# Salammbô — Salammbô character guide

> Salammbô in Salammbô by Gustave Flaubert.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the panting Salammbô

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-feast

## Snapshot

Daughter of Hamilcar and priestess of Tanith, she is haunted by the stolen zaïmph and by a desire that draws her toward the enemy who took it.

## Who they are

Salammbô lives in the jeweled seclusion of her father's palace, tending the sacred serpent and suffering a wasting longing that the priest Schahabarim names as the goddess's touch. She has seen the zaïmph and cannot forget it, and her horror of Matho slowly shades into something she cannot name. When Schahabarim declares that only she can recover the veil, her private affliction becomes the fate of Carthage itself.

## Relationships

### [Matho](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/matho)

_romantic_

Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.

### [Taanach](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/taanach)

_professional_

Taanach is Salammbô's devoted servant and confidante, attending to her personal needs.

### [Schahabarim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/schahabarim)

_psychological_

Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.

### [Narr'Havas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/narr_havas)

_romantic_

Narr'Havas desires Salammbô as a bride to secure political power and alliance with Hamilcar.

### [Matho](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/matho)

_romantic_

Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.

### [Matho](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/matho)

_romantic_

Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.

### [Schahabarim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/schahabarim)

_psychological_

Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.

### [Taanach](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/taanach)

_professional_

Taanach is Salammbô's devoted servant and confidante, attending to her personal needs.

### [Schahabarim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/schahabarim)

_psychological_

Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.

## In the story

### [I: The Feast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/i-the-feast)

Salammbô appears in a chariot, sings of Melkarth and her lineage, and speaks in multiple dialects to appease the Mercenaries, displaying her power and mystique.

### [III: Salammbô](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/iii-salammb)

Performs the moon ritual and expresses her spiritual longing for Tanith; she is conflicted between her devotion and her father's political plans for her.

### [V: Tanith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/v-tanith)

Confronts Matho after the theft, cursing him and the veil, and her imprecations echo through the city as he flees.

### [VII: Hamilcar Barca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/vii-hamilcar-barca)

Confronted by Hamilcar, she is terrified and collapses, hinting at her involvement with a Barbarian.

### [X: The Serpent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/x-the-serpent)

Disturbed by her serpent's illness and her own inner turmoil after seeing the zaïmph; undergoes ritual purification and serpent ceremony.

### [XI: In the Tent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/xi-in-the-tent)

Retrieves the zaïmph, escapes Gisco, and yields to Matho in his tent, torn between desire and duty.

### [XIII: Moloch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/xiii-moloch)

Attempts to calm Hannibal by telling him about Lamia, the Cyrenian ogress.

### [XV: Matho](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/chapters/xv-matho)

Marries Narr'Havas but is emotionally overwhelmed by Matho's suffering; she dies after drinking a toast.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters/salammbo
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/salammb_se/characters