once cast Malchus held a council with the other officers. +They were in the midst of foes, and escape seemed altogether impossible. +Long before the gale abated sufficiently to permit them to put to sea +again, they would be visited by boats from the other vessels to ask who +they were and whence they came. As to fighting their way out it was out +of the question, for there were a score of triremes in the bay, any +one of which could crush the Capuan galley, and whose far greater speed +rendered the idea of flight as hopeless as that of resistance. The +council therefore agreed unanimously that the only thing to be done was +to surrender without resistance. + +The storm continued for another twenty-four hours, then the wind died +out almost as suddenly as it began. + +As soon as the sea began to abate two galleys were seen putting out from +the town, and these rowed directly towards the ship. The fact that she +had shown no flag had no doubt excited suspicion in the minds of the +garrison. Each galley contained fifty soldiers. As they rowed alongside +a Roman officer on the poop of one of the galleys hailed the ship, and +demanded whence it came. + +"We are from Capua," the pilot answered. "The gale has blown us across +thence. I have on board fifty Carthaginian officers and soldiers, who +now surrender to you." + +As in those days, when vessels could with difficulty keep the sea in a +storm, and in the event of a gale springing up were forced to run before +it, it was by no means unusual for galleys to be blown into hostile +ports, the announcement excited no great surprise. + +"Who commands the party?" the Roman officer asked. + +"I do," Malchus replied. "I am Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, who was +killed at the Trebia, a cousin of Hannibal and captain of his guard. I +surrender with my followers, seeing that resistance is hopeless." + +"It is hopeless," the Roman replied, "and you are right not to throw +away the lives of your men when there is no possibility of resistance." + +As he spoke he stepped on board, ordered the anchor to be weighed, and +the galley, accompanied by the two Roman boats, was rowed to the landing +place. A messenger was at once sent up to Mucius to tell him what had +happened, and the praetor himself soon appeared upon the spot. The +officer acquainted him with the name and rank of the leader of the +Carthaginian party, and said that there were with him two officers of +noble families of the Carthaginians. + +"That is well," the praetor said, "it is a piece of good fortune. The +Carthaginians have so many of our officers in their hands, that it is +well to have some whom we may exchange for them. Let them be landed." + +As they left the ship the Carthaginians laid down their arms and armour. +By this time a large number of the Roman garrison, among whom the +news had rapidly spread, were assembled at the port. Many of the +young soldiers had never yet seen a Carthaginian, and they looked +with curiosity and interest at the men who had inflicted such terrible +defeats upon the armies of the Romans. They were fine specimens of +Hannibal's force, for the general had allowed Malchus to choose his own +officers and men, and, knowing that strength, agility, and endurance +would be needed for a campaign in so mountainous a country as Sardinia, +he had picked both officers and men with great care. + +His second in command was his friend Trebon, who had long since obtained +a separate command, but who, on hearing from Malchus of the expedition +on which he was bound, had volunteered to accompany him. The men were +all Africans accustomed to desert fighting and trained in warfare in +Spain. The Romans, good judges of physical strength, could not repress +a murmur of admiration at the sight of these sinewy figures. Less +heavy than themselves, there was about them a spring and an elasticity +resembling that of the tiger. Long use had hardened their muscles until +they stood up like cords through their tawny skin, most of them bore +numerous scars of wounds received in battle, and the Romans, as they +viewed them, acknowledged to themselves what formidable opponents these +men would be. + +A strong guard formed up on either side of the captives, and they were +marched through the town to the citadel on the upper part of the rock. +Here a large chamber, opening on to the courtyard, was assigned to the +officers, while the men, who were viewed in the light of slaves, were at +once set to work to carry stores up to the citadel from a ship which had +arrived just as the storm broke. + +A fortnight later a vessel arrived from Rome with a message from +the senate that they would not exchange prisoners, and that the +Carthaginians were at once to be employed as slaves in the mines. The +governor acquainted Malchus with the decision. + +"I am sorry," he said, "indeed, that it is so; but the senate are +determined that they will exchange no prisoners. Of course their view +of the matter is, that when a Roman lays down his arms he disgraces +himself, and the refusal to ransom him or allow him to be exchanged is +intended to act as a deterrent to others. This may be fair enough in +cases where large numbers surrender to a few, or where they lay down +their arms when with courage and determination they might have cut their +way through the enemy; but in cases where further resistance would be +hopeless, in my mind men are justified in surrendering. However, I can +only obey the orders I have received, and tomorrow must send you and +your men to the mines." + +As Malchus had seen the Iberian captives sent to labour as slaves in the +mines in Spain, the fate thus announced to him did not appear surprising +or barbarous. In those days captives taken in war were always made +slaves when they were not put to death in cold blood, and although +Hannibal had treated with marked humanity and leniency the Roman and +Italian captives who had fallen into his hands, this had been the result +of policy, and was by no means in accordance with the spirit in which +war was then conducted. Accordingly, the next day the Carthaginians +were, under a strong guard, marched away to the mines, which lay on the +other side of the island, some forty miles due west of the port, and +three miles from the western sea coast of the island. The road lay for +some distance across a dead flat. The country was well cultivated and +thickly studded with villages, for Rome drew a heavy tribute in corn +annually from the island. + +After twenty miles' march they halted for the night, pursuing their way +on the following morning. They had now entered a wide and fertile valley +with lofty hills on either side. In some places there were stagnant +marshes, and the officer in charge of the guard informed Malchus that in +the autumn a pestilential miasma rose from these, rendering a sojourn in +the valley fatal to the inhabitants of the mainland. The native people +were wild and primitive in appearance, being clad chiefly in sheepskins. +They lived in beehive shaped huts. The hills narrowed in towards the +end of the day's march, and the valley terminated when the party arrived +within half a mile of their destination. Here stood a small town named +Metalla, with a strong Roman garrison, which supplied guards over the +slaves employed in working the mines. This town is now called Iglesias. + +The principal mine was situated in a narrow valley running west from the +town down to the sea coast. The officer in command of the escort handed +over Malchus and his companions to the charge of the officer at the head +mining establishment. + +Malchus was surprised at the large number of people gathered at the +spot. They lived for the most part in low huts constructed of boughs or +sods, and ranged in lines at the bottom of the valley or along the lower +slopes of the hill. A cordon of Roman sentries was placed along the +crest of the hill at either side, and a strong guard was posted in a +little camp in the centre of the valley, in readiness to put down any +tumult which might arise. + +The great majority of the slaves gathered there were Sards, men +belonging to tribes which had risen in insurrection against the Romans. +There were with them others of their countrymen who were not like them +slaves, though their condition was but little better except that they +received a nominal rate of payment. These were called free labourers, +but their labour was as much forced as was that of the slaves--each +district in the island being compelled to furnish a certain amount +of labourers for this or the mines further to the north. The men so +conscripted were changed once in six months. With the Sards were mingled +people of many nations. Here were Sicilians and members of many Italian +tribes conquered by the Romans, together with Gauls from the northern +plains and from Marseilles. + +There were many mines worked in different parts of the island, but +Metalla was the principal. The labour, in days when gunpowder had not +become the servant of man, was extremely hard. The rocks had to be +pierced with hand labour, the passages and galleries were of the +smallest possible dimensions, the atmosphere was stifling; consequently +the mortality was great, and it was necessary to keep up a constant +importation of labour. + +"If these people did but possess a particle of courage," Trebon said, +"they would rise, overpower the guard, and make for the forests. The +whole island is, as the officer who brought us here told us, covered +with mountains with the exception of the two broad plains running +through it; as we could see the hills are covered with woods, and the +whole Roman army could not find them if they once escaped." + +"That is true enough," Malchus said, "but there must be at least five or +six thousand slaves here. How could these find food among the mountains? +They might exist for a time upon berries and grain, but they would in +the end be forced to go into the valleys for food, and would then be +slaughtered by the Romans. Nevertheless a small body of men could no +doubt subsist among the hills, and the strength of the guard you see on +the heights shows that attempts to escape are not rare. Should we find +our existence intolerable here, we will at any rate try to escape. There +are fifty of us, and if we agreed in common action we could certainly +break through the guards and take to the hills. As you may see by their +faces, the spirit of these slaves is broken. See how bent most of them +are by their labour, and how their shoulders are wealed by the lashes of +their taskmasters!" + +The officer in charge of the mines told Malchus that he should not put +him and the other two officers to labour, but would appoint them as +overseers over gangs of the men, informing them that he had a brother +who was at present a captive in the hands of Hannibal; and he trusted +that Malchus, should he have an opportunity, would use his kind offices +on his behalf. + +One of the lines of huts near the Roman camp was assigned to the +Carthaginians, and that evening they received rations of almost black +bread similar to those served out to the others. The following morning +they were set to work. Malchus and his two friends found their tasks by +no means labourious, as they were appointed to look after a number of +Sards employed in breaking up and sorting the lead ore as it was brought +up from the mine. The men, however, returned in the evening worn out +with toil. All had been at work in the mines. Some had had to crawl long +distances through passages little more than three feet high and one foot +wide, until they reached the broad lode of lead ore. + +Here some of the party had been set to work, others had been employed in +pushing on the little galleries, and there had sat for hours working +in a cramped position, with pick, hammer, and wedge. Others had been +lowered by ropes down shafts so narrow that when they got to the bottom +it was only with extreme difficulty that they were able to stoop to work +at the rock beneath their feet. Many, indeed, of these old shafts have +been found in the mines of Montepone, so extremely narrow that it is +supposed that they must have been bored by slaves lowered by ropes, head +foremost, it appearing absolutely impossible for a man to stoop to work +if lowered in the ordinary way. + +The Carthaginians, altogether unaccustomed to work of this nature, +returned to their huts at night utterly exhausted, cramped, and aching +in every limb. Many had been cruelly beaten for not performing the tasks +assigned to them. All were filled with a dull despairing rage. In the +evening a ration of boiled beans, with a little native wine, was served +out to each, the quantity of the food being ample, it being necessary to +feed the slaves well to enable them to support their fatigues. + +After three days of this work five or six of the captives were so +exhausted that they were unable to take their places with the gang when +ordered for work in the morning. They were, however, compelled by blows +to rise and take their places with the rest. Two of them died during the +course of the day in their stifling working places; another succumbed +during the night; several, too, were attacked by the fever of the +country. Malchus and his friends were full of grief and rage at the +sufferings of their men. + +"Anything were better than this," Malchus said. "A thousand times better +to fall beneath the swords of the Romans than to die like dogs in the +holes beneath that hill!" + +"I quite agree with you, Malchus," Halco, the other officer with the +party, said, "and am ready to join you in any plan of escape, however +desperate." + +"The difficulty is about arms," Trebon observed. "We are so closely +watched that it is out of the question to hope that we should succeed in +getting possession of any. The tools are all left in the mines; and as +the men work naked, there is no possibility of their secreting any. +The stores here are always guarded by a sentry; and although we might +overpower him, the guard would arrive long before we could break through +the solid doors. Of course if we could get the other slaves to join us, +we might crush the guard even with stones." + +"That is out of the question," Malchus said. "In the first place, they +speak a strange language, quite different to the Italians. Then, were +we seen trying to converse with any of them, suspicions might be roused; +and even could we get the majority to join us, there would be many who +would be only too glad to purchase their own freedom by betraying the +plot to the Romans. No, whatever we do must be done by ourselves alone; +and for arms we must rely upon stones, and upon the stoutest stakes we +can draw out from our huts. The only time that we have free to ourselves +is the hour after work is over, when we are allowed to go down to the +stream to wash and to stroll about as we will until the trumpet sounds +to order us to retire to our huts for the night. + +"It is true that at that time the guards are particularly vigilant, and +that we are not allowed to gather into knots; and an Italian slave I +spoke to yesterday told me that he dared not speak to me, for the place +swarms with spies, and that any conversation between us would be sure +to be reported, and those engaged in it put to the hardest and cruelest +work. I propose, therefore, that tomorrow--for if it is to be done, the +sooner the better, before the men lose all their strength--the men shall +on their return from work at once eat their rations; then each man, +hiding a short stick under his garment and wrapping a few heavy stones +in the corner of his robe, shall make his way up towards the top of the +hill above the mine. + +"No two men must go together--all must wander as if aimlessly among the +huts. When they reach the upper line on that side and see me, let all +rapidly close up, and we will make a sudden rush at the sentries above. +They cannot get more than five or six together in time to oppose us, and +we shall be able to beat them down with our stones. Once through them, +the heavy armed men will never be able to overtake us till we reach the +forest, which begins, I believe, about half a mile beyond the top." + +The other two officers at once agreed to the plan; and when the camp was +still Malchus crept cautiously from hut to hut, telling his men of the +plan that had been formed and giving orders for the carrying of it out. + +All assented cheerfully; for although the stronger were now becoming +accustomed to their work, and felt less exhausted than they had done the +first two days, there was not one but felt that he would rather suffer +death than endure this terrible fate. Malchus impressed upon them +strongly that it was of the utmost consequence to possess themselves of +the arms of any Roman soldiers they might overthrow, as they would to +a great extent be compelled to rely upon these to obtain food among the +mountains. + +Even the men who were most exhausted, and those stricken with fever, +seemed to gain strength at once at the prospect of a struggle for +liberty, and when the gang turned out in the morning for work none +lagged behind. + + + +CHAPTER XX: THE SARDINIAN FORESTS + + +The Carthaginians returned in the evening in groups from the various +scenes of their labour and without delay consumed the provisions +provided for them. Then one by one they sauntered away down towards +the stream. Malchus was the last to leave, and having seen that all his +followers had preceded him, he, too, crossed the stream, paused a moment +at a heap of debris from the mine, and picking up three or four pieces +of rock about the size of his fist, rolled them in the corner of his +garment, and holding this in one hand moved up the hill. + +Here and there he paused a moment as if interested in watching the +groups of slaves eating their evening meal, until at last he reached the +upper line of little huts. Between these and the hill top upon which +the sentries stood was a distance of about fifty yards, which was kept +scrupulously clear to enable them to watch the movements of any man +going beyond the huts. The sentries were some thirty paces apart, so +that, as Malchus calculated, not more than four or five of them could +assemble before he reached them, if they did not previously perceive +anything suspicious which might put them on the alert. + +Looking round him Malchus saw his followers scattered about among the +slaves at a short distance. Standing behind the shelter of the hut he +raised his hand, and all began to move towards him. As there was nothing +in their attire, which consisted of one long cloth wound round them, +to distinguish them from the other slaves, the movement attracted no +attention from the sentries, who were, from their position, able to +overlook the low huts. + +When he saw that all were close, Malchus gave a shout and dashed up the +hill, followed by his comrades. + +The nearest sentry, seeing a body of fifty men suddenly rushing towards +him, raised a shout, and his comrades from either side ran towards him; +but so quickly was the movement performed that but five had gathered +when the Carthaginians reached them, although many others were running +towards the spot. The Carthaginians, when they came close to their +levelled spears, poured upon them a shower of heavy stones, which +knocked two of them down and so bruised and battered the others that +they went down at once when the Carthaginians burst upon them. + +The nearest Romans halted to await the arrival of their comrades coming +up behind them, and the Carthaginians, seizing the swords, spears, and +shields of their fallen foes, dashed on at full speed. The Romans soon +followed, but with the weight of their weapons, armour, and helmets +they were speedily distanced, and the fugitives reached the edge of the +forest in safety and dashed into its recesses. + +After running for some distance they halted, knowing that the Romans +would not think of pursuing except with a large force. The forests which +covered the mountains of Sardinia were for the most part composed of +evergreen oak, with, in some places, a thick undergrowth of shrubs and +young trees. Through this the Carthaginians made their way with some +difficulty, until, just as it became dark, they reached the bottom of a +valley comparatively free of trees and through which ran a clear stream. + +"Here we will halt for the night," Malchus said; "there is no fear of +the Romans pursuing at once, if indeed they do so at all, for their +chance of finding us in these mountains, covered with hundreds of square +miles of forests, is slight indeed; however, we will at once provide +ourselves with weapons." + +The five Roman swords were put into requisition, and some straight +young saplings were felled, and their points being sharpened they were +converted into efficient spears, each some fourteen feet long. + +"It is well we have supped," Malchus said; "our breakfast will depend +on ourselves. Tomorrow we must keep a sharp lookout for smoke rising +through the trees; there are sure to be numbers of charcoal burners in +the forest, for upon them the Romans depend for their fuel. One of the +first things to do is to obtain a couple of lighted brands. A fire is +essential for warmth among these hills, even putting aside its uses for +cooking." + +"That is when we have anything to cook," Halco said laughingly. + +"That is certainly essential," Malchus agreed; "but there is sure to be +plenty of wild boar and deer among these forests. We have only to find a +valley with a narrow entrance, and post ourselves there and send all the +men to form a circle on the hills around it and drive them down to us; +besides, most likely we shall come across herds of goats and pigs, which +the villagers in the lower valleys will send up to feed on the acorns. I +have no fear but we shall be able to obtain plenty of flesh; as to corn, +we have only to make a raid down into the plain, and when we have found +out something about the general lay of the country, the hills and the +extent of the forest, we will choose some spot near its centre and +erect huts there. If it were not for the peasants we might live here +for years, for all the Roman forces in Sardinia would be insufficient to +rout us out of these mountains; but unfortunately, as we shall have to +rob the peasants, they will act as guides to the Romans, and we shall be +obliged to keep a sharp lookout against surprise. If it gets too hot for +us we must make a night march across the plain to the mountains on the +eastern side. I heard at Caralis that the wild part there is very much +larger than it is on this side of the island, and it extends without a +break from the port right up to the north of the island." + +Safe as he felt from pursuit Malchus posted four men as sentries, and +the rest of the band lay down to sleep, rejoicing in the thought that on +the morrow they should not be wakened to take their share in the labours +in the mine. + +At daybreak all were on the move, and a deep spot having been found +in the stream, they indulged in the luxury of a bath. That done they +started on the march further into the heart of the forest. The hills +were of great height, with bare crags often beetling up among the trees +hundreds of feet, with deep valleys and rugged precipices. In crossing +one of these valleys Nessus suddenly lifted his hand. + +"What is it?" Malchus asked. + +"I heard a pig grunt," Nessus replied, "on our right there." + +Malchus at once divided the band in two and told them to proceed as +quietly as possible along the lower slopes of the hill, leaving a man at +every fifteen paces. + +When all had been posted, the ends of the line were to descend until +they met in the middle of the valley, thus forming a circle. A shout +was to tell the rest that this was done, and then all were to move down +until they met in the centre. One officer went with each party, Malchus +remained at the spot where he was standing. In ten minutes the signal +was heard, and then all moved forward, shouting as they went, and +keeping a sharp lookout between the trees to see that nothing passed +them. As the narrowing circle issued into the open ground at the bottom +of the valley there was a general shout of delight, for, huddled down +by a stream, grunting and screaming with fright, was a herd of forty +or fifty pigs, with a peasant, who appeared stupefied with alarm at the +sudden uproar. + +On seeing the men burst out with their levelled spears from the wood, +the Sard gave a scream of terror and threw himself upon his face. When +the Carthaginians came up to him Malchus stirred him with his foot, but +he refused to move; he then pricked him with the Roman spear he held, +and the man leaped to his feet with a shout. Malchus told him in Italian +that he was free to go, but that the swine must be confiscated for the +use of his followers. The man did not understand his words, but, seeing +by his gestures that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed, +hardly believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in no +way concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property of +various individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the hills--it +being then, as now, the custom for several men owning swine to send them +together under the charge of a herdsman into the mountains, where for +months together they live in a half wild state on acorns and roots, a +villager going up occasionally with supplies of food for the swineherd. + +No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the men +some fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus. + +"Here is the man's fire, my lord." + +A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of all +this meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every one. Malchus +hurried to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still glowing embers. +Some of the men at once set to work to collect dried sticks, and in a +few minutes a great fire was blazing. One of the pigs was slaughtered +and cut up into rations, and in a short time each man was cooking his +portion stuck on a stick over the fire. + +A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distance +away, and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchus +and his two companions. After the meal the spears were improved by the +points being hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness to march +two of the men were told off as fire keepers, and each of these took two +blazing brands from the fire, which, as they walked, they kept crossed +before them, the burning points keeping each other alight. Even with one +man there would be little chance of losing the fire, but with two such a +misfortune could scarcely befall them. + +A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the whole +then started for the point they intended to make to in the heart of +the mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping place was +selected in a watered valley. The men then set to work to cut down +boughs and erect arbours. Fires were lighted and another pig being +killed those who preferred it roasted his flesh over the fire, while +others boiled their portions, the Roman shields being utilized as pans. + +"What do you think of doing, Malchus?" Halco asked as they stretched +themselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finished +their meal. "We are safe here, and in these forests could defy the +Romans to find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at the +foot of the hills, and there must be many swine in the forest beside +this herd which we have captured. The life will not be an unpleasant +one, but--" and he stopped. + +"But you don't wish to end your days here," Malchus put in for him, "nor +do I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is a waste of +our lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating the might of +Rome we cannot be content to live like members of the savage tribes +here. I have no doubt that we shall excite such annoyance and alarm by +our raids among the villages in the plains that the Romans will ere long +make a great effort to capture us, and doubtless they will enlist the +natives in their search. Still, we may hope to escape them, and there +are abundant points among these mountains where we may make a stand +and inflict such heavy loss upon them that they will be glad to come to +terms. All I would ask is that they shall swear by their gods to treat +us well and to convey us as prisoners of war to Rome, there to remain +until exchanged. In Rome we could await the course of events patiently. +Hannibal may capture the city. The senate, urged by the relatives of the +many prisoners we have taken, may agree to make an exchange, and we may +see chances of our making our escape. At any rate we shall be in the +world and shall know what is going on." + +"But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our freedom?" + +"I do not think so," Malchus said. "It would be too much for Roman pride +to allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in that way, and +even if the prefect of this island were to agree to the terms, I do not +believe that the senate would ratify them. We had better not ask too +much. For myself I own to a longing to see Rome. As Carthage holds +back and will send no aid to Hannibal, I have very little hope of ever +entering it as a conqueror, and rather than not see it at all I would +not mind entering it as a prisoner. There are no mines to work there, +and the Romans, with so vast a number of their own people in the hands +of Hannibal, would not dare to treat us with any cruelty or severity. + +"Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach Hannibal, +and had every one of us died in those stifling mines he would never have +been the wiser." + +The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, they +were all too well pleased with their present liberty and their escape +from the bondage to give a thought to the morrow. + +The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of the +neighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys by which +their camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees were cleared +away, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for making bonfires, and +two sentries were placed at each of these posts, their orders being to +keep a vigilant lookout all over the country, to light a fire instantly +the approach of any enemy was perceived, and then to descend to the camp +to give particulars as to his number and the direction of his march. + +A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions as +to what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set out with the +rest of the party across the mountains. The sun was their only guide +as to the direction of their course, and it was late in the afternoon +before they reached the crest of the easternmost hills and looked down +over the wide plain which divides the island into two portions. Here +they rested until the next morning, and then, starting before daybreak, +descended the slopes. They made their way to a village of some size at +the mouth of a valley, and were unnoticed until they entered it. Most +of the men were away in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedily +beaten down by the short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried in +addition to their spears. + +Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not to be +used, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to be hurt or +ill used unless in the act of offering resistance. For a few minutes the +confusion was great, women and children running about screaming in wild +alarm. They were, however, pacified when they found that no harm was +intended. + +On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered and +abundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of these +with as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number of other +articles which would be useful to them were also taken--cooking pots, +wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could be found. Laden with +these the Carthaginians set out on their return to camp. Loaded as they +were it was a long and toilsome journey, and they would have had +great difficulty in finding their way back had not Malchus taken +the precaution of leaving four or five men at different points with +instructions to keep fires of damp wood burning so that the smoke should +act as a guide. It was, however, late on the second day after their +leaving the village before they arrived in camp. Here the men set to +work to crush the grain between flat stones, and soon a supply of rough +cakes were baking in the embers. + +A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when the +supplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visited +they captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, the +journeys were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One morning as +the troop were taking their breakfast a column of bright smoke rose from +one of the hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped to their feet. + +"Finish your breakfast," Malchus said, "there will be plenty of time. +Slay two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three or four +pounds of flesh and a supply of meal." + +Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookout +arrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of the +valleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left--these were +driven into the forest. The grain and other stores were also carried +away and carefully hidden, and the band, who were now all well armed +with weapons taken in the different raids on the villages, marched away +from their camp. + +Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys in +the neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various points +for defence. One of these was on the line by which the enemy were +approaching. The valley narrowed in until it was almost closed +by perpendicular rocks on either side. On the summit of these the +Carthaginians took their post. They could now clearly make out the +enemy; there were upwards of a thousand Roman troops, and they were +accompanied by fully five hundred natives. + +When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valley +the soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. They +reported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved forward. When +it reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fell +from the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at once +recalled the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside, +wherever the ground permitted their doing so. After much labour they +reached the crag from which they had been assailed, but found it +deserted. + +All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. The +natives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returned +unsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by the +Carthaginians, and many were slaughtered. + +For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but never +once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, on +several occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessible +from below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards had +been attacked several times, and were so disheartened by the losses +inflicted upon them that they now refused to stir into the woods unless +accompanied by the Romans. + +At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursue +the fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Roman +commander ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. He +had lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred of +the Sards had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest he +was overtaken by one of the natives. + +"I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians," the man +said, "and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver a +message to the general." The man was at once brought before the officer. + +"The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you," he said, "that had +you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attempt +to capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few square +miles of the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away from +you, you did not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of square +miles, and, did he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might search +in vain. He bids me say that he could hold out for years and harry all +the villages of the plains; but he and his men do not care for living +the life of a mountain tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of +surrender with you, and will meet you outside the forest here with two +men with him if you on your part will be here with the same number at +noon tomorrow. He took before me a solemn oath that he will keep the +truce inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised to +take back your answer." + +The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the +long continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence of +this determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined by +some of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side of +the Roman force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved by +this unexpected proposal. + +"Return to him who sent you," he said, "and tell him that I, Publius +Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do hereby +swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that I +will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow." + +At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just +inside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with two +companions; they at once went forward to meet them. + +"I am come," Malchus said, "to offer to surrender to you on certain +terms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. With +my band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but I +do not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats his +captives mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and my +companions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by a +tempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this, +that we shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we be +allowed to march without guard or escort down to the port, where we will +go straight on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then +lay down our arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn +agreement taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, and +approved and ratified by the senate of Rome, that, in the first place, +the garments and armour of which we were deprived when captured, shall +be restored to us, and that we shall then be conveyed in the ship to +Rome, there to remain as prisoners of war until exchanged, being sent +nowhere else, and suffering no pains or penalties whatever for what has +taken place on this island." + +The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation of +the demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon being +restored with his companions to the Carthaginian army in Italy. Such +a proposition he would have been unwilling to forward to Rome, for it +would have been a confession that all the Roman force in the island was +incapable of overcoming this handful of desperate men, and he did not +think that the demand if made would have been agreed to by the senate. +The present proposition was vastly more acceptable. He could report +without humiliation that the Carthaginian slaves had broken loose +and taken to the mountains, where there would be great difficulty in +pursuing them, and they would serve as a nucleus round which would +assemble all the disaffected in the island; and could recommend that, +as they only demanded to be sent to Rome as prisoners of war, instead +of being kept in the island, the terms should be agreed to. After a +moment's delay, therefore, he replied: + +"I agree to your terms, sir, as far as I am concerned, and own they +appear to me as moderate and reasonable. I will draw out a document, +setting them forth and my acceptance of them, and will send it at once +to the prefect, praying him to sign it, and to forward it to Rome for +the approval of the senate. Pending an answer I trust that you will +abstain from any further attacks upon the villages." + +"It may be a fortnight before the answer returns," Malchus replied; +"but if you will send up to this point a supply of cattle and flour +sufficient for our wants till the answer comes, I will promise to +abstain from all further action." + +To this the Roman readily agreed, and for a fortnight Malchus and +his friends amused themselves by hunting deer and wild boar among the +mountains. After a week had passed a man had been sent each day to the +spot agreed upon to see if any answer had been received from Rome. It +was nearly three weeks before he brought a message to Malchus that the +terms had been accepted, and that the Roman commander would meet him +there on the following day with the document. The interview took place +as arranged, and the Roman handed to Malchus the document agreeing to +the terms proposed, signed by himself and the prefect, and ratified by +the senate. He said that if Malchus with his party would descend into +the road on the following morning three miles below Metalla they would +find an escort of Roman soldiers awaiting them, and that a vessel would +be ready at the port for them to embark upon their arrival. + +Next day, accordingly, Malchus with his companions left the forest, and +marched down to the valley in military order. At the appointed spot +they found twenty Roman soldiers under an officer. The latter saluted +Malchus, and informed him that his orders were to escort them to the +port, and to see that they suffered no molestation or interference at +the hands of the natives on their march. Two days' journey took them to +Caralis, and in good order and with proud bearing they marched through +the Roman soldiers, who assembled in the streets to view so strange a +spectacle. Arrived at the port they embarked on board the ship prepared +for them, and there piled their arms on deck. A Roman officer received +them, and handed over, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, +the whole of the clothing and armour of which they had been deprived. +A guard of soldiers then marched on board, and an hour later the sails +were hoisted and the vessel started for her destination. + +Anxiously Malchus and his companions gazed round the horizon in hopes +that some galleys of Capua or Carthage might appear in sight, although +indeed they had but small hopes of seeing them, for no Carthaginian ship +would be likely to be found so near the coast of Italy, except indeed if +bound with arms for the use of the insurgents in the northern mountains +of Sardinia. However, no sail appeared in sight until the ship entered +the mouth of the Tiber. As they ascended the river, and the walls and +towers of Rome were seen in the distance, the prisoners forgot their own +position in the interest excited by the appearance of the great rival of +Carthage. + +At that time Rome possessed but little of the magnificence which +distinguished her buildings in the days of the emperors. Everything was +massive and plain, with but slight attempt at architectural adornment. +The temples of the gods rose in stately majesty above the mass of +buildings, but even these were far inferior in size and beauty to those +of Carthage, while the size of the city was small indeed in comparison +to the wide spreading extent of its African rival. + +The vessel anchored in the stream until the officer in command landed +to report his arrival with the prisoners and to receive instructions. +An hour later he returned, the prisoners were landed and received by a +strong guard of spearmen at the water gate. The news had spread rapidly +through the city. A crowd of people thronged the streets, while at the +windows and on the roofs were gathered numbers of ladies of the upper +classes. A party of soldiers led the way, pushing back the crowd as they +advanced. A line of spearmen marched on either side of the captives, and +a strong guard brought up the rear to prevent the crowd from pressing +in there. Malchus walked at the head of the prisoners, followed by his +officers, after whom came the soldiers walking two and two. + +There was no air of dejection in the bearing of the captives, and they +faced the regards of the hostile crowd with the air rather of conquerors +than of prisoners. They remembered that it was but by accident that they +had fallen into the hands of the Romans, that in the battlefield they +had proved themselves over and over again more than a match for the +soldiers of Rome, and that it was the walls of the city alone which had +prevented their marching through her streets as triumphant conquerors. + +It was no novel sight in Rome for Carthaginian prisoners to march +through the streets, for in the previous campaigns large numbers of +Carthaginians had been captured; but since Hannibal crossed the Alps and +carried his victorious army through Italy, scarce a prisoner had been +brought to Rome, while tens of thousands of Romans had fallen into the +hands of Hannibal. The lower class of the population of Rome were at all +times rough and brutal, and the captives were assailed with shouts of +exultation, with groans and menaces, and with bitter curses by those +whose friends and relatives had fallen in the wars. + +The better classes at the windows and from the housetops abstained +from any demonstration, but watched the captives as they passed with +a critical eye, and with expressions of admiration at their fearless +bearing and haughty mien. + +"Truly, that youth who marches at their head might pose for a +Carthaginian Apollo, Sempronius," a Roman matron said as she sat at the +balcony of a large mansion at the entrance to the Forum. "I have seldom +seen a finer face. See what strength his limbs show, although he walks +as lightly as a girl. I have a fancy to have him as a slave; he would +look well to walk behind me and carry my mantle when I go abroad. See to +it, Sempronius; as your father is the military praetor, you can manage +this for me without trouble." + +"I will do my best, Lady Flavia," the young Roman said; "but there may +be difficulties." + +"What difficulties?" Flavia demanded imperiously. "I suppose the +Carthaginians will as usual be handed over as slaves; and who should +have a better right to choose one among them than I, whose husband, +Tiberius Gracchus, is Consul of Rome?" + +"None assuredly," Sempronius replied. "It was only because, as I hear, +that youth is a cousin of Hannibal himself, and, young as he is, the +captain of his bodyguard, and I thought that my father might intend to +confine him in the prison for better security." + +Flavia waved her hand imperiously. + +"When did you ever hear of a slave escaping from Rome, Sempronius? Are +not the walls high and strong, and the sentries numerous? And even did +they pass these, would not the badge of slavery betray them at once to +the first who met them without, and they would be captured and brought +back? No, I have set my mind upon having him as a slave. He will go well +with that Gaulish maiden whom Postumius sent me from the banks of the +Po last autumn. I like my slaves to be as handsome as my other +surroundings, and I see no reason why I should be baulked of my fancy." + +"I will do my best to carry out your wishes, Lady Flavia," Sempronius +replied deferentially, for the wife of the consul was an important +personage in Rome. Her family was one of the most noble and powerful in +the city, and she herself--wealthy, luxurious, and strong willed--was +regarded as a leader of society at Rome. + +Sempronius deemed it essential for his future advancement to keep on +good terms with her. At the same time he was ill pleased at this last +fancy of hers. In the first place, he was a suitor for the hand of her +daughter Julia. In the second, he greatly admired the northern beauty +of the Gaulish slave girl whom she had spoken of, and had fully intended +that when Flavia became tired of her--and her fancies seldom lasted +long--he would get his mother to offer to exchange a horse, or a hawk, +or something else upon which Flavia might set her mind, for the slave +girl, in which case she would, of course, be in his power. He did not, +therefore, approve of Flavia's intention of introducing this handsome +young Carthaginian as a slave into her household. It was true that he +was but a slave at present, but he was a Carthaginian noble of rank as +high as that of Flavia. + +That he was brave was certain, or he would not be the captain of +Hannibal's bodyguard. Julia was fully as capricious as her mother, and +might take as warm a fancy for Malchus as Flavia had done, while, now +the idea of setting this Gaulish girl and the Carthaginian together had +seized Flavia, it would render more distant the time when the Roman lady +might be reasonably expected to tire of the girl. However, he felt that +Flavia's wishes must be carried out; whatever the danger might be, it +was less serious than the certainty of losing that lady's favour unless +he humoured her whims. + +His family was far less distinguished than hers, and her approval of his +suit with Julia was an unexpected piece of good fortune which he owed, +as he knew, principally to the fact that Gracchus wished to marry +his daughter to Julius Marcius, who had deeply offended Flavia by an +outspoken expression of opinion, that the Roman ladies mingled too much +in public affairs, and that they ought to be content to stay at home and +rule their households and slaves. + +He knew that he would have no difficulty with his father. The praetor +was most anxious that his son should make an alliance with the house +of Gracchus, and it was the custom that such prisoners taken in war, +as were not sacrificed to the gods, should be given as slaves to the +nobles. As yet the great contests in the arena, which cost the lives +of such vast numbers of prisoners taken in war, were not instituted. +Occasional combats, indeed, took place, but these were on a small scale, +and were regarded rather as a sacrifice to Mars than as an amusement for +the people. + +Sempronius accordingly took his way moodily home. The praetor had just +returned, having seen Malchus and the officers lodged in prison, while +the men were set to work on the fortifications. Sempronius stated +Flavia's request. The praetor looked doubtful. + +"I had intended," he said, "to have kept the officers in prison until +the senate decided what should be done with them; but, of course, if +Flavia has set her mind on it I must strain a point. After all there +is no special reason why the prisoners should be treated differently to +others. Of course I cannot send the leader of the party to Flavia and +let the others remain in prison. As there are two of them I will send +them as presents to two of the principal families in Rome, so that +if any question arises upon the subject I shall at once have powerful +defenders; at any rate, it will not do to offend Flavia." + +Malchus, as he was led through the streets of Rome, had been making +comparisons by no means to the favour of Carthage. The greater +simplicity of dress, the absence of the luxury which was so unbridled at +Carthage, the plainness of the architecture of the houses, the free and +manly bearing of the citizens, all impressed him. Rough as was the crowd +who jeered and hooted him and his companions, there was a power and +a vigour among them which was altogether lacking at home. Under the +influence of excitement the populace there was capable of rising +and asserting themselves, but their general demeanour was that of +subservience to the wealthy and powerful. + +The tyranny of the senate weighed on the people, the numerous secret +denunciations and arrests inspired each man with a mistrust of his +neighbour, for none could say that he was safe from the action of secret +enemies. The Romans, on the other hand, were no respecters of persons. +Every free citizen deemed himself the equal of the best; the plebeians +held their own against the patricians, and could always return one of +the consuls, generally selecting the man who had most distinguished +himself by his hostility to the patricians. + +The tribunes, whose power in Rome was nearly equal to that of the +consuls, were almost always the representatives and champions of the +plebeians, and their power balanced that of the senate, which was +entirely in the interests of the aristocracy. Malchus was reflecting +over these things in the prison, when the door of his cell opened and +Sempronius, accompanied by two soldiers, entered. The former addressed +him in Greek. + +"Follow me," he said. "You have been appointed by my father, the praetor +Caius, to be the domestic slave of the lady Flavia Gracchus, until such +time as the senate may determine upon your fate." + +As Carthage also enslaved prisoners taken in war Malchus showed +no surprise, although he would have preferred labouring upon the +fortifications with his men to domestic slavery, however light the +latter might be. Without a comment, then, he rose and accompanied +Sempronius from his prison. + +Domestic slavery in Rome was not as a whole a severe fate. The masters, +indeed, had the power of life and death over their slaves, they could +flog and ill use them as they chose; but as a rule they treated them +well and kindly. + +The Romans were essentially a domestic people, kind to their wives, and +affectionate, although sometimes strict, with their children. The +slaves were treated as the other servants; and, indeed, with scarce an +exception, all servants were slaves. The rule was easy and the labour +by no means hard. Favourite slaves were raised to positions of trust and +confidence, they frequently amassed considerable sums of money, and were +often granted their freedom after faithful services. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: THE GAULISH SLAVE + + +On arriving at the mansion of Gracchus, Sempronius led Malchus to the +apartment occupied by Flavia. Her face lighted with satisfaction. + +"You have done well, my Sempronius," she said; "I shall not forget your +ready gratification of my wish. So this is the young Carthaginian? My +friends will all envy me at having so handsome a youth to attend upon +me. Do you speak our tongue?" she asked graciously. + +"A few words only," Malchus answered. "I speak Greek." + +"It is tiresome," Flavia said, addressing Sempronius, "that I do not +know that language; but Julia has been taught it. Tell him, Sempronius, +that his duties will be easy. He will accompany me when I walk abroad, +and will stand behind me at table, and will have charge of my pets. The +young lion cub that Tiberius procured for me is getting troublesome +and needs a firm hand over him; he nearly killed one of the slaves +yesterday." + +Sempronius translated Flavia's speech to Malchus. + +"I shall dress him," Flavia said, "in white and gold; he will look +charming in it." + +"It is hardly the dress for a slave," Sempronius ventured to object. + +"I suppose I can dress him as I please. Lesbia, the wife of Emilius, +dresses her household slaves in blue and silver, and I suppose I have as +much right as she has to indulge my fancies." + +"Certainly, Lady Flavia," Sempronius said reverentially. "I only thought +that such favours shown to the Carthaginian might make the other slaves +jealous." + +Flavia made no answer, but waved her fan to Sempronius in token of +dismissal. The young Roman, inwardly cursing her haughty airs, took his +leave at once, and Flavia handed Malchus over to the charge of the chief +of the household, with strict directions as to the dress which was to be +obtained for him, and with orders to give the animals into his charge. + +Malchus followed the man, congratulating himself that if he must serve +as a slave, at least he could hardly have found an easier situation. The +pets consisted of some bright birds from the East, a Persian greyhound, +several cats, a young bear, and a half grown lion. Of these the lion +alone was fastened up, in consequence of his attack upon the slave on +the previous day. + +Malchus was fond of animals, and at once advanced boldly to the lion. +The animal crouched as if for a spring, but the steady gaze of Malchus +speedily changed its intention, and, advancing to the full length of its +chain, it rubbed itself against him like a great cat. Malchus stroked +its side, and then, going to a fountain, filled a flat vessel with water +and placed it before it. The lion lapped the water eagerly. Since its +assault upon the slave who usually attended to it, none of the others +had ventured to approach it. They had, indeed, thrown it food, but had +neglected to supply it with water. + +"We shall get on well together, old fellow," Malchus said. "We are both +African captives, and ought to be friends." + +Finding from the other slaves that until the previous day the animal +had been accustomed to run about the house freely and to lie in Flavia's +room, Malchus at once unfastened the chain and for some time played with +the lion, which appeared gentle and good tempered. As the master of +the household soon informed the others of the orders he had received +respecting Malchus, the slaves saw that the newcomer was likely, for +a time at least, to stand very high in the favour of their capricious +mistress, and therefore strove in every way to gain his goodwill. + +Presently Malchus was sent for again, and found Julia sitting on the +couch by the side of her mother, and he at once acknowledged to himself +that he had seldom seen a fairer woman. She was tall, and her figure was +full and well proportioned. Her glossy hair was wound in a coil at the +back of her head, her neck and arms were bare, and she wore a garment +of light green silk, and embroidered with gold stripes along the bottom, +reaching down to her knees, while beneath it a petticoat of Tyrian +purple reached nearly to the ground. + +"Is he not good looking, Julia?" Flavia asked. "There is not a slave in +Rome like him. Lesbia and Fulvia will be green with envy." + +Julia made no reply, but sat examining the face of Malchus with as much +composure as if he had been a statue. He had bowed on entering, as he +would have done in the presence of Carthaginian ladies, and now stood +composedly awaiting Flavia's orders. + +"Ask him, Julia, if it is true that he is a cousin of Hannibal and the +captain of his guard. Such a youth as he is, I can hardly believe +it; and yet how strong and sinewy are his limbs, and he has an air of +command in his face. He interests me, this slave." + +Julia asked in Greek the questions that her mother had dictated. + +"Ask him now, Julia," Flavia said, when her daughter had translated the +answer, "how he came to be captured." + +Malchus recounted the story of his being blown by a gale into the Roman +ports; then, on her own account, Julia inquired whether he had been +present at the various battles of the campaign. After an hour's +conversation Malchus was dismissed. In passing through the hall beyond +he came suddenly upon a female who issued from one of the female +apartments. They gave a simultaneous cry of astonishment. + +"Clotilde!" Malchus exclaimed, "you here, and a captive?" + +"Alas! yes," the girl replied. "I was brought here three months since." + +"I have heard nothing of you all," Malchus said, "since your father +returned with his contingent after the battle of Trasimene. We knew that +Postumius with his legion was harrying Cisalpine Gaul, but no particular +has reached us." + +"My father is slain," the girl said. "He and the tribe were defeated. +The next day the Romans attacked the village. We, the women and the old +men, defended it till the last. My two sisters were killed. I was taken +prisoner and sent hither as a present to Flavia by Postumius. I have +been wishing to die, but now, since you are here, I shall be content to +live even as a Roman slave." + +While they were speaking they had been standing with their hands +clasped. Malchus, looking down into her face, over which the tears were +now streaming as she recalled the sad events at home, wondered at the +change which eighteen months had wrought in it. Then she was a girl, +now she was a beautiful woman--the fairest he had ever seen, Malchus +thought, with her light brown hair with a gleam of gold, her deep gray +eyes, and tender, sensitive mouth. + +"And your mother?" he asked. + +"She was with my father in the battle, and was left for dead on the +field; but I heard from a captive, taken a month after I was, that she +had survived, and was with the remnant of the tribe in the well nigh +inaccessible fastnesses at the head of the Orcus." + +"We had best meet as strangers," Malchus said. "It were well that none +suspect we have met before. I shall not stay here long--if I am not +exchanged. I shall try to escape whatever be the risks, and if you will +accompany me I will not go alone." + +"You know I will, Malchus," Clotilde answered frankly. "Whenever you +give the word I am ready, whatever the risk is. It should break my heart +were I left here alone again." + +A footstep was heard approaching, and Clotilde, dropping Malchus' hands, +fled away into the inner apartments, while Malchus walked quietly on to +the part of the house appropriated to the slaves. The next day, having +assumed his new garments, and having had a light gold ring, as a badge +of servitude, fastened round his neck, Malchus accompanied Flavia and +her daughter on a series of visits to their friends. + +The meeting with Clotilde had delighted as much as it had surprised +Malchus. The figure of the Gaulish maiden had been often before his eyes +during his long night watches. When he was with her last he had resolved +that when he next journeyed north he would ask her hand of the chief, +and since his journey to Carthage his thoughts had still more often +reverted to her. The loathing which he now felt for Carthage had +converted what was, when he was staying with Allobrigius, little more +than an idea, into a fixed determination that he would cut himself loose +altogether from corrupt and degenerate Carthage, and settle among the +Gauls. That he should find Clotilde captive in Rome had never entered +his wildest imagination, and he now blessed, as a piece of the greatest +good fortune, the chance, which had thrown him into the hands of the +Romans, and brought him into the very house where Clotilde was a slave. +Had it not been for that he would never again have heard of her. When +he returned to her ruined home he would have found that she had been +carried away by the Roman conquerors, but of her after fate no word +could ever have reached him. + +Some weeks passed, but no mode of escape presented itself to his mind. +Occasionally for a few moments he saw Clotilde alone, and they were +often together in Flavia's apartment, for the Roman lady was proud +of showing off to her friends her two slaves, both models of their +respective races. + +Julia had at first been cold and hard to Malchus, but gradually her +manner had changed, and she now spoke kindly and condescendingly to him, +and would sometimes sit looking at him from under her dark eyebrows with +an expression which Malchus altogether failed to interpret. Clotilde was +more clear sighted. One day meeting Malchus alone in the atrium she said +to him: "Malchus, do you know that I fear Julia is learning to love you. +I see it in her face, in the glance of her eye, in the softening of that +full mouth of hers." + +"You are dreaming, little Clotilde," Malchus said laughing. + +"I am not," she said firmly; "I tell you she loves you." + +"Impossible!" Malchus said incredulously. "The haughty Julia, the +fairest of the Roman maidens, fall in love with a slave! You are +dreaming, Clotilde." + +"But you are not a common slave, Malchus, you are a Carthaginian noble +and the cousin of Hannibal. You are her equal in all respects." + +"Save for this gold collar," Malchus said, touching the badge of slavery +lightly. + +"Are you sure you do not love her in return, Malchus? She is very +beautiful." + +"Is she?" Malchus said carelessly. "Were she fifty times more beautiful +it would make no difference to me, for, as you know as well as I do, I +love some one else." + +Clotilde flushed to the brow. "You have never said so," she said softly. + +"What occasion to say so when you know it? You have always known it, +ever since the day when we went over the bridge together." + +"But I am no fit mate for you," she said. "Even when my father was +alive and the tribe unbroken, what were we that I should wed a great +Carthaginian noble? Now the tribe is broken, I am only a Roman slave." + +"Have you anything else to observe?" Malchus said quietly. + +"Yes, a great deal more," she went on urgently. "How could you present +your wife, an ignorant Gaulish girl, to your relatives, the haughty +dames of Carthage? They would look down upon me and despise me." + +"Clotilde, you are betraying yourself," Malchus said smiling, "for you +have evidently thought the matter over in every light. No," he said, +detaining her, as, with an exclamation of shame, she would have fled +away, "you must not go. You knew that I loved you, and for every time +you have thought of me, be it ever so often, I have thought of you a +score. You knew that I loved you and intended to ask your hand from your +father. As for the dames of Carthage, I think not of carrying you there; +but if you will wed me I will settle down for life among your people." + +A footstep was heard approaching. Malchus pressed Clotilde for a moment +against his breast, and then he was alone. The newcomer was Sempronius. +He was still a frequent visitor, but he was conscious that he had lately +lost rather than gained ground in the good graces of Julia. Averse as +he had been from the first to the introduction of Malchus into the +household, he was not long in discovering the reason for the change +in Julia, and the dislike he had from the first felt of Malchus had +deepened to a feeling of bitter hatred. + +"Slave," he said haughtily, "tell your mistress that l am here." + +"I am not your slave," Malchus said calmly, "and shall not obey your +orders when addressed in such a tone." + +"Insolent hound," the young Roman exclaimed, "I will chastise you," and +he struck Malchus with his stick. In an instant the latter sprang upon +him, struck him to the ground, and wrenching the staff from his hand +laid it heavily across him. At that moment Flavia, followed by her +daughter, hurried in at the sound of the struggle. "Malchus," she +exclaimed, "what means this?" + +"It means," Sempronius said rising livid with passion, "that your slave +has struck me--me, a Roman patrician. I will lodge a complaint against +him, and the penalty, you know, is death." + +"He struck me first, Lady Flavia," Malchus said quietly, "because I +would not do his behests when he spoke to me as a dog." + +"If you struck my slave, Sempronius," Flavia said coldly, "I blame him +not that he returned the blow. Although a prisoner of war, he is, as you +well know, of a rank in Carthage superior to your own, and I wonder not +that, if you struck him, he struck you in return. You know that you had +no right to touch my slave, and if you now take any steps against him I +warn you that you will never enter this house again." + +"Nor will I ever speak a word to you," Julia added. + +"But he has struck me," Sempronius said furiously; "he has knocked me +down and beaten me." + +"Apparently you brought it upon yourself," Flavia said. "None but +ourselves know what has happened; therefore, neither shame nor disgrace +can arise from it. My advice to you is, go home now and remain there +until those marks of the stick have died out; it will be easy for you to +assign an excuse. If you follow the matter up, I will proclaim among +my friends how I found you here grovelling on the ground while you were +beaten. What will then be said of your manliness? Already the repeated +excuses which have served you from abstaining to join the armies in +the field have been a matter for much comment. You best know whether it +would improve your position were it known that you had been beaten by a +slave. Why, you would be a jest among young Romans." + +Sempronius stood irresolute. His last hopes of winning Julia were +annihilated by what had happened. The tone of contempt in which both +mother and daughter had spoken sufficiently indicated their feelings, +and for a moment he hesitated whether he would not take what revenge he +could by denouncing Malchus. But the thought was speedily put aside. He +had been wrong in striking the domestic slave of another; but the fact +that Malchus had been first attacked, and the whole influence of the +house of Gracchus, its relations, friends, and clients exerted in his +behalf, would hardly suffice to save him. Still the revenge would be +bought dearly in the future hostility of Flavia and her friends, and +in the exposure of his own humiliating attitude. He, therefore, with a +great effort subdued all signs of anger and said: + +"Lady Flavia, your wish has always been law to me, and I would rather +that anything should happen than that I should lose your favour and +patronage, therefore, I am willing to forget what has happened, the more +so as I own that I acted wrongly in striking your slave. I trust that +after this apology you will continue to be the kindly friend I have +always found you." + +"Certainly, Sempronius," Flavia said graciously, "and I shall not forget +your ready acquiescence in my wishes." + +It was the more easy for Sempronius to yield, inasmuch as Malchus had, +after stating that he had been first struck, quietly left the apartment. +For some little time things went on as before. Malchus was now at +home in Rome. As a slave of one of the most powerful families, as was +indicated by the badge he wore on his dress, he was able, when his +services were not required, to wander at will in the city. He made the +circuit of the walls, marked the spots which were least frequented and +where an escape would be most easily made; and, having selected a spot +most remote from the busy quarter of the town, he purchased a long rope, +and carrying it there concealed it under some stones close to one of the +flights of steps by which access was obtained to the summit of the wall. + +The difficulty was not how to escape from Rome, for that, now that he +had so much freedom of movement, was easy, but how to proceed when he +had once gained the open country. For himself he had little doubt that +he should be able to make his way through the territories of the allies +of Rome, but the difficulty of travelling with Clotilde would be much +greater. + +"Clotilde," he said one day, "set your wits to work and try and think of +some disguise in which you might pass with me. I have already prepared +for getting beyond the walls; but the pursuit after us will be hot, and +until we reach the Carthaginian lines every man's hand will be against +us." + +"I have thought of it, Malchus; the only thing that I can see is for me +to stain my skin and dye my hair and go as a peasant boy." + +"That is what I, too, have thought of, Clotilde. The disguise would be +a poor one, for the roundness of your arms and the colour of your eyes +would betray you at once to any one who looked closely at you. However, +as I can see no better way, I will get the garments and some for myself +to match, and some stuff for staining the skin and hair." + +The next day Malchus bought the clothes and dye and managed to bring +them into the house unobserved, and to give to Clotilde those intended +for her. + +The lion, under the influence of the mingled firmness and kindness of +Malchus, had now recovered his docility, and followed him about the +house like a great dog, sleeping stretched out on a mat by the side of +his couch. + +Sempronius continued his visits. Malchus was seldom present when he +was with Flavia, but Clotilde was generally in the room. It was now the +height of summer, and her duty was to stand behind her mistress with a +large fan, with which she kept up a gentle current of air over Flavia's +head and drove off the troublesome flies. Sometimes she had to continue +doing so for hours, while Flavia chatted with her friends. + +Sempronius was biding his time. The two slaves were still high in +Flavia's favour, but he was in hopes that something might occur which +would render her willing to part with them. He watched Julia narrowly +whenever Malchus entered the room, and became more and more convinced +that she had taken a strong fancy for the Carthaginian slave, and the +idea occurred to him that by exciting her jealousy he might succeed in +obtaining his object. So careful were Malchus and Clotilde that he had +no idea whatever that any understanding existed between them. This, +however, mattered but little; nothing was more likely than that +these two handsome slaves should fall in love with each other, and he +determined to suggest the idea to Julia. + +Accordingly one day when he was sitting beside her, while Flavia was +talking with some other visitors, he remarked carelessly, "Your mother's +two slaves, the Carthaginian and the Gaul, would make a handsome +couple." + +He saw a flush of anger in Julia's face. For a moment she did not reply, +and then said in a tone of indifference: + +"Yes, they are each well favoured in their way." + +"Methinks the idea has occurred to them," Sempronius said. "I have seen +them glance at each other, and doubt not that when beyond your presence +they do not confine themselves to looks." + +Julia was silent, but Sempronius saw, in the tightly compressed lips and +the lowering brow with which she looked from one to the other, that the +shaft had told. + +"I have wondered sometimes," he said, "in an idle moment, whether +they ever met before. The Carthaginians were for some time among the +Cisalpine Gauls, and the girl was, you have told me, the daughter of a +chief there; they may well have met." + +Julia made no reply, and Sempronius, feeling that he had said enough, +began to talk on other subjects. Julia scarcely answered him, and at +last impatiently waved him away. She sat silent and abstracted until the +last of the visitors had left, then she rose from her seat and walked +quietly up to her mother and said abruptly to Clotilde, who was standing +behind her mistress: "Did you know the slave Malchus before you met +here?" + +The suddenness of the question sent the blood up into the cheeks of the +Gaulish maiden, and Julia felt at once that the hints of Sempronius were +fully justified. + +"Yes," Clotilde answered quietly, "I met him when, with Hannibal, he +came down from the Alps into our country." + +"Why did you not say so before?" Julia asked passionately. "Mother, the +slaves have been deceiving us." + +"Julia," Flavia said in surprise, "why this heat? What matters it to us +whether they have met before?" + +Julia did not pay any attention, but stood with angry eyes waiting for +Clotilde's answer. + +"I did not know, Lady Julia," the girl said quietly, "that the affairs +of your slaves were of any interest to you. We recognized each other +when we first met. Long ago now, when we were both in a different +position--" + +"And when you loved each other?" Julia said in a tone of concentrated +passion. + +"And when we loved each other," Clotilde repeated, her head thrown back +now, and her bearing as proud and haughty as that of Julia. + +"You hear that, mother? you hear this comedy that these slaves have been +playing under your nose? Send them both to the whipping post." + +"My dear Julia," Flavia exclaimed, more and more surprised at her anger, +"what harm has been done? You astonish me. Clotilde, you can retire. +What means all this, Julia?" she went on more severely when they were +alone; "why all this strange passion because two slaves, who by some +chance have met each other before, are lovers? What is this Gaulish +girl, what is this Carthaginian slave, to you?" + +"I love him, mother!" Julia said passionately. + +"You!" Flavia exclaimed in angry surprise; "you, Julia, of the house of +Gracchus, love a slave! You are mad, girl, and shameless." + +"I say so without shame," Julia replied, "and why should I not? He is a +noble of Carthage, though now a prisoner of war. What if my father is +a consul? Malchus is the cousin of Hannibal, who is a greater man than +Rome has ever yet seen. Why should I not wed him?" + +"In the first place, it seems, Julia," Flavia said gravely, "because +he loves someone else. In the second place, because, as I hear, he is +likely to be exchanged very shortly for a praetor taken prisoner at +Cannae, and will soon be fighting against us. In the third place, +because all Rome would be scandalized were a Roman maiden of the +patrician order, and of the house of Gracchus, to marry one of the +invaders of her country. Go to, Julia, I blush for you! So this is the +reason why of late you have behaved so coldly to Sempronius. Shame on +you, daughter! What would your father say, did he, on his return from +the field, hear of your doings? Go to your chamber, and do not let me +see you again till you can tell me that you have purged this madness +from your veins." + +Without a word Julia turned and left the room. Parental discipline was +strong in Rome, and none dare disobey a parent's command, and although +Julia had far more liberty and license than most unmarried Roman girls, +she did not dare to answer her mother when she spoke in such a tone. + +Flavia sat for some time in thought, then she sent for Malchus. He had +already exchanged a few words with Clotilde, and was therefore prepared +for her questions. + +"Malchus, is it true that you love my Gaulish slave girl?" + +"It is true," Malchus replied quietly. "When we met in Gaul, two years +since, she was the daughter of a chief, I a noble of Carthage. I loved +her; but we were both young, and with so great a war in hand it was not +a time to speak of marriage." + +"Would you marry her now?" + +"Not as a slave," Malchus replied; "when I marry her it shall be before +the face of all men--I as a noble of Carthage, she as a noble Gaulish +maiden." + +"Hannibal is treating for your exchange now," Flavia said. "There are +difficulties in the way, for, as you know, the senate have refused to +allow its citizens who surrender to be ransomed or exchanged; but the +friends of the praetor Publius are powerful and are bringing all their +influence to bear to obtain the exchange of their kinsman, whom Hannibal +has offered for you. I will gladly use what influence I and my family +possess to aid them. I knew when you came to me that, as a prisoner of +war, it was likely that you might be exchanged." + +"You have been very kind, my Lady Flavia," Malchus said, "and I esteem +myself most fortunate in having fallen into such hands. Since you know +now how it is with me and Clotilde, I can ask you at once to let me +ransom her of you. Any sum that you like to name I will bind myself, on +my return to the Carthaginian camp, to pay for her." + +"I will think it over," Flavia said graciously. "Clotilde is useful to +me, but I can dispense with her services, and will ask you no exorbitant +amount for her. If the negotiations for your exchange come to aught, you +may rely upon it that she shall go hence with you." + +With an expression of deep gratitude Malchus retired. Flavia, in thus +acceding to the wishes of Malchus, was influenced by several motives. +She was sincerely shocked at Julia's conduct, and was most desirous of +getting both Malchus and Clotilde away, for she knew that her daughter +was headstrong as she was passionate, and the presence of Clotilde in +the house would, even were Malchus absent, be a source of strife and +bitterness between herself and her daughter. + +In the second place, it would be a pretty story to tell her friends, +and she should be able to take credit to herself for her magnanimity in +parting with her favourite attendant. Lastly, in the present state of +affairs it might possibly happen that it would be of no slight +advantage to have a friend possessed of great power and influence in the +Carthaginian camp. Her husband might be captured in fight--it was not +beyond the bounds of possibility that Rome itself might fall into the +hands of the Carthaginians. It was, therefore, well worth while making a +friend of a man who was a near relation of Hannibal. + +For some days Julia kept her own apartment. All the household knew that +something had gone wrong, though none were aware of the cause. A general +feeling of uneasiness existed, for Julia had from a child in her fits of +temper been harsh with her slaves, venting her temper by cruelly beating +and pinching them. Many a slave had been flogged by her orders at such +a time, for her mother, although herself an easy mistress, seldom +interfered with her caprices, and all that she did was good in the eyes +of her father. + +At the end of the week Flavia told Malchus that the negotiations for his +release had been broken off, the Roman senate remaining inflexible +in the resolve that Romans who surrendered to the enemy should not be +exchanged. Malchus was much disappointed, as it had seemed that the time +of his release was near; however, he had still his former plan of escape +to fall back upon. + +A day or two later Julia sent a slave with a message to Sempronius, and +in the afternoon sallied out with a confidential attendant, who always +accompanied her when she went abroad. In the Forum she met Sempronius, +who saluted her. + +"Sempronius," she said coming at once to the purpose, "will you do me a +favour?" + +"I would do anything to oblige you, Lady Julia, as you know." + +"That is the language of courtesy," Julia said shortly; "I mean would +you be ready to run some risk?" + +"Certainly," Sempronius answered readily. + +"You will do it the more readily, perhaps," Julia said, "inasmuch as +it will gratify your revenge. You have reason to hate Malchus, the +Carthaginian slave." + +Sempronius nodded. + +"Your suspicion was true, he loves the Gaulish slave; they have been +questioned and have confessed it. I want them separated." + +"But how?" Sempronius asked, rejoicing inwardly at finding that Julia's +wishes agreed so nearly with his own. + +"I want her carried off," Julia said shortly. "When once you have got +her you can do with her as you will; make her your slave, kill her, +do as you like with her, that is nothing to me--all I want is that she +shall go. I suppose you have some place where you could take her?" + +"Yes," Sempronius said, "I have a small estate among the Alban Hills +where she would be safe enough from searchers; but how to get her there? +She never goes out except with Lady Flavia." + +"She must be taken from the house," Julia said shortly; "pretty slaves +have been carried off before now, and no suspicion need light upon you. +You might find some place in the city to hide her for a few days, and +then boldly carry her through the gates in a litter. None will think of +questioning you." + +"The wrath of Lady Flavia would be terrible," Sempronius said +doubtfully. + +"My mother would be furious at first," Julia said coldly; "but get her a +new plaything, a monkey or a Numidian slave boy, and she will soon forget +all about the matter." + +"But how do you propose it should be done?" Sempronius asked. + +"My slave shall withdraw all the bolts of the back entrance to the +house," Julia said; "do you be there at two in the morning, when all +will be sound asleep; bring with you a couple of barefooted slaves. My +woman will be at the door and will guide you to the chamber where the +girl sleeps; you have only to gag her and carry her quietly off." + +Sempronius stood for a moment in doubt. The enterprise was certainly +feasible. Wild adventures of this kind were not uncommon among the +dissolute young Romans, and Sempronius saw at once that were he detected +Julia's influence would prevent her mother taking the matter up hotly. +Julia guessed his thoughts. + +"If you are found out," she said, "I will take the blame upon myself, +and tell my mother that you were acting solely at my request." + +"I will do it, Julia," he agreed; "tonight at two o'clock I will be +at the back door with two slaves whom I can trust. I will have a place +prepared to which I can take the girl till it is safe to carry her from +the city." + + + +CHAPTER XXII: THE LION + + +Malchus was sleeping soundly that night when he was awakened by a low +angry sound from the lion. + +He looked up, and saw by the faint light of a lamp which burned in the +hall, from which the niche like bed chambers of the principal slaves +opened, that the animal had risen to its feet. Knowing that, docile as +it was with those it knew, the lion objected to strangers, the thought +occurred to him that some midnight thief had entered the house for the +purpose of robbery. Malchus took his staff and sallied out, the lion +walking beside him. + +He traversed the hall and went from room to room until he entered the +portion of the house inhabited by Flavia and the female slaves. Here he +would have hesitated, but the lion continued its way, crouching as it +walked, with its tail beating its sides with short quick strokes. + +There was no one in the principal apartment. He entered the corridor, +from which as he knew issued the bed chambers of the slaves. Here he +stopped in sudden surprise at seeing a woman holding a light, while two +men were issuing from one of the apartments bearing between them a +body wrapped up in a cloak. Sempronius stood by the men directing their +movements. The face of the person carried was invisible, but the light +of the lamp fell upon a mass of golden brown hair, and Malchus knew at +once that it was Clotilde who was being carried off. + +Malchus sprang forward and with a blow of his staff levelled one of the +slaves to the ground; Sempronius with a furious exclamation drew his +sword and rushed at him, while the other slave, dropping his burden, +closed with Malchus and threw his arms around him. For a moment Malchus +felt powerless, but before Sempronius could strike there was a deep +roar, a dark body sprang forward and hurled itself upon him, levelling +him to the ground with a crushing blow of its paw, and then seized him +by the shoulder and shook him violently. The slave who held Malchus +loosed his hold and fled with a cry of affright, the female slave +dropped the light and fled also. Clotilde had by this time gained her +feet. + +"Quick, love!" Malchus said; "seize your disguise and join me at the +back gate. Sempronius is killed; I will join you as quickly as I can." + +By this time the household was alarmed, the shout of Malchus and the +roar of the lion had aroused everyone, and the slaves soon came hurrying +with lights to the spot. Malchus checked them as they came running out. + +"Fetch the net," he said. The net in question had been procured after +the lion had before made an attack upon the slave, but had not since +been required. + +Malchus dared not approach the creature now, for though he was not +afraid for himself, it was now furious, and might, if disturbed, rush +among the others and do terrible destruction before it could be secured. +The net was quickly brought, and Malchus, with three of the most +resolute of the slaves, advanced and threw it over the lion, which was +lying upon the prostrate body of Sempronius. It sprang to its feet, but +the net was round it, and in its struggle to escape it fell on its side. +Another twist of the net and it was helplessly inclosed; the four +men lifted the ends and carried it away. Cutting a portion of the net +Malchus placed the massive iron collar attached to the chain round its +neck and then left it, saying to the others: + +"We can cut the rest of the net off it afterwards." + +He then hurried back to the scene of the struggle. Flavia was already +there. + +"What is all this, Malchus," she asked. "Here I find Sempronius dead +and one of his slaves senseless beside him; they tell me when he first +arrived you were here." + +"I know nothing of it, lady," Malchus replied, "save that the lion +aroused me by growling, and thinking that robbers might have entered the +house, I arose and searched it and came upon three men. One I levelled +to the ground with my staff; doubtless he is only stunned and will be +able to tell you more when he recovers. I grappled with another, and +while engaged in a struggle with him the third attacked me with a sword, +and would have slain me had not the lion sprang upon him and felled him. +The other man then fled--this is all I know about it." + +"What can it all mean?" Flavia said. "What could Sempronius with two +slaves be doing in my house after midnight? It is a grave outrage, and +there will be a terrible scandal in Rome tomorrow--the son of a praetor +and a friend of the house!" + +She then ordered the slaves to raise the body of Sempronius and carry +it to a couch, and to send at once for a leech. She also bade them throw +water on the slave and bring him to consciousness, and then to bring him +before her to be questioned. + +"Where is my daughter?" she said suddenly; "has she not been roused by +all this stir?" One of the female slaves stole into Julia's apartment, +and returned saying that her mistress was sound asleep on her couch. + +An expression of doubt crossed Flavia's face, but she only said, "Do +not disturb her," and then thoughtfully returned to her room. It was not +until an hour later that the prisoner was sufficiently recovered to be +brought before Flavia. He had already heard that his master was killed, +and, knowing that concealment would be useless, he threw himself on +the ground before Flavia, and owned that he and another slave had been +brought by Sempronius to carry off a slave girl. + +Acting on his instructions they had thrust a kerchief into her mouth, +and wrapped a cloak round her, and were carrying her off when a man +rushed at him, and he supposed struck him, for he remembered nothing +more. He then with many tears implored mercy, on the ground that he was +acting but on his master's orders. At this moment the praetor himself +arrived, Flavia having sent for him immediately she had ascertained that +Sempronius was dead. He was confused and bewildered at the suddenness of +his loss. + +"I thought at first," Flavia said, "that he must have been engaged in +some wild scheme to carry off Julia, though why he should do so I could +not imagine, seeing that he had my approval of his wooing; but Julia is +asleep, not having been a wakened by the noise of the scuffle. It must +have been one of the slave girls." + +"Ah!