And indeed this fortunate escape had effects beyond the present, as it inspired high hopes and expectations of Timoleon, whom every one now felt bound to revere and protect as a sacred person sent by heaven to avenge and redeem Sicily.

17 Hicetes, having missed his aim in this enterprise, and perceiving also that many went off and sided with Timoleon, began to chide himself for his foolish modesty, that, when so large a force of the Carthaginians lay ready to be commanded by him, he had employed them hitherto by degrees and in small numbers, introducing their reinforcements by stealth and clandestinely, as if he had been ashamed of the action. Therefore now, laying aside his scruples, he calls in Mago their admiral with his whole navy, who presently came in and seized the port with a formidable fleet of a hundred and fifty vessels, landing there sixty thousand foot, which were all lodged within the city of Syracuse: so that in all men's belief the time anciently talked of and long expected, wherein Sicily should be subjugated by barbarians, was now come in its appointed course. For in all their preceding many wars and repeated conflicts in Sicily the Carthaginians had never before this entered Syracuse; whereas, Hicetes receiving them and putting the city into their hands, you might see it become now as it were a camp of barbarians. By this the Corinthian soldiers that kept the castle, found themselves brought into great danger and hardship; as, besides that their provision grew scarce and they began to be in want, because the ports were strictly guarded and blocked up, the enemy exercised them still with skirmishes and combats about their walls, and they had

to divide themselves to meet assaults of every kind, and every variety of the means of offence employed by a besieging army.

Timoleon made efforts to relieve them by sending 18 corn from Catana in small fishing-vessels and light boats, which commonly gained a passage through the Carthaginian galleys in times of storm, stealing up when the blockading ships were driven apart and dispersed by the stress of weather: which Mago and Hicetes observing, agreed to fall upon Catana, from whence these supplies were brought in to the besieged, and accordingly put off from Syracuse, taking with them the best soldiers of their army. Upon this Neon the Corinthian, the commander of the besieged, observing from the citadel that the enemies who stayed behind were very negligent and careless in keeping guard, made a sudden sally upon them as they lay scattered, and killing some and putting others to flight, he took and possessed himself of the quarter called Achradina, which was thought to be the strongest and most defensible part of Syracuse, a city made up and compacted, as it were, of several towns put together. And having supplied himself with corn and money, he did not abandon the place nor retire again into the castle, but fortifying the precincts of Achradina, and joining it by works to the citadel, he undertook the defence of both. Mago and Hicetes were now come near to Catana, when a horseman from Syracuse brought them tidings that Achradina was taken; upon which they returned in all haste with great disorder and confusion, having neither been able to reduce the city they went against, nor to preserve that they were masters of.

19 These successes indeed were such as might leave

foresight and courage a pretence of disputing it with fortune, which contributed most to the result. But the next following event can scarcely be ascribed to any thing but pure felicity. The Corinthian soldiers who stayed at Thurii, partly for fear of the Carthaginian galleys, which lay in wait for them under the command of Hanno, and partly because of tempestuous weather which had lasted for many days and rendered the sea dangerous, took a resolution to march by land over the Bruttian territories, and what with persuasion and force together, made good their passage through those barbarians to the city of Rhegium, the sea being still rough and raging as before. But Hanno, not expecting the Corinthians would venture out, and supposing it would be useless to wait there any longer, bethought himself, as he imagined, of a most ingenious and clever plan to delude and ensnare the enemy; he commands the seamen to crown themselves with garlands, and, adorning his galleys with shields of the Greek make and with scarlet coats, he sails away for Syracuse, and using all his speed, as he passed under the castle, with much shouting and laughter, cried out to dishearten the besieged, that he was come from vanquishing and taking the Corinthian succours, which he had met at sea as they were passing over. While he was thus trifling and playing his tricks before Syracuse, the Corinthians, now come as far as Rhegium, observing the coast clear, and that the wind also was laid, as it were by miracle, to afford them in all appearance a quiet and smooth passage, went immediately aboard on such little ferryboats and fishing-vessels as were then at hand, and got

over to Sicily with such complete safety and in such an extraordinary calm, that they drew their horses by the reins, they swimming along by them as the vessels went

across.

When they were all landed, Timoleon came to receive 20 them, and at once obtained possession of Messena; from whence he marched in good order to Syracuse, trusting more to his late successes than his present strength, as the whole army he had then with him did not exceed four thousand. Mago however was troubled and fearful at the first notice of his coming, and grew more apprehensive and suspicious upon the following occasion. The marshes about Syracuse, that receive a great deal of fresh water, as well from springs as from lakes and rivers discharging themselves into the sea, breed abundance of eels, which may be always taken there in great quantities by any that will fish for them. The mercenary soldiers on both sides were wont to follow the sport together at their vacant hours and upon any cessation of arms; who, being all Greeks and having no cause of private enmity to each other, as they would venture bravely in fight, so in times of truce used to meet and converse amicably together, And at this present time, while engaged about this common business of fishing, they fell into talk together; and some expressing their admiration of the neighbouring sea, and others theirs of the buildings and public works, one of the Corinthian party took occasion to ask the others: "And is it possible that you who are Grecians born, should be so forward to reduce a city of this greatness, and enjoying so many advantages, into the state of barbarism; and lend your assistance

21

to plant Carthaginians, that are the worst and bloodiest of men, so much the nearer to us? whereas you should rather wish there were many more Sicilies between them and Greece. Have you so little sense as to believe, that they come hither with an army from the Pillars of Hercules and the Atlantic Sea, to hazard themselves for the establishment of Hicetes? who if he had had the consideration which becomes a ruler, would never have thrown out his ancestors and founders to bring in the enemies of his country in the room of them, when he might have enjoyed all suitable honour and command, if he had but joined the cause of Timoleon and the Corinthians." The Greeks that were in pay with Hicetes spread these words about the camp, and gave Mago some ground to suspect, as indeed he had long sought for a pretence to be gone, that there was treachery contrived against him. So that although Hicetes entreated him to stay, and made it appear how much stronger they were than the enemy, yet conceiving they came far more short of Timoleon in respect of courage and fortune, than they surpassed him in number, he presently went aboard and set sail for Africa, letting Sicily escape out of his hands with dishonour to himself, and for such uncertain causes, that no human reason could be given to explain his departure.

The day after he went away, Timoleon came up before the city in array for a battle. But when he and his company heard of this sudden flight, and saw the docks all empty, they could not forbear laughing at the cowardice of Mago, and in mockery caused proclamation to be made through the city, that a reward would be given to any one who could bring tidings whither the