Words and steps were watched; terrors awaked them in
the night. Many forsook their companions and chose their army as fancy
dictated, and the Gauls with Autaritus went and joined themselves with
the men of Cisalpine Gaul, whose language they understood.
The four chiefs met together every evening in Matho's tent, and
squatting round a shield, attentively moved backwards and forwards the
little wooden figures invented by Pyrrhus for the representation of
manoeuvres. Spendius would demonstrate Hamilcar's resources, and with
oaths by all the gods entreat that the opportunity should not be wasted.
Matho would walk about angry and gesticulating. The war against Carthage
was his own personal affair; he was indignant that the others should
interfere in it without being willing to obey him. Autaritus would
divine his speech from his countenance and applaud. Narr' Havas would
elevate his chin to mark his disdain; there was not a measure he did not
consider fatal; and he had ceased to smile. Sighs would escape him as
though he were thrusting back sorrow for an impossible dream, despair
for an abortive enterprise.
While the Barbarians deliberated in uncertainty, the Suffet increased
his defences: he had a second trench dug within the palisades, a second
wall raised, and wooden towers constructed at the corners; and his
slaves went as far as the middle of the outposts to drive caltrops into
the ground.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254