timoleon-第7章

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swollen　partly　by　the　rain；　and　partly　by　the　stoppage　of　its　course
with　the　numbers　that　were　passing　through；　overflowed　its　banks；
and　the　level　ground　by　the　side　of　it；　being　so　situated　as　to　have　a
number　of　small　ravines　and　hollows　of　the　hillside　descending　upon
it；　was　now　filled　with　rivulets　and　currents　that　had　no　certain
channel；　in　which　the　Carthaginians　stumbled　and　rolled　about；　and
found　themselves　in　great　difficulty。　So　that；　in　fine；　the　storm
bearing　still　upon　them；　and　the　Greeks　having　cut　in　pieces　four
hundred　men　of　their　first　ranks；　the　whole　body　of　their　army　began
to　fly。　Great　numbers　were　overtaken　in　the　plain；　and　put　to　the
sword　there；　and　many　of　them；　as　they　were　making　their　way　back
through　the　river；　falling　foul　upon　others　that　were　yet　coming　over；
were　borne　away　and　overwhelmed　by　the　waters；　but　the　major　part；
attempting　to　get　up　the　hill　so　as　to　make　their　escape；　were
intercepted　and　destroyed　by　the　light…armed　troops。　It　is　said
that；　of　ten　thousand　who　lay　dead　after　the　fight；　three　thousand；　at
least；　were　Carthaginian　citizens；　a　heavy　loss　and　great　grief　to
their　countrymen；　those　that　fell　being　men　inferior　to　none　among
them　as　to　birth；　wealth；　or　reputation。　Nor　do　their　records
mention　that　so　many　native　Carthaginians　were　ever　cut　off　before
in　any　one　battle；　as　they　usually　employed　Africans；　Spaniards；　and
Numidians　in　their　wars；　so　that　if　they　chanced　to　be　defeated；　it
was　still　at　the　cost　and　damage　of　other　nations。
　　The　Greeks　easily　discovered　of　what　condition　and　account　the　slain
were　by　the　richness　of　their　spoils；　for　when　they　came　to　collect
the　booty；　there　was　little　reckoning　made　either　of　brass　or　iron；　so
abundant　were　better　metals；　and　so　common　were　silver　and　gold。
Passing　over　the　river　they　became　masters　of　their　camp　and
carriages。　As　for　captives；　a　great　many　of　them　were　stolen　away
and　sold　privately　by　the　soldiers　but　about　five　thousand　were
brought　in　and　delivered　up　for　the　benefit　of　the　public；　two　hundred
of　their　chariots　of　war　were　also　taken。　The　tent　of　Timoleon　then
presented　a　most　glorious　and　magnificent　appearance；　being　heaped
up　and　hung　round　with　every　variety　of　spoils　and　military　ornaments；
among　which　there　were　a　thousand　breastplates　of　rare　workmanship　and
beauty；　and　bucklers　to　the　number　of　ten　thousand。　The　victors
being　but　few　to　strip　so　many　that　were　vanquished；　and　having　such
valuable　booty　to　occupy　them；　it　was　the　third　day　after　the　fight
before　they　could　erect　and　finish　the　trophy　of　their　conquest。
Timoleon　sent　tidings　of　his　victory　to　Corinth；　with　the　best　and
goodliest　arms　he　had　taken　as　a　proof　of　it；　that　he　thus　might
render　his　country　an　object　of　emulation　to　the　whole　world；　when；　of
all　the　cities　of　Greece；　men　should　there　alone　behold　the　chief
temples　adorned；　not　with　Grecian　spoils；　nor　offerings　obtained　by
the　bloodshed　and　plunder　of　their　own　countrymen　and　kindred；　and
attended；　therefore；　with　sad　and　unhappy　remembrances；　but　with
such　as　had　been　stripped　from　barbarians　and　enemies　to　their　nation；
with　the　noblest　titles　inscribed　upon　them；　titles　telling　of　the
justice　as　well　as　fortitude　of　the　conquerors；　namely；　that　the
