Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/481

 AGATIIOKLF.S MASTER OF KOIIKVRA. 449 was on the point of taking it, when it was relieved by Agath- okltis with a powerful armament. That despot was engaged in operations on the coast of Italy against the Bruttians when his aid to Korkyra was solicited ; he destroyed most part of the Macedonian fleet, and then seized the island for himself.i On returning from this victorious expedition to the Italian coast, here he had left a detachment of his Ligurian and Tuscan mer- cenaries, he was informed that these mercenaries had been tur- bulent during his absence, in demanding the pay due to them from his grandson Archagathus. He caused them all to be slain, to the number of 2000." As far as we can trace the events of the last years of Agtith okles, we find him seizing the towns of Kroton and Hipponia in Italy, establishing an alliance with Demeti-ius Poliorketes,^ and giving his daughter Lanassa in marriage to the youthful Pyr- rhus king of Epirus. At the age of seventy-two, still in the plen- itude of vigor as well as of power, he was projecting a fresh ex pedition against the Carthaginians in Africa, with two hundred of the largest ships of war, when his career was brought to a close by sickness and by domestic enemies. He proclaimed as future successor to his dominion, his son, named Agatliokles ; but Archagathus his grandson (son of Ar- chagathus who had perished in Afi-ica), a young prince of more conspicuous qualities, had already been singled out for the most important command, and was now at the head of the army near -^tna. The old Agatliokles, wishing to strengthen the hands of his intended successor, sent his favored son Agathokles to -3iltna, with written orders directing that Archagathus should yield up to him the command. Archagathus, noway disposed to obey, invited his uncle Agathokles to a banquet, and killed him ; after which he contrived the j^oisoning of his grandfather the old des- pot himself. The instrument of his purpose was Mosnon ; a citi- zen of Egesta, enslaved at the time when Agathokles massacred most of the Egestean population. The beauty of liis person pro- cured him much favor with Agathokles ; but he had never for- ' Diodor. xxi. Fragm. 2. p. 265. ' Diodor. xxi. Fragm. 3. p. 2GG. 8 Diodor. xxi. Fragm. 4, 8, 11. p. 206- 273. 38*