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.