people　of　Corinth；　and　Timoleon　their　general；　having　redeemed　the
Greeks　of　Sicily　from　Carthaginian　bondage；　made　oblation　of　these
to　the　gods；　in　grateful　acknowledgment　of　their　favour。
　　Having　done　this；　he　left　his　hired　soldiers　in　the　enemy's
country　to　drive　and　carry　away　all　they　could　throughout　the
subject…territory　of　Carthage；　and　so　marched　with　the　rest　of　his
army　to　Syracuse；　where　he　issued　an　edict　for　banishing　the
thousand　mercenaries　who　had　basely　deserted　him　before　the　battle；
and　obliged　them　to　quit　the　city　before　sunset。　They；　sailing　into
Italy；　lost　their　lives　there　by　the　hands　of　the　Bruttians；　in
spite　of　a　public　assurance　of　safety　previously　given　them；　thus
receiving；　from　the　divine　power；　a　just　reward　of　their　own
treachery。　Mamercus；　however；　the　tyrant　of　Catana；　and　Hicetes；　after
all；　either　envying　Timoleon　the　glory　of　his　exploits；　or　fearing　him
as　one　that　would　keep　no　agreement；　or　having　any　peace　with　tyrants；
made　a　league　with　the　Carthaginians；　and　pressed　them　much　to　send
a　new　army　and　commander　into　Sicily；　unless　they　would　be　content
to　hazard　all　and　to　be　wholly　ejected　out　of　that　island。　And　in
consequence　of　this；　Gisco　was　despatched　with　a　navy　of　seventy　sail。
He　took　numerous　Greek　mercenaries　also　into　pay；　that　being　the　first
time　they　had　ever　been　enlisted　for　the　Carthaginian　service；　but
then　it　seems　the　Carthaginians　began　to　admire　them；　as　the　most
irresistible　soldiers　of　all　mankind。　Uniting　their　forces　in　the
territory　of　Messena；　they　cut　off　four　hundred　of　Timoleon's　paid
soldiers；　and　within　the　dependencies　of　Carthage；　at　a　place　called
Hierae；　destroyed；　by　an　ambuscade；　the　whole　body　of　mercenaries　that
served　under　Euthymus　the　Leucadian；　which　accidents；　however；　made
the　good　fortune　of　Timoleon　accounted　all　the　more　remarkable；　as
these　were　the　men　that；　with　Philomelus　of　Phocis　and　Onomarchus；　had
forcibly　broken　into　the　temple　of　Apollo　at　Delphi；　and　were
partakers　with　them　in　the　sacrilege；　so　that　being　hated　and
shunned　by　all；　as　persons　under　a　curse；　they　were　constrained　to
wander　about　in　Peloponnesus；　when；　for　want　of　others；　Timoleon　was
glad　to　take　them　into　service　in　his　expedition　for　Sicily；　where
they　were　successful　in　whatever　enterprise　they　attempted　under　his
conduct。　But　now；　when　all　the　important　dangers　were　past；　on　his
sending　them　out　for　the　relief　and　defence　of　his　party　in　several
places；　they　perished　and　were　destroyed　at　a　distance　from　him；　not
all　together；　but　in　small　parties；　and　the　vengeance　which　was
destined　for　them；　so　accommodating　itself　to　the　good　fortune　which
guarded　Timoleon　as　not　to　allow　any　harm　or　prejudice　for　good　men　to
arise　from　the　punishment　of　the　wicked；　the　benevolence　and
kindness　which　the　gods　had　for　Timoleon　was　thus　as　distinctly
recognized　in　his　disasters　as　in　his　successes。
　　What　most　annoyed　the　Syracusans　was　their　being　insulted　and　mocked
by　the　tyrants；　as；　for　example；　by　Mamercus；　who　valued　himself
much　upon　his　gift　for　writing　poems　and　tragedies；　and　took　occasion；
when　coming　to　present　the　gods　with　the　bucklers　of　the　hired
soldiers　whom　he　had　killed；　to　make　a　boast　of　his　victory　in　an
insulting　elegiac　inscription：…

