timoleon-第6章

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fortune's　guidance；　for　his　preservation；　the　revenge　of　a　private
quarrel。
　　But　this　fortunate　escape　had　effects　and　consequences　beyond　the
present；　as　it　inspired　the　highest　hopes　and　future　expectations　of
Timoleon；　making　people　reverence　and　protect　him　as　a　sacred　person
sent　by　heaven　to　revenge　and　redeem　Sicily。　Hicetes；　having　missed
his　aim　in　this　enterprise；　and　perceiving；　also；　that　many　went　off
and　sided　with　Timoleon；　began　to　chide　himself　for　his　foolish
modesty；　that；　when　so　considerable　a　force　of　the　Carthaginians　lay
ready　to　be　commanded　by　him；　he　had　employed　them　hitherto　by　degrees
and　in　small　numbers；　introducing　their　reinforcements　by　stealth
and　clandestinely；　as　if　he　had　been　ashamed　of　the　action。　Therefore；
now　laying　aside　his　former　nicety；　he　calls　in　Mago；　their　admiral；
with　his　whole　navy；　who　presently　set　sail；　and　seized　upon　the
port　with　a　formidable　fleet　of　at　least　a　hundred　and　fifty
vessels；　landing　there　sixty　thousand　foot；　which　were　all　lodged
within　the　city　of　Syracuse；　so　that；　in　all　men's　opinion；　the　time
anciently　talked　of　and　long　expected；　wherein　Sicily　should　be
subjugated　by　barbarians；　was　now　come　to　its　fatal　period。　For　in　all
their　preceding　wars　and　many　desperate　conflicts　with　Sicily；　the
Carthaginians　had　never　been　able；　before　this；　to　take　Syracuse；
whereas　Hicetes　now　receiving　them　and　putting　them　into　their
hands；　you　might　see　it　become　now　as　it　were　a　camp　of　barbarians。　By
this　means；　the　Corinthian　soldiers　that　kept　the　castle　found
themselves　brought　into　great　danger　and　hardship；　as；　besides　that
their　provision　grew　scarce；　and　they　began　to　be　in　want；　because　the
havens　were　strictly　guarded　and　blocked　up；　the　enemy　exercised
them　still　with　skirmishes　and　combats　about　their　walls；　and　they
were　not　only　obliged　to　be　continually　in　arms；　but　to　divide　and
prepare　themselves　for　assaults　and　encounters　of　every　kind；　and　to
repel　every　variety　of　the　means　of　offence　employed　by　a　besieging
army。
　　Timoleon　made　shift　to　relieve　them　in　these　straits；　sending　corn
from　Catana　by　small　fishing…boats　and　little　skiffs；　which　commonly
gained　a　passage　through　the　Carthaginian　galleys　in　times　of　storm；
stealing　up　when　the　blockading　ships　were　driven　apart　and
dispersed　by　the　stress　of　weather；　which　Mago　and　Hicetes
observing；　they　agreed　to　fall　upon　Catana；　from　whence　these　supplies
were　brought　in　to　the　besieged；　and　accordingly　put　off　from
Syracuse；　taking　with　them　the　best　soldiers　in　their　whole　army。　Upon
this　Neon　the　Corinthian；　who　was　captain　of　those　that　kept　the
citadel；　taking　notice　that　the　enemies　who　stayed　there　behind　were
very　negligent　and　careless　in　keeping　guard；　made　a　sudden　sally　upon
them　as　they　lay　scattered；　and；　killing　some　and　putting　others　to
flight；　he　took　and　possessed　himself　of　that　quarter　which　they
call　Acradina；　and　was　thought　to　be　the　strongest　and　most
impregnable　part　of　Syracuse；　a　city　made　up　and　compacted；　as　it
were；　of　several　towns　put　together。　Having　thus　stored　himself　with
corn　and　money；　he　did　not　abandon　the　place；　nor　retire　again　into
the　castle；　but　fortifying　the　precincts　of　Acradina；　and　joining　it
by　works　to　the　citadel；　he　undertook　the　defence　of　both。　Mago　and
Hicetes　were　now　come　near　to　Catana；　when　a　horseman；　despatched　from
Syracuse；　brought　them　tidings　that　Acradina　was　taken；　upon　which
they　returned；　in　all　haste；　with　great　disorder　and　confusion；　having
neither　been　able　to　reduce　the　city　they　went　against；　nor　to
preserve　that　they　were　masters　of。
　　These　successes；　indeed；　were　such　as　might　leave　foresight　and
courage　a　pretence　still　of　disputing　it　with　fortune；　which
contributed　most　to　the　result。　But　the　next　following　event　can
scarcely　be　ascribed　to　anything　but　pure　felicity。　The　Corinthian
soldiers　who　stayed　at　Thurii；　partly　for　fear　of　the　Carthaginian
galleys　which　lay　in　wait　for　them　under　the　command　of　Hanno；　and
partly　because　of　tempestuous　weather　which　had　lasted　for　many
