Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/458

 42G HISTORY OF GREECE. The ascendenc}' of Agathokles was thus rather on the wane in Sicily : but in A fi-ica, he had become more powerful than ever — not without perilous liazards which brought him occasionally to the brink of ruin. On receiving from Syracuse the head of the captive Hamilkar, he rode forth close to the camp of the Carthaginians, and held it up to their view in triumph ; they made respectful prosti'ation before it, but the sight was astounding and mournful to themJ While they were thus in despondency, however, a strange vicissitude was on the point of putting their enemy into their hands. A violent mutiny broke out in the camp of Agathokles at Tunes, arising out of a drunken altercation be- tween his son Archagathus and an ^tolian officer named Ly- kiskus ; which ended in the murder of the latter by the former. The comrades of Lykiskus rose in arms with fury to avenge him, calling for the head of Archagathus. They found sympathy with the whole army ; who seized the opportunity of demanding their arrears of outstanding pay, chose new generals, and took regular possession of Tunes with its defensive works. The Car- thaginians, informed of this outbreak, immediately sent envoys to treat with the mutineers, offering to them large presents and double pay in the service of Carthage. Their offer was at first so favorably entertained, that the envoys returned with confident hopes of success ; when Agathokles, as a last resoui-ce, clothed himself in mean gai'b, and threw himself on the mercy of the soldiers. He addressed them in a pathetic appeal, imploring them not to desert him, and even drew his sword to kill himself before their faces. With such art did he manage this scene, that the feelings of the soldiers underwent a sudden and complete I'e- volution. They not only became reconciled to him, but even greeted him with enthusiasm, calling on him to resume the dress and functions of general, and promising unabated obedience for the future.- Agathokles gladly obeyed the call, and tookadvan- ' DioJor. XX. 33. ol 6e Ko/: v?/t>oi'(o/, ■aepia^.yei^ jcri'i/ui-oi, Kal (iapliapt- A(jf TrpoGKVv?'jaavrec, etc. '•^ Compare the description in T.icitus, Hist. ii. 29, of tlic mutiny in tlia Vitcllian army commanded by Fabius Valens, at Ticiuum. " Postquam immissis lictoribus, Valens coercere seditioncm ccsptabat, ipsum invadant (milites), saxa jaciunt, fugicntcm sequuntur. — Valens,