Salammbô (novel)

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Salammbô by Alfons Mucha (1896)

Salammbô (1862) is an historical novel by Gustave Flaubert, which interweaves historical and fictional characters. The action takes place immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt against Carthage in the third century BC. 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 dreary subject-matter of Madame Bovary for this lurid tale of blood-and-thunder.

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 therein even left traces on the fashions of the time. Nevertheless, it is practically unknown today among English-speakers.

1 Plot summary
2 Characters
3 Quotations
4 Adaptations
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After the First Punic War, Carthage is unable to fulfil 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.

Flaubert departs from Polybius's account in many particulars.

Chapter 1. The Feast. During a victory banquet, the mercenaries destroy Hamilcar's garden for sport in his absence. Hamilcar's daughter Salammbô tries to quell the riot. Matho falls in love with her. The slave Spendius is released, and he tries to persuade Matho to take Carthage for the mercenaries.
Chapter 2. At Sicca. The mercenaries leave the city unpaid and travel to Sicca. Later, Hanno comes and speaks to the mercenaries about delays in recompensing them, but he is driven off when Zarxas arrives and tells them of a treacherous massacre of 300 slingers who had stayed behind.
Chapter 3. Salammbô. Hamilcar's daughter prays and is instructed by Schahabarim.
Chapter 4. Beneath the Walls of Carthage. The mercenaries besiege Carthage; Matho and Spendius penetrate via the aqueduct.
Chapter 5. Tanit. Matho and Spendius steal the Zaïmph. Because Matho is caught while breaking into Salammbô's bedroom to see her again, she falls under suspicion of complicity.
Chapter 6. Hanno. The mercenaries leave Carthage and split into two groups, attacking Utica and Hippo-Zarytus. Hanno surprises Spendius at Utica, and occupies the city, but flees when Matho arrives and routs his troops.
Chapter 7. Hamilcar Barca. The hero returns and an attempt is made to blame him for Hanno's losses. He defends himself before the Council and defends the mercenaries, but turns against the barbarians when he sees the damage they have done to his property.
Chapter 8. The Battle of the Macar. Hamilcar defeats Spendius at the bridge of the Macar, three miles from Utica.
Chapter 9. In the Field. Hamilcar's troops are trapped by the mercenaries.
Chapter 10. The Serpent. Schahabarim sends Salammbô in disguise to retrieve the Zaïmph.
Chapter 11. In the Tent. Salammbô reaches Matho in his tent at the encampment. Believing each other to be divine apparitions, they make love. The mercenaries are attacked and dispersed by Hamilcar's troops. She takes away the Zaïmph, and on meeting her father, Hamilcar has her betrothed to Narr' Havas, a mercenary who has changed sides.
Chapter 12. The Aqueduct. The Carthaginians return to their city with the mercenaries in pursuit. Spendius cuts off the water supply to Carthage.
Chapter 13. Moloch. Carthaginian children are sacrificed to Moloch. Hamilcar disguises a slave-child as his son Hannibal and sends him to die in his son's place.
Chapter 14. The Defile of the Axe. The drought is broken and aid comes. Hamilcar drives the mercenaries away from their encampments. Later, thousands of mercenaries are trapped in a defile and slowly starve (the Battle of "The Saw"). Deaths of Hanno and Spendius, both by crucifixion. (In reality, Hanno survived by decades.)
Chapter 15. Matho. Victory celebrations at Carthage. Matho is tortured before his execution; Salammbô, witnessing this, dies of shock.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Characters

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

Abdalonim, the overseer of Hamilcar's stewards
Autharitus (Autharite), a leader of the Mercenaries
Demonades, a servant of Hanno
Giddenem, the governor of Hamilcar's slaves
Gisco (Gesco), a Carthaginian general
Hamilcar Barca (Amilcar), Carthaginian general who led the mercenaries before the events of the book
Hannibal, Hamilcar's young son
Hanno (Hannon), a Carthaginian general (based on Hanno the Great)
Iddibal, a servant of Hamilcar
Matho (Mâthos), a leader of the Mercenaries
Narr' Havas (Flaubert's spelling of Naravas), prince of the Numidians, and a leader of the Mercenaries
Salammbô, daughter of Hamilcar
Schahabarim, high priest of Tanith, and teacher of Salammbô
Spendius, a slave of Hamilcar, captured at the battle of Argunisae, who becomes a leader of the Mercenaries during the Revolt
Taanach, a slave attending Salammbô
Zarxas (Zarzas), a leader of the Mercenaries

[edit] Quotations

The opening words were 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."

[edit] Adaptations

[edit] Musical

Salammbô, an unfinished opera by Modest Mussorgsky (1863-66)
Salammbô, an opera composed by Ernest Reyer based on Flaubert's novel (1890).
Salammbo is the title of the opera that Charles Foster Kane promotes for his second wife in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, composed by Bernard Herrmann.
Salammbô, an opera by the French composer Philippe Fénélon, on a libretto by Jean-Yves Masson after Flaubert (1998)

[edit] Film

Salammbô, a silent film by Pierre Marodon, with music by Florent Schmitt
Salammbô, a peplum (or sword and sandal film) by Sergio Grieco (1962)
Salammbo was also very freely adapted for the Italian silent movie classic Cabiria in 1914, which was the first of many films to star the recurring character Maciste.

[edit] Other

Salammbo, a play by Charles Ludlam (1988)
Salammbô, a series of science fiction comic books by Phillippe Druillet
Salammbo: Battle for Carthage is the title of a Windows game by Dreamcatcher Interactive with artwork by Druillet. Its story is based on both Gustave Flaubert's and Phillipe Druillet's works (2003)