Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/445

 AGATIIOKLES INVAUES AFRICA. 4] 3 es — engaging to make a burnt-offering of his ships in their honor, if they would preserve him safe across to Africa. Tlic goddesses had granted this boon ; they had farther, b}' favorably responding to the sacrifice just offered, promised full success to his African projects : it became therefore incumbent on him to fulfil his vow with exactness. Torches being now brought, Agalliokles took one in his hand, and mounted on the stern of the admiral's ship, directing each of the trierarchs to do the like on his own ship. All were set on fire simultaneously, amidst the sound of trumpets, and the mingled prayers and shouts of the soldiers.' Though Agathokles had succeeded in animating his soldiers with a fiictitious excitement, for the accomplishment of this pur- pose, yet so soon as they saw the conflagration decided and irre- vocable, thus cutting off all their communication with home — their spirits fell, and they began to despair of their prospects. Without allowing them time to dwell upon the novelty of the sit- uation, Agathokles conducted them at once against the nearest Carthaginian town, called Megale-Polis.^ His march lay for the most part through a rich territory in the highest cultivation. The passing glance which we thus obtain into the condition of the territory near Carthage is of peculiar interest ; more espe- cially Avhen contrasted with the desolation of the same coast, now and for centuries past. The corn-land, the plantations both of vines and olives, the extensive and well-stocked gardens, the ' This striking scene is described by Piodoriis, xx. 7 (compare Justin, xxii. 6), probably enough copied from Kallias, the companion and panegyr- ist of Agathokles : see Diodor. xxi. Fragm. p. 281. in liis list of towns in the Carthaginian territory (Ilandbuch der Alten Geographic, sect. 109). Dr. Barth (Wanderungen auf den Kiisten Liindcrn des Mittelmeeres, vol. i. p. 1.31-133) supposes that Agathokles landed at an indentation of the coast on the western face of that projecting tongue of land which terminates in Cape Bon (Promontorium Mercurii), forming the eastern boundary of the Gulf of Carthage. There are stone quarries here, of the greatest extent as well as antiquity. Dr. Barth places Megale-Polis not far off from this spot, on the same western face of the projecting land, and near the spot af terwards called Misua. 35*
 * Megale-Polis is nowhere else mentioned — nor is it noticed by Forbiger