Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/115

 DION IN SICILY. 8i from Zakynthus to Cape Pachynus, the south-eastern corner of Sicily and nearest to Syracuse. The pilot Protus, who had steer- ed the course so as exactly to hit the cape, urgently recommended immediate disembarkation, without going farther along the south- western coast of the island; since stormy weather was commenc- ing, which might hinder the fleet from keeping near the shore. But Dion was afraid of landing so near to the main force of the enemy. Accordingly, the squadron proceeded onward, but were driven by a violent wind away from Sicily towards the coast of Africa, narrowly escaping shipwreck. It was not without consid- erable hardship and danger that they got back to Sicily, after five days ; touching the island at Herakleia Minoa westward of Agri- gentum, within the Carthaginian supremacy. The Carthaginian governor of Minoa, Synalus (perhaps a Greek in the service of Carthage), was a personal acquaintance of Dion, and received him with all possible kindness ; though knowing nothing before- hand of his approach, and at first resisting his landing through ignorance. Thus was Dion, after ten years of exile, once more on Sicilian ground. The favorable predictions of Miltas had been complete ly realized. But even that prophet could hardly have been pre* pared for the wonderful tidings now heard, which ensured the suc- cess of the expedition. Dionysius had recently sailed from Sy- racuse to Italy, with a fleet of eighty triremes. 1 What induced him to commit so capital a mistake, we cannot make out ; for Philistus was already with a fleet in the Gulf of Tarentum, wait- ing to intercept Dion, and supposing that the invading squadron would naturally sail along the coast of Italy to Syracuse, accord- ing to the practice almost universal in that day. 2 Philistus did not commit the same mistake as Nikias had made in reference to Gylippus, 3 that of despising Dion because of the smallness of his force. He watched in the usual waters, and was only disap- pointed because Dion, venturing on the bold and unusual straight course, was greatly favored by wind and weather. But while Philistus watched the coast of Italy, it was natural that Dionysius himself should keep guard with his main force at Syracuse. The Plutarch, Dion, c, 26 ; Diodor. xvi. 10, 11, 1 Plutarch, Dion ; c. 25. Thucyd. v?. 104. 8*