Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/467

 SEDITION IN CARTHAGE. 435 after the death of Leonnatus) master of a double army, and relieved from a troublesome rival. The colonists of Ophelias — more unfortunate still, since they could be of no service to Aga- thokles — were put by him on board some merchant vessels, which he was sending to Syracuse with spoil. The weather be- coming stormy, many of these vessels foundered at sea, — some were driven off and wrecked on the coast of Italy — and a few only reached Syracuse.' Thus miserably perished the Kyrene- an expedition of Ophelias ; one of the most commanding and powerful schemes, for joint conquest and colonization, that ever set out from, any Grecian city. It would have fared ill with Agathokles, had the Carthaginian;? been at hand, and ready to attack him in the confusion iramc diately succeeding the death of Ophelias. It would also have fared yet worse with Carthage, had Agathokles been in a posi- tion to attack her during the terrible sedition excited, nearly at the same time, within her walls by the general Bomilkar.^ This traitor (as has been already stated) had long cherished the de- sign to render himself despot, and had been Avatching for a favor- able opportunity. Having purposely caused the loss of the first battle — fought in conjunction with his brave colleague Hanno, against Agathokles — he had since carried on the war with a view to his own project (which explains in part the continued reverses of the Carthaginians) ; he now thought that the time was come for openly raising his standard. Availing himself of a military muster in the quarter of the city called Neapolis, lie first dismissed the general body of the soldiers, retaining near him only a trusty band of 500 citizens, and 4000 mercenaries. At the head of these, he then fell upon the unsuspecting citv : dividing them into five detachments, and slaughtering indiscrimi- nately the unarmed citizens in the streets, as well as in the great market-place. At first the Carthaginians were astounded and paralyzed. Gradually however they took courage, stood upon their defence against the assailants, combatted them in the streets and poured upon them missiles from the house-tops. After a prolonged conflict, the partisans of Bomilkar found themselves worsted, and were glad to avail themselves of the mediation of 1 Diodor. XX. 44. * Dioclor. xx 43.