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I did not see Clotilde." She struck a +bell, and her attendant entered. + +"Go," she said, "and summon Clotilde here." + +In a few minutes the slave returned, saying that Clotilde was not to be +found. + +"She may have been carried off by the other slave," Flavia said, "but +Malchus was there, and would have pursued. Fetch him here." + +But Malchus too was found to be missing. + +"They must have fled together," Flavia said. "There was an understanding +between them. Doubtless Malchus feared that this affair with your son +might cause him to be taken away from here. Perhaps it is best so, and +I trust that they may get away, though I fear there is little chance, +since no slaves are allowed to leave the city without a pass, and even +did they succeed in gaining the open country they would be arrested +and brought back by the first person who met them. But that is not the +question for the present." + +"What think you, my friend, what are we to do in this terrible +business?" + +"I know not," the praetor said with a groan. + +"The honour of both our families is concerned," Flavia said calmly. +"Your son has been found in my house at night and slain by my lion. All +the world knows that he was a suitor for Julia's hand. There's but one +thing to be done; the matter must be kept secret. It would not do to try +and remove Sempronius tonight, for the litter might be stopped by the +watch; it must be taken boldly away in daylight. Send four slaves whom +you can trust, and order them to be silent on pain of death. I will tell +my household that if a word is breathed of what has taken place tonight, +I will hand whoever disobeys me over to the executioners. When you have +got your son's body home you can spread a rumour that he is sick of the +fever. There will be no difficulty in bribing the leech. Then in a few +days you will give out that he is dead, and none will be any the wiser." + +The praetor agreed that this was the best plan that could be adopted, +and it was carried out in due course, and so well was the secret kept +that no one in Rome ever doubted that Sempronius had fallen a victim to +fever. + +Julia's anger in the morning, when she heard that the Gaulish slave girl +and the Carthaginian were missing, was great, and she hurried to her +mother's room to demand that a hue and cry should be at once made +for them, and a reward offered for their apprehension. She had, when +informed of the scenes which had taken place in the night, and of the +death of Sempronius, expressed great astonishment and horror, and indeed +the news that her accomplice had been killed had really shocked her. The +sentiment, however, had faded to insignificance in the anger which she +felt when, as the narrative continued, she heard of the escape of the +two slaves. + +A stormy scene took place between her and her mother, Julia boldly +avowing that she was the author of the scheme which had had so fatal a +termination. Flavia, in her indignation at her daughter's conduct, +sent her away at once to a small summer retreat belonging to her in the +hills, and there she was kept for some months in strict seclusion under +the watchful guardianship of some old and trusted slaves. + +Malchus, having seen the lion fastened up, had seized the bundle +containing his disguise, and hurried away to the gate where Clotilde was +awaiting him. + +"How long you have been!" she said with a gasp of relief. + +"I could not get away until the lion was secured," he said, "for I +should have been instantly missed. Now we will be off at once." Both had +thrown large dark cloaks over their garments, and they now hurried along +through the deserted streets, occasionally drawing aside into bylanes as +they heard the tramp of the city watch. + +At last, after half an hour's walking, they reached the wall. Malchus +knew the exact spot where he had hidden the rope, and had no difficulty +in finding it. They mounted the steps and stood on the battlements. The +sentries were far apart, for no enemy was in the neighbourhood of Rome. +Malchus fastened the rope round Clotilde, and lowered her down over the +battlements. When he found that she had reached the ground he made +fast the end of the rope and slid down till he stood beside her. They +proceeded with the utmost caution until at some distance from the walls; +and then shaped their course until, after a long walk, they came down +upon the Tiber below the city. + +Day had by this time broken, and Malchus bade Clotilde enter a little +wood to change her garments and dye her skin. He then proceeded to do +the same, and rolling up the clothes he had taken off, hid them under +a bush. Clotilde soon joined him again. She wore the dress of a peasant +boy, consisting of a tunic of rough cloth reaching to her knees. Her +limbs, face, and neck were dyed a sunny brown, and her hair, which +was cut quite short, was blackened. Dyes were largely in use by Roman +ladies, and Malchus had had no difficulty in procuring those necessary +for their disguises. + +"I don't think anyone would suspect you, Clotilde," he said; "even I +should pass you without notice. What a pity you have had to part with +all your sunny hair!" + +"It will soon grow again," she said; "and now, Malchus, do not let us +waste a moment. I am in terror while those dark walls are in sight." + +"We shall soon leave them behind," Malchus said encouragingly. "There +are plenty of fishermen's boats moored along the bank here. We shall +soon leave Rome behind us." + +They stepped into a boat, loosened the moorings, and pushed off, and +Malchus, getting out the oars, rowed steadily down the river until they +neared its mouth. Then they landed, pushed the boat into the stream +again, lest, if it were found fastened up, it might give a clue to any +who were in pursuit of them, and then struck off into the country. After +travelling some miles they turned into a wood, where they lay down for +several hours, and did not resume their course until nightfall. + +Malchus had, before starting, entered the kitchen, and had filled a bag +with cold meat, oatmeal cakes, and other food, and this, when examined, +proved ample for four days' supply, and he had, therefore, no occasion +to enter the villages to buy provisions. They kept by the seashore until +they neared Terracina, and then took to the hills, and skirted these +until they had left the state of Latium. They kept along at the foot of +the great range which forms the backbone of Italy, and so passing along +Samnium, came down upon the Volturnus, having thus avoided the Roman +army, which lay between Capua and Rome. + +Their journey had been a rough one, for, by the winding road they had +followed along the mountains, the distance they traversed was over one +hundred miles. The fatigue had been great, and it was well that Clotilde +had had a Gaulish training. After their provisions were exhausted they +had subsisted upon corn which they gathered in the patches of cultivated +ground near the mountain villages, and upon fruits which they picked in +the woods. + +Twice, too, they had come upon herds of half wild goats in the +mountains, and Malchus had succeeded in knocking down a kid with a +stone. They had not made very long journeys, resting always for a few +hours in the heat of the day, and it was ten days after they had left +Rome before, from an eminence, they saw the walls of Capua. + +"How can I go in like this?" Clotilde exclaimed in a sudden fit of +shyness. + +"We will wait until it is dusk," Malchus said; "the dye is fast wearing +off, and your arms are strangely white for a peasant girl's. I will +take you straight to Hannibal's palace, and you will soon be fitted out +gorgeously. There are spoils enough stored up to clothe all the women of +Rome." + +They sat down in the shade of a clump of trees, and waited till the heat +of the day was past; then they rose and walked on until, after darkness +had fallen, they entered the town of Capua. They had no difficulty in +discovering the palace where Hannibal was lodged. They were stopped at +the entrance by the guards, who gave a cry of surprise and pleasure when +Malchus revealed himself. At first they could hardly credit that, in the +dark skinned peasant, their own commander stood before them, and as the +news spread rapidly the officers of the corps ran down and saluted him +with a joyous greeting. While this was going on Clotilde shrank back out +of the crowd. + +As soon as he could extricate himself from his comrades, Malchus joined +her, and led her to Hannibal, who, hearing the unusual stir, was issuing +from his apartment to see what had occasioned it. The shouts of "Long +live Malchus!" which rose from the soldiers informed him of what had +happened, and he at once recognized his kinsman in the figure advancing +to meet him. + +"My dear Malchus," he exclaimed, "this is a joyous surprise. I have been +in vain endeavouring to get you out of the hands of the Romans, but they +were obstinate in refusing an exchange; but knowing your adroitness, I +have never given up hopes of seeing you appear some day among us. But +whom have you here?" he asked as he re-entered his room accompanied by +Malchus and his companion. + +"This is Clotilde, daughter of Allobrigius, the chief of the Orcan +tribe," Malchus replied, "and my affianced wife. Her father has been +defeated and killed by Postumius, and she was carried as a slave to +Rome. There good fortune and the gods threw us together, and I have +managed to bring her with me." + +"I remember you, of course," Hannibal said to the girl, "and that I +joked my young kinsman about you. This is well, indeed; but we must see +at once about providing you with proper garments. There are no females +in my palace, but I will send at once for Chalcus, who is now captain of +my guard, and who has married here in Capua, and beg him to bring hither +his wife; she will I am sure take charge of you, and furnish you with +garments." + +Clotilde was soon handed over to the care of the Italian lady, and +Malchus then proceeded to relate to Hannibal the various incidents which +had occurred since he had sailed from Capua for Sardinia. He learned in +return that the mission of Mago to Carthage had been unsuccessful. He +had brought over a small reinforcement of cavalry and elephants, which +had landed in Bruttium and had safely joined the army; but this only +repaired a few of the many gaps made by the war, and was useless to +enable Hannibal to carry out his great purpose. + +"Hanno's influence was too strong," Hannibal said, "and I foresee that +sooner or later the end must come. I may hold out for years here in +Southern Italy, but unless Carthage rises from her lethargy, I must +finally be overpowered." + +"It seems to me," Malchus said, "that the only hope is in rousing the +Gauls to invade Italy from the north." + +"I know nothing of what is passing there," Hannibal said; "but it is +clear from the disaster which has befallen our friends the Orcans that +the Romans are more than holding their own north of the Apennines. +Still, if a diversion could be made it would be useful. I suppose you +are desirous of taking your bride back to her tribe." + +"Such is my wish, certainly," Malchus said. "As I have told you, +Hannibal, I have made up my mind never to return to Carthage. It is +hateful to me. Her tame submission to the intolerable tyranny of Hanno +and his faction, her sufferance of the corruption which reigns in every +department, her base ingratitude to you and the army which have done +and suffered so much, the lethargy which she betrays when dangers are +thickening and her fall and destruction are becoming more and more sure, +have sickened me of her. I have resolved, as I have told you, to cast +her off, and to live and die among the Gauls--a life rough and simple, +but at least free." + +"But it seems that the Gauls have again been subjected to Rome," +Hannibal said. + +"On this side of the Alps," Malchus replied, "but beyond are great +tribes who have never as yet heard of Rome. It is to them that +Clotilde's mother belongs, and we have settled that we will first try +and find her mother and persuade her to go with us, and that if she +is dead we will journey alone until we join her tribe in Germany. But +before I go I will, if it be possible, try and rouse the Gauls to make +another effort for freedom by acting in concert, by driving out the +Romans and invading Italy. You will, I trust, Hannibal, not oppose my +plans." + +"Assuredly not, Malchus; I sympathize with you, and were I younger +and without ties and responsibilities would fain do the same. It is a +sacrifice, no doubt, to give up civilization and to begin life anew, +but it is what our colonists are always doing. At any rate it is +freedom--freedom from the corruption, the intrigue, the sloth, and the +littleness of a decaying power like that of Carthage. You will be happy +at least in having your wife with you, while the gods only know when I +shall see the face of my beloved Imilce. + +"Yes, Malchus, follow your own devices. Carthage, when she flung you +in prison and would have put you to a disgraceful death, forfeited all +further claim upon you. You have rendered her great services, you have +risked your life over and over again in her cause, you have repaid +tenfold the debt which you incurred when she gave you birth. You are +free now to carry your sword where you will. I shall deeply regret your +loss, but your father has gone and many another true friend of mine, +and it is but one more in the list of those I have lost. Follow your +own wishes, and live in that freedom which you will never attain in the +service of Carthage." + +The next day the marriage of Malchus and Clotilde took place. Hannibal +himself joined their hands and prayed the gods to bless their +union. Three weeks later Hannibal arranged that a body of a hundred +Carthaginian horse should accompany Malchus to the north, where he would +endeavour to raise the Gaulish tribes. They were to cross into Apulia, +to travel up the east coast until past the ranges of the Apennines, +and then make their way across the plains to the Alps. A dozen officers +accompanied him; these were to aid him in his negotiations with +the chiefs, and in organizing the new forces, should his efforts be +successful. + +To the great joy of Malchus, on the very evening before he started +Nessus arrived in the camp. He had, when Malchus was at Rome, been +employed with the other Carthaginian soldiers on the fortifications. +Malchus had once or twice seen him as, with the others, he was marched +from the prison to the walls, and had exchanged a few words with him. +He had told him that he intended to escape, but could not say when he +should find an opportunity to do so; but that if at any time a month +passed without his seeing him, Nessus would know that he had gone. + +The extra rigour with which the prisoners were guarded had led Nessus to +suspect that a prisoner had escaped, and a month having passed without +his seeing Malchus, he determined on making an attempt at flight. So +rigourous was the watch that there was no possibility of this being done +secretly, and, therefore, one day when they were employed in repairing +the foundations of the wall outside the city Nessus seized the +opportunity, when the attention of the guards was for a moment directed +in another quarter, to start at the top of his speed. He had chosen the +hottest hour of the day for the attempt, when few people were about, and +the peasants had left the fields for an hour's sleep under the shade of +trees. + +The Roman guard had started in pursuit, but Nessus had not overrated his +powers. Gradually he left them behind him, and, making straight for the +Tiber, plunged in and swam the river. He had followed the right bank +up to the hills, and on the second evening after starting made his +appearance at Capua. When he heard the plans of Malchus he announced, +as a matter of course, that he should accompany him. Malchus pointed out +that, with the rewards and spoils he had obtained, he had now sufficient +money to become a man of importance among his own people. Nessus quietly +waved the remark aside as if it were wholly unworthy of consideration. + +The cavalry who were to accompany Malchus were light armed Numidians, +whose speed would enable them to distance any bodies of the enemy they +might meet on their way. With them were thirty lead horses, some of them +carrying a large sum of money, which Hannibal had directed should be +paid to Malchus from the treasury, as his share, as an officer of high +rank, of the captured booty. The rest of the horses were laden with +costly arms, robes of honour, and money as presents for the Gaulish +chiefs. These also were furnished from the abundant spoils which had +fallen into the hands of the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal directed Malchus that, in the event of his failing in his +mission, he was not to trouble to send these things back, but was to +retain them to win the friendship and goodwill of the chiefs of the +country to which he proposed to journey. The next morning Malchus took +an affectionate farewell of the general and his old comrades, and then, +with Clotilde riding by his side--for the women of the Gauls were as +well skilled as the men in the management of horses--he started at the +head of his party. He followed the route marked out for him without any +adventure of importance. He had one or two skirmishes with parties of +tribesmen allied with Rome, but his movements were too rapid for any +force sufficient to oppose his passage being collected. + +After ascending the sea coast the troop skirted the northern slopes of +the Apennines, passing close to the battlefield of Trebia, and +crossing the Po by a ford, ascended the banks of the Orcus, and reached +Clotilde's native village. A few ruins alone marked where it had stood. +Malchus halted there and despatched scouts far up the valley. These +succeeded in finding a native, who informed them that Brunilda with the +remains of the tribe were living in the forests far up on the slopes. +The scouts delivered to them the message with which they were charged: +that Clotilde and Malchus, with a Carthaginian force, were at Orca. The +following evening Brunilda and her followers came into camp. + +Deep was the joy of the mother and daughter. The former had long since +given up all hope of ever hearing of Clotilde again, and had devoted her +life to vengeance on the Romans. From her fastness in the mountain she +had from time to time led her followers down, and carried fire and sword +over the fields and plantations of the Roman colonists, retiring rapidly +before the garrisons could sally from the towns and fall upon her. She +was rejoiced to find that her child had found a husband and protector +in the young Carthaginian, still more rejoiced when she found that the +latter had determined upon throwing in his lot with the Gauls. + +All that night mother and daughter sat talking over the events which +had happened since they parted. Brunilda could give Malchus but little +encouragement for the mission on which he had come. The legion of +Postumius had indeed been defeated and nearly destroyed in a rising +which had taken place early in the spring; but fresh troops had arrived, +dissensions had, as usual, broken out among the chiefs, many of them +had again submitted to the Romans, and the rest had been defeated and +crushed. Brunilda thought that there was little hope at present of their +again taking up arms. + +For some weeks Malchus attempted to carry out Hannibal's instructions; +he and his lieutenants, accompanied by small parties of horse, rode +through the country and visited all the chiefs of Cisalpine Gaul, but +the spirit of the people was broken. The successes they had gained had +never been more than partial, the Roman garrison towns had always defied +all their efforts, and sooner or later the Roman legions swept down +across the Apennines and carried all before them. + +In vain Malchus told them of the victories that Hannibal had won, that +Southern Italy was in his hands, and the Roman dominion tottering. In +reply they pointed to the garrisons and the legion, and said that, were +Rome in a sore strait, she would recall her legion for her own defence, +and no arguments that Malchus could use could move them to lay aside +their own differences and to unite in another effort for freedom. Winter +was now at hand. Malchus remained in the mountains with the Orcans until +spring came, and then renewed his efforts with no greater success +than before. Then he dismissed the Carthaginians, with a letter giving +Hannibal an account of all he had done, and bade them find their way +back to Capua by the road by which they had come. + +Brunilda had joyfully agreed to his proposal that they should cross +the Alps and join her kinsmen in Germany, and the remnant of the tribe +willingly consented to accompany them. Accordingly in the month of May +they set out, and journeying north made their way along the shore of +the lake now called the Lago di Guarda, and, crossing by the pass of +the Trentino, came down on the northern side of the Alps, and, after +journeying for some weeks among the great forests which covered the +country, reached the part inhabited by the tribe of the Cherusei, to +which Brunilda belonged. + +Here they were hospitably received. Brunilda's family were among the +noblest of the tribe, and the rich presents which the ample resources of +Malchus enabled him to distribute among all the chiefs, at once raised +him to a position of high rank and consideration among them. Although +accepting the life of barbarism Malchus was not prepared to give up all +the usages of civilization. He built a house, which, although it +would have been but a small structure in Carthage, was regarded with +admiration and wonder by the Gauls. Here he introduced the usages and +customs of civilization. The walls, indeed, instead of being hung with +silk and tapestry, were covered with the skins of stags, bears, and +other animals slain in the chase; but these were warmer and better +suited for the rigour of the climate in winter than silks would have +been. The wealth, knowledge, and tact of Malchus gained him an immense +influence in the tribe, and in time he was elected the chief of that +portion of it dwelling near him. He did not succeed in getting his +followers to abandon their own modes of life, but he introduced among +them many of the customs of civilization, and persuaded them to adopt +the military formation in use among the Carthaginians. It was with some +reluctance that they submitted to this; but so complete was the victory +which they obtained over a rival tribe, upon their first encounter when +led by Malchus and his able lieutenant Nessus, that he had no difficulty +in future on this score. + +The advantages, indeed, of fighting in solid formation, instead of +the irregular order in which each man fought for himself, were so +overwhelming that the tribe rapidly increased in power and importance, +and became one of the leading peoples in that part of Germany. Above +all, Malchus inculcated them with a deep hatred of Rome, and warned them +that when the time came, as it assuredly would do, that the Romans would +cross the Alps and attempt the conquest of the country, it behooved the +German tribes to lay aside all their disputes and to join in a common +resistance against the enemy. + +From time to time rumours, brought by parties of Cisalpine Gauls, who, +like the Orcans, fled across the Alps to escape the tyranny of Rome, +reached Malchus. For years the news came that no great battle had been +fought, that Hannibal was still in the south of Italy defeating all the +efforts of the Romans to dislodge him. + +It was not until the thirteenth year after Hannibal had crossed the Alps +that any considerable reinforcement was sent to aid the Carthaginian +general. Then his brother Hasdrubal, having raised an army in Spain +and Southern Gaul, crossed the Alps to join him. But he was met, as +he marched south, by the consuls Livius and Nero with an army greatly +superior to his own; and was crushed by them on the river Metaurus, +the Spanish and Ligurian troops being annihilated and Hasdrubal himself +killed. + +For four years longer Hannibal maintained his position in the south of +Italy. No assistance whatever reached him from Carthage, but alone and +unaided he carried on the unequal war with Rome until, in 204 B.C., +Scipio landed with a Roman force within a few miles of Carthage, +captured Utica, defeated two Carthaginian armies with great slaughter, +and blockaded Carthage. Then the city recalled the general and the army +whom they had so grossly neglected and betrayed. + +Hannibal succeeded in safely embarking his army and in sailing to +Carthage; but so small was the remnant of the force which remained to +him, that when he attempted to give battle to Scipio he was defeated, +and Carthage was forced to make peace on terms which left her for the +future at the mercy of Rome. She was to give up all her ships of war +except ten, and all her elephants, to restore all Roman prisoners, +to engage in no war out of Africa--and none in Africa except with the +consent of Rome, to restore to Massinissa, a prince of Numidia who had +joined Rome, his kingdom, to pay a contribution of two hundred talents a +year for fifty years, and to give a hundred hostages between the ages of +fourteen and thirty, to be selected by the Roman general. + +These terms left Carthage at the mercy of Rome, when the latter, +confident in her power, entered upon the third Punic war, the overthrow +and the destruction of her rival were a comparatively easy task for her. +Hannibal lived nineteen years after his return to Carthage. For eight +years he strove to rectify the administration, to reform abuses, and to +raise and improve the state; but his exposure of the gross abuses of the +public service united against him the faction which had so long profited +by them, and, in B. C. 196, the great patriot and general was driven +into exile. + +He then repaired to the court of Antiochus, King of Syria, who was at +that time engaged in a war against Rome; but that monarch would not +follow the advice he gave him, and was in consequence defeated at +Magnesia, and was forced to sue for peace and to accept the terms the +Romans imposed, one of which was that Hannibal should be delivered into +their hands. + +Hannibal, being warned in time, left Syria and went to Bithynia. But +Rome could not be easy so long as her great enemy lived, and made a +demand upon Prusias, King of Bithynia, for his surrender. He was about +to comply with the request when Hannibal put an end to his life, dying +at the age of sixty-four. + +No rumour of this event ever reached Malchus, but he heard, fifteen +years after he had passed into Germany, that Hannibal had at last +retired from Italy, and had been defeated at Zama, and that Carthage had +been obliged to submit to conditions which placed her at the mercy of +Rome. Malchus rejoiced more than ever at the choice he had made. His +sons were now growing up, and he spared no efforts to instill in them +a hatred and distrust of Rome, to teach them the tactics of war, and to +fill their minds with noble and lofty thoughts. + +Nessus had followed the example of his lord and had married a Gaulish +maiden, and he was now a subchief in the tribe. Malchus and Clotilde +lived to a great age, and the former never once regretted the choice +he had made. From afar he heard of the ever growing power of Rome, and +warned his grandsons, as he had warned his sons, against her, and begged +them to impress upon their descendants in turn the counsels he had given +them. The injunction was observed, and the time came when Arminius, a +direct descendant of Malchus, then the leader of the Cherusei, assembled +the German tribes and fell upon the legions of Varus, inflicting upon +them a defeat as crushing and terrible as the Romans had ever suffered +at the hands of Hannibal himself, and checking for once and all the +efforts of the Romans to subdue the free people of Germany. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Carthaginian, by G.A. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Young Carthaginian + +Author: G.A. Henty + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5128] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 5, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN *** + + + + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Young Carthaginian: +A Story of The Times of Hannibal, by G. A. Henty +This etext was produced by Martin Robb (MartinRobb@ieee.org) + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS, + +When I was a boy at school, if I remember rightly, our sympathies +were generally with the Carthaginians as against the Romans. +Why they were so, except that one generally sympathizes with the +unfortunate, I do not quite know; certainly we had but a hazy +idea as to the merits of the struggle and knew but little of its +events, for the Latin and Greek authors, which serve as the ordinary +textbooks in schools, do not treat of the Punic wars. That it +was a struggle for empire at first, and latterly one for existence +on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a great and skilful +general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, +and Cannae, and all but took Rome, and that the Romans behaved +with bad faith and great cruelty at the capture of Carthage, +represents, I think, pretty nearly the sum total of our knowledge. + +I am sure I should have liked to know a great deal more about this +struggle for the empire of the world, and as I think that most of +you would also like to do so, I have chosen this subject for my +story. Fortunately there is no lack of authentic material from +which to glean the incidents of the struggle. Polybius visited +all the passes of the Alps some forty years after the event, +and conversed with tribesmen who had witnessed the passage of +Hannibal, and there can be no doubt that his descriptions are far +more accurate than those of Livy, who wrote somewhat later and had +no personal knowledge of the affair. Numbers of books have been +written as to the identity of the passes traversed by Hannibal. +The whole of these have been discussed and summarized by Mr. W. J. +Law, and as it appears to me that his arguments are quite conclusive +I have adopted the line which he lays down as that followed by +Hannibal. + +In regard to the general history of the expedition, and of +the manners, customs, religion, and politics of Carthage, I have +followed M. Hennebert in his most exhaustive and important work on +the subject. I think that when you have read to the end you will +perceive that although our sympathies may remain with Hannibal and +the Carthaginians, it was nevertheless for the good of the world +that Rome was the conqueror in the great struggle for empire. At +the time the war began Carthage was already corrupt to the core, +and although she might have enslaved many nations she would never +have civilized them. Rome gave free institutions to the people +she conquered, she subdued but she never enslaved them, but rather +strove to plant her civilization among them and to raise them to +her own level. Carthage, on the contrary, was from the first a +cruel mistress to the people she conquered. Consequently while all +the peoples of Italy rallied round Rome in the days of her distress, +the tribes subject to Carthage rose in insurrection against her as +soon as the presence of a Roman army gave them a hope of escape +from their bondage. + +Had Carthage conquered Rome in the struggle she could never have +extended her power over the known world as Rome afterwards did, +but would have fallen to pieces again from the weakness of her +institutions and the corruption of her people. Thus then, although +we may feel sympathy for the failure and fate of the noble and +chivalrous Hannibal himself, we cannot regret that Rome came out +conqueror in the strife, and was left free to carry out her great +work of civilization. + +Yours sincerely, + +G. A. Henty + + + +CHAPTER I: THE CAMP IN THE DESERT + + +It is afternoon, but the sun's rays still pour down with great power +upon rock and sand. How great the heat has been at midday may be +seen by the quivering of the air as it rises from the ground and +blurs all distant objects. It is seen, too, in the attitudes and +appearance of a large body of soldiers encamped in a grove. Their +arms are thrown aside, the greater portion of their clothing has +been dispensed with. Some lie stretched on the ground in slumber, +their faces protected from any chance rays which may find their +way through the foliage above by little shelters composed of their +clothing hung on two bows or javelins. Some, lately awakened, are +sitting up or leaning against the trunks of the trees, but scarce +one has energy to move. + +The day has indeed been a hot one even for the southern edge of +the Libyan desert. The cream coloured oxen stand with their heads +down, lazily whisking away with their tails the flies that torment +them. The horses standing near suffer more; the lather stands on +their sides, their flanks heave, and from time to time they stretch +out their extended nostrils in the direction from which, when the +sun sinks a little lower, the breeze will begin to blow. + +The occupants of the grove are men of varied races, and, although +there is no attempt at military order, it is clear at once that +they are divided into three parties. One is composed of men more +swarthy than the others. They are lithe and active in figure, +inured to hardship, accustomed to the burning sun. Light shields +hang against the trees with bows and gaily painted quivers full of +arrows, and near each man are three or four light short javelins. +They wear round caps of metal, with a band of the skin of the +lion or other wild animal, in which are stuck feathers dyed with +some bright colour. They are naked to the waist, save for a light +breastplate of brass. A cloth of bright colours is wound round +their waist and drops to the knees, and they wear belts of leather +embossed with brass plates; on their feet are sandals. They are +the light armed Numidian horse. + +Near them are a party of men lighter in hue, taller and stouter in +stature. Their garb is more irregular, their arms are bare, but +they wear a sort of shirt, open at the neck and reaching to the +knees, and confined at the waist by a leather strap, from which +hangs a pouch of the same material. Their shirts, which are of +roughly made flannel, are dyed a colour which was originally a +deep purple, but which has faded, under the heat of the sun, to +lilac. They are a company of Iberian slingers, enlisted among the +tribes conquered in Spain by the Carthaginians. By them lie the +heavy swords which they use in close quarters. + +The third body of men are more heavily armed. On the ground near +the sleepers lie helmets and massive shields. They have tightly +fitting jerkins of well-tanned leather, their arms are spears and +battleaxes. They are the heavy infantry of Carthage. Very various +is their nationality; fair skinned Greeks lie side by side with +swarthy negroes from Nubia. Sardinia, the islands of the Aegean, +Crete and Egypt, Libya and Phoenicia are all represented there. + +They are recruited alike from the lower orders of the great city +and from the tribes and people who own her sway. + +Near the large grove in which the troops are encamped is a smaller +one. A space in the centre has been cleared of trees, and in this +a large tent has been erected. Around this numerous slaves are +moving to and fro. + +A Roman cook, captured in a sea fight in which his master, a wealthy +tribune, was killed, is watching three Greeks, who are under his +superintendence, preparing a repast. Some Libyan grooms are rubbing +down the coats of four horses of the purest breed of the desert, +while two Nubians are feeding, with large flat cakes, three elephants, +who, chained by the leg to trees, stand rocking themselves from +side to side. + +The exterior of the tent is made of coarse white canvas; this is +thickly lined by fold after fold of a thin material, dyed a dark +blue, to keep out the heat of the sun, while the interior is hung +with silk, purple and white. The curtains at each end are looped +back with gold cord to allow a free passage of the air. + +A carpet from the looms of Syria covers the ground, and on it are +spread four couches, on which, in a position half sitting half +reclining, repose the principal personages of the party. The elder +of these is a man some fifty years of age, of commanding figure, +and features which express energy and resolution. His body is bare +to the waist, save for a light short sleeved tunic of the finest +muslin embroidered round the neck and sleeves with gold. + +A gold belt encircles his waist, below it hangs a garment resembling +the modern kilt, but reaching halfway between the knee and the +ankle. It is dyed a rich purple, and three bands of gold embroidery +run round the lower edge. On his feet he wears sandals with broad +leather lacings covered with gold. His toga, also of purple heavily +embroidered with gold, lies on the couch beside him; from one of +the poles of the tent hang his arms, a short heavy sword, with a +handle of solid gold in a scabbard incrusted with the same metal, +and a baldrick, covered with plates of gold beautifully worked +and lined with the softest leather, by which it is suspended over +his shoulder. + +Two of his companions are young men of three or four and twenty, +both fair like himself, with features of almost Greek regularity +of outline. Their dress is similar to his in fashion, but the +colours are gayer. The fourth member of the party is a lad of some +fifteen years old. His figure, which is naked to the waist, is of +a pure Grecian model, the muscles, showing up clearly beneath the +skin, testify to hard exercise and a life of activity. + +Powerful as Carthage was, the events of the last few years had shown +that a life and death struggle with her great rival in Italy was +approaching. For many years she had been a conquering nation. Her +aristocracy were soldiers as well as traders, ready at once to +embark on the most distant and adventurous voyages, to lead the +troops of Carthage on toilsome expeditions against insurgent tribes +of Numidia and Libya, or to launch their triremes to engage the +fleets of Rome. + +The severe checks which they had lately suffered at the hands +of the newly formed Roman navy, and the certainty that ere long +a tremendous struggle between the two powers must take place, had +redoubled the military ardour of the nobles. Their training to +arms began from their very childhood, and the sons of the noblest +houses were taught, at the earliest age, the use of arms and the +endurance of fatigue and hardship. + +Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, the leader of the expedition in the +desert, had been, from his early childhood, trained by his father +in the use of arms. When he was ten years old Hamilcar had taken him +with him on a campaign in Spain; there, by a rigourous training, +he had learned to endure cold and hardships. + +In the depth of winter his father had made him pass the nights +uncovered and almost without clothing in the cold. He had bathed +in the icy water of the torrents from the snow clad hills, and had +been forced to keep up with the rapid march of the light armed +troops in pursuit of the Iberians. He was taught to endure long +abstinence from food and to bear pain without flinching, to be +cheerful under the greatest hardships, to wear a smiling face when +even veteran soldiers were worn out and disheartened. + +"It is incumbent upon us, the rulers and aristocracy of this great +city, my son, to show ourselves superior to the common herd. They +must recognize that we are not only richer and of better blood, +but that we are stronger, wiser, and more courageous than they. +So, only, can we expect them to obey us, and to make the sacrifices +which war entails upon them. It is not enough that we are of pure +Phoenician blood, that we come of the most enterprising race the +world has ever seen, while they are but a mixed breed of many people +who have either submitted to our rule or have been enslaved by +us. + +"This was well enough in the early days of the colony when it was +Phoenician arms alone that won our battles and subdued our rivals. +In our days we are few and the populace are many. Our armies are +composed not of Phoenicians, but of the races conquered by us. Libya +and Numidia, Sicily, Sardinia, and Spain, all in turn conquered +by us, now furnish us with troops. + +"Carthage is a mighty city, but it is no longer a city of Phoenicians. +We form but a small proportion of the population. It is true +that all power rests in our hands, that from our ranks the senate +is chosen, the army officered, and the laws administered, but the +expenses of the state are vast. The conquered people fret under +the heavy tributes which they have to pay, and the vile populace +murmur at the taxes. + +"In Italy, Rome looms greater and more powerful year by year. Her +people are hardy and trained to arms, and some day the struggle +between us and her will have to be fought out to the death. Therefore, +my son, it behooves us to use every effort to make ourselves worthy +of our position. Set before yourself the example of your cousin +Hannibal, who, young as he is, is already viewed as the greatest +man in Carthage. Grudge no hardship or suffering to harden your +frame and strengthen your arms. + +"Some day you too may lead armies in the field, and, believe me, +they will follow you all the better and more cheerfully if they +know that in strength and endurance, as well as in position, their +commander is the foremost man in his army." + +Malchus had been an apt pupil, and had done justice to the pains +which his father had bestowed upon him and to the training he had +undergone. He could wield the arms of a man, could swim the coldest +river, endure hardship and want of food, traverse long distances +at the top of his speed, could throw a javelin with unerring aim, +and send an arrow to the mark as truly as the best of the Libyan +archers. + +"The sun is going down fast, father," the lad said, "the shadows +are lengthening and the heat is declining." + +"We have only your word for the decline of the heat, Malchus," one +of the younger men laughed; "I feel hotter than ever. This is the +fifteenth time that you have been to the door of the tent during +the last half hour. Your restlessness is enough to give one the +fever." + +"I believe that you are just as eager as I am, Adherbal," the boy +replied laughing. "It's your first lion hunt as well as mine, and +I am sure you are longing to see whether the assault of the king +of beasts is more trying to the nerves than that of the Iberian +tribesmen." + +"I am looking forward to it, Malchus, certainly," the young man +replied; "but as I know the lions will not quit their coverts +until after nightfall, and as no efforts on my part will hasten +the approach of that hour, I am well content to lie quiet and to +keep myself as cool as may be." + +"Your cousin is right," the general said, "and impatience is +a fault, Malchus. We must make allowances for your impatience on +the present occasion, for the lion is a foe not to be despised, +and he is truly as formidable an antagonist when brought to bay +as the Iberians on the banks of the Ebro -- far more so than the +revolted tribesmen we have been hunting for the past three weeks." + +"Giscon says nothing," Adherbal remarked; "he has a soul above +even the hunting of lions. I warrant that during the five hours +we have been reclining here his thoughts have never once turned +towards the hunt we are going to have tonight." + +"That is true enough," Giscon said, speaking for the first time. +"I own that my thoughts have been of Carthage, and of the troubles +that threaten her owing to the corruption and misgovernment which +are sapping her strength." + +"It were best not to think too much on the subject, Giscon," the +general said; "still better not to speak of it. You know that +I lament, as you do, the misgovernment of Carthage, and mourn for +the disasters which have been brought upon her by it. But the +subject is a dangerous one; the council have spies everywhere, and +to be denounced as one hostile to the established state of things +is to be lost." + +"I know the danger," the young man said passionately. "I know that +hitherto all who have ventured to raise their voices against the +authority of these tyrants have died by torture -- that murmuring +has been stamped out in blood. Yet were the danger ten times +as great," and the speaker had risen now from his couch and was +walking up and down the tent, "I could not keep silent. What have +our tyrants brought us to? Their extravagance, their corruption, +have wasted the public funds and have paralyzed our arms. Sicily +and Sardinia have been lost; our allies in Africa have been goaded +by their exactions again and again into rebellion, and Carthage +has more than once lately been obliged to fight hard for her very +existence. The lower classes in the city are utterly disaffected; +their earnings are wrung from them by the tax gatherers. Justice +is denied them by the judges, who are the mere creatures of the +committee of five. The suffetes are mere puppets in their hands. +Our vessels lie unmanned in our harbours, because the funds which +should pay the sailors are appropriated by our tyrants to their +own purposes. How can a Carthaginian who loves his country remain +silent?" + +"All you say is true, Giscon," the general said gravely, "though +I should be pressed to death were it whispered in Carthage that I +said so; but at present we can do nothing. Had the great Hamilcar +Barca lived I believe that he would have set himself to work to +clear out this Augean stable, a task greater than that accomplished +by our great hero, the demigod Hercules; but no less a hand can +accomplish it. You know how every attempt at revolt has failed; +how terrible a vengeance fell on Matho and the mercenaries; how +the down trodden tribes have again and again, when victory seemed +in their hands, been crushed into the dust. + +"No, Giscon, we must suffer the terrible ills which you speak +of until some hero arises -- some hero whose victories will bind +not only the army to him, but will cause all the common people of +Carthage -- all her allies and tributaries -- to look upon him as +their leader and deliverer. + +"I have hopes, great hopes, that such a hero may be found in my +nephew, Hannibal, who seems to possess all the genius, the wisdom, +and the talent of his father. Should the dream which he cherished, +and of which I was but now speaking to you, that of leading +a Carthaginian army across the Ebro, over the Apennines, through +the plains of lower Gaul, and over the Alps into Italy, there to +give battle to the cohorts of Rome on their own ground, -- should +this dream be verified I say, should success attend him, and Rome +be humbled to the dust, then Hannibal would be in a position to +become the dictator of Carthage, to overthrow the corrupt council, +to destroy this tyranny -- misnamed a republic -- and to establish +a monarchy, of which he should be the first sovereign, and under +which Carthage, again the queen of the world, should be worthy of +herself and her people. And now let us speak of it no more. The +very walls have ears, and I doubt not but even among my attendants +there are men who are spies in the pay of the council. I see and +lament as much as any man the ruin of my country; but, until I +see a fair hope of deliverance, I am content to do the best I can +against her enemies, to fight her battles as a simple soldier." + +There was silence in the tent. Malchus had thrown himself down on +his couch, and for a time forgot even the approaching lion hunt +in the conversation to which he had listened. + +The government of Carthage was indeed detestable, and was the chief +cause both of the misfortunes which had befallen her in the past, +and of the disasters which were in the future to be hers. The scheme +of government was not in itself bad, and in earlier and simpler +times had acted well. Originally it had consisted of three estates, +which answered to the king, lords, and commons. At the head of +affairs were two suffetes chosen for life. Below them was the +senate, a very numerous body, comprising all the aristocracy of +Carthage. Below this was the democracy, the great mass of the +people, whose vote was necessary to ratify any law passed by the +senate. + +In time, however, all authority passed from the suffetes, the +general body of the senate and the democracy, into the hands of +a committee of the senate, one hundred in number, who were called +the council, the real power being invested in the hands of an inner +council, consisting of from twenty to thirty of the members. The +deliberations of this body were secret, their power absolute. They +were masters of the life and property of every man in Carthage, +as afterwards were the council of ten in the republic of Venice. +For a man to be denounced by his secret enemy to them as being +hostile to their authority was to ensure his destruction and the +confiscation of his property. + +The council of a hundred was divided into twenty subcommittees, each +containing five members. Each of these committees was charged with +the control of a department -- the army, the navy, the finances, the +roads and communications, agriculture, religion, and the relations +with the various subject tribes, the more important departments +being entirely in the hands of the members of the inner council of +thirty. + +The judges were a hundred in number. These were appointed by the +council, and were ever ready to carry out their behest, consequently +justice in Carthage was a mockery. Interest and intrigue were +paramount in the law courts, as in every department of state. +Every prominent citizen, every successful general, every man who +seemed likely, by his ability or his wealth, to become a popular +personage with the masses, fell under the ban of the council, +and sooner or later was certain to be disgraced. The resources +of the state were devoted not to the needs of the country but to +aggrandizement and enriching of the members of the committee. + +Heavy as were the imposts which were laid upon the tributary peoples +of Africa for the purposes of the state, enormous burdens were +added by the tax gatherers to satisfy the cupidity of their patrons +in the council. Under such circumstances it was not to be wondered +at that Carthage, decaying, corrupt, ill governed, had suffered +terrible reverses at the hands of her young and energetic rival +Rome, who was herself some day, when she attained the apex of her +power, to suffer from abuses no less flagrant and general than +those which had sapped the strength of Carthage. + +With the impetuosity of youth Malchus naturally inclined rather +to the aspirations of his kinsman Giscon than to the more sober +counsels of his father. He had burned with shame and anger as he +heard the tale of the disasters which had befallen his country, +because she had made money her god, had suffered her army and her +navy to be regarded as secondary objects, and had permitted the +command of the sea to be wrested from her by her wiser and more +far seeing rival. + +As evening closed in the stir in the neighbouring camp aroused +Malchus from his thoughts, and the anticipation of the lion hunt, +in which he was about to take part, again became foremost. + +The camp was situated twenty days' march from Carthage at the foot +of some hills in which lions and other beasts of prey were known +to abound, and there was no doubt that they would be found that +evening. + +The expedition had been despatched under the command of Hamilcar +to chastise a small tribe which had attacked and plundered some +of the Carthaginian caravans on their way to Ethiopia, then a rich +and prosperous country, wherein were many flourishing colonies, +which had been sent out by Carthage. + +The object of the expedition had been but partly successful. The +lightly clad tribesmen had taken refuge far among the hills, and, +although by dint of long and fatiguing marches several parties had +been surprised and slain, the main body had evaded all the efforts +of the Carthaginian general. + +The expedition had arrived at its present camping place on the +previous evening. During the night the deep roaring of lions had +been heard continuously among the hills, and so bold and numerous +were they that they had come down in such proximity to the camp +that the troops had been obliged to rise and light great fires to +scare them from making an attack upon the horses. + +The general had therefore consented, upon the entreaties of his +nephew Adherbal, and his son, to organize a hunt upon the following +night. As soon as the sun set the troops, who had already received +their orders, fell into their ranks. The full moon rose as soon +as the sun dipped below the horizon, and her light was ample for +the object they had in view. + +The Numidian horse were to take their station on the plain; the +infantry in two columns, a mile apart, were to enter the mountains, +and having marched some distance, leaving detachments behind them, +they were to move along the crest of the hills until they met; +then, forming a great semicircle, they were to light torches, which +they had prepared during the day, and to advance towards the plain +shouting and dashing their arms, so as to drive all the wild +animals inclosed in the arc down into the plain. + +The general with the two young officers and his son, and a party +of fifty spearmen, were to be divided between the two groves in +which the camps were pitched, which were opposite the centre of the +space facing the line inclosed by the beaters. Behind the groves +the Numidian horse were stationed, to give chase to such animals as +might try to make their escape across the open plain. The general +inspected the two bodies of infantry before they started, +and repeated his instructions to the officers who commanded them, +and enjoined them to march as noiselessly as possible until the +semicircle was completed and the beat began in earnest. + +The troops were to be divided into groups of eight, in order to be +able to repel the attacks of any beasts which might try to break +through the line. When the two columns had marched away right and +left towards the hills, the attendants of the elephants and baggage +animals were ordered to remove them into the centre of the groves. +The footmen who remained were divided into two parties of equal +strength. The general with Malchus remained in the grove in which +his tent was fixed with one of these parties, while Adherbal and +Giscon with the others took up their station in the larger grove. + +"Do you think the lions are sure to make for these groves?" Malchus +asked his father as, with a bundle of javelins lying by his side, +his bow in his hand, and a quiver of arrows hung from his belt in +readiness, he took his place at the edge of the trees. + +"There can be no certainty of it, Malchus; but it seems likely that +the lions, when driven out of their refuges among the hills, will +make for these groves, which will seem to offer them a shelter +from their pursuers. The fires here will have informed them of +our presence last night; but as all is still and dark now they may +suppose that the groves are deserted. In any case our horses are +in readiness among the trees close at hand, and if the lions take +to the plains we must mount and join the Numidians in the chase." + +"I would rather meet them here on foot, father." + +"Yes, there is more excitement, because there is more danger in +it, Malchus; but I can tell you the attack of a wounded lion is no +joke, even for a party of twenty-five well armed men. Their force +and fury are prodigious, and they will throw themselves fearlessly +upon a clump of spears in order to reach their enemies. One blow +from their paws is certain death. Be careful, therefore, Malchus. +Stir not from my side, and remember that there is a vast difference +between rashness and bravery." + + + +CHAPTER II: A NIGHT ATTACK + + +The time seemed to Malchus to pass slowly indeed as he sat waiting +the commencement of the hunt. Deep roars, sounding like distant +thunder, were heard from time to time among the hills. Once or twice +Malchus fancied that he could hear other sounds such as would be +made by a heavy stone dislodged from its site leaping down the +mountain side; but he was not sure that this was not fancy, or that +the sound might not be caused by the roaring of lions far away +among the hills. + +His father had said that three hours would probably elapse before +the circuit would be completed. The distance was not great, but +the troops would have to make their way with the greatest care along +the rocky hills through brushwood and forest, and their advance +would be all the more slow that they had to take such pains to +move noiselessly. + +It was indeed more than three hours after the column had left the +camp when the sound of a distant horn was heard far up the hillside. +Almost instantaneously lights burst out in a great semicircle along +the hillside, and a faint confused sound, as of the shouting of +a large body of men, was heard on the still night air. + +"That is very well done," the general said in a tone of satisfaction. +"I had hardly expected it to be so well managed; for the operation +on such broken and difficult ground was not easy to carry out, even +with the moon to help them." + +"But see, father!" Malchus said, "there are many patches of darkness +in the line, and the lions might surely escape through these." + +"It would not be possible, Malchus, to place the parties at equal +distances over such broken ground. Nor are the lions likely to +discover the gaps in the line; they will be far too much terrified +by the uproar and sudden blaze of light to approach the troops. +Hark, how they are roaring! Truly it is a majestic and terrible +sound, and I do not wonder that the wild natives of these mountains +regard the animals with something of the respect which we pay to +the gods. And now do you keep a sharp eye along the foot of the +hills. There is no saying how soon the beasts may break cover." + +Slowly the semicircle of light was seen to contract as the soldiers +who formed it moved forward towards the foot of the hill; but +although Malchus kept his eyes strained upon the fringe of trees +at its foot, he could see no signs of movement. + +The roaring still continued at intervals, and it was evident that +the beasts inclosed in the arc had descended to the lower slopes +of the hill. + +"They may be upon us sooner than you expect, Malchus. Their colour +well nigh matches with that of the sand, and you may not see them +until they are close upon us." + +Presently a Nubian soldier standing behind Malchus touched him on +the shoulder and said in a whisper: "There they are!" pointing +at the same time across the plain. + +Malchus could for a time see nothing; then he made out some indistinct +forms. + +"There are six of them," the general said, "and they are making +for this grove. Get your bows ready." + +Malchus could now clearly see the lions approaching. They were +advancing slowly, turning occasionally to look back as if reluctant +to quit the shelter of the hills; and Malchus could hardly resist +a start of uneasiness as one of them suddenly gave vent to a deep, +threatening roar, so menacing and terrible that the very leaves +of the trees seemed to quiver in the light of the moon under its +vibrations. The lions seemed of huge dimensions, especially the +leader of the troop, who stalked with a steady and majestic step +at their head. When within fifty yards of the grove the lions +suddenly paused; their leader apparently scented danger. Again the +deep terrible roar rose in the air, answered by an angry snarling +noise on the part of the females. + +"Aim at the leader," the general whispered, "and have your brands +in readiness." + +Immediately behind the party a fire was burning; it had been +suffered to die down until it was a mere pile of glowing embers, +and in this the ends of a dozen stakes of dried wood were laid. +The glow of the fire was carefully hidden by a circle of sticks +on which thick cloths had been hung. The fire had been prepared in +readiness in case the lions should appear in numbers too formidable +to be coped with. The leading lion was within twenty-five paces +of the spot where the party was standing when Hamilcar gave the +word, and a volley of arrows shot forth from their hiding place. + +The lion gave a roar of rage and pain, then, crouching for a moment, +with a few tremendous bounds he reached the edge of the wood. He +could see his enemies now, and with a fierce spring threw himself +upon them. But as soon as they had discharged their arrows the +soldiers had caught up their weapons and formed in a close body, +and the lion was received upon the points of a dozen spears. + +There was a crashing of wood and a snarling growl as one of the +soldiers was struck dead with a blow of the mighty paw of the lion, +who, ere he could recover himself, received half a dozen javelins +thrust deep into his flanks, and fell dead. + +The rest of the troop had followed him as he sprang forward, +but some of the soldiers, who had been told off for the purpose, +seized the lighted brands and threw them over the head of the leader +among his followers. As the glowing brands, after describing fiery +circles in the air, fell and scattered at their feet, the lions +paused, and turning abruptly off dashed away with long bounds across +the front of the grove. + +"Now, Malchus, to horse!" Hamilcar exclaimed. And the general and +his son, leaping upon their steeds, dashed out from the grove in +pursuit of the troop of lions. These, passing between the two clumps +of trees, were making for the plain beyond, when from behind the +other grove a dark band of horsemen rode out. + +"Let them pass," Hamilcar shouted; "do not head them back." + +The cavalry reined up until the troop of lions had passed. Hamilcar +rode up to the officer in command. + +"Bring twenty of your men," he said; "let the rest remain here. +There will doubtless be more of them yet." + +Then with the twenty horsemen he rode on in pursuit of the lions. + +The chase was an exciting one. For a time the lions, with their +long bounds, kept ahead of the horsemen; but the latter, splendidly +mounted on their well bred steeds, soon began to gain. When they +were within a hundred yards of them one of the lions suddenly +faced round. The Numidians, well accustomed to the sport, needed +no orders from their chief. They scattered at once and broke off +on each flank so as to encircle the lion, who had taken his post +on a hummock of sand and lay couched on his haunches, with his +tail lashing his sides angrily, like a great cat about to make his +spring. + +The horsemen circled round him, dashing up to within five-and-twenty +yards, discharging their arrows, and then wheeling away. Each +time the lion was struck he uttered a sharp, angry growl, and made +a spring in the direction of the horsemen, and then fell back to +his post. + +One of the soldiers, thinking that the lion was now nearly crippled, +ventured to ride somewhat closer; he discharged his arrow, but +before he could wheel his horse the lion with two tremendous springs +was upon him. + +A single blow of his paw brought the horse to the ground. Then +the lion seized the soldier by the shoulder, shook him as a cat +would a mouse, and throwing him on the sand lay with his paw across +him. At this moment Malchus galloped past at full speed, his bow +drawn to the arrow head and fixed. The arrow struck the lion just +behind its shoulder. The fierce beast, which was in the act of +rising, sank down quietly again; its majestic head drooped between +its forepaws on to the body of the Nubian, and there it lay as if +overtaken with a sudden sleep. Two more arrows were fired into it, +but there was no movement. + +"The brave beast is dead," Malchus said. "Here is the arrow with +which I slew it." + +"It was well done, Malchus, and the hide is yours. Let us set off +after the others." + +But the stand which the lion had made had been sufficiently long +to enable the rest of the troop to escape. Leaving two or three +of their comrades to remove the body of the soldier, the horsemen +scattered in various directions; but although they rode far over +the plain, they could see no signs of the troop they had pursued. + +After a time they gave up the pursuit and rode back towards the +camp. When they reached it they found that another troop of lions, +eight in number, had approached the other grove, where two had been +killed by the party commanded by Adherbal and Giscon, and the rest +of the cavalry were still in pursuit of the others. They presently +returned, bringing in four more skins; so that eight lions in all +had fallen in the night's work. + +"Well, Malchus, what do you think of lion hunting?" Adherbal asked +as they gathered again in the general's tent. + +"They are terrible beasts," Malchus said. "I had not thought that +any beast could make so tremendous a roar. Of course I have heard +those in captivity in Carthage, but it did not seem nearly so +terrible as it sounded here in the stillness of the desert." + +"I own that it made my blood run cold," Adherbal said; "and their +charge is tremendous -- they broke through the hedge of spears as +if they had been reeds. Three of our men were killed." + +"Yes," Malchus agreed; "it seemed almost like a dream for a minute +when the great beast was among us. I felt very glad when he rolled +over on to his side." + +"It is a dangerous way of hunting," Hamilcar said. "The chase +on horseback in the plains has its dangers, as we saw when that +Numidian was killed; but with proper care and skill it is a grand +sport. But this work on foot is too dangerous, and has cost the +republic the loss of five soldiers. Had I had nets with me I would +have adopted the usual plan of stretching one across the trees ten +paces in front of us. This breaks the lion's spring, he becomes +entangled in its meshes, and can be destroyed with but little +danger. But no skill or address avails against the charge of a +wounded lion. But you are wounded, Giscon." + +"It is a mere nothing," Giscon said. + +"Nay," Hamilcar replied, "it is an ugly scratch, Giscon; he has +laid open your arm from the shoulder to the elbow as if it were +by the cut of a knife." + +"It served me right for being too rash," Giscon said. "I thought +he was nearly dead, and approached with my sword to give him +a finishing thrust. When he struck viciously at me I sprang back, +but one of his claws caught my shoulder. A few inches nearer and +he would have stripped the flesh from my arm, and perhaps broken +the limb and shoulder bone." + +While he was speaking a slave was washing the wound, which he then +carefully bandaged up. A few minutes later the whole party lay +down to sleep. Malchus found it difficult to dose his eyes. His +pulse was still throbbing with excitement, and his mind was busy +with the brief but stirring scene of the conflict. + +Two or three hours passed, and he felt drowsiness creeping over +him, when he heard a sudden challenge, followed instantly by a +loud and piercing yell from hundreds of throats. He sprang in an +instant to his feet, as did the other occupants of the tent. + +"To arms!" Hamilcar cried; "the enemy are upon us." + +Malchus caught up his shield and sword, threw his helmet on his +head, and rushed out of the tent with his father. + +A tremendous din had succeeded the silence which had just before +reigned in the desert, and the yells of the barbarians rose high +in the air, answered by shouts and loud words of command from the +soldiers in the other grove. The elephants in their excitement +were trumpeting loudly; the horses stamped the ground; the draught +cattle, terrified by the din, strove to break away. + +Large numbers of dark figures occupied the space some two hundred +yards wide between the groves. The general's guards, twenty in +number, had already sprung to their feet and stood to arms; the +slaves and attendants, panic stricken at the sudden attack, were +giving vent to screams and cries and were running about in confusion. + +Hamilcar sternly ordered silence. + +"Let each man," he said, "take a weapon of some kind and stand +steady. We are cut off from the main body and shall have to fight +for our lives. Do you," he said to the soldiers, "lay aside your +spears and shoot quickly among them. Fire fast. The great object +is to conceal from them the smallness of our number." + +Moving round the little grove Hamilcar posted the slaves at short +distances apart, to give warning should the enemy be attempting an +attack upon the other sides, and then returned to the side facing +the other grove, where the soldiers were keeping up a steady fire +at the enemy. + +The latter were at present concentrating their attention upon their +attack upon the main body. Their scouts on the hills during the +previous day had no doubt ascertained that the Carthaginian force +was encamped here, and the occupants of the smaller grove would +fall easy victims after they had dealt with the main body. The +fight was raging furiously here. The natives had crept up close +before they were discovered by the sentries, and with a fierce +rush they had fallen upon the troops before they had time to seize +their arms and gather in order. + +The fight raged hand to hand, bows twanged and arrows flew, the +light javelins were hurled at close quarters with deadly effect, +the shrill cries of the Numidians mingled with the deeper shouts +of the Iberians and the yells of the natives. Hamilcar stood for +a minute irresolute. + +"They are neglecting us," he said to Adherbal, "until they have +finished with the main body; we must go to their assistance. At +present our men are fighting without order or regularity. Unless +their leaders are with them they are lost, our presence will +encourage and reanimate them. Bring up the elephants quickly." + +The three elephants were at once brought forward, their drivers +mounted on their necks. Four soldiers with their bows and arrows +took their places on the back of each, the general with the rest +of the fighting men followed closely behind. + +At the orders of their drivers the well trained animals broke into +a trot, and the party advanced from the shadow of the grove. The +natives scattered between it and the wood fired a volley of arrows +and then broke as the elephants charged down upon them. Trained +to warfare the elephants dashed among them, catching some up in +their trunks and dashing them lifeless to the ground, knocking down +and trampling upon others, scattering terror wherever they went, +while the archers on their backs kept up a deadly fire. As soon +as the way was open Hamilcar led the little party on foot at full +speed towards the wood. + +As he entered it he ordered his trumpeter to blow his horn. The well +known signal revived the hopes and courage of the sorely pressed +troops, who, surprised and discouraged, had been losing ground, +great numbers falling before the arrows and javelins of their +swarming and active foes. The natives, surprised at the trumpet +sound in the rear, paused a moment, and before they could turn +round to face their unexpected adversaries, Hamilcar with his +little band burst his way through them and joined his soldiers, who, +gathered now in a close body in the centre of the grove, received +their leader with a shout of welcome. + +Hamilcar's measures were promptly taken. He saw that if stationary +his band must melt away under the shower of missiles which was +being poured upon them. He gave the command and the troops rapidly +formed into three groups, the men of each corps gathering together. +Adherbal, who was in command of the Numidians, placed himself at +their head, Giscon led the Iberians, and Hamilcar headed the heavily +armed troops, Malchus taking his place at his side. Hamilcar had +already given his orders to the young officers. No response was +to be made to the fire of the arrows and javelins, but with spear, +sword, and battleaxe the troops were to fall upon the natives. + +"Charge!" he shouted in a voice that was heard above the yells of +the barbarians. "Clear the wood of these lurking enemies, they +dare not face you. Sweep them before your path." + +With an answering shout the three bodies of men sprang forward, each +in a different direction. In vain the natives poured in volleys +of arrows and javelins; many fell, more were wounded, but all who +could keep their feet rushed forward with fury upon their assailants. + +The charge was irresistible. The natives, fighting each for himself, +were unable for a moment to withstand the torrent, and, vastly +superior in numbers as they were, were driven headlong before it. +When they reached the edge of the wood each of the bodies broke into +two. The Numidians had directed their course towards their horses, +which a party of their own men were still defending desperately +against the attacks of a large body of natives. Through these they +cut their way, and springing upon their steeds dashed out into the +plain, and sweeping round the grove fell upon the natives there, +and cut down the parties of men who emerged in confusion from +its shelter, unable to withstand the assaults of Hamilcar and his +infantry within. + +The heavy infantry and the Iberians, when they gained the edge of +the wood, had swept to the right and left, cleared the edge of +the grove of their enemies until they met, then joining they again +plunged into the centre. Thus they traversed the wood in every +direction until they had completely cleared it of foes. + +When the work was done the breathless and exhausted troops gathered +outside, in the light of the moon. More than half their number +had fallen; scarce one but was bleeding from wounds of arrow or +javelin. The plain beyond was thickly dotted to the foot of the +hills with the bodies of the natives who had been cut up by the +Numidian horse or trampled by the elephants, while the grove within +was thickly strewn with their bodies. + +As there was no fear of a renewal of the attack, Hamilcar ordered +the men to fall out of ranks, and the hours until daybreak were +passed in extracting arrows and binding up wounds, and in assisting +their comrades who were found to be still living in the grove. +Any natives still breathing were instantly slain. + +Hamilcar found that a party of the enemy had made their way into +his own camp. His tent had been hastily plundered, but most of +the effects were found in the morning scattered over the ground +between the groves and the hills, having been thrown away in their +flight by the natives when the horsemen burst out of the wood in +pursuit. Of the slaves and attendants several had been killed, but +the greater portion had, when Hamilcar left the grove with the +troops, climbed up into trees, and remained there concealed until +the rout of the assailants. + +It was found in the morning that over one hundred and fifty of +the three hundred Carthaginian troops had fallen, and that four +hundred of the natives had been slain either in the grove or in +the pursuit by cavalry. + +The following day two envoys arrived from the hostile tribe offering +the submission of their chief. + +As pursuit in the hills would be useless Hamilcar offered them +comparatively easy terms. A heavy fine in horses and cattle was +to be paid to the republic, and ten of the principal members of the +tribe were to be delivered up as hostages for their future good +behaviour. The next day the hostages were brought into the camp +with a portion of the ransom; and Hamilcar, having thus accomplished +the mission he had been charged to perform, marched away with his +troops to Carthage. + +As they approached the coast the whole character of the scenery +changed. The desert had been left behind them, and they entered +a fertile tract of country which had been literally turned into a +garden by the skill and industry of the Carthaginian cultivators, +at that time celebrated throughout the world for their knowledge +of the science of agriculture. The rougher and more sterile ground +was covered with groves of olive trees, while rich vineyards and +orchards of fig and other fruit trees occupied the better soil. +Wherever it was possible little canals leading water from reservoirs +and dammed up streams crossed the plains, and every foot of the +irrigated ground was covered with a luxuriant crop. + +The villages were scattered thickly, and when the troops arrived +within a day's march of Carthage they came upon the country villas +and mansions of the wealthy inhabitants. These in the richness of +their architecture, the perfection and order of their gardens, and +the beauty and taste of the orchards and grounds which surrounded +them, testified alike to the wealth and taste of their occupants. + +Fountains threw their water into the air, numerous waterfalls splashed +with a cool, soothing sound over artificial rocks. Statues wrought +by Greek sculptors stood on the terraces, shady walks offered a cool +retreat during the heat of the day, the vine, the pomegranate, and +the fig afforded refreshment to the palate as well as pleasure +to the eye. Palm trees with their graceful foliage waved gently in +the passing breezes. All the countries with which the Carthaginians +traded had supplied their contingent of vegetation to add to the +beauty and production of these gardens, which were the admiration +and envy of the civilized world. + +Crossing the brow of a low range of hills the detachment came in +sight of Carthage. The general and his three companions, who were +riding in the rear of the column, drew in their horses and sat +for a while surveying the scene. It was one which, familiar as it +might be, it was impossible to survey without the deepest feeling +of admiration. + +In the centre stood the great rock of Byrsa, a flat topped eminence +with almost perpendicular sides rising about two hundred feet +above the surrounding plain. This plateau formed the seat of the +ancient Carthage, the Phoenician colony which Dido had founded. It +was now the acropolis of Carthage. Here stood the temples of the +chief deities of the town; here were immense magazines and storehouses +capable of containing provisions for a prolonged siege for the +fifty thousand men whom the place could contain. The craggy sides +of the rock were visible but in few places. Massive fortifications +rising from its foot to its summit defended every point where the +rock was not absolutely perpendicular. These walls were of enormous +thickness, and in casemates or recesses in their thickness were +the stables for the elephants, horses, and cattle of the garrison. + +Round the upper edge of the rock extended another massive wall, +above which in picturesque outline rose the temple and other public +edifices. At the foot of this natural citadel stretched the lower +town, with its crowded population, its dense mass of houses, its +temples and forum. The style of architecture was peculiar to the +city. The Carthaginians abhorred straight lines, and all their +buildings presented curves. The rooms were for the most part circular, +semicircular, or oval, and all exterior as well as interior angles +were rounded off. The material used in their construction was +an artificial stone composed of pieces of rock cemented together +with fine sand and lime, and as hard as natural conglomerate. The +houses were surmounted by domes or cupolas. Their towers were +always round, and throughout the city scarce an angle offended +the eye of the populace. + +Extending into the bay lay the isthmus, known as the Tana, some +three miles in length, communicating with the mainland by a tongue +of land a hundred yards wide. + +This was the maritime quarter of Carthage; here were the extensive +docks in which the vessels which bore the commerce of the city to +and from the uttermost parts of the known world loaded and unloaded. +Here were the state dockyards where the great ships of war, which +had so long made Carthage the mistress of the sea, were constructed +and fitted out. The whole line of the coast was deeply indented +with bays, where rode at anchor the ships of the mercantile navy. +Broad inland lakes dotted the plain; while to the north of Byrsa, +stretching down to the sea and extending as far as Cape Quamart, +lay Megara, the aristocratic suburb of Carthage. + +Here, standing in gardens and parks, were the mansions of the +wealthy merchants and traders, the suburb presenting to the eye +a mass of green foliage dotted thickly with white houses. Megara +was divided from the lower town by a strong and lofty wall, but +lay within the outer wall which inclosed Byrsa and the whole of +Carthage and stretched from sea to sea. + +The circumference of the inclosed space was fully twenty miles; +the population contained within it amounted to over eight hundred +thousand. On the north side near the sea, within the line of the +outer fortifications, rose a low hill, and here on the face which +sloped gently down to the sea was the great necropolis -- the +cemetery of Carthage, shaded by broad spreading trees, dotted with +the gorgeous mausoleums of the wealthy and the innumerable tombs +of the poorer families, and undermined by thousands of great +sepulchral chambers, which still remain to testify to the vastness +of the necropolis of Carthage, and to the pains which her people +bestowed upon the burying places of their dead. + +Beyond all, from the point at which the travellers viewed it, +stretched the deep blue background of the Mediterranean, its line +broken only in the foreground by the lofty citadel of Byrsa, and +far out at sea by the faint outline of the Isle of Zinbre. + +For some minutes the party sat immovable on their horses, then +Hamilcar broke the silence: + +"`Tis a glorious view," he said; "the world does not contain a site +better fitted for the seat of a mighty city. Nature seems to have +marked it out. With the great rock fortress, the splendid bays +and harbours, the facilities for commerce, the fertile country +stretching away on either hand; give her but a government strong, +capable, and honest, a people patriotic, brave, and devoted, and +Carthage would long remain the mistress of the world." + +"Surely she may yet remain so," Adherbal exclaimed. + +"I fear not," Hamilcar said gravely, shaking his head. "It seems +to be the fate of all nations, that as they grow in wealth so they +lose their manly virtues. With wealth comes corruption, indolence, +a reluctance to make sacrifices, and a weakening of the feeling +of patriotism. Power falls into the hands of the ignorant many. +Instead of the destinies of the country being swayed by the wisest +and best, a fickle multitude, swayed by interested demagogues, +assumes the direction of affairs, and the result is inevitable -- +wasted powers, gross mismanagement, final ruin." + +So saying Hamilcar set his horse in motion and, followed silently +by his companions, rode with a gloomy countenance after his little +columns towards the capital. + + + +CHAPTER III: CARTHAGE + + +Carthage was at that time divided between two factions, the one +led by the relatives and friends of the great Hamilcar Barca and +known as the Barcine party. The other was led by Hanno, surnamed the +Rich. This man had been the rival of Hamilcar, and the victories +and successes of the latter had been neutralized by the losses +and defeats entailed upon the republic by the incapacity of the +former. Hanno, however, had the support of the greater part of the +senate, of the judges, and of the lower class, which he attached +to himself by a lavish distribution of his vast wealth, or by the +common tie of wholesale corruption. + +The Barcine party were very inferior in numbers, but they comprised +among them the energy, the military genius, and the patriotism of +the community. They advocated sweeping reforms, the purification +of the public service, the suppression of the corruption which was +rampant in every department, the fair administration of justice, +the suppression of the tyranny of the committee, the vigourous +prosecution of the struggle with Rome. They would have attached +to Carthage the but half subdued nations round her who now groaned +under her yoke, ground down to the dust by the enormous tribute +necessitated by the extravagance of the administration of the +state, the corruption and wholesale peculation of its officials. + +Hamilcar Barca had been the founder of the party; in his absence +at the seat of war it had been led at Carthage by his son-in-law +Hasdrubal, whose fiery energy and stirring eloquence had rendered +him a popular idol in Carthage. But even the genius of Hamilcar and +the eloquence of Hasdrubal would not have sufficed to enable the +Barcine party to make head against the enormous power of the council +and the judges, backed by the wealth of Hanno and his associates, +had it not been for the military successes which flattered the +patriotic feelings of the populace. + +The loss of Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily had been atoned for +by the conquest of the greater portion of Spain by Hamilcar, and +that general might eventually have carried out his plans for the +purification of the government of Carthage had he not fallen in +a battle with the Iberians. This loss was a terrible blow to the +Barcine faction, but the deep feeling of regret among the population +at the death of their great general enabled them to carry the +election of Hasdrubal to be one of the suffetes in his place, and +to obtain for him the command of the army in Spain. + +There was the less difficulty in the latter appointment, since +Hanno's party were well content that the popular leader should be +far removed from the capital. Hasdrubal proved himself a worthy +successor of his father-in-law. He carried out the policy inaugurated +by the latter, won many brilliant victories over the Iberians, +fortified and firmly established Carthagena as a port and city +which seemed destined to rival the greatness of its mother city, +and Carthage saw with delight a great western settlement growing in +power which promised to counterbalance the influence of the ever +spreading territory of her great rival in Italy. + +After seeing his detachment safely lodged in the barracks Hamilcar +and his companions rode along the streets to the Barcine Syssite, +or club, one of the grandest buildings in Carthage. Throwing the +reins of their horses to some slaves who stood in readiness at +the foot of the steps, they entered the building. As they rode +through the streets they had noticed that the population appeared +singularly quiet and dejected, and the agitation which reigned in +the club showed them that something unusual had happened. Groups +of men were standing talking excitedly in the great hall. Others +with dejected mien were pacing the marble pavement. As Hamilcar +entered, several persons hurried up to him. + +"Welcome back again!" they exclaimed; "your presence is most +opportune at this sad moment." + +"What has happened?" Hamilcar asked; "I have but this moment arrived, +and rode straight here to hear the news of what has taken place +in my absence." + +"What! have you not heard?" they exclaimed; "for the last four +days nothing else has been talked of, nothing else thought of -- +Hasdrubal has been assassinated!" + +Hamilcar recoiled a step as if struck. + +"Ye gods!" he exclaimed, "can this be so? Hasdrubal the handsome, +as he was well called, the true patriot, the great general, the +eloquent orator, the soul of generosity and patriotism, our leader +and hope, dead! Surely it cannot be." + +"It is too true, Hamilcar. Hasdrubal is dead -- slain by the knife +of an Iberian, who, it seems, has for months been in his service, +awaiting the chance for revenge for some injuries which his family +or people have suffered from our arms. + +"It is a terrible blow. This morning a swift sailing ship has +arrived with the news that the army of Spain have with one voice +acclaimed the young Hannibal as their general, and that they demand +the ratification of their choice by the senate and people. Need +I tell you how important it is that this ratification should be +gained? Hanno and his satellites are furious, they are scattering +money broadcast, and moving heaven and earth to prevent the choice +falling upon Hannibal, and to secure the appointment for Hanno +himself or one of his clique. They say that to appoint a youth +like this to such a position would be a thing unheard of, that +it would bring countless dangers upon the head of the republic. +We know, of course, that what they fear is not the youth and +inexperience, but the talent and genius of Hannibal. + +"Young though he is, his wonderful abilities are recognized by +us all. His father, Hamilcar, had the very highest hopes of him, +Hasdrubal has written again and again saying that in his young +kinsman he recognized his superior, and that in loftiness of aim, in +unselfish patriotism, in clearness of judgment, in the marvellous +ascendency he has gained over the troops, in his talent in +administration, and in the greatness of his military conceptions, +he saw in him a genius of the highest order. If it be in man to +overthrow the rising greatness of Rome, to reform our disordered +administration, to raise Carthage again to the climax of her glory +and power, that man is Hannibal. + +"Thus, then, on him our hopes rest. If we can secure for him the +command of the army in Spain, he may do all and more than all +that Hamilcar and Hasdrubal have done for us. If we fail, we are +lost; Hanno will be supreme, the official party will triumph, man +by man we shall be denounced and, destroyed by the judges, and, +worse than all, our hopes of saving Carthage from the corruption +and tyranny which have so long been pressing her into the dust +are at an end. It is a good omen of success that you have returned +from your expedition at such a critical moment. All has gone well +with you, I hope. You know the fate that awaits an unsuccessful +general here." + +"Ay, I know," Hamilcar said bitterly; "to be judged by a secret +tribunal of civilians, ignorant of even the rudimentary laws of +war, and bent not upon arriving at the truth, but of gratifying +their patrons and accomplices; the end, disgrace and execution. + +"No, my success has been complete, although not brilliant. I +have obtained the complete submission of the Atarantes, and have +brought with me ten of their principal chiefs as hostages; but my +success narrowly escaped being not only a failure but a disaster. +I had in vain striven to come to blows with them, when suddenly +they fell upon me at night, and in the desperate combat which +followed, well nigh half my force fell; but in the end we inflicted a +terrible chastisement upon them and completely humbled their pride." + +"So long as you succeeded in humbling them and bringing home hostages +for their good behaviour, all is well; the lives of a few score +of soldiers, more or less, matters little to Carthage. We have +but to send out an order to the tribes and we can replace them a +hundred fold in a week; `tis only a failure which would be fatal. +Carthage has suffered such terrible disasters at the hands of her +tributaries that she trembles at the slightest rising, for its +success might be the signal for another general insurrection. If +you have humbled the Atarantes, all is well. + +"I know the council have been anxiously expecting news of your +expedition. Our opinion here has been from the first that, from +the small force they placed at your command, they purposely sent +you to disaster, risking the chance of extended trouble in order +to obtain a ground of complaint by which they could inflame the +minds of the populace against our party. But now, I recommend you +to take some refreshment at once after your journey. The inner +council of the club will meet in an hour, and their deliberations +are likely to be long as well as important, for the whole future +of our party, and of Carthage itself, depends upon the issue." + +"Malchus," Hamilcar said, "do you mount your horse and ride out +at once and tell your mother that all has gone well with us, but +that I am detained here on important business, and may not return +until nightfall." + +"May I come back here, father, after I see my mother? I would fain +be of some use, if I may. I am known to many of the sailors down +at the port; I might go about among them trying to stir them up in +favour of Hannibal." + +"You may come back if you like, Malchus; your sailors may aid us +with their voices, or, should it come to anything like a popular +disturbance, by their arms. But, as you know, in the voting the +common people count for nothing, it is the citizens only who elect, +the traders, shopkeepers, and employers of labour. Common people +count for no more than the slaves, save when it comes to a popular +tumult, and they frighten the shopkeeping class into voting +in accordance with their views. However, we will leave no stone +unturned that may conduce to our success. Do not hurry away from +home, my boy, for your mother would think it unkind after three +months' absence. Our council is likely to last for some hours; +when it is at an end I will look for you here and tell you what +has been determined upon." + +Malchus mounted his horse and rode out through the narrow streets +of the lower city, through the gateway leading into the suburb, +then he loosed the rein and the horse started at a gallop along +the broad road, lined with stately mansions, and in a quarter of +an hour stopped in front of the villa of Hamilcar. + +Throwing his bridle to a slave he ran up the broad steps of the +portico and entered the hall. His mother, a stately woman, clad in +a long flowing garment of rich material embroidered in gold, arms +and neck bare, her hair bound up in a knot at the back of her head, +which was encircled by a golden fillet, with pendants of the same +metal encrusted with gems falling on her forehead, rose eagerly to +meet him, and his two sisters, girls older than himself, clad in +white robes, confined at the waist with golden belts, leaped to +their feet with a cry of gladness. + +"Welcome back, my own son," his mother said; "all is well, I hope, +with your father; It is so, I am sure, for I should read evil news +in your face." + +"He is well, mother, well and victorious, though we had a rare +fight for it, I can tell you. But he is kept at the Barcine Syssite +on matters connected with this terrible business of the death of +Hasdrubal. He bade me give you his love, and say he would be back +here as soon as he could get away." + +"It is terrible news indeed, Malchus. The loss is a grievous blow +to Carthage, but especially to us who are his near kinsfolk; but +for the moment let us set it aside and talk of your doings. How +the sun has bronzed your face, child! You seem to have grown taller +and stouter since you have been away. + +"Yes," one of the sisters laughed, "the child is growing up, mother; +you will have to choose another name for him." + +"I think it is about time," Malchus said, joining in the laugh, +"considering that I have killed a lion and have taken part in a +desperate hand-to-hand fight with the wild Atarantes. I think even +my mother must own that l am attaining the dignity of youth." + +"I wonder your father let you take part in such strife," the mother +said anxiously; "he promised me that he would, as far as possible, +keep you out of danger." + +"Why, mother," Malchus said indignantly, "you don't suppose that +my father was going to coddle me as he might do one of the girls +here. You know he has promised that I shall soon enter the Carthaginian +guard, and fight in the next campaign. I think it has been very +hard on me not to have had a chance of distinguishing myself as +my cousin Hannibal did when he was no older than I am." + +"Poor boy," his sister laughed, "he has indeed been unfortunate. +Who can say but that if he had only had opportunities he would +have been a general by this time, and that Rome would have been +trembling at the clash of his armour." + +Malchus joined heartily in the laugh about himself. + +"I shall never grow to be a general," he said, "unless you get me +some food; it is past midday, and I have not broken my fast this +morning. I warn you that I shall not tell you a word of our adventures +until I have eaten, therefore the sooner you order a meal to be +served the better." + +The meal was speedily served, and then for an hour Malchus sat with +his mother and sisters, giving them a history of the expedition. +There was a little playful grumbling on the part of his sisters +when he told them that he was going to return to the Syssite to +hear what had been determined by the conclave. + +"Surely you can wait until our father returns here, Malchus," Thyra, +the elder, said. + +"Yes; but I may be useful," Malchus replied. "There will be lots +to be done, and we shall all do our utmost." + +"Listen to him, mother," Anna, the younger sister, said, clapping +her hands; "this comes of slaying lions and combating with the +Atarantes; do not let us hinder him; beg the slaves to bring round +a horse instantly. Carthage totters, let Malchus fly to its support. +What part are you thinking of taking, my brother, do you mean to +harangue the people, or to urge the galley slaves to revolt, or to +lead the troops against the council?" + +The two girls burst into a peal of merry laughter, in which Malchus, +although colouring a little, joined heartily. + +"You are too bad, Anna; what I want is, of course, to hear what +has been done, and to join in the excitement, and really I am not +such a boy as you girls think me, just because you happen to be two +or three years older than I am. You persist in regarding me as a +child; father doesn't do so, and I can tell you I may be more good +than you think." + +"Well, go along, Malchus, do not let us keep you, and don't get into +mischief and remember, my boy," his mother added, "that Carthage +is a place where it is well that no one should make more enemies +than he can help. A secret foe in the council or among the judges +is enough to ruin the strongest. You know how many have been +crucified or pressed to death without a shadow of pretext, save +that they had foes. I would not see you other than your father's +son; you will belong, of course, to the Barcine party, but there +is no occasion to draw enmity and hate upon yourself before you +are in a position to do real service to the cause. And now ride +off with you; I know all our words are falling on deaf ears, and +that willful lads will go their own way." + +A few minutes later and Malchus was on his way back to the club. On +his arrival there he found that the sitting of the inner council +was not yet finished. The building was thronged with the adherents +of the party waiting to ascertain what course was determined +upon. He presently came across Adherbal and Giscon. The former, +as usual, was gay, light hearted, and disposed to view matters in +a humorous light; Giscon was stern and moody. + +"So, here you are again, Malchus," Adherbal said. "I thought you +would soon be back. I am glad you have come, for Giscon here grows +monotonous as a companion. Nature in making him forgot to give him +that spice of humour which is to existence what seasoning is to +meat. I am ready to fight if it comes to fighting, to orate if +talking is necessary, and to do anything else which may be within +the limits of my powers, but I can't for the life of me take +matters as if the existence of the state depended on me alone. I +have already heard that all is well with you at home. I shall ride +out there and see your mother when this business is over. What +they can find to talk about so long I can't make out. + +"The question is a simple one, surely. Will it be better for +Carthage at large, and our party in particular, for Hannibal to +stay at the head of the army in Spain, or to come home and bring +the influence of his popularity and reputation to bear upon the +populace? There is the question put in a nutshell, and if they can't +decide upon it let them toss up. There is virtue, I am ready to +maintain, in an appeal to dame Fortune. + +"Look round now, Malchus, is it not amusing to study men's characters. +Look at little Philene going about among the groups, standing on +tiptoe to whisper into the ear first of one and then of another. +He prides himself on his knowledge of affairs, and in his heart +believes that he is shamefully wronged inasmuch as he is not +already on the secret committee. + +"Look at Bomilca leaning against that pillar and lazily pulling +his mustache, an easygoing giant, who looks upon the whole thing +as a nuisance, but who, if he received orders from the conclave, +would put himself at the head of the Libyans, and would march to +storm Hanno's house, and to slaughter his Nubian guard without a +question. + +"Look at Magon's face of importance as he walks about without +speaking to anyone. He is trying to convey to all the impression +that he knows perfectly well what is going on inside, and could if +he chose tell you what the decision will be. There is Carthalon, +who is thinking at present, I warrant, more of the match which he +has made of his Arab steed against that of his comrade Phano, than +of the matter in hand. But see, there is a stir, the curtains are +drawing aside at last, the meeting is over." + +As he spoke the heavy curtains which shut off an inner room from +the hall were drawn aside, and the council of the Syssite came +out. Each was speedily surrounded by a group of the members of his +own family, or those who specially looked up to him as a leader. +Malchus and the two young officers were among those who gathered +round Hamilcar. + +"It has been decided," the general said, "that Hannibal shall +be retained in his command. Therefore, now let all set to work, +each in his own sphere. The populace must be stirred up. We have +a small majority in the council, but the middle class, the men who +will vote, are with Hanno. Some have been bought with his gold, +some of the weak fools dream that Carthage can be great simply as a +trading power without army or navy, and think only of the present +advantage they would gain by remission of taxation. It is these +we have to fear, and we must operate upon them by means of the +populace. + +"If the people gather in the streets and shout for Hannibal, these +cowards will hesitate. They are accessible only in their moneybags, +and rather than risk a riot they would vote for the destruction of +Moloch's temple. Giscon and Adherbal, do you go to the barracks, +get as many of your comrades together as are of our way of thinking, +talk to the soldiers of the glories of Hamilcar