　　　　　　　　〃These　shields　with　purple；　gold；　and　ivory　wrought；
　　　　　　　　　Were　won　by　us　that　but　with　poor　ones　fought。〃

　　After　this；　while　Timoleon　marched　to　Calauria；　Hicetes　made　an
inroad　into　the　borders　of　Syracuse；　where　he　met　with　considerable
booty；　and　having　done　much　mischief　and　havoc；　returned　back　to
Calauria　itself；　in　contempt　of　Timoleon　and　the　slender　force　he
had　then　with　him。　He；　suffering　Hicetes　to　pass　forward；　pursued
him　with　his　horsemen　and　light　infantry；　which　Hicetes　perceiving；
crossed　the　river　Damyrias；　and　then　stood　in　a　posture　to　receive
him；　the　difficulty　of　the　passage；　and　the　height　and　steepness　of
the　bank　on　each　side；　giving　advantage　enough　to　make　him
confident。　A　strange　contention　and　dispute；　meantime；　among　the
officers　of　Timoleon　a　little　retarded　the　conflict；　no　one　of　them
was　willing　to　let　another　pass　over　before　him　to　engage　the　enemy；
each　man　claiming　it　as　a　right　to　venture　first　and　begin　the
onset；　so　that　their　fording　was　likely　to　be　tumultuous　and　without
order；　a　mere　general　struggle　which　should　be　the　foremost。　Timoleon；
therefore；　desiring　to　decide　the　quarrel　by　lot；　took　a　ring　from
each　of　the　pretenders；　which　he　cast　into　his　own　cloak；　and；　after
he　had　shaken　all　together；　the　first　he　drew　out　had；　by　good
fortune；　the　figure　of　a　trophy　engraved　as　a　seal　upon　it；　at　the
sight　of　which　the　young　captains　all　shouted　for　joy；　and；　without
waiting　any　longer　to　see　how　chance　would　determine　it　for　the
rest；　took　every　man　his　way　through　the　river　with　all　the　speed　they
could　make；　and　fell　to　blows　with　the　enemies；　who　were　not　able　to
bear　up　against　the　violence　of　their　attack；　but　fled　in　haste　and
left　their　arms　behind　them　all　alike；　and　a　thousand　dead　upon　the
place。
　　Not　long　after；　Timoleon；　marching　up　to　the　city　of　the
Leontines；　took　Hicetes　alive；　and　his　son　Eupolemus；　and　Euthymus；
the　commander　of　his　horse；　who　were　bound　and　brought　to　him　by　their
own　soldiers。　Hicetes　and　the　stripling　his　son　were　then　executed
as　tyrants　and　traitors；　and　Euthymus；　though　a　brave　man；　and　one
of　singular　courage；　could　obtain　no　mercy；　because　he　was　charged
with　contemptuous　language　in　disparagement　of　the　Corinthians　when
they　first　sent　their　forces　into　Sicily；　it　is　said　that　he　told
the　Leontini　in　a　speech　that　the　news　did　not　sound　terrible；　nor　was
any　great　danger　to　be　feared　because　of…

　　　　　　　　　　〃Corinthian　women　coming　out　of　doors。〃

So　true　it　is　that　men　are　usually　more　stung　and　galled　by
reproachful　words　than　hostile　actions：　and　they　bear　an　affront
with　less　patience　than　an　injury；　to　do　harm　and　mischief　by　deeds　is
counted　pardonable　from　the　enemies；　as　nothing　less　can　be　expected
in　a　state　of　war；　whereas　virulent　and　contumelious　words　appear　to
be　the　expression　of　needless　hatred；　and　to　proceed　from　an　excess　of
rancour。
　　When　Timoleon　came　back　to　Syracuse；　the　citizens　brought　the
wives　and　daughters　of　Hicetes　and　his　son　to　a　public　trial；　and
condemned　and　put　them　to　death。　This　seems　to　be　the　least　pleasing
action　of　Timoleon's　life；　since　if　he　had　interposed；　the　unhappy
women　would　have　been　spared。　He　would　appear　to　have　disregarded
the　thing；　and　to　have　given　them　up　to　the　citizens；　who　were　eager
to　take　vengeance　for　the　wrongs　done　to　Dion；　who　expelled　Dionysius；
since　it　was　this　very　Hicetes　who　took　Arete　the　wife　and　Aristomache
the　sister　of　Dion；　with　a　son　that　had　not　yet　passed　his
childhood；　and　threw　them　all　together　into　the　sea　alive；　as
related　in　the　life　of　Dion。
　　After　this；　he　moved　towards　Catana　against　Mamercus；　who　gave　him
battle　near　the　river　Abolus；　and　was　overthrown　and　put　to　flight；
losing　above　two　thousand　men；　a　considerable　part　of　whom　were　the
Phoenician　troops　sent　by　Gisco　to　his　assistance。　After　this　defeat
the　Carthaginians　sued　for　peace；　which　was　granted　on　the
conditions　that　they　should　confine　themselves　to　the　country　within
the　river　Lycus；　that　those　of　the　inhabitants　who　wished　to　remove　to
the　Syracusan　territories　should　be　allowed　to　depart　with　their　whole
families　and　fortunes；　and；　lastly；　that　Carthage　should　renounce
all　engagements　to　the　tyrants。　Mamercus；　now　forsaken　and
despairing　of　success；　took　ship　for　Italy　with　the　design　of　bringing
in　the　Lucanians　against　Timoleon　and　the　people　of　Syracuse；　but
the　men　in　his　galleys　turning　back　and　landing　again　and　delivering
up　Catana　to　Timoleon；　thus　obliged　him　to　fly　for　his　own　safety　to
Messena；　where　Hippo　was　tyrant。　Timoleon；　however；　coming　up
against　them；　an