David-Léon Cahun

“ It is a place for monsters, not for men!"
"It would just suit old Jonah, then," said Hannibal, with a sigh; "it would cheer us up, too, if Hanno were here to entertain us with a sprinkling of his wit."
"I do not think we need have much fear on their account," I said; "by this time, I should hope, they are pacing the sunny streets of Sidon, or enjoying the fragrant heights of Libanus."
"Yes; I daresay," Himilco assented; "and no doubt they have plenty of good wine to drink; wine, rich as nectar, from Helbon, Byblos, and Sarepta!" ”

“ Chamai maintained that he must be entitled at least to a bracelet and a pair of Syrian earrings. "Give them to Abigail," he said, "and I will cry quits for my share."
"And now, sir scribe," I asked, turning to Hanno, "what shall I do for you? There are sheep, oxen, armour, wines at your command."
"By Ashtoreth!" he answered; "there is nothing I want. Take my portion and distribute it amongst the wounded; they need it more than I."
Struck by this generosity, Hannibal and Chamai shook him heartily by the hand, and Chryseis showed her approval by the most beaming of smiles. ”

“ I am come to conduct you to the grand temple of the Suomi; and a fine structure you will see it is, built of reeds and fish-bones in tip-top style. You are there to be sacrificed to the great god Jono."
"So then Jono is a god, is he?" I said; "but if you are his high priest I presume we need not give ourselves much alarm."
Himilco said that if this Jono were the god of fish-oil he most heartily wished that he might be sent some hundred fathoms down below the sea.
"Gently, gently, good pilot!" said Hanno, with mock solemnity; "you must not speak disparagingly of the great divinity. ”

“ As soon as his back was fairly turned, Hanno, who had been seated quietly arranging his papyrus leaves, rose from his seat, and advancing towards the door, made a low and solemn bow, a proceeding on his part that caused Himilco to burst into a roar of laughter.
"Our friend Bodmilcar," remarked Hannibal, "seems to be rather a morose sort of gentleman."
"Nothing of the sort, I assure you," said Hanno, satirically; "I hardly know a man of a brighter and more genial temperament; however, I confess that we may thank our stars that we have not to sail in the same ship with him." ”

“ I think I shall go north with you, and look in here at Tarshish on my way back, just to see how my plantation prospers."
"Well done, Bichri!" cried Himilco; "you have set a young vineyard going, have you? You will have a long generation of tipplers never ceasing to bless the day you came to Gades. May the gods smile on you and your vines!"
Bichri did not vouchsafe Himilco any answer, but went on, as though talking to himself:
"With old Gebal, and little Dionysos, I think I can be happy enough. I shall miss poor Jonah, though." ”

“ In an instant Bichri's men were at the scorpions, and a perfect torrent of stones, arrows, and combustibles, fell on either hand. Hannibal's men did not stir from their attitude of readiness, and Chamai kept his detachment grouped close around the mast, abiding the time for a charge to be ordered. Bichri's party laid aside their bows, and drew their knives and swords; and Jonah, laying his trumpet on the deck, armed himself with the ponderous handspike usually employed for heaving the anchor, and which two ordinary men could scarcely carry. ”

“ Hannibal ventured to ask whether some provisions were not to be had, and in an instant Hanno went to the door and uttered a few syllables that sounded something like the croaking of an old crow.
"I have told them," he said, "that Jono wants something to eat. They know what his appetite is; I daresay they will bring enough for you all."
Very shortly there was a knocking at the entrance of the temple; some savages had brought platters of boiled fish and roast venison, and several large horns full of drink, the whole of which Hanno took from their hands at the door and passed on to us. ”

“ It was an abrupt elevation of the soil, and was described to us by Hazael as being the place known as the Wolf's knoll, and which Bodmilcar had fixed as the rally-point of his people. When we halted there was not a light to be seen, not a sound to be heard, nothing to break the gloom or the stillness of the forest.
"Before we give the signal for attack," said Hannibal, under his breath, "we ought to know what they are doing."
"I know my way," said the eunuch; "let me go and look, that I may bring you word."
"Thanks," said Himilco; "you are very good—we will not trouble you." ”

“ And, catching sight of the King of the Dorians, who had come with a herd of oxen, he shouted to him:
"Yes, you too; give me a bullock, and I will knock you down. Give me two, and I will break every bone in your skin."
"Silence, fool!" I cried, hoping to bring him to his senses. The King did not understand Phœnician, and asked what the man was saying; but I did not think it necessary to enlighten him.
Jonah continued muttering and grumbling to himself: "Why should I not fight them, if they like it? If I were to challenge a man of the tribe of Dan or Judah, I should soon find a knife in my ribs! ”

“ He is the God invisible and true, the God of vengeance and of power."
"However much I may confess," said Hannibal, interrupting Chamai's earnest protest, "that your mighty El may be the god of the mountains and the plains, it cannot be denied that our Ashtoreth is the goddess of the ocean. See what glorious victories she has gained for us Sidonians; she has made us monarchs of the sea! For Moloch and Melkarth I have no reverence whatever; but still I think that Baal and the gods of Arvad should be honoured in the countries they have favoured with their care." ”

“ Chamai, Bichri, and Abigail joined us there. Looking towards the sea, we had on our left the Cothôn and the Admiralty palace, and on our right the island which had been the original nucleus of the colony, and the trade-harbour which separated it from the mainland. Landwards rose the white buildings and terraces of the city, threaded by dark winding streets, and studded with domes painted red and brown, and culminating towards the south in the massive citadel, the residence of the sacred suffect. ”

