timoleon-第3章

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Sicilian　voyage；　especially　since　the　Carthaginians；　alliance　with
whom　against　Dionysius　the　slowness　of　their　motions　had　compelled　him
to　embrace；　would　dispute　their　passage；　and　lay　in　wait　to　attack
them　with　a　numerous　fleet。　This　letter　being　publicly　read；　if　any
had　been　cold　and　indifferent　before　as　to　the　expedition　in　hand；　the
indignation　they　now　conceived　against　Hicetes　so　exasperated　and
inflamed　them　all　that　they　willingly　contributed　to　supply
Timoleon；　and　endeavoured　with　one　accord　to　hasten　his　departure。
　　When　the　vessels　were　equipped；　and　his　soldiers　every　way
provided　for；　the　female　priest　of　Proserpina　had　a　dream　or　vision
wherein　she　and　her　mother　Ceres　appeared　to　them　in　a　travelling
garb；　and　were　heard　to　say　that　they　were　going　to　sail　with　Timoleon
into　Sicily；　whereupon　the　Corinthians；　having　built　a　sacred
galley；　devoted　it　to　them；　and　called　it　the　galley　of　the　goddesses。
Timoleon　went　in　person　to　Delphi；　where　he　sacrificed　to　Apollo；　and；
descending　into　the　place　of　prophecy；　was　surprised　with　the
following　marvellous　occurrence。　A　riband；　with　crowns　and　figures
of　victory　embroidered　upon　it；　slipped　off　from　among　the　gifts
that　were　there　consecrated　and　hung　up　in　the　temple；　and　fell
directly　down　upon　his　head；　so　that　Apollo　seemed　already　to　crown
him　with　success；　and　send　him　thence　to　conquer　and　triumph。　He　put
to　sea　only　with　seven　ships　of　Corinth；　two　of　Corcyra；　and　a　tenth
which　was　furnished　by　the　Leucadians；　and　when　he　was　now　entered
into　the　deep　by　night；　and　carried　with　a　prosperous　gale；　the　heaven
seemed　all　on　a　sudden　to　break　open；　and　a　bright　spreading　flame
to　issue　forth　from　it；　and　hover　over　the　ship　he　was　in；　and；　having
formed　itself　into　a　torch；　not　unlike　those　that　are　used　in　the
mysteries；　it　began　to　steer　the　same　course；　and　run　along　in　their
company；　guiding　them　by　its　light　to　that　quarter　of　Italy　where　they
designed　to　go　ashore。　The　soothsayers　affirmed　that　this　apparition
agreed　with　the　dream　of　the　holy　woman；　since　the　goddesses　were
now　visibly　joining　in　the　expedition；　and　sending　this　light　from
heaven　before　them：　Sicily　being　thought　sacred　to　Proserpina；　as
poets　feign　that　the　rape　was　committed　there；　and　that　the　island　was
given　her　in　dowry　when　she　married　Pluto。
　　These　early　demonstrations　of　divine　favour　greatly　encouraged　his
whole　army；　so　that　making　all　the　speed　they　were　able；　by　a　voyage
across　the　open　sea；　they　were　soon　passing　along　the　coast　of
Italy。　But　the　tidings　that　came　from　Sicily　much　perplexed
Timoleon；　and　disheartened　his　soldiers。　For　Hicetes；　having　already
beaten　Dionysius　out　of　the　field；　and　reduced　most　of　the　quarters　of
Syracuse　itself；　now　hemmed　him　in　and　besieged　him　in　the　citadel　and
what　is　called　the　Island；　whither　he　was　fled　for　his　last　refuge；
while　the　Carthaginians；　by　agreement；　were　to　make　it　their
business　to　hinder　Timoleon　from　landing　in　any　port　of　Sicily；　so
that　he　and　his　party　being　driven　back；　they　might　with　ease　and　at
their　own　leisure　divide　the　island　among　themselves。　In　pursuance
of　which　design　the　Carthaginians　sent　away　twenty　of　their　galleys　to
Rhegium；　having　aboard　them　certain　ambassadors　from　Hicetes　to
Timoleon；　who　carried　instructions　suitable　to　these　proceedings；
specious　amusements；　and　plausible　stories；　to　colour　and　conceal
dishonest　purposes。　They　had　order　to　propose　and　demand　that　Timoleon
himself；　if　he　liked　the　offer；　should　come　and　advise　with　Hicetes
and　partake　of　all　his　conquests；　but　that　he　might　send　back　his
ships　and　forces　to　Corinth；　since　the　war　was　in　a　manner　finished；
and　the　Carthaginians　had　blocked　up　the　passage；　determined　to　oppose
them　if　they　should　try　to　force　their　way　towards　the　shore。　When；
therefore；　the　Corinthians　met　with　these　envoys　at　Rhegium；　and
received　their　message；　and　saw　the　Phoenician　vessels　riding　at
anchor　in　the　bay；　they　became　keenly　sensible　of　the　abuse　that　was
