Lords of the World: A story of the fall of Carthage and Corinth

by Alfred John Church

  CHAPTER XV.

  THE PRISONERS.

  The Roman became so unwell, from the shock of his sudden immersionfollowing on a night of unusual exertion, that Cleanor found itnecessary to take him to his quarters. They were sitting together at themorning meal a few hours later, when Cleanor's soldier-servant announcedthat someone had called to see him on urgent business. It was theCarthaginian officer in whose company he had been during the adventuresof the night preceding.

  "What about the young Roman?" asked the new-comer, who seemed to be in astate of great agitation. "Did you give him up at head-quarters, or didyou bring him here by accident?"

  "He is here," replied Cleanor. "He seemed so weak that I thought itbest to bring him home with me."

  "That is well," said the Carthaginian, "though really I can hardly saywhether it is well. Do you know what has happened?"

  "I have heard nothing. My chief has released me from duty forfour-and-twenty hours, and I have taken the chance of getting a goodlong sleep."

  "Well, there have been most horrible doings. Hasdrubal was in a toweringrage this morning when he heard what had been going on in the Megara.The fact is"--the speaker lowered his voice to a whisper--"that, betweenyou and me, he was too tipsy last night to appear. I am told that theycould not make him understand anything. That did not make him moreamiable this morning. Then he has been blamed for letting the Megararemain as it is, and especially for the tower, which certainly ought notto have been allowed to stand. And lastly, there has been more talk ofcapitulation during the last few days. People were very much struck withScipio's liberality in the matter of the prisoners, and have begun tothink that better terms might be got from him. Well, all these thingshave been working him up to a great pitch of fury. So this morning hehad all the prisoners that were taken in last night's business, somethreescore altogether, brought down to the wall at the point nearest tothe Roman camp, and there he tortured them to death in the cruellestway. We Carthaginians are not so squeamish as you Greeks; but I tell youthat I felt fairly sick at what I saw, and I did not see a half or evena quarter of the horrors that took place. Some had their eyes or theirtongues torn out, some were flayed alive; and when he had done withthem, he had them flung down from the wall. 'Tell your general,' heshouted out, when the last of the poor wretches was tossed down, 'tellyour general that I sha'n't charge him more than one copper coin apiecefor them.'"

  "But this is mere madness," cried Cleanor. "What can he have beenthinking of? What was his motive?"

  "That is easily explained," replied the Carthaginian. "When it was allover he turned to one of the senators, who is supposed to favourpeace--he had compelled the man to come with him--and said: 'We haveheard the last of capitulation, I fancy, for some time. What terms doyou think your dear Scipio will be disposed to give you after this?' Andnow about your prisoner. I have come straight to warn you. We must thinkwhat is to be done. One thing, of course, is certain--you can't keep himhere. Some bird of the air would carry the matter. Hasdrubal, too, hashis spies everywhere, and knows everything, and you would hardly liketo give him up. He seemed a nice young fellow."

  "Give him up!" cried Cleanor--"certainly not. I should deserve to becrucified myself if I did."

  "You might tell him what has happened, and put him in the way of takingthe matter into his own hands. The Romans seem never to trouble muchabout killing themselves."

  "That seems but a mean way of getting out of the difficulty. The man ismy guest. I have eaten and drunk with him. He sha'n't be harmed, if Ican help it. I don't love the Romans, but I could not behave so to thevery worst of them, and least of all to a Scipio."

  "But you'll get into very serious trouble yourself."

  "Well, trouble or no trouble, I am determined to save him somehow.Meanwhile, many thanks to you for warning me. But there's no good inyour mixing yourself up in the matter."

  "Good! but mind this, the sooner he is out of the way the better forhim, if not for you. Farewell!"

  "Well," said the young Roman, when his captor returned, "this is a verypleasant way of being a prisoner, but I suppose it can't last. You mustdo your duty; pray, don't get yourself into trouble on my account."

  Cleanor was in a state of extreme perplexity. To hand over a gallantyoung soldier to a merciless savage such as Hasdrubal was impossible.Yet it seemed scarcely dutiful to Carthage to let a valuable prisonerescape; and, again, if he could make up his mind to this, how was suchan escape to be managed?

  "Doing my duty," he said, after a few minutes of silent reflection,"happens to be more than usually difficult."

  After another pause he went on, "After all, there is nothing for it butto tell you the simple truth. Hasdrubal has put all the prisoners todeath, and to a horribly cruel death."

  The prisoner grew pale. He was young, and life was dear to him. As aRoman, too, he knew the hideous traditions of Carthaginian cruelty. In afew moments he had recovered himself and his voice was firm.

  "I can bear," he said, "what my countrymen have borne. Or, if you wouldmake me feel that I have been more fortunate than they, give me back mysword for a moment."

  "Hasdrubal's deed is a crime," replied the young Greek, "and I will notmake myself an accomplice in it. Your sword I will certainly give you ifI can see no other way."

