Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/443

 SYRACUSE IS BESIEGED. ^u transport horses, but he put the horsemen aboard with l],c-ir sad- dles and bridles, entertaining full assurance that he could procure horses in Africa. In selecting soldiers for his expedition, he was careful to take one member from many different families, to serve as hostage for the fidelity of those left behind. He liberated, and enrolled among his soldiers, many of the strongest and most reso- lute slaves. To provide the requisite funds, his expedients were manifold ; he borrowed from merchants, seized the money belono-- ing to orphans, stripped the women of their precious ornaments, and even plundered the richest temples. By all these proceed- ings, the hatred as well as fear towards him was aggravated, es- pecially among the more opulent families. Agathokles publicly proclaimed, that the siege of Syracuse, which the Carthaginians were now commencing, would be long and terrible — that he and his soldiers were accustomed to hardships and could endure them, but that those, who felt themselves unequal to the effort, might retire with their properties while it was yet time. Many of the wealthier families — to a number stated as 1600 persons — pro- fited by this permission ; but as they were leaving the city, Aga- thokles set his mercenaries upon them, sIcav them all, and appro- priated their possessions to himself^ By such tricks and enor- mities, he provided funds enough for an armament of sixty ships, well filled with soldiers. Not one of these soldiers knew where they were going ; there was a general talk about the madness of Agathokles ; nevertheless such was their confidence in his brave- ry and military resource, that they obeyed his orders without asking questions. To act as viceroy of Syracuse during his own absence, Agathokles named Antander liis brother, aided by an ^tolian officer named Erymnon.'-' The armament was equipped and I'eady, without any suspi- cion on the part of the Carthaginian licet blockading the harbor. It happened one day that the approach of some corn-ships se duced this fleet into a pui'suit ; the mouth of the harbor being thus left unguarded, Agathokles took the opportunity of striking with his armament into the open sea. As soon as the Cartha- ginian fleet saw him sailing forth, they neglected the corn-ships, • Diodor. xx. 4, 5; Justin, xxii 4. Compare Polvanus, 3-5.
 * Diodor. xx. 4-16.