put　upon　them；　and　felt　a　general　indignation　against　Hicetes；　and
great　apprehensions　for　the　Siceliots；　whom　they　now　plainly　perceived
to　be　as　it　were　a　prize　and　recompense　to　Hicetes　on　one　side　for　his
perfidy；　and　to　the　Carthaginians　on　the　other　for　the　sovereign　power
they　secured　to　him。　For　it　seemed　utterly　impossible　to　force　and
overbear　the　Carthaginian　ships　that　lay　before　them　and　were　double
their　number；　as　also　to　vanquish　the　victorious　troops　which
Hicetes　had　with　him　in　Syracuse；　to　take　the　lead　of　which　very
troops　they　had　undertaken　their　voyage。
　　The　case　being　thus；　Timoleon；　after　some　conference　with　the　envoys
of　Hicetes　and　the　Carthaginian　captains；　told　them　he　should
readily　submit　to　their　proposals　（to　what　purpose　would　it　be　to
refuse　compliance？）：　he　was　desirous　only；　before　his　return　to
Corinth；　that　what　had　passed　between　them　in　private　might　be
solemnly　declared　before　the　people　of　Rhegium；　a　Greek　city；　and　a
common　friend　to　the　parties；　this；　he　said；　would　very　much　conduce
to　his　own　security　and　discharge；　and　they　likewise　would　more
strictly　observe　articles　of　agreement；　on　behalf　of　the　Syracusans；
which　they　had　obliged　themselves　to　in　the　presence　of　so　many
witnesses。　The　design　of　all　which　was　only　to　divert　their　attention；
while　he　got　an　opportunity　of　slipping　away　from　their　fleet；　a
contrivance　that　all　the　principal　Rhegians　were　privy　and　assisting
to；　who　had　a　great　desire　that　the　affairs　of　Sicily　should　fall　into
Corinthian　hands；　and　dreaded　the　consequences　of　having　barbarian
neighbours。　An　assembly　was　therefore　called；　and　the　gates　shut；　that
the　citizens　might　have　no　liberty　to　turn　to　other　business；　and　a
succession　of　speakers　came　forward；　addressing　the　people　at　great
length；　to　the　same　effect；　without　bringing　the　subject　to　any
conclusion；　making　way　each　for　another　and　purposely　spinning　out　the
time；　till　the　Corinthian　galleys　should　get　clear　of　the　haven；　the
Carthaginian　commanders　being　detained　there　without　any　suspicion；　as
also　Timoleon　still　remained　present；　and　gave　signs　as　if　he　were
just　preparing　to　make　an　oration。　But　upon　secret　notice　that　the
rest　of　the　galleys　were　already　gone　off；　and　that　his　alone　remained
waiting　for　him；　by　the　help　and　concealment　of　those　Rhegians　that
were　about　the　hustings　and　favoured　his　departure；　he　made　shift　to
slip　away　through　the　crowd；　and　running　down　to　the　port；　set　sail
with　all　speed；　and　having　reached　his　other　vessels；　they　came　all
safe　to　Tauromenium　in　Sicily；　whither　they　had　been　formerly　invited；
and　where　they　were　now　kindly　received　by　Andromachus；　then　ruler
of　the　city。　This　man　was　father　of　Timaeus　the　historian；　and
incomparably　the　best　of　all　those　that　bore　sway　in　Sicily　at　that
time；　governing　his　citizens　according　to　law　and　justice　and　openly
professing　an　aversion　and　enmity　to　all　tyrants；　upon　which　account
he　gave　Timoleon　leave　to　muster　up　his　troops　there；　and　to　make　that
city　the　seat　of　war；　persuading　the　inhabitants　to　join　their　arms
with　the　Corinthian　forces；　and　assist　them　in　the　design　of
delivering　Sicily。
　　But　the　Carthaginians　who　were　left　in　Rhegium　perceiving；　when
the　assembly　was　dissolved；　that　Timoleon　had　given　them　the　go…by；
were　not　a　little　vexed　to　see　themselves　out…witted；　much　to　the
amusement　of　the　Rhegians；　who　could　not　but　smile　to　find　Phoenicians
complain　of　being　cheated。　However；　they　despatched　a　messenger　aboard
one　of　their　galleys　to　Tauromenium；　who；　after　much　blustering　in　the
insolent　barbaric　way；　and　many　menaces　to　Andromachus　if　he　did　not
forthwith　send　the　Corinthians　off；　stretched　out　his　hand　with　the
inside　upward；　and　then　turning　it　down　again；　threatened　he　would
handle　their　city　even　so；　and　turn　it　topsy…turvy　in　as　little
time；　and　with　as　much　ease。　Andromachus；　laughing　at　the　man's
confidence；　made　no　other　reply；　but；　imitating　his　gesture；　bid　him
hasten　his　own　departure；　unless　he　had　a　mind　to　see　that　kind　of
dexterity　practised　first　upon　the　galley　which　brought　him　hither。
　　Hicetes；　informed　that　Timol