it was quite improbable that the Carthaginians had come so far with no other view than to establish Icetes tyrant of Syracuse. This report reached the ears of Mago, and gave him great uneasiness; and as he only wanted a pretext to withdraw from Sicily, he spread a report, therefore, that his troops were about to betray and desert him, and sailed with his fleet to Carthage. Soon after his departure, Icetes not being able to hold out against the Corinthians, yielded to them, and thus they had possession of the whole city. Mago, on his arrival at Carthage, was impeached, but prevented the execution of the sentence passed upon him by a voluntary death. New forces were now levied at Carthage, and a greater and more powerful fleet was sent to Sicily. The troops landed at Lilyboum, commanded by Hamilcar and Hannibal, who resolved to make their first attack on the Corinthians. Timoleon did not wait for, but marched out to meet, them; so great, however, was the consternation of Syracuse, that of all the forces in that city, only three thousand Syracusans and three thousand mercenaries followed him. Timoleon, notwithstanding, relied on the courage of his soldiers; a battle was fought, the Carthaginians were routed, upwards of ten thousand were slain; their camp was taken and with it immense riches. The Carthaginians humbled by repeated defeats, and their hopes of resource fled, their grovelling souls condescended to ask quarter, and accepted the most mortifying conditions. A very small portion of territory in Sicily was left them, and they were not allowed to continue in alliance with the tyrants of Syracuse. A. M. 3660. About this time, a memorable incident occurred at Carthage. Hanno, one of its most powerful citizens, formed a design of seizing upon the republic, by destroying the whole senate. He chose for the execution of his bloody design the day on which his daughter was to be married, when he intended to invite the senators to an entertainment, and then poison them. The conspiracy was discovered; but Hanno had so much influence, that the government did not dare punish so execrable a crime, but was contented with preventing it, by forbidding too great a magnificence at weddings, and limiting the expense on those occasions. Hanno, finding his stratagem defeated, resolved to employ open force, and for that purpose armed all the slaves; he was, however, again discovered, and, to escape punishment, retired with twenty thousand armed men to a strong castle; and endeavoured, but unsuccessfully, to engage the king of Mauritania in his rebellion. He was soon taken prisoner, and carried to Carthage, where, after being whipped, his eyes were put out, his arms and thighs broken, and his body, all torn with stripes, was hung on a gibbet; and his family, although they had not participated in his guilt, yet shared in his punishment; they were all sentenced to death, that no one might be left willing to revenge his death. EXERCISES. How did the Carthaginians receive the news of the defeat of their army? In what year were the Athenians defeated before Syracuse? Who was Nicias? Who were the Segestans? In what difficulty were the Carthaginians now involved? What did they resolve upon? Who commanded the troops sent to assist the Segestans? What was his character? What was his success in Sicily? How did he revenge himself on Gelon for the death of his grandfather? What city did he besiege? Give some account of this city. Who was Empedocles? Did Hannibal continue successful? What calamity befell the troops ? How did they endeavour to appease the gods? Whither did the inhabitants of Agrigentum flee? Of what cruelties was Imilco guilty? Describe the bull of Phalaris. What city did Imilco besiege? Who came to the relief of the inhabitants? Give some account of Dionysius. For what reasons did Dionysius make peace with the Carthaginians? Where was Motya? Who took this city? Did the Carthaginians suffer this insult to pass unnoticed? What befell the army of Imilco? What advantage did Dionysius take of Imilco's distress? How did Imilco betray the trust reposed in him? How did he evince his impiety? What became of him? What added to the miseries of the Carthaginians? How did they now act? What calamity now visited them? What people took advantage of their present distress to shake off allegiance to Carthage? Who died at this period; and who succeeded him? What was the character of Dionysius the second? What occurred in the early part of his reign? How did his subjects act? What advantage did the Carthaginians take of these commotions? To whom did the patriotic part of the Syracusans apply for assistance? What step did Dionysius take on the arrival of Timoleon? Whither did the tyrant fly? Tell me the sequel of his history. How did Timoleon endeavour to cause a defection in Mago's army What took place after his departure? What happened on Mago's arrival at Carthage? What steps did the Carthaginians now take? What was the result? At what period did Hanno make himself conspicuous at Carthage? How was it prevented? What became of him? A. M. 3685. CHAPTER IV. SIEGE OF SYRACUSE, &c. About this period, the Carthaginians had to A. C. 319. sustain war against the Sicilians in Africa, as well as in Sicily. Agathocles, a Sicilian of obscure birth and low fortune, assisted by the Carthaginians, had made himself tyrant of Syracuse; and, in the infancy of his power, they had kept him within bounds, by obliging him to agree to a treaty which restored tranquillity to Sicily. Agathocles, however, soon infringed the treaty, and declared war against the Carthaginians themselves; who, conducted by Hamilcar, obtained a signal victory over him, and obliged him to shut himself up in Syracuse, whither the Carthaginians pursued him, and laid siege to that