Barca, of the rich +booty they won under him, of the glory of their arms when he led +them, tell them that in Hannibal they have their old commander +revived, and that Hanno and his companions seek only to have +him removed, because they fear that the luster of his deeds will +overshadow them. + +"Urge that he is the elect of the army of Spain, that the voice of +the soldiers has acclaimed him, and that the troops here should +join their voices to those of their comrades in Spain. They too +may ere long have to take share in the war, and would it not be +far better for them to be led by a soldier like Hannibal than by +Hanno, whose incapacity has been proved a score of times, and who +is solely chosen because he is rich, and because he has pandered +to the fat traders and lazy shopkeepers? + +"Do you, Stryphex, go to the weavers' quarter; you have influence +there. Work upon the men, point out to them how, since Hamilcar +and Hasdrubal have conquered Spain, and the gold and silver from +the mines have poured into Carthage, their trade has flourished. +Before that gold was scarce known in the city, none could purchase +their choice productions, their wages would scarce keep the wolf +from the door. Show them that under Hanno disaster will be sure +to befall our arms, that the Iberians will reconquer their soil, +that the mines will be lost, and we shall have to return to the +leather money of twenty years back." + +So one by one Hamilcar despatched the groups round him on various +missions, until Malchus alone remained. + +"You, Malchus, can, as you suggested, go down to the port; ask the +sailors and fishermen what will become of their trade were the +Roman galleys cruising in our bay. Point out that our conquests +in Spain have already caused the greatest alarm in Rome, and that +under Hannibal our arms will so flourish that Rome will be glad +to come to terms with us, and to leave us free to trade with the +world. + +"Point out how great is the trade and commerce which Carthagena +has already produced. Ask them if they are willing that all this +shall be hazarded, in order that Hanno may gratify his personal +ambition, and his creatures may wring the last penny from the over +taxed people of Carthage. Don't try too much, my boy. Get together +a knot of men whom you know; prime them with argument, and send +them among their fellows. Tell them to work day and night, and +that you will see that their time is well paid. Find out if there +are any men who have special influence with their fellows, and +secure them on our side. Promise them what they will; the Syssite +will spend money like water to carry its object. Be discreet, +Malchus; when you have lit the fire, and see that it is well on +its way, withdraw quietly." + +Malchus hurried off, and in half an hour was down by the port. +Through the densely packed district which lay behind the lofty +warehouses crammed with goods brought by sea from all parts of the +world, he made his way until he reached the abode of a fisherman, +in whose boat he often put to sea. + +The old man, with three or four grownup sons, was reclining on a +pile of rushes. + +"Welcome back, my lord Malchus," he said; "glad am I to see you +safely returned. We have often talked of you, me and my sons, and +wondered when you would again go out for a night's fishing with us. +You have come back at the right time. The tunny are just entering +the bay, and in another week we shall have rare sport." + +"I shall be glad, indeed, of another sail with you," Malchus said; +"but at present I have other matters in hand. Hanno and his friends +have determined to oppose the appointment of Hannibal to the army +in Spain." The fisherman gave a grunt, which signified that the +matter was one of which he knew nothing, and which affected him +not in the slightest. + +"Don't you see the importance of this?" Malchus said. "If Hannibal +doesn't get the command our troops will be beaten, and we shall lose +all our trade with Spain." The fisherman still appeared apathetic. + +"My sons have all taken to fishing," he said indifferently, "and +it matters nothing to them whether we lose the trade of Spain or +not." + +"But it would make a difference," Malchus said, "if no more gold +and silver came from Spain, because then, you know, people wouldn't +be able to pay a good price for fish, and there would be bad times +for you fishermen. But that is not the worst of it. The Romans +are so alarmed by our progress in Spain that they are glad to keep +friends with us, but if we were driven out from there they would +soon be at war again. You and your sons would be pressed for +the ships of war, and like enough you might see the Roman fleets +hovering on our coasts and picking up our fishing boats." + +"By Astarte," the fisherman exclaimed, "but that would be serious, +indeed; and you say all this will happen unless Hannibal remains +as general in Spain?" + +"That is so," Malchus nodded. + +"Then I tell you what, my boys," the fisherman said, rising and +rubbing his hands, "we must put our oars into this business. You +hear what my lord Malchus tells us. Get up, there is work to be +done. Now, sir, what is the best way to stop this affair you tell +us of? If it's got to be done we will do it, and I think I can +answer for three or four thousand fishing hands here who ain't +going to stand by any more than I am and see the bread taken out +of their mouths. They know old Calcon, and will listen to what he +says. I will set about it at once." + +"That is just what I want," Malchus said. "I want you and your sons +to go about among the fishermen and tell them what is proposed +to be done, and how ruinous it will be for them. You know how fond +of fishermen I am, and how sorry I should be to see them injured. +You stir them up for the next three or four days, and get them to +boiling point. I will let you know when the time comes. There are +other trades who will be injured by this business, and when the +time comes you fishermen with your oars in your hands must join the +others and go through the streets shouting 'Hannibal for general! +Down with Hanno and the tax gatherers!'" + +"Down with the tax gatherers is a good cry," the old fisherman said. +"They take one fish of every four I bring in, and always choose +the finest. Don't you be afraid, sir; we will be there, oars and +all, when you give the word." + +"And now I want you to tell me the names of a few men who have +influence among the sailors of the mercantile ships, and among those +who load and discharge the cargoes; their interest is threatened +as well as yours. I am commissioned to pay handsomely all who +do their best for the cause, and I promise you that you and your +sons shall earn as much in four days' work as in a month's toiling +on the sea. The Barcine Club is known to be the true friend of +Carthage, the opponent of those who grind down the people, and it +will spare no money to see that this matter is well carried out." + +The fisherman at once went round with Malchus to the abodes of +several men regarded as authorities by the sailors and stevedores. +With these, partly by argument, but much more by the promises +of handsome pay for their exertions, Malchus established an +understanding, and paved the way for a popular agitation among the +working classes of the waterside in favour of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IV: A POPULAR RISING + + +Day after day Malchus went down to the port. His father was well +pleased with his report of what he had done and provided him with +ample funds for paying earnest money to his various agents, as +a proof that their exertions would be well rewarded. He soon had +the satisfaction of seeing that the agitation was growing. + +Work was neglected, the sailors and labourers collected on the quays +and talked among themselves, or listened to orators of their own +class, who told them of the dangers which threatened their trade +from the hatred of Hanno and his friends the tax collectors for +Hannibal, whose father and brother-in-law had done such great +things for Carthage by conquering Spain and adding to her commerce +by the establishment of Carthagena and other ports. Were they +going to stand tamely by and see trade ruined, and their families +starving, that the tyrants who wrung from them the taxes should +fatten at ease? + +Such was the tenor of the orations delivered by scores of men to +their comrades on the quays. A calm observer might have noticed +a certain sameness about the speeches, and might have come to the +conclusion that the orators had received their instructions from +the same person, but this passed unnoticed by the sailors and +workmen, who were soon roused into fury by the exhortations of the +speakers. They knew nothing either of Hannibal or of Hanno, but +they did know that they were ground down to the earth with taxation, +and that the conquest of Spain and the trade that had arisen had +been of enormous benefit to them. It was, then, enough to tell +them that this trade was threatened, and that it was threatened in +the interest of the tyrants of Carthage, for them to enter heart +and soul into the cause. + +During these four days the Barcine Club was like the headquarters +of an army. Night and day the doors stood open, messengers came +and went continually, consultations of the leading men of the city +were held almost without a break. Every man belonging to it had his +appointed task. The landed proprietors stirred up the cultivators +of the soil, the manufacturers were charged with the enlightenment +of their hands as to the dangers of the situation, the soldiers +were busy among the troops; but theirs was a comparatively easy task, +for these naturally sympathized with their comrades in Spain, and +the name of the great Hamilcar was an object of veneration among +them. + +Hanno's faction was not idle. The Syssite which was composed of +his adherents was as large as its rival. Its orators harangued the +people in the streets on the dangers caused to the republic by the +ambition of the family of Barca, of the expense entailed by the +military and naval establishments required to keep up the forces +necessary to carry out their aggressive policy, of the folly of +confiding the principal army of the state to the command of a mere +youth. They dilated on the wealth and generosity of Hanno, of his +lavish distribution of gifts among the poor, of his sympathy with +the trading community. Each day the excitement rose, business was +neglected, the whole population was in a fever of excitement. + +On the evening of the fourth day the agents of the Barcine +Club discovered that Hanno's party were preparing for a public +demonstration on the following evening. They had a certainty of +a majority in the public vote, which, although nominally that of +the people, was, as has been said, confined solely to what would +now be called the middle class. + +Hitherto the Barcine party had avoided fixing any period for their +own demonstration, preferring to wait until they knew the intention +of their opponents. The council now settled that it should take +place on the following day at eleven o'clock, just when the working +classes would have finished their morning meal. + +The secret council, however, determined that no words should be +whispered outside their own body until two hours before the time, +in order that it should not be known to Hanno and his friends +until too late to gather their adherents to oppose it. Private +messengers were, however, sent out late to all the members to +assemble early at the club. + +At nine o'clock next morning the Syssite was crowded, the doors +were closed, and the determination of the council was announced +to the members, each of whom was ordered to hurry off to set the +train in motion for a popular outbreak for eleven o'clock. It +was not until an hour later that the news that the Barcine party +intended to forestall them reached Hanno's headquarters. Then the +most vigourous efforts were made to get together their forces, +but it was too late. At eleven o'clock crowds of men from all the +working portions of the town were seen making their way towards +the forum, shouting as they went, "Hannibal for general!" "Down +with Hanno and the tax gatherers!" + +Conspicuous among them were the sailors and fishermen from the +port, armed with oars, and the gang of stevedores with heavy clubs. +Hanno and a large number of his party hurried down to the spot and +tried to pacify the crowd, but the yells of execration were so +loud and continuous that they were forced to leave the forum. The +leaders of the Barcine party now appeared on the scene, and their +most popular orator ascended the rostrum. When the news spread +among the crowd that he was a friend of Hannibal and an opponent +of Hanno, the tumult was stayed in order that all might hear his +words. + +"My friends," he said, "I am glad to see that Carthage is still +true to herself, and that you resent the attempt made by a faction +to remove the general of the army's choice, the son of the great +Hamilcar Barca. To him and to Hasdrubal, his son-in-law, you owe +the conquest of Spain, you owe the wealth which has of late years +poured into Carthage, you owe the trade which is already doing so +much to mitigate your condition. What have Hanno and his friends +done that you should listen to him? It is their incapacity which +has lost Carthage so many of its possessions. It is their greed +and corruption which place such burdens on your backs. They claim +that they are generous. It is easy to be generous with the money +of which they have plundered you; but let them know your will, and +they must bend before it. Tell them that you will have Hannibal +and none other as the general of your armies, and Spain is secure, +and year by year your commerce with that country will increase +and flourish." + +A roar of assent arose from the crowd. At the same instant a tumult +was heard at the lower entrance to the forum, and the head of +a dense body of men was seen issuing from the street, with shouts +of "Hanno forever!" They were headed by the butchers and tanners, +an important and powerful body, for Carthage did a vast trade in +leather. + +For a time they bore all before them, but the resistance increased +every foot they advanced. The shouts on both sides became louder +and more angry. Blows were soon exchanged, and ere long a pitched +battle was raging. The fishermen and sailors threw themselves into +the thick of it, and for ten minutes a desperate fight raged in +the forum. Soon the battle extended, as bodies of men belonging +to either faction encountered each other as they hurried towards +the forum. + +Street frays were by no means unusual in Carthage, but this was a +veritable battle. Hanno had at its commencement, accompanied by a +strong body of his friends, ridden to Byrsa, and had called upon the +soldiers to come out and quell the tumult They, however, listened +in sullen silence, their sympathies were entirely with the +supporters of Hannibal, and they had already received orders from +their officers on no account to move, whosoever might command them +to do so, until Hamilcar placed himself at their head. + +The general delayed doing this until the last moment. Hannibal's +friends had hoped to carry their object without the intervention +of the troops, as it was desirable in every way that the election +should appear to be a popular one, and that Hannibal should seem +to have the suffrages of the people as well as of the army. That +the large majority of the people were with them they knew, but the +money which Hanno's friends had lavishly spent among the butchers, +skinners, tanners, and smiths had raised up a more formidable +opposition than they had counted upon. + +Seeing that their side was gaining but little advantage, that +already much blood had been shed, and that the tumult threatened +to involve all Carthage, Hamilcar and a number of officers rode +to the barracks. The troops at once got under arms, and, headed +by the elephants, moved out from Byrsa Being desirous to avoid +bloodshed, Hamilcar bade his men leave their weapons behind them, +and armed them with headless spear shafts, of which, with all other +things needed for war, there was a large store in the citadel. As +the column sallied out it broke up into sections. The principal +body marched toward the forum, while others, each led by officers, +took their way down the principal streets. + +The appearance of the elephants and troops, and the loud shouts +of the latter for Hannibal, quickly put an end to the tumult. +Hanno's hired mob, seeing that they could do nothing against such +adversaries, at once broke up and fled to their own quarters +of the city, and Hanno and his adherents sought their own houses. +The quiet citizens, seeing that the fight was over, issued from +their houses, and the forum was soon again crowded. + +The proceedings were now unanimous, and the shouts raised that the +senate should assemble and confirm the vote of the army were loud +and strenuous. Parties of men went out in all directions to the +houses of the senators to tell them the people demanded their +presence at the forum. Seeing the uselessness of further opposition, +and fearing the consequences if they resisted, Hanno and his friends +no longer offered any opposition. + +The senate assembled, and, by a unanimous vote the election +of Hannibal as one of the suffetes in place of Hasdrubal, and as +commander-in-chief of the army in Spain, was carried, and was ratified +by that of the popular assembly, the traders and manufacturers +of Hanno's party not venturing to oppose the will of the mass of +mechanics and seafaring population. + +"It has been a victory," Hamilcar said, when, accompanied by a +number of his friends, he returned to his home that evening, "but +Hanno will not forget or forgive the events of this day. As long as +all goes well in Spain we may hope for the support of the people, +but should any disaster befall our arms it will go hard with all +who have taken a prominent part in this day's proceedings. Hanno's +friends have so much at stake that they will not give up the +struggle. They have at their back all the moneys which they wring +from the people and the tributaries of Carthage, and they will +work night and day to strengthen their party and to buy over the +lower classes. We are the stronger at present; but to carry the +popular vote on a question which would put a stop to the frightful +corruption of our administration, to suppress the tyranny of the +council, to sweep away the abuses which prevail in every class in +the state -- for that we must wait till Hannibal returns victorious. +Let him but humble the pride of Rome, and Carthage will be at his +feet." + +The party were in high spirits at the result of the day's proceedings. +Not only had they succeeded in their principal object of electing +Hannibal, but they had escaped from a great personal danger; for, +assuredly, had Hanno and his party triumphed, a stern vengeance +would have been taken upon all the leading members of the Barcine +faction. + +After the banquet, while Hamilcar and his companions reclined on +their couches at tables, a Greek slave, a captive in war, sang songs +of his native land to the accompaniment of the lyre. A party of +dancing girls from Ethiopia performed their rhythmical movements to +the sound of the tinkling of a little guitar with three strings, +the beating of a small drum, the clashing of cymbals, and the +jingling of the ornaments and little metal bells on their arms +and ankles. Perfumes were burned in censers, and from time to time +soft strains of music, played by a party of slaves among the trees +without, floated in through the casements. + +Malchus was in wild spirits, for his father had told him that it +was settled that he was to have the command of a body of troops +which were very shortly to proceed to Spain to reinforce the army +under Hannibal, and that he should allow Malchus to enter the band +of Carthaginian horse which was to form part of the body under +his command. + +The regular Carthaginian horse and foot formed but a very small +portion of the armies of the republic. They were a corps d'elite, +composed entirely of young men of the aristocratic families of +Carthage, on whom it was considered as almost a matter of obligation +to enter this force. They had the post of honour in battle, and +it was upon them the Carthaginian generals relied principally to +break the ranks of the enemy in close battle. All who aspired to +distinguish themselves in the eyes of their fellow citizens, to rise +to power and position in the state, to officer the vast bodies of +men raised from the tributary nations, and to command the armies +of the country, entered one or other of these bodies. The cavalry +was the arm chosen by the richer classes. It was seldom that it +numbered more than a thousand strong. The splendour of their armour +and appointments, the beauty of their horses, the richness of +the garments of the cavaliers, and the trappings of their steeds, +caused this body to be the admiration and envy of Carthage. Every man +in it was a member of one of the upper ranks of the aristocracy; +all were nearly related to members of the senate, and it was considered +the highest honour that a young Carthaginian could receive to be +admitted into it. + +Each man wore on his wrist a gold band for each campaign which he +had undertaken. There was no attempt at uniformity as to their +appointments. Their helmets and shields were of gold or silver, +surmounted with plumes or feathers, or with tufts of white horsehair. +Their breastplates were adorned with arabesques or repousse work +of the highest art. Their belts were covered with gold and studded +with gems. Their short kilted skirts were of rich Tyrian purple +embroidered with gold. + +The infantry were composed of men of good but less exalted families. +They wore a red tunic without a belt. They carried a great circular +buckler of more than a yard in diameter, formed of the tough hide of +the river horse, brought down from the upper Nile, with a central +boss of metal with a point projecting nearly a foot in front +of the shield, enabling it to be used as an offensive weapon in a +close fight. They carried short heavy swords similar to those of +the Romans, and went barefooted. Their total strength seldom exceeded +two thousand. + +These two bodies constituted the Carthaginian legion, and formed but +a small proportion indeed of her armies, the rest of her forces +being entirely drawn from the tributary states. The fact that +Carthage, with her seven hundred thousand inhabitants, furnished +so small a contingent of the fighting force of the republic, was +in itself a proof of the weakness of the state. A country which relies +entirely for its defence upon mercenaries is rapidly approaching +decay. + +She may for a time repress one tributary with the soldiers of the +others; but when disaster befalls her she is without cohesion and +falls to pieces at once. As the Roman orator well said of Carthage: +"She was a figure of brass with feet of clay" -- a noble and +imposing object to the eye, but whom a vigourous push would level +in the dust. Rome, on the contrary, young and vigourous, was a people +of warriors. Every one of her citizens who was capable of bearing +arms was a soldier. The manly virtues were held in the highest +esteem, and the sordid love of wealth had not as yet enfeebled +her strength or sapped her powers. Her citizens were men, indeed, +ready to make any sacrifice for their country; and such being the +case, her final victory over Carthage was a matter of certainty. + +The news which afforded Malchus such delight was not viewed with +the same unmixed satisfaction by the members of his family. Thyra +had for the last year been betrothed to Adherbal, and he, too, was +to accompany Hamilcar to Spain, and none could say how long it +might be before they would return. + +While the others were sitting round the festive board, Adherbal +and Thyra strolled away among the groves in the garden. + +"I do not think you care for me, Adherbal," she said reproachfully +as he was speaking of the probabilities of the campaign. "You know +well that this war may continue in Spain for years, and you seem +perfectly indifferent to the fact that we must be separated for +that time." + +"I should not be indifferent to it, Thyra, if I thought for a moment +that this was to be the case. I may remain, it is true, for years +in Spain; but I have not the most remote idea of remaining there +alone. At the end of the first campaign, when our army goes into +winter quarters, I shall return here and fetch you." + +"That's all very well," the girl said, pouting; "but how do you know +that I shall be willing to give up all the delights of Carthage +to go among the savage Iberians, where they say the ground is all +white in winter and even the rivers stop in their courses?" + +Adherbal laughed lightly. "Then it is not for you to talk about +indifference, Thyra; but it won't be so bad as you fear. At +Carthagena you will have all the luxuries of Carthage. I do not +say that your villa shall be equal to this; but as you will have +me it should be a thousand times dearer to you." + +"Your conceit is superb, Adherbal," Thyra laughed. "You get worse +and worse. Had I ever dreamed of it I should never have consented +so submissively when my father ordered me to regard you as my future +husband." + +"You ought to think yourself a fortunate girl, Thyra," Adherbal +said, smiling; "for your father might have taken it into his head +to have done as Hamilcar Barca did, and married his daughters to +Massilian and Numidian princes, to become queens of bands of nomad +savages." + +"Well, they were queens, that was something, even if only of nomads." + +"I don't think that it would have suited you, Thyra -- a seat on +horseback for a throne, and a rough tent for a palace, would not +be in your way at all. I think a snug villa on the slopes of the +bay of Carthagena, will suit you better, not to mention the fact +that I shall make an infinitely more pleasant and agreeable master +than a Numidian chief would do." + +"You are intolerable, Adherbal, with your conceit and your mastership. +However, I suppose when the time comes I shall have to obey my +father. What a pity it is we girls cannot choose our husbands for +ourselves! Perhaps the time may come when we shall do so." + +"Well, in your case, Thyra," Adherbal said, "it would make no +difference, because you know you would have chosen me anyhow; but +most girls would make a nice business of it. How are they to know +what men really are? They might be gamesters, drunkards, brutal +and cruel by nature, idle and spendthrift. What can maidens know +of a man's disposition? Of course they only see him at his best. +Wise parents can make careful inquiries, and have means of knowing +what a man's disposition and habits really are." + +"You don't think, Adherbal," Thyra said earnestly, "that girls are +such fools that they cannot read faces; that we cannot tell the +difference between a good man and a bad one." + +"Yes, a girl may know something about every man save the one she +loves, Thyra. She may see other's faults clearly enough; but she +is blind to those of the man she loves. Do you not know that the +Greeks depict Cupid with a bandage over his eyes?" + +"I am not blind to your faults," Thyra said indignantly. "I know +that you are a great deal more lazy than becomes you; that you +are not sufficiently earnest in the affairs of life; that you will +never rise to be a great general like my cousin Hannibal." + +"That is all quite true," Adherbal laughed; "and yet you see you +love me. You perceive my faults only in theory and not in fact, +and you do not in your heart wish to see me different from what I +am. Is it not so?" + +"Yes," the girl said shyly, "I suppose it is. Anyhow, I don't like +the thought of your going away from me to that horrid Iberia." + +Although defeated for the moment by the popular vote, the party +of Hanno were not discouraged. They had suffered a similar check +when they had attempted to prevent Hannibal joining Hasdrubal in +Spain. + +Not a moment was lost in setting to work to recover their lost +ground. Their agents among the lower classes spread calumnies +against the Barcine leaders. Money was lavishly distributed, and +the judges, who were devoted to Hanno's party, set their machinery +to work to strike terror among their opponents. Their modes of +procedure were similar to those which afterwards made Venice +execrable in the height of her power. Arrests were made secretly +in the dead of night. Men were missing from their families, and +none knew what had become of them. + +Dead bodies bearing signs of strangulation were found floating in +the shallow lakes around Carthage; and yet, so great was the dread +inspired by the terrible power of the judges, that the friends and +relations of those who were missing dared make neither complaint +nor inquiry. It was not against the leaders of the Barcine party +that such measures were taken. Had one of these been missing the +whole would have flown to arms. The dungeons would have been +broken open, and not only the captives liberated, but their arrest +might have been made the pretext for an attack upon the whole system +under which such a state of things could exist. + +It was chiefly among the lower classes that the agents of Hanno' +s vengeance operated. Among these the disappearance of so many +men who were regarded as leaders among the rest spread a deep and +mysterious fear. Although none dared to complain openly, the news +of these mysterious disappearances was not long in reaching the +leaders of the Barcine party. + +These, however, were for the time powerless to act. Certain as they +might be of the source whence these unseen blows descended, they +had no evidence on which to assail so formidable a body as the +judges. It would be a rash act indeed to accuse such important +functionaries of the state, belonging, with scarcely an exception, +to powerful families, of arbitrary and cruel measures against +insignificant persons. + +The halo of tradition still surrounded the judges, and added to +the fear inspired by their terrible and unlimited power. In such +an attack the Barcine party could not rely upon the population +to side with them; for, while comparatively few were personally +affected by the arrests which had taken place, the fear of future +consequences would operate upon all. + +Among the younger members of the party, however, the indignation +aroused by these secret blows was deep. Giscon, who was continually +brooding over the tyranny and corruption which were ruining his +country, was one of the leaders of this section of the party; with +him were other spirits as ardent as himself. They met in a house +in a quiet street in the lower town, and there discussed all sorts +of desperate projects for freeing the city of its tyrants. + +One day as Giscon was making his way to this rendezvous he met +Malchus riding at full speed from the port. + +"What is it, Malchus, whither away in such haste?" + +"It is shameful, Giscon, it is outrageous. I have just been down to +the port to tell the old fisherman with whom I often go out that +I would sail with him tomorrow, and find that four days ago he was +missing, and his body was yesterday found by his sons floating in +the lagoon. He had been strangled. His sons are as much overpowered +with terror as by grief, they believe that he has suffered for the +part he took in rousing the fishermen to declare for Hannibal a +fortnight since, and they fear lest the terrible vengeance of Hanno +should next fall upon them. + +"How it happened they know not. A man arrived late in the evening +and said that one of their father's best customers wanted a supply +of fish for a banquet he was to give next day, and that he wanted +to speak to him at once to arrange about the quantity and quality +of fish he required. Suspecting nothing the old man left at once, +and was never heard of afterwards. Next morning, seeing that he had +not returned, one of his sons went to the house to which he had +been fetched, but found that its owner knew nothing of the affair, +and denied that he had sent any message whatever to him. Fearing +that something was wrong they searched everywhere, but it was not +until last night that his body was, as I have told you, found. + +"They are convinced that their father died in no private feud. +He had not, as far as they know, an enemy in the world. You may +imagine how l feel this; not only did I regard him as a friend, +but I feel that it was owing to his acting as I led him that he +has come to his death." + +"The tyrants!" Giscon exclaimed in a low voice. "But what can you +do, Malchus?" + +"I am going to my father," Malchus replied, "to ask him to take +the matter up." + +"What can he do?" Giscon said with a bitter laugh. "What can +he prove? Can he accuse our most noble body of judges, without a +shadow of proof, of making away with this unknown old fisherman. +No, Malchus, if you are in earnest to revenge your friend come with +me, I will introduce you to my friends, who are banded together +against this tyranny, and who are sworn to save Carthage. You are +young, but you are brave and full of ardour; you are a son of +General Hamilcar, and my friends will gladly receive you as one +of us." + +Malchus did not hesitate. That there would be danger in joining +such a body as Giscon spoke of he knew, but the young officer's +talk during their expedition had aroused in him a deep sense of +the tyranny and corruption which were sapping the power or his +country, and this blow which had struck him personally rendered +him in a mood to adopt any dangerous move. + +"I will join you, Giscon," he said, "if you will accept me. I am +young, but I am ready to go all lengths, and to give my life if +needs be to free Carthage." + + + +CHAPTER V: THE CONSPIRACY + + +Giscon led his companion along the narrow lanes until he reached the +back entrance of the house where the meetings were held. Knocking +in a particular way it was opened at once and closed behind them. +As they entered a slave took Malchus' horse without a word and +fastened it to a ring in the wall, where four or five other horses +were standing. + +"I rather wonder you are not afraid of drawing attention by riding +on horseback to a house in such a quarter," Malchus said. + +"We dare not meet secretly, you know. The city is full of spies, +and doubtless the movements of all known to be hostile to Hanno and +his party are watched, therefore we thought it best to meet here. +We have caused it to be whispered as a secret in the neighbourhood, +that the house has been taken as a place where we can gamble free +from the presence of our elders. Therefore the only comments we +excite is, `There go those young fools who are ruining themselves.' +It is only because you are on horseback that I have come round +to this gate; had you come on foot we should have entered by the +front. Fortunately there are among us many who are deemed to be +mere pleasure seekers -- men who wager fortunes on their horses, who +are given to banquets, or whose lives seem to be passed in luxury +and indolence, but who at heart are as earnest in the cause of Carthage +as I am. The presence of such men among us gives a probability to +the tale that this is a gambling house. Were we all of my stamp, +men known to be utterly hostile to Hanno and his party, suspicion +would fall upon our meetings at once. But here we are." + +As he spoke he drew aside some heavy curtains and entered a large +room. Some ten or twelve young men were assembled there. They +looked up in surprise as Giscon entered followed by his companion. + +"I have brought a recruit," Giscon said, "one whom all of you know +by repute if not personally; it is Malchus, the son of General +Hamilcar. He is young to be engaged in a business like ours, but +I have been with him in a campaign and can answer for him. He is +brave, ready, thoughtful and trustworthy. He loves his country +and hates her tyrants. I can guarantee that he will do nothing +imprudent, but can be trusted as one or ourselves. Being young +he will have the advantage of being less likely to be watched, and +may be doubly useful. He is ready to take the oath of our society." + +As Giscon was the leading spirit of the band his recommendation +was taken as amply sufficient. The young men rose and formed in +a circle round Malchus. All drew their daggers, and one, whom Malchus +recognized with a momentary feeling of surprise as Carthalon, whom +Adherbal had pointed out at the Barcine Club as one who thought +only of horse racing, said: + +"Do you swear by Moloch and Astarte to be true to this society, to +devote yourself to the destruction of the oppressors of Carthage, +to carry out all measures which may be determined upon, even at +the certain risk of your life, and to suffer yourself to be torn +to pieces by the torture rather than reveal aught that passes within +these walls?" + +"That I swear solemnly," Malchus said. + +"I need not say," Carthalon said carelessly, "that the punishment +of the violation of the oath is death. It is so put in our rules. +But we are all nobles of Carthage, and nobles do not break their +oaths, so we can let that pass. When a man's word is good enough +to make him beggar himself in order to discharge a wager, he can +be trusted to keep his word in a matter which concerns the lives +of a score of his fellows. And now that this business is arranged +we can go on with our talk; but first let us have some wine, for +all this talking is thirsty work at best." + +The young men threw themselves upon the couches around the room +and, while slaves brought round wine, chatted lightly with each +other about horses, the play presented the day before, the respective +merits of the reigning beauties of Carthage, and other similar +topics, and Malchus, who was impressed with the serious nature of +the secret conspiracy which he had just sworn to aid, could not help +being surprised at the careless gaiety of the young men, although +engaged in a conspiracy in which they risked their lives. + +It was not until some minutes after the slaves had left the apartment +that the light talk and banter ceased, as Giscon rose and said: + +"Now to business. Malchus has told me that an old fisherman, who +took a lead in stirring up his fellows to declare for Hannibal, +has been decoyed away from his home and murdered; his body has been +found floating in the lake, strangled. This is the nineteenth in +the course of a week. These acts are spreading terror among the +working classes, and unless they are put a stop to we can no longer +expect assistance from them. + +"That these deeds are the work of the officials of the tribunals +we have no doubt. The sooner we strike the better. Matters are +getting ripe. I have eight men sworn into my section among the +weavers, and need but two more to complete it. We will instruct +our latest recruit to raise a section among the fishermen. The +sons of the man just murdered should form a nucleus. We agreed +from the first that three hundred resolute men besides ourselves +were required, and that each of us should raise a section of ten. +Malchus brings up our number here to thirty, and when all the +sections are filled up we shall be ready for action. + +"Failure ought to be impossible. The houses of Hanno and thirty +of his party will be attacked, and the tyrants slain before any +alarm can be given. Another thirty at least should be slain before +the town is fairly aroused. Maybe each section can undertake three +if our plans are well laid, and each chooses for attack three +living near each other. We have not yet settled whether it will be +better to separate when this is done, content with the first blow +against our tyrants, or to prepare beforehand for a popular rising, +to place ourselves at the head of the populace, and to make a +clean sweep of the judges and the leaders of Hanno's party." + +Giscon spoke in an ordinary matter-of-fact tone, as if he were +discussing the arrangements of a party of pleasure; but Malchus +could scarcely repress a movement of anxiety as he heard this proposal +for the wholesale destruction of the leading men of Carthage. The +council thus opened was continued for three hours. Most of those +present spoke, but, to the surprise of Malchus, there was an entire +absence of that gloom and mystery with which the idea of a state +conspiracy was associated in his mind. + +The young men discussed it earnestly, indeed, but in the same +spirit in which they would have agreed over a disputed question +as to the respective merits of two horses. They laughed, joked, +offered and accepted wagers and took the whole matter with a +lightness of heart which Malchus imitated to the best of his power, +but which he was very far from feeling; and yet he felt that +beneath all this levity his companions were perfectly in earnest +in their plans, but they joked now as they would have joked before +the commencement of a battle in which the odds against them were +overwhelming and great. + +Even Giscon, generally grave and gloomy, was as light hearted as +the rest. The aristocracy of Carthage were, like the aristocracy +of all other countries, from tradition, training, and habit, brave +to excess. Just as centuries later the noblesse of France chatted +gaily on the tumbril on their way to execution, and offered each +other their snuff boxes on the scaffold, so these young aristocrats +of Carthage smiled and jested, though well aware that they were +risking their lives. + +No decision was arrived at, for this could only be decided upon at +a special meeting, at which all the members of the society would +be present. Among those now in council opinions were nearly equally +divided. The one party urged that, did they take steps to prepare +the populace for a rising, a rumour would be sure to meet the ears +of their opponents and they would be on their guard; whereas, if +they scattered quickly after each section had slain two of their +tyrants, the operation might be repeated until all the influential +men of Hanno's faction had been removed. + +In reply to these arguments the other party urged that delays were +always dangerous, that huge rewards would be offered after the +first attempts, that some of the men of the sections might turn +traitors, that Hanno's party would be on their guard in future, +and that the judges would effect wholesale arrests and executions; +whereas, were the populace appealed to in the midst of the excitement +which would be caused by the death of Hanno and his principal +adherents, the people would rise and finish with their tyrants. + +After all who wished to speak on the subject had given their +opinions, they proceeded to details; each gave a statement of the +number of men enrolled in his section, with a few words as to the +disposition of each. Almost without an exception each of these men +was animated with a sense of private wrong. Some had lost near +relatives, executed for some trifling offence by the tribunals, +some had been ruined by the extortion of the tax gatherers. All +were stated to be ready to give their lives for vengeance. + +"These agents of ours, you see, Malchus, are not for the most +part animated by any feeling of pure patriotism, it is their own +wrongs and not the injuries of Carthage which they would avenge. +But we must take them as we find them; one cannot expect any deep +feeling of patriotism on the part of the masses, who, it must be +owned, have no very great reason to feel any lively interest in the +glories of the republic. So that they eat and drink sufficiently, +and can earn their living, it matters not very greatly to them +whether Carthage is great and glorious, or humbled and defeated. +But this will not always be so. When we have succeeded in ridding +Carthage of her tyrants we must next do all we can so to raise the +condition of the common people that they may feel that they too +have a common interest in the fate of our country. I should not, +of course, propose giving to them a vote; to bestow the suffrage +upon the ignorant, who would simply follow the demagogues who would +use them as tools, would be the height of madness. The affairs +of state, the government of the country, the making of the laws, +must be solely in the hands of those fitted for the task -- of +the men who, by education, by birth, by position, by study and by +leisure have prepared their minds for such a charge. But the people +should share in the advantages of a good government; they should +not be taxed more than they could reasonably pay, and any tax +gatherers who should extort a penny beyond the legal amount should +be disgraced and punished. + +"The courts should be open to all, the judges should be impartial +and incorruptible; every man should have his rights and his +privileges, then each man, feeling an interest in the stability +of the state, would be ready to bear arms in its defence, and +Carthage, instead of being dependent entirely upon her tributaries +and mercenaries, would be able to place a great army in the field +by her own unaided exertions. + +"The barbarian tribes would cease to revolt, knowing that success +would be hopeless. And as we should be strong at home we should +be respected abroad, and might view without apprehension the rising +power of Rome. There is plenty of room for both of us. For us, +Africa and Spain; for her all the rest of Europe and as much of +Asia as she cares to take. We could look without jealousy at each +other's greatness, each secure in his own strength and power. Yes, +there may be a grand future before Carthage yet." + +The meeting now broke up. + +"Where are you going, Malchus?" Giscon asked the lad as they went +out into the courtyard; "to see the sacrifices? You know there is +a grand function today to propitiate Moloch and to pray for victory +for our arms." + +"No," Malchus said with a shudder. "I don't think I am a coward, +Giscon, but these terrible rites frighten me. I was taken once by +my father, and I then swore that never again, unless it be absolutely +necessary for me in the performance of public office, will I be +present at such a scene. For weeks afterwards I scarcely slept; +day and night there was before me that terrible brazen image of +Moloch. If I fell off to sleep, I woke bathed in perspiration as +I heard the screams of the infants as they were dropped into those +huge hands, heated to redness, stretched out to receive them. I +cannot believe, Giscon, that the gods are so cruel. + +"Then there was the slaughter of a score of captives taken in war. +I see them now, standing pale and stern, with their eyes directed +to the brazen image which was soon to be sprinkled with their blood, +while the priests in their scarlet robes, with the sacrificial +knives in hand, approached them. I saw no more, for I shut my eyes +till all was over. I tell you again, Giscon, I do not believe the +gods are so cruel. Why should the gods of Phoenicia and Carthage +alone demand blood? Those of Greece and Rome are not so bloodthirsty, +and yet Mars gives as many victories to the Roman arms as Moloch +does to ours." + +"Blaspheme not the gods, Malchus," Giscon said gloomily; "you may +be sure that the wreath of a conquering general will never be +placed around your brow if you honour them not." + +"If honouring them means approval of shedding the blood of infants +and captives, I will renounce all hopes of obtaining victory by +their aid." + +"I would you had spoken so before, Malchus; had I known that you +were a scorner of the gods I would not have asked you to join +in our enterprise. No good fortune can be expected to attend our +efforts unless we have the help of the gods." + +"The matter is easily mended, Giscon," Malchus said calmly. "So +far I have taken no step towards carrying out your plans, and have +but listened to what you said, therefore, no harm can yet have been +done. Strike my name off the list, and forget that I have been +with you. You have my oath that I will say nought of anything that +I have heard. You can well make some excuse to your comrades. Tell +them, for example, that though I fear not for myself, I thought +that, being the son of Hamilcar, I had no right to involve his name +and family in such an enterprise, unless by his orders." + +"Yes, it were better so," Giscon said after a pause; "I dare not +continue the enterprise with one who condemns the gods among us; +it would be to court failure. I did not dream of this; who could +have thought that a lad of your age would have been a spurner of +the gods?" + +"I am neither a condemner nor a spurner," Malchus said indignantly; +"I say only that I believe you worship them wrongfully, that you +do them injustice. I say it is impossible that the gods who rule +the world can have pleasure in the screams of dying infants or +the groans of slaughtered men." + +Giscon placed his hand to his ears as if to shut out such blasphemy, +and hurried away, while Malchus, mounting his horse, rode out +slowly and thoughtfully to his father's villa. He was not at heart +sorry that he was freed from this association into which, without +knowing the measures by which it intended to carry out its aims, +he had rashly entered. He was ready for armed insurrection against +the tyrants of Carthage, but he revolted from the thought of this +plan for a midnight massacre -- it was not by such means that he +would have achieved the regeneration of his country. He felt, too, +that the reason which he had given Giscon was a valid one. He had +no right, at his age, to involve his family in such a conspiracy. +Did it fail, and were he found to be among the conspirators, Hanno +and his associates would be sure to seize the fact as a pretext for +assailing Hamilcar. They would say that Malchus would never have +joined in such a plot had he not known that it had the approval +of his father, and that he was in fact but the representative of +his family in the design for overthrowing the constitution of the +republic. + +Fortunately for Malchus, a few days later orders were given for +the instant embarkation of a portion of the reinforcements destined +for Hannibal. Hamilcar was to proceed in command of them, and, +busied with his preparation for the start, Malchus thought little +more of the conspiracy which was brewing. Thirty large merchant +ships were hired to convey the troops, who numbered six thousand. +These were principally Libyan footmen. The main body, with +the Numidian horse, were to follow shortly. At last the day for +embarkation arrived, and the troops defiled through the temple of +Moloch, where sacrifices were offered up for the success of the +enterprise. + +Malchus, under the pretense that something was not ready, at the last +moment lingered at home, and only joined his comrades, a hundred +young men of the Carthaginian horse, on the quays. This body, all +composed of young men of the best families of Carthage, were to +sail in the same ship which carried Hamilcar. The scene was a busy +one -- the docks of Carthage were extensive, and the ships which +were to convey the expedition lay in deep water by the quays, so +that the troops could march on board. A great crowd of the populace +had assembled to view the embarkation. These were with difficulty +kept from crowding the troops and impeding their movement by a +cordon of soldiers. + +As the troops marched on to the quay they were formed up in parties +by the side of the ships which were to convey them. Very different +was the demeanour of the men of the different nationalities. The +Libyans were stern and silent, they were part of the contingent +which their state was bound to furnish to Carthage, and went +unwillingly, cursing in their hearts the power which tore them from +their homes to fight in a war in which they had neither concern +nor interest. + +Near them were a body of Garamantes, wrapped in the long bernous +which then as now was the garb of the children of the desert. +Tall, swarthy figures these, lissome and agile, with every muscle +standing out clear through the brown skin. Strange as must have +been the scene to them, there was no wonder expressed in the keen +glances which they shot around them from underneath their dark +eyebrows. Silent and taciturn, scarce a word was to be heard among +them as they stood awaiting the orders to embark; they were there +unwillingly, and their hearts were far away in the distant desert, +but none the less would they be willing to fight when the time +came. Terrible foes these would be in a night attack, with their +stealthy tiger-like tread, their gleaming, vengeful eyes, and +their cruel mouths. + +Very different were the band of Ethiopians from the distant Soudan, +with their cloaks of lion skin, and the gaudy feathers fastened +in a fillet round their heads. Their black faces were alive with +merriment and wonder -- everything was new and extraordinary to +them. The sea, the ships, the mighty city, the gathered crowd, +all excited their astonishment, and their white teeth glistened as +they chatted incessantly with a very babel of laughter and noise. + +Not less light hearted were the chosen band of young nobles grouped +by the general's ship. Their horses were held in ranks behind them +for the last time by their slaves, for in future they would have +to attend to them themselves, and as they gathered in groups they +laughed and jested over the last scandal in Carthage, the play +which had been produced the night before at the theatre, or the horse +race which was to be run on the following day. As to the desperate +work on which they were to be engaged -- for it was whispered that +Hannibal had in preparation some mighty enterprise -- it troubled +them not at all, nor the thought that many of them might never +look on Carthage again. In their hearts perhaps some of them, like +Malchus, were thinking sadly of the partings they had just gone +through with those they loved, but no signs of such thoughts were +apparent in their faces or conversation. + +Presently a blast of trumpets sounded, and the babel of voices was +hushed as if by magic. The soldiers fell into military order, and +stood motionless. Then Hamilcar walked along the quays inspecting +carefully each group, asking questions of the captains of the +ships as to their store of provisions and water, receiving from +the officers charged with that duty the lists of the war machines +and stores which were stored away in the hulls; and, having assured +himself that everything was in order, he gave the signal to his +trumpeter, who again blew a long and piercing blast. + +The work of embarkation at once commenced. The infantry were soon +on board, but the operation of shipping the horses of the cavalry +took longer. Half of these were stored away in the hold of the +general's ship, the rest in another vessel. When the troops were +all on board the soldiers who had kept back the crowd were withdrawn, +and the Carthaginians thronged down on to the quay. A small space +was still kept clear on the wharf by whose side the admiral's ship +was lying, and here was gathered a throng of the aristocracy of +the city to see the last of their sons and relatives of the guard. + +Having seen their horses safely stowed below the young men crowded +to the side of the ship to exchange adieus with their friends. +The parting was a brief one, for the wind was fair, and the general +anxious to be well out of the bay before nightfall. Therefore +the signal was hoisted. Numbers of slaves seized the hawsers of +the ships and towed them along through the narrow passage which +connected the docks with the sea. A shout of adieu rose from the +crowd, the sails were hoisted, and the fleet proceeded on its way. + +The arrangements for the comfort of the troops at sea were simple +and primitive. Each man shifted for himself. The whole space below +was occupied by cargo or horses. The troops lived and slept on +deck. Here, on wide flat stones, they cooked their meals, whiled +away the day by games of chance, and slept at night on skins +or thick rugs. Fortunately the weather was fair. It was early in +March, but the nights were not cold. + +The fleet hugged the coast, anchoring at night, until the northern +shores stood out clear and well defined as Spain stretched down +towards Africa. Then they crossed and cruised along until they +arrived at Carthagena. Short as was the time which had elapsed +since the foundation of that city, its aspect was already imposing +and extensive. It lay at the head of a gulf facing south, about a +mile in depth and nearly double that width. Across the mouth of +this bay was an island, with but a narrow passage on each side, +protecting it from the southern winds, and forming with it a +magnificent harbour. + +On a bold hill at the head of the harbour stood the town. This +hill rose from a wide lagoon, which communicated on one side with +the sea, and was on the other separated from it only by a strip +of land, four hundred yards wide. Through this a wide channel had +been dug. Thus the hill, which was of considerable extent, rugged +and precipitous, was isolated, and could only be attacked by sea. + +The town was built in a sort of amphitheatre facing the sea, and +was surrounded by a strong fortification two miles and a half in +circumference, so that even should an assailant cross the lagoon, +which in summer was nearly dry, he would have before him an almost +impregnable defence to carry. Here, in buildings whose magnitude +surprised the newcomers, acquainted as they were with the buildings +of Carthage, were stored the treasures, the baggage, the ammunition +of war, and the provisions of the army. + +It had been the aim of the great Hamilcar, and of Hasdrubal after +him, to render the army of Spain as far as possible independent +of the mother country. They well knew how often the treasury of +Carthage was empty owing to the extravagance and dishonesty of +her rulers, and how impossible it would be to obtain thence the +supplies required for the army. Therefore they established immense +workshops, where arms, munitions of war, machines for sieges, and +everything required for the use of the army were fabricated. + +Vast as were the expenses of these establishments, the revenues of +Iberia were amply sufficient not only to defray all the cost of +occupation, but to transmit large sums to Carthage. These revenues +were derived partly from the tribute paid by conquered tribes, +partly from the spoils taken in captured cities, but most of all +from the mines of gold and silver, which were at that time immensely +rich, and were worked by the labour of slaves taken in war or of +whole tribes subdued. + +Some idea of the richness of these mines may be formed by the +fact that one mine, which Hannibal had inherited from his father, +brought in to him a revenue of nearly a thousand pounds a day; +and this was but one of his various sources of wealth. This was +the reason that Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, and Hannibal were able to +maintain themselves in spite of the intrigues of their enemies in +the capital. Their armies were their own rather than those of the +country. + +It was to them that the soldiers looked for their pay, as well as +for promotion and rewards for valour, and they were able, therefore, +to carry out the plans which their genius suggested untrammelled +by orders from Carthage. They occupied, indeed, a position very +similar to that of Wallenstein, when, with an army raised and +paid from his private means, he defended the cause of the empire +against Gustavus Adolphus and the princes of the Protestant league. +It is true that the Carthaginian generals had always by their side +two commissioners of the senate. The republic of Carthage, like +the first republic of France, was ever jealous of her generals, +and appointed commissioners to accompany them on their campaigns, +to advise and control their movements and to report on their +conduct; and many of the defeats of the Carthaginians were due in +no small degree to their generals being hampered by the interference +of the commissioners. They were present, as a matter of course, +with the army of Hannibal, but his power was so great that their +influence over his proceedings was but nominal. + +The war which was about to break out with Rome is called the second +Punic war, but it should rather be named the war of Hannibal +with Rome. He conceived and carried it out from his own resources, +without interference and almost without any assistance from +Carthage. Throughout the war her ships lay idle in her harbour. +Even in his greatest need Carthage never armed a galley for his +assistance. The pay of the army came solely from his coffers, the +material for the war from the arsenals constructed by his father, +his brother-in-law, and himself. It was a war waged by a single man +against a mighty power, and as such there is, with the exception +of the case of Wallenstein, nothing to resemble it in the history +of the world. + +Passing through the narrow passage into the harbour the fleet sailed +up to the end of the bay, and were soon alongside the spacious +quays which had been erected. A large quantity of shipping already +lay there, for the trade of Carthagena with the mother city and with +the ports of Spain, Africa, and the East already rivaled that of +Carthage. A group of officers were gathered on the quay as Hamilcar's +ship, which was leading the fleet, neared it, and Hamilcar exclaimed, +"There is Hannibal himself!" + +As the ship moored alongside the quay Hannibal came on board and +warmly embraced his cousin, and then bestowed a cordial greeting +upon Malchus. + +"Why, cousin Malchus," he said, "though it is but a year since I +was in Carthage, I should scarce have known you, so much have you +grown. I see you have entered the cavalry. That is well. You cannot +begin too early to accustom yourself to war." + +Then turning, he went among the young men of the guard, to all of +whom he was personally known, greeting them with a cordiality and +kindness which greatly gratified them. Malchus gazed at him with +admiration. Fortunately an accurate description of Hannibal has come +down to us. He was one who, even at first sight, won all hearts +by his lofty and noble expression, by the kindness and sincerity +which his face expressed. The Carthaginians, as a race, were +short, but Hannibal was very tall, and his great width of shoulders +testified to his immense strength. + +The beauty of the Carthaginian race was proverbial, but even among +them he was remarkable. His head was well placed on his shoulders; +his carriage was upright and commanding; his forehead lofty; his eye, +though soft and gentle at ordinary times, was said to be terrible +in time of battle. His head was bare. His hair, of a golden brown, +was worn long, and encircled by a golden band. His nose was long +and straight, forming, with the forehead, a perfect profile. The +expression of the mouth was kind but firm. His beard was short. +The whole contour of the face was noble in the extreme. + +In battle he wore a helmet of bronze closely fitting the head, +behind which projected a curved metal plate covering his neck. +A band of gold surrounded the helmet; in front were five laurel +leaves in steel; at the temples two leaves of the lotus of the +same metal. On the crest, rising from an ornament enriched with +pearls, was a large plume of feathers, sometimes red and sometimes +white. A tuft of white horsehair fell from the plate behind. A +coat of mail, made of a triple tissue of chains of gold, covered +his body. Above this he wore a shirt of the finest white linen, +covered to the waist by a jerkin of leather overlaid with gold +plates. A large mantle of purple embroidered with gold hung from +his shoulders. He wore sandals and leggings of red morocco leather. + +But it was only on special occasions that Hannibal was thus +magnificently clad. On the march he dressed generally in a simple +blouse like that worn by his soldiers. His arms were borne behind +him by an esquire. These consisted of his shield, of Galatian +manufacture. Its material was bronze, its shape circular. In the +centre was a conical, sharply pointed boss. The face of the shield +was ornamented with subjects taken from the history of Carthage +in relief. The offensive arms were a sword, a lance, and a bow with +arrows. But it was not to the splendour of his appearance that +Hannibal owed the enthusiasm by which he was regarded by his +troops. His strength and skill were far superior to those of any +man in his army. His food was as simple as that of his soldiers, +he was capable of going for days without eating, and it was seldom +that he broke his fast until the day's work was over. When he ate +it would be sitting on horseback, or as he walked about seeing to +the needs of the soldiers. + +At night he slept among them, lying on a lion skin without covering. +He was indifferent to heat and cold, and in the heaviest tempest +of wind and rain would ride bareheaded among his troops, apparently +unconscious of the tempest against which he was struggling. So far +as was known he was without a vice. He seldom touched wine. His +morals were irreproachable. He never gave way to anger. His patience +under trials and difficulties of all sorts was illimitable. + +In the midst of the greatest trials and dangers he preserved his +cheerfulness, and had ever an encouraging word for his soldiers. +Various as were the nationalities of the troops who followed +him, constrained as most of them had been to enter the service of +Carthage, so great was their love and admiration for their commander +that they were ready to suffer all hardships, to dare all dangers +for his sake. It was his personal influence, and that alone, +which welded this army, composed of men of various nationalities +and tribes, into one whole, and enabled it to perform the greatest +military exploits in the world's history, and for years to sustain +a terrible struggle against the whole power of Rome. + + + +CHAPTER VI: A CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN + + +Among the young officers who had followed Hannibal on board were +some who had left Carthage only a few months before and were known +to Malchus. From them he learned with delight that the troops +would take the field at once. + +"We are going on a campaign against the Vacaei," one of them said. +"The army marched out two days since. Hannibal has been waiting +here for your arrival, for a fast sailing ship which started a few +hours after you brought the news that you were on your way, and +you will set off to join the rest without delay. It is going to +be a hard campaign." + +"Where is the country of the Vacaei?" Malchus asked. + +"A long way off," the other replied. "The marches will be long +and tiresome. Their country lies somewhat to the northwest of the +great plateau in the centre of Iberia. We shall have to ascend +the mountains on this side, to cross the plateau, to follow the +rivers which flow to the great ocean." + +The Vacaei, in fact, dwelt in the lands bordered by the upper +Duero, their country comprising a portion of old Castille, Leon, +and the Basque provinces. The journey would indeed be a long and +difficult one; and Hannibal was undertaking the expedition not +only to punish the turbulent Vacaei, who had attacked some of the +tribes which had submitted to Carthage, but to accustom the troops +to fatigues and hardships, and to prepare them for the great +expedition which he had in view. No time was indeed lost, for as +soon as the troops were landed they were formed up and at once +started on their march. + +"This is more than we bargained for," Trebon, a young guardsman whose +place in the ranks was next to Malchus, said to him. "I thought +we should have had at least a month here before we set out. They +say the city is as gay as Carthage; and as I have many friends +here I have looked forward to a month of jollity before starting. +Every night when I lay down on the hard planks of the deck I have +consoled myself with the thought that a soft bed awaited me here; +and now we have to take at once to the bare ground, with nothing +but this skin strapped on the pommel of my saddle to sleep on, and +my bernous to cover me. It is colder already a great deal than +it was at Carthage; and if that is so here, what will it be on the +tops of those jagged mountains we see before us? Why, as I live, +that highest one over there is of dazzling white! That must be the +snow we have heard of -- the rain turned solid by cold, and which +they say causes a pain to the naked limbs something like hot iron. +Fancy having to sleep in such stuff!" + +Malchus laughed at the complaints of his comrade. + +"I confess I am glad we are off at once," he said, "for I was +sick of doing nothing but idling away my time at Carthage; and I +suppose it would be just the same here. How busy are the streets +of the town! Except for the sight of the mountains which we see +through the breaks of the houses, one might believe one's self +still at home." + +The aspect of Carthagena, indeed, closely resembled that of the +mother city, and the inhabitants were of the same race and blood. + +Carthagena had in the first place been formed by a great colony of +Libyans. The inhabitants of that province inhabiting the seaports +and coasts near Carthage were a mixture of Phoenician and native +blood. They were ever impatient of the supremacy of Carthage, +and their rebellions were frequent and often dangerous. After +the suppression of these insurrections, Carthage, sensible of the +danger arising from the turbulence of her neighbours, deported +great numbers of them to form colonies. Vast numbers were sent up +into the Soudan, which was then one of the most important possessions +of the republic. The most extensive, however, of these forced +emigrations was the great colony sent to found Carthagena, which +had thus in a very few years, under the fostering genius of the +great Hamilcar, become a great and prosperous city. + +Carthage itself had thus suddenly sprung into existence. After +many internal troubles the democracy of Tyre had gained the upper +hand in that city; and finding their position intolerable, the +whole of the aristocracy decided to emigrate, and, sailing with a +great fleet under their queen Dido or Elisa -- for she was called +by both names -- founded Carthage. This triumph of the democracy +in Tyre, as might be expected, proved the ruin of that city. Very +rapidly she fell from the lofty position she had held, and her place +in the world and her proud position as Queen of the Seas was very +speedily taken by Carthage. + +The original Libyan colony of Carthagena had been very largely +increased by subsequent emigration, and the populace presented +an appearance very similar to that of the mother city, save that +instead of the swarthy desert tribesmen, with their passive face +and air of proud indifference, mingling with the population of the +town, there was in Carthagena a large admixture of native Iberians, +who, belonging to the tribes first subdued by Carthage, had either +been forced to settle here to supply manual labour needed for the +rising city, or who had voluntarily abandoned their wandering life +and adopted the more settled habitudes and more assured comforts +of existence in a great town. + +Skirting the lower part of the city, Hamilcar's force marched along +the isthmus and crossed the bridge over the canal cut through it, +and was soon in the country beyond. The ground rose gradually, and +after marching for six miles the brigade was halted at a spot to +which Hannibal had, when the fleet was first discerned approaching +along the coast, despatched some bullocks and other provisions for +their use. The march was a short one, but after a week's confinement +on board ship the men were little fitted for a long journey. The +bullocks and other rations were served out to the various companies, +and the work of preparing the repast began. Malchus was amused, +although rather disgusted at his first experience in a real campaign. +When with Hamilcar on the expedition against the Atarantes he had +formed part of his father's suite and had lived in luxury. He was +now a simple soldier, and was called upon to assist to cut up the +bullock which had fallen to the share of the Carthaginian cavalry. + +Some of the party went out to cut and bring in wood for the fires +and cooking; others moistened the flour and made dough for the +flat cakes which would be baked in the hot embers and eaten with +the meat. Loud shouts of laughter rose as the young soldiers worked +at their unaccustomed tasks, superintended by the officers, who, +having all made several campaigns, were able to instruct them as +to their duties. From a culinary point of view the meal could not +be pronounced a success, and was, indeed, a contrast to the food +to which the young nobles were accustomed. The march, however, +and the keen bracing air had given them good appetites, and the +novelty and strangeness of the experience gave a zest to the food; +and in spite of the roughness of the meal, all declared that they +had never dined better. Many fires were now lit; and round these, +as the evening closed in, the men gathered in groups, all closely +wrapped in their bernouses, which were worn alike by officers and +men of the whole of the nationalities serving in the Carthaginian +army, serving as a cloak by day and a blanket at night. Presently +a trampling of horses was heard, and Hannibal and his personal +staff rode into the encampment. + +He had not started until several hours after them, when, having +given his last orders and made all final arrangements for the +management of affairs during his absence, he had ridden on to join +the army. Dismounting, he went at once on foot among the troops, +chatting gaily with them and inquiring how they fared. After +visiting all the other detachments he came to the bivouac of the +Carthaginian horse, and for an hour sat talking by their fires. + +"Ah!" he said as he rose to go, "the others will sleep well enough +tonight; but you sybarites, accustomed to your soft couches and +your luxuries, will fare badly. I remember my first night on the +hard ground, although `tis now sixteen years back, how my limbs +ached and how I longed for morning. Now, let me give you a hint +how to make your beds comfortable. Mind, this is not for the future, +but till your limbs get accustomed to the ground you may indulge +in luxuries. Before you try to go off to sleep note exactly where +your hip bones and shoulders will rest; take your daggers and scoop +out the earth at these points so as to make depressions in which +they may lie. Then spread your lion skins above them and lie down. +You will sleep as comfortably as if on a soft couch." + +Many of the young soldiers followed Hannibal's advice; others, among +whom was Malchus, determined to accustom themselves at once to +the hard ground. Malchus was not long in getting to sleep, his last +thought being that the precaution advised by Hannibal to ensure +repose was altogether unnecessary. But he changed his opinion +when, two or three hours later, he woke up with acute pains in his +hip and shoulder. After trying vainly, by changing his position, +again to go off to sleep, he rose, rolled up the skin, and set +to work to make the excavations recommended by the general. Then +spreading out the skin again he lay down, and was astonished to +find how immense was the relief afforded by this simple expedient. + +At daybreak the party were in motion. Their march was a long one; +for Hannibal wished to come up with the main army as soon as +possible, and no less than thirty miles were encompassed before +they halted for the night. They were now far up on the slopes of +the Sierras. The latter part of the journey had been exceedingly +toilsome. The route was mostly bare rock, which sorely tried the +feet of the soldiers, these being in most cases unprotected even +by sandals. Malchus and his mounted companions did not of course +suffer in their feet. But they were almost as glad as the infantry +when the camping place was reached, for nothing is more fatiguing +to a horseman than to be obliged to travel in the saddle for ten +hours at the pace of footmen. The halting place this time was near +the upper edge of the forest which then clothed the lower slopes +of the mountains. + +Enough meat had been killed on the previous evening for three days' +rations for the troops, and there was therefore no loss of time +in preparing the meal. Wood, of course, was in abundance, and the +pots were soon hanging from thick poles placed above the fires. +The night was exceedingly cold, and the soldiers were grateful for +the shelter which the trees afforded from the piercing wind which +blew across the snow covered peaks of the higher range of mountains. + +"What is that noise?" Malchus asked one of the officers as, after +the meal was finished and silence began to reign in the camp, a +deep sound was heard in the forest. + +"That is the howling of a pack of wolves," the officer said. "They +are savage brutes, and when in company will not hesitate to +attack small parties of men. They abound in the mountains, and are +a scourge to the shepherds of the plains, especially in the cold +weather, when they descend and commit terrible damage among the +flocks." + +"I thought I did not know the sound," Malchus said. "The nights +were noisy enough sometimes at the southern edge of the desert. +The packs of jackals, with their sharp yelping cry, abounded; then +there was the deeper note of the hyenas, and the barking cry of +troops of monkeys, and the thundering roar of the lions. They were +unpleasant enough, and at first used to keep one awake; but none +of them were so lugubrious as that mournful howl I hear now. +I suppose sometimes, when there is nothing else to do, we get up +hunting parties?" + +"Yes," the officer replied; "it is the chief amusement of our garrisons +in winter among the wild parts of the country. Of course, near +Carthagena these creatures have been eradicated; but among the +mountains they abound, and the carcass of a dead horse is sure +to attract plenty of them. It is a sport not without danger; and +there are many instances where parties of five or six have gone +out, taking with them a carcass to attract the wolves, and have +never returned; and a search has resulted in the discovery of their +weapons, injured and perhaps broken, of stains of blood and signs +of a desperate struggle, but of them not so much as a bone has +remained behind." + +"I thought lion hunting was an exciting sport but the lions, although +they may move and hunt in companies, do not fight in packs, as +these fierce brutes seem to do. I hope some day to try it. I should +like to send back two of their heads to hang on the wall by the +side of that of the lion I killed up in the desert." + +"Next winter you may do so," the officer said. "The season is nearly +over now, and you may be sure that Hannibal will give us enough +to do without our thinking of hunting wolves. The Vacaei are fierce +enough. Perhaps two of their heads would do instead of those of +wolves." + +"I do not think my mother and sisters would approve of that," +Malchus laughed; "so I must wait for the winter." + +The night did not pass so quietly as that which had preceded it. +The distant howling of the wolves, as they hunted in the forest, +kept the horses in a tremor of terror and excitement, and their +riders were obliged over and over again to rise and go among them, +and by speaking to and patting them, to allay their fear. So long +as their masters were near them the well trained horses were quiet +and tractable, and would at a whispered order lie down and remain +in perfect quiet; but no sooner had they left them and again settled +to sleep than, at the first howl which told that the pack were at +all approaching, the horses would lift their heads, prick their +ears in the direction of the sound, and rise to their feet and stand +trembling, with extended nostrils snuffing the unknown danger, +pawing the ground, and occasionally making desperate efforts to +break loose from their picket ropes. + +The work of soothing had then to be repeated, until at last most +of the riders brought their lions' skins and lay down by the +prostrate horses, with their heads upon their necks. The animals, +trained thus to sleep with their riders by their side, and reassured +by the presence of their masters, were for the most part content +to lie quiet, although the packs of wolves, attracted by the scent +of the meat that had been cooked, approached close to the camp +and kept up a dismal chorus round it until morning. + +Day by day the march was continued. The country was wild and rugged, +foaming torrents had to be crossed, precipices surmounted, barren +tracts traversed. But after a week's hard marching the column +had overcome the greater part of the difficulty, had crossed the +Sierras and gained the plateau, which with a gradual fall slopes +west down to the Atlantic, and was for the most part covered with +a dense growth of forests. They now to their satisfaction overtook +the main body of the army, and their marches would be somewhat less +severe, for hitherto they had each day traversed extra distances +to make up for the two days' loss in starting. Here Malchus for +the first time saw the bands of Gaulish mercenaries. + +The Spanish troops had excited the admiration and astonishment of +the Carthaginians by their stature and strength; but the Gauls +were a still more powerful race. They belonged to the tribes which +had poured down over the Apennines, and occupied the northern +portion of Spain long anterior to the arrival of the Carthaginians. +Their countenances were rugged, and as it seemed to Malchus, savage. +Their colour was much lighter than that of any people he had yet +seen. Their eyes were blue, their hair, naturally fair or brown, +was dyed with some preparation which gave it a red colour. + +Some wore their long locks floating over their shoulders, others +tied it in a knot on the top of their heads. They wore a loose +short trouser fastened at the knee, resembling the baggy trousers +of the modern Turks. A shirt with open sleeves came halfway down +their thighs, and over it was a blouse or loose tunic decorated +with ornaments of every description, and fastened at the neck by +a metal brooch. Their helmets were of copper, for the most part +ornamented with the horns of stags or bulls. On the crest of the +helmet was generally the figure of a bird or wild beast. The whole +was surmounted by immense tufts of feathers, something like those +of our Highland bonnets, adding greatly to the height and apparent +stature of the wearers. + +The Gauls had a passion for ornaments, and adorned their persons +with a profusion of necklaces, bracelets, rings, baldricks, and +belts of gold. Their national arms were long heavy pikes -- these +had no metal heads, but the points were hardened by fire; javelins +of the same description -- these before going into battle they set +fire to, and hurled blazing at the enemy -- lighter darts called +mat ras saunions, pikes with curved heads, resembling the halberds +of later times; and straight swords. Hannibal, however, finding the +inconvenience of this diversity of weapons, had armed his Gaulish +troops only with their long straight swords. These were without +point, and made for cutting only, and were in the hands of these +powerful tribesmen terrible weapons. These swords were not those +they had been accustomed to carry, which were made of copper only, +and often bent at the first blow, but were especially made for them +in Carthage of heavy steel, proof against all accident. + +The march was conducted with all military precautions, although they +were still traversing a country which had been already subdued. +Nevertheless they moved as if expecting an instant attack. The +light horse scoured the country. The lithe and active soldiers +furnished by the desert tribes formed the advanced guard of the +army, and marched also on its flanks, while the heavy armed soldiery +marched in solid column ready for battle. Behind them came the +long train of baggage protected by a strong rear guard. + +At last they reached a fertile country, and were now in the land +of the Vacaei and their allies. Arbocala, now called Tordesillas, +was captured without much difficulty. The siege was then laid +to Salamanca, the chief town of the enemy. In the actual siege +operations the Carthaginian horse took no part. The place resisted +vigourously, but the machines of Hannibal effected a breach in the +walls, and the inhabitants, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, offered to capitulate, stipulating that they should +be allowed to depart unharmed, leaving behind them all their arms +and their treasure. + +The Carthaginian army were drawn up in readiness to march into the +town as the Vacaei came out. As they filed past the Carthaginians +they were inspected to see that they had carried out the terms of +the agreement. It was found that they had done so rigidly -- not +an arm of any kind was found upon them. Their necklaces, bracelets, +and ornaments had all been left behind. + +"What a savage looking race!" Malchus remarked to Trebon; "they +look at us as if they would gladly spring on us, unarmed as they +are, and tear us with their hands. They are well nigh as dark +skinned as the Numidians." + +"Here come their women!" Trebon said; "verily I would as soon fight +the men as these creatures. Look how they glare at us! You see +they have all had to give up their ornaments, so they have each +their private grievance as well as their national one." + +When the whole of the population had filed out, the Carthaginian +army entered the town, with the exception of a body of light horse +who were ordered to remain without and keep an eye on the doings +of the late garrison. Malchus was amused at the scene within. The +members of the Carthaginian horse disdained to join in the work +of plunder, and were, therefore, free to watch with amusement their +comrades at work. The amount of booty was large, for the number +of gold ornaments found in every house, deposited there by the +inhabitants on departing, was very great; but not satisfied with +this the soldiers dug up the floors in search of buried treasure, +searched the walls for secret hiding places, and rummaged the houses +from top to bottom. Besides the rich booty, the soldiers burdened +themselves with a great variety of articles which it would be +impossible for them to carry away. + +Men were seen staggering under the weight of four or five heavy +skins. Some had stuck feathers in their helmets until their heads +were scarce visible. Some had great bundles of female garments, +which they had collected with a vague idea of carrying them home +to their families. The arms had in the first place been collected +and placed under a strong guard, and picked troops were placed as +sentries over the public treasury, whose contents were allotted +to the general needs of the army. + +Night fell soon after the sack commenced. Malchus with a number of +his comrades took possession of one of the largest houses in the +place, and, having cleared it of the rubbish with which it was strewn, +prepared to pass the night there. Suddenly a terrible uproar was +heard -- shouts, cries, the clashing of arms, the yells of the +enemy, filled the air. The cavalry charged to watch the Vacaei, +believing that these had departed quietly, had abandoned their +post, and had entered the town to join in the work of plunder. + +As the garrison had marched out the men had been rigidly searched; +but the women had been allowed to pass out without any close +inspection. This carelessness cost the Carthaginians dear, for +under their garments they had hidden the swords and daggers of +the men. Relying upon the disorder which would reign in the city, +the Vacaei had returned, and now poured in through the gates, +slaying all whom they met. + +For a short time a terrible panic reigned among the Carthaginians, +great numbers were cut down, and it seemed as if the whole force +would be destroyed. Hannibal and his generals rode about trying to +get the scattered men to form and oppose the enemy; but the panic +was too general, and had it not been for the Carthaginian legion +all would have been lost. The horse and foot, however, of this +body, having abstained from joining in the pillage, had, for the +most part, kept together in bodies, and these now sallied out in +close and regular order, and fell upon the attacking enemy. + +The streets were too narrow for cavalry to act, and Malchus and +his comrades fought on foot. The enemy, who had scattered on their +work of slaughter, were in their turn taken at a disadvantage, and +were unable to withstand the steady attack of the solid bodies. +These, in the first place, cut their way to the square in the +centre of the town, and there united. Hannibal, seeing he had now +a solid body of troops under his command, at once broke them up +into parties and advanced down all the streets leading from the +central square. The hand-to-hand fight which was going on all over +the town was soon terminated. The Carthaginians fell in in good +order behind the ranks of their comrades, and the small bodies soon +became columns which swept the enemy before them. + +The enemy fought desperately, firing the houses, hurling stones from +the roofs upon the columns, and throwing themselves with reckless +bravery upon the spears, but their efforts were in vain. Foot by +foot they were driven back, until they were again expelled from the +town. Keeping together, and ever showing front to the Carthaginians, +the Vacaei, now reduced to less than half their number, retired to +an eminence near the town, and there prepared to sell their lives +dearly. The Carthaginians now fell into their regular ranks, and +prepared to storm the enemy's position; but Hannibal rode forward +alone towards the Vacaei, being plainly visible to them in the +broad blaze of light from the burning city. + +From his long residence in Spain he was able to speak the Iberian +tongue with fluency, and indeed could converse with all the troops +of the various nationalities under the banner of Carthage in their +own language. + +"Men of Salamanca," he said, "resist no longer. Carthage knows how +to honour a brave enemy, and never did men fight more valiantly +in defence of their homes than you have done, and although further +resistance would be hopeless, I will press you no further. Your +lives are spared. You may retain the arms you know so well how to +wield, and tomorrow my army will evacuate your town and leave you +free to return to it." + +Hannibal's clemency was politic. He would have lost many more men +before he finally overcame the desperate band, and he was by no +means desirous of exciting a deep feeling of hate among any of the +tribes, just as he was meditating withdrawing the greater portion +of the army for his enterprise against Rome. With the fall of +Salamanca the resistance of the Vacaei ceased, and Hannibal prepared +to march back to Carthagena. + +A storm, however, had gathered in his rear. Great numbers of the +Vacaei had sought refuge among the Olcades, who had been subdued +the previous autumn, and together they had included the whole of +the fierce tribes known as the Carpatans, who inhabited the country +on the right bank of the upper Tagus, to make common cause with +them against the invaders. As Hannibal approached their neighbourhood +they took up their position on the right bank of the river near +Toledo. Here the stream is rapid and difficult of passage, its bed +being thickly studded with great boulders brought down in time of +flood from the mountains. The country on each side of the river +is sandy, free from forests or valleys, which would cover the +movements of an army. + +The host gathered to oppose the Carthaginians were fully one hundred +thousand strong, and Hannibal saw at once that his force, weakened +as it was with its loss at Salamanca, and encumbered by the great +train laden with the booty they had gathered from the Vacaei, +would have no chance whatever in a battle with so vast a body. +The enemy separated as he approached the river, their object being +evidently to fall upon his rear when engaged in the difficult operation +of crossing. The Carthaginians moved in two heavy columns, one on +each side of their baggage, and Hannibal's orders were stringent +that on no account should they engage with the enemy. + +The natives swarmed around the columns, hurling darts and javelins; +but the Carthaginians moved forward in solid order, replying +only with their arrows and slings, and contenting themselves with +beating off the attacks which the bolder of their foes made upon +them. Night was falling when they arrived on the bank of the river. +The enemy then desisted from their attack, believing that in the +morning the Carthaginians would be at their mercy, encumbered by +their vast booty on one side and cut off from retreat by a well +nigh impassable river on the other. + +As soon as the army reached the river Hannibal caused the tents of +all the officers to be erected. The baggage wagons were arranged +in order, and the cattle unharnessed. The troops began to throw up +intrenchments, and all seemed to show that the Carthaginians were +determined to fight till the last on the ground they held. It was +still light enough for the enemy to perceive what was being done, +and, secure of their prey in the morning, they drew off to a short +distance for the night. Hannibal had learned from a native that +morning of a ford across the river, and it was towards this that +he had been marching. As soon as it was perfectly dark a number +of men entered the river to search for the ford. This was soon +discovered. + +Then the orders were passed noiselessly round to the soldiers, and +these, in regular order and in the most perfect quiet, rose to +their feet and marched down to the ford. A portion of the infantry +first passed, then the wagons were taken over, the rest of the +infantry followed, and the cavalry and the elephants brought up +the rear. The point where the river was fordable was at a sharp +angle, and Hannibal now occupied its outer side. As daylight +approached he placed his archers on the banks of the river where, +owing to the sharp bend, their arrows would take in flank an enemy +crossing the ford, and would also sweep its approaches. + +The cavalry were withdrawn some distance, and were ordered not to +charge until the Spaniards had got across the river. The elephants, +forty in number, were divided into two bodies. One of these was +allotted to protect each of the bodies of infantry on the bank +from attack, should the Spaniards gain a strong footing on the +left bank. When day broke the enemy perceived that the Carthaginians +had made the passage of the river. Believing that they had been +too much alarmed to risk a battle, and were retreating hastily, the +natives thronged down in a multitude to the river without waiting +for their leaders or for orders to be given, and rushing forward, +each for himself, leaped into the river. + +Numbers were at once swept away by the stream, but the crowd who had +struck upon the ford pressed forward. When they were in midstream +in a tumultuous mass Hannibal launched his cavalry upon them, and +a desperate conflict ensued in the river. The combat was too unequal +to last long. The Spaniards, waist deep in the rapid stream, had +difficulty in retaining their feet, they were ignorant of the width +or precise direction of the ford, and were hampered by their own +masses; the cavalry, on the other hand, were free to use their +weapons, and the weight and impetus of their charge was alone +sufficient to sweep the Spanish from their footing into deep water. + +Many were drowned, many more cut down, and the rest driven in +disorder back across the river. But fresh hordes had now arrived; +Hannibal sounded the retreat, and the cavalry retired as the +Spaniards again threw themselves into the stream. As the confused +mass poured across the ford the two divisions of infantry fell upon +them, while the arrows of the archers swept the struggling mass. +Without order or discipline, bewildered at this attack by a foe +whom they had regarded as flying, the Spaniards were driven back +across the river, the Carthaginians crossing in their rear. + +The flying Iberians scattered terror among their comrades still +flocking down to the bank, and as the Carthaginian infantry +in solid column fell upon them, a panic seized the whole host and +they scattered over the plain. The Carthaginian cavalry followed +close behind the infantry, and at once dashed forward among the +broken masses, until the Spanish army, lately so confident of +victory, was but a broken mass of panic stricken fugitives. + +The victory of Toledo was followed at once by the submission of +the whole of the tribes of Spain south