  Again he reflected, then his face lighted up. He had thought of a wayof escape out of part at least of his difficulty.

  "There is another way, and I will ask you to follow it without anyquestioning. I will certainly not give you up to Hasdrubal, nor will Isuffer you to give up your life for mine. Your sacrifice, too, would beuseless. Hasdrubal will say, if he should come to know about you, thathe wanted you alive, not dead, and will be as furious with me forletting you kill yourself as for letting you escape. So put that thoughtout of your mind. Now about escape; I have had half a hundred plans inmy mind during the last half-hour, but the best, I might say the onlyone, seems to be this. All Carthage is hard at work on some ramparts ofearth that are being made in the rear of the south wall, just where theground dips a little. Men of all ranks are working at them, and evenwomen and children. All are volunteers, no wages are given, and noquestions are asked. You can't miss the place, for there is a steadystream of people going backwards and forwards to it. Most of the menwear a rough sort of workman's tunic. I can give you one, and I canfurnish you with a spade. Work on there till it is dark. No one willthink it strange, for people who are employed in the day often give twoor three hours to work at the ramparts in the night. Then you must takeyour chance. Bide your time, and drop quietly down from the wall. Onething remember: don't on any account open your mouth. If anyone speaksto you, pretend to be dumb or that you don't understand. And there isone thing more which I ask, not because I think it necessary, butbecause I shall be able to answer for you better: swear by the oath thatin your country you think most binding, that you will give to thebesiegers no information as to what you have seen in the city."

  The young man swore by Jupiter and the household gods of his own familythat he would be absolutely silent on all that he had seen or heard.Shortly afterwards, equipped as Cleanor had described, he took his wayto the earthworks. It is needless to say anything more than that, afternightfall, he easily made his escape.

  When the day came to an end without any inquiry being made for theprisoner, Cleanor began to hope that the whole affair might escapenotice. Just before midnight, however, he received a visit from hisCarthaginian friend. "I have only a few moments," said the young man."First, as to the prisoner--what have you done with him? where is he?"

  "In the Roman camp by this time, I hope," replied Cleanor; and proceededbriefly to describe what he had done.

  "Well," said the other, "as nothing has been seen or heard of him, hehas probably made his escape; and a very lucky thing for him! But nowabout yourself. Hasdrubal knows, or will know to-morrow morning. One ofthe soldiers who was with us gave information. I will be even with himsome day, the mercenary scoundrel! Happily, the chief was too tip
sy tounderstand what was being told him. But he will be sober to-morrowmorning, and then look out for yourself. But what do you mean to do?"

  "Do?" replied Cleanor, "nothing, except tell him the truth."

  "Well, you don't want for courage. But remember, he is the mostmerciless brute on earth. Don't flatter yourself that you will find himanything else."

  "I have made up my mind. Let him do his worst. But a thousand thanks toyou!"

  "I wish we had a thousand men such as he in Carthage," muttered theyoung officer to himself as he went away--"as gentle as he is brave,whereas our people's fancy is to be cruel and cowardly."

  Early on the following morning an orderly made his appearance atCleanor's quarters. "The general understands," he said, "that you have aprisoner in your hands. You are to deliver him up."

  Cleanor did not feel himself bound to make any explanation to anorderly, and simply replied that he had no prisoner in his hands.

  "Then," said the man, "I am instructed to search your quarters."

  "Search, but you will find nothing."

  The man searched and went away. An hour or so afterwards he reappeared,this time with a guard of four soldiers. He had instructions, he said,to arrest Cleanor, son of Lysis, an officer of the guards of thesouth-west wall.

  Cleanor surrendered himself without a word, and was at once marched tohead-quarters. On his arrival he was handcuffed. Hasdrubal, who hadnever possessed much personal courage, was accustomed to take thisprecaution when any prisoner was brought into his presence.

  "I have it on good authority," said the general, when Cleanor stoodbefore him, "that you had a Roman prisoner in your hands on the night ofthe day before last. Why did you not deliver him up at once to theproper authorities?"

  "Because he was ill. If this was irregular, I acknowledge my fault."

  "Let that pass, then. Where is he now? How was it you suffered him toescape?"

  "I did not suffer him to escape; I took care that he should escape."

  "What!" cried the general in a furious voice--so far he had succeeded inkeeping calm--"what! you deliberately let him go! This is sheer treason!What have you to say?"

  "I could not let him be dealt with as the others were dealt with. Tohave given him up after that would have been a crime."

  "What audacity! Who are you, paltry Greek that you are, to make yourselfa ruler and a judge in Carthage? That is enough. It is your life for hislife. Take him away!" he roared to the guards who had the prisoner intheir charge.

