timoleon-第5章

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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　stratagem　apt　to　delude　and
ensnare　the　enemy；　in　pursuance　of　which　he　commanded　the　seamen　to
crown　themselves　with　garlands；　and　adorning　his　galleys　with　bucklers
both　of　the　Greek　and　Carthaginian　make；　he　sailed　away　for　Syracuse
in　this　triumphant　equipage；　and　using　all　his　oars　as　he　passed　under
the　castle　with　much　shouting　and　laughter；　cried　out；　on　purpose　to
dishearten　the　besieged；　that　he　was　come　from　vanquishing　and
taking　the　Corinthian　succours；　which　he　fell　upon　at　sea　as　they　were
passing　over　into　Sicily。　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　was　laid；　as　it　were　by
miracle；　to　afford　them　in　all　appearance　a　quiet　and　smooth
passage；　went　immediately　aboard　on　such　little　barks　and
fishing…boats　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；　swimming　along　by　them　as　the　vessels
went　across。
　　When　they　were　all　landed；　Timoleon　came　to　receive　them；　and　by
their　means　at　once　obtained　possession　of　Messena；　from　whence　he
marched　in　good　order　to　Syracuse；　trusting　more　to　his　late
prosperous　achievements　than　his　present　strength；　as　the　whole　army
he　had　then　with　him　did　not　exceed　the　number　of　four　thousand：　Mago；
however；　was　troubled　and　fearful　at　the　first　notice　of　his　coming；
and　grew　more　apprehensive　and　jealous　still　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　that　served　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　telling　how　much　they　were　taken　with　the
convenience　and　commodiousness　of　the　buildings　and　public　works；
one　of　the　Corinthian　party　took　occasion　to　demand　of　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
rare　advantages；　into　the　state　of　barbarism；　and　lend　your　assistance
to　plant　Carthaginans；　that　are　the　worst　and　bloodiest　of　men；　so
much　the　nearer　to　us？　whereas　you　should　rather　wish　there　were
many　more　Sicilies　to　lie　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　general；　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；　with
consent　of　Timoleon　and　the　rest　of　Corinth。〃　The　Greeks　that　were
in　pay　with　Hicetes；　noising　these　discourses　about　their　camp；　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　tarry；　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
give　an　account　of　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　them　tidings　whither　the　Carthaginian　fleet　had　conveyed
itself　from　them。　However；　Hicetes　resolving　to　fight　it　out　alone；
and　not　quitting　his　hold　of　the　city；　but　sticking　close　to　the
quarters　he　was　in　possession　of；　places　that　were　well　fortified
and　not　easy　to　be　attacked；　Timoleon　divided　his　forces　into　three
parts；　and　fell　himself　upon　the　side　where　the　river　Anapas　ran；
which　was　most　strong　and　difficult　of　access；　and　he　commanded
those　that　were　led　by　Isias；　a　Corinthian　captain；　to　make　their
assault　from　the　post　of　Acradina；　while　Dinarchus　and　Demaretus；　that
brought　him　the　last　supply　from　Corinth；　were；　with　a　third　division；
to　attempt　the　quarter　called　Epipolae。　A　considerable　impression
being　made　from　every　side　at　once；　the　soldiers　of　Hicetes　were
beaten　off　and　put　to　flight；　and　this…　that　the　city　came　to　be　taken
by　storm；　and　fall　suddenly　into　their　hands；　upon　the　defeat　and　rout
of　the　enemy…　we　must　in　all　justice　ascribe　to　the　valour　of　the
assailants　and　the　wise　conduct　of　their　general；　but　that　not　so　much
as　a　man　of　the　Corinthians　was　either　slain　or　wounded　in　the　action；
this　the　good　fortune　of　Timoleon　seems　to　challenge　for　her　own　work；
as　though；　in　a　sort　of　rivalry　with　his　own　personal　exertions；　she
made　it　her　aim　to　exceed　and　obscure　his　actions　by　her　favours；　that
those　who　heard　him　commended　for　his　noble　deeds　might　rather
admire　the　happiness　than　the　merit　of　them。　For　the　fame　of　what
was　done　not　only　passed　through　all　Sicily；　and　filled　Italy　with
wonder；　but　even　Greece　itself；　after　a　few　days；　came　to　ring　with
the　greatness　of　his　exploit；　insomuch　that　those　of　Corinth；　who
had　as　yet　no　certainty　that　their　auxiliaries　were　landed　on　the
island；　had　tidings　brought　them　at　the　same　time　that　they　were
safe　and　were　conquerors。　In　so　prosperous　a　course　did　affairs　run；
and　such　was　the　speed　and　celerity　of　execution　with　which　fortune；
