Chapter LXXXII

SICILY DURING THE DESPOTISM OF THE ELDER DIONYSIUS AT SYRACUSE.

Imilkon with the Carthaginian army marches from Agrigentum to
attack Gela.—Brave defence of the Geloans—Dionysius arrives
with an army to relieve them.—Plan of Dionysius for a general
attack on the Carthaginian army.—He is defeated and obliged
to retreat.—He evacuates Gela and Kamarina—flight of the
population of both places, which are taken and sacked by the
Carthaginians.—Indignation and charges of treachery against
Dionysius.—Mutiny of the Syracusan horsemen—they ride off to
Syracuse, and declare against Dionysius.—Their imprudence.
Dionysius master of Syracuse.—Propositions of peace come from
Imilkon. Terms of peace.—Collusion of Dionysius with the
Carthaginians, who confirm his dominion over Syracuse. Pestilence
in the Carthaginian army.—Near coincidence, in time, of this
peace, with the victory of Lysander at Ægospotami—sympathy
of Sparta with Dionysius.—Depressed condition of the towns
of Southern Sicily, from Cape Pachynus to Lilybæum.—Strong
position of Dionysius.—Strong fortifications and other
buildings erected by Dionysius, in and about Ortygia.—He
assigns houses in Ortygia to his soldiers and partisans—he
distributes the lands of Syracuse anew.—Exorbitant exactions
of Dionysius—discontent at Syracuse.—Dionysius marches out of
Syracuse against the Sikels—mutiny of the Syracusan soldiers
at Herbesa—Dorikus the commander is slain.—The Syracusan
insurgents, with assistance from Rhegium and Messênê, besiege
Dionysius in Ortygia.—Despair of Dionysius—he applies to a
body of Campanians in the Carthaginian service, for aid.—He
amuses the assailants with feigned submission—arrival of the
Campanians—victory of Dionysius.—Dionysius strengthens his
despotism more than before—assistance lent to him by the
Spartan Aristus—Nikoteles the Corinthian is put to death.—He
disarms the Syracusan citizens—strengthens the fortifications
of Ortygia—augments his mercenary force.—Dionysius conquers
Naxus, Katana, and Leontini.—Great power of Dionysius.
Foundation of Alæsa by Archonides.—Resolution of Dionysius to
make war upon Carthage.—Locality of Syracuse—danger to which
the town had been exposed, in the Athenian siege.—Additional
fortifications made by Dionysius along the northern ridge of
the cliffs of Epipolæ, up the Euryalus.—Popularity of the
work—efforts made by all the Syracusans as well as by Dionysius
himself.—Preparations of Dionysius for aggressive war against
the Carthaginians.—Improvement in the behavior of Dionysius
towards the Syracusans.—His conciliatory offers to other
Grecian cities in Sicily. Hostile sentiment of the Rhegines
towards him. Their application to Messênê.—He makes peace with
Messênê and Rhegium.—He desires to marry a Rhegine wife. His
proposition is declined by the city. He is greatly incensed.—He
makes a proposition to marry a wife from Lokri—his wish is
granted—he marries a Lokrian maiden named Doris.—Immense warlike
equipment of Dionysius at Syracuse—arms, engines, etc.—Naval
preparations in the harbor of Syracuse. Enlargement of the bulk
of ships of war—quadriremes and quinqueremes.—General sympathy
of the Syracusans in his projects against Carthage.—He hires
soldiers from all quarters.—He celebrates his nuptials with two
wives on the same day—Doris and Aristomachê. Temporary good
feeling at Syracuse towards him.—He convokes the Syracusan
assembly, and exhorts them to war against Carthage.—He desires
to arrest the emigration of those who were less afraid of the
Carthaginian dominion than of his.—He grants permission to
plunder the Carthaginian residents and ships at Syracuse. Alarm
at Carthage—suffering in Africa from the pestilence.—Dionysius
marches out from Syracuse with a prodigious army against
the Carthaginians in Sicily.—Insurrection against Carthage,
among the Sicilian Greeks subject to her. Terrible tortures
inflicted on the Carthaginians.—Dionysius besieges the
Carthaginian seaport Motyê.—Situation of Motyê—operations of
the siege—vigorous defence.—Dionysius overruns the neighboring
dependencies of Carthage—doubtful result of the siege of
Motyê—appearance of Imilkon with a Carthaginian fleet—he is
obliged to return.—Desperate defence of Motyê. It is at length
taken by a nocturnal attack.—Plunder of Motyê—the inhabitants
either slaughtered or sold for slaves.—Farther operations of
Dionysius.—Arrival of Imilkon with a Carthaginian armament—his
successful operations—he retakes Motyê.—Dionysius retires to
Syracuse.—Imilkon captures Messênê.—Revolt of the Sikels from
Dionysius. Commencement of Tauromenium.—Provisions of Dionysius
for the defence of Syracuse—he strengthens Leontini—he advances
to Katana with his land-army as well as his fleet.—Naval battle
off Katana—great victory of the Carthaginian fleet under
Magon.—Arrival of Imilkon to join the fleet of Magon near
Katana—fruitless invitation to the Campanians of Ætna.—Dionysius
retreats to Syracuse—discontent of his army.—Imilkon marches
close up to Syracuse—the Carthaginian fleet come up to occupy
the Great Harbor—their imposing entry. Fortified position
of Imilkon near the Harbor.—Imilkon plunders the suburb of
Achradina—blockades Syracuse by sea.—Naval victory gained by the
Syracusan fleet during the absence of Dionysius.—Effect of this
victory in exalting the spirits of the Syracusans.—Public meeting
convened by Dionysius—mutinous spirit against him—vehement
speech by Thedorus.—Sympathy excited by the speech in the
Syracusan assembly.—The Spartan Pharakidas upholds Dionysius—who
finally dismisses the assembly, and silences the adverse
movement.—Alliance of Sparta with Dionysius—suitable to her
general policy at the time. The emancipation of Syracuse depended
upon Pharakidas.—Dionysius tries to gain popularity.—Terrific
pestilence among the Carthaginian army before Syracuse.—Dionysius
attacks the Carthaginian camp. He deliberately sacrifices a
detachment of his mercenaries.—Success of Dionysius, both by sea
and by land, against the Syracusan position.—Conflagration of
the Carthaginian camp—exultation at Syracuse.—Imilkon concludes
a secret treaty with Dionysius, to be allowed to escape with the
Carthaginians, on condition of abandoning his remaining army.
Destruction of the remaining Carthaginian army, except Sikels and
Iberians.—Distress at Carthage—miserable end of Imilkon.—Danger
of Carthage—anger and revolt of her African subjects—at length
put down. 446-512

HISTORY OF GREECE.