  Cleanor was taken back to the guard-room, and shortly afterwardstransferred from that to a cell in the basement of the house, a squalid,stifling, ill-smelling place, dimly lighted by a strongly-barredaperture in the roof. Here he spent five days. Every morning his jaileropened the door just long enough to put within it a loaf of coarserye-bread and a flagon of doubtful-looking water. He saw and heardnothing more during the day.

  On the sixth day he was again brought before Hasdrubal. The general was,or seemed to be, in a different mood. He affected to be much disturbedat the prisoners squalid appearance, inquired how he had been treated,and when he heard the details declared that his orders had been entirelymisunderstood. Cleanor knew exactly how much value was to be attached tothese protestations, but prudently kept his counsel and thanked thegeneral for his kind intentions.

  "I have been wishing," Hasdrubal continued, "to have some conversationabout a matter in which you might be very useful to Carthage, but youare really not fit for it. Let me at all events do what I can to repairthis deplorable mistake."

  He whispered some instructions to an attendant, and Cleanor was usheredout of the room, being treated with a politeness which was in strongcontrast to the rude handling which he had received on the formeroccasion. He was provided with a bath and a change of clothes, andafterwards sat down to an excellent meal.

  Later on in the day he was again summoned into the general's presence."I cannot but think," said Hasdrubal, "that you were wrong in the matterof the prisoner, but you meant well; yes, you meant well, and it mayturn out for the best after all. The prisoner who escaped was a Scipio,was he not?"

  "Yes," replied the Greek, "he was a Scipio."

  "The Scipios will feel that they owe you something for what you havedone.... Does not that seem to give you an opening?"

  "I don't understand," replied Cleanor, though he had little doubt, as amatter of fact, what it was that the general wanted.

  "There are some things," continued Hasdrubal after a pause, "which Ishould much like to know, and I would gladly give ten talents to the manwho would find them out for me."

  "To put it plainly," said Cleanor, "you want me to go as a spy?"

  "Well," replied Hasdrubal, "if you choose to put it so--yes."

  "I cannot do it," said Cleanor.

  "I know that it is a dangerous bit of work; a spy gets no mercy. Butthen, think--I won't say, of the reward, for I believe that you thinklittle of that--think of the service you may be doing to Carthage."

  "It isn't that I refuse to be a spy. A spy's work, I take it, is aslawful and honest as any other. But I am not going to trade on what Idid for that young man. That would be base."

  Hasdrubal checked himself with some difficulty. He could see that theyoung Greek was not one to be bullied into compliance; but he did notgive up the hope of persuading him.

  "Well, well," he said after a pause, "we must talk of this again.Perhaps we may find some way for you to help us without offending yourconscience. Farewell for the present; and believe me that I am deeplyconcerned that you should have been put to inconvenience. It shall nothappen again."

  Cleanor found his quarters and his fare changed very much for thebetter. He had now an airy little chamber high up in the house, whichcommanded a view of the sea. He received a visit from the general's ownphysician, a countryman of his own, who claimed to be one of the greatÆsculapid clan.

  "A little reduced," said the man of science, after feeling his pulse andlistening to the beats of his heart--"a little reduced, but that is notto be wondered at. I shall not have to exhibit any drug; a generous dietwill do all that is wanted. And the general gives you the use of his ownprivate terrace, so that you will not want for fresh air and exercise."

  Time now passed pleasantly enough with the young man, though it wasirksome to be shut up in idleness while so much was going on. And therewas always the anxiety as to what Hasdrubal would do. The tiger waspleased for the time to sheath his claws, but the claws were there, andwould be shown some day. Meanwhile he made the best of his position. Thephysician paid him a daily visit, told him the news of the siege,chatted with him on various subjects, played sundry games of draughts orsoldiers,[36] and, best of all, lent him some books.

  More than once he was summoned to an interview with the general, who,however, did not again introduce the subject of the last meeting, butwas always very communicative and friendly, flattering the young man byreferring to him sundry military questions, and asking his advice. Atthe end of a fortnight he was unconditionally released, not a little tohis surprise. And his release was followed by reappointment to his oldcommand.

  He was not long left in ignorance of the causes which had brought aboutthis unexpected result. The fact was that pressure, which he did notfeel able to resist, had been brought to bear upon Hasdrubal. Tyrant andsavage as he was, he stood in fear of his soldiers, and could not affordto neglect any strong feeling that they might show. The Greek contingentamong the mercenaries was numerous, and constituted the most effectivepart of the force. With many of these men Cleanor was a personalfavourite; most of them knew him by repute, and had heard with sympathyhis melancholy story. Among the native Carthaginians also he had not afew well-wishers. Hasdrubal, accordingly, was made to understand that ifanything should happen to the young man, it would be strongly resented.His superior officer gave him an outline of these facts, but added, withsignificant emphasis:

  "Be on your guard with him, though that is easier to say than to do. Hedoes not forget or
forgive."

  FOOTNOTE:

  36: The Latin _latrunculi_, a game somewhat resembling our "military tactics", or "fox and geese".