Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/465

 0PHELLA3 ASSISTS AGATHOKLES. 433 embraced the proposition with eagerness. He undertook an ex- pedition from Kyrene on the largest scale. Through his wife's relatives, he was enabled to make known his projects at Athens, where, as well as in other parts of Greece, they found much fa- vor. At this season, the Kassandrian oligarchies were paramount not only at Athens, but generally throughout Greece. Under the prevalent degradation and suffering, there was ample ground for discontent, and no liberty of expressing it ; many persons therefore wei-e found disposed either to accept army-service with Ophelias, or to enrol themselves in a foreign colony under his aus- pices. To set out under the military protection of this powerful chief — to colonize the mighty Carthage, supposed to be already enfeebled by the victories of Agathokles — to appropriate the wealth, the fertile landed possessions, and the maritime position, of her citizens — was a prize well calculated to seduce men dis- satisfied with their homes, and not well informed of the inter- vening difficulties.' Under such hopes, many Gi'ccian colonists joined Ophelias at Kyren^, some even with wives and children. The total number is stated at 10,000. Ophelias conducted them forth at the head of a well appointed army of 10,000 infantry, GOO cavalr}-, and 100 war-chariots ; each chariot caiTyingthe driver and two fight- ing men. Marching with this miscellaneous body of soldiers and colonists, he reached in eighteen days the post of Automolte — the westernmost factory of KyrenS.2 From thence he proceeded westward along the shore between the two Syrtes, in many parts a sandy, trackless desert, without Avood and almost without water (with the exception of particular points of fertility), and infested by serpents many and venomous. At one time, all his provisions were exhausted ; he passed through the territory of the natives called Lotophagi, near the lesser Syrtis ; Avhere the army had ' Diodor. xx. 40. TroA/lot tuv ^A^Tjvaiov npo^i'fiuc vTrijKovaav elg tt/v crpareiav ovk oAiyoi de koI tCjv ak7MV 'F.7JX.7jvuv, icnrEvSov Koivuvrjaai rfj^ k~ij3o7i7]q, k7.TiLsovTEg Ttjv TE Kpari(yTi}v rr/c Aij3vr)q KaraKArjpovxV'^eiv, nal rdv iv KapxTj^ovi SiapTvuoeiv nXovrov. As to the great encouragement held out to settlers, when a new colony was about to be founded by a powerful state, see Thucyd. iii. 93, about lie- raklcia Trachinia — nag yup rir, AaKe6ai/ioriuv olKi^6vTuv,-&apaaAiuQ ■jei^ {yr^aiav vofi'c(ui> ri/v noXiv. * Diodor. xx 41 VOL. xir. G7