Page 379 Some few days after his Marriage he call'd a Senate, and there stirr'd up the People of Syracuse to a War against the Carthaginians, urging that they were the most implacable Enemies of the Grecians in the World, and especially, were continually plotting and contriving how to ruin the Sicilians. The reason, saith he, that they are now at present quiet, is because the Plague rages so violently amongst them, and hath swept away great numbers of the Africans; but you'll presently see that as soon as they are free, and have recover'd their strength they'l invade Si •ily with all their Power, which Island they have for a long time most greedily gap'd after. Therefore, said he, it is much safer and better to fall upon them now they are weak, than to stay till they have recover'd themselves. He added moreover, that it would be a most unjust and dishonourable thing to suffer Barbarians to enslave the Cities, who the more they coveted their Freedom, and the fonder they were of their Liberties, would be certainly more ready to engage in the common Cause with their Country-men.
Having debated this Matter in a long Discourse, he easily gain'd upon the Syracusians for their consent, for they were as desirous of the War as Dionysius himself: and especially they hated the Carthaginians, because by their means they had been brought under the power of the Tyrant: and then they hop'd that out of fear of the Enemy abroad, and Plots by them that had been oppress'd at home, Dionysius would be more moderate than he had been in former times. And that which weigh'd more than all was, that they hop'd if they were Conquerors in this War (and Fortune favour'd them) they should recover their ancient Liberties.
When the Assembly was dissolv'd, he granted License to the People of Syracuse, to seize upon all the Goods and Estates of the Carthaginians; for there were many of them in Syracuse that were very rich; and many Merchants had Ships then lay loaden with rich Goods and Merchandize in the Harbor. The Syracusians therefore on a suddain flew upon the Prey. Other Cities likewise in Sicily drave out the Carthaginians that inhabited amongst them, and took and carry'd away all their Estates. For tho' they all hated the Tyranny of Dionysius, yet it was a delight to them to join in the War against the Carthaginians, by reason of the barbarous and beastly cruelty of the Men. And therefore those Grecians that inhabited the Cities within the power and jurisdiction of the Carthaginians, when they saw that now open War was Declar'd against them by Dionysius, gave instances likewise of their hatred against the Africans: for they not only seiz'd upon all their Estates, but likewise their Persons, and executed all manner of Cruelty and Disgraces upon the Bodies of these miserable wretches in memory and retribution of those that they themselves before suffer'd when their Cities were destroy'd by them, And they went on and continu'd this sharp Revenge upon them, to the end they might learn for the future by this example of Retaliation, not to execute such barbarous Cruelties upon them, they should afterwards subdue. For hereby they would be taught (having learnt by experience) that in the events of War, and common Turns of Fortune, the Party subdu'd, must expect to suffer that which they themselves before executed, upon those they had conquered,
Dionysius having now prepar'd all things necessary for the War, determin'd to send Messengers to Carthage to denounce War against them, in the name of the People of Syracuse, unless they restor'd all the Greek Cities they had subdu'd to their Ancient Laws and Liberties. Thus were the Thoughts of Dionysius at this time employ'd. With this year Ctesias ends his History of the Persians brought down from Ninus and Semiramis. At this time flourish'd the famous Poets for Dithyrambick Verse, Philoxenus, Cythereus, Timotheus, Philesius, Telestes of Selinunte, and Bolyeidus an excellent Limner and Musician.
Upon the expiration of the former Year Lisiades entred upon the Chief Magistracy at Athens. And six Military Tribunes were invested with the Consular Dignity at Rome, viz. Publius Mellius, Marnius Spurius, Furius Lucius, and three others. At that time the Syracusian Tyrant (being furnish'd with all things necessary for the War, according to his Hearts desire) sends an Herald with a Letter to the Senate at Carthage, in which was written, That the People of Syracuse had Decreed to make War upon the Carthaginians, unless they quitted all the Grecian Cities in Sicily. The Herald, according to Order, Sails over into Africa, and delivers the Letter to the Senate, which being read first in the House, and then to the People, it occasion'd no small disturbance and perplexity to the Carthaginians, through fear of the War coming so suddainly upon them, for the Plague had destroy'd an infinite number of People, and they were altogether unprovided of every thing necessary. Therefore they had now nothing to do but to observe how far the Designs of the Syracusians would proceed, and whither they would tend, and in the mean time, to send some of the Senate, with a considerable Sum of Money to raise Soldiers out of Europe.
The Histories of Herodotus written in 440 BC is considered to be the founding work of history in Western literature. His history included stories and fables but he claimed to have traveled extensively and learned about many countries through direct observation.
The thesis of Stolen Legacy is that the Egyptians created what is wrongly called Greek philosophy. Dr. James argues that the African origin of Greek Philosophy is well known but rarely discussed. Ancient Greek historians such as Herodotus and Diodorus the Sicilian wrote in significant detail about the contributions of Egypt. Egyptian technology and libraries were unmatched and Greek philosophers such as Pythagoras and Plato studied there. The contribution of Africa to the intellectual foundation of modern knowledge is tremendous but unacknowledged.
The Library of History by Diodorus the Sicilian is one of the most highly regarded universal histories in antiquities. His work includes the history of Egypt, Asia, Africa, Greece and Europe. His book is a must read for research of ancient history.
Bible Study The King James Bible (kjv), World English Bible (web) and Bible in Basic English (bbe) are all examples of public domain books. The King James Bible (kjv) online uses the content from these books and open source software to enhance Bible study capabilities. The site includes the verse of the day, search tools, christian literature and links to related content. It demonstrates the use of open source to create a valuable service.