Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/476

 444 HISTORY OF GRKECK. with Carthage. They -R-ere still a formidable body, retaining in their hands various other towns besides Tunes ; so that the Car- thaginians, relieved from all fear of Agathokles, thought it pru- dent to grant an easy capitulation. It was agreed that all the towns should be restored to the Carthaginians, on payment of 300 talents ; that such soldiers as chose to enter into the African service of Carthage, should be received on full pay ; but that such as preferred returning to Sicily should be transported thither, with permission to reside in the Carthaginian town of Solus (or Soluntum). On these terms the convention was con- cluded, and the army finally broken up. Some indeed among the Grecian garrisons, quartered in the outlying posts, being rash enough to dissent and hold out, were besieged and taken by the Carthaginian force. Their commanders were crucified, and the soldiers condemned to rural work as fettered slaves.' Thus miserably terminated the expedition of Agathokles to Africa, after an interval of four years from the time of his land- ing. By the vana mirantes,^ who looked out for curious coinci- dences (probably Tima^us), it was remarked, that his ultimate flight, with the slaughter of his two sons, occun-ed exactly on the same day of the year following his assassination of Ophelias." Ancient writers extol, with good reason, the bold and striking conception of transferring the war to Africa, at the very moment when he was himself besieged in Syracuse by a superior Cartha- ginian force. But while admitting the military resource, skill, and energy, of Agathokles, we must not forget that his success in Africa was materially furthered by the treasonable conduct of the Carthaginian general Bomilkar — an accidental coincidence in point of time. Nor is it to be overlooked, that Agathokles missed the opportunity of turning his first success to account, at a moment when the Carthaginians would probably have pur- chased his evacuation of Africa by making large concessions to him in Sicily.* He imprudently persisted in the war, though 1 Diodor xx. 69. vana mirantibus — quod idem dies accepti quondam imperii princeps, et vitas suprcmus — quod Nohe in dome et cubiculo, in quo pater ejus Octa- vins, vitam finivisset," etc. ' Diodor. xx. 70.
 * Tacit. Annal. i. 9. " Multus hinc ipso de Augusto sermo, plcrisque
 * This is what Ajrathoklcs mi^iht have done, but did not do. Ncvenh©.