“ We lack your taste and finish. But, remember, we have not your wealth nor your materials. However, you must recollect that this is only a poor straggling village; patience! and you shall see our populous cities, as well as our fertile country, before you reach Jerusalem."
"The land of Judah," said Hannibal, "is not unknown to me. I have traversed it already, and can bear witness to its richness and fertility; truly it is a land of olives, dates, and corn and wine. And not only are you husbandmen, you are proud of being warriors. Every nation has its own pursuit. ”

“ Although he had a flowing white beard, his upper lip was shorn perfectly smooth in the old Chittim fashion; he wore his mariner's cap pressed closely over his ears; and his nose, slightly redder than of yore, betokened that he had more than a slight acquaintance with the luscious produce of Helbon and Berytos.
I bowed, and congratulated him that I found him looking so well.
"Ah!" he said, speaking in a sort of facetious way that had become habitual to him, "here's Mago, the Sidonian, the cutest captain that ever took cedar ship to Tarshish! And who is this young man with you?" ”

“ The incorrigible Himilco renewed his jeering, and asked whether he could not produce a little more wine, but the general made no reply, and closed his eyes as if he were in deep thought. Bichri took his seat upon the breast of his prisoner, who, in spite of the indignity he was receiving, seemed to be so much struck with admiration for the young man, that he promised to make his fortune if he would enter his service.
"But get up, get up, I entreat you," he begged him, in an imploring tone. "I assure you that you are a great deal heavier than you seem to imagine." ”

“ It was quite possible that the Phrygians had not honoured their bull-god Zeus as they were bound, and he, in anger, had abandoned them to their conquerors; but this was not like Moloch; no, he was not Moloch.
"Gods! gods!" cried Chamai, who had overheard the tenor of our talk; "who are all these gods? There is one only God; and El is His thrice-holy name. Another name He has, but that we are forbidden to pronounce. In His sight Moloch, Zeus, Artemis, Melkarth, all are nothing. ”

“ No, no; not quite so ungrateful as that!"
"Desert our colours in the middle of the fight? nay, that will never do," cried Hannibal: "return home, who will; my post is with you, captain."
Chamai echoed his words, and Abigail averred her intention of not being parted from her lover.
I was quite overcome by the attachment of my people, and grasped them all in turns by the hand.
"The gods reward your courage and fidelity," I exclaimed. "But surely some of you will wish to return? Aminocles, what say you? do you not want to take your son back to his home? ”

“ We had no remedy; there was no hope of recovering our people or our property; our boats cannot compete with yours in speed. In our fury we swore that we would be avenged, and vowed we would attack the first Phœnicians we should see. You were the first. Now you know all."
"Bodmilcar! by all the gods!" ejaculated Himilco. "It is Bodmilcar that has involved us in this trouble. To him we owe the death of our brave Hadlai, and the loss of all our men! Ten thousand curses on him! Moloch's bitterest curse be on his head!" ”

“ What is the meaning of this angry contention?"
"I am telling Bodmilcar," said Hanno, "that he has about as much brains as a bullock, and about as much elegance as a Bactrian camel."
"And am I to endure this insolence from a young stripling?" cried Bodmilcar, angrily; "am I to put up with it from a fresh-water lubber, who will cry like a baby at the first gust of wind, and implore us to put him on shore again? He has lived among women and scribblers till he has no more pluck in him than a garden-tortoise." ”

“ Yes, it is his kitchen; where he roasts his behemoths and leviathans; his smallest platter is a good deal bigger than this deck. But the time is coming when El-Adonai shall demolish him, and the children of Israel shall feast upon him and his dainties!"
"Hold your tongue, you fool!" said Chamai. "None of your idiot stories of Dan, and your fables of the drunken Ephraimites!"
"Neither stories nor fables!" retorted Jonah; "have you not a proof before your eyes that it is all true? What will the people of Eltekeh say when I tell them I have seen Nergal's kitchen?" ”

“ Jono has no more liking for fish-oil than you have yourself. No one loves a draught of good wine better. And I may as well tell you at once who he is. He is none other than our friend Jonah of Eltekeh! our incomparable trumpeter, Jonah!"
"Ah! didn't I say," cried Himilco, "that no one but Jonah could bring out such a flourish as that?" ”

“ The oars were faced with ivory; the sails were embroidered with silver thread, with representations of Melkarth, Moloch, and Ashtoreth, the large hyacinth-coloured sail in the middle being worked with green to imitate waves, from which rose the figure of Ashtoreth protecting the fish from the fury of Dagon. A full band of musicians was playing at the bows, and, on deck, a number of graceful women, wearing state tiaras and triple necklaces, performed upon gaily painted tambourines, and waved light rods adorned with little bells and tassels of pale green and purple. At the stern sat King Hiram. ”

“ I stood dumb with bewilderment; but Hanno, with whom neither patience nor reticence were prevailing virtues, laid his hand upon the hilt of his sword, and said:—
"This sword was given me by Melek David, and whoever demands its surrender shall first know the feel of its point in his bosom."
White with passion, the old man started to his feet. In an instant a couple of guards had laid their hands upon the shoulders of my impetuous scribe.
"Let him alone!" he bawled; "I can defend myself." ”