He repelled him with a caress.
To make him remain quiet Salammbo tried to frighten him with Lamia, a Cyrenian ogress.
"But where is she ?" he asked.
He was told that brigands were coming to put him into prison.

"Let them come," he rejoined, "and I will kill them!" Then Hamilcar told him the frightful truth.

But he fell into a passion with his father, contending that he was quite able to annihilate the whole people, since he was the master of Carthage.
At last, exhausted by his exertions and anger, he fell into a wild sleep.

He spoke in his dreams, his back leaning against a scarlet cushion; his head was thrown back somewhat, and his little arm, outstretched from his body, lay quite straight in an attitude of command.
When the night had grown dark Hamilcar lifted him up gently, and, without a torch, went down the galley staircase.

As he passed through the mercantile house he took up a basket of grapes and a flagon of pure water; the child awoke before the statue of Aletes in the vault of gems, and he smiled--like the other--on his father's arm at the brilliant lights which surrounded him.
Hamilcar felt quite sure that his son could not be taken from him.