of the Ebro, and Hannibal, +having seen that the country was everywhere pacified, marched back +with his army to Carthagena to pass the winter there (220-219 +B.C.). + + + +CHAPTER VII: A WOLF HUNT + + +The summer's work had been a hard one and the young soldiers of the +Carthaginian cavalry rejoiced when they marched into Carthagena +again, with the prospect of four months' rest and gaiety. When in +the field their discipline was as strict and their work as hard as +that of the other corps, but, whereas, when they went into winter +quarters, the rest of the army were placed under tents or huts, +this corps d'elite were for the time their own masters. + +Two or three times a week they drilled and exercised their horses, +but with these exceptions they were free to do as they chose. +Scarce one but had relations or friends in Carthagena with whom +they took up their abode, and those who were not so fortunate found +a home at the great military club, of which, ranking as they did +with the officers of other corps, they were all members. + +Hamilcar and Malchus had rooms assigned to them in the splendid +mansion of Hannibal, which was the centre of the life and gaiety +of the place, for Hannibal had, before starting on his campaign in +the spring, married Imilce, the daughter of Castalius, a Spaniard +of noble blood, and his household was kept up with a lavish +magnificence, worthy alike of his position as virtual monarch of +Spain and of his vast private wealth. Fetes were given constantly +for the amusement of the people. At these there were prizes for +horse and foot racing, and the Numidian cavalry astonished the +populace by the manner in which they maneuvered their steeds; +bowmen and slingers entered the lists for prizes of value given by +the general; and the elephants exhibited proof of their docility +and training. + +In the bay there were races between the galleys and triremes, and +emulation was encouraged among the troops by large money prizes +to the companies who maneuvered with the greatest precision and +activity. For the nobles there were banquets and entertainments +of music. The rising greatness of Carthagena had attracted to her +musicians and artists from all parts of the Mediterranean. Snake +charmers from the far Soudan and jugglers from the distant East +exhibited their skill. Poets recited their verses, and bards sung +their lays before the wealth and beauty of Carthagena. Hannibal, +anxious at once to please his young wife and to increase his +popularity, spared no pains or expense in these entertainments. + +Gay as they were Malchus longed for a more stirring life, and with +five or six of his comrades obtained leave of absence for a month, +to go on a hunting expedition in the mountains. He had heard, when +upon the campaign, the issue of the plot in which he had been so +nearly engaged. It had failed. On the very eve of execution one +of the subordinates had turned traitor, and Giscon and the whole +of those engaged in it had been arrested and put to a cruel death. + +Malchus himself had been denounced, as his name was found upon the +list of the conspirators, and an order had been sent to Hannibal +that he should be carried back a prisoner to Carthage. Hannibal had +called the lad before him, and had inquired of him the circumstances +of the case. Malchus explained that he had been to their meeting +but once, being taken there by Giscon, and being in entire ignorance +of the objects of the plot, and that he had refused when he +discovered them to proceed in the matter. Hannibal and Hamilcar +blamed him severely for allowing himself at his age to be mixed up +in any way in public affairs; but they so represented the matter +to the two Carthaginian commissioners with the army, that these +had written home to say, that having inquired into the affair they +found that beyond a boyish imprudence in accompanying Giscon to +the place where the conspirators met, Malchus was not to blame in +the matter. + +The narrow escape that he had had was a lesson which was not lost +upon Malchus. Hamilcar lectured him sternly, and pointed out to him +that the affairs of nations were not to be settled by the efforts +of a handful of enthusiasts, but that grievances, however great, +could only be righted when the people at large were determined +that a change should be made. + +"There would be neither order nor stability in affairs, Malchus, if +parties of desperate men of one party or another were ever striving +for change, for revolution would be met by counter revolution. +The affairs of nations march slowly; sudden changes are ever to +be deprecated. If every clique of men who chance to be supported +by a temporary wave of public opinion, were to introduce organic +changes, there would be no stability in affairs. Capital would be +alarmed; the rich and powerful, seeing their possessions threatened +and their privileges attacked by the action of the demagogues of +the hour, would do as did our forefathers of Tyre, when the whole +of the aristocracy emigrated in a body to Carthage, and Tyre received +a blow from which she has never recovered." + +For some time after this event Malchus had felt that he was in +disgrace, but his steadiness and good conduct in the campaign, and +the excellent reports which his officers gave of him, had restored +him to favour; and indeed his father and Hannibal both felt that +a lad might well be led away by an earnest enthusiast like Giscon. + +The hunting party took with them a hundred Iberian soldiers used +to the mountains, together with six peasants acquainted with the +country and accustomed to the chase. They took several carts laden +with tents, wine, and provisions. Four days' journey from Carthagena +took the party into the heart of the mountains, and here, in +a sheltered valley through which ran a stream, they formed their +camp. + +They had good sport. Sometimes with dogs they tracked the bears to +their lair, sometimes the soldiers made a wide sweep in the hills, +and, having inclosed a considerable tract of forest, moved forward, +shouting and clashing their arms until they drove the animals +inclosed down through a valley in which Malchus and his companions +had taken post. + +Very various was the game which then fell before their arrows +and javelins. Sometimes a herd of deer would dart past, then two +bears with their family would come along growling fiercely as they +went, and looking back angrily at the disturbers of their peace. +Sometimes a pack of wolves, with their red tongues hanging out, +and fierce, snarling barks, would hurry along, or a wild boar would +trot leisurely past, until he reached the spot where the hunters +were posted. The wolves and deer fell harmlessly before the javelins +of the Carthaginians, but the bears and wild boars frequently +showed themselves formidable opponents, and there were several +desperate fights before these yielded to the spears and swords of +the hunters. + +Sometimes portions of the animals they had killed were hung up at +night from the bough of a tree at a distance from the camp, to +attract the bears, and one or two of the party, taking their post +in neighbouring trees, would watch all night for the coming of the +beasts. The snow was now lying thick on the tops of the mountains, +and the wolves were plentiful among the forests. + +One day Malchus and two of his companions had followed a wounded +deer far up among the hills, and were some miles away from the +camp when the darkness began to set in. + +"I think we had better give it up," Malchus said; "we shall find +it difficult as it is to find our way back; I had no idea that it +was so late." + +His companions at once agreed, and they turned their faces towards +the camp. In another half hour it was perfectly dark under the +shadow of the trees, but the moon was shining, and its position +afforded them a means of judging as to the direction where the +camp lay. But even with such assistance it was no easy matter +making their way. The country was rough and broken; ravines had to +be crossed, and hills ascended. After pushing on for two hours, +Halcon, the eldest of the party, said: + +"I am by no means sure that we are going right after all. We have +had a long day's work now, and I do not believe we shall find +the camp tonight. I think we had better light a fire here and wrap +ourselves in our cloaks. The fire will scare wild beasts away, +and we shall be easily able to find the camp in the morning." + +The proposal was at once accepted; sticks were collected, and, +with flint and steel and the aid of some dried fungus which they +carried in their pouches, a fire was soon lit, and some choice +portions of a deer which they had killed early in the day were +soon broiling on sticks over it. + +"We must keep watch by turns," Halcon said; "it will not do to let +the fire burn low, for likely enough we may be visited by bears +before morning." + +After eating their meal and chatting for some time, Halcon and +his companions lay down to rest, Malchus volunteering to keep the +first watch. For some time he sat quietly, occasionally throwing logs +on the fire from the store which they had collected in readiness. +Presently his attitude changed, he listened intently and rose to +his feet. Several times he had heard the howls of wolves wandering +in the woods, but he now made out a long, deep, continuous howling; +he listened for a minute or two and then aroused his companions. + +"There is a large pack of wolves approaching," he said, "and by the +direction of the sound I judge they are hunting on the traces of +our footsteps. That is the line by which we came down from yonder +brow, and it seems to me that they are ascending the opposite +slope." + +"Yes, and by the sound there must be a very large pack of them," +Halcon agreed; "pile up the fire and set yourselves to gather +more wood as quickly as possible; these beasts in large packs are +formidable foes." + +The three men set to work, vigourously cutting down brushwood and +lopping off small boughs of trees with their swords. + +"Divide the fire in four," Halcon said, "and pile the fuel in the +centre; they will hardly dare to pass between the fires." + +The pack was now descending the slope, keeping up a chorus of howls +and short yelps which sent a shiver of uneasiness through Malchus. +As the wolves approached the spot the howling suddenly ceased. + +"They see us," Halcon said; "keep a sharp lookout for them, but do +not throw away a shot, we shall need all our arrows before daylight." + +Standing perfectly quiet, the friends could hear the pattering sound +made by the wolves' feet upon the fallen leaves; but the moon had +sunk now, and they were unable to make out their figures. + +"It seems to me," Malchus said in a whisper, "that I can see specks +of fire gleaming on the bushes." + +"It is the reflection of the fire in their eyes," Halcon replied. +"See! they are all round us! There must be scores of them." + +For some time the wolves approached no closer; then, encouraged +by the silence of the little group standing in the centre of the +fire, two or three gray forms showed themselves in the circle of +light. Three bows twanged. Two of the wolves fell, and the third, +with a howl of pain, fled in the darkness. There was a sound of +snarling and growling; a cry of pain, a fierce struggle, and then +a long continued snarling. + +"What are they doing?" Malchus asked with a shudder. + +"I believe they are eating their wounded comrade," Halcon replied. +"I have heard such is the custom of the savage brutes. See, the +carcasses of the other two have disappeared already." + +Short as had been the time which had elapsed since they had fallen, +other wolves had stolen out, and had dragged away the bodies +of the two which had been killed. This incident, which showed how +extreme was the hunger of the wolves, and how noiseless were their +motions, redoubled the vigilance of the party. + +Malchus threw a handful of brushwood on to each of the fires. + +"We must be careful of the fuel," Halcon said. "I would we had +thought of this before we lay down to sleep. If we had collected +fuel enough for our fires we should have been safe; but I doubt +much if our supply will last now till morning." + +As the hours went on the attitude of the wolves became more and +more threatening, and in strong bodies they advanced close up to +the fires. Every time that they did so armfuls of fuel were thrown +on, and as the flames leaped up brightly they each time fell back, +losing several of their numbers from the arrows of the little +party. But the pile of fuel was now sinking fast, and except when +the wolves advanced it was necessary to let the fires burn down. + +"It must want four hours yet of daylight," Halcon said, as he threw +on the last piece of wood. "Look round as the fire blazes up and +see if you can make out any tree which may be climbed. I would that +we had taken to them at first instead of trusting to our fires." + +Unfortunately they had chosen a somewhat open space of ground for +their encampment, for the brushwood grew thick among the trees. + +"There is a tree over there," Malchus said, pointing to it, "with +a bough but six feet from the ground. One spring on to that and +we are safe." + +"Very well," Halcon assented; "we will attempt it at once before +the fire burns low. Put your swords into your sheaths, sling your +bows and arrows behind you, and take each a burning brand. These +will be better weapons in such a case than swords or spears. Now, +are you ready? Now!" + +Waving the burning brands over their heads, the three Carthaginians +dashed across the intervening space towards the tree. + +It seemed as if the wolves were conscious that their prey were +attempting to escape them; for, with a fierce howl, they sprang +from the bushes and rushed to meet them; and, undeterred by the +blazing brands, sprang upon them. + +Malchus scarce knew what passed in the short, fierce struggle. One +wolf sprang upon his shield and nearly brought him to the ground; +but the sharp boss pierced its body, and he flung it from him, +at the same moment that he dashed the brand full in the face of +another. A third sprang upon his shoulder, and he felt its hot +breath in his face. Dropping his brand, he drove his dagger deep +into its side. Then he hurled his heavy shield among the mass of +wolves before him, took a bound into their midst, and grasping the +bough, swung himself into the tree and sat there with his legs drawn +up as a score of wolves leaped up towards him with open mouths. + +He gave a cry of horror. His two friends were down, and a confused +mass of struggling bodies alone showed where they had fallen. For +an instant he hesitated, debating whether he should leap down and +strive to rescue them; but a glance below showed him that he would +be pulled down long before he could reach the spot where they had +fallen. + +Shifting himself along the arm until he reached the trunk, he rose +to his feet and sent his arrows vengefully into the midst of the +struggling mass of wolves until he had but three or four shafts +left. These he reserved as a last resource. + +There was nothing to do now, and he sat down on the branch, and +burst into tears over the fate of his comrades. When he looked +up again all was quiet. The fierce pack had devoured not only his +comrades, but their own fallen companions, and now sat in a circle +with their red tongues hanging out and their eyes fixed upon him. +As the fire gradually died out their form disappeared; but he could +hear their quick breathing, and knew that they were still on the +watch. + +Malchus climbed the tree until he reached a fork where he could sit +at ease, and there waited for morning, when he hoped that his foes +would disappear. But as the gray light dawned he saw them still +on the watch; nor, as the dawn brightened into day, did they show +any signs of moving. + +When he saw they had no intention of leaving the place, Malchus +began to consider seriously what he had best do. He might still +be, for aught he knew, miles away from the camp, and his friends +there would have no means of knowing the position in which he was +placed. They would no doubt send out all the soldiers in search +of the party; but in that broken wilderness of forest and mountain, +it was the merest chance whether they would find the spot where +he was prisoner. Still, it appeared to him that this was the only +possibility of his rescue. The trees grew thickly together, and +he could easily have climbed from that in which he was stationed +to the next, and might so have made his way for some distance; but +as the wolves were watching him, and could see as well by night +as by day, there was no advantage in shifting his position. + +The day passed slowly. The wolves had for the most part withdrawn +from beneath the tree, but a few kept their station there steadily, +and Malchus knew that the rest were only lying beneath the bushes +round; for he could hear their frequent snarling, and sometimes a +gray head was thrust out, and a pair of eager eyes looked hungrily +towards him. From time to time Malchus listened breathlessly in +hopes of hearing the distant shouts of his comrades; but all was +still in the forest, and he felt sure that the wolves would hear +anyone approaching before he should. + +Once or twice, indeed, he fancied that by their pricked ears and +attitude of attention they could hear sounds inaudible to him; but +the alarm, if such it was, soon passed away, and it might have been +that they were listening only to the distant footsteps of some +stag passing through the forest. Night came again with its long, +dreary hours. Malchus strapped himself by his belt to the tree to +prevent himself from falling and managed to obtain a few hours of +uneasy sleep, waking up each time with a start, in a cold perspiration +of fear, believing that he was falling into the hungry jaws below. +In the morning a fierce desire to kill some of his foes seized +him, and he descended to the lowest branch. + +The wolves, seeing their prey so close at hand, thronged thickly +under it, and strove to leap up at him. Lying down on the bough, +and twisting his legs firmly under it to give him a purchase, +Malchus thrust his sword nearly to the hilt between the jaws, +which snapped fiercely as a wolf sprang to within a few inches of +the bough. Several were killed in this way, and the rest, rendered +cautious, withdrew to a short distance. Suddenly an idea struck +Malchus. He took off his belt and formed it into a running noose, +and then waited until the wolves should summon up courage to attack +again. It was not long. Furious with hunger, which the prey they +had already devoured was only sufficient to whet, the wolves again +approached and began to spring towards the bough. + +Malchus dropped the noose over one of their necks, and with an +effort, hauled it to the bough, and despatched it with his dagger. +Then he moved along the bough and hung it on a branch some ten +feet from the ground, slashing open with his dagger its chest and +stomach. Having done this he returned to his place. Six wolves +were one after the other so hauled up and despatched, and as Malchus +expected, the smell of their blood rendered the pack more savage +than ever. They assembled round the foot of the tree, and continued +to spring at the trunk, making vain endeavours to get at the supply +of food which hung tantalizingly at so short a distance beyond +their reach. + +So the day passed as before without signs of rescue. When it +became dark Malchus again descended to the lowest trunk, and fired +his three remaining arrows among the wolves below him. Loud howls +followed each discharge, followed by a desperate struggle below. +Then he tumbled from their position the six dead wolves to the +ground below, and then as noiselessly as possible made his way along +a bough into an adjoining tree, and so into another, till he had +attained some distance from the spot where the wolves were fighting +and growling over the remains of their companions, far too absorbed +in their work for any thought of him. + +Then he dropped noiselessly to the ground and fled at the top of +his speed. It would be, he was sure, some time before the wolves +had completed their feast; and even should they discover that he +was missing from the tree, it would probably be some time before +they could hit upon his scent, especially, as, having just feasted +on blood, their sense of smell would for a time be dulled. His +previsions were accurate. Several times he stopped and listened +in dread lest he should hear the distant howl, which would tell +him that the pack was again on his scent. All was quiet, save for +the usual cries and noises in the forest. In two hours he saw a +distant glow of light, and was soon in the encampment of his friends. + +"Why, Malchus!" his comrades exclaimed as he entered the tent, +"where have you been these two days? Why, you are splashed with +blood. Where are Halcon and Chalcus?" + +"Dead," Malchus said -- "devoured by wolves." + +A cry of horror broke from the three young guardsmen. + +"`Tis too true," Malchus went on; "but give me food and wine. +I have neither eaten nor drunk for the last two days, and I have +gone through a terrible time. Even now I seem to see all round +me countless cruel eyes, and hungry open mouths with their red +tongues." + +Seeing that Malchus was utterly worn and exhausted his companions +hastened to place food and drink before him before asking any +further questions. + +Malchus drank a cup of wine and took a mouthful of bread; but he was +too faint and exhausted at present to eat more. He had supported +well the terrible strain for the last forty-eight hours, and as +he had run through the forest he had not noticed how it had told +upon him; but now that he was safe among his friends he felt as +weak as a child. For a time he lay upon the lion skin on which he +had thrown himself upon entering the tent, unable to reply to his +comrades' questions. Then, as the cordial began to take effect, +he roused himself and forced himself to eat more. After that he +told his friends what had happened. + +"You have indeed had an escape, Malchus; but how was it you did +not take to the trees at once?" + +"I did not think of it," Malchus said, "nor, I suppose, did +the others. Halcon was our leader, and we did as he told us. He +thought the fires would keep them off. Who could have thought the +beasts would have ventured to attack us!" + +"I have always heard they were terrible," one of the others said; +"but I should have thought that three armed men would have been +a match for any number of them." + +"It would have been as much as thirty could have done to withstand +them," Malchus replied; "they did not seem to care for their lives, +but sought only to slay. There were hundreds and hundreds of them. +I would rather march alone to the assault of a walled city than +face those terrible beasts." + +In the morning the whole party started for the scene of the encounter. + +Malchus had some difficulty in discovering it; but at last, after +searching a long time he came upon it. + +The ground beneath the tree was everywhere trampled and torn by the +wolves in their struggles, and was spotted with patches of dry +blood. The helmets, shields and arms of Halcon and Chalcus lay there, +but not a remnant of their bones remained, and a few fragments of +skin and some closely gnawed skulls alone testified to the wolves +which had fallen in the encounter. The arms were gathered up, and +the party returned to their camp, and the next day started for +Carthagena for, after that experience, none cared for any further +hunting. + +It was some weeks before Malchus completely recovered from the +effects of the strain he had undergone. His nights were disturbed +and restless. He would constantly start from his couch, thinking +that he heard the howl of the wolves, and any sudden noise made +him start and turn pale. Seeing how shaken his young kinsmen was, +and what he had passed through, Hannibal sent him several times +in ships which were going across to Africa for stores. He did not +venture to send him to Carthage; for although his influence with +the commissioners had been sufficient to annul the order of the +council for the sending of Malchus as a prisoner there, it was +probable that were he to return he would be seized and put to death +-- not for the supposed crime he had committed, but to gratify +the hatred of Hanno against himself and his adherents. + +The sea voyages soon restored Malchus to his accustomed health. +Trained and disciplined as his body had been by constant exercise, +his nerves were not easily shaken, and soon recovered their tone, +and when, early in March, he rejoined his regiment, he was able +to enter with zest and energy into the preparations which Hannibal +was making for the siege of Saguntum. Difficult as this operation +would be, the preparations which were being made appeared enormous. +Every week ships brought over reinforcements of troops, and the +Iberian contingents were largely increased. + +One day Malchus entered an apartment where his father and Hannibal +were talking earnestly together with a large map spread out before +them. He would have retired at once, but Hannibal called him in. + +"Come in, Malchus, I would have no secrets from you. Although +you are young I know that you are devoted to Carthage, that you +are brave and determined. I see in you what I was myself at your +age, but nine years ago, and it may be that some day you will be +destined to continue the work which I am beginning. You, too, have +commenced early, your training has been severe. As your father's +son and my cousin your promotion will naturally be rapid. I will, +therefore, tell you my plans. It is clear that Rome and Carthage +cannot both exist -- one or the other must be destroyed. It is +useless to strike at extremities, the blow must be dealt at the +heart. Unfortunately our fleet is no longer superior to that of +Rome, and victories at sea, however important, only temporarily +cripple an enemy. + +"It is by land the blow must be struck. Were the sea ours, I should +say, land troops in southern Italy, and continue to pour over +reinforcements until all the fighting men of North Africa are at +the gates of Rome. But without the absolute command of the sea +this cannot be done. Therefore I intend to make Spain our base, +and to march through Southern Gaul over the Alps into Italy, and +there to fight the Romans on their own ground. Already I have +agents at work among the Gauls and the northern tribes of Italy, +who will, I trust, join me in the war against our common enemy. +The enterprise is a great one, but it is not impossible; if it +succeeds, Rome will be destroyed and Carthage will reign, without +a rival, mistress of the world. The plan was Hasdrubal's, but it +has fallen to me to carry it out." + +"It is a grand plan indeed," Malchus exclaimed enthusiastically -- +"a glorious plan, but the difficulties seem tremendous." + +"Difficulties are made to be overcome by brave men," Hannibal said. +"The Alps are the greatest barrier, but my agents tell me that the +difficulties are not insuperable even for elephants. But before +we start we have Spain to subdue. Saguntum is under the protection +of Rome, and must be crushed, and all the country north of the +Ebro conquered and pacified. This done the passage of reinforcements +to my army in Italy will be easy. The Gauls will favour us, the +mountains tribes will be crushed or bought over, so that the route +for the advance of reinforcements, or for our retreat, if too +hardly pressed, will be always open. But all this is for yourself +alone. + +"My plans must not yet be known. Already our enemies in Carthage are +gaining in strength. Many of our adherents have been put to death +and the estates of others confiscated; but the capture of Saguntum +will restore our supremacy, and the enthusiasm which it will incite +among the populace will carry all before it. The spoils which +will be taken there will be sufficient to silence every murmur in +Carthage. Now leave us, Malchus, we have much to talk over and to +arrange, and I have given you plenty to think about for the present." + + + +CHAPTER VIII: A PLOT FRUSTRATED + + +After leaving Hannibal, Malchus did not rejoin his comrades, but +mounted the hills behind the town and sat down there, looking over +the sea, and thinking over the vast plan which Hannibal's words +had laid before him, and to which his father had once alluded in +his presence. Malchus had been brought up by Hamilcar to regard +Rome as the deadly enemy of Carthage, but he had not till now seen +the truth which Hannibal had grasped, that it was a struggle not +for empire only between the two republics, but one of life and +death -- that Carthage and Rome could not coexist, and that one +or other of them must be absolutely destroyed. + +This, indeed, was the creed of the Barcine party, and was, apart +from the minor questions of internal reforms, the great point +on which they differed from Hanno and the trading portion of the +community, who were his chief supporters. These were in favour +of Carthage abandoning her colonies and conquests, and devoting +herself solely to commerce and the acquisition of wealth. Believing +that Rome, who would then have open to her all Europe and Asia +to conquer, would not grudge to Carthage the northern seaboard of +Africa, they forgot that a nation which is rich and defenceless +will speedily fall a victim to the greed of a powerful and warlike +neighbour, and that a conqueror never needs excuses for an attack +upon a defenceless neighbour. + +Hitherto Malchus had thought only of a war with Rome made up of +sea fights and of descents upon Sicily and Sardinia. The very +idea of invading Italy and striking at Rome herself had never even +entered his mind, for the words of his father had been forgotten +in the events which followed so quickly upon them. The prospect +which the words opened seemed immense. First Northern Spain was +to be conquered, Gaul to be crossed, the terrible mountains of +which he had heard from travellers were next to be surmounted, and +finally a fight for life and death to be fought out on the plains +of Italy. The struggle would indeed be a tremendous one, and +Malchus felt his heart beat fast at the thought that he was to be +an actor in it. Surely the history of the world told of no greater +enterprise than this. Even the first step which was to be taken, a +mere preliminary to this grand expedition, was a most formidable +one. + +Saguntum stood as an outpost of Rome. While Carthage had been +advancing from the south Rome had been pressing forward from the +east along the shores of the Mediterranean, and had planted herself +firmly at Marseilles, a port which gave her a foothold in Gaul, +and formed a base whence she could act in Spain. In order to check +the rising power of the Carthaginians there she had entered into +a firm alliance with the Saguntines, whose country occupied what +is now the district of Valencia. By the terms of the last treaty +between the two republics each was forbidden to make war upon tribes +in alliance with their rivals, and Saguntum being thus under the +jurisdiction of Rome, an attack upon it would be almost equivalent +to a declaration of war. + +The position of the city was one of great strength. It stood on an +almost isolated rock at the foot of a spur of the mountains which +formed an amphitheatre behind it. Around it extended a rich and +fertile country, the sea was less than a mile from its walls, and +the Romans could thus quickly send succour to their allies. The +rock on which the town stood was well nigh inaccessible, falling +sheer down from the foot of the walls, and was assailable only +on the western side, where the rocks sloped gradually down to the +plain. Here the walls were extremely strong and lofty, and were +strengthened by a great tower which dominated the whole slope. It +would be difficult to form approaches, for the rock was bare of +soil and afforded no cover of any kind. + +Hitherto the Carthaginian generals had scrupulously respected the +territory of the Saguntines, but now that the rest of Spain was +subdued it was necessary to reduce this advanced post of Rome -- +this open door through which Rome, now mistress of the sea, could +at any moment pour her legions into the heart of Spain. + +The Saguntines were not ignorant of the danger which threatened +them. They had again and again sent urgently to Rome to demand +that a legion should be stationed there for their protection. But +Rome hesitated at despatching a legion of troops to so distant a +spot, where, in case of a naval reverse, they would be isolated +and cut off. + +Hannibal had not far to look for an excuse for an attack upon +Saguntum. On the previous year, while he had been engaged in his +campaign against the Carpatans, the Saguntines, taking advantage +of his critical position, had made war upon the town of Torbola, +an ally of Carthage. Torbola had implored the assistance of Hannibal, +and he was now preparing to march against Saguntum with his whole +force without waiting for the arrival of spring. His preparations +had been silently made. The Saguntines, although uneasy, had no +idea of any imminent danger, and the Carthaginian army collected +in and around Carthagena were in entire ignorance that they were +about to be called upon to take the field. + +"What say you, Malchus?" Hannibal asked that evening. "It is time +now that I gave you a command. As my near relative it is fitting +that you should be in authority. You have now served a campaign, +and are eligible for any command that I may give you. You have +shown yourself prompt in danger and worthy to command men. Which +would you rather that I should place under you -- a company of +these giant Gauls, of the steady Iberians, of the well disciplined +Libyans, or the active tribesmen of the desert? Choose which you +will, and they shall be yours." + +Malchus thought for some time. + +"In the day of battle," he said at last, "I would rather lead Gauls, +but, in such a march as you have told me you are meditating, I +would rather have a company of Numidian footmen to act as scouts +and feel the way for the army. There would not, perhaps, be so +much glory to be obtained, but there would be constant work and +excitement, and this will be far better than marching in the long +column of the army." + +"I think your choice is a good one," Hannibal replied. "Such +a corps will be needed to feel the way as we advance, to examine +the roads and indicate that by which the column had best move, and +to guard against ambushes and surprises. Tomorrow I will inspect +the Numidian footmen and will put them through their exercises. We +will have foot races and trials of skill with the bow, and I will +bid their officers pick me out two hundred of the most active and +vigourous among them; these you shall have under your command. You +can choose among your comrades of the guards one whom you would +like to have as your lieutenant." + +"I will take Trebon," Malchus said; "we fought side by side through +the last campaign. He is prompt and active, always cheerful under +fatigue, and as brave as a lion. I could not wish a better comrade." + +"So be it," Hannibal replied, "henceforth you are captain +of the advanced company of the army. Remember, Malchus, that the +responsibility is a great one, and that henceforward there must be +no more boyish tricks. Your company will be the eyes of the army, +and upon your vigilance its safety, when we once start upon our +expedition, will in no slight degree depend. Remember, too, that +you have by your conduct to justify me in choosing my young kinsman +for so important a post." + +The next day the Numidians were put through their exercises, and +by nightfall the two hundred picked men were chosen from their +ranks and were placed by Hannibal under the command of Malchus. +Trebon was greatly pleased when he found himself appointed as +lieutenant of the company. Although of noble family his connections +were much less influential than those of the majority of his comrades, +and he had deemed himself exceptionally fortunate in having been +permitted to enter the chosen corps of the Carthaginian cavalry, +and had not expected to be made an officer for years to come, since +promotion in the Carthaginian army was almost wholly a matter of +family influence. + +"I am indeed obliged to you, Malchus," he said as he joined his +friend after Hannibal had announced his appointment to him. "The +general told me that he had appointed me at your request. I never +even hoped that such good fortune would befall me. Of course I +knew that you would speedily obtain a command, but my people have +no influence whatever. The general says that your company are to +act as scouts for the army, so there will be plenty of opportunity +to distinguish ourselves. Unfortunately I don't see much chance +of fighting at present. The Iberian tribesmen had such a lesson +last autumn that they are not likely for a long time to give us +further trouble." + +"Do not make yourself uneasy on that score, Trebon," Malchus said, +"I can tell you, but let it go no further, that ere long there +will be fighting enough to satisfy even the most pugnacious." + +One evening Malchus had left the club early. Full as he was of +the thoughts of the tremendous struggle which was soon to begin +between the great antagonists, he wearied of the light talk of his +gay comrades. The games of chance, to which a room in the club +was allotted, afforded him no pleasure; nor had he any interest +in the wagering which was going on as to the merits of the horses +which were to run in the races on the following day. On leaving +the club he directed his footsteps towards the top of the hill on +which Carthagena stood, and there, sitting alone on one of the +highest points, looked over the sea sparkling in the moonlight, +the many vessels in the harbour and the lagoons stretching inland +on each side of the city. + +He tried to imagine the course that the army was to follow, the +terrible journey through the snow covered passes of that tremendous +range of mountains of which he had heard, the descent into the plains +of Italy, and the first sight of Rome. He pictured to himself the +battles which would have to be fought by the way, and above all, +the deadly conflict which would take place before Rome could be +carried by assault, and the great rival of Carthage be humbled to +the dust. Then he pictured the return of the triumphant expedition, the +shouting multitudes who would acclaim Hannibal the sole arbitrator +of the destinies of Carthage, and in his heart rejoiced over the +changes which would take place -- the overthrow of the faction of +Hanno, the reform of abuses, the commencement of an era of justice, +freedom, and prosperity for all. + +For more than three hours he sat thus, and then awoke to the fact +that the night was cold and the hour late. Drawing his bernous +tightly round him he descended into the city, which was now for +the most part wrapped in sleep. He was passing through the native +quarter when a door opened and several men came out. Scarcely +knowing why he did so Malchus drew back into a doorway until they +had moved on ahead of him, and then followed them at some little +distance. At any other time he would have thought nothing of such +an incident, but his nerves were highly strung at the moment, +and his pause was dictated more by an indisposition to encounter +anything which might disturb the current of his thoughts than by +any other motive. + +In the moonlight he could see that two of the five men ahead of +him were members of the Carthaginian horse guard, for the light +glittered on their helmets; the other three were, by their attire, +natives. Two of the latter soon separated from the others, and on +reaching the better part of the town the two Carthaginians turned +down a side street, and in the still night Malchus heard the parting +words to their neighbour, "At the same place tomorrow night." The +remaining native kept straight along the road which Malchus was +following. Still onward he went, and Malchus, to his surprise, saw +him go up to one of the side entrances to Hannibal's palace. He +must have knocked very quietly, or someone must have been waiting +to admit him, for without a sound the door was opened and the man +entered. + +Malchus went round to the principal entrance, and after a little +badinage from the officer on guard as to the lateness of the hour +at which he returned, made his way to his apartment. + +He was puzzled by what he had seen. It was strange that two of the +Carthaginian guard, men necessarily belonging to noble families, +should have been at a native gathering of some sort in the upper +town. Strange, too, that a man probably an attendant or slave +belonging to the palace should also have been present. The more +he thought of it the more he was puzzled to account for it, and +before he went to sleep he came to the resolution that he would, +if possible, on the following night discover the object of such a +gathering. + +Next evening, therefore, he returned from the Syssite early, +exchanged his helmet for a skullcap, and, wrapping himself in his +cloak, made his way to the house from which he had seen the men +come forth. It stood at the corner of the street. Thick hangings +hung across the openings for the windows, and prevented even a ray +of light from finding its way out. Listening attentively Malchus +could hear a low hum of voices within. As there were still people +about he moved away for half an hour. + +On his return the street was deserted. Malchus put his hand through +a window opening into the side street and felt that the hanging +was composed of rushes tightly plaited together. With the point +of his dagger he very cautiously cut a slit in this, and applying +his eye to it was able to obtain a glimpse of the apartment within. +On low stools by a fire two Carthaginians were sitting, while four +natives were seated on the rushes which covered the floor. Malchus +recognized the Carthaginians at once, for they were members of the +troop in which he had served. Neither of them were men popular +among their fellows, for they belonged to families closely related +to Hanno. They had always, however, professed the greatest admiration +for Hannibal, and had declared that for their part they altogether +repudiated the doings of the party to which their family belonged. + +The conversation was carried on in low tones, a precaution absolutely +necessary in the day when glass windows were unknown, unless the +discourse was upon general subjects. Malchus listened attentively, +but although he thought he caught the words Hanno and Hannibal +repeated several times, he was unable to hear more. At the end +of the half hour the conference was apparently at an end, for all +rose to their feet. One of the Carthaginians put a bag, which +was evidently heavy, into the hands of one of the natives, and the +party then went out. Malchus stepped to the corner and caught the +words, "Tomorrow night, then, without fail." + +The party then separated, the Carthaginians passing straight on, +the natives waiting until they had gone some little distance ahead +before they followed. Malchus remained for some little time in the +side street before he sallied out and took his way after them. +After he saw two of the natives leave the other, he quickened his +steps and passed the man, who proceeded alone towards the palace, +a short distance before he arrived there. As he did so he glanced +at his face, and recognized him as one of the attendants who waited +at Hannibal's table. Malchus did not turn his head, however, but +kept straight on his way and entered the palace as usual. + +"Malchus," the captain of the guard laughed as he went in, "assuredly +I shall have to tell Hamilcar of your doings. Last night you entered +an hour after every one had retired to rest, tonight you are back +in better time, but assuredly you have not been to the Syssite in +that hunting cap. This savours of a mystery. Do not pretend to +me that you have been looking after your company of Numidians at +this time of the night, because, did you swear it by Astarte, I +should not believe you." + +"No; I think I could invent a better story than that if I were put +to it," Malchus said with a laugh; "but as I am not obliged to +invent one at all, I will leave you to do so for me. In truth I +have been about some private business, but what that business is +is a profound secret." + +"A secret of state, no doubt," the officer rejoined. "Well, I will +say nothing this time; but do not let it occur again, or I shall +think that some Iberian maiden has captured that susceptible heart +of yours." + +After Malchus had reached his chamber he sat down for some time in +deep thought. It was clear to him that something was wrong. This +secret meeting of the two Carthaginians with natives, one of whom +was employed in Hannibal's household, could mean no good. Money +had passed, too, and, judging from the size and apparent weight +of the bag, no inconsiderable amount. What could it mean? It was +but a few months before that Hasdrubal had fallen beneath the +dagger of a native servant. Could this be a plot against the life +of Hannibal? + +The two Carthaginians were connected with Hanno, and might well +be agents employed to rid him of his great rival. And yet he had +heard nothing which would justify his bringing so grave an accusation +against these men. The money which he had seen exchanged might +be for the price of a horse or of a slave, and he might only make +himself ridiculous were he to speak to Hannibal or his father as +to what had occurred. He decided, therefore, that any action he +might take must be on his own account. If the words he had overheard +meant anything, and if a plot were really on hand, it was to be +carried out on the following night. Malchus determined to take +steps to meet it. + +The next day he took Trebon into his counsels and told him of the +mysterious meetings which he had accidentally discovered. There was +free access to Hannibal's palace; officers were constantly coming +in and out, and soldiers arriving and leaving with messages and +orders. Malchus, had, therefore, had no difficulty in passing into +his apartment, one by one, ten picked men of his company. They had +orders to remain there perfectly quiet, and Trebon also took post +with them, Malchus telling him to make some excuse or other to +prevent any attendant or slave from entering the apartment while +he was absent. + +There was a concert that evening; the palace was crowded with +guests. From time to time Malchus stole away to his room, where +the Numidians were seated on the ground silent and immovable as so +many bronze statues. At other times he kept near Hannibal, watching +closely the movements of every native who passed near him; and +ready to spring forward instantly if he saw any signs of an evil +intention. However, he did not much apprehend, that even if his +suspicions were correct and a plot was on foot against Hannibal, +any attempt would be made to assassinate him in the midst of a +crowded assembly, where there would be no possibility of escape +for the perpetrators of such a deed. At last the guests began +to depart, and an hour later all was quiet in the palace. Laying +aside his sandals, Malchus stole noiselessly over the marble +pavements until he approached the entrance which he had twice seen +opened so late. A slave was lying close to it. + +Unobserved Malchus stole away again to his chamber and bade the +Numidians follow him. Noiselessly the troop of barefooted Arabs +moved shadowlike through the lofty halls and corridors. Two of them +he placed at the entrance to the chamber where Hannibal slept, +with orders to allow no one to pass until he returned, then with +the others he proceeded to the entrance. Few lights only were +burning in the passages, and it was not until they were close at +hand that the slave perceived the approaching figures. He leaped +to his feet, but before he could cry out Malchus stepped forward +and said: + +"Silence, if you value your life. You know me; I am Malchus the +son of Hamilcar. Now, tell me the truth, or tomorrow the torture +shall wring it from you. Who placed you here, and why?" + +"Carpadon, one of the chief attendants, ordered me to remain here +to admit him on his return. I knew not there was harm in it," the +slave said. + +"Is it the first time you have kept watch for such a purpose?" + +"No, my lord, some six or seven times he has gone out late." + +"Do you know the cause of his absence?" + +"No, my lord, it would not become a slave to question one of the +chief attendants of my lord Hannibal as to why he goes or comes." + +The man's manner was so natural, and his surprise at the interest +which one of the rank of Malchus showed in the doings of an +attendant so genuine, that Malchus was convinced he knew nothing +of any enterprise in which the man who had placed him there might +be engaged. + +"Very well," he said, "I will believe what you tell me. Now, do +you resume your place at the door, and open it as usual at his +signal. Say no word and make no sign which may lead him to know of +our presence here. Mind, my eye will be upon you, and your life +will pay for any treachery." + +Malchus with four of his men now took post on one side of the door, +standing well back in the shadow so that their presence would not +be noticed by anyone entering. Trebon with the remaining four men +took up a similar position on the other side of the doorway. + +Two hours passed. At length a low tap followed by two others was +heard at the door. The slave at once opened it. Carpadon entered, +and with a sudden movement threw one arm round the slave's neck and +with the other stabbed him to the heart. Then he opened the door +wide, and said in a low tone: + +"Enter, all is safe." + +In a moment a dark mass of men poured in at the door. The matter +was more serious than Malchus had expected. He had looked for the +entry perhaps of three or four men, and had intended to close in +behind them and cut them off; but here were a score at least, and +how many more might be outside he knew not. He therefore gave the +signal by shouting "Carthage," and at once with his followers fell +upon one flank of the natives, for such their dress showed them +to be, while Trebon attacked them on the other. There was a shout +of surprise and alarm at the unexpected onslaught, and several +were cut down at once. The others, drawing their swords, began +to defend themselves, trying at the same time to retreat to the +door, through which, however, many others were still pressing +in. For a few minutes a severe fight went on, and the numbers and +desperation of Carpadon's followers began to tell, and, in spite +of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, they would have been +forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, had not help +been at hand. + +The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and +the officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing +torches, came running at full speed from their post at the chief +entrance. As the guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to +do, or among whom the conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment +drew out from the fray. + +"Seize and disarm all the natives," he said; "the Numidians are +here by my orders." + +The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, +and the natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were +speedily disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they +saw the torches approaching, taken to flight. + +A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident +at the palace came running up. + +"What means this fray, Malchus?" + +"It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been +fortunate enough to discover and defeat." + +"Who are these men?" Hamilcar asked. + +"So far as I know they are natives," Malchus replied. "The chief of +the party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your +attendants." + +One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face. + +"It is Carpadon," Hannibal said. "I believed him honest and faithful." + +"He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this +night's work." + +Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and +then, with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. +The lamps were lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew. + +"Now, Malchus, tell us your story," Hannibal said. "It seems +strange to me that you should have said nought to your father or +me of what you had learned, and left us to take such measures as +might seem fit to us, instead of taking the matter into your own +hands." + +"Had I had certainties to go upon I should assuredly have done +so, but, as you will see when I tell you all I had learned, I had +nothing but suspicions, and those of the vaguest, and for aught I +knew I might be altogether in the wrong." + +Malchus then gave the full details of the manner in which his +suspicions had been first excited, and in which on the previous night +he had taken steps to ascertain whether there were any foundation +for them. + +"You see," he concluded, "there was no sort of certainty, nothing +to prove that the money was not paid for the purchase of a horse +or slave. It was only the one fact that one of the party was a +servant here that rendered what I discovered serious. Had it not +been for the fate of Hasdrubal I should never have given the matter +a second thought; but, knowing that he was assassinated by a trusted +servant, and seeing two men whose families I knew belonged to Hanno's +faction engaged in secret talk with one of your attendants, the +suspicion struck me that a similar deed might again be attempted. +The only words I had to go upon were, `Tomorrow night, then, +without fail.' This was not enough for me to bring an accusation +against two men of noble family; and, had I told you the tale +without the confirmation it has now received, you would probably +have treated it but lightly. I resolved, therefore, to wait and +see, taking such precaution that no harm could come of my secrecy. +I concealed in my room ten of my Numidians, with my lieutenant +Trebon -- an ample force whatever might betide. + +"If, as I suspected, this man intended, with two or three others, +to steal into your chamber and slay you while you slept, we could +at once have stopped the attempt; should he come with a larger +force, we could, as is proved, resist them until the guard arrived +on the spot. If, on the other hand, night passed off quietly and +my suspicions proved to be altogether erroneous, I should escape +the ridicule which would certainly have been forthcoming had I +alarmed you without cause." + +"You have acted very wisely and well, my son," Hamilcar said, "and +Carthage owes you the life of our beloved Hannibal. You indeed +reasoned with great wisdom and forethought. Had you informed us +of what you had discovered we should have taken precautions which +would doubtless have effected the object; but they would probably +have become known to the plotters, and the attempt would have been +postponed and attempted some other time, and perhaps with success. +What say you, Hannibal, have I not reason to be proud of this +young son of mine?" + +"You have indeed, Hamilcar, and deeply am I indebted to him. It is +not my life I care for, although that now is precious to me for +the sake of my beloved Imilce, but had I fallen now all the plans +which we have thought of together would have been frustrated, and +the fairest chance which Carthage ever had of fighting out the +quarrel with her rival would have been destroyed. Truly it has been +a marvellous escape, and it seems to me that the gods themselves +must have inspired Malchus to act as he did on such slight grounds +as seeing two Carthaginians of the guard in company with three or +four natives at a late hour of the evening." + +"What do you think will be best to do with the traitors who have +plotted against your life, Hannibal? Shall we try and execute them +here, or send them to Carthage to be dealt with?" + +Hannibal did not answer for a minute. + +"I think, Hamilcar, the best plan will be to keep silent altogether +as to the danger I have run. The army would be furious but would +at the same time be dispirited were it known in Carthage that two +of her nobles had been executed for an attempt on my life. It would +only cause a fresh outbreak of animosity and an even deadlier feud +than before between Hanno's friends and ours. Therefore, I say, let +the men taken tonight be executed in the morning without question +asked, and let no word be said by them or by us that they were +bribed by Carthaginians. All in the palace now know that a party +of natives have broken in, and will guess that my life was their +object; there is no need that they should know more. As to the +two men, I will call them before me tomorrow, with none but you +present, and will let them know that I am aware that they are the +authors of this attempt, and will bid them resign their places in +the guard and return at once to Carthage." + +"It grieves me that they should go unpunished," Hamilcar said; "but +doubtless your plan is the wisest." + +"Then," Hannibal said, rising, "we will to bed again. Malchus, +acquaint Trebon of our determination that silence is to be kept; +tell him that I shall bear him in mind, and not forget his share +in this night's work. As for you, Malchus, henceforth you are more +than my cousin; you have saved my life, and I shall never forget +it. I shall tell Imilce in the morning of the danger which has +passed, for it is sure to come to her ears, and she will know +better than I do how to thank you." + +Accordingly in the morning Hannibal's orders were carried out; +the twelve natives taken prisoners were beheaded without any of +the usual tortures which would have been inflicted upon a similar +occasion. No less than fourteen others had been killed in the fight. +The two Carthaginian nobles were sent for by Hannibal. They came +prepared to die, for they knew already by rumour that the attempt +had failed, and doubted not when the summons reached them that +Carpadon had denounced them as his accomplices. But they went to +their certain doom with the courage of their class -- pale, perhaps, +but otherwise unmoved. Hannibal was alone with Hamilcar when they +entered. + +"That assassination is not an altogether unknown crime in Carthage," +he said quietly, "I was well aware, but I did not before think +that nobles in the Carthaginian horse would stoop to it. I know +that it was you who provided the gold for the payment of the men +who made an attempt upon my life, that you personally paid my +attendant Carpadon to hire assassins, and to lead them to my chamber. +Were I to denounce you, my soldiers would tear you in pieces. The +very name of your families would be held accursed by all honest men +in Carthage for all time. I do not ask you whether I have given you +cause for offence, for I know that I have not done so; you acted +simply for the benefit of Hanno. Whether you were instructed by +him I do not deign to ask. I shall not harm you. The tale of your +infamy is known to but four persons, and none others will ever +know it. I am proud of the honour of the nobles of Carthage, and +would not that the scum of the people should bandy the name of +your families on their lips as guilty of so foul an act of treason. +You will, of course, at once resign your positions in the Carthaginian +horse. Make what pretext you will -- illness or private affairs. +Tomorrow sail for Carthage, and there strive by efforts for the +good of your country to efface the remembrance of this blow which +you would have struck her." + +So saying, with a wave of the hand he dismissed them. + +They went without a word, too astonished at his clemency, too +humiliated by their own disgrace even to utter a word of thanks. +When they were fairly beyond the palace they looked at each other +as men awakened from a dream. + +"What a man!" one of them exclaimed. "No wonder the soldiers adore +him! He has given us our lives -- more, he has saved our names +from disgrace. Henceforth, Pontus, we, at least, can never again +take part against him." + +"It is almost too much to bear," the other said; "I feel that I +would rather that he had ordered us to instant execution." + +"Ay, for our own sakes, Pontus, but not for those of others. For +myself I shall retire to the country; it seems to me that never +again shall I be able to mix with others; they may know nothing of +it, but it will be ever on my mind. How they would shrink back in +horror were what we have done whispered to them! Truly, were it +not for my family, I would prefer death with the worst torture to +life as it will be now." + +The excitement in the army was intense when it became known that +a body of Iberians had attempted to break into Hannibal's palace +with the design of murdering him, and many of the soldiers, seizing +their arms, hurried towards the city, and had not an officer ridden +with the news to Hannibal, they would assuredly have fallen upon +the native inhabitants, and a general massacre would have taken +place. + +Hannibal at once mounted and rode out to meet the soldiers. He +was received with enthusiastic acclamations; at length he raised +his arm to restore silence, and then addressed the troops, telling +them how deeply he valued the evidence of their affection, but that +he prayed them to return to their camps and lay by their arms. + +"We must not," he said, "confound the innocent with the guilty. +Those who were concerned in the attempt have paid the penalty with +their lives; it is not because a handful of Spaniards have plotted +against me that you are to swear hatred against the whole race; +were you to punish the innocent for the guilty you would arouse +the fury of the Iberians throughout the whole peninsula, and all +our work would have to be done over again. You know that above +all things I desire the friendship and goodwill of the natives. +Nothing would grieve me more than that, just as we are attaining +this, our efforts should be marred by a quarrel between yourselves +and the people here. I pray you, therefore, as a personal favour +to me, to abstain from all tumult, and go quietly back to your +camp. The attack upon my palace was made only by some thirty or +forty of the scum of the inhabitants, and the attempt was defeated +by the wisdom and courage of my young cousin Malchus, whom you +must henceforth regard as the saviour of my life." + +The soldiers at once acceded to the request of their general, and +after another outburst of cheering they returned quietly to their +camp. + +The result of this affair was to render Malchus one of the most +popular personages in the army, and the lad was quite abashed +by the enthusiastic reception which the soldiers gave him when he +passed among them. It removed, too, any feeling of jealousy which +might have existed among his former comrades of the Carthaginian +horse, for although it was considered as a matter of course +in Carthage that generals should appoint their near relatives to +posts of high command, human nature was then the same as now, and +men not possessed of high patronage could not help grumbling a +little at the promotion of those more fortunate than themselves. +Henceforth, however, no voice was ever raised against the promotion +of Malchus, and had he at once been appointed to a command of +importance none would have deemed such a favour undeserved by the +youth who had saved the life of Hannibal. + + + +CHAPTER IX: THE SIEGE OF SAGUNTUM + + +A few days later the Carthaginian army were astonished by the issue +of an order that the whole were to be in readiness to march upon +the following day. The greatest excitement arose when the news got +abroad. None knew against whom hostilities were to be directed. +No one had heard aught of the arrival of messengers announcing +fresh insurrection among the recently conquered tribes, and all +sorts of surmises were indulged in as to the foe against whom this +great force, the largest which had ever been collected by Carthage, +were about to get in motion. + +The army now gathered around Carthagena amounted, indeed, to +a hundred and fifty thousand men, and much surprise had for some +time existed at the continual arrival of reinforcements from home, +and at the large number of troops which had during the winter been +raised and disciplined from among the friendly tribes. + +Simultaneously with the issue of the order long lines of wagons, +laden with military stores, began to pour out from the arsenals, +and all day long a procession of carts moved across the bridge over +the canal in the isthmus to the mainland. The tents were struck +at daylight, the baggage loaded up into the wagons told off to +accompany the various bodies of soldiers, and the troops formed up +in military order. + +When Hannibal rode on to the ground, surrounded by his principal +officers, a shout of welcome rose from the army; and he proceeded +to make a close inspection of the whole force. The officers then +placed themselves at the head of their respective commands, the +trumpets gave the signal, and the army set out on a march, as to +whose direction and distance few present had any idea, and from +which few, indeed, were ever destined to return. + +There was no longer any occasion for secrecy as to the object of +the expedition. The generals repeated it to their immediate staffs, +these informed the other officers, and the news speedily spread +through the army that they were marching against Saguntum. The +importance of the news was felt by all. Saguntum was the near ally +of Rome, and an attack upon that city could but mean that Carthage +was entering upon another struggle with her great rival. + +Saguntum lay about 140 miles north of Carthagena, and the army had +to cross the range of mountains now known as the Sierra Morena, +which run across the peninsula from Cape St. Vincent on the west +to Cape St. Martin on the east. The march of so large an army, +impeded as it was by a huge train of wagons with stores and the +machines necessary for a siege, was toilsome and arduous in the +extreme. But all worked with the greatest enthusiasm and diligence; +roads were made with immense labour through forests, across ravines, +and over mountain streams. + +Hannibal himself was always present, encouraging the men by his +praises, and sharing all their hardships. + +At last the mountains were passed, and the army poured down into +the fertile plains of Valencia, which town, however, was not then +in existence. Passing over the site where it is now situated they +continued their march north until Saguntum, standing on Its rocky +eminence, came into view. + +During the march Malchus and his company had led the way, guided +by natives, who pointed out the easiest paths. As there were no +enemies to be guarded against, they had taken their full share in +the labours of the army. + +The Saguntines were already aware of the approach of the expedition. +No sooner had it crossed the crest of the mountains than native +runners had carried the news of its approach, and the inhabitants had +spent the intervening time in laying in great stores of provisions, +and in making every preparation for defence. The garrison was +small in comparison with the force marching against it, but it was +ample for the defence of the walls, for its position rendered the +city well nigh impregnable against the machines in use at the time, +and was formidable in the extreme even against modern artillery, +for 2000 years afterwards Saguntum, with a garrison of 3000 men, +resisted for a long time all the efforts of a French army under +General Suchet. As soon as his force arrived near the town Hannibal +rode forward, and, in accordance with the custom of the times, +himself summoned the garrison to surrender. Upon their refusal he +solemnly declared war by hurling his javelin against the walls. +The troops at once advanced to the assault, and poured flights of +arrows, masses of stones from their machines, javelins, and missiles +of all descriptions into the city, the defenders replying with +equal vigour from the walls. At the end of the first day's fighting +Hannibal perceived that his hopes of carrying the place by assault +were vain -- for the walls were too high to be scaled, too thick +to be shaken by any irregular attack -- and that a long siege must +be undertaken. + +This was a great disappointment to him, as it would cause a long +delay that it would be scarce possible to commence the march +which he meditated that summer. As to advancing, with Saguntum in +his rear, it was not to be thought of, for the Romans would be able +to land their armies there and to cut him off from all communication +with Carthagena and Carthage. There was, then, nothing to be done +but to undertake the siege in regular order. + +The army formed an encampment in a circle round the town. A strong +force was left to prevent the garrison from making a sortie, and +the whole of the troops were then marched away in detachments to +the hills to fell and bring down the timber which would be required +for the towers and walls, the bareness of the rock rendering +it impossible to construct the approaches as usual with earth. In +the first place, a wall, strengthened by numerous small towers, +was erected round the whole circumference of the rock; then the +approaches were begun on the western side, where attack was alone +possible. + +This was done by lines of wooden towers, connected one with another +by walls of the same material; movable towers were constructed to +be pushed forward against the great tower which formed the chief +defence of the wall, and on each side the line of attack was +carried onward by portable screens covered with thick hide. In the +meantime the Saguntines were not idle. Showers of missiles of all +descriptions were hurled upon the working parties, great rocks from +the machines on the walls crashed through the wooden erections, and +frequent and desperate sorties were made, in which the Carthaginians +were almost always worsted. The nature of the ground, overlooked +as it was by the lofty towers and walls, and swept by the missiles +of the defenders, rendered it impossible for any considerable force +to remain close at hand to render assistance to the workers, and +the sudden attacks of the Saguntines several times drove them far +down the hillside, and enabled the besieged, with axe and fire, to +destroy much of the work which had been so labouriously carried +out. + +In one of these sorties Hannibal, who was continually at the front, +overlooking the work, was seriously wounded by a javelin in the +thigh. Until he was cured the siege languished, and was converted +into a blockade, for it was his presence and influence alone +which encouraged the men to continue their work under such extreme +difficulties, involving the death of a large proportion of those +engaged. Upon Hannibal's recovery the work was pressed forward +with new vigour, and the screens and towers were pushed on almost +to the foot of the walls. The battering rams were now brought up, +and -- shielded by massive screens, which protected those who worked +them from the darts and stones thrown down by the enemy, and by +lofty towers, from whose tops the Carthaginian archers engaged the +Saguntines on the wall -- began their work. + +The construction of walls was in those days rude and primitive, and +they had little of the solidity of such structures in succeeding +ages. The stones were very roughly shaped, no mortar was used, and +the displacement of one stone consequently involved that of several +others. This being the case it was not long before the heavy +battering rams of the Carthaginians produced an effect on the walls, +and a large breach was speedily made. Three towers and the walls +which connected them fell with a mighty crash, and the besiegers, +believing that the place was won, advanced to the assault. But +the Saguntines met them in the breach, and for hours a desperate +battle raged there. + +The Saguntines hurled down upon the assailants trunks of trees +bristling with spearheads and spikes of iron, blazing darts and +falariques -- great blocks of wood with projecting spikes, and +covered thickly with a mass of pitch and sulphur which set on +fire all they touched. Other species of falariques were in the form +of spindles, the shaft wrapped round with flax dipped in pitch. +Hannibal fought at the head of his troops with desperate bravery, +and had a narrow escape of being crushed by an enormous rock which +fell at his feet; but in spite of his efforts and those of his +troops they were unable to carry the breach, and at nightfall fell +back to their camp, having suffered very heavy losses. + +Singularly enough the French columns were repulsed in an effort +to carry a breach at almost the same spot, the Spaniards hurling +among them stones, hand grenades of glass bottles and shells, and +defending the breach with their long pikes against all the efforts +of Suchet's troops. + +Some days passed before the attack was renewed, as the troops were +worn out by their labours. A strong guard in the meantime held +the advanced works against any sorties of the Saguntines. + +These, on their side, worked night and day, and by the time the +Carthaginians again advanced the wall was rebuilt and the breach +closed. But Hannibal had also been busy. Seeing that it was +impossible for his troops to win an entrance by a breach, as long +as the Saguntines occupied every point commanding it, he caused a +vast tower to be built, sufficiently lofty to overlook every point +of the defences, arming each of its stages with catapults and +ballistas. He also built near the walls a great terrace of wood +higher than the walls themselves, and from this and from the +tower he poured such torrents of missiles into the town that the +defenders could no longer remain upon the walls. Five hundred +Arab miners now advanced, and these, setting to work with their +implements, soon loosened the lower stones of the wall, and this +again fell with a mighty crash and a breach was opened. + +The Carthaginians at once swarmed in and took possession of the +wall; but while the besiegers had been constructing their castle +and terrace, the Saguntines had built an interior wall, and Hannibal +saw himself confronted with a fresh line of defences. + +As preparations were being made for the attack of the new defences +messengers arrived saying that the Carpatans and Orotans, furious +at the heavy levies of men which had been demanded from them for +the army, had revolted. Leaving Maharbal to conduct the siege in +his absence, Hannibal hurried away with a portion of his force, +and returned in two months, having put down the revolt and severely +punished the tribesmen. + +While the siege had been continuing the Romans had been making vain +efforts to induce the Carthaginians to desist. No sooner had the +operations commenced than agents from the Roman senate waited on +Hannibal and begged him to abandon the siege. Hannibal treated +their remonstrance with disdain, at the same time writing to +Carthage to say that it was absolutely necessary that the people of +Saguntum, who were insolent and hostile, relying on the protection +of Rome, should be punished. The envoys then went to Carthage, +where they made an animated protest against what they regarded as +an unprovoked attack upon their allies. Rome, in fact, was anxious +at this moment to postpone the struggle with Carthage for the same +reason that Hannibal was anxious to press it on. + +She had but just finished a long struggle with the Gaulish tribes +of Northern Italy, and was anxious to recover her strength before she +engaged in another war. It was for this very reason that Hannibal +desired to force on the struggle. His friends at Carthage persuaded +the senate to refuse to listen to the envoys of Rome. Another +embassy was sent to Hannibal, but the general would not give them +an interview, and, following the instructions they had received, +the ambassadors then sailed to Carthage to make a formal demand +for reparation, and for the person of Hannibal to be delivered over +to them for punishment. + +But the Barcine party were for the moment in the ascendancy; long +negotiations took place which led to nothing, and all this time +the condition of the Saguntines was becoming more desperate. Five +new ambassadors were therefore sent from Rome to ask in the name +of the republic whether Hannibal was authorized by the Carthaginians +to lay siege to Saguntum, to demand that he should be delivered to +Rome, and, in case of refusal, to declare war. The Carthaginian +senate met in the temple of Moloch and there received the Roman +ambassadors. Q. Fabius, the chief man of the embassy, briefly laid +the demands of Rome before the senate. Cestar, one of the Barcine +leaders, replied, refusing the demands. Fabius then rose. + +"I give you the choice -- peace or war?" + +"Choose yourself," the Carthaginians cried. + +"Then I choose war," Fabius said. + +"So be it," the assembly shouted. + +And thus war was formally declared between the two Republics. But +Saguntum had now fallen. The second wall had been breached by the +time Hannibal had returned from his expedition, and an assault was +ordered. As before, the Saguntines fought desperately, but after +a long struggle the Carthaginians succeeded in winning a footing +upon the wall. + +The Saguntines, seeing that further resistance was vain, that the +besiegers had already won the breach, that there was no chance +of assistance from Rome, and having, moreover, consumed their last +provisions, sought for terms. Halcon, the Saguntine general, and +a noble Spaniard named Alorcus, on the part of Hannibal, met in the +breach. Alorcus named the conditions which Hannibal had imposed -- +that the Saguntines should restore to the Torbolates the territory +they had taken from them, and that the inhabitants, giving up all +their goods and treasures, should then be permitted to leave the +town and to found a new city at a spot which Hannibal would name. + +The Saguntines, who were crowding round, heard the terms. Many of +the principal senators at once left the place, and hurrying into +their houses carried the gold and silver which they had there, +and also some of that in the public treasury, into the forum, and +piling up a vast heap of wood set it alight and threw themselves +into the flames. This act caused a tremendous commotion in the +city. A general tumult broke out, and Hannibal, seeing that his +terms were refused, poured his troops across the breach, and after a +short but desperate fight captured the city. In accordance with +the cruel customs of the times, which, however, were rarely carried +into effect by Hannibal, the male prisoners were all put to the +sword, as on this occasion he considered it necessary to strike +terror into the inhabitants of Spain, and to inflict a lesson which +would not be forgotten during his absence in the country. + +The siege had lasted eight months. The booty taken was enormous. +Every soldier in the army had a rich share of the plunder, and a +vast sum was sent to Carthage; besides which the treasure chests +of the army were filled up. All the Spanish troops had leave given +them to return to their homes for the winter, and they dispersed +highly satisfied with the booty with which they were laden. This +was a most politic step on the part of the young general, as the +tribesmen, seeing the wealth with which their countrymen returned, +no longer felt it a hardship to fight in the Carthaginian ranks, +and the levies called out in the spring went willingly and even +eagerly. + +Hannibal returned with his African troops to spend the winter +at Carthagena He was there joined by the emissaries he had sent +to examine Southern Gaul and the passes of the Alps, to determine +the most practicable route for the march of the army, and to form +alliances with the tribes of Southern Gaul and Northern Italy. +Their reports were favourable, for they had found the greatest +discontent existing among the tribes north of the Apennines, who +had but recently been conquered by the Romans. + +Their chiefs, smarting under the heavy yoke of Rome, listened +eagerly to the offers of Hannibal's agents, who distributed large +sums of money among them, and promised them, in return for their +assistance, not only their freedom from their conqueror, but a full +share in the spoils of Rome. The chiefs replied that they would +render any assistance to the Carthaginians as soon as they passed +the Alps, and that they would then join them with all their forces. +The reports as to the passes of the Alps were less satisfactory. +Those who had examined them found that the difficulties they offered +to the passage of an army were enormous, and that the tribes who +inhabited the lower passes, having suffered in no way yet at the +hands of Rome, would probably resist any army endeavouring to +cross. + +By far the easiest route would be to follow the seashore, but this +was barred against the Carthaginians by the fact that the Massilians +(the people of Marseilles) were the close allies of Rome. They had +admitted Roman colonists among them, and carried on an extensive +trade with the capital. Their town was strong, and their ports +would be open to the Roman fleets. The tribes in their neighourhood +were all closely allied with them. + +Hannibal saw at once that he could not advance by the route by the +sea without first reducing Marseilles. This would be an even more +difficult operation than the siege of Saguntum, as Rome would be +able to send any number of men by sea to the aid of the besieged, +and the great struggle would be fought out in Southern Gaul +instead of, as he wished, in Italy. Thus he decided to march by a +route which would take him far north of Marseilles, even although +it would necessitate a passage through the terrible passes of the +Alps. + +During the winter Hannibal laboured without intermission in preparing +for his expedition. He was ever among his soldiers, and personally +saw to everything which could conduce to their comfort and well +being. He took a lively interest in every minute detail which +affected them; saw that their clothing was abundant and of good +quality, inspected their rations, and saw that these were well +cooked. + +It was this personal attention to the wants of his soldiers which, +as much as his genius as a general, his personal valour, and +his brilliant qualities, endeared him to his troops. They saw how +anxious he was for their welfare; they felt that he regarded every +man in his army as a friend and comrade, and in return they were +ready to respond to every appeal, to make every sacrifice, to +endure, to suffer, to fight to the death for their beloved leader. +His troops were mercenaries -- that is, they fought for pay in +a cause which in no way concerned them -- but personal affection +for their general supplied in them the place of the patriotism +which inspires modern soldiers, and transformed these semi barbarous +tribesmen into troops fit to cope with the trained legionaries of +Rome. + +Hannibal was far in advance of any of the generals of his time in +all matters of organization. His commissariat was as perfect as +that of modern armies. It was its duty to collect grain from the +country through which the army marched, to form magazines, to +collect and drive with the troops herds of cattle, to take over +the provisions and booty brought in by foraging parties, and, to +see to the daily distribution of rations among the various divisions. + +Along the line of communication depots were formed, where provisions, +clothing, and arms were stored in readiness for use, and from which +the whole army could, in case of necessity, be supplied with fresh +clothing and shoes. A band of surgeons accompanied the army, at the +head of whom was Synhalus, one of the most celebrated physicians +of the time. So perfect were the arrangements that it is said that +throughout the long campaign in Italy not a single day passed +but that the troops, elephants, and animals of all descriptions +accompanying the army received their daily rations of food. + + + +CHAPTER X: BESET + +During the winter Hannibal made every preparation to ensure the +tranquillity of Spain while he was absent. In order to lessen +the number of possible enemies there he raised a body of twelve +hundred horse and fourteen thousand infantry from among the +most turbulent tribes, and sent them across to Africa to serve +as garrisons in Carthage and other points, while an equal number +of African troops were brought over to garrison Spain, of which +Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, was to have the government during +his absence. + +Hanno, an able general, was to command the force which was to be +left in southern Gaul to keep open the communications between the +Pyrenees and the Alps, while the youngest brother, Mago, a youth +of about the same age as Malchus, was to accompany him to Italy. +Hannibal's wife and a child which had been born in the preceding +spring, were sent by ship to Carthage. + +In the early spring the march commenced, the army following the +coast line until it reached the mouth of the Ebro. The mountainous +and broken country lying between this river and the Pyrenees, and +now known as Catalonia, was inhabited by fierce tribes unconquered +as yet by Roman or Carthaginian. Its conquest presented enormous +difficulties. There was no coherence between its people; but each +valley and mountain was a stronghold to be defended desperately +until the last. The inhabitants, accustomed to the mountains, +were hardy, active, and, vigourous, ready to oppose a desperate +resistance so long as resistance was possible, and then to flee +across their hills at a speed which defied the fleetest of their +pursuers. + +Every man was a soldier, and at the first alarm the inhabitants +of the villages abandoned their houses, buried their grain, and +having driven away their cattle into almost inaccessible recesses +among the hills, returned to oppose the invaders. The conquest of +such a people was one of the most difficult of undertakings, as +the French generals of Napoleon afterwards discovered, to their +cost. The cruelty of the mountaineers was equal to their courage, +and the lapse of two thousand years changed them but little, for +in their long struggle against the French they massacred every +detachment whom they could surprise among the hills, murdered the +wounded who fell into their hands, and poisoned wells and grain. + +The army which Hannibal had brought to the foot of this country through +which he had to pass, amounted to 102,000 men, of which 12,000 +were cavalry and 90,000 infantry. This force passed the Ebro in +three bodies of equal strength. The natives opposed a desperate +resistance, but the three columns pressed forward on parallel +lines. The towns were besieged and captured, and after two months +of desperate fighting Catalonia was subdued, but its conquest +cost Hannibal twenty-one thousand men, a fifth of his whole army. +Hanno was for the time left here with ten thousand infantry and +a thousand cavalry. He was to suppress any fresh rising, to hold +the large towns, to form magazines for the army, and to keep open +the passes of the Pyrenees. He fixed his headquarters at Burgos. +His operations were facilitated by the fact that along the line +of the sea coast were a number of Phoenician colonies who were +natural allies of the Carthaginians, and aided them in every way +in their power. Before advancing through the passes of the Pyrenees +Hannibal still further reduced the strength of his force by weeding +out all those who had in the conflict among the mountains shown +themselves wanting in personal strength or in military qualities. +Giving these leave to return home he advanced at the head of fifty +thousand picked infantry and nine thousand cavalry. + +The company under Malchus had rendered good service during the +campaign of Catalonia. It had accompanied the column marching +by the seashore; with this were the elephants, the treasure, and +the heavy baggage of the army. It had throughout been in advance +of the column, feeling the way, protecting it from ambushes, and +dispersing any small bodies of tribesmen who might have placed +themselves on heights, whence with arrows and slings they could +harass the column on its march. The company had lost comparatively +few men in the campaign, for it had taken no part in the various +sieges. Its duties, however, were severe in the extreme. The men +were ever on the watch, scouting the country round, while the army +was engaged in siege operations, sometimes ascending mountains whence +they could command views over the interior or pursuing bands of +tribesmen to their refuges among the hills. + +Severely as Malchus had trained himself in every exercise, he found +it at first difficult to support the fatigues of such a life; but +every day his muscles hardened, and by the end of the campaign he +was able to keep on foot as long as the hardest of his men. + +One day he had followed a party of the tribesmen far up among the +mountains. The enemy had scattered, and the Arabs in their hot +pursuit had also broken up into small parties. Malchus kept his +eye upon the man who appeared to be the chief of the enemy's party, +and pressing hotly upon him brought him to bay on the face of a +steep and rugged gorge. Only one of the Numidians was at hand, a +man named Nessus, who was greatly attached to his young leader, +and always kept close to him in his expeditions. The savage, a bulky +and heavy man, finding he could no longer keep ahead of his fleet +footed pursuers, took his post at a narrow point in the path where +but one could oppose him; and there, with his heavy sword drawn, he +awaited the attack. Malchus advanced to meet him, sword in hand, +when an arrow from Nessus whizzed past him and struck the chief +in the throat, and his body fell heavily down the rocks. + +"That is not fair," Malchus said angrily. "I would fain have fought +him hand to hand." + +The Arab bowed his head. + +"My lord," he said, "the combat would not have been even; the man +had the upper ground, and you would have fought at a grievous +disadvantage. Why should you risk your life in a fight with the +swords, when my arrow has answered all purposes? What should I +have said if I had gone back without you? What satisfaction would +it have been to me to avenge your fall? What would they have said +to me when I told them that I looked on idly while you engaged in +such a struggle? Valour is valour, and we all know that my lord +is the bravest among us; but the life of the cousin of our general +is too valuable to be risked for nought when we are embarked upon +a great enterprise." + +"Look, Nessus! what is there?" Malchus exclaimed, his attention +attracted by a dark object which was crossing the narrow path some +distance ahead and ascending the steep side of the gorge. "It is +a bear, let us follow him; his flesh will form a welcome change +for the company tonight." + +The bear, who had been prowling in the bottom of the ravine, had +been disturbed by the fall of the body of the savage near him, +and started hastily to return to its abode, which lay high up on +the face of the cliff. Malchus and his companion hurried forward to +the spot where it had crossed the path. The way was plain enough; +there were scratches on the rock, and the bushes growing in the +crevices were beaten down. The path had evidently been frequently +used by the animal. + +"Look out, my lord!" Nessus exclaimed as Malchus hurried along. +"These bears of the Pyrenees are savage brutes. See that he does +not take you unawares." + +The rocks were exceedingly steep; and Malchus, with his bow in his +hand and the arrow fitted and ready to draw, climbed on, keeping +his eyes on every clump of bush lest the bear should be lurking +there. At last he paused. They had reached a spot now but a short +distance from the top. The cliff here fell almost perpendicularly +down, and along its face was a narrow ledge scarcely a foot wide. +Along this it was evident the bear had passed. + +"I should think we must be near his den now, Nessus. I trust this +ledge widens out before it gets there. It would be an awkward +place for a conflict, for a stroke of his paw would send one over +the edge." + +"I shall be close behind you, my lord," said Nessus, whose blood +was now up with the chase. "Should you fall to stop him, drop on +one knee that I may shoot over you." + +For some fifty yards the ledge continued unbroken. Malchus moved +along cautiously, with his arrow in the string and his shield shifted +round his shoulder, in readiness for instant action. Suddenly, upon +turning a sharp corner of the cliff, he saw it widened ten feet +ahead into a sort of platform lying in the angle of the cliff, +which beyond it again jutted out. On this platform was a bear, +which with an angry growl at once advanced towards him. Malchus +discharged his arrow; it struck the bear full on the chest, and +penetrated deeply. With a stroke of his paw the animal broke the +shaft asunder and rushed forward. Malchus threw forward the point +of his spear, and with his shield on his arm awaited the onset He +struck the bear fairly on the chest, but, as before, it snapped +the shaft with its paw, and rising to its feet advanced. + +"Kneel, my lord!" Nessus exclaimed. + +Malchus dropped on one knee, bracing himself as firmly as he could +against the rock, and, with his shield above his head and his +sword in his hand, awaited the attack of the enraged animal. He +heard the twang of the bow behind him; then he felt a mighty blow, +which beat down his shield and descended with terrible force upon +his helmet, throwing him forward on to his face. Then there was +a heavy blow on his back; and it was well for him that he had +on backpiece as well as breastplate, or the flesh would have been +torn from his shoulder to his loins. As the blow fell there was an +angry roar. For a moment he felt crushed by a weight which fell +upon him. This was suddenly removed, and he heard a crash far below +as the bear, pierced to the heart by the Arab's spear, fell over +the precipice. Nessus hastened to raise him. + +"My lord is not hurt, I hope?" + +"In no way, Nessus, thanks to you; but my head swims and my arm is +well nigh broken with that blow. Who would have thought a beast +like that could have struck so hard? See, he has dented in my +helmet and has bent my shield! Now, before we go back and search +for the body, let us see what its den is like." + +"Do you take my spear, my lord; your own is broken, and your bow +has gone over the precipice. It may be that there is another bear +here. Where one is, the other is seldom far off." + +They advanced on to the platform, and saw in the corner of the angle +a cave entering some distance into the hill. As they approached +the entrance a deep growl was heard within. + +"We had best leave it alone, my lord," Nessus said as they both +recoiled a step at the entrance. "This is doubtless the female, +and these are larger and fiercer than the males." + +"I agree with you, Nessus," Malchus said. "Were we on other ground +I should say let us attack it, but I have had enough of fighting +bears on the edge of a precipice. There is as much meat as we can +carry ready for us below. Besides, the hour is late and the men +will be getting uneasy. Moreover, we are but half armed; and we +cannot get at her without crawling through that hole, which is +scarce three feet high. Altogether, we had best leave her alone." + +While they were speaking the bear began to roar angrily, the deeper +notes being mingled with a chorus of snarls and whinings which +showed that there was a young family with her. + +"Do you go first, Nessus," Malchus said. "The rear is the post of +honour here, though I fancy the beast does not mean to come out." + +Nessus without a word took the lead, and advanced across the platform +towards the corner. + +As he was in the act of turning it he sprang suddenly back, while +an arrow flew past, grazing the corner of the rock. + +"There are a score of natives on the path!" he exclaimed. "We are +in a trap." + +Malchus looked round in dismay. It was evident that some of the +natives must have seen the fall of their leader and watched them +pursue the bear, and had now closed in behind them to cut off +their retreat. The situation was a most unpleasant one. The ledge +extended no further than the platform; below, the precipice fell +away sheer down a hundred feet; above, it rose as high. The narrow +path was occupied with numerous foes. In the den behind them was +the angry bear. + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in consternation. + +"We are fairly caught, Nessus," Malchus said. "There is one thing, +they can no more