as　with　a　new　ornament；　set　off　the　native　lustres　of　the　performance。
　　Timoleon；　being　master　of　the　citadel；　avoided　the　error　which
Dion　had　been　guilty　of。　He　spared　not　the　place　for　the　beauty　and
sumptuousness　of　its　fabric；　and；　keeping　clear　of　those　suspicions
which　occasioned　first　the　unpopularity　and　afterwards　the　fall　of
Dion；　made　a　public　crier　give　notice　that　all　the　Syracusans　who　were
willing　to　have　a　hand　in　the　work　should　bring　pick…axes　and
mattocks；　and　other　instruments；　and　help　him　to　demolish　the
fortifications　of　the　tyrants。　When　they　all　came　up　with　one
accord；　looking　upon　that　order　and　that　day　as　the　surest
foundation　of　their　liberty；　they　not　only　pulled　down　the　castle；　but
overturned　the　palaces　and　monuments　adjoining；　and　whatever　else
might　preserve　any　memory　of　former　tyrants。　Having　soon　levelled
and　cleared　the　place；　he　there　presently　erected　courts　for
administration　of　justice；　ratifying　the　citizens　by　this　means；　and
building　popular　government　on　the　fall　and　ruin　of　tyranny。　But　since
he　had　recovered　a　city　destitute　of　inhabitants；　some　of　them　dead　in
civil　wars　and　insurrections；　and　others　being　fled　to　escape　tyrants；
so　that　through　solitude　and　want　of　people　the　great　market…place
of　Syracuse　was　overgrown　with　such　quantity　of　rank　herbage　that　it
became　a　pasture　for　their　horses；　the　grooms　lying　along　in　the　grass
as　they　fed　by　them；　while　also　other　towns；　very　few　excepted；　were
become　full　of　stags　and　wild　boars；　so　that　those　who　had　nothing
else　to　do　went　frequently　a…hunting；　and　found　game　in　the　suburbs
and　about　the　walls；　and　not　one　of　those　who　possessed　themselves
of　castles；　or　made　garrisons　in　the　country；　could　be　persuaded　to
quit　their　present　abode；　or　would　accept　an　invitation　to　return　back
into　the　city；　so　much　did　they　all　dread　and　abhor　the　very　name　of
assemblies　and　forms　of　government　and　public　speaking；　that　had
produced　the　greater　part　of　those　usurpers　who　had　successively
assumed　a　dominion　over　them…　Timoleon；　therefore；　with　the　Syracusans
that　remained；　considering　this　vast　desolation；　and　how　little　hope
there　was　to　have　it　otherwise　supplied；　thought　good　to　write　to
the　Corinthians；　requesting　that　they　would　send　a　colony　out　of
Greece　to　repeople　Syracuse。　For　else　the　land　about　it　would　lie
unimproved；　and　besides　this；　they　expected　to　be　involved　in　a
greater　war　from　Africa；　having　news　brought　them　that　Mago　had　killed
himself；　and　that　the　Carthaginians；　out　of　rage　for　his　ill…conduct
in　the　late　expedition；　had　caused　his　body　to　be　nailed　upon　a　cross；
and　that　they　were　raising　a　mighty　force；　with　design　to　make　their
descent　upon　Sicily　the　next　summer。
　　These　letters　from　Timoleon　being　delivered　at　Corinth；　and　the
ambassadors　of　Syracuse　beseeching　them　at　the　same　time　that　they
would　take　upon　them　the　care　of　their　poor　city；　and　once　again
become　the　founders　of　it；　the　Corinthians　were　not　tempted　by　any
feeling　of　cupidity　to　lay　hold　of　the　advantage。　Nor　did　they　seize
and　appropriate　the　city　to　themselves；　but　going　about　first　to　the
games　that　are　kept　as　sacred　in　Greece；　and　to　the　most　numerously
attended　religious　assemblages；　they　made　publication　by　heralds；　that
the　Corinthians；　having　destroyed　the　usurpation　at　Syracuse　and
driven　out　the　tyrant；　did　thereby　invite　the　Syracusan　exiles；　and
any　other　Siceliots；　to　return　and　inhabit　the　city；　with　full
enjoyment　of　freedom　under　their　own　laws；　the　land　being　divided
among　them　in　just　and　equal　proportions。　And　after　this；　sending
messengers　into　Asia　and　the　several　islands　where　they　understood
that　most　of　the　scattered　fugitives　were　then　residing；　they　bade
them　all　repair　to　Corinth；　engaging　that　the　Corinthians　would　afford
them　vessels　and　commanders；　and　a　safe　convoy；　at　their　own
charges；　to　Syracuse。　Such　generous　proposals；　being　thus　spread
about；　gained　them　the　just　and　honourable　recompense　of　general
praise　and　benediction；　for　delivering　the　country　from　oppressors；
and　saving　it　from　barbarians；　and　restoring　it　at　length　to　the
rightful　owners　of　the　place。　These；　when　they　were　assembled　at
Corinth；　and　found　how　insufficient　their　company　was；　besought　the
Corinthians　that　they　might　have　a　supplement　of　other　persons；　as
well　out　of　their　city　as　the　rest　of　Greece；　to　go