Salammbô

For other uses, see Salammbô (disambiguation).
Titelpage of Salammbô by Gustave Flaubert

Salammbô (1862) is a historical novel by Gustave Flaubert.[1] It is set in Carthage during the 3rd century BC,[1] immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt which took place shortly after the First Punic War. Flaubert's main source was Book I of Polybius's Histories. It was not a particularly well-studied period of history and required a great deal of work from the author, who enthusiastically left behind the realism of his masterpiece Madame Bovary for this melodramatic, blood-soaked tale.

The book, which Flaubert researched painstakingly, is largely an exercise in sensuous and violent exoticism. Following the success of Madame Bovary, it was another best-seller and sealed his reputation. The Carthaginian costumes described in it even left traces on the fashions of the time. Nevertheless, in spite of its classic status in France, it is not widely known today among English speakers.

Plot

Salammbô by Alfons Mucha (1896)

After the First Punic War, Carthage is unable to fulfill promises made to its army of mercenaries, and finds itself under attack. The fictional title character, a priestess and the daughter of Hamilcar Barca, an aristocratic Carthaginian general, is the object of the obsessive lust of Matho, a leader of the mercenaries. With the help of the scheming freed slave, Spendius, Matho steals the sacred veil of Carthage, the Zaïmph, prompting Salammbô to enter the mercenaries' camp in an attempt to steal it back. The Zaïmph is an ornate bejewelled veil draped about the statue of the goddess Tanit in the sanctum sanctorum of her temple: the veil is the city's guardian and touching it will bring death to the perpetrator.

Characters

The transliterations follow J. W. Matthews's English version.

Noted quotations and episodes

The opening words became at once almost proverbial: C'était à Mégara, faubourg de Carthage, dans les jardins d'Hamilcar... "It was at Megara, a suburb of Carthage, in the gardens of Hamilcar, that the soldiers whom he had commanded in Sicily were holding a great feast to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Eryx. The master was absent, their numbers were large, and accordingly they ate and drank in perfect freedom."

Many readers will remember the chilling passages of chapter 13 ("Moloch") that describe the burning of the children inside the huge, hollow brass statue of the Baal Moloch: "The brazen arms were working more quickly. They paused no longer. Every time that a child was placed in them the priests of Moloch spread out their hands upon him to burden him with the crimes of the people, vociferating: "They are not men but oxen!" and the multitude round about repeated: "Oxen! oxen!" The devout exclaimed: "Lord! Eat!".

Also noted is an episode which includes a dramatic account of the then boy Hannibal only narrowly avoiding being sacrificed.

Some of Flaubert's major plot points are departures from Polybius's account. For example, in reality Hanno was not crucified by the mercenaries; there was a Carthaginian general captured and crucified, but his name was Hannibal, and he felt this would have confused his readers.

Adaptations

Musical

Film

Other

Salammbô in art

References

  1. 1 2 Miles, Richard (2010). Carthage Must Be Destroyed:The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization. United States: Penguin Books. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-14-312129-9.

External links

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