attack us than we can attack them. Only one can +come round this corner at a time, and we can shoot or spear them +as they do so. We are tolerably safe from attack, but they can +starve us out." + +"They can shoot over from the other side of the ravine," Nessus said; +"their arrows will carry from the opposite brow easily enough." + +"Then," Malchus said firmly, "we must dispose of the bear; we must +have the cave. We shall be safe there from their arrows, while, +lying at the entrance, we could shoot any that should venture past +the corner. First, though, I will blow my horn. Some of our men +may be within hearing." + +Malchus pulled forth the horn which he carried. It was useless, +being completely flattened with the blow that the bear had struck +him. + +"That hope is gone, Nessus," he said. "Now let us get the bear to +come out as soon as possible, and finish with her. Do you stand +at the corner with your arrow ready, in case the natives should +try to surprise us, and be ready to aid me when she rushes out." + +Malchus went to the mouth of the den, struck his spear against the +side, and threw in some pieces of stone; but, although the growling +was deep and continuous, the bear showed no signs of an intention +of coming out. + +The Arab was an old hunter, and he now asked Malchus to take his +place with the bow while he drove the bear out. He first took off +his bernous, cut off several strips from the bottom, knotted them +together, and then twisted the strip into a rope. Growing out +from a crevice in the rock, some three feet above the top of the +cave, was a young tree; and round this, close to the root, Nessus +fastened one end of his rope, the other he formed into a slip-knot +and let the noose fall in front of the cave, keeping it open with +two twigs placed across it. Then he gathered some brushwood and +placed it at the entrance, put a bunch of dried twigs and dead +leaves among it, and, striking a light with his flint and steel +on some dried fungus, placed this in the middle of the sticks and +blew upon it. In a minute a flame leaped up. "Now, my lord," he +said, "be ready with your sword and spear. The beast will be out +in a minute; she cannot stand the smoke." + +Malchus ran to the corner and looked round. The natives were at a +distance along the ledge, evidently with no intention of attacking +a foe of whom they felt sure. A taunting shout was raised and an +arrow flew towards him, but he instantly withdrew his head and +ran back to the platform. + +A minute later there was a fierce growl and the bear rushed out. The +brushwood was scattered as, checked suddenly in its rush by the +noose, the animal rose on its hind legs. In an instant the spear +of Nessus was plunged deeply into it on one side, while Malchus +buried his sword to the hilt in its body under the fore shoulder +of the other. Stabbed to the heart, the beast fell prostrate. +Nessus repeated his blow, but the animal was dead. Five young +bears rushed out after their mother, growling and snapping; but as +these were only about a quarter grown they were easily despatched. + +"There is a supply of food for a long time," Malchus said cheerfully; +"and as there is a drip of water coming down in this angle we +shall be able to quench our thirst. Ah! we are just in time." + +As he spoke an arrow struck the rock close to them and dropped +at their feet. Others came in rapid succession; and, looking at +the brow of the opposite side of the ravine, they saw a number of +natives. + +"Pull the bear's body across the mouth of the cave," Malchus said, +"it will prevent the arrows which strike the rock in front from +glancing in. The little bears will do for food at present." + +They were soon in the cave, which opened beyond the entrance and +extended some distance into the mountain; it was seven or eight +feet wide and lofty enough to stand upright in. Nessus lay down +behind the bear, with his bow and arrow so as to command the angle +of the rock. Malchus seated himself further in the cave, sheltered +by the entrance from the arrows which from time to time glanced in +at the mouth. Only once did Nessus have to shoot. The natives on +the ledge, informed by their comrades on the opposite side of the +gorge that their foes had sought refuge in the cave, ventured to +advance; but the moment the first turned the corner he fell over +the precipice, transfixed by an arrow from the bow of Nessus, and +the rest hastily retreated. + +"Hand me your flint and steel, Nessus, and a piece of fungus. I +may as well have a look round the cave." + +A light was soon procured, and Malchus found that the cave extended +some fifty feet back, narrowing gradually to the end. It had +evidently been used for a long time by wild animals. The floor was +completely covered with dry bones of various sizes. + +As soon as he saw that this was the case Malchus tore off a strip +of his linen shirt, and rolling it into a ball set it on fire. +On this he piled up small bones, which caught readily, and he soon +had a bright and almost smokeless fire. He now took the place of +Nessus. The latter skinned and cut up one of the small bears, and +soon had some steaks broiling over the fire. By this time it was +getting dusk without. + +When the meat was cooked Nessus satisfied his hunger and then +sallied out from the cave and took his post as sentry with his +spear close to the angle of the rock, as by this time the natives +on the opposite side, being no longer able to see in the gathering +darkness, had ceased to shoot. Malchus ate his food at his leisure, +and then joined his companion. + +"We must get out of here somehow, Nessus. Our company will search +for us tomorrow; but they might search for a week without finding +us here; and, as the army is advancing, they could not spare more +than a day; so, if we are to get away, it must be by our own +exertions." + +"I am ready to fight my way along this ledge, my lord, if such is +your wish. They cannot see us to fire at, and as only one man can +stand abreast, their numbers would be of no avail to them." + +"Not on the ledge, Nessus; but they would hardly defend that. No +doubt they are grouped at the further end, and we should have to +fight against overwhelming numbers. No, that is not to be thought +of. The only way of escape I can think of would be to let ourselves +down the precipice; but our bernouses would not make a rope long +enough." + +"They would not reach a third of the distance," Nessus replied, +shaking his head. "They have been worn some time, and the cloth +is no longer strong. It would need a broad strip to support us." + +"That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long +enough, nevertheless." + +"I do not understand you, my lord. Our other garments would be of +but little use." + +"Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we +have the skins of the bears -- the hide of the old bear at least +is thick and tough -- and a narrow strip would bear our weight." + +"Of course," Nessus said. "How stupid of me not to think of it, +for in the desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide. +If you will stand sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at +once." + +Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the +bear, and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, +and having fastened them together, twisted them into a rope. + +The bernouses -- which when on the march were rolled up and worn +over one shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers +carry their blankets in modern times -- were also cut up and twisted, +and in three hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was +long enough to reach to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently +strong to bear their weight. + +One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope +was then thrown over the edge of the platform. One of the young +bear's skins was fastened round and round it at the point where it +crossed the edge of the rocky platform, to prevent it from being +cut when the weight was put upon it, and they then prepared for +their descent. + +"Do you go first," Malchus said. "As soon as I feel that the rope +is loose, I will follow you." + +The Arab swung himself off the edge, and in a very short time Malchus +felt the rope slacken. He followed at once. The first twenty feet +the descent was absolutely perpendicular, but after that the rock +inclined outward in a steep but pretty regular slope. Malchus was +no longer hanging by the rope; but throwing the principal portion +of his weight still upon it, and placing his feet on the inequalities +of the rock, he made his way down without difficulty. Presently +he stood by Nessus at the foot of the slope. + +"We had better make up the ravine. There will be numbers of them +at its mouth. We can see the glow of their fires from here." + +"But we may not be able to find a way up," Nessus said; "the sides +seem to get steeper and steeper, and we may find ourselves caught +in a trap at the end of this gorge." `At any rate we will try that +way first. I wish the moon was up; it is as black as a wolf's mouth +here, and the bottom of the gorge is all covered with boulders. +If we stumble, and our arms strike a stone, it will be heard by +the natives on the opposite heights." + +They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; +but in the dense darkness the task of making their way among the +boulders was difficult in the extreme. They had proceeded but a +short distance when a loud yell rose from the height above them. +It was repeated again and again, and was answered by shouts from +the opposite side and from the mouth of the ravine. + +"By Astarte!" Malchus exclaimed, "they have found out that we have +escaped already." + +It was so. One of the natives had crept forward along the path, +hoping to find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and +stab him. When he got to the angle of the rock he could see no +form before him, nor hear the slightest sound. Creeping forward +he found the platform deserted. He listened attentively at the +entrance to the cave, and the keen ear of the savage would have +detected had any been slumbering there; but all was still. + +He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, +when his head struck against something. He put up his hand and +felt the rope, and saw how the fugitives had escaped. He at once +gave the alarm to his comrades. In a minute or two a score of men +with blazing brands came running along the path. On seeing the +rope, they entered the cave, and found that their prey had really +escaped. + +Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given. + +"We had better be going, my lord," the Arab said as he saw the men +with torches retracing their steps along the brow. "They will soon +be after us." + +"I think not, Nessus. Their chance of finding us among these boulders +in the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks +to our arrows that they would hardly enter upon it. No, I think they +will wait till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of +the ravine, and along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent +could be made. Hark, the men on the heights there are calling to +others along the brow." + +"Very well, my lord," Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, "then +we will sell our lives as dearly as possible." + +"I hope it has not come to that, Nessus. There is a chance of safety +for us yet. The only place they are not likely to look for us is +the cave, and as we have climbed down from above with the rope, +there will be no difficulty in ascending." + +Nessus gave an exclamation, which expressed at once admiration of +his leader's idea and gratification at the thought of escape. They +began without delay to retrace their steps, and after some trouble +again found the rope. + +Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any +inequality of the surface of the rock. Whenever he came to a ledge +which afforded him standing room he shook the rope, and waited +until Malchus joined him. + +At last they stood together at the foot of the perpendicular rock +at the top. The lightly armed Arab found no difficulty whatever in +climbing the rope; but it was harder work for Malchus, encumbered +with the weight of his armour. The numerous knots, however, helped +him, and when he was within a few feet of the top, Nessus seized +the rope and hauled it up by sheer strength until Malchus was level +with the top. Then he gave him his hand, and assisted him to gain +his feet. They entered the cave and made their way to the further +end, and there threw themselves down. They had not long been there +when they saw a flash of light at the mouth of the cave and heard +voices. + +Malchus seized his spear and would have leaped to his feet, but +Nessus pressed his hand on his shoulder. + +"They are come for the she bear," he said. "It is not likely they +will enter." + +Lying hidden in the darkness the fugitives watched the natives +roll the bear over, tie its legs together, and put a stout pole +through them. Then four men lifted the pole on their shoulders and +started. + +Another holding a brand entered the cave. The two fugitives held +their breath, and Nessus sat with an arrow in the string ready to +shoot. The brand, however, gave but a feeble light, and the native, +picking up the bodies of three of the young bears, which lay close +to the entrance, threw them over his shoulder, and crawled back +out of the cave again. As they heard his departing footsteps the +fugitives drew a long breath of relief. + +Nessus rose and made his way cautiously out of the cave. He returned +in a minute. + +"They have taken the rope with them," he said, "and it is well, +for when they have searched the valley tomorrow, were it hanging +there, it might occur to them that we have made our way up. Now +that it is gone they can never suspect that we have returned here." + +"There is no chance of our being disturbed again tonight, Nessus. +We can sleep as securely as if were in our camp." + +So saying, Malchus chose a comfortable place, and was soon asleep. + +Nessus, however, did not lie down, but sat watching with unwearied +eyes the entrance to the cave. As soon as day had fairly broken, +a chorus of loud shouts and yells far down the ravine told that the +search had begun. For hours it continued. Every bush and boulder +in the bottom was searched by the natives. + +Again and again they went up and down the gorge, convinced that the +fugitives must be hidden somewhere; for, as Nessus had anticipated, +the cliffs at the upper end were so precipitous that an escape +there was impossible, and the natives had kept so close a watch +all night along the slopes at the lower end, and at the mouth, +that they felt sure that their prey could not have escaped them +unseen. And yet at last they were forced to come to the confusion +that in some inexplicable way this must have been the case, for how +else could they have escaped? The thought that they had reascended +by the rope before it was removed, and that they were hidden in the +cave at the time the bodies of the bear and its cubs were carried +away, never occurred to them. + +All day they wandered about in the bottom of the ravine, searching +every possible place, and sometimes removing boulders with great +labour, where these were piled together in such a manner that any +one could be hidden beneath them. + +At nightfall they feasted upon the body of the bear first killed, +which had been found where it had fallen in the ravine. The body +of one of the young bears which lay far up the cave, had escaped +their search, and a portion of this furnished a meal to the two +prisoners, who were, however, obliged to eat it raw, being afraid +to light a fire, lest the smoke, however slight, should be observed +coming out at the entrance. + +The next morning, so far as they could see, the place was deserted +by the natives. Lying far back in the cave they could see that +the men on the opposite side of the ravine had retired; but as it +was quite possible that the natives, feeling still convinced that +the fugitives must be hidden somewhere, had set a watch at some +spot commanding a view of the whole ravine, they did not venture +to show themselves at the entrance. + +After making another meal of the bear, they sallied out, when it +again became dark, and made their way along the path. When they +neared the end they saw a party of the enemy sitting round a great +fire at the mouth of the ravine below them. They retired a short +distance, and sat down patiently until at last the fire burned +low, and the natives, leaving two of the party on watch, lay down +to sleep. Then Malchus and his companion rose to their feet, and +made their way along the path. When they were nearly abreast of +the fire, Malchus happened to tread upon a loose stone, which went +bouncing down the side of the hill. + +The scouts gave a shout, which called their companions to their +feet, and started up the hillside towards the spot where the stone +had fallen. + +Nessus discharged an arrow, which struck full on the chest of the +leader of the party, and then followed Malchus along the hillside. + +A shout of rage broke from the natives as their comrade fell; but +without pausing they pushed on. Malchus did not hurry. Silence +now was of more importance than speed. He strode along, then, with +a rapid but careful step, Nessus following closely behind him. +The shouts of the savages soon showed that they were at fault. +Malchus listened attentively as he went. Whenever the babel of +tongues ceased for a moment he stopped perfectly still, and only +ventured on when they were renewed. + +At last they had placed a long gap between them and their pursuers, +and came out on a level shoulder of the hill. They continued their +way until they found themselves at the edge of the forest. It was +so dark under the trees that they could no longer advance, and +Malchus therefore determined to wait till the dawn should enable +them to continue their journey. Whether they were in a clump of trees +or in the forest, which covered a large portion of the mountain +side, they were unable to tell; nor, as not a single star could be +seen, had they any indication of the direction which they should +take. Retiring then for some little distance among the trees, they +lay down and were soon asleep. + +When the first dawn of day appeared they were on their way again, +and soon found that the trees under which they had slept formed +part of the forest. Through occasional openings, formed by trees +which had fallen from age or tempest, they obtained a view of the +surrounding country, and were enabled to form an idea where lay +the camp which they had left two days before. + +They had not proceeded far when they heard in the distance behind +them the shouting of men and the barking of dogs, and knew that +the enemy were upon their track. They ran now at the top of their +speed, convinced, however, that the natives, who would have to +follow the track, could not travel as fast as they did. Suddenly +Malchus stopped. + +"Listen!" he said. They paused, and far down the hillside heard +the distant sound of a horn. "Those must be our men," Malchus +exclaimed, "they are searching for us still; Hannibal must have +allowed them to stay behind when the army proceeded on its way." + +In another half hour the horn sounded close at hand and they were +speedily among a body of Malchus' own followers, who received them +with shouts of delight. The men were utterly worn out, for they had +searched continuously day and night from the time they had missed +their leader, sometimes high up among the hills, sometimes among +the lower valleys. The party which he met comprised but a fourth +of the band, for they had divided into four parties, the better +to range the country. + +They were now ascending the hills again at a distance of two miles +apart, and messengers were at once sent off to the other bodies +to inform them that Malchus had returned. Malchus quickly recounted +to his men the story of what had befallen them, and then bade them +lie down to rest while he and Nessus kept watch. + +The natives who had been in pursuit did not make their appearance, +having doubtless heard the horn which told of the approach of a +body of the Carthaginians. In two hours the whole of the band were +collected, and after a few hours' halt, to enable the men to recover +from their long fatigue and sleeplessness, Malchus put himself +at their head and they marched away to join the main body of their +army, which they overtook two days later. + +Malchus was received with great delight by his father and Hannibal, +who had given him up for lost. Nessus had over and over again +recounted all the details of their adventure to his comrades, and +the quickness of Malchus at hitting upon the stratagem of returning +to the cave, and so escaping from a position where escape seemed +well nigh impossible, won for him an even higher place than before +in the admiration of his followers. + + + +CHAPTER XI: THE PASSAGE OF THE RHONE + + +The army was now moving through the passes of the Pyrenees. The +labour was great; no army had ever before crossed this mountain +barrier; roads had to be made, streams bridged, and rocks blasted +away, to allow the passage of the elephants and baggage wagons. +Opinions have differed as to the explosives used by the Carthaginian +miners, but it is certain that they possessed means of blasting +rocks. The engineers of Hannibal's force possessed an amount +of knowledge and science vastly in excess of that attained by the +Romans at that time, and during the campaign the latter frequently +endeavoured, and sometimes with success, by promises of high +rewards, to induce Hannibal's engineers to desert and take service +with them. A people well acquainted with the uses of sulphur and +niter, skilled in the Oriental science of chemistry, capable of +manufacturing Greek fire -- a compound which would burn under water +-- may well have been acquainted with some mixture resembling +gunpowder. + +The art of making this explosive was certainly known to the Chinese +in very remote ages, and the Phoenicians, whose galleys traversed +the most distant seas to the east, may have acquired their knowledge +from that people. + +The wild tribes of the mountains harassed the army during this +difficult march, and constant skirmishes went on between them and +Hannibal's light armed troops. However, at last all difficulties +were overcome, and the army descended the slopes into the plains +of Southern Gaul. + +Already Hannibal's agents had negotiated for an unopposed passage +through this country; but the Gauls, alarmed at the appearance of +the army, and at the news which had reached them of the conquest +of Catalonia, assembled in arms. Hannibal's tact and a lavish +distribution of presents dissipated the alarm of the Gauls, and +their chiefs visited Hannibal's camp at Elne, and a treaty was +entered into for the passage of the army. + +A singular article of this treaty, and one which shows the esteem +in which the Gauls held their women, was that all complaints on the +part of the natives against Carthaginian troops should be carried +to Hannibal himself or the general representing him, and that +all complaints of the Carthaginians against the natives should +be decided without appeal by a council composed of Gaulish women. +This condition caused much amusement to the Carthaginians, who, +however, had no cause to regret its acceptance, for the decisions +of this singular tribunal were marked by the greatest fairness +and impartiality. The greater part of the tribes through whose +country the army marched towards the Rhone observed the terms of the +treaty with good faith; some proved troublesome, but were wholly +unable to stand against the Carthaginian arms. + +The exact route traversed by the army has been a subject of long +and bitter controversy; but, as no events of very great importance +occurred on the way, the precise line followed in crossing Gaul +is a matter of but slight interest. Suffice that, after marching +from the Pyrenees at a high rate of speed, the army reached the +Rhone at the point where Roquemaure now stands, a short distance +above Avignon. + +This point had been chosen by Hannibal because it was one of the +few spots at which the Rhone runs in a single stream, its course +being for the most part greatly broken up by islands. Roquemaure +lies sixty-five miles from the sea, and it was necessary to +cross the Rhone at some distance from its mouth, for Rome was now +thoroughly alarmed, and Scipio, with a fleet and powerful army, was +near Marseilles waiting to engage Hannibal on the plains of Gaul. + +During the last few days' march no inhabitants had been encountered. +The Arecomici, who inhabited this part of the country, had not +been represented at the meeting, and at the news of the approach +of the Carthaginians had deserted their country and fled across +the Rhone, where, joined by the tribes dwelling upon the further +bank, they prepared to offer a desperate opposition to the passage +of the river. The appearance of this mass of barbarians, armed +with bows and arrows and javelins, on the further side of the wide +and rapid river which had to be crossed, was not encouraging. + +"It was bad enough crossing the Pyrenees," Malchus said to Trebon, +"but that was nothing to this undertaking; it is one thing to climb +a precipice, however steep, to the assault of an enemy, another to +swim across at the head of the army under such a shower of missiles +as we shall meet with on the other side." + +Hannibal, however, had prepared to overcome the difficulty. +Messengers had been sent up and down the river to all the people +living on the right bank, offering to buy from them at good prices +every barge and boat in their possession, promising them freedom +from all exactions and hard treatment, and offering good pay +to those who would render assistance to the army in the passage. +Hannibal's offers were accepted without hesitation. That the army, +which could, had it chosen, have taken all their boats by force and +impressed their labour, should offer to pay liberally for both, +filled them with admiration, and they were, moreover, only too +glad to aid this formidable army of strangers to pass out of their +country. + +The dwellers upon the Rhone at this period carried on an extensive +commerce, not only with the tribes of the upper river, but with +Marseilles and the ports of Spain and Northern Italy, consequently +a large number of vessels and barges of considerable tonnage were +at once obtained. + +To add to the means of transport the whole army were set to work, +and, assisted by the natives, the soldiers cut down trees, and, +hollowing them out roughly, formed canoes capable of carrying two +or three men. So industriously did the troops work that in two +days enough canoes were made to carry the army across the river; +but there was still the opposition of the natives to be overcome, +and when the canoes were finished Hannibal ordered Hanno, one of +his best generals, to start with a division at nightfall up the +bank of the river. + +Hanno marched five miles, when he found a spot where the river was +smooth and favourable for the passage. The troops set to at once +to cut trees; rafts were formed of these, and the troops passed +over. The Spanish corps, accustomed to the passage of rivers, +simply stripped, and putting their broad shields of hides beneath +them, passed the river by swimming. Once across Hanno gave his +men twenty-four hours' rest, and then, calculating that Hannibal's +preparations would be complete, he marched down the river until +he reached a hill, whose summit was visible from Hannibal's camp +at daybreak. Upon this he lit a signal fire. + +The moment the smoke was seen in the camp Hannibal gave orders +for the troops to embark. The light infantry took to their little +canoes, the cavalry embarked in the larger vessels, and, as these +were insufficient to carry all the horses, a great many of the +animals were made to enter the river attached by ropes to the +vessels. The heavier craft started highest up, in order that they +might to some extent break the roughness of the waves and facilitate +the passage of the canoes. + +The din was prodigious. Thousands of men tugged at the oars, +the roughly made canoes were dashed against each other and often +upset, while from the opposite bank rose loudly the defiant yells +of the natives, prepared to dispute to the last the landing of +the flotilla. Suddenly these cries assumed a different character. +A mass of smoke was seen to rise from the tents of the enemy's camp, +and Hanno's division poured down upon their rear. The Arecomici, +taken wholly by surprise, were seized with a panic, and fled +hastily in all directions, leaving the bank clear for the landing +of Hannibal. The whole of the army were brought across at once +and encamped that night on the river. + +In the morning Hannibal sent off five hundred Numidian horse to +reconnoitre the river below, and ascertain what Scipio's army, +which was known to have landed at its mouth, was doing. He then +assembled his army and introduced to them some chiefs of the tribes +beyond the Alps, who had a day or two before arrived in the camp +with the agents he had sent to their country. They harangued the +soldiers, an interpreter translating their speeches, and assured +them of the welcome they would meet in the rich and fertile country +beyond the Alps, and of the alacrity with which the people there +would join them against the Romans. + +Hannibal himself then addressed the soldiers, pointed out to them +that they had already accomplished by far the greatest part of their +journey, had overcome every obstacle, and that there now remained +but a few days' passage over the mountains, and that Italy, the +goal of all their endeavours, would then lie before them. + +The soldiers replied with enthusiastic shouts, and Hannibal, after +offering up prayers to the gods on behalf of the army, dismissed +the soldiers, and told them to prepare to start on the following +day. Soon after the assembly had broken up the Numidian horse +returned in great confusion, closely pressed by the Roman cavalry, +who had been sent by Scipio to ascertain Hannibal's position and +course. The hostile cavalry had charged each other with fury. A +hundred and forty of the Romans and two hundred of the Numidians +were slain. + +Hannibal saw that there was no time to be lost. The next morning, +at daybreak, the whole of his cavalry were posted to the south +to cover the movements of the army and to check the Roman advance. +The infantry were then set in motion up the bank of the river and +Hannibal, with a small party, remained behind to watch the passage +of the elephants, which had not yet been brought across. + +The elephants had not been trained to take to the water, and the +operation was an extremely difficult one. Very strong and massive +rafts were joined together until they extended two hundred feet into +the river, being kept in their place by cables fastened to trees +on the bank above them. At the end of this floating pier was placed +another raft of immense size, capable of carrying four elephants +at a time. A thick covering of earth was laid over the whole, and +on this turf was placed. The elephants were then led forward. + +So solid was the construction that they advanced upon it without +hesitation. When four had taken their place on the great raft at the +end, the fastenings which secured it to the rest of the structure +were cut, and a large number of boats and barges filled with rowers +began to tow the raft across the river. The elephants were seized +with terror at finding themselves afoot, but seeing no way of escape +remained trembling in the centre of the raft until they reached +the other side. When it was safely across, the raft and towing boats +returned, and the operation was repeated until all the elephants +were over. + +Some of the animals, however, were so terrified that they flung +themselves from the rafts into the river and made their way +to shore, keeping their probosces above the surface of the water. +The Indians who directed them were, however, all swept away and +drowned. As soon as the elephants were all across Hannibal called +in his cavalry, and with them and the elephants followed the army. + +The Romans did not arrive at the spot until three days after +the Carthaginians had left. Scipio was greatly astonished when +he found that Hannibal had marched north, as he believed that the +Alps were impassable for an army, and had reckoned that Hannibal +would certainly march down the river and follow the seashore. +Finding that the Carthaginians had left he marched his army down to +his ships again, re-embarked them, and sailed for Genoa, intending +to oppose Hannibal as he issued from the defiles of the Alps, in +the event of his succeeding in making the passage. + +Four days' march up the Rhone brought Hannibal to the point where +the Isere runs into that river. He crossed it, and with his army +entered the region called by Polybius "The Island," although the +designation is an incorrect one, for while the Rhone flows along +one side of the triangle and the Isere on the other, the base is +formed not by a third river, but by a portion of the Alpine chain. + +Malchus and his band had been among the first to push off from +the shore when the army began to cross the Rhone. Malchus was in +a roughly constructed canoe, which was paddled by Nessus and another +of his men. Like most of the other canoes, their craft soon became +waterlogged, for the rapid and angry current of the river, broken +and agitated by so large a number of boats, splashed over the sides +of the clumsy canoes, which were but a few inches above the water. +The buoyancy of the wood was sufficient to float them even when +full, but they paddled slowly and heavily. + +The confusion was prodigious. The greater part of the men, unaccustomed +to rowing, had little control over their boats. Collisions were +frequent, and numbers of the boats were upset and their occupants +drowned. The canoe which carried Malchus was making fair progress, +but, to his vexation, was no longer in the front line. He was +urging the paddlers to exert themselves to the utmost, when Nessus +gave a sudden cry. + +A horse which had broken loose from its fastenings behind one of +the barges was swimming down, frightened and confused at the din. +It was within a few feet of them when Nessus perceived it, and in +another moment it struck the canoe broadside with its chest. The +boat rolled over at once, throwing its occupants into the water. +Malchus grasped the canoe as it upset, for he would instantly have +sunk from the weight of his armour. Nessus a moment later appeared +by his side. + +"I will go to the other side, my lord," he said, "that will keep +the tree from turning over again." + +He dived under the canoe, and came up on the opposite side, and +giving Malchus his hand across it, there was no longer any fear +of the log rolling over. The other rower did not reappear above the +surface. Malchus shouted in vain to some of the passing boats to +pick him up, but all were so absorbed in their efforts to advance +and their eagerness to engage the enemy that none paid attention to +Malchus or the others in like plight. Besides, it seemed probable +that all, if they stuck to their canoes, would presently gain one +bank or other of the river. Malchus, too, had started rather low +down, and he was therefore soon out of the flotilla. + +The boat was nearly in midstream when the accident happened. + +"The first thing to do," Malchus said when he saw that there was no +chance of their being picked up, "is to rid myself of my armour. +I can do nothing with it on, and if the tree turns over I shall +go down like a stone. First of all, Nessus, do you unloose your +sword belt. I will do the same. If we fasten them together they are +long enough to go round the canoe, and if we take off our helmets +and pass the belts through the chin chains they will, with our +swords, hang safely." + +This was with some difficulty accomplished. + +"Now," Malchus continued, "let us make our way to the stern of the +canoe. I will place my hand on the tree there, and do you unfasten +the shoulder and waist straps of my breast and backpieces. I cannot +do it myself." + +This was also accomplished, and the two pieces of armour laid on +the tree. They were now free to look round. The rapid stream had +already taken them half a mile below the point where the army were +crossing, and they were now entering a spot where the river was +broken up by islands, and raced along its pent up channel with +greater velocity than before, its surface broken with short angry +waves, which rendered it difficult for them to retain their hold +of the tree. + +For a time they strove by swimming to give the canoe an impetus +towards one bank or the other; but their efforts were vain. +Sometimes they thought they were about to succeed, and then an eddy +would take the boat and carry it into the middle of the stream +again. + +"It is useless, Nessus," Malchus said at last. "We are only wearing +ourselves out, and our efforts are of no avail whatever. We must +be content to drift down the river until our good luck throws us +into some eddy which may carry us near one bank or the other." + +It was a long time, indeed, before that stroke of fortune befell +them, and they were many miles down the river before the current +took them near the eastern bank at a point where a sharp curve of +the river threw the force of the current over in that direction; +but although they were carried to within a few yards of the shore, +so numbed and exhausted were they by their long immersion in the +cold water that it was with the greatest difficulty that they could +give the canoe a sufficient impulsion to carry it to the bank. + +At last, however, their feet touched the bottom, and they struggled +to shore, carrying with them the arms and armour; then, letting +the canoe drift away again, they crawled up the bank, and threw +themselves down, utterly exhausted. It was some time before either +of them spoke. Then Malchus said: + +"We had best strip off our clothes and wring them as well as we can; +after that they will soon dry on us. We have no means of drying +them here, so we must lie down among some bushes to shelter us from +this bitter wind which blows from the mountains." + +The clothes were wrung until the last drop was extracted from them +and then put on again. They were still damp and cold, but Malchus +and his companion had been accustomed to be drenched to the skin, +and thought nothing of this. They were still too exhausted, however, +to walk briskly, and therefore lay down among some thick bushes +until they should feel equal to setting out on the long tramp to +rejoin their companions. After lying for a couple of hours Malchus +rose to his feet, and issuing from the bushes looked round. He +had resumed his armour and sword. As he stepped out a sudden shout +arose, and he saw within a hundred yards of him a body of natives +some hundred strong approaching. They had already caught sight of +him. + +"Nessus," he exclaimed, without looking round, "lie still. I am +seen, and shall be taken in a minute. It is hopeless for me to try +to escape. You will do me more good by remaining hid and trying to +free me from their hands afterwards." + +So saying, and without drawing his sword, Malchus quietly advanced +towards the natives, who were rushing down towards him with loud +shouts. Flight or resistance would be, as he had at once seen, +hopeless, and it was only by present submission he could hope to +save his life. + +The natives were a portion of the force which had opposed Hannibal's +landing, and had already killed several Carthaginians who had, like +Malchus, struggled to the bank after being upset in the passage. +Seeing that he attempted neither to fly nor to defend himself, +they rushed upon him tumultuously, stripped him of his arms and +armour, and dragged him before their leader. The latter briefly +ordered him to be brought along, and the party continued their +hurried march, fearing that the Carthaginian horse might at any +moment pursue them. For the rest of the afternoon they marched +without a halt, but at nightfall stopped in a wood. + +No fires were lit, for they knew not how close the Carthaginians +might be behind them. Malchus was bound hand and foot and thrown +down in their midst. There was no sleep that night. Half the party +remained on watch, the others sat together round the spot where +Malchus lay and discussed the disastrous events of the day -- the +great flotilla of the Carthaginians, the sudden attack in their +rear, the destruction of their camp, the capture of the whole of +their goods, and the slaughter and defeat which had befallen them. + +As their dialect differed but little from that of the Gauls in +the Carthaginian service, Malchus was enabled to understand the +greater part of their conversation, and learned that the only reason +why he was not put to death at once was that they wished to keep +him until beyond the risk of pursuit of the Carthaginians, when +he could be sacrificed to their gods formally and with the usual +ceremonies. + +All the time that they were talking Malchus listened anxiously +for any sudden outbreak which would tell that Nessus had been +discovered. That the Numidian had followed on their traces and was +somewhere in the neighbourhood Malchus had no doubt, but rescue +in his present position was impossible, and he only hoped that his +follower would find that this was so in time and would wait for a +more favourable opportunity. The night passed off quietly, and in +the morning the natives continued their march. After proceeding +for three or four hours a sudden exclamation from one of them caused +the others to turn, and in the distance a black mass of horsemen +was seen approaching. At a rapid run the natives started off for +the shelter of a wood half a mile distant. Malchus was forced to +accompany them. He felt sure that the horsemen were a party of +Hannibal's cavalry, and he wondered whether Nessus was near enough +to see them, for if so he doubted not that he would manage to join +them and lead them to his rescue. + +Just before they reached the wood the natives suddenly stopped, for, +coming from the opposite direction was another body of cavalry. +It needed not the joyous shouts of the natives to tell Malchus that +these were Romans, for they were coming from the south and could +only be a party of Scipio's cavalry. The natives halted at +the edge of the wood to watch the result of the conflict, for the +parties evidently saw each other, and both continued to advance +at full speed. The Roman trumpets were sounding, while the wild +yells which came up on the breeze told Malchus that Hannibal's +cavalry were a party of the Numidians. + +The Romans were somewhat the most numerous; but, had the cavalry +opposed to them consisted of the Carthaginian horse, Malchus would +have had little doubt as to the result; he felt, however, by no +means certain that the light armed Numidians were a match for the +Roman cavalry. The party had stopped but a quarter of a mile from +the spot where the rival bands met, and the crash of bodies driven +violently against each other and the clash of steel on armour +could be plainly heard. + +For a few minutes it was a wild confused melee, neither party +appearing to have any advantage. Riderless steeds galloped off +from the throng, but neither party seemed to give way afoot. The +whole mass seemed interlaced in conflict. It was a moving struggling +throng of bodies with arms waving high and swords rising and +falling. The Romans fought in silence, but the wild yells of the +Numidians rose shrill and continuous. + +At last there was a movement, and Malchus gave a groan while the +natives around him shouted in triumph as the Numidians were seen +to detach themselves from the throng and to gallop off at full +speed, hotly followed by the Romans, both, however, in greatly +diminished numbers, for the ground on which the conflict had taken +place was thickly strewn with bodies; nearly half of those who had +engaged in that short but desperate strife were lying there. + +No sooner had the pursuers and pursued disappeared in the distance +than the natives thronged down to the spot. Such of the Numidians +as were found to be alive were instantly slaughtered, and all were +despoiled of their clothes, arms, and ornaments. The Romans were +left untouched, and those among them who were found to be only +wounded were assisted by the natives, who unbuckled their armour, +helped them into a sitting position, bound up their wounds, and +gave them water. + +Highly satisfied with the booty they obtained, and having no longer +any fear of pursuit, the natives halted to await the return of the +Romans. Malchus learned from their conversation that they had some +little doubt whether the Romans would approve of their appropriating +the spoils of the dead Numidians, and it was finally decided to +hand over Malchus, whose rich armour proclaimed him to be a prisoner +of importance, to the Roman commander. + +The main body of the natives, with all the spoil which had been +collected, moved away to the wood, while the chief, with four of +his companions and Malchus, remained with the wounded Romans. It +was late in the evening before the Romans returned, after having, +as has been said, followed the Numidians right up to Hannibal's +camp. There was some grumbling on the part of the Roman soldiers +when they found that their allies had forestalled them with the +spoil; but the officer in command was well pleased at finding that +the wounded had been carefully attended to, and bade the men be +content that they had rendered good service to the public, and +that Scipio would be well satisfied with them. The native chief now +exhibited the helmet and armour of Malchus, who was led forward +by two of his men. + +"Who are you?" the commander asked Malchus in Greek, a language +which was understood by the educated both of Rome and Carthage. + +"I am Malchus, and command the scouts of Hannibal's army." + +"You are young for such a post," the officer said; "but in Carthage +it is interest not valour which secures promotion. Doubtless you +are related to Hannibal." + +"I am his cousin," Malchus said quietly. + +"Ah!" the Roman said sarcastically, "that accounts for one who is +a mere lad being chosen for so important a post. However, I shall +take you to Scipio, who will doubtless have questions to ask of +you concerning Hannibal's army." + +Many of the riderless horses on the plain came in on hearing the +sound of the Roman trumpets and rejoined the troop. Malchus was +placed on one of these. Such of the wounded Romans as were able to +ride mounted others, and a small party being left behind to look +after those unable to move, the troops started on their way. + +They were unable, however, to proceed far; the horses had +been travelling since morning and were now completely exhausted; +therefore, after proceeding a few miles the troop halted. Strong +guards were posted, and the men lay down by their horses, ready +to mount at a moment's notice, for it was possible that Hannibal +might have sent a large body of horsemen in pursuit. As on the +night before, Malchus felt that even if Nessus had so far followed +him he could do nothing while so strong a guard was kept up, and +he therefore followed the example of the Roman soldiers around +him and was soon fast asleep. + +At daybreak next morning the troops mounted and again proceeded to +the south. Late in the afternoon a cloud of dust was seen in the +distance, and the party presently rode into the midst of the Roman +army, who had made a day's march from their ships and were just +halting for the night. The commander of the cavalry at once hastened +to Scipio's tent to inform him of the surprising fact that Hannibal +had already, in the face of the opposition of the tribes, forced +the passage of the Rhone, and that, with the exception of the +elephants, which had been seen still on the opposite bank, all the +army were across. + +Scipio was greatly mortified at the intelligence, for he had deemed +it next to impossible that Hannibal could carry his army across +so wide and rapid a river in the face of opposition. He had little +doubt now that Hannibal's intention was to follow the Rhone down +on its left bank to its mouth, and he prepared at once for a battle. +Hearing that a prisoner of some importance had been captured, he +ordered Malchus to be brought before him. As the lad, escorted +by a Roman soldier on each side, was led in, Scipio, accustomed +to estimate men, could not but admire the calm and haughty self +possession of his young prisoner. His eye fell with approval upon +his active sinewy figure, and the knotted muscles of his arms and +legs. + +"You are Malchus, a relation of Hannibal, and the commander of the +scouts of his army, I hear," Scipio began. + +Malchus bowed his head in assent. + +"What force has he with him, and what are his intentions?" + +"I know nothing of his intentions," Malchus replied quietly, "as +to his force, it were better that you inquired of your allies, +who saw us pass the river. One of them was brought hither with me, +and can tell you what he saw." + +"Know you not," Scipio said, "that I can order you to instant +execution if you refuse to answer my questions?" + +"Of that I am perfectly well aware," Malchus replied; "but I +nevertheless refuse absolutely to answer any questions." + +"I will give you until tomorrow morning to think the matter over, +and if by that time you have not made up your mind to give me the +information I require, you die." + +So saying he waved his hand to the soldiers, who at once removed +Malchus from his presence. He was taken to a small tent a short +distance away, food was given to him, and at nightfall chains were +attached to his ankles, and from these to the legs of two Roman +soldiers appointed to guard him during the night, while a sentry +was placed at the entrance. The chains were strong, and fitted so +tightly round the ankles that escape was altogether impossible. +Even had he possessed arms and could noiselessly have slain the +two soldiers, he would be no nearer getting away, for the chains +were fastened as securely round their limbs as round his own. +Malchus, therefore, at once abandoned any idea of escape, and lying +quietly down meditated on his fate in the morning. + + + +CHAPTER XII: AMONG THE PASSES + + +It was not until long after the guards to whom he was chained had +fallen asleep that Malchus followed their example. It seemed to +him he had been asleep a long time when a pressure by a hand on +his shoulder woke him; at the same moment another hand was placed +over his mouth. + +"Hush, my lord!" a voice said. It was Nessus. "Arise and let us go. +There is no time to be lost, for it is nigh morning. I have been +the whole night in discovering where you were." + +"But the guards, Nessus?" + +"I have killed them," Nessus said in a tone of indifference. + +"But I am chained to them by the ankles." + +Nessus gave a little exclamation of impatience, and then in the +darkness felt the irons to discover the nature of the fastenings. +In a minute there was a sound of a dull crashing blow, then Nessus +moved to the other side and the sound was repeated. With two blows +of his short heavy sword the Arab had cut off the feet of the dead +Romans at the ankle, and the chains were free. + +"Put on the clothes of this man, my lord, and take his arms; I will +take those of the other." + +As soon as this was done Nessus wrapped some folds of cloth round +each of the chains to prevent their clanking, then passing a band +through the ends he fastened them to Malchus' waist. + +"Quick, my lord," he said as he finished the work; "daylight is +beginning to break." + +They stepped over the dead sentry at the door of the tent and were +going on when Malchus said: + +"Best lift him inside, Nessus; it may be some little time before +it is noticed that he is missing from his post." + +This was quickly done, and they then moved away quietly among the +tents till they approached the rear of the camp. It was now light +enough to enable them to see dimly the figures of the Roman sentries +placed at short intervals round the camp. + +"We cannot get through unseen," Malchus said. + +"No, my lord," Nessus replied; "I have wasted too much time in +finding you." + +"Then we had best lie down quietly here," Malchus said; "in a short +time the men will be moving about, and we can then pass through +the sentries without remark." + +As the light spread over the sky sounds of movement were heard in +the camp, and soon figures were moving about, some beginning to +make fires, others to attend to their horses. The two Carthaginians +moved about among the tents as if similarly occupied, secure +that their attire as Roman soldiers would prevent any observation +being directed towards them. They were anxious to be off, for they +feared that at any moment they might hear the alarm raised on the +discovery that the sentry was missing. + +It was nearly broad daylight now, and when they saw two or three +soldiers pass out between the sentries unquestioned they started +at once to follow them. The morning was very cold, and the soldiers +who were about were all wearing their military cloaks. Malchus +had pulled the irons as high up as he could possibly force them, +and they did not show below his cloak. + +Walking carelessly along they passed through the sentries, whose +duties, now that morning had dawned, related only to discovering +an enemy approaching the camp, the soldiers being now free to enter +or leave as they pleased. + +"It is of no use to go far," Malchus said; "the nearer we hide to +the camp the better. We are less likely to be looked for there +than at a distance, and it is impossible for me to travel at any +speed until I get rid of these heavy irons. As soon as we get over +that little brow ahead we shall be out of sight of the sentries, +and will take to the first hiding place we see." + +The little rise was but a short distance from camp, the country +beyond was open but was covered with low brushwood. As soon as +they were over the brow and were assured that none of those who +had left the camp before them were in sight, they plunged into +the brushwood, and, making their way on their hands and knees for +a few hundred yards, lay down in the midst of it. + +"They are not likely to search on this side of the camp," Malchus +said. "They will not know at what hour I escaped, and will naturally +suppose that I started at once to regain our camp. Listen, their +trumpets are blowing. No doubt they are about to strike their camp +and march; by this time my escape must be known. And now tell me, +Nessus, how did you manage to follow and discover me?" + +"It was easy to follow you, my lord," Nessus said. "When I heard +your order I lay still, but watched through the bushes your meeting +with the Gauls. My arrow was in the string, and had they attacked +you I should have loosed it among them, and then rushed out to +die with you, but when I saw them take you a prisoner I followed +your orders. I had no difficulty in keeping you in sight until +nightfall. Then I crept up to the wood and made my way until I was +within a few yards of you and lay there till nearly morning; but, +as the men around you never went to sleep, I could do nothing +and stole away again before daylight broke. Then I followed again +until I saw our horsemen approaching. I had started to run towards +them to lead them to you when I saw the Roman horse, and I again +hid myself. + +"The next night again the Romans kept too vigilant a watch for +me to do anything, and I followed them all yesterday until I saw +them enter the Roman camp. As soon as it was dark I entered, and, +getting into the part of the camp occupied by the Massilians, +whose Gaulish talk I could understand a little, I gathered that a +Carthaginian prisoner who had been brought in was to be executed +in the morning. So I set to work to find you; but the night was +too dark to see where the sentries were placed, and I had to crawl +round every tent to see if one stood at the entrance on guard, +for I was sure that a sentry would be placed over you. I entered +seven tents, at whose doors sentries were placed, before I found +yours, but they were all those of Roman generals or persons of +importance. I entered each time by cutting a slit in the back of +the tent. At last when I was beginning to despair, I found your +tent. + +"It was the smallest of any that had been guarded, and this made +me think I was right. When I crawled in I found feeling cautiously +about, that two Roman soldiers were asleep on the ground and that +you were lying between them. Then I went to the entrance. The +sentry was standing with his back to it. I struck a blow on his +neck from behind, and he died without knowing he was hurt. I caught +him as I struck and lowered him gently down, for the crash of his +arms as he fell would have roused everyone near. After that it was +easy to stab the two guards sleeping by you, and then I woke you." + +"You have saved my life, Nessus, and I shall never forget it," +Malchus said gratefully. + +"My life is my lord's," the Arab replied simply. "Glad am I indeed +that I have been able to do you a service." + +Just as he spoke they saw through the bushes a party of Roman horse +ride at a gallop over the brow between them and the camp. They +halted, however, on passing the crest, and an officer with them +gazed long and searchingly over the country. For some minutes he +sat without speaking, then he gave an order and the horsemen rode +back again over the crest. + +"I think we shall see no more of them," Malchus said. "His orders +were, no doubt, that if I was in sight they were to pursue, if +not, it would be clearly useless hunting over miles of brushwood +in the hope of finding me, especially as they must deem it likely +that I am far away in the opposite direction." + +An hour later Nessus crept cautiously forward among the bushes, +making a considerable detour until he reached the spot whence he +could command a view of the Roman camp. It had gone, not a soul +remained behind, but at some distance across the plain he could see +the heavy column marching north. He rose to his feet and returned +to the spot where he had left Malchus, and told him that the Romans +had gone. + +"The first thing, Nessus, is to get rid of these chains." + +"It is easy as to the chains," Nessus said, "but the rings around +your legs must remain until we rejoin the camp, it will need a +file to free you from them." + +The soil was sandy, and Nessus could find no stone sufficiently +large for his purpose. They, therefore, started in the direction +which the Romans had taken until, after two hours' slow walking, +they came upon the bed of a stream in which were some boulders +sufficiently large for the purpose. + +The rings were now pushed down again to the ankles, and Nessus wound +round them strips of cloth until he had formed a pad between the +iron and the skin to lessen the jar of the blow, then he placed the +link of the chain near to the leg upon the edge of the boulder, +and, drawing his sharp heavy sword, struck with all his force upon +the iron. + +A deep notch was made; again and again he repeated the blow, until +the link was cut through, then, with some difficulty, he forced +the two ends apart until the shackle of the ring would pass between +them. The operation was repeated on the other chain, and then +Malchus was free, save for the two iron rings around his ankles. +The work had taken upwards of an hour, and when it was done they +started at a rapid walk in the direction taken by the column. They +had no fear now of the natives, for should any come upon them they +would take them for two Roman soldiers who had strayed behind the +army. + +Scipio made a long day's march, and it was not until nightfall +that his army halted. Malchus and his companion made a long detour +round the camp and continued their way for some hours, then they +left the track that the army would follow, and, after walking for +about a mile, lay down among some bushes and were soon asleep. + +In the morning they agreed that before proceeding further it was +absolutely necessary to obtain some food. Malchus had been fed +when among the Romans, but Nessus had had nothing from the morning +when he had been upset in the Rhone four days before, save a manchet +of bread which he had found in one of the tents he had entered. +Surveying the country round carefully, the keen eye of the Arab +perceived some light smoke curling up at the foot of the hills on +their right, and they at once directed their course towards it. An +hour's walking brought them within sight of a native village. + +As soon as they perceived it they dropped on their hands and knees +and proceeded with caution until within a short distance of it. +They were not long in discovering a flock of goats browsing on the +verdure in some broken ground a few hundred yards from the village. +They were under the charge of a native boy, who was seated on a +rock near them. They made their way round among the brushwood until +they were close to the spot. + +"Shall I shoot him?" Nessus asked, for he had carried his bow and +arrows concealed in his attire as a Roman soldier. + +"No, no," Malchus replied, "the lad has done us no harm; but we +must have one of his goats. His back is towards us, and, if we +wait, one of them is sure to come close to us presently." + +They lay quiet among the bushes until, after a delay of a quarter +of an hour, a goat, browsing upon the bushes, passed within a yard +or two of them. + +Nessus let fly his arrow, it passed almost through the animal, right +behind its shoulder, and it fell among the bushes. In an instant +Nessus was upon it, and, grasping its mouth tightly to prevent it +from bleating, cut its throat. They dragged it away until a fall +in the ground hid them from the sight of the natives, then they +quickly skinned and cut it up, devoured some of the meat raw, and +then, each taking a leg of the animal, proceeded upon their way. + +They now walked without a halt until, late in the evening, they +came down upon the spot where the Carthaginian army had crossed. +It was deserted. Going down to the edge of the river they saw the +great rafts upon which the elephants had crossed. + +"We had best go on a mile or two ahead," Nessus said, "the Roman +cavalry may be here in the morning, though the column will be +still a day's march away. By daylight we shall have no difficulty +in finding the traces of the army." + +Malchus took the Arab's advice, and the next morning followed on the +traces of the army, which were plainly enough to be seen in the +broken bushes, the trampled ground, and in various useless articles +dropped or thrown away by the troops. They were forced to advance +with caution, for they feared meeting any of the natives who might +be hanging on the rear of the army. + +After three days' travelling with scarce a pause they came upon the +army just as the rear guard was crossing the Isere, and Malchus +received a joyous welcome from his friends, who had supposed him +drowned at the passage of the Rhone. His account of his adventure +was eagerly listened to, and greatly surprised were they when +they found that he had been a prisoner in the camp of Scipio, and +had been rescued by the fidelity and devotion of Nessus. Hannibal +asked many questions as to the strength of Scipio's army, but +Malchus could only say that, not having seen it except encamped, +he could form but a very doubtful estimate as to its numbers, but +considered it to be but little superior to that of the Carthaginian. + +"I do not think Scipio will pursue us," Hannibal said. "A defeat +here would be as fatal to him as it would be to us, and I think +it more likely that, when he finds we have marched away north, he +will return to his ships and meet us in Italy." + +Malchus learned that everything had progressed favourably since the +army had crossed the Rhone, the natives having offered no further +opposition to their advance. A civil war was going on in the region +the army had now entered, between two rival princes, brothers, +of the Allobroges. Hannibal was requested to act as umpire in the +quarrel, and decided in favour of the elder brother and restored +order. In return he received from the prince whom he reseated on +his throne, provisions, clothing, and other necessaries for the +army, and the prince, with his troops, escorted the Carthaginians +some distance up into the Alps, and prevented the tribes dwelling +at the foot of the mountains from attacking them. + +The conquest of Catalonia, the passage of the Pyrenees, and the +march across the south of Gaul, had occupied many months. Summer +had come and gone, autumn had passed, and winter was at hand. It +was the eighteenth of October when Hannibal led his army up the +narrow valleys into the heart of the Alps. The snow had already fallen +thickly upon the upper part of the mountains, and the Carthaginians +shuddered at the sight of these lofty summits, these wild, craggy, +and forbidding wastes. The appearance of the wretched huts of +the inhabitants, of the people themselves, unshaved and unkempt +and clad in sheepskins, and of the flocks and herds gathering in +sheltered spots and crowding together to resist the effects of the +already extreme cold, struck the Carthaginian troops with dismay. +Large bodies of the mountaineers were perceived posted on the +heights surrounding the valleys, and the column, embarrassed by +its length and the vast quantity of baggage, was also exposed to +attack by hordes who might at any moment rush out from the lateral +ravines. Hannibal, therefore, ordered his column to halt. + +Malchus was now ordered to go forward with his band of scouts, +and to take with him a party of Gauls, who, their language being +similar to that of the natives, could enter into conversation +with them. The mountaineers, seeing but a small party advancing, +allowed them to approach peaceably and entered freely into conversation +with them. They declared that they would on no account permit the +Carthaginian army to pass forward, but would oppose every foot of +their advance. + +The Gauls learned, however, that, believing the great column could +only move forward in the daytime, the natives were in the habit of +retiring from their rocky citadels at nightfall. Malchus returned +with this news to Hannibal, who prepared to take advantage of it. +The camp was at once pitched, and the men set to work to form an +intrenchment round it as if Hannibal meditated a prolonged halt +there. Great fires were lit and the animals unloaded. The natives, +seeing from above everything that was being done, deserted their +posts as usual at nightfall, confident that the Carthaginians had +no intention of moving forward. + +Malchus with his scouts crept on along the path, and soon sent +down word to Hannibal that the heights were deserted. The general +himself now moved forward with all his light troops, occupied +the head of the pass, and posted strong parties of men upon the +heights commanding it. As soon as day broke the rest of the army +got into motion and proceeded up the pass. The natives were now +seen approaching in great numbers, but they halted in dismay on +seeing that the Carthaginians had already gained possession of the +strong places. + +The road by which the column was ascending wound along the face of +a precipice, and was so narrow that it was with difficulty that +the horses, snorting with fright, could be persuaded to proceed. +The natives, seeing the confusion which the fright of the animals +created in the column, at once took to the mountains, climbing up +rugged precipices which appeared to the Carthaginians absolutely +inaccessible, and presently made their appearance far up on the +mountain side above the column. + +Here, sending up the most piercing yells, they began to roll +rocks and stones down upon the column. The confusion below became +terrible. The horses, alarmed by the strange wild cries, echoed +and re-echoed a score of times among the mountains, and struck by +the falling stones, plunged and struggled wildly to escape. Some +tore along the path, precipitating those in front of them over the +precipice, others lost their footing, and, dragging with them the +carts to which they were attached, fell into the valley below. All +order was lost. Incapable of defence or of movement the column +appeared to be on the verge of destruction. + +"Come, my men," Malchus exclaimed to his Arabs, "where these men +can climb we can follow them; the safety of the whole column is +at stake." + +Slinging their weapons behind them the scouts began to climb the +crags. Sure footed and hardy as they were, it was with the greatest +difficulty that they could make their way up. Many lost their +footing, and rolling down were dashed to pieces; but the great +majority succeeded in climbing the heights, and at once became +engaged in desperate battle with the natives. + +Every narrow ledge and crag was the scene of a conflict. The +natives from the distant heights encouraged their companions with +their shouts, and for a time the confusion in the column below +was heightened by the combat which was proceeding far above them. +Every stone dislodged by the feet of the combatants thundered down +upon them, and the falling bodies of those hit by arrow or javelin +came crushing down with a dull thud among the mass. + +At last the bravery and superior weapons of the Arabs prevailed. +The precipice was cleared of the natives, and as the uproar ceased +and the missiles ceased to fall, the column recovered its order, +and again moved forward until the whole army gained the top of +the pass. Here Hannibal took possession of a rough fort erected +by the natives, captured several villages, and enough flocks and +herds to feed his army for three days. Then descending from the +top of the pass, which is now known as the Gol-du-Chat, he entered +the valley of Chambery, and marched forward for three days without +opposition. + +Malchus and his scouts received the warmest congratulations for +their conduct at the pass, for they had undoubtedly saved the army +from what had at one time threatened to be a terrible disaster. +On arrival at a town supposed to be identical with the modern +Conflans, the inhabitants came out with green boughs and expressed +their desire for peace and friendship. They said that they had heard +of the fate which had befallen those who ventured to oppose the +Carthaginians, and that they were anxious to avoid such misfortunes. +They offered to deliver hostages as a proof of their good intentions, +to supply sheep and goats for the army, and to furnish guides +through the difficult country ahead. + +For two days the march continued. The route the army was passing +was that now known as the little St. Bernard. Fortunately Hannibal +had from the first entertained considerable doubt as to the good +faith of his guides, and never relaxed his vigilance. The scouts +and light infantry, with the cavalry, preceded the great column +of baggage, the heavy cavalry defended the rear. + +The track, which had for the last five days' march proceeded along +a comparatively level valley, now mounted rapidly, and turning +aside from the valley of the Isere it led up the deep bed of the +mountain torrent known as the Reclus; this stream ran in a deep +trough hollowed out in a very narrow valley. The bed is now so +piled with rocks and stones as to be impassable, and the Romans +afterwards cut a road along on the side of the mountain. But at +this time it was possible for men and animals to proceed along the +bed of the torrent. + +Suddenly while struggling with the difficulties of the ascent, a +vast number of the natives appeared on the hills on either side, +and began to hurl down stones and rocks upon the column below, +while at the same time a still stronger force attacked them in the +rear. The instant the natives made their appearance the treacherous +guides, who were proceeding with the scouts at the head of the +column, attempted to make their escape by climbing the mountain +side. The Arabs were starting off in pursuit, but Malchus checked +them. + +"Keep together," he shouted, "and on no account scatter; the enemy +are upon us in force, and it behooves us all to be steady and +deliberate in our action." + +A flight of arrows was, however, sent after the traitors, and most +of them rolled lifeless down the slope again. + +Hannibal's first care was to extricate his cavalry from the gorge. +This was performed with great difficulty, and they were drawn up +in good order on the narrow piece of level ground between the gorge +in which the river ran and the mountains bordering the side of +the pass. + +The light troops now ascended the hills on both sides, and speedily +became engaged with the enemy. The confusion in the bed of the +torrent was tremendous. Great numbers of men and animals were killed +by the rocks and missiles from above, but more of the soldiers +were trampled to death by the frightened horses. The heavy infantry +in the rear remained steady, and repulsed every effort of the main +body of the enemy to break in upon the column. + +As night fell the combat ceased, but Hannibal and the troops in +advance of the column passed the night under arms at the foot of +a certain white rock standing above the ravine, and which still +marks the exact site of the conflict. The natives had suffered +heavily both from their conflict with the light troops upon the +hillside, and from the repulse of their assaults upon the rear guard, +and in the morning they did not venture to renew the attack, and +the column moved forward out of the ravine and continued its march, +the natives from time to time dashing down to attack it. + +The elephants were placed on the flank of the line of march, and +the appearance of these strange beasts so terrified the enemy that +they desisted from their attack, and by evening the army encamped +on the summit of the pass. + +The snow had already fallen deeply, the army were worn out and +dispirited by the exertions and dangers through which they had +passed, and had suffered great losses in men and animals in the +nine days which had elapsed since they first entered the mountains. +Hannibal gave them two days' rest, in which time they were joined +by many stragglers who had fallen behind, and by beasts of burden +which, in the terror and confusion of the attack, had got rid of +their loads and had escaped, but whose instinct led them to follow +the line of march. + +At the end of the second day Hannibal assembled his troops and +addressed them in a stirring speech. He told them that the worst +part of their journey was now over. He pointed to them the plains of +Italy, of which a view could be obtained through the pass ahead, +and told them that there they would find rest and friends, wealth +and glory. The soldiers as usual responded to the words of their +beloved general with shouts of acclamation, and with renewed spirits +prepared to meet the difficulties which still lay before them. + +The next morning the march was renewed. The snow lay deep on the +track, and the soldiers found that, great as had been the difficulties +of the ascent, those of the descent were vastly greater, for the +slopes of the Alps on the Italian side are far steeper and more +abrupt than are those on the French. Every step had to be made +with care; those who strayed in the slightest from the path found +the snow gave way beneath their feet and fell down the precipice +beside them. + +Many of the baggage animals thus perished; but at last the head +of the column found itself at the foot of the steep descent in a +ravine with almost perpendicular walls, amid whose foot was in summer +occupied by a mountain stream. Into the depth of this ravine the +rays of the sun never penetrated, and in it lay a mass of the +previous year's snow which had never entirely melted, but which +formed with the water of the torrent a sheet of slippery ice. + +The newly formed snow prevented the troops from seeing the nature +of the ground, and as they stepped upon it they fell headlong, +sliding in their armour down the rapidly sloping bed of ice, many +dashing out their brains or breaking their limbs against the great +boulders which projected through it. The cavalry next attempted the +passage, but with even less success, for the hoofs of the horses +broke through the hard upper crust of the old snow and the animals +sank in to their bellies. Seeing that it was impossible to pass +this obstacle, Hannibal turned back the head of the column until +they reached the top of the ascent down which they had just come. +There he cleared away the snow and erected a camp; all the infantry +were then brought down into the pass and set to work to build up +a road along the side of the ravine. + +The engineers with fire and explosives blasted away the foot of the +cliffs; the infantry broke up the rocks and formed a level track. +All night the work continued, the troops relieving each other +at frequent intervals, and by the morning a path which could be +traversed by men on foot, horses, and baggage animals was constructed +for a distance of three hundred yards, beyond which the obstacle +which had arrested the advance of the army did not continue. + +The cavalry, baggage animals, and a portion of the infantry at +once continued their way down the valley, while the rest of the +infantry remained behind to widen the road sufficiently for the +elephants to pass along. Although the work was pressed on with +the greatest vigour it needed three days of labour in all before +the elephants could be passed through. The animals were by this +time weak with hunger, for from the time when they had turned +aside from the valley of the Isere the Alps had been wholly bare +of trees, and the ground being covered with snow, no foliage or +forage had been obtainable to eke out the store of flour which +they carried for their consumption. Nor was any wood found with +which to manufacture the flat cakes into which the flour was formed +for their rations. + +The elephants once through, the march was continued, and, joining +the troops in advance, who had halted in the woods below the +snow level, the column continued its march. On the third day after +passing the gorge they issued out on to the plain of the Po, having +lost in the fifteen days' passage of the Alps great numbers of +men from the attacks of the enemy, from the passage of the rapid +torrents, from falls over the precipices, and from cold, and having +suffered still more severely in horses and baggage animals. + +Of the 59,000 picked troops with which he had advanced after the +conquest of Catalonia, Hannibal reached the plains of Italy with +but 12,000 African infantry, 8,000 Spanish and Gaulish infantry, +and 6,000 cavalry -- in all 26,000 men. A small force indeed with +which to enter upon the struggle with the might and power of Rome. +Of the 33,000 men that were missing, 13,000 had fallen in the passes +of the Pyrenees and the march through Gaul, 20,000 had died in +the passage of the Alps. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: THE BATTLE OF THE TREBIA + + +Well was it for the Carthaginians that Hannibal had opened +communications with the Gaulish tribes in the plains at the foot +of the Alps, and that on its issue from the mountain passes his +army found itself among friends, for had it been attacked it was +in no position to offer a vigorous resistance, the men being utterly +broken down by their fatigues and demoralized by their losses. +Many were suffering terribly from frostbites, the cavalry were +altogether unable to act, so worn out and enfeebled were the horses. +Great numbers of the men could scarce drag themselves along owing +to the state of their feet; their shoes and sandals, well enough +adapted for sandy plains, were wholly unfitted for traversing rocky +precipices, and the greater part of the army was almost barefoot. + +So long as they had been traversing the mountains they had struggled +on doggedly and desperately; to lag behind was to be slain by the +natives, to lie down was to perish of cold; but with the cessation +of the absolute necessity for exertion the power for exertion +ceased also. Worn out, silent, exhausted, and almost despairing, +the army of Hannibal presented the appearance of one which had +suffered a terrible defeat, rather than that of a body of men who +had accomplished a feat of arms unrivalled in the history of war. + +Happily they found themselves among friends. The Insubres, who had +been looking forward eagerly to their coming, flocked in great +numbers to receive them as they issued out into the plain, bringing +with them cattle, grain, wine, and refreshments of all kinds, +and inviting the army to take up their quarters among them until +recovered from their fatigues. This offer Hannibal at once accepted. +The army was broken up and scattered among the various towns and +villages, where the inhabitants vied with each other in attending +to the comforts of the guests. A fortnight's absolute rest, an +abundance of food, and the consciousness that the worst of their +labours was over, did wonders for the men. + +Malchus had arrived in a state of extreme exhaustion, and had, +indeed, been carried for the last two days of the march on the back +of one of the elephants. The company which he commanded no longer +existed; they had borne far more than their share of the fatigues +of the march; they had lost nearly half their number in the conflict +among the precipices with the natives, and while the rest of the +army had marched along a track where the snow had already been +beaten hard by the cavalry in front of them, the scouts ahead had +to make their way through snow knee deep. Inured to fatigue and +hardship, the Arabs were unaccustomed to cold, and every day had +diminished their numbers, until, as they issued out into the plain, +but twenty men of the company remained alive. + +Hannibal committed his young kinsman to the care of one of the +chiefs of the Insubres. The latter caused a litter to be constructed +by his followers, and carried the young Carthaginian away to his +village, which was situated at the foot of the hills on the banks +of the river Orcus. + +Here he was handed over to the care of the women. The wounds and +bruises caused by falls on the rocks and ice were bathed and bandaged, +then he was placed in a small chamber and water was poured on to +heated stones until it was filled with hot steam, and Malchus began +to think that he was going to be boiled alive. After being kept +for an hour in this vapour bath, he was annointed with oil, and +was rubbed until every limb was supple, he was then placed on a +couch and covered with soft skins, and in a few more minutes was +sound asleep. + +It was late next day before he woke, and on rising he found himself +a new man. A breakfast of meat, fresh cheese formed from goats' +milk, and flat cakes was set before him, and, had it not been that +his feet were still completely disabled from the effects of the +frostbites, he felt that he was fit again to take his place in the +ranks. The chief's wife and daughters waited upon him. The former +was a tall, majestic looking woman. She did not belong to the +Insubres, but was the daughter of a chief who had, with a portion +of his tribe, wandered down from their native home far north of +the Alps and settled in Italy. + +Two of the daughters were young women of over twenty, tall and +robust in figure like their mother, the third was a girl of some +fifteen years of age. The girls took after their German mother, +and Malchus wondered at the fairness of their skins, the clearness +of their complexion, and the soft light brown of their hair, for +they were as much fairer than the Gauls as these were fairer than +the Carthaginians. Malchus was able to hold little converse with +his hosts, whose language differed much from that of the Transalpine +Gauls. + +His stay here was destined to be much longer than he had anticipated, +for his feet had been seriously frostbitten, and for some time it +was doubtful whether he would not lose them. Gradually, however, +the inflammation decreased, but it was six weeks after his +arrival before he was able to walk. From time to time messengers +had arrived from Hannibal and his father to inquire after him, +and from them he learned that the Carthaginians had captured the +towns of Vercella, Valentinum, and Asta, and the less important +towns of Ivrea, Chivasso, Bodenkmag, and Carbantia. + +By the time he was cured he was able to talk freely with his hosts, for +he soon mastered the points of difference between their language +and that of the Gauls, with which he was already acquainted. +The chief, with the greater part of his followers, now started +and joined the army of Hannibal, which laid siege to the town of +Turin, whose inhabitants were in alliance with Rome. It was strongly +fortified. Hannibal erected an intrenchment at a distance of sixty +yards from the wall, and under cover of this sank a well, and thence +drove a wide gallery, the roof above being supported by props. + +Divided in brigades, each working six hours, the troops laboured +night and day, and in three days from its commencement the gallery +was carried under the walls. It was then driven right and left for +thirty yards each way, and was filled with wood, combustibles, +and explosives. The workers then retired and the wood was fired, +the props supporting the roof were soon burned away, the earth +above fell in bringing down the walls, and a great breach was made, +through which the besiegers, drawn up in readiness, rushed in and +captured the town. + +On the same day that Hannibal captured Turin, Scipio entered Piacenza. +After finding that Hannibal had escaped him on the Rhone, he had +despatched the principal part of his army, under his brother Cneius, +to Spain, their original destination, and with the rest sailed to +Pisa and landed there. Marching with all haste north he enlisted +10,000 troops from among the inhabitants of the country, many +of them having already served in the Roman army. He then marched +north to Tenneto, where he was joined by the praetors Manlius and +Attilius with over 20,000 men, with whom he marched to Piacenza. + +Hannibal, after, as usual, rousing the enthusiasm of his soldiers +by an address, marched towards Scipio. The latter, with his cavalry, +had crossed the Ticino and was within five miles of Vercella, when +Hannibal, also with his cavalry, came within sight. Scipio's front +was covered with a swarm of foot skirmishers mixed with irregular +Gaulish horsemen; the Roman cavalry and the cavalry of the Italian +allies formed his main body. + +Hannibal ordered the Carthaginian horse to charge full upon the +centre of the enemy, and the Numidians to attack them on both +flanks. The Romans, in those days, little understood the use of +cavalry, the troops frequently dismounting and fighting on foot. +Hannibal's soldiers were, on the other hand, trained to fight in +tactics resembling those of modern days. No sooner was the word +given to charge than the Carthaginian horse, delighted at being +at last, after all their toils and sufferings, within striking +distance of their foes, gave a mighty shout, and setting spurs to +their splendid horses flung themselves at the enemy. + +The charge of this solid mass of picked cavalry was irresistible. +They swept before them the skirmishers and Gaulish horse, and fell +with fury upon the main body, cleaving a way far into its ranks. +Before the Romans could recover from their confusion the Numidian +horse burst down upon their flanks. The charge was irresistible; +large numbers of the Romans were killed and the rest fled in panic, +hotly pursued by the Carthaginians, until they reached the shelter +of the Roman infantry, which was advancing behind them. Scipio, +who had been wounded in the fight, at once led his army back to +Piacenza. + +The news of this battle reached Malchus just as he was preparing to +depart. The messenger who brought it brought also a lead horse, +which Hamilcar had sent for his son's use. Resuming his armour +Malchus mounted and rode off at once, after many warm thanks to +his friends, whom he expected to see again shortly, as they, with +the rest of that section of the tribe, were about to join the chief +-- the Gaulish women frequently accompanying their husbands in +their campaigns. + +Malchus was delighted to rejoin the army, from which he had now +been separated more than two months. He saw with pleasure that they +had now completely recovered from the effects of their hardships, +and presented as proud and martial an appearance as when they had +started from Carthagena. + +The issue of their first fight with the Romans had raised their +spirits and confidence, and all were eager to enter upon the campaign +which awaited them. Malchus, upon his arrival, was appointed to +the command of the company of Gauls who formed the bodyguard of +the general. Hannibal moved up the Po and prepared to cross that +river at Gambio, two days' easy march above its junction with the +Ticino. The army was accompanied by a considerable number of the +Insubres. The work of constructing a bridge was at once commenced. + +Malchus, riding through the camp, came upon the tents of his late +host, who had been joined that day by his family. To them Malchus +did the honours of the camp, took them through the lines of +the Carthaginian cavalry, showed them the elephants, and finally +conducted them to Hannibal, who received them most kindly, and +presented them with many presents in token of his thanks for their +care of his kinsman. The next day the bridge was completed and +the troops began to pass over, the natives crowding to the banks +and even venturing on the bridge to witness the imposing procession +of the troops. + +Malchus remained with Hannibal in the rear, but seeing that there +was a delay as the elephants crossed, he was ordered to ride on +to the bridge and see what was the matter. Finding the crowd too +great to enable him to pass on horseback, Malchus gave his horse +to a soldier and pressed forward on foot. When he reached the +head of the column of elephants he found that one of the leading +animals, entertaining a doubt as to the stability of the bridge at +this point, obstinately refused to move further. Ordering the mahout +to urge the animal forward, and telling some soldiers to prick the +beast with a spear from behind, Malchus entered into conversation +with the wife and daughters of the Insubrian chief, who had +received from Hannibal a special order allowing them to take up +their position on the bridge to witness their crossing. + +While he was speaking to them the elephant suddenly wheeled round +and, trumpeting loudly, tried to force his way back. A scene of wild +confusion ensued. The crowd gave way before him, several soldiers +were thrust off the bridge into the river, and Malchus and his +companions were borne along by the crowd; there was a little cry, +and Malchus saw the youngest of the girls pushed off the bridge +into the river. + +He flung off his helmet, unbuckled the fastenings of his breast +plate and back piece, undid the belt of his sword, and leaped +in. As he rose to the surface he heard a merry laugh beside him, +and saw the girl swimming quietly close by. Although mortified +at having so hastily assumed that she was unable to take care of +herself he joined in her laugh, and swam by her side until they +reached the bank some distance down. Encumbered by the trappings +which he still retained, Malchus had far more difficulty than the +girl in gaining the shore. + +"What, did you think," she asked, laughing as he struggled up the +bank, "that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?" + +"I did not think anything about it," Malchus said; "I saw you pushed +in and followed without thinking at all." + +Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning +was clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly +up in his face. + +"I thank you," she said, "just the same as if you had saved my life. +You meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief +of this army, to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde +will never forget." + +By the time they reached the bridge the column had moved on. A more +docile elephant had been placed in front, and this having moved +across the doubtful portion of the bridge, the others had quickly +followed. Just as Malchus and his companion reached the end of +the bridge they met her mother and sisters coming to meet them. + +There was a smile of amusement on their faces as they thanked Malchus +for his attempt at rescue, and Clotilde's sisters whispered some +laughing remarks into her ear which caused the girl to flush hotly, +and to draw her slight figure indignantly to its full height. +Malchus retired to his tent to provide himself with fresh armour +and sword, for he doubted not that those thrown aside had been +carried over the bridge in the confusion. The soldier had returned +with his horse, and in a few minutes he took his place at the head +of the Gauls who were drawn up near Hannibal's tent. + +The general himself soon appeared, and mounting his horse rode +forward. Malchus followed with his command, waving an adieu to the +party who stood watching the departure, and not ill pleased that +those who had before known him only as a helpless invalid, should +now see him riding at the head of the splendid bodyguard of the +great commander. + +Hannibal was marching nearly due east, with the intention of forcing +Scipio to give battle south of the Po. A strong Roman fortress, +Castegglo (Clastidium), lying at the foot of the hills, should have +barred his way; but Hannibal, by the medium of one of his native +allies, bribed the Roman commander to abstain from interrupting +his march. Then he pressed forward until on the third day after +crossing the Po he came within sight of Piacenza, under whose +walls the Roman army were ranged. + +Scipio, after his disastrous cavalry conflict, had written to Rome +urging his inability, with the force under his command, to give +battle single handed to Hannibal, and begging that he might be at +once reinforced by the army under Sempronius, then lying at Ariminum +(Rimini). The united consular armies, he represented, should take +up their position on the river Trebia. + +This river rose in the Apennines but a short distance from Genoa, +and flowed nearly due north into the Po at Piacenza. The Roman +army there would therefore effectually bar Hannibal's march into +the rich plains to the east, and would prevent him from making +across the Apennines and following the road by the coast, as they +would, should he undertake such a movement, be able to fall on his +rear. + +Hannibal pitched his camp on the Nure, about five miles from +Piacenza, but Scipio remained immovable in his lines waiting for +the arrival of his colleague. Hannibal's position was a difficult +one. He had traversed the Pyrenees and the Alps that he might +attack Rome; but between him and Southern Italy lay yet another +barrier, the Apennines. Scipio had missed him after he had crossed +the Pyrenees, had been too late to attack him when, exhausted +and worn out, his army emerged from the Alps; but now, united with +Sempronius, he hoped to crush him at the foot of the Apennines. +Hannibal wished, if possible, to prevent a junction of the two +Roman armies, but if that could not be done he determined to fight +them together. + +Scipio perceived the danger of his position; and in order to be +able the better to join Sempronius he left Piacenza under cover +of night, and took up a strong position on the banks of the Trebia. +Here he could maintain his communications direct with Rome, and, +if absolutely necessary, fall back and join his colleague advancing +towards him. Hannibal, when he perceived Scipio's change of position, +broke up his camp and took post on the Trebiola, a little stream +running into the Trebia and facing the Roman camp at a distance +of four miles. + +He was now powerless to prevent the junction of the two Roman +armies, and for nearly a month Scipio and Hannibal lay watching +each other. By that time Sempronius was within a day's march of +Scipio. Hannibal had not been idle during this time of rest. He +had been occupied in cementing his alliance with the Gaulish tribes +inhabiting the Lombard plains. These, seeing how rapidly Hannibal +had cleared the province of the Romans, believed that their +deliverance would be accomplished, and for the most part declared +for the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal's agents had also been at work at Clastidium, and the prefect +of the garrison was induced by a bribe to surrender the place to +him. This was of enormous advantage to Hannibal, and a corresponding +blow to the Romans, for Clastidium was the chief magazine north of +the Apennines. The news of the fall of this important place filled +Sempronius, an energetic and vigorous general, with fury. He at +once rode down from his camp to that of Scipio and proposed that +Hannibal should be attacked instantly. + +Scipio, who was still suffering from the wound he had received in +the cavalry engagement, urged that the Roman army should remain +where they were, if necessary, through the coming winter. He pointed +out that Hannibal's Gaulish allies would lose heart at seeing him +inactive, and would cease to furnish him with supplies, and that +he would be obliged either to attack them at a disadvantage or +to retire from the position he occupied. But Sempronius was an +ambitious man, the time for the consular election was approaching, +and he was unwilling to leave for his successor the glory of crushing +Hannibal. + +The fact, too, that Scipio was wounded and unable to take part in +the battle added to his desire to force it on, since the whole +glory of the victory would be his. He therefore told his colleague +that although he saw the force of his arguments, public opinion +in Rome was already so excited at Hannibal having been allowed, +without a battle, to wrest so wide a territory from Rome, that it +was absolutely necessary that an action should be fought. The +two armies were now united on the Trebia, and opinion was among the +officers and troops, as between the consuls, widely divided as to +the best course to be pursued. + +Hannibal's spies among the natives kept him acquainted with what +was going on in the Roman camp, and he determined to provoke the +Romans to battle. He therefore despatched two thousand infantry and +a thousand cavalry to ravage the lands of some Gaulish allies of +the Romans. Sempronius sent off the greater part of his cavalry, +with a thousand light infantry, to drive back the Carthaginians. + +In the fight which ensued the Romans were worsted. Still more furious, +Sempronius marched to support them with his army. Hannibal called +in his troops and drew them off before Sempronius would arrive. +The disappointment and rage of the Roman general were great, and +Hannibal felt that he could now bring on a battle when he would. +He determined to fight in the plain close to his own position. This +was flat and bare, and was traversed by the Trebiola. This stream +ran between steep banks below the level of the plain; its banks +were covered with thick bushes and reeds, and the narrow gap across +the plain was scarce noticeable. + +On the evening of the twenty-fifth of December Hannibal moved +his army out from the camp and formed up on the plain facing the +Trebia, ordering the corps commanded by his brother Mago to enter +the bed of the Trebiola, and to conceal themselves there until +they received his orders to attack. The position Mago occupied +would bring him on the left rear of an army which had crossed +the Trebia, and was advancing to attack the position taken up by +Hannibal. Having thus prepared for the battle, Hannibal proceeded +to provoke it. + +At daybreak on the twenty-sixth he despatched a strong body of +horsemen across the river. Crossing the Trebia partly by ford and +partly by swimming, the Carthaginian horse rode up to the palisade +surrounding the Roman camp, where, with insulting shouts and the +hurling of their javelins, they aroused the Roman soldiers from +their slumber. This insult had the desired effect, Sempronius rushed +from his tent, furious at what he deemed the insolence of the +Carthaginians, and called his troops to arms. With their accustomed +discipline the Romans fell into their ranks. The light cavalry +first issued from the palisade, the infantry followed, the heavy +cavalry brought up the rear. The insulting Numidians had already +retired, but Sempronius was now determined to bring on the battle. +He marched down the river and crossed at a ford. + +The water was intensely cold, the river was in flood, the ford +waist deep as the soldiers marched across it. Having gained the +opposite bank, the Roman general formed his army in order of battle. +His infantry, about forty-five thousand strong, was formed in +three parallel lines; the cavalry, five thousand strong, was on the +flanks. The infantry consisted of sixteen thousand Roman legionary +or heavy infantry, and six thousand light infantry. The Italian +tribes, allied to Rome, had supplied twenty thousand infantry; the +remaining three thousand were native allies. The infantry occupied +a front of two and a half miles in length; the cavalry extended +a mile and a quarter on each flank. Thus the Roman front of battle +was five miles in extent. + +Hannibal's force was inferior in strength; his infantry of the line +were twenty thousand strong. He had eight thousand light infantry +and ten thousand cavalry. The Carthaginian formation was much deeper +than the Roman, and Hannibal's line of battle was less than two +miles long. In front of it were the elephants, thirty-six in number, +divided in pairs, and placed in intervals of a hundred yards between +each pair. + +While the Romans, exposed to a bitterly cold wind, chilled to the +bone by their immersion in the stream, and having come breakfastless +from camp, were forming their long order of battle, Hannibal's troops, +gathered round blazing fires, were eating a hearty breakfast; after +which, in high spirits and confidence, they prepared for the fight. + +Hannibal called the officers together and addressed them in stirring +words, which were repeated by them to the soldiers. The Roman +preparations had occupied a long time, and it was afternoon before +they advanced in order of battle. When within a short distance +of the Carthaginians they halted, and the trumpets and musical +instruments on both sides blew notes of defiance. Then the +Carthaginian slingers stole out between the ranks of their heavy +infantry, passed between the elephants, and commenced the battle. + +Each of these men carried three slings, one of which was used for +long distances, another when nearer to the foe, the third when +close at hand. In action one of these slings was wound round the +head, one round the body, the third carried in hand. Their long +distance missiles were leaden bullets, and so skilful were they +that it is said they could hit with certainty the face of a foe +standing at slinging distance. + +Naked to the waist they advanced, and with their long distance +slings hurled the leaden bullets at the Roman infantry. When +closer they exchanged their slings and discharged from them egg +shaped pebbles which they had gathered from the bed of the Trebia. +When within still closer distance with the third slings they poured +in volleys of much larger and heavier stones, with such tremendous +force that it seemed as though they were sent from catapults. +Against such a storm of missiles the Roman skirmishers could make +no stand, and were instantly driven back. + +Their Cretan archers, after shooting away their arrows with but +small effect, for the strings had been damped in crossing the +river, also fled behind the heavy troops; and these in turn were +exposed to the hail of stones. Disorganized by this attack, the +like of which they had never experienced before, their helmets +crushed in, their breastplates and shields battered and dented, the +front line of the Romans speedily fell into confusion. Sempronius +ordered up his war machines for casting stones and javelins, but +these too had been injured in their passage across the river. + +The hail of Carthaginian missiles continued until the Roman light +infantry were forced to fall back; and the slingers were then +recalled, and the heavy infantry of the two armies stood facing +each other. The Carthaginians took up close order, and, shoulder +to shoulder, their bodies covered with their shields, they advanced +to meet the legions of Rome. As they moved, their music -- flute, +harp, and lyre -- rose on the air in a military march, and keeping +step the long line advanced with perfect order and regularity. In +the centre were the Carthaginian foot soldiers and their African +allies, clothed alike in a red tunic, with helmet of bronze, steel +cuirass and circular shield, and carrying, besides their swords, +pikes of twenty feet in length. On the left were the Spaniards, in +white tunics bordered with purple, with semicircular shields four +feet in length and thirty-two inches in width, armed with long +swords used either for cutting or thrusting. + +On the left were the native allies, naked to the waist, armed with +shields and swords similar to those of the Gauls, save that the +swords were used only for cutting. + +Sempronius brought up his second line to fill the intervals in the +first, and the Romans advanced with equal steadiness to the conflict; +but the much greater closeness of the Carthaginian formation served +them in good stead. They moved like a solid wall, their shields +locked closely together, and pressed steadily forward in spite of +the desperate efforts of the Roman centre in its more open order +to resist them; for each Roman soldier in battle was allowed the +space of a man's width between him and his comrade on either side, +to allow him the free use of his weapon. Two Carthaginians were +therefore opposed to each Roman, in addition to which the greater +depth of the African formation gave them a weight and impetus which +was irresistible. + +While this fight was going on the Numidian horsemen, ten thousand +strong, charged the Roman cavalry. These, much more lightly armed +than their opponents and inferior in numbers, were unable for a +moment to withstand the shock, and were at once driven from the +field. Leaving the elephants to pursue them and prevent them from +rallying, the Numidian horsemen turned and fell on the flanks of +the long Roman line; while at the same moment the Carthaginian +slingers, issuing out again from behind the main body, opened a +tremendous fire with stones heated in furnaces brought to the spot. + +Although taken in flank, crushed under a storm of missiles, with +their cavalry defeated and their centre broken, the Romans fought +steadily and well. Hannibal now launched against their ranks the +elephants attached to the infantry, which, covered in steel armour +and trumpeting loudly, carried death and confusion into the Roman +ranks. But still the legions fought on obstinately and desperately +until the sound of wild music in their rear filled them with +dismay, as Mago, with his division of Numidian infantry, emerged +from his hiding place and fell upon the Romans from behind. + +Struck with terror at the sudden appearance of these wild soldiers, +of whose ferocity they had heard so much, the Romans lost all heart +and strove now only to escape. But it was in vain. The Carthaginian +infantry were in their front, the cavalry on their flank, the +Numidians in their rear. + +Some ten thousand Roman soldiers only, keeping in a solid body, +cut their way through the cavalry and reached Piacenza. + +Thirty thousand were slaughtered on the plain. Many were drowned in +trying to swim the Trebia, and only the legion which had remained +to guard the camp, the broken remains of the cavalry, and the body +which had escaped from Piacenza remained of the fifty thousand +men whom Sempronius commanded. + +The exultation of the victors was unbounded. The hitherto +invincible legions of Rome had been crushed. The way to Rome was +clear before them. All the fatigues and hardships they had undergone +were forgotten in the hour of triumph, and their native allies +believed that their freedom from Rome was now assured. + +The verdict of great commanders of all ages has assigned to the +battle of the Trebia the glory of being the greatest military +exploit ever performed. The genius of Hannibal was shown not only in +the plan of battle and the disposition of his troops, but in the +perfection with which they were handled, in the movements which he +had himself invented and taught them, and the marvellous discipline +with which he had inculcated them. + +Napoleon the First assigned to Hannibal the leading place among the +great generals of the world, and the Trebia was his masterpiece. +But the Carthaginians, exulting in their victory, did not gauge +the extent of the stubbornness and resources of Rome. Sempronius +himself set the example to his countrymen. At Piacenza he rallied +the remnants of his army, and wrote to Rome, saying that he had +been victorious, but that a sudden storm had saved the enemy from +destruction. + +The senate understood the truth, but acted in the spirit in which +he had written. They announced to the people that a victory had +been won, and ordered the consular election to take place as usual, +at the same time issuing orders to all parts of the Roman dominion +for the enrolment of fresh troops. + +Hannibal attempted to surprise Piacenza, but Scipio issued out +with his cavalry and inflicted a check upon him, Hannibal himself +being slightly wounded. The Carthaginians then marched away and +stormed the town of Vicumve, and during their absence the two consuls +evacuated Piacenza and marched south. Scipio led his portion of +the little army to Ariminum (Rimini), Sempronius took his command +to Arretium (Mezzo), where they both speedily received reinforcements. +Hannibal made an attempt to cross the Apennines, but the snow lay +deep among the mountains, and, unable to effect his purpose, he +fell back again to winter in the plain. + +In the meantime Cneius Servilius Geminus and Caius Flaminius had +been elected consuls. Flaminius succeeded Sempronius in command +of the Roman army at Arretium, while Geminus took the command of +that at Rimini. Between these consuls, as was usually the case in +Rome, a bitter jealousy existed. Geminus was the nominee of the +aristocratic party, while Flaminius was the idol of the populace, +and, as has often been the case in war, this rivalry between +two generals possessing equal authority wrought great evil to the +armies they commanded. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE + + +The battle of Trebia cost Malchus the loss of his father. It +was against the portion of the force headed by Hamilcar that the +Romans, who cut their way through the circle of foes which Hannibal +had thrown round them, flung themselves. Hamilcar had in vain +attempted to stem the torrent. Surrounded by his bravest officers, +he had cast himself in the way of the Roman legion; but nothing +could withstand the rush of the heavy armed spearmen, who, knowing +that all was lost, and that their only hope was in cutting their way +through the Carthaginians, pressed forward, shoulder to shoulder, +and swept aside the opposition of their more lightly armed foes. +Hamilcar and most of his officers fell, striving to the last to +stem the current. + +It was a grievous blow to Malchus, when, as he was exulting in the +great victory which had been gained, the news came to him that his +father had fallen. Hamilcar was very dear to him. He had been his +companion and his friend, his guide and adviser. He had encouraged +him in his aspirations, and had from his earliest years urged him +to make the sacrifices and exertions necessary to qualify him to +bear a prominent part under his cousin Hannibal. + +He had been his tutor in arms, and had striven to inspire him with +the noblest sentiments. Since they had reached Spain he had seen +less of him than before, for Hamilcar felt that it was best for his +son to depend upon himself alone. He was proud of the name which +Malchus was already winning for himself, and knew that it was +better for him that his advancement should be considered due to his +own exertions and gallantry and not to the influence of his father. + +When, however, they were thrown together, their relations were +unchanged. Malchus was as affectionate, as respectful, and as +eager to listen to his father's advice, as he had been as a boy, +while Hamilcar was glad in the society of his son to forget the +cares and toils of the expedition in which they had embarked and +to talk of the dear ones at home. + +It was only three days before the battle that they had rejoiced +together over the news which had reached them by a messenger from +Gaul that Thyra had married Adherbal, and had immediately set out +with him for Carthagena, where Adherbal had been offered a command +by Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, the governor of Spain, in his +absence. + +Father and son had rejoiced at this for several reasons. Hanno's +faction had now gained the upper hand, and the friends of Hannibal +were subjected to persecution of all kinds. The very life of Adherbal +as a prominent member of the Barcine party had been menaced. And +it was only by embarking secretly for Spain that he had succeeded +in avoiding arrest. The property of many of Hannibal's friends had +been confiscated. Several had been put to death under one pretext or +another, and although Hamilcar did not think that Hanno's faction +would venture to bring forward any accusation against him while he +was fighting the battles of his country, he experienced a sense +of relief at the knowledge that, should the worst happen, his wife +and Anna would find a refuge and asylum with Adherbal in Spain. +Hamilcar and Malchus had discussed the matter long and seriously, +and had talked, Hamilcar with sorrow, Malchus with indignation and +rage, of the state of Carthage. + +"It makes one hate one's country," Malchus exclaimed passionately, +"when one hears of these things. You taught me to love Carthage, +father, and to be proud of her. How can one be proud of a country +so misgoverned, so corrupt, so base as this? Of what use are +sacrifices and efforts here, when at home they think of nothing +but luxury and ease and the making of money, when the best and +bravest of the Carthaginians are disgraced and dishonoured, and +the people bow before these men whose wealth has been gained solely +by corruption and robbery? It makes one wish one had been born a +Roman." + +"Did not one hope that a better time would come, Malchus, when +Carthage will emancipate herself from the rule of men like Hanno +and his corrupt friends, I should, indeed, despair of her, for even +the genius of Hannibal and the valour of his troops cannot avail +alone to carry to a successful conclusion a struggle between +such a state as Carthage now is and a vigourous, patriotic, and +self-reliant people like those of Rome. + +"We may win battles, but, however great the victories may be, we +can never succeed in the long run against the power of Rome unless +Carthage proves true to herself. Our army is not a large one. Rome +and her Latin allies can, if need be, put ten such in the field. If +Carthage at this crisis of her fate proves worthy of the occasion, +if she by a great effort again wins the sovereignty of the sea, +and sends over armies to support us in our struggle, we may in the +end triumph. If not, glorious as may be our success for a time, we +are in the end doomed to failure, and our failure will assuredly +involve the final destruction of Carthage. + +"Rome will not be slow to profit by the lesson which Hannibal is +teaching her. His genius perceives that only by striking at Rome +in Italy could a vital blow be given to her. The Romans in turn +will perceive that only by an invasion of Africa can Carthage be +humbled. Her task will then be far easier than ours is now, for +not only is Rome fresh, strong, and vigourous, but she has had +the wisdom to bind the Latin peoples around her closely to her by +bestowing upon them the rights of citizenship, by making them feel +that her cause is theirs. + +"Upon the other hand, Carthage has throughout her history been +paving the way for her fall. She fights, but it is with foreign +mercenaries. She stamps under foot the people she has conquered, and +while her tax collectors grind them to the earth, and she forces +them to send their sons to fight her battles, she gives them no +share in her privileges, no voice in her councils. + +"I had hoped, Malchus, that at such a moment as this faction would +have been silent at Carthage, and a feeling of patriotism would +once again have asserted itself. I find that it is not so, and my +heart sinks for my country. Were it not for my wife and family, +Malchus, I would gladly die in the coming battle." + +The words recurred to Malchus as he sat in his tent by the side +of his father's body on the night after the battle of the Trebia, +and a deep bitterness mingled with his sorrow. + +"Giscon was right," he exclaimed. "All means are justifiable to +rid one's country of those who are destroying her. It makes one +mad to think that while men like my father are fighting and dying +for their country, the tribunes of the democracy, who fatten +on our spoils, are plotting against them at home. Henceforth, I +fight not as a Carthaginian, but as a soldier of Hannibal, and will +aid him in his endeavour to humble Rome; not that Carthage, with +her blood stained altars, her corrupt officials, and her indolent +population, may continue to exist, but that these manly and +valiant Gauls who have thrown in their lot with us may live free +and independent of the yoke of Rome. These people are rude and +primitive, but their simple virtues, their love of freedom, their +readiness to die rather than to be slaves, put the sham patriotism +of Carthage to shame." + +When the army went into winter quarters, and Hannibal dismissed his +Gaulish allies, with many rich presents, to their homes, Malchus +obtained leave from Hannibal to depart with Allobrigius -- the +chief of the Insubrian tribe living on the Orcus -- who had, with +his fighting men, accompanied Hannibal through the campaign. The +chief's wife and daughters had returned after seeing the army across +the Po. Malchus had sought the society of his late host during +the campaign, had often ridden beside him on the march, and had +spent the evening in his tent talking either of the civilization +of Carthage, which seemed wonderful indeed to the simple Gaulish +chieftain, or of the campaign on which they were engaged. + +Malchus had by this time mastered the differences between the +dialect of the Cisalpine Gauls and that of those in Gaul itself +and Iberia, with which he was already acquainted. The chief was +gratified by the friendship of Hannibal's kinsman, and liked the +frank simplicity of his manner. He had laughed loudly when his +wife had told him how Malchus had leaped from the bridge to save +the life of Clotilde when she fell into the river. But the act had +proved that Malchus was grateful for the kindness which had been +shown him, and had cemented the friendship between them. Therefore, +when the campaign came to a close, he had offered a hearty invitation +to Malchus to spend the time, until the army should again assemble, +with him in his village on the banks of the Orcus. Hannibal had +smiled when Malchus had asked for leave of absence. + +"Those daughters of the chief whom you presented to me on the day +when we crossed the Po are the fairest I have seen in Gaul. Malchus, +are you thinking of keeping up the traditions of our family? My +father wedded all my sisters, as you know, to native princes in +Africa, and I took an Iberian maiden as my wife. It would be in +every way politic and to be desired that one so nearly related to +me as yourself should form an alliance by marriage with one of +these Gaulish chiefs." + +Malchus laughed somewhat confusedly. + +"It will be time to talk about marriage some years hence, Hannibal; +I am scarce twenty yet, and she is but a girl." + +"Oh! there is a she in the case," Hannibal laughed; "and my arrow +drawn at a venture has struck home. Ah! yes, there were three +of them, two tall and stately maidens and one still a slim and +unformed girl. Indeed, I remember now having heard that you lost +your armour and helmet in jumping off the bridge across the Po to +fish out one of the daughters of Allobrigius, who turned out to +be able to swim much better than you could. I had a hearty laugh +over it with your poor father, but with the Romans at Piacenza and +a great battle before us the matter passed from my mind. So that +is how the wind lies. Well, as you say, you are both young, and +there is no saying what the next two or three years may bring forth. +However, bear in mind that such an alliance would please me much, +and remember also that the Gaulish maidens marry young, and in +times like ours, Malchus, it is never well to delay long." + +Malchus took with him Nessus, who had, from the day when they +escaped together from Scipio's camp, been always near his person, +had carried his helmet on the line of march, slept next to him by +the campfire, and fought by his side in battle, ready at any moment +to give his life to avert harm from his leader. + +The return of Allobrigius and his tribesmen was celebrated by great +rejoicings on the Orcus. The women and old men and boys met them +some miles from the village, raising loud cries of welcome and +triumph as they returned from their successful campaign against +their former oppressors. Among no people were family ties held +more precious than among the Gauls, and the rough military order +which the tribesmen had preserved upon their march was at once +broken up when the two parties met. + +Wives rushed into the arms of husbands, mothers embraced their sons, +girls hung on the necks of their fathers and brothers. There was +nothing to mar the joy of the meeting, for messengers had from time +to time carried news from the army to the village, and the women +who had lost those dearest to them in the campaign remained behind +in the village, so that their mourning should not mar the brightness +of the return of the tribe. + +Brunilda, the wife of the chief, stood with her daughters a little +apart from the crowd on a rising knoll of ground, and the chief, +who was mounted upon a horse taken from the Romans at the Trebia, +spurred forward towards them, while Malchus hung behind to let +the first greeting pass over before he joined the family circle. +He had, however, been noticed, and Clotilde's cheeks were colouring +hotly when her father rode up, from some laughing remark from her +sisters. Brunilda received Malchus cordially, saying that she had +often heard of him in the messages sent by her husband. + +"He has come to stop the winter with us," Allobrigius said. "I +promised him a warm welcome, and he needs rest and quiet, as do we +all, for it has been hard work even to seasoned men like us. What +with snow and rain I have scarcely been dry since I left you." + +"That would not matter to the young Carthaginian lord," the eldest +girl said with a smile; "we know that he rather likes getting +wet, don't we, Clotilde?" she said, turning to her sister, who was, +contrary to her usual custom, standing shyly behind her. + +"I am afraid I shall never hear the last of that," Malchus laughed; +"I can only say that I meant well." + +"Of course you did," Allobrigius said; "you could not know that +our Gaulish maidens could swim and march, and, if necessary, fight +as stoutly as the men. The Romans before now have learned that, in +the absence of the men from the camp, the women of Gaul can fight +desperately for country, and home, and honour. Do not let yourself +be troubled by what these wild girls say, my lord Malchus; you know +our Gaulish women are free of tongue, and hold not their men in +such awe and deference as is the custom among other nations." + +"I am accustomed to be laughed at," Malchus said smiling; "I have +two sisters at home, and, whatever respect women may pay to their +lords in Carthage, I suppose that neither there nor anywhere else +have girls respect for their brothers." + +The music at this moment struck up, the harpers began a song which +they had composed in honour of the occasion, the tribesmen fell +into their ranks again, and Allobrigius placed himself at their +head. Malchus dismounted, and, leading his horse, walked by the +side of Brunilda, who, with the rest of the women, walked on the +flanks of the column on its way back to the village. + +The next three months passed very pleasantly to Malchus. In the +day he hunted the boar, the bear, and the wolf among the mountains +with Allobrigius; of an evening he sat by the fire and listened to +the songs of the harpers or to the tales of the wars and wanderings +of the Gaulish tribes, or himself told the story of Carthage and +Tyre and the wars of the former with the Romans, described the life +and manners of the great city, or the hunting of the lion in the +Libyan deserts. + +While his listeners wondered at the complex life and strange arts +and magnificence of Carthage, Malchus was struck with the simple +existence, the warm family ties, the honest sincerity, and the +deep love of freedom of the Gauls. When Brunilda and her daughter +sighed with envy at the thought of the luxuries and pleasures +of the great city, he told them that they would soon weary of so +artificial an existence, and that Carthage, with its corruption, +its ever present dread of the rising of one class against another, +its constant fear of revolt from the people it had enslaved, its +secret tribunals, its oppression and tyranny, had little which +need be envied by the free tribes of Gaul. + +"I grant," he said, "that you would gain greater comfort by adopting +something of our civilization. You might improve your dwellings, +hangings round your walls would keep out the bitter winds, well +made doors are in winter very preferable to the skins which hang +at your entrance, and I do think that a Carthaginian cook might, +with advantage, give lessons to the tribes as to preparations of +food; but beyond that I think that you have the best of it." + +"The well built houses you speak of," Allobrigius said, "have their +advantages, but they have their drawbacks. A people who once settle +down into permanent abodes have taken the first step towards losing +their freedom. Look at all the large towns in the plains; until +lately each of them held a Roman garrison. In the first place, +they offer an incentive to the attack of a covetous foe; in the +second, they bind their owners to them. The inhabitants of a town +cling to their houses and possessions, and, if conquered, become +mere slaves to their captors; we who live in dwellings which cost +but a few weeks of work, whose worldly goods are the work of our +own hands, or the products of the chase, should never be conquered; +we may be beaten, but if so, we can retire before our enemies and +live in freedom in the forest or mountains, or travel beyond the +reach of our foes. + +"Had not your army come and freed us from Rome I was already +meditating moving with my tribe across the great mountains to the +north and settling among Brunilda's people in the German forests, +far beyond the reach of Rome. What though, as she tells me, the +winters are long and severe, the people ignorant of many of the +comforts which we have adopted from our neighbours; at least we +should be free, and of all blessings none is to compare with that." + +"I agree with you," Malchus said, thinking of the plots and +conspiracies, the secret denunciations, the tyranny and corruption +of Carthage, "it is good to be great, but it is better to be free. +However," he added more cheerfully, "I trust that we are going to +free you from all future fear of Rome, and that you will be able +to enjoy your liberty here without having to remove to the dark +forests and long winter of the country north of the Alps." + +So passed the winter. Early in the spring a messenger arrived from +Hannibal bidding Malchus rejoin him, and calling upon Allobrigius +to prepare to take the field against the Romans. Similar messages +had been sent to all the Gaulish tribes friendly to Carthage, and +early in March Hannibal prepared to cross the Apennines and to +advance against Rome. + +The position occupied by the two Roman armies barred the only two +roads by which it was believed that Hannibal could march upon +Rome, but as soon as the spring commenced Hannibal started by a +path, hitherto untrodden by troops, across the Apennines. In the +march the troops suffered even greater hardships than those which +they had undergone in the passage of the Alps, for during four +days and three nights they marched knee deep in water, unable for +a single moment to lie down. + +While ever moving backwards and forwards among his men to encourage +them with his presence and words, even the iron frame of Hannibal +gave way under the terrible hardships. The long continued strain, +the want of sleep, and the obnoxious miasma from the marshes, +brought on a fever and cost him the sight of one of his eyes. Of +all the elephants but one survived the march, and it was with an +army as worn out and exhausted as that which had issued from the +Alps that he descended into the fertile plains of Tuscany, near +Fiesole. + +The army of Flaminius, 30,000 strong, was still lying at Arezzo, +on his direct road south, and it was with this only that Hannibal +had now to deal, the force of Servilius being still far away +at Rimini. His own army was some 35,000 strong, and crossing the +Upper Arno near Florence, Hannibal marched towards Arezzo. Flaminius, +as soon as he had heard that Hannibal was ascending the slopes of +the Apennines, had sent to Servilius to join him, but the latter, +alleging that he feared an invasion by the Gaulish tribes on the +north, refused to move, but sent four thousand cavalry to Flaminius. +This brought the armies to nearly equal strength, but, although +Hannibal marched his troops within sight of Arezzo, Flaminius would +not issue from his camp to attack him. + +He knew that Hannibal had defeated a force of tried troops, much +exceeding his own in numbers, in the north, and that he would +therefore probably be successful against one which scarcely equalled +his own. He hoped, too, that Hannibal would attack him in his +intrenched position. This the Carthaginian general had no intention +of doing, but, leaving the camp behind him, marched on, plundering +and ravaging the country towards Rome. Flaminius at once broke up +his camp and followed on his track, preparing to take any opportunity +which might occur to fall upon the Carthaginians, and knowing that +the senate would at once call up the army of Servilius to assist +him. + +Hannibal, by means of scouts left in his rear, found that Flaminius +was marching on with his troops in solid column, taking no precaution +against surprise, secure in the belief that Hannibal's object was +to march on Rome without a stop. The Carthaginian general prepared +at once to take advantage of his enemy's carelessness. He halted +his troops at Cortona. The road by which he had passed wound along +the shore of Lake Trasimene, at the foot of a range of steep hills, +which approached closely to the water. + +Half way along these hills a stream runs down a valley into the +lake, and in the valley, completely hidden from the sight of an +enemy approaching, Hannibal placed the Numidian cavalry and the +Gaulish infantry. Among some woods clothing the lower slope of +the hills facing the lake he placed his light troops, while the +Spanish and African infantry and the Gaulish cavalry were similarly +hidden on the outer slopes of the hill in readiness to close in +on the rear of the Romans when they had entered on the road between +the hills and the lake. + +No better position could have been chosen for a surprise. When +once the Romans had entered the path between the hills and the +lake there was no escape for them. They were shut up between the +wood clad hills swarming with the Carthaginian light troops and +the lake, while the heavy infantry and cavalry of Hannibal were +ready to fall on them front and rear. + +When Flaminius arrived at Cortona late at night he heard of the +ravages and executions committed by the Carthaginians, as they had +passed through early in the morning, and resolved to press forward +at daybreak in hopes of finding some opportunity for falling upon +and punishing them. When day broke it seemed favourable to his +design, for a thick mist was rising from the lake and marshes. +This, he thought, would conceal his advance from the Carthaginians, +while, as the high ground ahead rose above the mist, he would +be enabled to see their position. He pushed forward then rapidly, +thinking that he should be able to overtake the rear of the +Carthaginian army as it moved slowly along encumbered with its +plunder. + +As he neared the entrance to the pass he caught sight of the heavy +armed Carthaginians on the distant hill above the level of the +mist, and believing that his own movements were hidden from the +enemy, pushed forward as fast as the infantry could march. But the +moment the rear of his column had entered the narrow flat between +the foot of the hills and the lake, the Numidians quietly moved +down and closed the pass behind them, while Hannibal with his +heavy infantry descended from the farther hill to confront him. +When all was ready he gave the signal, and at once in front, on +their right flank, and on their rear the Carthaginians fell upon +them. + +The light troops heralded their attack by rolling a vast quantity +of rocks down the hill on the long column, and then, pressing +down through the woods, poured their arrows and javelins into the +struggling mass. + +Taken wholly by surprise, unable to advance or retreat, desperate +at finding themselves thus caught in a trap, the Romans fought +bravely but in vain. An earthquake shook the ground on which the +terrible fight was going on; but not for a moment did it interrupt +the struggle. For three hours the Romans, although suffering +terribly, still fought on; then Flaminius was killed, and from that +time they thought only of escape. But this was next to impossible. +Six thousand only cut their way out. Fifteen thousand fell, and +nine thousand were taken prisoners. + +As soon as the battle was over Hannibal despatched Maharbal with +his division of the army in pursuit of the six thousand who had +escaped, and, overtaking them next morning at Perugia, Maharbal +forced them to surrender. At the same time he detached a strong +force against the four thousand horsemen, whom Servilius had +despatched from Rimini to aid his colleague, and the whole of +these were surrounded and taken prisoners. Thus of the Roman army, +thirty-six thousand strong, not a single man escaped. + +In all history there is no record of so great and successful a +surprise. Hannibal retained as prisoners the Roman citizens and +Latins, but released the rest of the captives, telling them that, +far from being their enemy, he had invaded Italy for the purpose +of liberating its helpless people from the tyranny of the Roman +domination. The loss to the Carthaginians in the battle of Lake +Trasimene was only fifteen hundred men. + +Hannibal has been blamed for not advancing against Rome after the +battle of Lake Trasimene; but he knew that he could not hope to +subdue that city so long as she was surrounded by faithful allies. +His army was numerically insufficient to undertake such a siege, +and was destitute of the machines for battering the walls. Rome +was still defended by the city legions, besides which every man +capable of bearing arms was a soldier. The bitter hostility of the +Latins would have rendered it difficult in the extreme for the army +to have obtained provisions while carrying on the siege, while in +its rear, waiting for an opportunity to attack, would have lain +the army of Servilius, thirty thousand strong, and growing daily +more numerous as the friends and allies of Rome flocked to its +banners. + +Hannibal saw that to undertake such an enterprise at present would +be ruin. His course was clear. He had to beat the armies which Rome +could put into the field; to shake the confidence of the Italian +tribes in the power of Rome; to subsist his army upon their +territories, and so gradually to detach them from their alliance +with Rome. He hoped that, by the time this work was finished, +Carthage would send another great army to his assistance provided +with siege materials, and he would then be able to undertake with +confidence the great task of striking a vital blow at Rome herself. + +"Malchus," Hannibal said one day, "I wish you to ride north. The +tribes at the foot of the hills promised to aid us, but have so +far done nothing. If they would pour down to the plains now they +would occupy the tribes friendly to the Romans, and would prevent +them from sending men and stores to them. They sent me a message +a month ago, saying that they were still willing to help us, and +I then replied that I had been long waiting to hear that they had +risen, and urged them to do so without loss of time. I have not +heard since, and fear that the Roman agents have, by promises of +money and privileges, prevailed upon them to keep quiet. It is a +service of danger; for if they have been bought over they may seize +you and send you in token of their goodwill as a prisoner to Rome; +but I know that will not deter you." + +"I am ready to go," Malchus said, "and will start today. What force +shall I take with me, and which of the chiefs shall I first see?" + +"You had best go first to Ostragarth. He is the most powerful of +the chiefs on this side of the Apennines. You can select from the +treasury such presents as you may choose for him and the others. +You can promise them large grants of the land of the tribes aiding +the Romans, together with a share in the plunder of the cities. I +leave you quite free. In those respects you will be guided by what +you see they want; but any promises you may make I will ratify. +As to men I should not take a large escort. Force will, of course, +be of no avail, and the appearance of a large number of troops +might alarm them at once. Twenty men will be sufficient for dignity, +and as a protection against any small bodies of the hostile tribesmen +you may meet on your way; but have no frays if you can avoid it. +The mission is an important one, and its success should not be +risked merely to defeat a body of tribesmen. Go in your handsomest +armour, and make as brave a show as you can, as my ambassador and +kinsman. Take twenty of the Carthaginian horse; they will impose +more upon the barbarians than would the Libyans or Numidians. Take +your friend Trebon as their commander and a companion for yourself." + +In two hours Malchus and his escort were ready to start. As their +journey would be rapid they carried no stores with them, save +three days' provisions, which each man carried at his saddlebow, +and a bag containing a few feeds of corn for the horse. They took +with them, however, two baggage horses laden with arms, armour, +garments, and other presents for the chiefs. + +They passed rapidly across the country, meeting with no hostile +parties, for the raids of Hannibal's light armed horse had +so terrified the people that the villages were for the most part +deserted, the inhabitants having sought refuge in the fortified +towns. After two days' brisk riding they arrived at the foot of the +hills, and their progress was now slower. The village of Ostragarth +lay far up among them, and, being ignorant of the direction, +Malchus broke the troop up into parties of four, and sent them up +different valleys with orders to capture the first native they +came across, and oblige him either by threats or promises to act +as a guide to the stronghold of the chief. + +"I sincerely trust that this barbarian is friendly, Malchus, for the +country looks wild and difficult in the extreme, and the forests +which clothe these hills are thick and tangled. On the plain we +can laugh at the natives, however numerous, and with twenty men +I would charge a thousand of them; but among these hills it is +different, one cannot find a level spot for a charge, and, if it +comes to running, the mountaineers are as fleet as a horse on the +broken ground of their hills." + +"I agree with you, Trebon, that it would go hard with us, and that +the utmost we could hope for would be a visit to Rome as captives. +Still, these chiefs all offered alliance to Hannibal as he went +south, and the success which has attended us should surely bind +them to our interests. They are ever willing to join the winning +side, and so far fortune has been wholly with us." + +"That is so, Malchus, but then they see that the tribes of the +plains still hold aloof from us and pin their faith on Rome. They +must know that we are receiving no reinforcements to fill the gaps +made in battle, and may well fear to provoke the anger of Rome +by taking part with us before our success is, as they consider, +absolutely secure." + +"On the same grounds then, Trebon, they will be equally unwilling +to offend us by any hostility until the scale is decidedly weighed +down against us. Hannibal's anger might be as terrible as that of +the Romans." + +"There is something in that, Malchus, but not so much as you think. +If Rome wins, Rome will have ample time and ample power, with the +aid of all her native allies, to punish any who may have declared +against her. On the other hand, should Carthage triumph, they may +consider it probable that we should sack and burn Rome and then +retire, or that if we remain there will be so much to arrange, +so many tribes in the plains to subjugate and pacify, that we +shall be little likely to undertake expeditions in the mountains. +Therefore, you see, prudent men would decide for Rome. Could we +have marched straight on after the victory at Lake Trasimene and +have captured Rome, all these mountain tribes would have taken the +opportunity to pour down into the plains to plunder and slay under +the pretence of being our allies." + +It was not until nightfall that the five parties returned to the spot +where they had left their leaders. Three of them had been entirely +unsuccessful, but the other two had each brought in a native. These +men looked sullen and obstinate, and it was not until Malchus had +ordered a halter to be placed round their necks and threatened +them with instant death that they consented to act as guides. + +A vigilant watch was kept over them all night, and at daybreak next +morning the party started. For some miles they rode along at the +foot of the mountains, and then entered a valley up which a little +used track ran. The men upon being questioned intimated that it +was several hours' journey to the village of the chief of whom +they were in search. + +This, indeed, proved to be the case, for it was not till the +afternoon, after many hours' weary journey up gorges and through +mountain valleys, that they arrived within sight of the village +of Ostragarth. It was situated on one side of the valley, and +consisted of huts surrounded by a rough stone wall of such height +that only the tops of the circular roofs were visible above it. A +loud shrill cry was heard as they came in sight, a cow horn was +blown in the village, and instantly men could be seen running in. +Others, engaged in tending flocks of goats high up on the mountain +side, left their charges and began to hurry down. + + + +CHAPTER XV: A MOUNTAIN TRIBE + + +"It is a petty place for a chief of any power," Trebon said. + +"Yes," Malchus agreed, "but I fancy these hill tribes are broken +up into a very large number of small villages in isolated valleys, +only uniting when the order of the chief calls upon them to defend +the mountains against an invader, or to make a simultaneous raid +upon the plains." + +As they neared the village several persons were seen to issue +out from the gate, and among these was a small and elderly man, +evidently the chief of the party. His white hair descended to +his waist; a boy standing behind him carried his bow and several +javelins. The rest of the men appeared to be unarmed. + +"He is a crafty looking old fellow," Malchus said as he alighted +and advanced towards the chief, "but I suppose he has made up his +mind to receive us as friends, at any rate for the present. + +"I come, chief, as an ambassador from the Carthaginian general. +When we passed south he received messengers from you, saying that +you were ready to enter into an alliance with him. To this he agreed, +and sent presents. Since then you have done nothing, although he +has sent to you urging you to aid him by making an attack on the +tribes allied to Rome. In every battle which he has fought with +the Romans he has defeated them with great slaughter; but, owing +to the aid which they have received from the tribes in alliance +with them, they are enabled continually to put fresh armies in +the field. Therefore it is that he has sent me to you and to the +other chiefs of the tribes inhabiting the mountains, to urge you +to descend with your forces into the plains, and so oblige the +tribes there to turn their attention to their own defence rather +than to the sending of assistance to Rome. He has sent by my hands +many valuable presents, and has authorized me to promise you, in +his name, such lands as you may wish to obtain beyond the foot of +the hills. He promises you, also, a share in the booty taken at +the sack of the Italian cities." + +"Will you please to enter," the chief said, speaking a patois of +Latin which Malchus found it difficult to understand. "We will +then discuss the matters concerning which you speak." + +So saying he led the way through the gates to a hut somewhat larger +than the rest. + +"Do you enter with me, Trebon, but let your men remain in their +saddle, and hold our horses in readiness for us to mount speedily +if there be need. I doubt the friendliness of this old fellow and +his people." + +Upon entering the hut Malchus observed at once that the walls were +covered with hangings which were new and fresh, and he detected +some costly armour half hidden in a corner. + +"The Romans have been here before us," he muttered to his companion; +"the question is, how high have they bid for his support." + +The chief took his seat on a roughly carved chair, and seats were +brought in for his visitors. He began by asking an account of the +state of affairs in the plains. Malchus answered him truthfully, +except that he exaggerated a little the effects that the Carthaginian +victories had produced among the natives. The chief asked many +questions, and was evidently by some means well informed on the +subject. He then expressed a desire to see the presents which they +had brought him. Trebon went out and returned with two soldiers +bearing them. + +"I don't like the look of things," he said in a low voice. "The +number of men in the village has trebled since we arrived, and +they still keep coming in. None of them show arms at present, but +no doubt they are hidden close at hand. I believe the chief is +only keeping us in conversation till he considers that a sufficient +force has arrived to make sure of us." + +"We can't break it off now," Malchus said, "and must take our +chance. It would not do to ensure a failure by showing suspicion." + +The chief examined the presents with great care and announced his +satisfaction at them. Then he entered upon the question of the +land which he was to receive, inquired whether the towns were to +be captured by the Carthaginians and handed over to him, or were +to be captured by his forces. When these points had been arranged, +as it seemed, satisfactorily, he entered upon questions in dispute +between himself and other chiefs of the mountain tribes. Malchus +said he had no instructions as to these points, which were new to +him, but that in all questions between the chief and tribes hostile +to Carthage, full satisfaction would be given him. As to those +between himself and other chiefs, who might also join against the +Romans, if they elected to submit them to Hannibal for decision +he would arbitrate between them. + +At this moment a horn was blown outside. A din of voices instantly +arose, which was followed immediately afterwards by the clashing +of weapons. Malchus and his companion leaped to their feet and +rushed from the hut. They found that their men were attacked by a +crowd of mountaineers. In an instant they leaped on their horses, +and drawing their swords joined in the fray. The number of their +foes was large, a great many men having come in since Trebon had +last issued out. The attack was a determined one. Those next to the +horsemen hewed at them with axes, those further back hurled darts +and javelins, while others crept in among the horses and stabbed +them from beneath with their long knives. + +"We must get out of this or we are lost," Trebon exclaimed, and, +encouraging the men with his shouts, he strove to hew a way through +the crowd to the gate, while Malchus faced some of the men round +and covered the rear. Several of the Carthaginians were already +dismounted, owing to their horses being slain, and some of them +were despatched before they could gain their feet. Malchus shouted +to the others to leap up behind their comrades. + +By dint of desperate efforts Trebon and the soldiers with him +cleared the way to the gate, but those behind were so hampered by +the enemy that they were unable to follow. The natives clung to +their legs and strove to pull them off their horses, while a storm +of blows was hurled upon them. Trebon, seeing the danger of those +behind, had turned, and in vain tried to cut his way back to them; +but the number of the natives was too great. Malchus seeing this +shouted at the top of his voice: + +"Fly, Trebon, you cannot help us, save those you can." Seeing that +he could render his friend no assistance, Trebon turned round and +galloped off with nine of the soldiers who had made their way with +him to the gate. Five had already fallen, and Malchus shouted to +the other six to throw down their arms and yield themselves as +prisoners. This they did, but two of them were killed before the +villagers perceived they had surrendered. + +Malchus and the others were dragged from their horses, bound hand +and foot, and thrown into one of the huts. The natives shouted in +triumph, and yells of delight arose as the packages borne by the +baggage animals were examined, and the variety of rich presents, +intended for the various chiefs, divided among them. + +Most of the captives were more or less severely wounded, and some +of the natives presently came into the hut and examined and bound +up the wounds. + +"Keep up your spirits," Malchus said cheerfully, "it is evident +they don't intend to kill us. No doubt they are going to send us +prisoners to the Romans, and in that case we shall be exchanged +sooner or later. At any rate the Romans would not dare ill treat +us, for Hannibal holds more than a hundred prisoners in his hands +to every one they have taken." + +Three days passed, food was brought to the captives regularly, and +their bonds were sufficiently relaxed for them to feed themselves. +At the end of that time they were ordered to rise and leave the hut. +Outside the chief with some forty of his followers were waiting +them. All were armed, and the prisoners being placed in their +midst, the party started. + +They proceeded by the same road by which Malchus had ridden to the +village, and some miles were passed without incident, when, as +they were passing through a narrow valley, a great number of rocks +came bounding down the hillside, and at different points along +it several Carthaginians appeared. In these Malchus recognized at +once the soldiers of his escort. One of these shouted out: + +"Surrender, or you are all dead men. A strong force surrounds you +on both sides, and my officers, whom you see, will give orders to +their men, who will loose such an avalanche of rocks that you will +all be swept away." + +"It is only the men who escaped us," the chief cried; "push forward +at once." + +But the instant the movement began the Carthaginians all shouted +orders, and a great number of rocks came bounding down, proving that +they were obeyed by an invisible army. Several of the mountaineers +were crushed by the stones, and the old chief, struck by a great +rock in the chest, fell dead. A Carthaginian standing next to +Malchus was also slain. + +The tribesmen gave a cry of terror. Hand to hand they were ready to +fight valiantly, but this destruction by an unseen foe terrified +them. The Carthaginian leader raised his hand, and the descent of +the stones ceased. + +"Now," he said, "you see the truth of my words. Hesitate any +longer and all will be lost; but if you throw down your arms, and, +leaving your captives behind, retire by the way you came, you are +free to do so. Hannibal has no desire for the blood of the Italian +people. He has come to free them from the yoke of Rome, and your +treacherous chief, who, after our making an alliance with him, sold +you to the Romans, has been slain, therefore I have no further +ill will against you." + +The tribesmen, dismayed by the loss of their chief, and uncertain +as to the strength of the foes who surrounded them, at once threw +down their arms, and, glad to escape with their lives, fled at all +speed up the pass towards their village, leaving their captives +behind them. + +The Carthaginians then descended, Trebon among them. + +"I did not show myself, Malchus," the latter said as he joined his +friend, "for the chief knew me by sight, and I wished him to be +uncertain whether we were not a fresh party who had arrived." + +"But who are your army?" Malchus asked; "you have astonished me as +much as the barbarians." + +"There they are," Trebon said, laughing, as some fifty or sixty +women and a dozen old men and boys began to make their way down +the hill. "Fortunately the tribesmen were too much occupied with +their plunder and you to pursue us, and I got down safely with my +men. I was, of course, determined to try to rescue you somehow, +but did not see how it was to be done. Then a happy thought struck +me, and the next morning we rode down to the plain till we came +to a walled village. I at once summoned it to surrender, using +threats of bringing up a strong body to destroy the place if they +refused. They opened the gates sooner than I had expected, and I +found the village inhabited only by women, old men, and children, +the whole of the fighting men having been called away to join the +Romans. They were, as you may imagine, in a terrible fright, and +expected every one of them to be killed. However, I told them that +we would not only spare their lives, but also their property, if +they would obey my orders. + +"They agreed willingly enough, and I ordered all those who were +strong enough to be of any good to take each sufficient provisions +for a week and to accompany me. Astonished as they were at the +order, there was nothing for them to do but to obey, and they +accordingly set out. I found by questioning them that the road we +had travelled was the regular one up to the village, and that you +would be sure to be brought down by it if the chief intended to +send you to Rome. + +"By nightfall we reached this valley. The next morning we set to +work and cut a number of strong levers, then we went up on the +hillside to where you saw us, and I posted them all behind the +rocks. We spent all the day loosing stones and placing them in +readiness to roll down, and were then prepared for your coming. +At nightfall I assembled them all, and put a guard over them. We +posted them again at daybreak yesterday, but watched all day in +vain, and here we should have remained for a month if necessary, +as I should have sent down some of the boys for more provisions +when those they brought were gone. However, I was right glad when +I saw you coming today, for it was dull work. I would have killed +the whole of these treacherous savages if I had not been afraid of +injuring you and the men. As it was I was in terrible fright when +the stones went rushing down at you. One of our men has been +killed, I see; but there was no help for it." + +The whole party then proceeded down the valley. On emerging from +the hills Trebon told his improvised army that they could return +to their village, as he had no further need of their services, +and, delighted at having escaped without damage or injury, they +at once proceeded on their way. + +"We had best halt here for the night," Trebon said, "and in the +morning I will start off with the mounted men and get some horses +from one of the villages for the rest of you. No doubt they are +all pretty well stripped of fighting men." + +The next day the horses were obtained, and Malchus, seeing that, now +he had lost all the presents intended for the chiefs, it would be +useless to pursue his mission further, especially as he had learned +that the Roman agents had already been at work among the tribes, +returned with his party to Hannibal's camp. + +"I am sorry, Malchus," the Carthaginian general said, when he +related his failure to carry out the mission, "that you have not +succeeded, but it is clear that your failure is due to no want of +tact on your part. The attack upon you was evidently determined +upon the instant you appeared in sight of the village, for men +must have been sent out at once to summon the tribe. Your friend +Trebon behaved with great intelligence in the matter of your +rescue, and I shall at once promote him a step in rank." + +"I am ready to set out again and try whether I can succeed better +with some of the other chiefs if you like," Malchus said. + +"No, Malchus, we will leave them alone for the present. The Romans +have been beforehand with us, and as this man was one of their +principal chiefs, it is probable that, as he has forsaken his +alliance with us, the others have done the same. Moreover, the +news of his death, deserved as it was, at the hands of a party of +Carthaginians, will not improve their feelings towards us. Nothing +short of a general movement among the hill tribes would be of any +great advantage to us, and it is clear that no general movement +can be looked for now. Besides, now that we see the spirit which +animates these savages, I do not care to risk your loss by sending +you among them." + +The news of the disaster of Lake Trasimene was met by Rome in a +spirit worthy of her. No one so much as breathed the thought of +negotiations with the enemy, not even a soldier was recalled from +the army of Spain. Quintus Fabius Maximus was chosen dictator, and +he with two newly raised legions marched to Ariminum and assumed +the command of the army there, raised by the reinforcements he +brought with him to fifty thousand men. + +Stringent orders were issued to the inhabitants of the districts +through which Hannibal would march on his way to Rome to destroy +their crops, drive off their cattle, and take refuge in the fortified +towns. Servilius was appointed to the command of the Roman fleet, +and ordered to oppose the Carthaginians at sea. The army of Fabius +was now greatly superior to that of Hannibal, but was inferior in +cavalry. He had, moreover, the advantage of being in a friendly +country, and of being provisioned by the people through whose +country he moved, while Hannibal was obliged to scatter his army +greatly to obtain provisions. + +Fabius moved his army until within six miles of that of Hannibal, +and then took up his position upon the hills, contenting himself +with watching from a distance the movements of the Carthaginians. +Hannibal marched unmolested through some of the richest provinces +of Italy till he descended into the plain of Campania. He obtained +large quantities of rich booty, but the inhabitants in all cases +held aloof from him, their belief in the star of Rome being still +unshaken in spite of the reverses which had befallen her. + +Fabius followed at a safe distance, avoiding every attempt of +Hannibal to bring on a battle. + +The Roman soldiers fretted with rage and indignation at seeing +the enemy, so inferior in strength to themselves, wasting and +plundering the country at their will. Minucius, the master of horse +and second in command, a fiery officer, sympathized to the full +with the anger of the soldiers, and continually urged upon Fabius +to march the army to the assault, but Fabius was immovable. +The terrible defeats which Hannibal had inflicted upon two Roman +armies showed him how vast would be the danger of engaging such an +opponent unless at some great advantage. + +Such advantage he thought he saw when Hannibal descended into the +plain of Campania. This plain was inclosed on the south by the river +Vulturnus, which could be passed only at the bridge at Casilinum, +defended by the Roman garrison at that town, while on its other +sides it was surrounded by an unbroken barrier of steep and wooded +hills, the passes of which were strongly guarded by the Romans. + +After seeing that every road over the hills was strongly held by +his troops, Fabius sat down with his army on the mountains, whence +he could watch the doings of Hannibal's force on the plains. He +himself was amply supplied with provisions from the country in +his rear, and he awaited patiently the time when Hannibal, having +exhausted all the resources of the Campania, would be forced by +starvation to attack the Romans in their almost impregnable position +in the passes. + +Hannibal was perfectly aware of the difficulties of his position. +Had he been free and unencumbered by baggage he might have led +his army directly across the wooded mountains, avoiding the passes +guarded by the Romans, but with his enormous trail of baggage +this was impossible unless he abandoned all the rich plunder which +the army had collected. Of the two outlets from the plain, by the +Appian and Latin roads which led to Rome, neither could be safely +attempted, for the Roman army would have followed in his rear, +and attacked him while endeavouring to force the passages in the +mountains. + +The same objection applied to his crossing the Vulturnus. The only +bridge was strongly held by the Romans, and the river was far too +deep and rapid for a passage to be attempted elsewhere with the +great Roman army close at hand. The mountain range between the +Vulturnus and Cades was difficult in the extreme, as the passes +were few and very strongly guarded, but it was here that Hannibal +resolved to make the attempt to lead his army from the difficult +position in which it was placed. He waited quietly in the plain +until the supplies of food were beginning to run low, and then +prepared for his enterprise. + +An immense number of cattle were among the plunder. Two thousand +of the stoutest of these were selected, torches were fastened to +their horns, and shortly before midnight the light troops drove +the oxen to the hills, avoiding the position of the passes guarded +by the enemy. The torches were then lighted, and the light troops +drove the oxen straight up the hill. The animals, maddened by fear, +rushed tumultuously forward, scattering in all directions on the +hillside, but, continually urged by the troops behind them, mounting +towards the summits of the hills. + +The Roman defenders of the passes, seeing this great number of +lights moving upwards, supposed that Hannibal had abandoned all +his baggage, and was leading his army straight across the hills. +This idea was confirmed by the light troops, on gaining the crest +of the hills, commencing an attack upon the Romans posted below +them in the pass through which Hannibal intended to move. The +Roman troops thereupon quitted the pass, and scaled the heights +to interrupt or harass the retreating foe. + +As soon as Hannibal saw the lights moving on the top of the hills +he commenced his march. The African infantry led the way; they +were followed by the cavalry; then came the baggage and booty, and +the rear was covered by the Spaniards and Gauls. The defile was +found deserted by its defenders, and the army marched through +unopposed. Meanwhile Fabius with his main army had remained inactive. +The Roman general had seen with astonishment the numerous lights +making their way up the mountain side, but he feared that this was +some device on the part of Hannibal to entrap him into an ambush, +as he had entrapped Flaminius on Lake Trasimene. He therefore held +his army in readiness for whatever might occur until morning broke. + +Then he saw that he had been outwitted. The rear of the Carthaginian +army was just entering the defile, and in a short time Fabius saw +the Gauls and Spaniards scaling the heights to the assistance of +their comrades, who were maintaining an unequal fight with the +Romans. The latter were soon driven with slaughter into the plain, +and the Carthaginian troops descended into the defile and followed +their retreating army. Hannibal now came down into the fertile +country of Apulia, and determined to winter there. He took by storm +the town of Geronium, where he stored his supplies and placed his +sick in shelter, while his army occupied an intrenched camp which +he formed outside the town. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: IN THE DUNGEONS OF CARTHAGE + + +Fabius, after the escape of Hannibal from the trap in which he +believed he had caught him, followed him into Apulia, and encamped +on high ground in his neighbourhood intending to continue the same +waiting tactics. He was, however, soon afterwards recalled to Rome +to consult with the senate on matters connected with the army. He +left Minucius in command, with strict orders that he should on no +account suffer himself to be enticed into a battle. Minucius moved +forward to within five miles of Geronium, and then encamped upon +a spur of the hills. + +Hannibal, aware that Fabius had left, hoped to be able to tempt +the impatient Minucius to an action. He accordingly drew nearer to +the Romans and encamped upon a hill three miles from their position. + +Another hill lay about halfway between the two armies. Hannibal +occupied this during the night with two thousand of his light +troops, but next day Minucius attacked the position, drove off its +defenders, and encamped there with his whole army. For some days +Hannibal kept his force united in his intrenchments, feeling sure +that Minucius would attack him. The latter, however, strictly obeyed +the orders of Fabius and remained inactive. + +It was all important to the Carthaginians to collect an ample +supply of food before winter set in, and Hannibal, finding that +the Romans would not attack him, was compelled to resume foraging +expeditions. Two-thirds of the army were despatched in various +directions in strong bodies, while the rest remained to guard the +intrenchment. + +This was the opportunity for which Minucius had been waiting. He +at once despatched the whole of his cavalry to attack the foraging +parties, and with his infantry he advanced to the attack of the +weakly defended Carthaginian camp. For a time Hannibal had the +greatest difficulty in resisting the assault of the Romans; but +at last a body of four thousand of the foragers, who had beaten +off the Roman cavalry and made their way into Geronium, came out +to his support, and the Romans retired. + +Hannibal, seeing the energy which Minucius had displayed, fell back +to his old camp near Geronium, and Minucius at once occupied the +position which he had vacated. The partial success of Minucius +enabled the party in Rome who had long been discontented with the +waiting tactics of Fabius to make a fresh attack upon his policy, +and Minucius was now raised to an equal rank with Fabius. + +Minucius, elated with his elevation, proposed to Fabius either +that they should command the whole army on alternate days, or +each should permanently command one-half. Fabius chose the latter +alternative, for he felt certain that the impetuosity of his +colleague would sooner or later get him into trouble with such an +adversary as Hannibal, and that it was better to risk the destruction +of half the army than of the whole. + +Minucius withdrew the troops allotted to him, and encamped in the +plains at a distance of a mile and a half from Fabius. Hannibal +resolved at once to take advantage of the change, and to tempt the +Romans to attack him by occupying a hill which lay about halfway +between the camp of Minucius and Geronium. + +The plain which surrounded the hill was level and destitute of +wood, but Hannibal on a careful examination found that there were +several hollows in which troops could be concealed, and in these +during the night he posted five thousand infantry and five hundred +cavalry. The position occupied by them was such that they would +be able to take the Romans in flank and rear should they advance +against the hill. Having made these dispositions he sent forward +a body of light troops in the morning to occupy the hill. Minucius +immediately despatched his light troops, supported by cavalry, +to drive them from it. Hannibal reinforced his Carthaginians by +small bodies of troops, and the fight was obstinately maintained +until Minucius, whose blood was now up, marched towards the hill +with his legions in order of battle. + +Hannibal on his side advanced with the remains of his troops, and +the battle became fierce and general, until Hannibal gave the signal +to his troops in ambush, who rushed out and charged the Romans in +rear and flank. Their destruction would have been as complete and +terrible as that which had befallen the army of Sempronius at the +Trebia, had not Fabius moved forward with his troops to save the +broken legions of Minucius. + +Fabius now offered battle, but Hannibal, well content with the +heavy blow which he had struck, and the great loss which he had +inflicted upon the command of Minucius, fell back to his camp. +Minucius acknowledged that Fabius had saved his army from total +destruction, and at once resigned his command into his hands, and +reverted to his former position under him. Both armies then went +into winter quarters. + +Malchus had not been present at the fighting near Geronium. Two +days after Hannibal broke through the Roman positions round the +plains of Campania he intrusted Malchus with an important commission. +Commanding the bodyguard of the general, and being closely related to +him, Malchus was greatly in Hannibal's confidence, and was indeed +on the same footing with Mago, Hannibal's brother, and two or three +other of his most trusted generals. Gathered in the general's tent +on the previous evening, these had agreed with their leader that +final success could not be looked for in their enterprise unless +reinforcements were received from Carthage. + +It was now a year since they had emerged from the Alps on to the +plains of Northern Italy. They had annihilated two Roman armies, +had marched almost unopposed through some of the richest provinces +of Italy, and yet they were no nearer the great object of their +enterprise than they were when they crossed the Alps. + +Some of the Cisalpine Gauls had joined them, but even in the plains +north of the Apennines the majority of the tribes had remained +firm to their alliance with the Romans, while south of that range +of mountains the inhabitants had in every case shown themselves +bitterly hostile. Everywhere on the approach of the Carthaginians +they had retired to their walled towns, which Hannibal had neither +the time nor the necessary machines to besiege. + +Although Rome had lost two armies she had already equipped and +placed in the field a third force superior in number to that of +the Carthaginians; her army in Spain had not been drawn upon; her +legion north of the Apennines was operating against the revolted +tribes; other legions were in course of being raised and equipped, +and Rome would take the field in the spring with an army greatly +superior in strength to that of Carthage. Victorious as Hannibal +had been in battle, the army which had struggled through the Alps +had in the year which had elapsed, greatly diminished in numbers. +Trebia and Trasimene had both lessened their strength, but their +losses had been much heavier in the terrible march across the +Apennines in the spring, and by fevers subsequently contracted +from the pestiferous malaria of the marshes in the summer. In +point of numbers the gaps had been filled up by the contingents +furnished by their Gaulish allies. But the loss of all the elephants, +of a great number of the cavalry, and of the Carthaginian troops, +who formed the backbone of the army, was not to be replaced. + +"Malchus," Hannibal said, "you know what we were speaking +of yesterday evening. It is absolutely necessary that we should +receive reinforcements. If Carthage aids me I regard victory as +certain. Two or three campaigns like the last would alike break +down the strength of Rome, and will detach her allies from her. + +"The Latins and the other Italian tribes, when they find that Rome +is powerless to protect them, that their flocks and herds, their +crops and possessions are at our mercy, will at length become weary +of supporting her cause, and will cast in their lot with us; but +if the strife is to be continued, Carthage must make an effort -- +must rouse herself from the lethargy in which she appears to be +sunk. It is impossible for me to leave the army, nor can I well +spare Mago. The cavalry are devoted to him, and losing him would +be like losing my right hand; yet it is clear that someone must go +to Carthage who can speak in my name, and can represent the true +situation here. + +"Will you undertake the mission? It is one of great danger. In +the first place you will have to make your way by sea to Greece, +and thence take ship for Carthage. When you arrive there you will +be bitterly opposed by Hanno and his faction, who are now all +powerful, and it may be that your mission may cost you your life; +for not only do these men hate me and all connected with me, but, +like most demagogues, they place their own selfish aims and ends, +the advantage of their own faction, and the furtherance of their +own schemes far above the general welfare of the state, the loss +of all the colonies of Carthage, and the destruction of her imperial +power. The loss of national prestige and honour are to these men +as nothing in comparison with the question whether they can retain +their places and emoluments as rulers of Carthage. + +"Rome is divided as we are, her patricians and plebeians are ever +bitterly opposed to each other; but at present patriotism rises +above party, and both sink their disputes when the national cause +is at stake. The time will doubtless come -- that is, unless we +cut her course short -- that as Rome increases in wealth and in +luxury she will suffer from the like evils that are destroying +Carthage. Party exigencies will rise above patriotic considerations, +and Rome will fall to pieces unless she finds some man strong and +vigourous enough to grasp the whole power of the state, to silence +the chattering of the politicians, and to rule her with a rod of +iron. But I am wandering from my subject. Will you undertake this +mission?" + +"I will," Malchus replied firmly, "if you think me worthy of it. +I have no eloquence as a speaker, and know nothing of the arts of +the politician." + +"There will be plenty of our friends there who will be able to +harangue the multitude," Hannibal replied. "It is your presence +there as the representative of the army, as my kinsman, and as the +son of the general who did such good service to the state that +will profit our cause. + +"It is your mission to tell Carthage that now is her time or never; +that Rome already totters from the blows I have struck her, and +that another blow only is requisite to stretch her in the dust. A +mighty effort is needed to overthrow once for all our great rival. + +"Sacrifices will be needed, and great ones, to obtain the object, +but Rome once fallen the future of Carthage is secure. What is +needed is that Carthage should obtain and keep the command of the +sea for two years, that at least twenty-five thousand men should +be sent over in the spring, and as many in the spring following. +With such reinforcements I will undertake to destroy absolutely +the power of Rome. Tomorrow I will furnish you with letters to our +friends at home, giving full details as to the course they should +pursue and particulars of our needs. + +"A party of horse shall accompany you to the coast, with a score +of men used to navigation. There you will seize a ship and sail +for Corinth, whence you will have no difficulty in obtaining passage +to Carthage." + +After nightfall the next day Malchus started, taking Nessus with +him as his attendant and companion. The party travelled all night, +and in the morning the long line of the sea was visible from the +summits of the hills they were crossing. They waited for some +hours to rest and refresh their horses, and then, continuing their +journey, came down in the afternoon upon a little port at the mouth +of the river Biferno. So unexpected was their approach that the +inhabitants had not time to shut their gates, and the troops entered +the town without resistance, the people all flying to their houses. + +Malchus at once proclaimed that the Carthaginians came as friends, +and would, if, unmolested, injure no one; but if any armed attempt +was made against them they would sack and destroy the town. Two or +three vessels were lying in the port; Malchus took possession of +the largest, and, putting his party of seamen on board her, ordered +the crew to sail for Corinth. The horsemen were to remain in the +town until the vessel returned, when, with the party on board her, +they would at once rejoin Hannibal. + +The wind was favourable, and the next morning the mountains of +Greece were in sight, and in the afternoon they entered the port +of Corinth. The anchor was dropped at a short distance from the +shore, the small boat was lowered, and Malchus, accompanied by +Nessus, was rowed ashore by two of his own men. These then returned +on board the ship, which at once weighed anchor and set sail on +her return. + +Corinth was a large and busy port, and the arrival and departure +of the little vessel from Italy passed altogether unnoticed, and +without attracting any particular attention Malchus and his companion +made their way along the wharves. The trade of Corinth was large +and flourishing, and the scene reminded Malchus of that with which +he was so familiar in Carthage. Ships of many nationalities were +ranged along the quays. Galleys from Tyre and Cyprus, from Syria +and Egypt, from Carthage and Italy, were all assembled in this +neutral port. + +Corinth was, like Carthage, essentially a trading community; and +while the power and glory of the rival cities of the Peloponnesus +were rapidly failing Corinth was rising in rank, and was now +the first city of Greece. Malchus had no difficulty in finding a +Carthaginian trading ship. He was amply supplied with money, and +soon struck a bargain that the captain should, without waiting to +take in further cargo, at once sail for Carthage. + +The captain was much surprised at the appearance in Corinth of +a young Carthaginian evidently of high rank, but he was too well +satisfied at the bargain he had made to ask any questions. An hour +later the mooring ropes were cast off, and the vessel, spreading her +sails, started on her voyage. The weather was warm and pleasant, +and Malchus, stretched on a couch spread on the poop, greatly +enjoyed the rest and quiet, after the long months which had been +spent in almost incessant activity. Upon the following day Nessus +approached him. + +"My lord Malchus," he said, "there are some on board the ship who +know you. I have overheard the men talking together, and it seems +that one of them recognized you as having been in the habit of +going out with a fisherman who lived next door to him at Carthage." + +"It matters not," Malchus said indifferently; "I have no particular +motive in concealing my name, though it would have been as well +that I should be able to meet my friends in Carthage and consult +with them before my arrival there was generally known. However, +before I leave the ship I can distribute some money among the crew, +and tell them that for certain reasons of state I do not wish them +to mention on shore that I have been a passenger." + +Had Malchus been aware that the ship in which he had taken passage +was one of the great fleet of traders owned by Hanno, he would +have regarded the discovery of his personality by the sailors in a +more serious light; as it was, he thought no more of the matter. +No change in the manner of the captain showed that he was aware +of the name and rank of his passenger, and Malchus, as he watched +the wide expanse of sea, broken only by a few distant sails, was +too intent upon the mission with which he was charged to give the +matter another moment's thought. + +The wind fell light and it was not until the evening of the eighth +day after leaving Corinth that Carthage, with the citadel of Byrsa +rising above it, could be distinguished. The ship was moving but +slowly through the water, and the captain said that unless a change +took place they would not make port until late the next morning. +Malchus retired to his couch feeling sorry that the period of rest +and tranquillity was at an end, and that he was now about to embark +in a difficult struggle, which, though he felt its importance, was +altogether alien to his taste and disposition. + +He had not even the satisfaction that he should see his mother +and sister, for news had come a short time before he sailed that +their position was so uncomfortable at Carthage that they had left +for Spain, to take up their abode there with Adherbal and Anna. +His mother was, he heard, completely broken down in health by grief +for the loss of his father. + +He was wakened in the night by the splash of the anchor and the +running out of he cable through the hawse hole, and supposed that +the breeze must have sprung up a little, and that they had anchored +at the entrance to the harbour. He soon went off to sleep again, +but was presently aroused by what seemed to him the sound of a +short struggle followed by another splash; he dreamingly wondered +what it could be and then went off to sleep again. When he awoke +it was daylight. Somewhat surprised at the non-appearance of Nessus, +who usually came into his cabin the first thing in the morning to +call him, he soon attired himself. + +On going to the door of his cabin he was surprised to find it fastened +without. He knocked loudly against it to attract attention, but +almost immediately found himself in darkness. Going to the porthole +to discover the cause of this sudden change, he found that a sack +had been stuffed into it, and immediately afterwards the sound of +hammering told him that a plank was being nailed over this outside +to keep it in its place. + +The truth washed across him -- he was a prisoner. Drawing his sword +he flung himself with all his force against the door, but this +had been so securely fastened without that it did not yield in the +slightest to his efforts. After several vain efforts he abandoned +the attempt, and sitting down endeavoured to realize the position. +He soon arrived at something like the truth: the trading interests +of Carthage were wholly at the disposal of Hanno and his party, +and he doubted not that, having been recognized, the captain had +determined to detain him as a prisoner until he communicated to +Hanno the fact of his arrival, and received instructions from him +as to whether Malchus was to be allowed to land. + +Malchus recalled the sounds he had heard in the night, and uttered +an exclamation of grief and anger as he concluded that his faithful +follower had been attacked and doubtless killed and thrown overboard. +At present he was powerless to do anything, and with his sword +grasped in his hand he lay on the couch in readiness to start up +and fight his way out, as soon as he heard those without undoing +the fastenings of the door. + +The day passed slowly. He could hear voices without and footsteps +on the deck of the poop overhead, but no one came near him; and +after a time his watchfulness relaxed, as he made up his mind that +his captors, whatever their intentions might be, would not attempt +to carry them out until after nightfall. At last he heard a moving +of the heavy articles which had been piled against the door; he +sprang to his feet, the door opened two or three inches, and a +voice said: + +"In the name of the republic I declare you to be my prisoner." + +"I warn you I shall resist," Malchus exclaimed. "I am Malchus, the +son of Hamilcar, late a general of the republic, and I come to +Carthage on a mission from Hannibal. Whatever complaint the state +may have against me I am ready to answer at the proper time, and +shall not fail to appear when called upon; but at present I have +Hannibal's mission to discharge, and those who interfere with me +are traitors to the republic, whomsoever they may be, and I will +defend myself until the last." + +"Open the door and seize him," a voice exclaimed. + +As the door was opened Malchus sprang forward, but the lights of +several lanterns showed a dozen men with levelled spears standing +in front of the cabin. + +"I surrender," he said, seeing that against such a force as this +resistance would be vain, "but in the name of Hannibal I protest +against this interference with the messenger whom he has sent to +explain, in his name, to the senate the situation in Italy." + +So saying Malchus laid down his shield and sword, took off his +helmet, and walked quietly from the cabin. At an order from their +superior four of the men laid down their weapons and seized him. +In a minute he was bound hand and foot, a gag was forced into his +mouth, a cloak thrown over his head, and he was roughly thrown +into a large boat alongside the ship. + +Short as was the time which he had at liberty, Malchus had thrown +a glance over the bulwarks of each side of the ship, and perceived +that any resistance would have been useless, for far away lay the +lights of Carthage; and it was evident that the vessel had made +little progress since he had retired to rest on the previous +evening. Had she been inside the harbour he had intended to spring +overboard at once and to trust to escape by swimming. + +The person in command of the party which had seized Malchus took +his place at the helm of the boat, and his twelve agents seated +themselves at the oars and rowed away towards Carthage. The town +was nearly eight miles away, and they were two hours before they +arrived there. The place where they landed was at some distance +from the busy part of the port. Two men were waiting for them there +with a stretcher. Upon this Malchus was laid, four men lifted it +on their shoulders, the others fell in round it as a guard, and +the party then proceeded through quiet streets towards the citadel. + +The hour was late and but few people were about. Any who paused +for a moment to look at the little procession, shrank away hastily +on hearing the dreaded words, "In the name of the republic," uttered +by the leader of the party. The citizens of Carthage were too well +accustomed to midnight arrests to give the matter further thought, +save a momentary wonder as to who was the last victim of the tyrants +of the city, and to indulge, perhaps, in a secret malediction upon +them. Malchus had from the first no doubt as to his destination, +and when he felt a sudden change in the angle at which the stretcher +was carried, knew that he was being taken up the steep ascent to +Byrsa. + +He heard presently the challenge of a sentry, then there was a +pause as the gates were opened, then he was carried forward for +awhile, there was another stop, and the litter was lowered to the +ground, his cords were unfastened, and he was commanded to rise. +It needed but a glance upwards to tell him where he was. Above +him towered the dark mass of the temple of Moloch, facing him was +a small door known to every citizen of Carthage as leading to the +dungeons under the temple. + +Brave as he was, Malchus could not resist a shudder as he entered +the portal, accompanied by four of his guards and preceded by a +jailer. No questions were asked by the latter, and doubtless the +coming of the prisoner had been expected and prepared for. The +way lay down a long flight of steps and through several passages, +all hewn in the solid rock. They passed many closed doors, until +at last they turned into one which stood open. The gag was +then removed from Malchus' mouth, the door was closed behind him, +he heard the bolts fastened, and then remained alone in perfect +darkness. + +Malchus felt round the walls of his cell and found that it was +about six feet square. In one corner was a bundle of straw, and, +spreading this out, he threw himself upon it and bitterly meditated +over the position into which he had fallen. His own situation +was desperate enough. He was helpless in the hands of Hanno. The +friends and partisans of Hannibal were ignorant of his coming, and +he could hope for no help from them. He had little doubt as to +what his fate would be; he would be put to death in some cruel way, +and Hannibal, his relatives, and friends would never know what had +become of him from the moment when he left the Italian vessel in +the port of Corinth. + +But hopeless as was his own situation, Malchus thought more of +Hannibal and his brave companions in arms than of himself. The +manner in which he had been kidnapped by the agents of Hanno, showed +how determined was that demagogue to prevent the true state of +things which prevailed in Italy from becoming known to the people +of Carthage. In order to secure their own triumph, he and his party +were willing to sacrifice Hannibal and his army, and to involve +Carthage in the most terrible disasters. + +At last Malchus slept. When he awoke a faint light was streaming +down into his cell. In the centre of the room was an opening of +about a foot square, above which a sort of chimney extended twenty +feet up through the solid rock to the surface, where it was covered +with an iron grating. Malchus knew where he was. Along each side +of the great temple extended a row of these gratings level with the +floor, and every citizen knew that it was through these apertures +that light and air reached the prisoners in the cells below. +Sometimes groans and cries were heard to rise, but those who were +near would hurry from the spot, for they knew that the spies of +the law were ever on the watch, and that to be suspected of entering +into communication with the prisoners would be sufficient to ensure +condemnation and death. + +It was the sight of these gratings, and the thought of the dismal +cells below, which had increased the aversion which Malchus had +felt as a boy to enter the bloodstained temple, little as he had +dreamed that the day would come when he himself would be lying a +prisoner in one of them. He knew that it was useless for him to +attempt by shouting to inform his friends in the city of his presence +there. The narrowness of the air passage and the closeness of the +grating above deadened and confused the voice, unless to a person +standing immediately above the opening, and as the visitors to the +temple carefully avoided the vicinity of the gratings, it would +be but a waste of breath to attempt to call their attention. + +As to escape it was out of the question. The cell was cut in the +solid rock. The door was of enormous strength, and even could that +have been overcome, there were many others which would have to be +passed before he could arrive at the entrance to the dungeon. + +In a short time a Nubian entered, bearing some bread and a pitcher +of water. Malchus addressed him; but the negro opened his mouth, +and Malchus saw that his tongue had been cut out, perhaps in +childhood, perhaps as a punishment for a crime; but more probably +the man was a slave captured in war, who had been mutilated to +render him a safe and useful instrument of the officers of the law. + +Three hours later the door again opened, and two men appeared. They +ordered Malchus to follow them, and led him through a number of +meandering passages, until at last, opening a door, they ushered +him into a large chamber. This was lighted by torches. At a table +in the centre of the room were seated seven figures. In the one +seated in a chair very slightly above the others Malchus at once +recognized Hanno. His companions were all leading men of his +faction. + +"Malchus, son of Hamilcar," Hanno said, "what have you to say why +you thus secretly come to Carthage?" + +"I come not secretly," Malchus replied, "I come hither as the +messenger of Hannibal to the senate. I am charged by him to lay +before them the exact situation in Italy, to tell them how much he +has already accomplished, and what yet remains to be done, and to +explain to them the need there is that reinforcements should be +despatched to him to carry out his great designs for the annihilation +of the power of Rome. I come not in secret. I passed in a ship +from Italy to Corinth, and there at once hired a vessel to convey +me hither." + +"As we are members of the senate," Hanno said, "you can deliver +your message to us." + +"I fear that it will go no further," Malchus replied. "The fact +that I have been thus secretly seized and carried here, shows how +far it is your wish that the people of Carthage should know my +message. Still, as even in your breasts all patriotism may not +yet be dead, and as my words may move you yet to do something to +enable Hannibal to save the republic, I will give you the message +he sent me to deliver to the senate." + +A murmur of angry surprise arose from the seven men at the bold +words and the defiant bearing of their prisoner. + +"How dare you thus address your judges?" Hanno exclaimed. + +"Judges!" Malchus repeated scornfully, "executioners, you should +say. Think you that I know not that my death is resolved on? Even +if you would you dare not free a noble of Carthage, a son of a +general who has lost his life in her service, a cousin of the great +Hannibal, after you have thus treacherously seized and thrown him +into a dungeon. Cowed as the people of Carthage are by your tyranny, +corrupted as they are by your gold, this lawless act of oppression +would rouse them to resistance. No, Hanno, it is because I know +that my doom is sealed I thus fearlessly defy you and your creatures." + +Malchus then proceeded to deliver the message of Hannibal to the +senate. He showed the exact situation of affairs in Italy, urged +that if the reinforcements asked for were sent, the success of the +arms of Carthage and the final defeat and humiliation of Rome were +assured; while, on the other hand, if Hannibal were left unaided, +his army must in time dwindle away until too feeble to resist the +assaults of the Romans and their allies. He warned his hearers that +if this catastrophe should come about, Rome, flushed with victory, +smarting under the defeats and humiliation which Hannibal had +inflicted upon them, would in turn become the aggressor, and would +inflict upon Carthage a blow similar to that with which Rome had +been menaced by Hannibal. + +Hanno and his companions listened in silence. Malchus for a time +forgot his own position and the character of the men he addressed, +and pleaded with an earnestness and passion such as he would have +used had he been addressing the whole senate. When he had finished, +Hanno without a word motioned to the jailers, and these, placing +themselves one on each side of Malchus, led him back to his cell. