登陆注册
15401800000014

第14章

"Have you not seen that he has left a reserve of his horse-soldiers outside the camp? At a given signal they will hasten hither to slay you all."The Barbarians turned in that direction, and as the crowd was then scattering, there appeared in the midst of them, and advancing with the slowness of a phantom, a human being, bent, lean, entirely naked, and covered down to his flanks with long hair bristling with dried leaves, dust and thorns.About his loins and his knees he had wisps of straw and linen rags; his soft and earthy skin hung on his emaciated limbs like tatters on dried boughs; his hands trembled with a continuous quivering, and as he walked he leaned on a staff of olive-wood.

He reached the Negroes who were bearing the torches.His pale gums were displayed in a sort of idiotic titter; his large, scared eyes gazed upon the crowd of Barbarians around him.

But uttering a cry of terror he threw himself behind them, shielding himself with their bodies."There they are! There they are!" he stammered out, pointing to the Suffet's guards, who were motionless in their glittering armour.Their horses, dazzled by the light of the torches which crackled in the darkness, were pawing the ground; the human spectre struggled and howled:

"They have killed them!"

At these words, which were screamed in Balearic, some Balearians came up and recognised him; without answering them he repeated:

"Yes, all killed, all! crushed like grapes! The fine young men! the slingers! my companions and yours!"They gave him wine to drink, and he wept; then he launched forth into speech.

Spendius could scarcely repress his joy, as he explained the horrors related by Zarxas to the Greeks and Libyans; he could not believe them, so appropriately did they come in.The Balearians grew pale as they learned how their companions had perished.

It was a troop of three hundred slingers who had disembarked the evening before, and had on that day slept too late.When they reached the square of Khamon the Barbarians were gone, and they found themselves defenceless, their clay bullets having been put on the camels with the rest of the baggage.They were allowed to advance into the street of Satheb as far as the brass sheathed oaken gate; then the people with a single impulse had sprung upon them.

Indeed, the soldiers remembered a great shout; Spendius, who was flying at the head of the columns, had not heard it.

Then the corpses were placed in the arms of the Pataec gods that fringed the temple of Khamon.They were upbraided with all the crimes of the Mercenaries; their gluttony, their thefts, their impiety, their disdain, and the murder of the fishes in Salammbo's garden.Their bodies were subjected to infamous mutilations; the priests burned their hair in order to torture their souls; they were hung up in pieces in the meat-shops; some even buried their teeth in them, and in the evening funeral-piles were kindled at the cross-ways to finish them.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 兔龙斗

    兔龙斗

    弱小的兔子也能与强大的龙族的争斗吗?或许把!兔子也并非那么弱小!龙族也没想象中那么的强盛!急红眼的兔子也不是那么好欺负的!就算你是那高高在上的神兽,即便你们是最强大的神兽龙族,欺辱吾族,吾族必然会将尔等拉下那被吹捧上去的神坛。“龙族不灭,兔子不存”急疯的兔子如此说道。那到底又会怎样呢!这一切的发展!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 雨夜影子

    雨夜影子

    冰冷的雨在黑夜中淅淅沥沥的下着,偶然撕裂黑暗的闪电照亮大地,投射出一道若隐若现的影子,几不可见……而在这道影子背后的是耸立的高楼和仿佛没有边界的城市,如同海上钢琴师中说的拥有无数琴键的钢琴就在这里等待着演奏出自己的乐章。
  • 重生房子买买买

    重生房子买买买

    凌晨四点被“七十码”撞得飞起的林依依,居然回到了2002年。她满脑子就一个念头,一两千一平的省会房子!买买买!四五千的帝都房子!买买买!魔……魔都,也想买!还想买!14岁的林小胖表示,学霸,变美,首付,一个也跑不了!
  • 我欲焚天

    我欲焚天

    提气,聚灵,挥剑焚天!duangduangduangduang
  • 释肇序

    释肇序

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 儿童教育格言(经典格言)

    儿童教育格言(经典格言)

    名人名言是古今中外仁人志士的精辟妙语!名人名言,集丰富的内涵、深刻的哲理、简练的语言于一身。读名人名言,如同和名人名家做面对面的沟通与交流,就好像聆听圣贤智慧的谆谆教导。儿童时期是人生观、世界观形成的一个关键,本书针对儿童的道德情感方面,以名人的警句,教儿童如何树立正确的人生观和世界观!
  • 重生之我是二郎神

    重生之我是二郎神

    我是二郎神,天庭第一战将,现居于东海市,想见我就来,对了,记得带上狗粮,不然我的哮天犬会咬你的……还有美女例外,哮天犬是条色狗…
  • 风云黑客

    风云黑客

    周胜彬是一名顶尖的网络黑客,中国红客联盟的领袖,世界黑客战国排名第二的中国红客。他外表吊儿郎当、放荡不羁、豪放豁达,内心却是一个心思细腻、成熟冷静的网络人才,由于母亲重病,迫于无奈,利用黑客的手段,攻击了纵天网络科技公司,逼迫纵天科技公司以百万价格‘买身’。他原本以为进入纵天科技后可以退隐网络界,没有想到却卷入了一场场网络战争中,黑客与骇客的较量,红客兵团与黑客联盟的战争,中国红客与西方黑客的对决风起云涌。黑客是一种孤独的职业,水平越高孤独感就越强,对面类似于犯罪的快感和激情,谁还能坚守《黑客的守则》,谁有将是网络的主宰者……
  • 白色眷恋

    白色眷恋

    因为不满皇马6比2的比分,中国青年律师沈星怒砸啤酒瓶,结果电光火石间,他穿越成了佛罗伦蒂诺的儿子,且看来自09年的小伙子如何玩转03年的欧洲足坛