Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/440

 408 HISTOUY OF iREECE. to turn ngainst him, if the Carthaginians exhibited sufficient strength to protect them. This the despot knew and dreaded ; especially respecting Gela, which was not far from the Cartha- ginian camp. Had he announced himself openly as intending to place a garrison in Gela, he feared that the citizens might fore- stall him by calling in Hamilkar. Accordingly he detached thither, on various pretences, several small parties of soldiers, who presently found themselves united in a number sufllcient to seize the town. Agathokles then marched into Gela with his main force. Distrusting the adherence of the citizens, he let loose his soldiers upon them, massacred four thousand persons, and compelled the remainder, as a condition of sparing their lives, to bring in to him all their money and valuables. Having by this atrocity both struck universal terror and enriched him- self, he advanced onward towards the Carthaginian camp, and occupied a hill called Phalarion opposite to it.^ The two camps were separated by a level plain or valley nearly five miles broad, through which ran the river Himera.- For some days of the hottest season (the dog-days), both ar- mies remained stationary, neither of them choosing to make the attack. At length Agathokles gained what he thought a favor- able opportunity. A detachment from the Carthaginian camp sallied forth in pursuit of some Grecian plunderers ; Agathokles posted some men in ambush, who fell upon this detachment un- awares, threw it into disorder, and pursued it back to the camp. Following up this partial success, Agathokles brought forward his whole force, crossed the river Himera, and began a general attack. This advance not being expected, the Grecian assail ants seemed at first on the point of succeeding. They filled up a portion of the ditch, tore up the stockade, and were forcing their way into the camp. They were however repulsed by re- doubled efforts, and new troops coming up, on the part of the de- fenders ; mainly, too, by the very effective action of the 1000 Balearic slingers in Hamilkar's army, who hurled stones weigh- ing a pound each, against which the Grecian armor was an in- adequate defence. Still Agathokles, noway discouraged, caused the attack to be renewed on several points at once and with ap- ' Diodor. xix 107, 108. •' Diodor. x x. 108, 109.