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: THE ESCAPE + + +For the next two days Malchus was visited only by the Nubian who +brought his food. The third night, as he was lying on his straw, +wondering how long Hanno would be before he decided his fate, he +started to his feet as he heard, apparently close at hand, his +name whispered. It was repeated, and he now perceived that it came +from above. + +"Yes," he said in a low tone, looking upwards, "I am Malchus. Who +speaks to me?" + +"It is I, Nessus," the voice replied. "Thanks to the gods, I have +found my lord." + +"How did you get here, Nessus? I feared that you were drowned." + +"I swam to shore," the Arab said, "and then watched outside the +gate here. I saw several prisoners brought in, and doubted not that +you were among them. I was at the port when the ship came in, and +found that she brought no passenger. Then I came up here again, +soon found friends among the Arab regiment in the garrison; these +obtained me employment in the stables of the elephants. Each night, +when all has been still, I have crept here, and have whispered +your name down each of the gratings. Tonight you have heard me. +Now that I know where you are, I will set to work to contrive your +escape. Is the passage from your cell here wide enough to admit +your being drawn up?" + +"Yes," Malchus replied; "it would be a close fit, but with a rope +you could get me up through it." + +"I will set to work to loosen these bars at once," Nessus said; +"but the difficulty is not to get you out from here, but to get +you beyond the gates of the citadel. The watch is extremely strict, +and the gates are not opened until nine o'clock. Before that +your escape would be discovered, and it will be impossible for you +to pass out undetected. I must find a hiding place where you can +lie concealed until the search is over, and the vigilance of the +sentries is relaxed; but it will be no easy matter. And now let +us speak no more; it is dangerous to breathe, much less to speak +here." + +Not another word was spoken for hours. Malchus could hear a low +continuous scraping noise as Nessus with his dagger worked away +upon the stone into which the grating fitted. At last Nessus spoke +again. "I have nearly finished, my lord, the greater part of the +grating is loose, and in half an hour I can complete the work. +Daylight will soon be breaking and I must go. Tomorrow night I will +return with a rope. I hope today to find some place where you may +be concealed." + +Malchus with renewed hope threw himself upon the straw, and lay +there until about noon when he was again summoned to the presence +of his judges. They were the same whom he had seen previously. + +"Malchus, son of Hamilcar," Hanno said, "you are now brought before +us to hear the crime with which you are charged. We have here +before us the written list of the names of the members of the +conspiracy, headed by Giscon, which had for its aim the murder of +many of the senate of Carthage and the overthrow of her constitution. +We have also here the confession of several of the conspirators +confirming this list, and saying that you were one of the party." + +"I do not deny," Malchus said firmly, "that I did once visit the +place in which those you speak of met, and that my name was then +entered on the roll; but when I went there I was wholly ignorant +of the purposes of the association, and as soon as I learned their +aims and objects I withdrew from them, and did not again visit +their place of meeting." + +"You could not well do that," Hanno said, "since it is writ down +that you sailed very shortly afterwards for Spain." + +"I own that I did so," Malchus replied, "but I told Giscon on the +very day that I accompanied him to the meeting that I would go there +no more. Moreover, your commissioners with Hannibal's army have +already inquired into the circumstances, and they, in consideration +of the fact that I was then little more than sixteen years old, +that I was led ignorantly into the plot, and at once separated +myself from it, absolved me from blame." + +"The commissioners had no authority to do so," Hanno replied; +"they were ordered to send you to Carthage, and failed to carry +out their orders only because Hannibal then, as always, set himself +above the authority of the republic. As you have confessed that +you were a member of this conspiracy, no further trial is needed, +and this court awards to you the same punishment which was meted +to all the others concerned in the conspiracy -- you will tomorrow +be put to death by the usual punishment of the press." + +Malchus abstained from all reply, for it struck him at once that +were he to defy and anger his judges they might order him to be +instantly executed. He therefore without a word turned and accompanied +his jailer to his cell. He waited impatiently for night, and the +hours seemed long indeed before he heard the whisper of Nessus +above. Directly the Arab received the reply, assuring him that +Malchus was still there, he again set to work. + +In an hour the grating was removed and the rope lowered. Malchus +fastened it under his arms, knotting it in front, and then whispered +to Nessus that he was ready. The Arab drew him slowly and steadily +up until his head was in the entrance of the narrow passage. Malchus +had grasped the rope as high as possible above his head and hung +by his hands, thereby drawing the shoulders upwards, and reducing +their width as much as possible. He then managed to swing himself +so that his body was diagonally across the opening, and when thus +placed he found to his joy that the passage was large enough for +him to pass through without much difficulty. + +Slowly and steadily Nessus drew him up until his shoulders were +above the level of the ground, when Malchus, placing his hands +on the pavement, sprang noiselessly out. The grating was replaced, +and without a word being spoken they glided from the temple. Not +a word was said until they had gone some little distance. + +"You have saved my life again, Nessus," Malchus said, laying his +hand upon his shoulder. "Another twelve hours and it would have +been too late. I was to have been put to death in the morning." + +Nessus gave a fierce exclamation and placed his hand on his knife. + +"Had they slain my lord," he said, "I would have avenged you. I +would have dogged your enemies night and day till, one by one, my +knife should have found its way to their hearts!" + +"Have you found a hiding place, Nessus?" + +"There is but one place of safety, my lord, that I can think of. I +have talked it over with two or three faithful friends, and they +agree that so rigid will be the search that it will be well nigh +impossible for anyone within the walls of the citadel to escape +detection. The spies of Hanno are everywhere, and men fear within +these walls even to whisper what they think. At any rate, no more +secure hiding place could be found than that which we have decided +upon." + +"And where is that, Nessus?" + +"It is in the reservoirs. With four water skins and some planks +we have prepared a raft. My two friends are waiting for us at one +of the entrances. They will have fitted the raft together, and all +will be in readiness. They are not likely to search for you there." + +"The idea is excellent, Nessus." + +The reservoirs of Carthage were of enormous extent, and some +of these remain to this day and are the wonder and admiration of +travellers. They were subterranean, and were cut from the solid +rock, the stone extracted from them being used for the walls of the +buildings of the city. Pillars were left at intervals to support +the roof, and it was calculated that these underground lakes -- +for they were no less -- contained sufficient water to supply the +wants of the great city for at least six months. These vast storing +places for water were an absolute necessity in a climate like +that of Northern Africa, where the rain falls but seldom. Without +them, indeed, Carthage would have been at the mercy of the first +army which laid siege to it. + +The greatest pains were devoted to the maintenance of the water +supply. The rainfall from the roofs of the temples and houses was +conducted to the reservoirs, and these stores were never drawn upon +on ordinary occasions, the town being supplied with water brought +by aqueducts from long distances among the hills. Here and +there openings were cut in the rock which formed the roof of the +reservoirs, for the admission of air, and at a few points steps +from the surface led down to the water. Iron gates guarded the +entrance to these. + +Nessus and his friends had the evening before unfastened one of +these gates. The lock was old and little used, as the gate was +placed rather to prevent children and others going down to the +water than for any other purpose, and the Arabs had found little +difficulty in picking the rough lock. + +Malchus followed Nessus down the steps until he reached the edge +of the water, some fifty feet below the surface. Here stood two +Arabs bearing torches. At the foot of the steps floated the raft, +formed, as Nessus had said, of four inflated sheepskins connected +by a framework of planks. Across these a bullock's hide had been +stretched, forming a platform. On this were some rugs, a skin of +wine, and a pile of flat cakes and fruit, together with half a +dozen torches. + +"Thanks, my friends!" Malchus said to the Arabs. "Some day I may +be able to prove that I am grateful to you." + +"The friends of Nessus are our friends," one of the Arabs replied +simply; "his lord is our master." + +"Here is a paddle, my lord," Nessus said. "I propose that you should +paddle straight away as far as you can see a torch burning here; +then that you should fasten the raft to a pillar. Every other +night I will come with provisions here and show a light. If you +see the light burn steadily it is safe for you to approach, and I +come only to bring food or news; if you see the torch wave to and +fro, it is a warning that they intend to search the reservoirs. +I do not think it likely they will do so; still it is best +to be prepared, and in that case you must paddle far away in the +recesses. They might search for a long time before they find you. +I trust that your imprisonment here will not be long, but that we +may hit upon some plan of getting you out of the citadel. I would +gladly go with you to share your solitude, but I must remain outside +to plan some way of escape." + +With a short farewell to his faithful follower Malchus took his +place on the raft, having lit a torch and fastened it upright upon +it. Then he paddled slowly away, keeping between the lines of heavy +columns. His rate of progress was slow, and for half an hour he +kept the torch in sight. By this time he felt sure that he must +be approaching the boundary of the reservoir. He therefore moored +his raft against a pillar and waved his torch backwards and forwards. +The signal was answered by a similar movement of the distant light, +which then disappeared. Malchus now extinguished his own torch, +placed the means of relighting it with which Nessus had furnished +him close to his hand, and then, wrapping himself in a rug, lay +down to sleep. + +When he awoke it was day. The light was streaming down on to the +water from an opening two or three hundred yards away, while far +in the distance he could see a faint light which marked the place +of the steps at which he had embarked. In the neighbourhood of +the opening the columns stood up clear and gray against the dark +background. A little further off their outlines were dim and misty; +and wherever else he looked an inky darkness met his eye, save +one or two faint bands of misty light, which marked the position +of distant openings. + +The stillness which reigned in this vast cavern was almost oppressive. +Sometimes a faint rustling whisper, the echo of some sound in the +citadel above, passed among the columns; and the plaintive squeak +of a bat was heard now and then, for numbers of these creatures +were flitting noiselessly in the darkness, their forms visible +for an instant as they passed and repassed between Malchus and the +light. He wondered vaguely what they could find to eat here, and +then remembered that he had heard that at nightfall numbers of +bats could be seen flying up from the openings to the reservoirs to +seek food without, returning to their hiding places when morning +approached. + +Malchus amused himself by thinking over the fury and astonishment +of Hanno and his colleagues on hearing that their prisoner had +disappeared, and he pictured to himself the hot search which was +no doubt going on throughout the citadel. He thought it improbable +in the extreme that any search would be made in the reservoir. +Nessus would refasten the gate after passing through it again, and +the idea that he could be floating on the subterranean lake could +hardly occur to them. + +Then he turned over in his mind the various devices by which it +might be possible to get beyond the walls of the citadel. The +anxiety of Hanno and those acting with him to prevent the manner +in which they had kidnapped and sentenced to death the messenger +and kinsman of Hannibal from becoming known in the city, would +be so great that extraordinary vigilance would be used to prevent +any from leaving the citadel. The guards on the walls would be +greatly increased; none would be allowed to pass the gate without +the most rigourous examination; while every nook and corner of +the citadel, the temples, the barracks, storehouses, and stables, +would be searched again and again. Even should a search be made +in the reservoir, Malchus had little fear of discovery; for even +should a boat come towards the spot where he was lying, he would +only have to pass the raft round to the opposite side of the great +pillar, some twelve feet square, against which he was lying. + +When the light faded out he again lay down to sleep. As before, he +slept soundly; for, however great the heat above, the air in the +subterranean chambers was always fresh and cool, and he could well +bear the rugs which Nessus had provided. The next day passed more +slowly, for he had less to think about. After the daylight had +again faded he began to look forward expectantly for the signal, +although he knew that many hours must still elapse before Nessus +would be able to make his way to the place of meeting. + +So slowly did the hours pass, indeed, that he began at last to fear +that something must have happened -- perhaps that Nessus had been +in some way recognized, and was now in the dungeons below the temple +of Moloch. At last, however, to his joy Malchus saw the distant +light; it burned steadily, and he at once set out to paddle towards +it. He did not light his torch -- it would have taken time, and he +knew that, quietly as he paddled, the sound would be borne along +the surface of the water to Nessus. At last he arrived at the steps. +Nessus was there alone; beside him was a basket of fresh provisions. + +"Well, Nessus, what news?" + +"All is well, my lord; but Hanno is moving heaven and earth to find +you. The gates of the citadel were kept closed all day yesterday; +and although today they have again been opened, the examination of +those who pass out is so strict that no disguise would avail to +deceive the scrutiny of the searchers. One or other of the men +who attended you in the prison is always at the gate. The barracks +have been searched from end to end, the troops occupying them being +all turned out while the agents of the law searched them from top +to bottom. The same has been done with the stables; and it is well +that we did not attempt to hide you above ground, for assuredly +if we had done so they would have found you, however cunningly we +had stowed you away. Of course the name of the prisoner who has +escaped is known to none, but the report that an important prisoner +had escaped from the state prisons beneath the temple has created +quite an excitement in the city, for it is said that such an event +never took place before. At present I can hit on no plan whatever +for getting you free." + +"Then I must be content to wait for a while, Nessus. After a time +their vigilance is sure to relax, as they will think that I must +have got beyond the walls." + +"Are there any to whom you would wish me to bear news that you are +here?" + +This was a question which Malchus had debated with himself over +and over again. It appeared to him, however, that Hanno's power +was so great that it would be dangerous for anyone to come forward +and accuse him. No doubt every one of the leading men of the +Barcine party was strictly watched; and did Hanno suspect that any +of them were in communication with the escaped prisoner, he would +take instant steps against them. He thought it better, therefore, +that none should be acquainted with the secret until he was free. +He therefore replied in the negative to the question of Nessus. + +"I must wait till I am free. Any action now might bring down the +vengeance of Hanno upon others. He would find no difficulty in +inventing some excuse for dealing a blow at them. You think here +is no possibility of escape at present?" + +"I can think on no plan, my lord. So strict is the search that when +the elephants went down today to the fountains for water every +howdah was examined to see that no one was hidden within it." + +"It will be necessary also, Nessus, if you do hit upon some plan +for getting me out, to arrange a hiding place in the city." + +"That will be easy enough," Nessus replied. "My friends have many +relations in the Arab quarter, and once free, you might be concealed +there for any time. And now I will wait no longer, for last night +visits were made in all the barracks and stables by the agents of +the law, to see that every man was asleep in his place. Therefore +I will return without delay. In two days I will be here again; but +should anything occur which it is needful to tell you I will be +here tomorrow night." + +Malchus watched for the light on the following evening with but +faint hope of seeing it, but at about the same hour as before he +saw it suddenly appear again. Wondering what had brought Nessus +before his time, he paddled to the stairs. + +"Well, Nessus, what is your news?" + +"We have hit upon a plan of escape, my lord. As I told you my friend +and I are in the stable with the elephants, our duties being to +carry in the forage for the great beasts, and to keep the stables +in order. We have taken one of the Indian mahouts into our +confidence, and he has promised his aid; the elephant of which he +is in charge is a docile beast, and his driver has taught him many +tricks. At his signal he will put up his trunk and scream and rush +here and there as if in the state which is called must, when they +are dangerous of approach. The mahout, who is a crafty fellow, +taught him to act thus, because when in such a state of temper +the elephants cannot be worked with the others, but remain in the +stables, and their drivers have an easy time of it. + +"On the promise of a handsome reward the mahout has agreed that +tomorrow morning, before the elephants are taken out, you shall +be concealed in the bottom of the howdah. He will manage that the +elephant is the first in the procession. When we get out into the +courtyard he will slyly prick the beast, and give him the signal +to simulate rage; he will then so direct him that, after charging +several times about the court, he shall make a rush at the gate. +You may be sure that the guards there will step aside quickly +enough, for a furious elephant is not a creature to be hindered. + +"When he is once down to the foot of the hill the driver will direct +him to some quiet spot. That he will find easily enough, for at +his approach there will be a general stampede. When he reaches +some place where no one is in sight he will halt the elephant and +you will at once drop off him. I shall be near at hand and will +join you. The elephant will continue his course for some little +distance, and the mahout, feigning to have at last recovered +control over him, will direct him back to the citadel." + +"The idea is a capital one," Malchus said, "and if carried out will +surely succeed. You and I have often seen during our campaigns +elephants in this state, and know how every one flies as they come +along screaming loudly, with their trunks high, and their great ears +out on each side of their heads. At any rate it is worth trying, +Nessus, and if by any chance we should fail in getting through the +gate, the mahout would, of course, take his elephant back to the +stable, and I might slip out there and conceal myself till night, +and then make my way back here again." + +"That's what we have arranged," Nessus said. "And now, my lord, +I will leave you and go back to the stables, in case they should +search them again tonight. If you will push off and lie a short +distance away from the steps I will be here again half an hour +before daybreak. I will bring you a garb like my own, and will +take you direct to the stable where the animal is kept. There will +be no one there save the mahout and my two friends, so that it +will be easy for us to cover you in the howdah before the elephants +go out. There is little chance of anyone coming into the stables +before that, for they have been searched so frequently during the +last two days that Hanno's agents must by this time be convinced +that wherever you are hidden you are not there. Indeed, today +the search has greatly relaxed, although the vigilance at the gate +and on the walls is as great as ever; so I think that they despair +of finding you, and believe that you must either have made your +escape already, or that if not you will sooner or later issue from +your hiding place and fall into their hands." + +Malchus slept little that night, and rejoiced when he again saw +Nessus descending the steps. A few strokes of his paddle sent the +raft alongside. Nessus fastened a cord to it to prevent it from +drifting away. + +"We may need it again," he said briefly. Malchus placed his own +clothes upon it and threw over his shoulders the bernous which +Nessus had brought. He then mounted the steps with him, the gate +was closed and the bolt shot, and they then made their way across +to the stables. It was still perfectly dark, though a very faint +light, low in the eastern sky, showed that ere long the day would +break. + +Five minutes' walking and they arrived at the stables of the +elephants. These, like those of the horses and the oxen which +drew the cumbrous war machines, were formed in the vast thickness +of the walls, and were what are known in modern times as casemates. +As Nessus had said, the Indian mahout and the other two Arabs were +the only human occupants of the casemate. The elephant at once +showed that he perceived the newcomer to be a stranger by an uneasy +movement, but the mahout quieted him. + +While they were waiting for morning, Nessus described, more fully +than he had hitherto had an opportunity of doing, the attack made +upon him on board the ship. + +"I was," he said, "as my lord knows, uneasy when I found that they +had recognized you, and when we were within a day's sail of Carthage +I resolved to keep a lookout -- therefore, although I wrapped myself +in my cloak and lay down, I did not go to sleep. After a while I +thought I heard the sound of oars, and, standing up, went to the +bulwark to listen. Suddenly some of the sailors, who must have been +watching me, sprang upon me from behind, a cloak was thrown over +my head, a rope was twisted round my arms, and in a moment I was +lifted and flung overboard. + +"I did not cry out, because I had already made up my mind that it +was better not to arouse you from sleep whatever happened, as, had +you run out, you might have been killed, and I thought it likely +that their object would be, if you offered no resistance, to take +you a prisoner, in which case I trusted that I might later on hope +to free you. As my lord knows, I am a good swimmer. I let myself +sink, and when well below the surface soon got rid of the rope +which bound me, and which was, indeed, but hastily twisted round +my arms. I came up to the surface as noiselessly as possible, and +after taking a long breath dived and swam under water as far as +I could. When I came up the ship was so far away that there was +little fear of their seeing me; however, I dived again and again +until in perfect safety. + +"I heard a boat rowed by many oars approach the vessel. I listened +for a time and found that all was quiet, and then laid myself out +for the long swim to shore, which I reached without difficulty. All +day I kept my eye on the vessel, which remained at anchor. As I +could not tell to which landing place you might be brought I went +up in the evening and took my post on the road leading up here, +and when towards morning a party entered, carrying one with them +on a stretcher, I had little doubt that it was you. + +"I was sure to find friends among the Arabs either belonging to the +regiment stationed in Byrsa or those employed in the storehouses +or stables; so the next morning I entered the citadel and soon met +these men, who belonged to my tribe and village. After that my +way was plain; my only fear was that they might kill you before I +could discover the place in which you were confined, and my heart +sank the first night when I found that, though I whispered down +every one of the gratings, I could obtain no reply. + +"I had many answers, indeed, but not from you. There might be many +cells besides those with openings into the temple, and were you +placed in one of these I might never hear of you again. I had resolved +that if the next night passed without my being able to find you, +I would inform some of those known to be friends of Hannibal that +you were a prisoner, and leave it in their hands to act as they +liked, while I still continued my efforts to communicate with you. +You may imagine with what joy I heard your reply on the following +night." + +"I must have been asleep the first night," Malchus said, "and did +not hear your voice." + +"I feared to speak above a whisper, my lord; there are priests all +night in the sanctuary behind the great image." + +Day had by this time broken, and a stir and bustle commenced in +front of the long line of casemates; the elephants were brought out +from their stables and stood rocking themselves from side to side +while their keepers rubbed their hides with pumice stone. Nessus +was one of those who was appointed to make the great flat cakes +of coarse flour which formed the principal food of the elephants. +The other Arabs busied themselves in bringing in fresh straw, +which Malchus scattered evenly over the stall; heaps of freshly +cut forage were placed before each elephant. + +In a short time one of the Arabs took the place of Nessus in preparing +the cakes, while Nessus moved away and presently went down into +the town to await the coming of Malchus. By this arrangement if the +superintendent of the stables came round he would find the proper +number of men at work, and was not likely to notice the substitution +of Malchus for Nessus, with whose face he could not yet have become +familiar. By this time numbers of the townsmen were as usual coming +up to the citadel to worship in the temple or to visit friends +dwelling there. Malchus learned that since his escape had been known +each person on entrance received a slip of brass with a stamp on +it which he had to give up on leaving. + +All employed in the citadel received a similar voucher, without +which none could pass the gate. The time was now come when the +elephants were accustomed to be taken down to the fountains in the +town below, and the critical moment was at hand. The mahout had +already begun to prepare his elephant for the part he was to play. +It had been trumpeting loudly and showing signs of impatience and +anger. The animal was now made to kneel by the door of its stable, +where Malchus had already lain down at the bottom of the howdah, +a piece of sacking being thrown over him by the Arabs. The two Arabs +and the mahout carried the howdah out, placed it on the elephant, +and securely fastened it in its position. + +These howdahs were of rough construction, being in fact little more +than large open crates, for the elephants after being watered went +to the forage yard, where the crates were filled with freshly cut +grass or young boughs of trees, which they carried up for their +own use to the citadel. + +The mahout took his position on its neck, and the elephant then +rose to its feet. The symptoms of bad temper which it had already +given were now redoubled. It gave vent to a series of short vicious +squeals, it trumpeted loudly and angrily, and, although the mahout +appeared to be doing his best to pacify it, it became more and +more demonstrative. The superintendent of the elephants rode up. + +"You had better dismount and take that brute back to the stable," he +said; "he is not safe to take out this morning." As he approached +the elephant threw up his trunk, opened his mouth, and rushed +suddenly at him. The officer fled hastily, shouting loudly to +the other mahouts to bring their animals in a circle round the +elephant, but the mahout gave him a sudden prod with his pricker +and the elephant set off with great strides, his ears out, his +trunk in the air, and with every sign of an access of fury, at the +top of his speed. He rushed across the great courtyard, the people +flying in all directions with shouts of terror; he made two or +three turns up and down, each time getting somewhat nearer to the +gate. + +As he approached it for the third time the mahout guided him towards +it, and, accustomed at this hour to sally out, the elephant made +a sudden rush in that direction. The officer on guard shouted to +his men to close the gate, but before they could attempt to carry +out the order the elephant charged through, and at the top of his +speed went down the road. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: CANNAE + + +As the elephant tore down the road to the town many were the narrow +escapes that, as they thought, those coming up had of being crushed +or thrown into the air by the angry beast. Some threw themselves on +their faces, others got over the parapet and hung by their hands +until he had passed, while some squeezed themselves against the +wall; but the elephant passed on without doing harm to any. + +On reaching the foot of the descent the mahout guided the animal +to the left, and, avoiding the busy streets of the town, directed +its course towards the more quiet roads of the opulent quarter of +Megara. The cries of the people at the approach of the elephant +preceded its course, and all took refuge in gardens or houses. The +latter became less and less frequent, until, at a distance of two +miles from the foot of the citadel, the mahout, on looking round, +perceived no one in sight. He brought the elephant suddenly to a +standstill. + +"Quick, my lord," he exclaimed, "now is the time." + +Malchus threw off the sack, climbed out of the howdah, and slipped +down by the elephant's tail, the usual plan for dismounting when +an elephant is on its feet. Then he sprang across the road, leaped +into a garden, and hid himself among some bushes. The mahout now +turned the elephant, and, as if he had succeeded at last in subduing +it, slowly retraced his steps towards the citadel. + +A minute or two later Malchus issued out and quietly followed it. +He had gone some distance when he saw an Arab approaching him, and +soon recognized Nessus. They turned off together from the main road +and made their way by bystreets until they reached the lower city. +At a spot near the port they found one of the Arabs from above +awaiting them, and he at once led the way to the house inhabited +by his family. The scheme had been entirely successful. Malchus +had escaped from the citadel without the possibility of a suspicion +arising that he had issued from its gates, and in his Arab garb he +could now traverse the streets unsuspected. + +Nessus was overjoyed at the success of the stratagem, and Malchus +himself could hardly believe that he had escaped from the terrible +danger which threatened him. Nessus and the Arab at once returned +to the citadel. It was agreed that the former had better continue +his work as usual until the evening, and then ask for his discharge +on the plea that he had received a message requiring his presence +in his native village, for it was thought that suspicion might +be excited were he to leave suddenly without drawing his pay, and +possibly a search might be instituted in the city to discover his +whereabouts. + +At nightfall he returned, and then went to the house of one of the +leaders of the Barcine party with a message from Malchus to tell +him where he was, and the events which had occurred since his +landing at Carthage, and asking him to receive him privately in +two hours' time, in order that he might consult him as to the best +plan to be followed. + +Nessus returned saying that Manon was at home and was awaiting +him, and the two at once set out for his house. Manon, who was a +distant relation of Malchus, received him most warmly, and listened +in astonishment to his story of what had befallen him. Malchus +then explained the mission with which Hannibal had charged him, +and asked his advice as to the best course to be adopted. Manon +was silent for a time. + +"Hanno's faction is all powerful at present," he said, "and were +Hannibal himself here I doubt whether his voice could stir the +senate into taking action such as is needed. The times have been +hard, and Hanno and his party have lavished money so freely among +the lower classes that there is no hope of stirring the populace +up to declare against him. I think it would be in the highest degree +dangerous were we, as you propose, to introduce you suddenly to +the senate as Hannibal's ambassador to them, and leave you to plead +his cause. You would obtain no hearing. Hanno would rise in his +place and denounce you as one already condemned by the tribunals +as an enemy to the republic, and would demand your instant execution, +and, as he has a great majority of votes in the senate, his demand +would be complied with. You would, I am convinced, throw away your +life for no good purpose, while your presence and your mysterious +escape from prison would be made the pretense for a fresh series +of persecutions of our partisans. I understand as well as you do +the urgency for reinforcements being sent to Italy; but in order to +do this the navy, now rotting in our harbours, must be repaired, +the command of the sea must be regained, and fresh levies of troops +made. + +"To ask Carthage to make these sacrifices in her present mood +is hopeless; we must await an opportunity. l and my friends will +prepare the way, will set our agents to work among the people, and +when the news of another victory arrives and the people's hopes +are aroused and excited, we will strike while the iron is hot, +and call upon them to make one great effort to bring the struggle +to a conclusion and to finish with Rome forever. + +"Such is, in my opinion, the only possible mode of proceeding. To +move now would be to ensure a rejection of our demands, to bring +fresh persecutions upon us, and so to weaken us that we should be +powerless to turn to good account the opportunity which the news +of another great victory would afford. I will write at once to +Hannibal and explain all the circumstances of the situation, and +will tell him why I have counselled you to avoid carrying out his +instructions, seeing that to do so now would be to ensure your +own destruction and greatly damage our cause. + +"In the meantime you must, for a short time, remain in concealment, +while I arrange for a ship to carry you back to Italy." + +"The sooner the better," Malchus said bitterly, "for Carthage with +its hideous tyranny, its foul corruption, its forgetfulness of +its glory, its honour, and even its safety, is utterly hateful to +me. I trust that never again shall I set foot within its walls. +Better a thousand times to die in a battlefield than to live in +this accursed city." + +"It is natural that you should be indignant," Manon said, "for +the young blood runs hotly in your veins, and your rage at seeing +the fate which is too certainly impending over Carthage, and which +you are powerless to prevent, is in no way to be blamed. We old +men bow more resignedly to the decrees of the gods. You know the +saying, `Those whom the gods would destroy they first strike with +madness.' Carthage is such. She sees unmoved the heroic efforts +which Hannibal and his army are making to save her, and she will +not stretch out a hand to aid him. She lives contentedly under +the constant tyranny of Hanno's rule, satisfied to be wealthy, +luxurious, and slothful, to carry on her trade, to keep her riches, +caring nothing for the manly virtues, indifferent to valour, +preparing herself slowly and surely to fall an easy prey to Rome. + +"The end probably will not come in my time, it may come in yours, +but come it certainly and surely will. A nation which can place a +mere handful of its own citizens in the line of battle voluntarily +dooms herself to destruction." + +"Whether it comes in my time or not," Malchus said, "I will be no +sharer in the fate of Carthage. I have done with her; and if I +do not fall in the battlefield I will, when the war is over, seek +a refuge among the Gauls, where, if the life is rough, it is at +least free and independent, where courage and manliness and honour +count for much, and where the enervating influence of wealth is as +yet unknown. Such is my firm resolution." + +"I say nothing to dissuade you, Malchus," the old man replied, +"such are the natural sentiments of your age; and methinks, were +my own time to come over again, I too would choose such a life in +preference to an existence in the polluted atmosphere of ungrateful +Carthage. And now, will you stop here with me, or will you return +to the place where you are staying? I need not say how gladly +I would have you here, but I cannot answer certainly for your +safety. Every movement of those belonging to our party is watched +by Hanno, and I doubt not that he has his spies among my slaves +and servants. + +"Therefore deem me not inhospitable if I say that it were better +for you to remain in hiding where you are. Let your follower come +nightly to me for instructions; let him enter the gate and remain +in the garden near it. I will come down and see him; his visits, +were they known, would excite suspicion. Bid him on his return +watch closely to see that he is not followed, and tell him to go +by devious windings and to mix in the thickest crowds in order to +throw any one who may be following off his track before he rejoins +you. I trust to be able to arrange for a ship in the course of +three or four days. Come again and see me before you leave. Here +is a bag of gold; you will need it to reward those who have assisted +in your escape." + +Malchus at once agreed that it would be better for him to return +to his abode among the Arabs, and thanking Manon for his kindness +he returned with Nessus, who had been waiting without. + +As they walked along Malchus briefly related to his follower the +substance of his interview with Manon. Suddenly Nessus stopped +and listened, and then resumed his walk. + +"I think we are followed, my lord," he said, "one of Hanno's spies +in Manon's household is no doubt seeking to discover who are the +Arabs who have paid his master a visit. I have thought once before +that I heard a footfall, now l am sure of it. When we get to the +next turning do you walk on and I will turn down the road. If the +man behind us be honest he will go straight on; if he be a spy, +he will hesitate and stop at the corner to decide which of us he +shall follow; then I shall know what to do." + +Accordingly at the next crossroad they came to Nessus turned down +and concealed himself a few paces away, while Malchus, without +pausing, walked straight on. A minute later Nessus saw a dark +figure come stealthily along. He stopped at the junction of the +roads and stood for a few seconds in hesitation, then he followed +Malchus. + +Nessus issued from his hiding place, and, with steps as silent and +stealthy as those of a tiger tracking his prey, followed the man. +When within a few paces of him he gave a sudden spring and flung +himself upon him, burying his knife between his shoulders. Without +a sound the man fell forward on his face. Nessus coolly wiped his +knife upon the garments of the spy, and then proceeded at a rapid +pace until he overtook Malchus. + +"It was a spy," he said, "but he will carry no more tales to Hanno." + +Two days later, Nessus, on his return from his visit to Manon, +brought news that the latter had arranged with the captain of a +ship owned by a friend to carry them across to Corinth, whence they +would have no difficulty in taking a passage to Italy. They were +to go on board late the following night, and the ship would set +sail at daybreak. + +The next evening Malchus accompanied by Nessus paid a farewell visit +to Manon, and repeated to him all the instructions of Hannibal, +and Manon handed him his letter for the general, and again assured +him that he would, with his friends, at once set to work to pave +the way for an appeal to the populace at the first favourable +opportunity. + +After bidding farewell to the old noble, Malchus returned to the +house of the Arab and prepared for his departure. He had already +handsomely rewarded the two men and the mahout for the services +they had rendered him. In the course of the day he had provided +himself with the garments of a trader, the character which he was +now about to assume. + +At midnight, when all was quiet, he and Nessus set out and made +their way down to the port, where, at a little frequented landing +stage, a boat was awaiting them, and they were at once rowed to +the ship, which was lying at anchor half a mile from the shore in +readiness for an early start in the morning. + +Although it seemed next to impossible that they could have been +traced, Malchus walked the deck restlessly until the morning, +listening to every sound, and it was not until the anchor was +weighed, the sails hoisted, and the vessel began to draw away +from Carthage that he went into his cabin. On the sixth day after +leaving Carthage the ship entered the port of Corinth. + +There were several vessels there from Italian ports, but before +proceeding to arrange for a passage Malchus went to a shop and +bought, for himself and Nessus, such clothing and arms as would +enable them to pass without difficulty as fighting men belonging +to one of the Latin tribes. Then he made inquiries on the quay, +and, finding that a small Italian craft was to start that afternoon +for Brundusium, he went on board and accosted the captain. + +"We want to cross to Italy," he said, "but we have our reasons for +not wishing to land at Brundusium, and would fain be put ashore +at some distance from the town. We are ready, of course, to pay +extra for the trouble." + +The request did not seem strange to the captain. Malchus had +spoken in Greek, the language with which all who traded on the +Mediterranean were familiar. He supposed that they had in some way +embroiled themselves with the authorities at Brundusium, and had +fled for awhile until the matter blew over, and that they were now +anxious to return to their homes without passing through the town. +He asked rather a high price for putting them ashore in a boat as +they wished, and Malchus haggled over the sum for a considerable +time, as a readiness to pay an exorbitant price might have given +rise to doubts in the captain's mind as to the quality of his +passengers. Once or twice he made as if he would go ashore, and +the captain at last abated his demands to a reasonable sum. + +When this was settled Malchus went no more ashore, but remained on +board until the vessel sailed, as he feared that he might again +be recognized by some of the sailors of the Carthaginian vessels in +port. The weather was fair and the wind light, and on the second +day after sailing the vessel lay to in a bay a few miles from +Brundusium. The boat was lowered, and Malchus and his companions +set on shore. + +They had before embarking laid in a store of provisions not only +for a voyage, but for their journey across the country, as the +slight knowledge which Malchus had of the Latin tongue would have +betrayed him at once were he obliged to enter a town or village +to purchase food. Carrying the provisions in bundles they made +for the mountains, and after three days' journey reached without +interruption or adventure the camp of Hannibal. He was still lying +in his intrenched camp near Geronium. The Roman army was as before +watching him at a short distance off. + +Malchus at once sought the tent of the general, whose surprise at +seeing him enter was great, for he had not expected that he would +return until the spring. Malchus gave him an account of all that +had taken place since he left him. Hannibal was indignant in +the extreme at Hanno having ventured to arrest and condemn his +ambassador. When he learned the result of the interview with Manon, +and heard how completely the hostile faction were the masters +of Carthage, he agreed that the counsels of the old nobleman were +wise, and that Malchus could have done no good, whereas he would +have exposed himself to almost certain death, by endeavouring +further to carry out the mission with which he had been charged. + +"Manon knows what is best, and, no doubt, a premature attempt to +excite the populace to force Hanno into sending the reinforcements +we so much need would have not only failed, but would have injured our +cause. He and his friends will doubtless work quietly to prepare +the public mind, and I trust that ere very long some decisive victory +will give them the opportunity for exciting a great demonstration +on our behalf." + +The remainder of the winter passed quietly. Malchus resumed his +post as the commander of Hannibal's bodyguard, but his duties were +very light. The greater part of his time was spent in accompanying +Hannibal in his visits to the camps of the soldiers, where nothing +was left undone which could add to the comfort and contentment +of the troops. There is no stronger evidence of the popularity of +Hannibal and of the influence which he exercised over his troops +than the fact that the army under him, composed, as it was, of men +of so many nationalities, for the most part originally compelled +against their will to enter the service of Carthage, maintained +their discipline unshaken, not only by the hardships and sacrifices +of the campaigns, but through the long periods of enforced idleness +in their winter quarters. + +From first to last, through the long war, there was neither +grumbling, nor discontent, nor insubordination among the troops. +They served willingly and cheerfully. They had absolute confidence +in their general, and were willing to undertake the most tremendous +labours and to engage in the most arduous conflicts to please +him, knowing that he, on his part, was unwearied in promoting their +comfort and well being at all other times. + +As the spring advanced the great magazines which Hannibal had +brought with him became nearly exhausted, and no provisions could +be obtained from the surrounding country, which had been completely +ruined by the long presence of the two armies. It became, therefore, +necessary to move from the position which he had occupied during +the winter. The Romans possessed the great advantage over him of +having magazines in their rear constantly replenished by their +allies, and move where they might, they were sure of obtaining +subsistence without difficulty. Thus, upon the march, they were +unembarrassed by the necessity of taking a great baggage train +with them, and, when halted, their general could keep his army +together in readiness to strike a blow whenever an opportunity +offered; while Hannibal, on the other hand, was forced to scatter +a considerable portion of the army in search of provisions. + +The annual elections at Rome had just taken place, and Terentius +Varro and Emilius Paulus had been chosen consuls. Emilius belonged +to the aristocratic party, and had given proof of military ability +three years before when he had commanded as consul in the Illyrian +war. Varro belonged to the popular party, and is described by +the historians of the period as a coarse and brutal demagogue, the +son of a butcher, and having himself been a butcher. But he was +unquestionably an able man, and possessed some great qualities. +The praetor Marcellus, who had slain a Gaulish king with his own +hand in the last Gaulish war, was at Ostia with a legion. He was +destined to command the fleet and to guard the southern coasts of +Italy, while another praetor, Lucius Postumius, with one legion, +was in Cisalpine Gaul keeping down the tribes friendly to Carthage. + +But before the new consuls arrived to take the command of the army +Hannibal had moved from Geronium. + +The great Roman magazine of Apulia was at Cannae, a town near the +river Aulidus. This important place was but fifty miles by the +shortest route across the plain from Geronium; but the Romans were +unable to follow directly across the plain, for at this time the +Carthaginians greatly outnumbered them in cavalry, and they would, +therefore, have to take the road round the foot of the mountains, +which was nearly seventy miles long; and yet, by some unaccountable +blunder, they neglected to place a sufficient guard over their great +magazines at Cannae to defend them for even a few days against a +sudden attack. + +Hannibal saw the opportunity, and when spring was passing into summer +broke up his camp and marched straight to Cannae, where the vast +magazines of the Romans at once fell into his hands. He thus not +only obtained possession of his enemy's supplies, but interposed +between the Romans and the low lying district of Southern Apulia, +where alone, at, this early season of the year, the corn was fully +ripe. + +The Romans had now no choice but to advance and fight a battle +for the recovery of their magazines, for, had they retired, the +Apulians, who had already suffered terribly from the war, would, +in sheer despair, have been forced to declare for Carthage, while +it would have been extremely difficult to continue any longer the +waiting tactics of Fabius, as they would now have been obliged to +draw their provisions from a distance, while Hannibal could victual +his army from the country behind him. The senate therefore, having +largely reinforced the army, ordered the consuls to advance and +give battle. + +They had under them eight full legions, or eighty thousand infantry +and seven thousand two hundred cavalry. To oppose these Hannibal +had forty thousand infantry and ten thousand excellent cavalry, of +whom two thousand were Numidians. On the second day after leaving +the neighbourhood of Geronium the Romans encamped at a distance +of six miles from the Carthaginians. Here the usual difference of +opinion at once arose between the Roman consuls, who commanded the +army on alternate days. Varro wished to march against the enemy +without delay, while Emilius was adverse to risking an engagement +in a country which, being level and open, was favourable to the +action of Hannibal's superior cavalry. + +On the following day Varro, whose turn it was to command, marched +towards the hostile camp. Hannibal attacked the Roman advanced +guard with his cavalry and light infantry, but Varro had supported +his cavalry not only by his light troops, but by a strong body of +his heavy armed infantry, and after an engagement, which lasted +for several hours, he repulsed the Carthaginians with considerable +loss. + +That evening the Roman army encamped about three miles from Cannae, +on the right bank of the Aufidus. The next morning Emilius, who +was in command, detached a third of his force across the river, +and encamped them there for the purpose of supporting the Roman +foraging parties on that side and of interrupting those of the +Carthaginians. + +The next day passed quietly, but on the following morning Hannibal +quitted his camp and formed his army in order of battle to tempt +the Romans to attack; but Emilius, sensible that the ground was +against him, would not move, but contented himself with further +strengthening his camps. Hannibal, seeing that the Romans would +not fight, detached his Numidian cavalry across the river to cut +off the Roman foraging parties and to surround and harass their +smaller camp on that side of the river. On the following morning +Hannibal, knowing that Varro would be in command, and feeling sure +that, with his impetuous disposition, the consul would be burning +to avenge the insult offered by the surrounding of his camp by +the Numidians, moved his army across the river, and formed it in +order of battle, leaving eight thousand of his men to guard his +camp. + +By thus doing he obtained a position which he could the better +hold with his inferior forces, while the Romans, deeming that he +intended to attack their camp on that side of the river, would be +likely to move their whole army across and to give battle. This +in fact Varro proceeded to do. Leaving ten thousand men in his own +camp with orders to march out and attack that of Hannibal during +the engagement, he led the rest of his troops over the river, and +having united his force with that in the camp on the right bank, +marched down the river until he faced the position which Hannibal +had taken up. + +This had been skillfully chosen. The river, whose general course +was east and west, made a loop, and across this Hannibal had drawn +up his army with both wings resting upon the river. Thus the Romans +could not outflank him, and the effect of their vastly superior +numbers in infantry would to some extent be neutralized. The +following was the disposition of his troops. + +The Spaniards and Gauls occupied the centre of the line of infantry. +The Africans formed the two wings. On his left flank between the +Africans and the river he placed his heavy African and Gaulish +horse, eight thousand strong, while the two thousand Numidians were +posted between the infantry and the river on the right flank. +Hannibal commanded the centre of the army in person, Hanno the +right wing, Hasdrubal the left wing; Maharbal commanded the cavalry. + +Varro placed his infantry in close and heavy order, so as to reduce +their front to that of the Carthaginians. The Roman cavalry, +numbering two thousand four hundred men, was on his right wing, +and was thus opposed to Hannibal's heavy cavalry, eight thousand +strong. The cavalry of the Italian allies, four thousand eight +hundred strong, was on the left wing facing the Numidians. + +Emilius commanded the Roman right, Varro the left. The Carthaginians +faced north, so that the wind, which was blowing strongly from the +south, swept clouds of dust over their heads full into the faces +of the enemy. The battle was commenced by the light troops on both +sides, who fought for some time obstinately and courageously, but +without any advantage to either. While this contest was going on, +Hannibal advanced his centre so as to form a salient angle projecting +in front of his line. The whole of the Gauls and Spaniards took +part in this movement, while the Africans remained stationary; +at the same time he launched his heavy cavalry against the Roman +horse. + +The latter were instantly overthrown, and were driven from the field +with great slaughter. Emilius himself was wounded, but managed +to join the infantry. While the Carthaginian heavy horse were thus +defeating the Roman cavalry, the Numidians maneuvered near the +greatly superior cavalry of the Italian allies, and kept them +occupied until the heavy horse, after destroying the Roman cavalry, +swept round behind their infantry and fell upon the rear of the +Italian horse, while the Numidians charged them fiercely in front. + +Thus caught in a trap the Italian horse were completely annihilated, +and so, before the heavy infantry of the two armies met each +other, not a Roman cavalry soldier remained alive and unwounded on +the field. + +The Roman infantry now advanced to the charge, and from the nature +of Hannibal's formation their centre first came in contact with +the head of the salient angle formed by the Gauls and Spaniards. +These resisted with great obstinacy. The principes, who formed +the second line of the Roman infantry, came forward and joined +the spearmen, and even the triarii pressed forward and joined in +the fight. Fighting with extreme obstinacy the Carthaginian centre +was forced gradually back until they were again in a line with the +Africans on their flanks. + +The Romans had insensibly pressed in from both flanks upon the +point where they had met with resistance, and now occupied a face +scarcely more than half that with which they had begun the battle. +Still further the Gauls and Spaniards were driven back until they +now formed an angle in rear of the original line, and in this +angle the whole of the Roman infantry in a confused mass pressed +upon them. This was the moment for which Hannibal had waited. He +wheeled round both his flanks, and the Africans, who had hitherto +not struck a blow, now fell in perfect order upon the flanks of +the Roman mass, while Hasdrubal with his victorious cavalry charged +down like a torrent upon their rear. Then followed a slaughter +unequalled in the records of history. Unable to open out, to fight, +or to fly, with no quarter asked or given, the Romans and their +Latin allies fell before the swords of their enemies, till, of the +seventy thousand infantry which had advanced to the fight, forty +thousand had fallen on the field. Three thousand were taken prisoners, +seven thousand escaped to the small camp, and ten thousand made +their way across the river to the large camp, where they joined +the force which had been left there, and which had, in obedience +to Varro's orders, attacked the Carthaginian camp, but had been +repulsed with a loss of two thousand men. All the troops in both +camps were forced to surrender on the following morning, and thus +only fifteen thousand scattered fugitives escaped of the eighty-seven +thousand two hundred infantry and cavalry under the command of the +Roman consuls. + +Hannibal's loss in the battle of Cannae amounted to about six +thousand men. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: IN THE MINES + + +The exultation of the Carthaginians at the total destruction +of their enemies was immense, and Maharbal and some of the other +leaders urged Hannibal at once to march upon Rome; but Hannibal +knew the spirit of the Roman people, and felt that the capture of +Rome, even after the annihilation of its army, would be a greater +task than he could undertake. History has shown how desperate +a defence may be made by a population willing to die rather than +surrender, and the Romans, an essentially martial people, would +defend their city until the last gasp. They had an abundance of +arms, and there were the two city legions, which formed the regular +garrison of the capital. + +The instant the news of the defeat reached Rome, a levy of all +males over seventeen years of age was ordered, and this produced +another ten thousand men and a thousand cavalry. Eight thousand +slaves who were willing to serve were enlisted and armed, and +four thousand criminals and debtors were released from prison and +pardoned, on the condition of their taking up arms. The praetor +Marcellus was at Ostia with the ten thousand men with which he +was about to embark for Sicily. + +Thus Rome would be defended by forty-three thousand men, while +Hannibal had but thirty-three thousand infantry, and his cavalry, +the strongest arm of his force, would be useless. From Cannae to +Rome was twelve days' march with an army encumbered with booty. +He could not, therefore, hope for a surprise. The walls of Rome +were exceedingly strong, and he had with him none of the great +machines which would have been necessary for a siege. He must have +carried with him the supplies he had accumulated for the subsistence +of his force, and when these were consumed he would be destitute. +Fresh Roman levies would gather on his rear, and before long his +whole army would be besieged. + +In such an undertaking he would have wasted time, and lost the +prestige which he had acquired by his astonishing victory. Varro, +who had escaped from the battle, had rallied ten thousand of the +fugitives at the strong place of Canusium, and these would be a +nucleus round which the rest of those who had escaped would rally, +and would be joined by fresh levies of the Italian allies of Rome. + +The Romans showed their confidence in their power to resist a +siege by at once despatching Marcellus with his ten thousand men +to Canusium. Thus, with a strongly defended city in front, an army +of twenty thousand Roman soldiers, which would speedily increase +to double that number, in his rear, Hannibal perceived that were +he to undertake the siege of Rome he would risk all the advantages +he had gained. He determined, therefore, to continue the policy +which he had laid down for himself, namely, to move his army to +and fro among the provinces of Italy until the allies of Rome one +by one fell away from her, and joined him, or until such reinforcements +arrived from Carthage as would justify him in undertaking the siege +of Rome. + +Rome herself was never grander than in this hour of defeat; not for +a moment was the courage and confidence of her citizens shaken. +The promptness with which she prepared for defence, and still more +the confidence which she showed by despatching Marcellus with his +legion to Canusium instead of retaining him for the defence of the +city, show a national spirit and manliness worthy of the highest +admiration. Varro was ordered to hand over his command to Marcellus, +and to return to Rome to answer before the senate for his conduct. + +Varro doubted not that his sentence would be death, for the Romans, +like the Carthaginians, had but little mercy for a defeated general. +His colleague and his army had undoubtedly been sacrificed by his +rashness. Moreover, the senate was composed of his bitter political +enemies, and he could not hope that a lenient view would be taken +of his conduct. Nevertheless Varro returned to Rome and appeared +before the senate. That body nobly responded to the confidence +manifested in it; party feeling was suspended, the political +adversary, the defeated general, were alike forgotten, it was only +remembered how Varro had rallied his troops, how he had allayed +the panic which prevailed among them, and had at once restored +order and discipline. His courage, too, in thus appearing, after +so great a disaster, to submit himself to the judgment of the +country, counted in his favour. His faults were condoned, and the +senate publicly thanked him, because he had not despaired of the +commonwealth. + +Hannibal, in pursuance of his policy to detach the allies of Italy +from Rome, dismissed all the Italian prisoners without ransom. +The Roman prisoners he offered to admit to ransom, and a deputation +of them accompanied an ambassador to offer terms of peace. The +senate, however, not only refused to discuss any terms of peace, +but absolutely forbade the families and friends of the prisoners to +ransom them, thinking it politic neither to enrich their adversary +nor to show indulgence to soldiers who had surrendered to the +enemy. + +The victory of Cannae and Hannibal's clemency began to bear the +effects which he hoped for. Apulia declared for him at once, and +the towns of Arpi and Celapia opened their gates to him; Bruttium, +Lucania, and Samnium were ready to follow. Mago with one division +of the army was sent into Bruttium to take possession of such +towns as might submit. Hanno was sent with another division to do +the same in Lucania. Hannibal himself marched into Samnium, and +making an alliance with the tribes, there stored his plunder, and +proceeded into Campania, and entered Capua, the second city of +Italy, which concluded an alliance with him. Mago embarked at one +of the ports of Bruttium to carry the news of Hannibal's success +to Carthage, and to demand reinforcements. + +Neither Rome nor Carthage had the complete mastery of the sea, +and as the disaster which had befallen Rome by land would greatly +lessen her power to maintain a large fleet, Carthage could now +have poured reinforcements in by the ports of Bruttium without +difficulty. But unfortunately Hannibal's bitterest enemies were +to be found not in Italy but in the senate of Carthage, where, +in spite of the appeals of Mago and the efforts of the patriotic +party, the intrigues of Hanno and his faction and the demands +made by the war in Spain, prevented the reinforcements from being +forwarded which would have enabled him to terminate the struggle +by the conquest of Rome. + +Hannibal, after receiving the submission of several other towns and +capturing Casilinum, went into winter quarters at Capua. During +the winter Rome made gigantic efforts to place her army upon a war +footing, and with such success that, excluding the army of Scipio +in Spain, she had, when the spring began, twelve legions or a hundred +and twenty thousand men again under arms; and as no reinforcements, +save some elephants and a small body of cavalry, ever reached +Hannibal from Carthage, he was, during the remaining thirteen years +of the war, reduced to stand wholly on the defensive, protecting +his allies, harassing his enemy, and feeding his own army at +their expense; and yet so great was the dread which his genius had +excited that, in spite of their superior numbers, the Romans after +Cannae never ventured again to engage him in a pitched battle. + +Soon after the winter set in Hannibal ordered Malchus to take +a number of officers and a hundred picked men, and to cross from +Capua to Sardinia, where the inhabitants had revolted against Rome, +and were harassing the praetor, Quintus Mucius, who commanded the +legion which formed the garrison of the island. Malchus and the +officers under him were charged with the duty of organizing the wild +peasantry of the island, and of drilling them in regular tactics; +for unless acting as bodies of regular troops, however much they +might harass the Roman legion, they could not hope to expel them +from their country. Nessus of course accompanied Malchus. + +The party embarked in two of the Capuan galleys. They had not been +many hours at sea when the weather, which had when they started +been fine, changed suddenly, and ere long one of the fierce gales +which are so frequent in the Mediterranean burst upon them. The +wind was behind them, and there was nothing to do but to let the +galleys run before it. The sea got up with great rapidity, and +nothing but the high poops at their stern prevented the two galleys +being sunk by the great waves which followed them. The oars were +laid in, for it was impossible to use them in such a sea. + +As night came on the gale increased rather than diminished. The +Carthaginian officers and soldiers remained calm and quiet in +the storm, but the Capuan sailors gave themselves .up to despair, +and the men at the helm were only kept at their post by Malchus +threatening to have them thrown overboard instantly if they abandoned +it. After nightfall he assembled the officers in the cabin in the +poop. + +"The prospects are bad," he said. "The pilot tells me that unless +the gale abates or the wind changes we shall, before morning, be +thrown upon the coast of Sardinia, and that will be total destruction; +for upon the side facing Italy the cliffs, for the most part, +rise straight up from the water, the only port on that side being +that at which the Romans have their chief castle and garrison. He +tells me there is nothing to be done, and I see nought myself. +Were we to try to bring the galley round to the wind she would be +swamped in a moment, while even if we could carry out the operation, +it would be impossible to row in the teeth of this sea. Therefore, +my friends, there is nothing for us to do save to keep up the +courage of the men, and to bid them hold themselves in readiness +to seize upon any chance of getting to shore should the vessel +strike." + +All night the galley swept on before the storm. The light on the +other boat had disappeared soon after darkness had set in. Half +the soldiers and crew by turns were kept at work baling out the +water which found its way over the sides, and several times so +heavily did the seas break into her that all thought that she was +lost. However, when morning broke she was still afloat. The wind +had hardly shifted a point since it had begun to blow, and the +pilot told Malchus that they must be very near to the coast of +Sardinia. As the light brightened every eye was fixed ahead over +the waste of angry foaming water. Presently the pilot, who was +standing next to Malchus, grasped his arm. + +"There is the land," he cried, "dead before us." + +Not until a few minutes later could Malchus make out the faint +outline through the driving mist. It was a lofty pile of rock +standing by itself. + +"It is an island!" he exclaimed. + +"It is Caralis," the pilot replied; "I know its outline well; we +are already in the bay. Look to the right, you can make out the +outline of the cliffs at its mouth, we have passed it already. +You do not see the shore ahead because the rock on which Caralis +stands rises from a level plain, and to the left a lagoon extends +for a long way in; it is there that the Roman galleys ride. The +gods have brought us to the only spot along the coast where we +could approach it with a hope of safety." + +"There is not much to rejoice at," Malchus said; "we may escape +the sea, but only to be made prisoners by the Romans." + +"Nay, Malchus, the alternative is not so bad," a young officer who +was standing next to him said. "Hannibal has thousands of Roman +prisoners in his hands, and we may well hope to be exchanged. After +the last twelve hours any place on shore, even a Roman prison, is +an elysium compared to the sea." + +The outline of the coast was now clearly visible. The great rock +of Caralis, now known as Cagliari, rose dark and threatening, +the low shores of the bay on either side were marked by a band of +white foam, while to the left of the rock was the broad lagoon, +dotted with the black hulls of a number of ships and galleys rolling +and tossing heavily, for as the wind blew straight into the bay +the lagoon was covered with short, angry waves. + +The pilot now ordered the oars to be got out. The entrance to the +lagoon was wide, but it was only in the middle that the channel +was deep, and on either side of this long breakwaters of stone +were run out from the shore, to afford a shelter to the shipping +within. The sea was so rough that it was found impossible to use +the oars, and they were again laid in and a small sail was hoisted. +This enabled the head to be laid towards the entrance of the +lagoon. For a time it was doubtful whether the galley could make +it, but she succeeded in doing so, and then ran straight on towards +the upper end of the harbour. + +"That is far enough," the pilot said presently; "the water shoals +fast beyond. We must anchor here." + +The sail was lowered, the oars got out on one side, and the head +of the galley brought to the wind. The anchor was then dropped. +As the storm beaten galley ran right up the lagoon she had been +viewed with curiosity and interest by those who were on board the +ships at anchor. That she was an Italian galley was clear, and +also that she was crowded with men, but no suspicion was entertained +that these were Carthaginians. + +The anchor once cast Malchus held a council with the other officers. +They were in the midst of foes, and escape seemed altogether +impossible. Long before the gale abated sufficiently to permit +them to put to sea again, they would be visited by boats from the +other vessels to ask who they were and whence they came. As to +fighting their way out it was out of the question, for there were +a score of triremes in the bay, any one of which could crush the +Capuan galley, and whose far greater speed rendered the idea of +flight as hopeless as that of resistance. The council therefore +agreed unanimously that the only thing to be done was to surrender +without resistance. + +The storm continued for another twenty-four hours, then the wind +died out almost as suddenly as it began. + +As soon as the sea began to abate two galleys were seen putting +out from the town, and these rowed directly towards the ship. The +fact that she had shown no flag had no doubt excited suspicion in +the minds of the garrison. Each galley contained fifty soldiers. +As they rowed alongside a Roman officer on the poop of one of the +galleys hailed the ship, and demanded whence it came. + +"We are from Capua," the pilot answered. "The gale has blown us +across thence. I have on board fifty Carthaginian officers and +soldiers, who now surrender to you." + +As in those days, when vessels could with difficulty keep the sea +in a storm, and in the event of a gale springing up were forced to +run before it, it was by no means unusual for galleys to be blown +into hostile ports, the announcement excited no great surprise. + +"Who commands the party?" the Roman officer asked. + +"I do," Malchus replied. "I am Malchus, the son of Hamilcar, who +was killed at the Trebia, a cousin of Hannibal and captain of his +guard. I surrender with my followers, seeing that resistance is +hopeless." + +"It is hopeless," the Roman replied, "and you are right not to +throw away the lives of your men when there is no possibility of +resistance." + +As he spoke he stepped on board, ordered the anchor to be weighed, +and the galley, accompanied by the two Roman boats, was rowed to +the landing place. A messenger was at once sent up to Mucius to +tell him what had happened, and the praetor himself soon appeared +upon the spot. The officer acquainted him with the name and rank +of the leader of the Carthaginian party, and said that there were +with him two officers of noble families of the Carthaginians. + +"That is well," the praetor said, "it is a piece of good fortune. +The Carthaginians have so many of our officers in their hands, +that it is well to have some whom we may exchange for them. Let +them be landed." + +As they left the ship the Carthaginians laid down their arms and +armour. By this time a large number of the Roman garrison, among +whom the news had rapidly spread, were assembled at the port. Many +of the young soldiers had never yet seen a Carthaginian, and they +looked with curiosity and interest at the men who had inflicted +such terrible defeats upon the armies of the Romans. They were +fine specimens of Hannibal's force, for the general had allowed +Malchus to choose his own officers and men, and, knowing that +strength, agility, and endurance would be needed for a campaign in +so mountainous a country as Sardinia, he had picked both officers +and men with great care. + +His second in command was his friend Trebon, who had long since +obtained a separate command, but who, on hearing from Malchus of +the expedition on which he was bound, had volunteered to accompany +him. The men were all Africans accustomed to desert fighting and +trained in warfare in Spain. The Romans, good judges of physical +strength, could not repress a murmur of admiration at the sight of +these sinewy figures. Less heavy than themselves, there was about +them a spring and an elasticity resembling that of the tiger. +Long use had hardened their muscles until they stood up like cords +through their tawny skin, most of them bore numerous scars of +wounds received in battle, and the Romans, as they viewed them, +acknowledged to themselves what formidable opponents these men +would be. + +A strong guard formed up on either side of the captives, and they +were marched through the town to the citadel on the upper part of +the rock. Here a large chamber, opening on to the courtyard, was +assigned to the officers, while the men, who were viewed in the +light of slaves, were at once set to work to carry stores up to +the citadel from a ship which had arrived just as the storm broke. + +A fortnight later a vessel arrived from Rome with a message from +the senate that they would not exchange prisoners, and that the +Carthaginians were at once to be employed as slaves in the mines. +The governor acquainted Malchus with the decision. + +"I am sorry," he said, "indeed, that it is so; but the senate are +determined that they will exchange no prisoners. Of course their +view of the matter is, that when a Roman lays down his arms he +disgraces himself, and the refusal to ransom him or allow him to +be exchanged is intended to act as a deterrent to others. This may +be fair enough in cases where large numbers surrender to a few, or +where they lay down their arms when with courage and determination +they might have cut their way through the enemy; but in cases where +further resistance would be hopeless, in my mind men are justified +in surrendering. However, I can only obey the orders I have +received, and tomorrow must send you and your men to the mines." + +As Malchus had seen the Iberian captives sent to labour as slaves +in the mines in Spain, the fate thus announced to him did not appear +surprising or barbarous. In those days captives taken in war were +always made slaves when they were not put to death in cold blood, +and although Hannibal had treated with marked humanity and leniency +the Roman and Italian captives who had fallen into his hands, this +had been the result of policy, and was by no means in accordance +with the spirit in which war was then conducted. Accordingly, +the next day the Carthaginians were, under a strong guard, marched +away to the mines, which lay on the other side of the island, some +forty miles due west of the port, and three miles from the western +sea coast of the island. The road lay for some distance across +a dead flat. The country was well cultivated and thickly studded +with villages, for Rome drew a heavy tribute in corn annually from +the island. + +After twenty miles' march they halted for the night, pursuing +their way on the following morning. They had now entered a wide +and fertile valley with lofty hills on either side. In some places +there were stagnant marshes, and the officer in charge of the +guard informed Malchus that in the autumn a pestilential miasma +rose from these, rendering a sojourn in the valley fatal to +the inhabitants of the mainland. The native people were wild and +primitive in appearance, being clad chiefly in sheepskins. They +lived in beehive shaped huts. The hills narrowed in towards the +end of the day's march, and the valley terminated when the party +arrived within half a mile of their destination. Here stood a small +town named Metalla, with a strong Roman garrison, which supplied +guards over the slaves employed in working the mines. This town is +now called Iglesias. + +The principal mine was situated in a narrow valley running west +from the town down to the sea coast. The officer in command of +the escort handed over Malchus and his companions to the charge of +the officer at the head mining establishment. + +Malchus was surprised at the large number of people gathered at +the spot. They lived for the most part in low huts constructed +of boughs or sods, and ranged in lines at the bottom of the valley +or along the lower slopes of the hill. A cordon of Roman sentries +was placed along the crest of the hill at either side, and a strong +guard was posted in a little camp in the centre of the valley, in +readiness to put down any tumult which might arise. + +The great majority of the slaves gathered there were Sards, men +belonging to tribes which had risen in insurrection against the +Romans. There were with them others of their countrymen who were +not like them slaves, though their condition was but little better +except that they received a nominal rate of payment. These were +called free labourers, but their labour was as much forced as was +that of the slaves -- each district in the island being compelled +to furnish a certain amount of labourers for this or the mines +further to the north. The men so conscripted were changed once in +six months. With the Sards were mingled people of many nations. +Here were Sicilians and members of many Italian tribes conquered +by the Romans, together with Gauls from the northern plains and +from Marseilles. + +There were many mines worked in different parts of the island, but +Metalla was the principal. The labour, in days when gunpowder had +not become the servant of man, was extremely hard. The rocks had +to be pierced with hand labour, the passages and galleries were +of the smallest possible dimensions, the atmosphere was stifling; +consequently the mortality was great, and it was necessary to keep +up a constant importation of labour. + +"If these people did but possess a particle of courage," Trebon said, +"they would rise, overpower the guard, and make for the forests. +The whole island is, as the officer who brought us here told us, +covered with mountains with the exception of the two broad plains +running through it; as we could see the hills are covered with +woods, and the whole Roman army could not find them if they once +escaped." + +"That is true enough," Malchus said, "but there must be at least +five or six thousand slaves here. How could these find food among +the mountains? They might exist for a time upon berries and grain, +but they would in the end be forced to go into the valleys for +food, and would then be slaughtered by the Romans. Nevertheless +a small body of men could no doubt subsist among the hills, and the +strength of the guard you see on the heights shows that attempts +to escape are not rare. Should we find our existence intolerable +here, we will at any rate try to escape. There are fifty of us, +and if we agreed in common action we could certainly break through +the guards and take to the hills. As you may see by their faces, +the spirit of these slaves is broken. See how bent most of them +are by their labour, and how their shoulders are wealed by the +lashes of their taskmasters!" + +The officer in charge of the mines told Malchus that he should not +put him and the other two officers to labour, but would appoint +them as overseers over gangs of the men, informing them that he had +a brother who was at present a captive in the hands of Hannibal; +and he trusted that Malchus, should he have an opportunity, would +use his kind offices on his behalf. + +One of the lines of huts near the Roman camp was assigned to the +Carthaginians, and that evening they received rations of almost +black bread similar to those served out to the others. The following +morning they were set to work. Malchus and his two friends found +their tasks by no means labourious, as they were appointed to +look after a number of Sards employed in breaking up and sorting +the lead ore as it was brought up from the mine. The men, however, +returned in the evening worn out with toil. All had been at work +in the mines. Some had had to crawl long distances through passages +little more than three feet high and one foot wide, until they +reached the broad lode of lead ore. + +Here some of the party had been set to work, others had been employed +in pushing on the little galleries, and there had sat for hours +working in a cramped position, with pick, hammer, and wedge. Others +had been lowered by ropes down shafts so narrow that when they got +to the bottom it was only with extreme difficulty that they were +able to stoop to work at the rock beneath their feet. Many, indeed, +of these old shafts have been found in the mines of Montepone, +so extremely narrow that it is supposed that they must have been +bored by slaves lowered by ropes, head foremost, it appearing +absolutely impossible for a man to stoop to work if lowered in +the ordinary way. + +The Carthaginians, altogether unaccustomed to work of this nature, +returned to their huts at night utterly exhausted, cramped, and +aching in every limb. Many had been cruelly beaten for not performing +the tasks assigned to them. All were filled with a dull despairing +rage. In the evening a ration of boiled beans, with a little +native wine, was served out to each, the quantity of the food being +ample, it being necessary to feed the slaves well to enable them +to support their fatigues. + +After three days of this work five or six of the captives were so +exhausted that they were unable to take their places with the gang +when ordered for work in the morning. They were, however, compelled +by blows to rise and take their places with the rest. Two of +them died during the course of the day in their stifling working +places; another succumbed during the night; several, too, were +attacked by the fever of the country. Malchus and his friends +were full of grief and rage at the sufferings of their men. + +"Anything were better than this," Malchus said. "A thousand times +better to fall beneath the swords of the Romans than to die like +dogs in the holes beneath that hill!" + +"I quite agree with you, Malchus," Halco, the other officer with +the party, said, "and am ready to join you in any plan of escape, +however desperate." + +"The difficulty is about arms," Trebon observed. "We are so closely +watched that it is out of the question to hope that we should +succeed in getting possession of any. The tools are all left in +the mines; and as the men work naked, there is no possibility of +their secreting any. The stores here are always guarded by a sentry; +and although we might overpower him, the guard would arrive long +before we could break through the solid doors. Of course if we +could get the other slaves to join us, we might crush the guard +even with stones." + +"That is out of the question," Malchus said. "In the first place, +they speak a strange language, quite different to the Italians. +Then, were we seen trying to converse with any of them, suspicions +might be roused; and even could we get the majority to join us, +there would be many who would be only too glad to purchase their +own freedom by betraying the plot to the Romans. No, whatever +we do must be done by ourselves alone; and for arms we must rely +upon stones, and upon the stoutest stakes we can draw out from our +huts. The only time that we have free to ourselves is the hour +after work is over, when we are allowed to go down to the stream +to wash and to stroll about as we will until the trumpet sounds to +order us to retire to our huts for the night. + +"It is true that at that time the guards are particularly vigilant, +and that we are not allowed to gather into knots; and an Italian +slave I spoke to yesterday told me that he dared not speak to me, +for the place swarms with spies, and that any conversation between +us would be sure to be reported, and those engaged in it put to +the hardest and cruelest work. I propose, therefore, that tomorrow +-- for if it is to be done, the sooner the better, before the men +lose all their strength -- the men shall on their return from work +at once eat their rations; then each man, hiding a short stick +under his garment and wrapping a few heavy stones in the corner of +his robe, shall make his way up towards the top of the hill above +the mine. + +"No two men must go together -- all must wander as if aimlessly +among the huts. When they reach the upper line on that side and +see me, let all rapidly close up, and we will make a sudden rush at +the sentries above. They cannot get more than five or six together +in time to oppose us, and we shall be able to beat them down +with our stones. Once through them, the heavy armed men will never +be able to overtake us till we reach the forest, which begins, I +believe, about half a mile beyond the top." + +The other two officers at once agreed to the plan; and when the +camp was still Malchus crept cautiously from hut to hut, telling +his men of the plan that had been formed and giving orders for the +carrying of it out. + +All assented cheerfully; for although the stronger were now becoming +accustomed to their work, and felt less exhausted than they had +done the first two days, there was not one but felt that he would +rather suffer death than endure this terrible fate. Malchus +impressed upon them strongly that it was of the utmost consequence +to possess themselves of the arms of any Roman soldiers they might +overthrow, as they would to a great extent be compelled to rely +upon these to obtain food among the mountains. + +Even the men who were most exhausted, and those stricken with fever, +seemed to gain strength at once at the prospect of a struggle for +liberty, and when the gang turned out in the morning for work none +lagged behind. + + + +CHAPTER XX: THE SARDINIAN FORESTS + + +The Carthaginians returned in the evening in groups from the various +scenes of their labour and without delay consumed the provisions +provided for them. Then one by one they sauntered away down towards +the stream. Malchus was the last to leave, and having seen that +all his followers had preceded him, he, too, crossed the stream, +paused a moment at a heap of debris from the mine, and picking up +three or four pieces of rock about the size of his fist, rolled +them in the corner of his garment, and holding this in one hand +moved up the hill. + +Here and there he paused a moment as if interested in watching +the groups of slaves eating their evening meal, until at last he +reached the upper line of little huts. Between these and the hill +top upon which the sentries stood was a distance of about fifty +yards, which was kept scrupulously clear to enable them to watch +the movements of any man going beyond the huts. The sentries were +some thirty paces apart, so that, as Malchus calculated, not more +than four or five of them could assemble before he reached them, if +they did not previously perceive anything suspicious which might +put them on the alert. + +Looking round him Malchus saw his followers scattered about among +the slaves at a short distance. Standing behind the shelter of +the hut he raised his hand, and all began to move towards him. As +there was nothing in their attire, which consisted of one long +cloth wound round them, to distinguish them from the other slaves, +the movement attracted no attention from the sentries, who were, +from their position, able to overlook the low huts. + +When he saw that all were close, Malchus gave a shout and dashed +up the hill, followed by his comrades. + +The nearest sentry, seeing a body of fifty men suddenly rushing +towards him, raised a shout, and his comrades from either side +ran towards him; but so quickly was the movement performed that but +five had gathered when the Carthaginians reached them, although +many others were running towards the spot. The Carthaginians, when +they came close to their levelled spears, poured upon them a shower +of heavy stones, which knocked two of them down and so bruised +and battered the others that they went down at once when the +Carthaginians burst upon them. + +The nearest Romans halted to await the arrival of their comrades +coming up behind them, and the Carthaginians, seizing the swords, +spears, and shields of their fallen foes, dashed on at full speed. +The Romans soon followed, but with the weight of their weapons, +armour, and helmets they were speedily distanced, and the +fugitives reached the edge of the forest in safety and dashed into +its recesses. + +After running for some distance they halted, knowing that the +Romans would not think of pursuing except with a large force. The +forests which covered the mountains of Sardinia were for the most +part composed of evergreen oak, with, in some places, a thick +undergrowth of shrubs and young trees. Through this the Carthaginians +made their way with some difficulty, until, just as it became dark, +they reached the bottom of a valley comparatively free of trees +and through which ran a clear stream. + +"Here we will halt for the night," Malchus said; "there is no fear +of the Romans pursuing at once, if indeed they do so at all, for +their chance of finding us in these mountains, covered with hundreds +of square miles of forests, is slight indeed; however, we will at +once provide ourselves with weapons." + +The five Roman swords were put into requisition, and some straight +young saplings were felled, and their points being sharpened they +were converted into efficient spears, each some fourteen feet long. + +"It is well we have supped," Malchus said; "our breakfast will +depend on ourselves. Tomorrow we must keep a sharp lookout for +smoke rising through the trees; there are sure to be numbers of +charcoal burners in the forest, for upon them the Romans depend +for their fuel. One of the first things to do is to obtain a couple +of lighted brands. A fire is essential for warmth among these hills, +even putting aside its uses for cooking." + +"That is when we have anything to cook," Halco said laughingly. + +"That is certainly essential," Malchus agreed; "but there is sure +to be plenty of wild boar and deer among these forests. We have +only to find a valley with a narrow entrance, and post ourselves +there and send all the men to form a circle on the hills around +it and drive them down to us; besides, most likely we shall come +across herds of goats and pigs, which the villagers in the lower +valleys will send up to feed on the acorns. I have no fear but we +shall be able to obtain plenty of flesh; as to corn, we have only +to make a raid down into the plain, and when we have found out +something about the general lay of the country, the hills and the +extent of the forest, we will choose some spot near its centre and +erect huts there. If it were not for the peasants we might live +here for years, for all the Roman forces in Sardinia would be +insufficient to rout us out of these mountains; but unfortunately, +as we shall have to rob the peasants, they will act as guides to +the Romans, and we shall be obliged to keep a sharp lookout against +surprise. If it gets too hot for us we must make a night march +across the plain to the mountains on the eastern side. I heard +at Caralis that the wild part there is very much larger than it +is on this side of the