The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian/Book XIII/Chapter X

Chapter X

 * Hemocrates killed at Syracuse, attempting to surprise it.

In this olympiad, the Synouris was added to the olympian games. And Plistonax, king of the Lacedæmonians, died, when he had reigned fifty years. To whom succeeded Pausanias, who governed fourteen years. The inhabitants of Rhodes, out of Jalysus, Lindus, and Camirus, incorporated themselves into one city, now called Rhodes. Hermocrates the Syracusan marched out of Selinus with his forces to Himera, and encamped in the suburbs of that lately ruined city; where, after he had by diligent inquiry found out in what place the Syracusans had their post, he gathered up the dead bodies of the Syracusans, and put them in chariots richly adorned, and sent them to Syracuse; and he himself accompanied them as far as it was lawful for a banished man to go, who was not to set a foot within the confines of the country; and there he committed the care of conveying them to Syracuse to others. He did this to bring an odium upon Diocles (who opposed his return) for his neglect in not burying the dead; and to regain the good-will of the people to himself for his humanity.

When the bodies were brought to the city, there arose a dissention amongst the people. Diocles opposed the burial of them, but the people were unanimously against him. At length it was resolved—That they should be buried, and the whole city graced the solemnity with their presence, and Diocles was banished. However, Hermocrates was never the nearer being restored; for they were very jealous of him, and if ever he came into authority, he would usurp the sovereignty. When he understood, therefore, that for the present it was to no purpose to strive against the stream, he returned to Selinus: but not long after, being sent to by some of his faction, he hastens away with three thousand armed men, and marching through Gela in the night, comes to the place appointed, where all his soldiers could not readily follow him; so that with a few he comes up to the gate in Acradina; where he finds some of his friends, who had possessed themselves of the places; there he waited for the rest of his men, who came slowly on, and at length joined him. But the design being discovered, the Syracusans ran armed into the forum; where (a great multitude of people being got together) they killed Hermocrates, and the most of his accomplices.The rest that escaped (after they had cited them to appear, in order for their several trials) they condemned to banishment. Some, therefore, that were badly wounded, were by their friends reported to be dead, to avoid the present fury of the people. Amongst whom was Dionysius, who afterwards usurped the tyranny.