important city. Agathocles, whose forces were very inferior, and who was now deserted by his allies, meditated a design so daring, that although it was carried into execution, yet appears almost incredible; this was to make Africa the seat of war, and to besiege Carthage, at a time when he could neither defend himself in Sicily, nor sustain the siege of Syracuse. His profound secrecy in the execution is as astonishing as the design itself; he communicated his intentions to no one, but merely declared that he had discovered a means to relieve the Syracusans from the dangers that surrounded them, and that they had only to endure for a short time the inconveniences of a siege; but that those who could not resolve upon this, might freely leave the city. Agathocles now, with only sixteen hundred persons, quitted Syracuse, leaving his brother, Antander, troops and provisions sufficient to enable him to make a stout defence. He then set at liberty all slaves able to bear arms, and obliged them to join his forces; and taking with him only fifty talents to supply his present necessities, he set sail with two of his sons, Archagathus and Heraclides, still concealing his intentions from every one. All on board his fleet imagined that they were to be conducted, either to Italy or Sardinia, in order to plunder those countries, or to lay waste the coasts of Sicily, which belonged to the enemy. The Carthaginians, surprised at so unexpected a departure, endeavoured to prevent it, but Agathocles eluded their pursuit. Arrived in Africa, he assembled his troops, and told them in few words, that knowing their intrepidity, he had led them against a people enervated by ease and luxury; who, incapable of making resistance, would join them in crowds on the first news of their arrival. The soldiers received his speech with acclamations, and imagined themselves already masters of Carthage; but an eclipse of the sun happening at this time, gave them great uneasiness, as at this period the most civilized nations understood very little of these extraordinary phenomena of nature. Agathocles, however, soon revived their drooping courage, by telling them that an eclipse always foretold some great change; they might assure themselves, therefore, that good fortune was taking leave of Carthage, and coming over to them. Agathocles now had recourse to a very desperate measure, namely, that of burning his whole fleet; many reasons urged him to this. There was not a harbour in Africa where his ships could lie in safety, as the Carthaginians were masters of the whole coast of the Mediterranean, and would immediately have possessed themselves of his fleet. If he had left as many hands as were necessary to defend it, he would have weakened his army (at the best inconsiderable); and lastly, he wished to lay his soldiers under the necessity of conquering, by leaving them no other refuge than victory. Accordingly, coming suddenly into the presence of his troops, he thus addressed them :-" When we left Syracuse, and were warmly pursued by the enemy, in this fatal necessity, I addressed myself to Ceres and Proserpine, and promised, that if they would deliver me from this imminent danger, I would burn all our ships in their honor, at our first landing here. Aid me, therefore, O soldiers, to discharge my vow, for the goddesses can easily make us amends for this sacrifice." Then taking a flambeau in his hand, he hastily led the way to his own ship, and set it on fire. All the officers and soldiers, without allowing themselves time for reflection, led on by a blind and impetuous ardor, followed his example; but when they in some degree recovered their reason, and saw the vast expanse of ocean which separated them from their own country, a melancholy silence succeeded to the acclamations, which but a few moments before had been so general in the army. Agathocles, however, left them no time for despair; he marched at once to a place called the Great City, part of the dominion of Carthage. The country through which they passed abounded in fertile meads, rich in flocks, and beautiful streams; on the banks of which were magnificent villas, delightful avenues of fruit trees, and gardens laid out with exquisite taste. Such enchanting scenes could not fail to reanimate the courage of the soldiers; they soon arrived at the Great City, which they quickly reduced, and then proceeded to Tunis, which made but little resistance; and now they were within a short distance of Carthage. The arrival of Agathocles made the Carthaginians conclude that the troops commanded by Hamilcar, in Sicily, had been defeated; they lost no time in arming the citizens, and soon raised an army of forty thousand foot, the command of which was given to Hanno and Bomilcar, who marched immediately to meet the enemy, and in sight of them, drew up their forces in battle array. An obstinate fight ensued, and Hanno fell. Bomilcar might have changed the face of things, but he, with Carthaginian treachery, deserted the field, followed by the whole army; thus Agathocles claimed the victory. Meanwhile news of Agathocles's successes reached Syracuse, and Hamilcar made a last effort to storm the city, but was defeated; in a second attempt he fell into the enemy's hands, and was put to death with the most exquisite tortures. His head was sent to Agathocles, who displayed it to the Carthaginians, and thus convinced them of the melancholy state of their affairs in Sicily. To these foreign enemies was added a domestic one, more to be feared. Bomilcar, their general, had long aimed at sovereign power, and thought the present troubles presented the desired opportunity of becoming tyrant of Carthage. He, therefore, entered the city, and seconded by a small number of the citizens, proclaimed himself tyrant, and |