island, and it extends without a break from +the port right up to the north of the island." + +Safe as he felt from pursuit Malchus posted four men as sentries, +and the rest of the band lay down to sleep, rejoicing in the thought +that on the morrow they should not be wakened to take their share +in the labours in the mine. + +At daybreak all were on the move, and a deep spot having been found +in the stream, they indulged in the luxury of a bath. That done +they started on the march further into the heart of the forest. +The hills were of great height, with bare crags often beetling +up among the trees hundreds of feet, with deep valleys and rugged +precipices. In crossing one of these valleys Nessus suddenly lifted +his hand. + +"What is it?" Malchus asked. + +"I heard a pig grunt," Nessus replied, "on our right there." + +Malchus at once divided the band in two and told them to proceed +as quietly as possible along the lower slopes of the hill, leaving +a man at every fifteen paces. + +When all had been posted, the ends of the line were to descend +until they met in the middle of the valley, thus forming a circle. +A shout was to tell the rest that this was done, and then all were +to move down until they met in the centre. One officer went with +each party, Malchus remained at the spot where he was standing. +In ten minutes the signal was heard, and then all moved forward, +shouting as they went, and keeping a sharp lookout between the +trees to see that nothing passed them. As the narrowing circle +issued into the open ground at the bottom of the valley there was +a general shout of delight, for, huddled down by a stream, grunting +and screaming with fright, was a herd of forty or fifty pigs, with +a peasant, who appeared stupefied with alarm at the sudden uproar. + +On seeing the men burst out with their levelled spears from the +wood, the Sard gave a scream of terror and threw himself upon his +face. When the Carthaginians came up to him Malchus stirred him +with his foot, but he refused to move; he then pricked him with +the Roman spear he held, and the man leaped to his feet with a +shout. Malchus told him in Italian that he was free to go, but that +the swine must be confiscated for the use of his followers. The +man did not understand his words, but, seeing by his gestures +that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed, hardly +believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in no way +concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property +of various individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the +hills -- it being then, as now, the custom for several men owning +swine to send them together under the charge of a herdsman into +the mountains, where for months together they live in a half wild +state on acorns and roots, a villager going up occasionally with +supplies of food for the swineherd. + +No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the +men some fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus. + +"Here is the man's fire, my lord." + +A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of +all this meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every +one. Malchus hurried to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still +glowing embers. Some of the men at once set to work to collect +dried sticks, and in a few minutes a great fire was blazing. One +of the pigs was slaughtered and cut up into rations, and in a short +time each man was cooking his portion stuck on a stick over the +fire. + +A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distance +away, and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchus +and his two companions. After the meal the spears were improved by +the points being hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness +to march two of the men were told off as fire keepers, and each +of these took two blazing brands from the fire, which, as they +walked, they kept crossed before them, the burning points keeping +each other alight. Even with one man there would be little chance +of losing the fire, but with two such a misfortune could scarcely +befall them. + +A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the whole +then started for the point they intended to make to in the heart +of the mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping +place was selected in a watered valley. The men then set to work to +cut down boughs and erect arbours. Fires were lighted and another +pig being killed those who preferred it roasted his flesh over the +fire, while others boiled their portions, the Roman shields being +utilized as pans. + +"What do you think of doing, Malchus?" Halco asked as they stretched +themselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finished +their meal. "We are safe here, and in these forests could defy the +Romans to find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at +the foot of the hills, and there must be many swine in the forest +beside this herd which we have captured. The life will not be an +unpleasant one, but -- " and he stopped. + +"But you don't wish to end your days here," Malchus put in for him, +"nor do I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is +a waste of our lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating +the might of Rome we cannot be content to live like members of +the savage tribes here. I have no doubt that we shall excite such +annoyance and alarm by our raids among the villages in the plains +that the Romans will ere long make a great effort to capture us, +and doubtless they will enlist the natives in their search. Still, +we may hope to escape them, and there are abundant points among +these mountains where we may make a stand and inflict such heavy +loss upon them that they will be glad to come to terms. All I would +ask is that they shall swear by their gods to treat us well and +to convey us as prisoners of war to Rome, there to remain until +exchanged. In Rome we could await the course of events patiently. +Hannibal may capture the city. The senate, urged by the relatives +of the many prisoners we have taken, may agree to make an exchange, +and we may see chances of our making our escape. At any rate we +shall be in the world and shall know what is going on." + +"But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our +freedom?" + +"I do not think so," Malchus said. "It would be too much for Roman +pride to allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in +that way, and even if the prefect of this island were to agree to +the terms, I do not believe that the senate would ratify them. We +had better not ask too much. For myself I own to a longing to see +Rome. As Carthage holds back and will send no aid to Hannibal, +I have very little hope of ever entering it as a conqueror, and +rather than not see it at all I would not mind entering it as a +prisoner. There are no mines to work there, and the Romans, with +so vast a number of their own people in the hands of Hannibal, +would not dare to treat us with any cruelty or severity. + +"Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach +Hannibal, and had every one of us died in those stifling mines he +would never have been the wiser." + +The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, +they were all too well pleased with their present liberty and +their escape from the bondage to give a thought to the morrow. + +The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of the +neighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys +by which their camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees +were cleared away, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for +making bonfires, and two sentries were placed at each of these +posts, their orders being to keep a vigilant lookout all over the +country, to light a fire instantly the approach of any enemy was +perceived, and then to descend to the camp to give particulars as +to his number and the direction of his march. + +A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions +as to what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set +out with the rest of the party across the mountains. The sun was +their only guide as to the direction of their course, and it was +late in the afternoon before they reached the crest of the easternmost +hills and looked down over the wide plain which divides the island +into two portions. Here they rested until the next morning, and +then, starting before daybreak, descended the slopes. They made +their way to a village of some size at the mouth of a valley, and +were unnoticed until they entered it. Most of the men were away +in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedily beaten down by the +short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried in addition to +their spears. + +Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not +to be used, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to +be hurt or ill used unless in the act of offering resistance. For +a few minutes the confusion was great, women and children running +about screaming in wild alarm. They were, however, pacified when +they found that no harm was intended. + +On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered and +abundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of +these with as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number +of other articles which would be useful to them were also taken +-- cooking pots, wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could +be found. Laden with these the Carthaginians set out on their return +to camp. Loaded as they were it was a long and toilsome journey, +and they would have had great difficulty in finding their way back +had not Malchus taken the precaution of leaving four or five men +at different points with instructions to keep fires of damp wood +burning so that the smoke should act as a guide. It was, however, +late on the second day after their leaving the village before +they arrived in camp. Here the men set to work to crush the grain +between flat stones, and soon a supply of rough cakes were baking +in the embers. + +A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when the +supplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visited +they captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, +the journeys were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One +morning as the troop were taking their breakfast a column of bright +smoke rose from one of the hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped +to their feet. + +"Finish your breakfast," Malchus said, "there will be plenty of +time. Slay two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three +or four pounds of flesh and a supply of meal." + +Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookout +arrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of +the valleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left -- +these were driven into the forest. The grain and other stores were +also carried away and carefully hidden, and the band, who were +now all well armed with weapons taken in the different raids on +the villages, marched away from their camp. + +Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys +in the neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various points +for defence. One of these was on the line by which the enemy were +approaching. The valley narrowed in until it was almost closed by +perpendicular rocks on either side. On the summit of these the +Carthaginians took their post. They could now clearly make out the +enemy; there were upwards of a thousand Roman troops, and they +were accompanied by fully five hundred natives. + +When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valley +the soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. +They reported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved +forward. When it reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a +shower of rocks fell from the crags, crushing many of the Romans. +Their commander at once recalled the soldiers, and these then began +to climb the hillside, wherever the ground permitted their doing +so. After much labour they reached the crag from which they had +been assailed, but found it deserted. + +All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. +The natives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these +returned unsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by +the Carthaginians, and many were slaughtered. + +For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but +never once did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save +when, on several occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places +inaccessible from below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. +The Sards had been attacked several times, and were so disheartened +by the losses inflicted upon them that they now refused to stir +into the woods unless accompanied by the Romans. + +At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to +pursue the fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the +Roman commander ordered the column to move back towards its starting +place. He had lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards +of a hundred of the Sards had been killed. Just as he reached +the edge of the forest he was overtaken by one of the natives. + +"I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians," the +man said, "and their leader released me upon my taking an oath +to deliver a message to the general." The man was at once brought +before the officer. + +"The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you," he said, "that +had you ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you +to attempt to capture them. You searched, in these four days, but +a few square miles of the forest, and, although he was never half +a mile away from you, you did not succeed in capturing him. There +are hundreds of square miles, and, did he choose to elude you, +twenty thousand men might search in vain. He bids me say that he +could hold out for years and harry all the villages of the plains; +but he and his men do not care for living the life of a mountain +tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms of surrender with you, and +will meet you outside the forest here with two men with him if you +on your part will be here with the same number at noon tomorrow. +He took before me a solemn oath that he will keep the truce +inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised to take +back your answer." + +The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at the +long continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence +of this determined band in the mountains. They would probably +be joined by some of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a +thorn in the side of the Roman force holding the island. He was, +therefore, much relieved by this unexpected proposal. + +"Return to him who sent you," he said, "and tell him that I, Publius +Manlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do +hereby swear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, +and that I will meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, +at noon tomorrow." + +At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing just +inside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing +with two companions; they at once went forward to meet them. + +"I am come," Malchus said, "to offer to surrender to you on certain +terms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. +With my band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for +years, but I do not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. +Hannibal treats his captives mercifully, and the treatment which +was bestowed upon me and my companions, who were not even taken +in fair fight, but were blown by a tempest into your port, was a +disgrace to Rome. My demand is this, that we shall be treated with +the respect due to brave men, that we be allowed to march without +guard or escort down to the port, where we will go straight on +board a vessel there prepared for us. We will then lay down our +arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemn agreement +taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, and approved +and ratified by the senate of Rome, that, in the first place, the +garments and armour of which we were deprived when captured, shall +be restored to us, and that we shall then be conveyed in the ship +to Rome, there to remain as prisoners of war until exchanged, being +sent nowhere else, and suffering no pains or penalties whatever +for what has taken place on this island." + +The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation of +the demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon +being restored with his companions to the Carthaginian army in +Italy. Such a proposition he would have been unwilling to forward +to Rome, for it would have been a confession that all the Roman +force in the island was incapable of overcoming this handful of +desperate men, and he did not think that the demand if made would +have been agreed to by the senate. The present proposition was +vastly more acceptable. He could report without humiliation that the +Carthaginian slaves had broken loose and taken to the mountains, +where there would be great difficulty in pursuing them, and they would +serve as a nucleus round which would assemble all the disaffected +in the island; and could recommend that, as they only demanded to +be sent to Rome as prisoners of war, instead of being kept in the +island, the terms should be agreed to. After a moment's delay, +therefore, he replied: + +"I agree to your terms, sir, as far as I am concerned, and own +they appear to me as moderate and reasonable. I will draw out a +document, setting them forth and my acceptance of them, and will send +it at once to the prefect, praying him to sign it, and to forward +it to Rome for the approval of the senate. Pending an answer I trust +that you will abstain from any further attacks upon the villages." + +"It may be a fortnight before the answer returns," Malchus replied; +"but if you will send up to this point a supply of cattle and flour +sufficient for our wants till the answer comes, I will promise to +abstain from all further action." + +To this the Roman readily agreed, and for a fortnight Malchus and +his friends amused themselves by hunting deer and wild boar among +the mountains. After a week had passed a man had been sent each +day to the spot agreed upon to see if any answer had been received +from Rome. It was nearly three weeks before he brought a message +to Malchus that the terms had been accepted, and that the Roman +commander would meet him there on the following day with the +document. The interview took place as arranged, and the Roman +handed to Malchus the document agreeing to the terms proposed, +signed by himself and the prefect, and ratified by the senate. He +said that if Malchus with his party would descend into the road on +the following morning three miles below Metalla they would find +an escort of Roman soldiers awaiting them, and that a vessel would +be ready at the port for them to embark upon their arrival. + +Next day, accordingly, Malchus with his companions left the forest, +and marched down to the valley in military order. At the appointed +spot they found twenty Roman soldiers under an officer. The latter +saluted Malchus, and informed him that his orders were to escort +them to the port, and to see that they suffered no molestation or +interference at the hands of the natives on their march. Two days' +journey took them to Caralis, and in good order and with proud +bearing they marched through the Roman soldiers, who assembled +in the streets to view so strange a spectacle. Arrived at the port +they embarked on board the ship prepared for them, and there piled +their arms on deck. A Roman officer received them, and handed over, +in accordance with the terms of the agreement, the whole of the +clothing and armour of which they had been deprived. A guard of +soldiers then marched on board, and an hour later the sails were +hoisted and the vessel started for her destination. + +Anxiously Malchus and his companions gazed round the horizon in +hopes that some galleys of Capua or Carthage might appear in sight, +although indeed they had but small hopes of seeing them, for no +Carthaginian ship would be likely to be found so near the coast +of Italy, except indeed if bound with arms for the use of the +insurgents in the northern mountains of Sardinia. However, no sail +appeared in sight until the ship entered the mouth of the Tiber. +As they ascended the river, and the walls and towers of Rome were +seen in the distance, the prisoners forgot their own position in the +interest excited by the appearance of the great rival of Carthage. + +At that time Rome possessed but little of the magnificence which +distinguished her buildings in the days of the emperors. Everything +was massive and plain, with but slight attempt at architectural +adornment. The temples of the gods rose in stately majesty above +the mass of buildings, but even these were far inferior in size +and beauty to those of Carthage, while the size of the city was +small indeed in comparison to the wide spreading extent of its +African rival. + +The vessel anchored in the stream until the officer in command +landed to report his arrival with the prisoners and to receive +instructions. An hour later he returned, the prisoners were landed +and received by a strong guard of spearmen at the water gate. +The news had spread rapidly through the city. A crowd of people +thronged the streets, while at the windows and on the roofs were +gathered numbers of ladies of the upper classes. A party of soldiers +led the way, pushing back the crowd as they advanced. A line of +spearmen marched on either side of the captives, and a strong guard +brought up the rear to prevent the crowd from pressing in there. +Malchus walked at the head of the prisoners, followed by his +officers, after whom came the soldiers walking two and two. + +There was no air of dejection in the bearing of the captives, and +they faced the regards of the hostile crowd with the air rather +of conquerors than of prisoners. They remembered that it was but by +accident that they had fallen into the hands of the Romans, that +in the battlefield they had proved themselves over and over again +more than a match for the soldiers of Rome, and that it was the +walls of the city alone which had prevented their marching through +her streets as triumphant conquerors. + +It was no novel sight in Rome for Carthaginian prisoners to march +through the streets, for in the previous campaigns large numbers +of Carthaginians had been captured; but since Hannibal crossed +the Alps and carried his victorious army through Italy, scarce +a prisoner had been brought to Rome, while tens of thousands of +Romans had fallen into the hands of Hannibal. The lower class of +the population of Rome were at all times rough and brutal, and +the captives were assailed with shouts of exultation, with groans +and menaces, and with bitter curses by those whose friends and +relatives had fallen in the wars. + +The better classes at the windows and from the housetops abstained +from any demonstration, but watched the captives as they passed +with a critical eye, and with expressions of admiration at their +fearless bearing and haughty mien. + +"Truly, that youth who marches at their head might pose for a +Carthaginian Apollo, Sempronius," a Roman matron said as she sat +at the balcony of a large mansion at the entrance to the Forum. "I +have seldom seen a finer face. See what strength his limbs show, +although he walks as lightly as a girl. I have a fancy to have +him as a slave; he would look well to walk behind me and carry my +mantle when I go abroad. See to it, Sempronius; as your father is +the military praetor, you can manage this for me without trouble." + +"I will do my best, Lady Flavia," the young Roman said; "but there +may be difficulties." + +"What difficulties?" Flavia demanded imperiously. "I suppose the +Carthaginians will as usual be handed over as slaves; and who +should have a better right to choose one among them than I, whose +husband, Tiberius Gracchus, is Consul of Rome?" + +"None assuredly," Sempronius replied. "It was only because, as I +hear, that youth is a cousin of Hannibal himself, and, young as +he is, the captain of his bodyguard, and I thought that my father +might intend to confine him in the prison for better security." + +Flavia waved her hand imperiously. + +"When did you ever hear of a slave escaping from Rome, Sempronius? +Are not the walls high and strong, and the sentries numerous? And +even did they pass these, would not the badge of slavery betray +them at once to the first who met them without, and they would +be captured and brought back? No, I have set my mind upon having +him as a slave. He will go well with that Gaulish maiden whom +Postumius sent me from the banks of the Po last autumn. I like +my slaves to be as handsome as my other surroundings, and I see no +reason why I should be baulked of my fancy." + +"I will do my best to carry out your wishes, Lady Flavia," Sempronius +replied deferentially, for the wife of the consul was an important +personage in Rome. Her family was one of the most noble and powerful +in the city, and she herself -- wealthy, luxurious, and strong +willed -- was regarded as a leader of society at Rome. + +Sempronius deemed it essential for his future advancement to keep +on good terms with her. At the same time he was ill pleased at +this last fancy of hers. In the first place, he was a suitor for +the hand of her daughter Julia. In the second, he greatly admired +the northern beauty of the Gaulish slave girl whom she had spoken +of, and had fully intended that when Flavia became tired of her -- +and her fancies seldom lasted long -- he would get his mother to +offer to exchange a horse, or a hawk, or something else upon which +Flavia might set her mind, for the slave girl, in which case she +would, of course, be in his power. He did not, therefore, approve +of Flavia's intention of introducing this handsome young Carthaginian +as a slave into her household. It was true that he was but a slave +at present, but he was a Carthaginian noble of rank as high as +that of Flavia. + +That he was brave was certain, or he would not be the captain of +Hannibal's bodyguard. Julia was fully as capricious as her mother, +and might take as warm a fancy for Malchus as Flavia had done, while, +now the idea of setting this Gaulish girl and the Carthaginian +together had seized Flavia, it would render more distant the time +when the Roman lady might be reasonably expected to tire of the +girl. However, he felt that Flavia's wishes must be carried out; +whatever the danger might be, it was less serious than the certainty +of losing that lady's favour unless he humoured her whims. + +His family was far less distinguished than hers, and her approval +of his suit with Julia was an unexpected piece of good fortune +which he owed, as he knew, principally to the fact that Gracchus +wished to marry his daughter to Julius Marcius, who had deeply +offended Flavia by an outspoken expression of opinion, that the +Roman ladies mingled too much in public affairs, and that they ought +to be content to stay at home and rule their households and slaves. + +He knew that he would have no difficulty with his father. The +praetor was most anxious that his son should make an alliance with +the house of Gracchus, and it was the custom that such prisoners +taken in war, as were not sacrificed to the gods, should be given +as slaves to the nobles. As yet the great contests in the arena, +which cost the lives of such vast numbers of prisoners taken in +war, were not instituted. Occasional combats, indeed, took place, +but these were on a small scale, and were regarded rather as a +sacrifice to Mars than as an amusement for the people. + +Sempronius accordingly took his way moodily home. The praetor had +just returned, having seen Malchus and the officers lodged in prison, +while the men were set to work on the fortifications. Sempronius +stated Flavia's request. The praetor looked doubtful. + +"I had intended," he said, "to have kept the officers in prison +until the senate decided what should be done with them; but, of +course, if Flavia has set her mind on it I must strain a point. +After all there is no special reason why the prisoners should be +treated differently to others. Of course I cannot send the leader +of the party to Flavia and let the others remain in prison. As +there are two of them I will send them as presents to two of the +principal families in Rome, so that if any question arises upon the +subject I shall at once have powerful defenders; at any rate, it +will not do to offend Flavia." + +Malchus, as he was led through the streets of Rome, had been making +comparisons by no means to the favour of Carthage. The greater +simplicity of dress, the absence of the luxury which was so unbridled +at Carthage, the plainness of the architecture of the houses, the +free and manly bearing of the citizens, all impressed him. Rough +as was the crowd who jeered and hooted him and his companions, there +was a power and a vigour among them which was altogether lacking +at home. Under the influence of excitement the populace there +was capable of rising and asserting themselves, but their general +demeanour was that of subservience to the wealthy and powerful. + +The tyranny of the senate weighed on the people, the numerous secret +denunciations and arrests inspired each man with a mistrust of his +neighbour, for none could say that he was safe from the action of +secret enemies. The Romans, on the other hand, were no respecters +of persons. Every free citizen deemed himself the equal of the +best; the plebeians held their own against the patricians, and could +always return one of the consuls, generally selecting the man who +had most distinguished himself by his hostility to the patricians. + +The tribunes, whose power in Rome was nearly equal to that of the +consuls, were almost always the representatives and champions of +the plebeians, and their power balanced that of the senate, which +was entirely in the interests of the aristocracy. Malchus was +reflecting over these things in the prison, when the door of his +cell opened and Sempronius, accompanied by two soldiers, entered. +The former addressed him in Greek. + +"Follow me," he said. "You have been appointed by my father, the +praetor Caius, to be the domestic slave of the lady Flavia Gracchus, +until such time as the senate may determine upon your fate." + +As Carthage also enslaved prisoners taken in war Malchus showed +no surprise, although he would have preferred labouring upon the +fortifications with his men to domestic slavery, however light the +latter might be. Without a comment, then, he rose and accompanied +Sempronius from his prison. + +Domestic slavery in Rome was not as a whole a severe fate. The +masters, indeed, had the power of life and death over their slaves, +they could flog and ill use them as they chose; but as a rule they +treated them well and kindly. + +The Romans were essentially a domestic people, kind to their wives, +and affectionate, although sometimes strict, with their children. +The slaves were treated as the other servants; and, indeed, with +scarce an exception, all servants were slaves. The rule was easy +and the labour by no means hard. Favourite slaves were raised +to positions of trust and confidence, they frequently amassed +considerable sums of money, and were often granted their freedom +after faithful services. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: THE GAULISH SLAVE + + +On arriving at the mansion of Gracchus, Sempronius led Malchus to +the apartment occupied by Flavia. Her face lighted with satisfaction. + +"You have done well, my Sempronius," she said; "I shall not +forget your ready gratification of my wish. So this is the young +Carthaginian? My friends will all envy me at having so handsome +a youth to attend upon me. Do you speak our tongue?" she asked +graciously. + +"A few words only," Malchus answered. "I speak Greek." + +"It is tiresome," Flavia said, addressing Sempronius, "that I do +not know that language; but Julia has been taught it. Tell him, +Sempronius, that his duties will be easy. He will accompany me when +I walk abroad, and will stand behind me at table, and will have +charge of my pets. The young lion cub that Tiberius procured for +me is getting troublesome and needs a firm hand over him; he nearly +killed one of the slaves yesterday." + +Sempronius translated Flavia's speech to Malchus. + +"I shall dress him," Flavia said, "in white and gold; he will look +charming in it." + +"It is hardly the dress for a slave," Sempronius ventured to object. + +"I suppose I can dress him as I please. Lesbia, the wife of Emilius, +dresses her household slaves in blue and silver, and I suppose I +have as much right as she has to indulge my fancies." + +"Certainly, Lady Flavia," Sempronius said reverentially. "I only +thought that such favours shown to the Carthaginian might make +the other slaves jealous." + +Flavia made no answer, but waved her fan to Sempronius in token +of dismissal. The young Roman, inwardly cursing her haughty airs, +took his leave at once, and Flavia handed Malchus over to the charge +of the chief of the household, with strict directions as to the +dress which was to be obtained for him, and with orders to give +the animals into his charge. + +Malchus followed the man, congratulating himself that if he must +serve as a slave, at least he could hardly have found an easier +situation. The pets consisted of some bright birds from the East, +a Persian greyhound, several cats, a young bear, and a half grown +lion. Of these the lion alone was fastened up, in consequence of +his attack upon the slave on the previous day. + +Malchus was fond of animals, and at once advanced boldly to the +lion. The animal crouched as if for a spring, but the steady gaze +of Malchus speedily changed its intention, and, advancing to the +full length of its chain, it rubbed itself against him like a +great cat. Malchus stroked its side, and then, going to a fountain, +filled a flat vessel with water and placed it before it. The lion +lapped the water eagerly. Since its assault upon the slave who +usually attended to it, none of the others had ventured to approach +it. They had, indeed, thrown it food, but had neglected to supply +it with water. + +"We shall get on well together, old fellow," Malchus said. "We +are both African captives, and ought to be friends." + +Finding from the other slaves that until the previous day the animal +had been accustomed to run about the house freely and to lie in +Flavia's room, Malchus at once unfastened the chain and for some +time played with the lion, which appeared gentle and good tempered. +As the master of the household soon informed the others of the +orders he had received respecting Malchus, the slaves saw that the +newcomer was likely, for a time at least, to stand very high in +the favour of their capricious mistress, and therefore strove in +every way to gain his goodwill. + +Presently Malchus was sent for again, and found Julia sitting on +the couch by the side of her mother, and he at once acknowledged +to himself that he had seldom seen a fairer woman. She was tall, +and her figure was full and well proportioned. Her glossy hair was +wound in a coil at the back of her head, her neck and arms were +bare, and she wore a garment of light green silk, and embroidered +with gold stripes along the bottom, reaching down to her knees, +while beneath it a petticoat of Tyrian purple reached nearly to +the ground. + +"Is he not good looking, Julia?" Flavia asked. "There is not a +slave in Rome like him. Lesbia and Fulvia will be green with envy." + +Julia made no reply, but sat examining the face of Malchus with +as much composure as if he had been a statue. He had bowed on +entering, as he would have done in the presence of Carthaginian +ladies, and now stood composedly awaiting Flavia's orders. + +"Ask him, Julia, if it is true that he is a cousin of Hannibal +and the captain of his guard. Such a youth as he is, I can hardly +believe it; and yet how strong and sinewy are his limbs, and he +has an air of command in his face. He interests me, this slave." + +Julia asked in Greek the questions that her mother had dictated. + +"Ask him now, Julia," Flavia said, when her daughter had translated +the answer, "how he came to be captured." + +Malchus recounted the story of his being blown by a gale into the +Roman ports; then, on her own account, Julia inquired whether he +had been present at the various battles of the campaign. After +an hour's conversation Malchus was dismissed. In passing through +the hall beyond he came suddenly upon a female who issued from one +of the female apartments. They gave a simultaneous cry of astonishment. + +"Clotilde!" Malchus exclaimed, "you here, and a captive?" + +"Alas! yes," the girl replied. "I was brought here three months +since." + +"I have heard nothing of you all," Malchus said, "since your father +returned with his contingent after the battle of Trasimene. We +knew that Postumius with his legion was harrying Cisalpine Gaul, +but no particular has reached us." + +"My father is slain," the girl said. "He and the tribe were defeated. +The next day the Romans attacked the village. We, the women and +the old men, defended it till the last. My two sisters were killed. +I was taken prisoner and sent hither as a present to Flavia +by Postumius. I have been wishing to die, but now, since you are +here, I shall be content to live even as a Roman slave." + +While they were speaking they had been standing with their hands +clasped. Malchus, looking down into her face, over which the tears +were now streaming as she recalled the sad events at home, wondered +at the change which eighteen months had wrought in it. Then she +was a girl, now she was a beautiful woman -- the fairest he had +ever seen, Malchus thought, with her light brown hair with a gleam +of gold, her deep gray eyes, and tender, sensitive mouth. + +"And your mother?" he asked. + +"She was with my father in the battle, and was left for dead on +the field; but I heard from a captive, taken a month after I was, +that she had survived, and was with the remnant of the tribe in +the well nigh inaccessible fastnesses at the head of the Orcus." + +"We had best meet as strangers," Malchus said. "It were well that +none suspect we have met before. I shall not stay here long -- if +I am not exchanged. I shall try to escape whatever be the risks, +and if you will accompany me I will not go alone." + +"You know I will, Malchus," Clotilde answered frankly. "Whenever +you give the word I am ready, whatever the risk is. It should +break my heart were I left here alone again." + +A footstep was heard approaching, and Clotilde, dropping Malchus' +hands, fled away into the inner apartments, while Malchus walked +quietly on to the part of the house appropriated to the slaves. +The next day, having assumed his new garments, and having had a +light gold ring, as a badge of servitude, fastened round his neck, +Malchus accompanied Flavia and her daughter on a series of visits +to their friends. + +The meeting with Clotilde had delighted as much as it had surprised +Malchus. The figure of the Gaulish maiden had been often before +his eyes during his long night watches. When he was with her last +he had resolved that when he next journeyed north he would ask her +hand of the chief, and since his journey to Carthage his thoughts +had still more often reverted to her. The loathing which he now +felt for Carthage had converted what was, when he was staying with +Allobrigius, little more than an idea, into a fixed determination +that he would cut himself loose altogether from corrupt and degenerate +Carthage, and settle among the Gauls. That he should find Clotilde +captive in Rome had never entered his wildest imagination, and he +now blessed, as a piece of the greatest good fortune, the chance, +which had thrown him into the hands of the Romans, and brought him +into the very house where Clotilde was a slave. Had it not been +for that he would never again have heard of her. When he returned +to her ruined home he would have found that she had been carried +away by the Roman conquerors, but of her after fate no word could +ever have reached him. + +Some weeks passed, but no mode of escape presented itself to his +mind. Occasionally for a few moments he saw Clotilde alone, and +they were often together in Flavia's apartment, for the Roman lady +was proud of showing off to her friends her two slaves, both models +of their respective races. + +Julia had at first been cold and hard to Malchus, but gradually her +manner had changed, and she now spoke kindly and condescendingly +to him, and would sometimes sit looking at him from under her +dark eyebrows with an expression which Malchus altogether failed +to interpret. Clotilde was more clear sighted. One day meeting +Malchus alone in the atrium she said to him: "Malchus, do you know +that I fear Julia is learning to love you. I see it in her face, +in the glance of her eye, in the softening of that full mouth of +hers." + +"You are dreaming, little Clotilde," Malchus said laughing. + +"I am not," she said firmly; "I tell you she loves you." + +"Impossible!" Malchus said incredulously. "The haughty Julia, the +fairest of the Roman maidens, fall in love with a slave! You are +dreaming, Clotilde." + +"But you are not a common slave, Malchus, you are a Carthaginian +noble and the cousin of Hannibal. You are her equal in all respects." + +"Save for this gold collar," Malchus said, touching the badge of +slavery lightly. + +"Are you sure you do not love her in return, Malchus? She is very +beautiful." + +"Is she?" Malchus said carelessly. "Were she fifty times more +beautiful it would make no difference to me, for, as you know as +well as I do, I love some one else." + +Clotilde flushed to the brow. "You have never said so," she said +softly. + +"What occasion to say so when you know it? You have always known +it, ever since the day when we went over the bridge together." + +"But I am no fit mate for you," she said. "Even when my father +was alive and the tribe unbroken, what were we that I should wed +a great Carthaginian noble? Now the tribe is broken, I am only a +Roman slave." + +"Have you anything else to observe?" Malchus said quietly. + +"Yes, a great deal more," she went on urgently. "How could you +present your wife, an ignorant Gaulish girl, to your relatives, +the haughty dames of Carthage? They would look down upon me and +despise me." + +"Clotilde, you are betraying yourself," Malchus said smiling, "for +you have evidently thought the matter over in every light. No," +he said, detaining her, as, with an exclamation of shame, she would +have fled away, "you must not go. You knew that I loved you, and +for every time you have thought of me, be it ever so often, I +have thought of you a score. You knew that I loved you and intended +to ask your hand from your father. As for the dames of Carthage, +I think not of carrying you there; but if you will wed me I will +settle down for life among your people." + +A footstep was heard approaching. Malchus pressed Clotilde for a +moment against his breast, and then he was alone. The newcomer was +Sempronius. He was still a frequent visitor, but he was conscious +that he had lately lost rather than gained ground in the good graces +of Julia. Averse as he had been from the first to the introduction +of Malchus into the household, he was not long in discovering the +reason for the change in Julia, and the dislike he had from the +first felt of Malchus had deepened to a feeling of bitter hatred. + +"Slave," he said haughtily, "tell your mistress that l am here." + +"I am not your slave," Malchus said calmly, "and shall not obey +your orders when addressed in such a tone." + +"Insolent hound," the young Roman exclaimed, "I will chastise you," +and he struck Malchus with his stick. In an instant the latter +sprang upon him, struck him to the ground, and wrenching the staff +from his hand laid it heavily across him. At that moment Flavia, +followed by her daughter, hurried in at the sound of the struggle. +"Malchus," she exclaimed, "what means this?" + +"It means," Sempronius said rising livid with passion, "that your +slave has struck me -- me, a Roman patrician. I will lodge a +complaint against him, and the penalty, you know, is death." + +"He struck me first, Lady Flavia," Malchus said quietly, "because +I would not do his behests when he spoke to me as a dog." + +"If you struck my slave, Sempronius," Flavia said coldly, "I blame +him not that he returned the blow. Although a prisoner of war, he +is, as you well know, of a rank in Carthage superior to your own, +and I wonder not that, if you struck him, he struck you in return. +You know that you had no right to touch my slave, and if you now +take any steps against him I warn you that you will never enter +this house again." + +"Nor will I ever speak a word to you," Julia added. + +"But he has struck me," Sempronius said furiously; "he has knocked +me down and beaten me." + +"Apparently you brought it upon yourself," Flavia said. "None but +ourselves know what has happened; therefore, neither shame nor +disgrace can arise from it. My advice to you is, go home now and +remain there until those marks of the stick have died out; it will +be easy for you to assign an excuse. If you follow the matter up, +I will proclaim among my friends how I found you here grovelling on +the ground while you were beaten. What will then be said of your +manliness? Already the repeated excuses which have served you from +abstaining to join the armies in the field have been a matter for +much comment. You best know whether it would improve your position +were it known that you had been beaten by a slave. Why, you would +be a jest among young Romans." + +Sempronius stood irresolute. His last hopes of winning Julia were +annihilated by what had happened. The tone of contempt in which +both mother and daughter had spoken sufficiently indicated their +feelings, and for a moment he hesitated whether he would not take +what revenge he could by denouncing Malchus. But the thought was +speedily put aside. He had been wrong in striking the domestic slave +of another; but the fact that Malchus had been first attacked, +and the whole influence of the house of Gracchus, its relations, +friends, and clients exerted in his behalf, would hardly suffice to +save him. Still the revenge would be bought dearly in the future +hostility of Flavia and her friends, and in the exposure of his own +humiliating attitude. He, therefore, with a great effort subdued +all signs of anger and said: + +"Lady Flavia, your wish has always been law to me, and I would +rather that anything should happen than that I should lose your +favour and patronage, therefore, I am willing to forget what has +happened, the more so as I own that I acted wrongly in striking +your slave. I trust that after this apology you will continue to +be the kindly friend I have always found you." + +"Certainly, Sempronius," Flavia said graciously, "and I shall not +forget your ready acquiescence in my wishes." + +It was the more easy for Sempronius to yield, inasmuch as Malchus +had, after stating that he had been first struck, quietly left the +apartment. For some little time things went on as before. Malchus +was now at home in Rome. As a slave of one of the most powerful +families, as was indicated by the badge he wore on his dress, he +was able, when his services were not required, to wander at will +in the city. He made the circuit of the walls, marked the spots +which were least frequented and where an escape would be most +easily made; and, having selected a spot most remote from the +busy quarter of the town, he purchased a long rope, and carrying +it there concealed it under some stones close to one of the flights +of steps by which access was obtained to the summit of the wall. + +The difficulty was not how to escape from Rome, for that, now that +he had so much freedom of movement, was easy, but how to proceed +when he had once gained the open country. For himself he had +little doubt that he should be able to make his way through the +territories of the allies of Rome, but the difficulty of travelling +with Clotilde would be much greater. + +"Clotilde," he said one day, "set your wits to work and try and +think of some disguise in which you might pass with me. I have +already prepared for getting beyond the walls; but the pursuit +after us will be hot, and until we reach the Carthaginian lines +every man's hand will be against us." + +"I have thought of it, Malchus; the only thing that I can see is +for me to stain my skin and dye my hair and go as a peasant boy." + +"That is what I, too, have thought of, Clotilde. The disguise would +be a poor one, for the roundness of your arms and the colour of +your eyes would betray you at once to any one who looked closely at +you. However, as I can see no better way, I will get the garments +and some for myself to match, and some stuff for staining the skin +and hair." + +The next day Malchus bought the clothes and dye and managed +to bring them into the house unobserved, and to give to Clotilde +those intended for her. + +The lion, under the influence of the mingled firmness and kindness +of Malchus, had now recovered his docility, and followed him about +the house like a great dog, sleeping stretched out on a mat by the +side of his couch. + +Sempronius continued his visits. Malchus was seldom present when +he was with Flavia, but Clotilde was generally in the room. It +was now the height of summer, and her duty was to stand behind her +mistress with a large fan, with which she kept up a gentle current +of air over Flavia's head and drove off the troublesome flies. +Sometimes she had to continue doing so for hours, while Flavia +chatted with her friends. + +Sempronius was biding his time. The two slaves were still high in +Flavia's favour, but he was in hopes that something might occur +which would render her willing to part with them. He watched Julia +narrowly whenever Malchus entered the room, and became more and more +convinced that she had taken a strong fancy for the Carthaginian +slave, and the idea occurred to him that by exciting her jealousy +he might succeed in obtaining his object. So careful were Malchus +and Clotilde that he had no idea whatever that any understanding +existed between them. This, however, mattered but little; nothing +was more likely than that these two handsome slaves should fall +in love with each other, and he determined to suggest the idea to +Julia. + +Accordingly one day when he was sitting beside her, while Flavia +was talking with some other visitors, he remarked carelessly, "Your +mother's two slaves, the Carthaginian and the Gaul, would make a +handsome couple." + +He saw a flush of anger in Julia's face. For a moment she did not +reply, and then said in a tone of indifference: + +"Yes, they are each well favoured in their way." + +"Methinks the idea has occurred to them," Sempronius said. "I have +seen them glance at each other, and doubt not that when beyond +your presence they do not confine themselves to looks." + +Julia was silent, but Sempronius saw, in the tightly compressed +lips and the lowering brow with which she looked from one to the +other, that the shaft had told. + +"I have wondered sometimes," he said, "in an idle moment, whether +they ever met before. The Carthaginians were for some time among +the Cisalpine Gauls, and the girl was, you have told me, the +daughter of a chief there; they may well have met." + +Julia made no reply, and Sempronius, feeling that he had said +enough, began to talk on other subjects. Julia scarcely answered +him, and at last impatiently waved him away. She sat silent and +abstracted until the last of the visitors had left, then she rose +from her seat and walked quietly up to her mother and said abruptly +to Clotilde, who was standing behind her mistress: "Did you know +the slave Malchus before you met here?" + +The suddenness of the question sent the blood up into the cheeks +of the Gaulish maiden, and Julia felt at once that the hints of +Sempronius were fully justified. + +"Yes," Clotilde answered quietly, "I met him when, with Hannibal, +he came down from the Alps into our country." + +"Why did you not say so before?" Julia asked passionately. "Mother, +the slaves have been deceiving us." + +"Julia," Flavia said in surprise, "why this heat? What matters it +to us whether they have met before?" + +Julia did not pay any attention, but stood with angry eyes waiting +for Clotilde's answer. + +"I did not know, Lady Julia," the girl said quietly, "that the +affairs of your slaves were of any interest to you. We recognized +each other when we first met. Long ago now, when we were +both in a different position -- " + +"And when you loved each other?" Julia said in a tone of concentrated +passion. + +"And when we loved each other," Clotilde repeated, her head thrown +back now, and her bearing as proud and haughty as that of Julia. + +"You hear that, mother? you hear this comedy that these slaves have +been playing under your nose? Send them both to the whipping post." + +"My dear Julia," Flavia exclaimed, more and more surprised at her +anger, "what harm has been done? You astonish me. Clotilde, you +can retire. What means all this, Julia?" she went on more severely +when they were alone; "why all this strange passion because two +slaves, who by some chance have met each other before, are lovers? +What is this Gaulish girl, what is this Carthaginian slave, to +you?" + +"I love him, mother!" Julia said passionately. + +"You!" Flavia exclaimed in angry surprise; "you, Julia, of the +house of Gracchus, love a slave! You are mad, girl, and shameless." + +"I say so without shame," Julia replied, "and why should I not? +He is a noble of Carthage, though now a prisoner of war. What if +my father is a consul? Malchus is the cousin of Hannibal, who is +a greater man than Rome has ever yet seen. Why should I not wed +him?" + +"In the first place, it seems, Julia," Flavia said gravely, "because +he loves someone else. In the second place, because, as I hear, he +is likely to be exchanged very shortly for a praetor taken prisoner +at Cannae, and will soon be fighting against us. In the third +place, because all Rome would be scandalized were a Roman maiden +of the patrician order, and of the house of Gracchus, to marry one +of the invaders of her country. Go to, Julia, I blush for you! +So this is the reason why of late you have behaved so coldly to +Sempronius. Shame on you, daughter! What would your father say, +did he, on his return from the field, hear of your doings? Go to +your chamber, and do not let me see you again till you can tell me +that you have purged this madness from your veins." + +Without a word Julia turned and left the room. Parental discipline +was strong in Rome, and none dare disobey a parent's command, and +although Julia had far more liberty and license than most unmarried +Roman girls, she did not dare to answer her mother when she spoke +in such a tone. + +Flavia sat for some time in thought, then she sent for Malchus. He +had already exchanged a few words with Clotilde, and was therefore +prepared for her questions. + +"Malchus, is it true that you love my Gaulish slave girl?" + +"It is true," Malchus replied quietly. "When we met in Gaul, two +years since, she was the daughter of a chief, I a noble of Carthage. +I loved her; but we were both young, and with so great a war in +hand it was not a time to speak of marriage." + +"Would you marry her now?" + +"Not as a slave," Malchus replied; "when I marry her it shall be +before the face of all men -- I as a noble of Carthage, she as a +noble Gaulish maiden." + +"Hannibal is treating for your exchange now," Flavia said. "There +are difficulties in the way, for, as you know, the senate have +refused to allow its citizens who surrender to be ransomed or +exchanged; but the friends of the praetor Publius are powerful and +are bringing all their influence to bear to obtain the exchange +of their kinsman, whom Hannibal has offered for you. I will gladly +use what influence I and my family possess to aid them. I knew +when you came to me that, as a prisoner of war, it was likely that +you might be exchanged." + +"You have been very kind, my Lady Flavia," Malchus said, "and +I esteem myself most fortunate in having fallen into such hands. +Since you know now how it is with me and Clotilde, I can ask you +at once to let me ransom her of you. Any sum that you like to name +I will bind myself, on my return to the Carthaginian camp, to pay +for her." + +"I will think it over," Flavia said graciously. "Clotilde is useful +to me, but I can dispense with her services, and will ask you no +exorbitant amount for her. If the negotiations for your exchange +come to aught, you may rely upon it that she shall go hence with +you." + +With an expression of deep gratitude Malchus retired. Flavia, in +thus acceding to the wishes of Malchus, was influenced by several +motives. She was sincerely shocked at Julia's conduct, and was most +desirous of getting both Malchus and Clotilde away, for she knew +that her daughter was headstrong as she was passionate, and the +presence of Clotilde in the house would, even were Malchus absent, be +a source of strife and bitterness between herself and her daughter. + +In the second place, it would be a pretty story to tell her +friends, and she should be able to take credit to herself for her +magnanimity in parting with her favourite attendant. Lastly, in the +present state of affairs it might possibly happen that it would +be of no slight advantage to have a friend possessed of great +power and influence in the Carthaginian camp. Her husband might be +captured in fight -- it was not beyond the bounds of possibility +that Rome itself might fall into the hands of the Carthaginians. +It was, therefore, well worth while making a friend of a man who +was a near relation of Hannibal. + +For some days Julia kept her own apartment. All the household +knew that something had gone wrong, though none were aware of the +cause. A general feeling of uneasiness existed, for Julia had from +a child in her fits of temper been harsh with her slaves, venting +her temper by cruelly beating and pinching them. Many a slave had +been flogged by her orders at such a time, for her mother, although +herself an easy mistress, seldom interfered with her caprices, +and all that she did was good in the eyes of her father. + +At the end of the week Flavia told Malchus that the negotiations +for his release had been broken off, the Roman senate remaining +inflexible in the resolve that Romans who surrendered to the enemy +should not be exchanged. Malchus was much disappointed, as it +had seemed that the time of his release was near; however, he had +still his former plan of escape to fall back upon. + +A day or two later Julia sent a slave with a message to Sempronius, +and in the afternoon sallied out with a confidential attendant, +who always accompanied her when she went abroad. In the Forum she +met Sempronius, who saluted her. + +"Sempronius," she said coming at once to the purpose, "will you do +me a favour?" + +"I would do anything to oblige you, Lady Julia, as you know." + +"That is the language of courtesy," Julia said shortly; "I mean +would you be ready to run some risk?" + +"Certainly," Sempronius answered readily. + +"You will do it the more readily, perhaps," Julia said, "inasmuch +as it will gratify your revenge. You have reason to hate Malchus, +the Carthaginian slave." + +Sempronius nodded. + +"Your suspicion was true, he loves the Gaulish slave; they have +been questioned and have confessed it. I want them separated." + +"But how?" Sempronius asked, rejoicing inwardly at finding that +Julia's wishes agreed so nearly with his own. + +"I want her carried off," Julia said shortly. "When once you have +got her you can do with her as you will; make her your slave, kill +her, do as you like with her, that is nothing to me -- all I want +is that she shall go. I suppose you have some place where you +could take her?" + +"Yes," Sempronius said, "I have a small estate among the Alban +Hills where she would be safe enough from searchers; but how to +get her there? She never goes out except with Lady Flavia." + +"She must be taken from the house," Julia said shortly; "pretty +slaves have been carried off before now, and no suspicion need +light upon you. You might find some place in the city to hide her +for a few days, and then boldly carry her through the gates in a +litter. None will think of questioning you." + +"The wrath of Lady Flavia would be terrible," Sempronius said +doubtfully. + +"My mother would be furious at first," Julia said coldly; "but get +her a new plaything, a monkey or a Nubian slave boy, and she will +soon forget all about the matter." + +"But how do you propose it should be done?" Sempronius asked. + +"My slave shall withdraw all the bolts of the back entrance to the +house," Julia said; "do you be there at two in the morning, when +all will be sound asleep; bring with you a couple of barefooted +slaves. My woman will be at the door and will guide you to the +chamber where the girl sleeps; you have only to gag her and carry +her quietly off." + +Sempronius stood for a moment in doubt. The enterprise was certainly +feasible. Wild adventures of this kind were not uncommon among +the dissolute young Romans, and Sempronius saw at once that were +he detected Julia's influence would prevent her mother taking the +matter up hotly. Julia guessed his thoughts. + +"If you are found out," she said, "I will take the blame upon myself, +and tell my mother that you were acting solely at my request." + +"I will do it, Julia," he agreed; "tonight at two o'clock I will +be at the back door with two slaves whom I can trust. I will have +a place prepared to which I can take the girl till it is safe to +carry her from the city." + + + +CHAPTER XXII: THE LION + + +Malchus was sleeping soundly that night when he was awakened by a +low angry sound from the lion. + +He looked up, and saw by the faint light of a lamp which burned in +the hall, from which the niche like bed chambers of the principal +slaves opened, that the animal had risen to its feet. Knowing +that, docile as it was with those it knew, the lion objected to +strangers, the thought occurred to him that some midnight thief +had entered the house for the purpose of robbery. Malchus took +his staff and sallied out, the lion walking beside him. + +He traversed the hall and went from room to room until he entered +the portion of the house inhabited by Flavia and the female +slaves. Here he would have hesitated, but the lion continued its +way, crouching as it walked, with its tail beating its sides with +short quick strokes. + +There was no one in the principal apartment. He entered the corridor, +from which as he knew issued the bed chambers of the slaves. Here +he stopped in sudden surprise at seeing a woman holding a light, +while two men were issuing from one of the apartments bearing +between them a body wrapped up in a cloak. Sempronius stood by +the men directing their movements. The face of the person carried +was invisible, but the light of the lamp fell upon a mass of golden +brown hair, and Malchus knew at once that it was Clotilde who was +being carried off. + +Malchus sprang forward and with a blow of his staff levelled one +of the slaves to the ground; Sempronius with a furious exclamation +drew his sword and rushed at him, while the other slave, dropping +his burden, closed with Malchus and threw his arms around him. +For a moment Malchus felt powerless, but before Sempronius could +strike there was a deep roar, a dark body sprang forward and hurled +itself upon him, levelling him to the ground with a crushing blow +of its paw, and then seized him by the shoulder and shook him +violently. The slave who held Malchus loosed his hold and fled with +a cry of affright, the female slave dropped the light and fled +also. Clotilde had by this time gained her feet. + +"Quick, love!" Malchus said; "seize your disguise and join me at +the back gate. Sempronius is killed; I will join you as quickly +as I can." + +By this time the household was alarmed, the shout of Malchus and +the roar of the lion had aroused everyone, and the slaves soon +came hurrying with lights to the spot. Malchus checked them as they +came running out. + +"Fetch the net," he said. The net in question had been procured +after the lion had before made an attack upon the slave, but had +not since been required. + +Malchus dared not approach the creature now, for though he was not +afraid for himself, it was now furious, and might, if disturbed, +rush among the others and do terrible destruction before it could +be secured. The net was quickly brought, and Malchus, with three +of the most resolute of the slaves, advanced and threw it over +the lion, which was lying upon the prostrate body of Sempronius. It +sprang to its feet, but the net was round it, and in its struggle +to escape it fell on its side. Another twist of the net and it +was helplessly inclosed; the four men lifted the ends and carried +it away. Cutting a portion of the net Malchus placed the massive +iron collar attached to the chain round its neck and then left it, +saying to the others: + +"We can cut the rest of the net off it afterwards." + +He then hurried back to the scene of the struggle. Flavia was +already there. + +"What is all this, Malchus," she asked. "Here I find Sempronius dead +and one of his slaves senseless beside him; they tell me when he +first arrived you were here." + +"I know nothing of it, lady," Malchus replied, "save that the +lion aroused me by growling, and thinking that robbers might have +entered the house, I arose and searched it and came upon three men. +One I levelled to the ground with my staff; doubtless he is only +stunned and will be able to tell you more when he recovers. I +grappled with another, and while engaged in a struggle with him +the third attacked me with a sword, and would have slain me had +not the lion sprang upon him and felled him. The other man then +fled -- this is all I know about it." + +"What can it all mean?" Flavia said. "What could Sempronius with +two slaves be doing in my house after midnight? It is a grave +outrage, and there will be a terrible scandal in Rome tomorrow -- +the son of a praetor and a friend of the house!" + +She then ordered the slaves to raise the body of Sempronius and +carry it to a couch, and to send at once for a leech. She also +bade them throw water on the slave and bring him to consciousness, +and then to bring him before her to be questioned. + +"Where is my daughter?" she said suddenly; "has she not been roused +by all this stir?" One of the female slaves stole into Julia's +apartment, and returned saying that her mistress was sound asleep +on her couch. + +An expression of doubt crossed Flavia's face, but she only said, +"Do not disturb her," and then thoughtfully returned to her room. +It was not until an hour later that the prisoner was sufficiently +recovered to be brought before Flavia. He had already heard that +his master was killed, and, knowing that concealment would be +useless, he threw himself on the ground before Flavia, and owned +that he and another slave had been brought by Sempronius to carry +off a slave girl. + +Acting on his instructions they had thrust a kerchief into her mouth, +and wrapped a cloak round her, and were carrying her off when a +man rushed at him, and he supposed struck him, for he remembered +nothing more. He then with many tears implored mercy, on the ground +that he was acting but on his master's orders. At this moment +the praetor himself arrived, Flavia having sent for him immediately +she had ascertained that Sempronius was dead. He was confused and +bewildered at the suddenness of his loss. + +"I thought at first," Flavia said, "that he must have been engaged +in some wild scheme to carry off Julia, though why he should do so +I could not imagine, seeing that he had my approval of his wooing; +but Julia is asleep, not having been a wakened by the noise of +the scuffle. It must have been one of the slave girls." + +"Ah!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I did not see Clotilde." She struck +a bell, and her attendant entered. + +"Go," she said, "and summon Clotilde here." + +In a few minutes the slave returned, saying that Clotilde was not +to be found. + +"She may have been carried off by the other slave," Flavia said, +"but Malchus was there, and would have pursued. Fetch him here." + +But Malchus too was found to be missing. + +"They must have fled together," Flavia said. "There was an +understanding between them. Doubtless Malchus feared that this +affair with your son might cause him to be taken away from here. +Perhaps it is best so, and I trust that they may get away, though +I fear there is little chance, since no slaves are allowed to leave +the city without a pass, and even did they succeed in gaining the +open country they would be arrested and brought back by the first +person who met them. But that is not the question for the present." + +"What think you, my friend, what are we to do in this terrible +business?" + +"I know not," the praetor said with a groan. + +"The honour of both our families is concerned," Flavia said calmly. +"Your son has been found in my house at night and slain by my +lion. All the world knows that he was a suitor for Julia's hand. +There's but one thing to be done; the matter must be kept secret. +It would not do to try and remove Sempronius tonight, for the +litter might be stopped by the watch; it must be taken boldly away +in daylight. Send four slaves whom you can trust, and order them +to be silent on pain of death. I will tell my household that if +a word is breathed of what has taken place tonight, I will hand +whoever disobeys me over to the executioners. When you have got +your son's body home you can spread a rumour that he is sick of the +fever. There will be no difficulty in bribing the leech. Then in +a few days you will give out that he is dead, and none will be any +the wiser." + +The praetor agreed that this was the best plan that could be adopted, +and it was carried out in due course, and so well was the secret +kept that no one in Rome ever doubted that Sempronius had fallen +a victim to fever. + +Julia's anger in the morning, when she heard that the Gaulish +slave girl and the Carthaginian were missing, was great, and she +hurried to her mother's room to demand that a hue and cry should be +at once made for them, and a reward offered for their apprehension. +She had, when informed of the scenes which had taken place in the +night, and of the death of Sempronius, expressed great astonishment +and horror, and indeed the news that her accomplice had been +killed had really shocked her. The sentiment, however, had faded to +insignificance in the anger which she felt when, as the narrative +continued, she heard of the escape of the two slaves. + +A stormy scene took place between her and her mother, Julia boldly +avowing that she was the author of the scheme which had had so +fatal a termination. Flavia, in her indignation at her daughter's +conduct, sent her away at once to a small summer retreat belonging +to her in the hills, and there she was kept for some months in +strict seclusion under the watchful guardianship of some old and +trusted slaves. + +Malchus, having seen the lion fastened up, had seized the bundle +containing his disguise, and hurried away to the gate where Clotilde +was awaiting him. + +"How long you have been!" she said with a gasp of relief. + +"I could not get away until the lion was secured," he said, "for +I should have been instantly missed. Now we will be off at once." +Both had thrown large dark cloaks over their garments, and they now +hurried along through the deserted streets, occasionally drawing +aside into bylanes as they heard the tramp of the city watch. + +At last, after half an hour's walking, they reached the wall. +Malchus knew the exact spot where he had hidden the rope, and had +no difficulty in finding it. They mounted the steps and stood on +the battlements. The sentries were far apart, for no enemy was +in the neighbourhood of Rome. Malchus fastened the rope round +Clotilde, and lowered her down over the battlements. When he found +that she had reached the ground he made fast the end of the rope +and slid down till he stood beside her. They proceeded with the +utmost caution until at some distance from the walls; and then +shaped their course until, after a long walk, they came down upon +the Tiber below the city. + +Day had by this time broken, and Malchus bade Clotilde enter a little +wood to change her garments and dye her skin. He then proceeded to +do the same, and rolling up the clothes he had taken off, hid them +under a bush. Clotilde soon joined him again. She wore the dress +of a peasant boy, consisting of a tunic of rough cloth reaching +to her knees. Her limbs, face, and neck were dyed a sunny brown, +and her hair, which was cut quite short, was blackened. Dyes were +largely in use by Roman ladies, and Malchus had had no difficulty +in procuring those necessary for their disguises. + +"I don't think anyone would suspect you, Clotilde," he said; "even +I should pass you without notice. What a pity you have had to part +with all your sunny hair!" + +"It will soon grow again," she said; "and now, Malchus, do not let +us waste a moment. I am in terror while those dark walls are in +sight." + +"We shall soon leave them behind," Malchus said encouragingly. +"There are plenty of fishermen's boats moored along the bank here. +We shall soon leave Rome behind us." + +They stepped into a boat, loosened the moorings, and pushed off, +and Malchus, getting out the oars, rowed steadily down the river +until they neared its mouth. Then they landed, pushed the boat into +the stream again, lest, if it were found fastened up, it might +give a clue to any who were in pursuit of them, and then struck +off into the country. After travelling some miles they turned into +a wood, where they lay down for several hours, and did not resume +their course until nightfall. + +Malchus had, before starting, entered the kitchen, and had filled +a bag with cold meat, oatmeal cakes, and other food, and this, +when examined, proved ample for four days' supply, and he had, +therefore, no occasion to enter the villages to buy provisions. +They kept by the seashore until they neared Terracina, and then +took to the hills, and skirted these until they had left the state +of Latium. They kept along at the foot of the great range which +forms the backbone of Italy, and so passing along Samnium, came +down upon the Volturnus, having thus avoided the Roman army, which +lay between Capua and Rome. + +Their journey had been a rough one, for, by the winding road they +had followed along the mountains, the distance they traversed was +over one hundred miles. The fatigue had been great, and it was well +that Clotilde had had a Gaulish training. After their provisions +were exhausted they had subsisted upon corn which they gathered +in the patches of cultivated ground near the mountain villages, +and upon fruits which they picked in the woods. + +Twice, too, they had come upon herds of half wild goats in the +mountains, and Malchus had succeeded in knocking down a kid with +a stone. They had not made very long journeys, resting always for a +few hours in the heat of the day, and it was ten days after they +had left Rome before, from an eminence, they saw the walls of +Capua. + +"How can I go in like this?" Clotilde exclaimed in a sudden fit of +shyness. + +"We will wait until it is dusk," Malchus said; "the dye is fast +wearing off, and your arms are strangely white for a peasant girl's. +I will take you straight to Hannibal's palace, and you will soon +be fitted out gorgeously. There are spoils enough stored up to +clothe all the women of Rome." + +They sat down in the shade of a clump of trees, and waited till +the heat of the day was past; then they rose and walked on until, +after darkness had fallen, they entered the town of Capua. They +had no difficulty in discovering the palace where Hannibal was +lodged. They were stopped at the entrance by the guards, who gave +a cry of surprise and pleasure when Malchus revealed himself. At +first they could hardly credit that, in the dark skinned peasant, +their own commander stood before them, and as the news spread rapidly +the officers of the corps ran down and saluted him with a joyous +greeting. While this was going on Clotilde shrank back out of the +crowd. + +As soon as he could extricate himself from his comrades, Malchus +joined her, and led her to Hannibal, who, hearing the unusual +stir, was issuing from his apartment to see what had occasioned it. +The shouts of "Long live Malchus!" which rose from the soldiers +informed him of what had happened, and he at once recognized his +kinsman in the figure advancing to meet him. + +"My dear Malchus," he exclaimed, "this is a joyous surprise. I +have been in vain endeavouring to get you out of the hands of +the Romans, but they were obstinate in refusing an exchange; but +knowing your adroitness, I have never given up hopes of seeing +you appear some day among us. But whom have you here?" he asked +as he re-entered his room accompanied by Malchus and his companion. + +"This is Clotilde, daughter of Allobrigius, the chief of the Orcan +tribe," Malchus replied, "and my affianced wife. Her father has +been defeated and killed by Postumius, and she was carried as a +slave to Rome. There good fortune and the gods threw us together, +and I have managed to bring her with me." + +"I remember you, of course," Hannibal said to the girl, "and that +I joked my young kinsman about you. This is well, indeed; but we +must see at once about providing you with proper garments. There +are no females in my palace, but I will send at once for Chalcus, +who is now captain of my guard, and who has married here in Capua, +and beg him to bring hither his wife; she will l am sure take charge +of you, and furnish you with garments." + +Clotilde was soon handed over to the care of the Italian lady, and +Malchus then proceeded to relate to Hannibal the various incidents +which had occurred since he had sailed from Capua for Sardinia. He +learned in return that the mission of Mago to Carthage had been +unsuccessful. He had brought over a small reinforcement of cavalry +and elephants, which had landed in Bruttium and had safely joined +the army; but this only repaired a few of the many gaps made by +the war, and was useless to enable Hannibal to carry out his great +purpose. + +"Hanno's influence was too strong," Hannibal said, "and I foresee +that sooner or later the end must come. I may hold out for years +here in Southern Italy, but unless Carthage rises from her lethargy, +I must finally be overpowered." + +"It seems to me," Malchus said, "that the only hope is in rousing +the Gauls to invade Italy from the north." + +"I know nothing of what is passing there," Hannibal said; "but +it is clear from the disaster which has befallen our friends the +Orcans that the Romans are more than holding their own north of +the Apennines. Still, if a diversion could be made it would be +useful. I suppose you are desirous of taking your bride back to +her tribe." + +"Such is my wish, certainly," Malchus said. "As I have told you, +Hannibal, I have made up my mind never to return to Carthage. It +is hateful to me. Her tame submission to the intolerable tyranny +of Hanno and his faction, her sufferance of the corruption which +reigns in every department, her base ingratitude to you and the +army which have done and suffered so much, the lethargy which she +betrays when dangers are thickening and her fall and destruction +are becoming more and more sure, have sickened me of her. I have +resolved, as I have told you, to cast her off, and to live and die +among the Gauls -- a life rough and simple, but at least free." + +"But it seems that the Gauls have again been subjected to Rome," +Hannibal said. + +"On this side of the Alps," Malchus replied, "but beyond are great +tribes who have never as yet heard of Rome. It is to them that +Clotilde's mother belongs, and we have settled that we will first +try and find her mother and persuade her to go with us, and that +if she is dead we will journey alone until we join her tribe in +Germany. But before I go I will, if it be possible, try and rouse +the Gauls to make another effort for freedom by acting in concert, +by driving out the Romans and invading Italy. You will, I trust, +Hannibal, not oppose my plans." + +"Assuredly not, Malchus; I sympathize with you, and were I younger +and without ties and responsibilities would fain do the same. It +is a sacrifice, no doubt, to give up civilization and to begin life +anew, but it is what our colonists are always doing. At any rate +it is freedom -- freedom from the corruption, the intrigue, the +sloth, and the littleness of a decaying power like that of Carthage. +You will be happy at least in having your wife with you, while +the gods only know when I shall see the face of my beloved Imilce. + +"Yes, Malchus, follow your own devices. Carthage, when she flung +you in prison and would have put you to a disgraceful death, +forfeited all further claim upon you. You have rendered her great +services, you have risked your life over and over again in her +cause, you have repaid tenfold the debt which you incurred when +she gave you birth. You are free now to carry your sword where you +will. I shall deeply regret your loss, but your father has gone +and many another true friend of mine, and it is but one more in the +list of those I have lost. Follow your own wishes, and live in +that freedom which you will never attain in the service of Carthage." + +The next day the marriage of Malchus and Clotilde took place. +Hannibal himself joined their hands and prayed the gods to bless +their union. Three weeks later Hannibal arranged that a body of a +hundred Carthaginian horse should accompany Malchus to the north, +where he would endeavour to raise the Gaulish tribes. They were +to cross into Apulia, to travel up the east coast until past the +ranges of the Apennines, and then make their way across the plains +to the Alps. A dozen officers accompanied him; these were to aid +him in his negotiations with the chiefs, and in organizing the new +forces, should his efforts be successful. + +To the great joy of Malchus, on the very evening before he started +Nessus arrived in the camp. He had, when Malchus was at Rome, been +employed with the other Carthaginian soldiers on the fortifications. +Malchus had once or twice seen him as, with the others, he was marched +from the prison to the walls, and had exchanged a few words with +him. He had told him that he intended to escape, but could not say +when he should find an opportunity to do so; but that if at any +time a month passed without his seeing him, Nessus would know that +he had gone. + +The extra rigour with which the prisoners were guarded had led +Nessus to suspect that a prisoner had escaped, and a month having +passed without his seeing Malchus, he determined on making an +attempt at flight. So rigourous was the watch that there was no +possibility of this being done secretly, and, therefore, one day +when they were employed in repairing the foundations of the wall +outside the city Nessus seized the opportunity, when the attention +of the guards was for a moment directed in another quarter, to start +at the top of his speed. He had chosen the hottest hour of the +day for the attempt, when few people were about, and the peasants +had left the fields for an hour's sleep under the shade of trees. + +The Roman guard had started in pursuit, but Nessus had not overrated +his powers. Gradually he left them behind him, and, making straight +for the Tiber, plunged in and swam the river. He had followed the +right bank up to the hills, and on the second evening after starting +made his appearance at Capua. When he heard the plans of Malchus +he announced, as a matter of course, that he should accompany +him. Malchus pointed out that, with the rewards and spoils he had +obtained, he had now sufficient money to become a man of importance +among his own people. Nessus quietly waved the remark aside as if +it were wholly unworthy of consideration. + +The cavalry who were to accompany Malchus were light armed Numidians, +whose speed would enable them to distance any bodies of the enemy +they might meet on their way. With them were thirty lead horses, +some of them carrying a large sum of money, which Hannibal had +directed should be paid to Malchus from the treasury, as his share, +as an officer of high rank, of the captured booty. The rest of the +horses were laden with costly arms, robes of honour, and money as +presents for the Gaulish chiefs. These also were furnished from the +abundant spoils which had fallen into the hands of the Carthaginians. + +Hannibal directed Malchus that, in the event of his failing in his +mission, he was not to trouble to send these things back, but was +to retain them to win the friendship and goodwill of the chiefs +of the country to which he proposed to journey. The next morning +Malchus took an affectionate farewell of the general and his old +comrades, and then, with Clotilde riding by his side -- for the +women of the Gauls were as well skilled as the men in the management +of horses -- he started at the head of his party. He followed the +route marked out for him without any adventure of importance. He +had one or two skirmishes with parties of tribesmen allied with +Rome, but his movements were too rapid for any force sufficient to +oppose his passage being collected. + +After ascending the sea coast the troop skirted the northern slopes +of the Apennines, passing close to the battlefield of Trebia, and +crossing the Po by a ford, ascended the banks of the Orcus, and +reached Clotilde's native village. A few ruins alone marked where +it had stood. Malchus halted there and despatched scouts far up +the valley. These succeeded in finding a native, who informed them +that Brunilda with the remains of the tribe were living in the +forests far up on the slopes. The scouts delivered to them the +message with which they were charged: that Clotilde and Malchus, +with a Carthaginian force, were at Orca. The following evening +Brunilda and her followers came into camp. + +Deep was the joy of the mother and daughter. The former had long +since given up all hope of ever hearing of Clotilde again, and had +devoted her life to vengeance on the Romans. From her fastness in +the mountain she had from time to time led her followers down, +and carried fire and sword over the fields and plantations of the +Roman colonists, retiring rapidly before the garrisons could sally +from the towns and fall upon her. She was rejoiced to find that her +child had found a husband and protector in the young Carthaginian, +still more rejoiced when she found that the latter had determined +upon throwing in his lot with the Gauls. + +All that night mother and daughter sat talking over the events +which had happened since they parted. Brunilda could give Malchus +but little encouragement for the mission on which he had come. The +legion of Postumius had indeed been defeated and nearly destroyed +in a rising which had taken place early in the spring; but fresh +troops had arrived, dissensions had, as usual, broken out among the +chiefs, many of them had again submitted to the Romans, and the +rest had been defeated and crushed. Brunilda thought that there +was little hope at present of their again taking up arms. + +For some weeks Malchus attempted to carry out Hannibal's instructions; +he and his lieutenants, accompanied by small parties of horse, +rode through the country and visited all the chiefs of Cisalpine +Gaul, but the spirit of the people was broken. The successes they +had gained had never been more than partial, the Roman garrison +towns had always defied all their efforts, and sooner or later +the Roman legions swept down across the Apennines and carried all +before them. + +In vain Malchus told them of the victories that Hannibal had won, +that Southern Italy was in his hands, and the Roman dominion +tottering. In reply they pointed to the garrisons and the legion, +and said that, were Rome in a sore strait, she would recall her +legion for her own defence, and no arguments that Malchus could +use could move them to lay aside their own differences and to unite +in another effort for freedom. Winter was now at hand. Malchus +remained in the mountains with the Orcans until spring came, and +then renewed his efforts with no greater success than before. Then +he dismissed the Carthaginians, with a letter giving Hannibal an +account of all he had done, and bade them find their way back to +Capua by the road by which they had come. + +Brunilda had joyfully agreed to his proposal that they should cross +the Alps and join her kinsmen in Germany, and the remnant of the +tribe willingly consented to accompany them. Accordingly in the +month of May they set out, and journeying north made their way +along the shore of the lake now called the Lago di Guarda, and, +crossing by the pass of the Trentino, came down on the northern +side of the Alps, and, after journeying for some weeks among the +great forests which covered the country, reached the part inhabited +by the tribe of the Cherusei, to which Brunilda belonged. + +Here they were hospitably received. Brunilda's family were among +the noblest of the tribe, and the rich presents which the ample +resources of Malchus enabled him to distribute among all the chiefs, +at once raised him to a position of high rank and consideration +among them. Although accepting the life of barbarism Malchus was +not prepared to give up all the usages of civilization. He built a +house, which, although it would have been but a small structure in +Carthage, was regarded with admiration and wonder by the Gauls. +Here he introduced the usages and customs of civilization. The +walls, indeed, instead of being hung with silk and tapestry, were +covered with the skins of stags, bears, and other animals slain in +the chase; but these were warmer and better suited for the rigour +of the climate in winter than silks would have been. The wealth, +knowledge, and tact of Malchus gained him an immense influence in +the tribe, and in time he was elected the chief of that portion of +it dwelling near him. He did not succeed in getting his followers +to abandon their own modes of life, but he introduced among them +many of the customs of civilization, and persuaded them to adopt +the military formation in use among the Carthaginians. It was with +some reluctance that they submitted to this; but so complete was +the victory which they obtained over a rival tribe, upon their +first encounter when led by Malchus and his able lieutenant Nessus, +that he had no difficulty in future on this score. + +The advantages, indeed, of fighting in solid formation, instead of +the irregular order in which each man fought for himself, were +so overwhelming that the tribe rapidly increased in power and +importance, and became one of the leading peoples in that part +of Germany. Above all, Malchus inculcated them with a deep hatred +of Rome, and warned them that when the time came, as it assuredly +would do, that the Romans would cross the Alps and attempt the +conquest of the country, it behooved the German tribes to lay aside +all their disputes and to join in a common resistance against the +enemy. + +From time to time rumours, brought by parties of Cisalpine Gauls, +who, like the Orcans, fled across the Alps to escape the tyranny +of Rome, reached Malchus. For years the news came that no great +battle had been fought, that Hannibal was still in the south of +Italy defeating all the efforts of the Romans to dislodge him. + +It was not until the thirteenth year after Hannibal had crossed +the Alps that any considerable reinforcement was sent to aid the +Carthaginian general. Then his brother Hasdrubal, having raised +an army in Spain and Southern Gaul, crossed the Alps to join him. +But he was met, as he marched south, by the consuls Livius and +Nero with an army greatly superior to his own; and was crushed by +them on the river Metaurus, the Spanish and Ligurian troops being +annihilated and Hasdrubal himself killed. + +For four years longer Hannibal maintained his position in the south +of Italy. No assistance whatever reached him from Carthage, but +alone and unaided he carried on the unequal war with Rome until, +in 204 B.C., Scipio landed with a Roman force within a few miles +of Carthage, captured Utica, defeated two Carthaginian armies with +great slaughter, and blockaded Carthage. Then the city recalled +the general and the army whom they had so grossly neglected and +betrayed. + +Hannibal succeeded in safely embarking his army and in sailing to +Carthage; but so small was the remnant of the force which remained +to him, that when he attempted to give battle to Scipio he was +defeated, and Carthage was forced to make peace on terms which +left her for the future at the mercy of Rome. She was to give up +all her ships of war except ten, and all her elephants, to restore +all Roman prisoners, to engage in no war out of Africa -- and none +in Africa except with the consent of Rome, to restore to Massinissa, +a prince of Numidia who had joined Rome, his kingdom, to pay a +contribution of two hundred talents a year for fifty years, and +to give a hundred hostages between the ages of fourteen and thirty, +to be selected by the Roman general. + +These terms left Carthage at the mercy of Rome, when the latter, +confident in her power, entered upon the third Punic war, the +overthrow and the destruction of her rival were a comparatively +easy task for her. Hannibal lived nineteen years after his return +to Carthage. For eight years he strove to rectify the administration, +to reform abuses, and to raise and improve the state; but his +exposure of the gross abuses of the public service united against +him the faction which had so long profited by them, and, in B. C. +196, the great patriot and general was driven into exile. + +He then repaired to the court of Antiochus, King of Syria, who +was at that time engaged in a war against Rome; but that monarch +would not follow the advice he gave him, and was in consequence +defeated at Magnesia, and was forced to sue for peace and to accept +the terms the Romans imposed, one of which was that Hannibal should +be delivered into their hands. + +Hannibal, being warned in time, left Syria and went to Bithynia. +But Rome could not be easy so long as her great enemy lived, and +made a demand upon Prusias, King of Bithynia, for his surrender. +He was about to comply with the request when Hannibal put an end +to his life, dying at the age of sixty-four. + +No rumour of this event ever reached Malchus, but he heard, fifteen +years after he had passed into Germany, that Hannibal had at last +retired from Italy, and had been defeated at Zama, and that Carthage +had been obliged to submit to conditions which placed her at the +mercy of Rome. Malchus rejoiced more than ever at the choice he +had made. His sons were now growing up, and he spared no efforts +to instill in them a hatred and distrust of Rome, to teach them +the tactics of war, and to fill their minds with noble and lofty +thoughts. + +Nessus had followed the example of his lord and had married +a Gaulish maiden, and he was now a subchief in the tribe. Malchus +and Clotilde lived to a great age, and the former never once +regretted the choice he had made. From afar he heard of the ever +growing power of Rome, and warned his grandsons, as he had warned +his sons, against her, and begged them to impress upon their +descendants in turn the counsels he had given them. The injunction +was observed, and the time came when Arminius, a direct descendant +of Malchus, then the leader of the Cherusei, assembled the German +tribes and fell upon the legions of Varus, inflicting upon them +a defeat as crushing and terrible as the Romans had ever suffered +at the hands of Hannibal himself, and checking for once and all +the efforts of the Romans to subdue the free people of Germany. + + + +THE END + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN *** + +This file should be named yocar10.txt or yocar10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, yocar11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, yocar10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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