Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/201

 BATTLE AT THE KEIMESUS. 175 aon, gave orders immediately to charge down the hill. 1 His Sici- lian allies, with some mercenaries intermingled, were on the two wings ; while he himself, with the Syracusans and the best of the mercenaries, occupied the centre. Demaretus with his cavalry was ordered to assail the Carthaginians first, before they could form regularly. But the chariots in their front, protecting the greater part of the line, left him only the power of getting at them partially through the vacant intervals. Timoleon, soon perceiving that his cavalry accomplished little, recalled them and ordered them to charge on the flanks, while he himself, with all the force of his infantry, undertook to attack in front. Accord- ingly, seizing his shield from the attendant, he marched forward in advance, calling aloud to the infantry around to be of good cheer and follow. Never had his voice been heard so predomi- nant and heart-stirring ; the effect of it was powerfully felt on the spirits of all around, who even believed that they heard a god speaking along with him. 2 Reechoing his shout emphatically, they marched forward to the charge with the utmost alacrity in compact order, and under the sound of trumpets. The infantry were probably able to evade or break through the bulwark of interposed chariots with greater ease than the cavalry, though Plutarch does not tell us how this was done. Timoleon and his soldiers then came into close and furious contest with the chosen Carthaginian infantry, who resisted with a courage worthy of their reputation. Their vast shields, iron breastplates, and brazen helmets (forming altogether armor heavier than was worn usually even by Grecian hoplites), enabled them to repel the spear-thrusts of the Grecian assailants, who were compelled to take to their swords, and thus to procure themselves admission within the line of Carthaginian spears, so as to break their ranks. Such use of swords is what we rarely read of in a Grecian battle. 1 It appears from Polybius that Timoeus ascribed to Timoleon, imme- diately before this battle, an harangue which Polybius pronounces to be absurd and unsuitable (Timaaus, Fr. 134, ed. Didot; Polyb. xii. 26 a). 8 Plutarch, Timoleon, c. 27. 'AraAa/Swv rt)v aoiritia nat ftoTjaas E7rivfl uvy teal /teifrvi Ke^pijcr&ai TOV evvf;&ov, ELTE ry TTO.-&EI Trapd. TOV ayuva KOI TOV kv&ovaiaap,ov ov~u <5taret- f, tire tiaipoviov rivdf, uf rotf Tro^Aoif TOTE irapearif,