days；　and　rendered　the　sea　dangerous；　took　a　resolution　to　march　by
land　over　the　Bruttian　territories；　and　what　with　persuasion　and　force
together；　made　good　their　passage　through　those　barbarians　to　the　city
of　Rhegium；　the　sea　being　still　rough　and　raging　as　before。　But　Hanno；
not　expecting　the　Corinthians　would　venture　out；　and　supposing　it
would　be　useless　to　wait　there　any　longer；　bethought　himself；　as　he
imagined；　of　a　most　ingenious　and　clever　stratagem　apt　to　delude　and
ensnare　the　enemy；　in　pursuance　of　which　he　commanded　the　seamen　to
crown　themselves　with　garlands；　and　adorning　his　galleys　with　bucklers
both　of　the　Greek　and　Carthaginian　make；　he　sailed　away　for　Syracuse
in　this　triumphant　equipage；　and　using　all　his　oars　as　he　passed　under
the　castle　with　much　shouting　and　laughter；　cried　out；　on　purpose　to
dishearten　the　besieged；　that　he　was　come　from　vanquishing　and
taking　the　Corinthian　succours；　which　he　fell　upon　at　sea　as　they　were
passing　over　into　Sicily。　While　he　was　thus　trifling　and　playing　his
tricks　before　Syracuse；　the　Corinthians；　now　come　as　far　as　Rhegium；
observing　the　coast　clear；　and　that　the　wind　was　laid；　as　it　were　by
miracle；　to　afford　them　in　all　appearance　a　quiet　and　smooth
passage；　went　immediately　aboard　on　such　little　barks　and
fishing…boats　as　were　then　at　hand；　and　got　over　to　Sicily　with　such
complete　safety　and　in　such　an　extraordinary　calm；　that　they　drew
their　horses　by　the　reins；　swimming　along　by　them　as　the　vessels
went　across。
　　When　they　were　all　landed；　Timoleon　came　to　receive　them；　and　by
their　means　at　once　obtained　possession　of　Messena；　from　whence　he
marched　in　good　order　to　Syracuse；　trusting　more　to　his　late
prosperous　achievements　than　his　present　strength；　as　the　whole　army
he　had　then　with　him　did　not　exceed　the　number　of　four　thousand：　Mago；
however；　was　troubled　and　fearful　at　the　first　notice　of　his　coming；
and　grew　more　apprehensive　and　jealous　still　upon　the　following
occasion。　The　marshes　about　Syracuse；　that　receive　a　great　deal　of
fresh　water；　as　well　from　springs　as　from　lakes　and　rivers　discharging
themselves　into　the　sea；　breed　abundance　of　eels；　which　may　be
always　taken　there　in　great　quantities　by　any　that　will　fish　for　them。
The　mercenary　soldiers　that　served　on　both　sides　were　wont　to　follow
the　sport　together　at　their　vacant　hours；　and　upon　any　cessation　of
arms；　who　being　all　Greeks；　and　having　no　cause　of　private　enmity　to
each　other；　as　they　would　venture　bravely　in　fight；　so　in　times　of
truce　used　to　meet　and　converse　amicably　together。　And　at　this　present
time；　while　engaged　about　this　common　business　of　fishing；　they　fell
into　talk　together；　and　some　expressing　their　admiration　of　the
neighbouring　sea；　and　others　telling　how　much　they　were　taken　with　the
convenience　and　commodiousness　of　the　buildings　and　public　works；
one　of　the　Corinthian　party　took　occasion　to　demand　of　the　others：
〃And　is　it　possible　that　you　who　are　Grecians　born　should　be　so
forward　to　reduce　a　city　of　this　greatness；　and　enjoying　so　many
rare　advantages；　into　the　state　of　barbarism；　and　lend　your　assistance
to　plant　Carthaginans；　that　are　the　worst　and　bloodiest　of　men；　so
much　the　nearer　to　us？　whereas　you　should　rather　wish　there　were
many　more　Sicilies　to　lie　between　them　and　Greece。　Have　you　so
little　sense　as　to　believe；　that　they　come　hither　with　an　army；　from
the　Pillars　of　Hercules　and　the　Atlantic　Sea；　to　hazard　themselves　for
the　establishment　of　Hicetes？　who；　if　he　had　had　the　consideration
which　becomes　a　general；　would　never　have　thrown　out　his　ancestors　and
founders　to　bring　in　the　enemies　of　his　country　in　the　room　of　them；
when　he　might　have　enjoyed　all　suitable　honour　and　command；　with
consent　of　Timoleon　and　the　rest　of　Corinth。〃　The　Greeks　that　were
in　pay　with　Hicetes；　noising　these　discourses　about　their　camp；　gave
Mago　some　ground　to　suspect；　as　indeed　he　had　long　sought　for　a
pretence　to　be　gone；　that　there　was　treachery　contrived　against　him；
so　that；　although　Hicetes　entreated　him　to　tarry；　and　made　it　appear
how　much　stronger　they　were