Diodorus Siculus

BOOK XV - The Library of History



Page 416 For Leptines who commanded one of the Wings, a valiant Man, signaliz'd himself, and there sell in the Bed of Honour, after he made a great slaughter amongst his Enemies. After whose Fall, the Carthaginians pluckt up their Spirits, and at length put their Enemies to flight. Dionysius with those choice Men he had with him, at the first worsted those that charg'd him; but when the death of Leptines was known, and the other Wing was discern'd to be broken and dispers'd, that part of the Army with Dionysius fled likewise: Upon which, the whole Body betaking themselves to their heels, the Carthaginians made a hot pursuit, and gave Orders that no Quarter should be given, so that all being kill'd that came to hand, every place for a long way together was strow'd and cover'd with dead Bodies. The Carthaginians in revenge of their former loss had made so great a slaughter, that when the slain came to be bury'd, they were found to amount to above Fourteen thousand Sicilians; and it was by the advantage of Night only, that the rest escap'd. The Carthaginians having now gain'd so great and remarkable a Victory, return'd to Panormas: However, (as it became Men) they us'd their Prosperity with great Moderation, and sent Ambassadors to Dionysius to offer him Terms of Peace, which he readily embrac'd; And all was concluded upon these conditions, That both sides should keep what they had before the War, save only that the Carthaginians should have the City and Territory of Selinuntia, and part of the Country of Agrigemum, as far as to the River Alycum, and that Dionysius should pay a Thousand Talents to the Carthaginians. And thus stood Affairs in Sicily at that time.

In Asia, Gaius, Admiral of the Persian Fleet, who had rebell'd against the King, after he had engag'd the Lacedemonians and Aegyptians to his Interest, was Murther'd secretly by some body unknown, and so fall'd of his Designs. After whose Death Tachos pursuing the same Design, got an Army together and built a City upon an high Rock joining to the Sea, call'd Leuca, where he built a Chappel to Apollo: but he dy'd likewise a little after; upon whose death the Clazomenians, and they of Cuma fell at strife and variance for the Town, which at first they went about to decide by force of Arms: But afterwards by the advice of some Person consulting the Oracle of Delphos, to know to which of the Cities Leuca should belong, The Prophetess Answer'd, That it should be theirs who should first sacrifice at Leuca; but that both should set forth from their Cities at the rising of the Sun, upon one and the same day, as they themselves should agree upon. Accordingly the day was set, the Cumeans in the mean time lookt upon themselves to have the advantage, because their City was nearer than the other. But the Clazomenians, tho' they were more remote, yet contriv'd this project to gain their end. They sent some of their Citizens chosen by Lot to a Colony of theirs not far from Leuca, and from thence at Sun rising they began their Journey, and so finish'd their Sacrifices before them of Cuma. Having gain'd Leuca by this trick, in memory thereof they appointed a yearly Festival, which they call'd Prophthasia, from this their coming first to Leuca. These things thus done, all Rebellions in Asia were at an end; and the Lacedemonians now after the death of Gaius and Tachos would have no more to do with Asia; but set their Heads at work how to advance their power in Greece. And having persuaded some of the Cities, and forc'd others to receive their Exiles, they possess'd themselves of the Sovereighty of the whole, manifestly against the League amongst all the Grecians made by Antalcydas, by the help of the King of Persia.

In Macedonia King Amyntas (after he was overcome by the Illyrians, in despair of being able to help himself) bestow'd a large Tract of Land upon the Olynthians, which lay near to them, as never thinking to be restor'd again to his Kingdom. The Olynthians enjoy'd this Peace for some time, but when the King recover'd strength, and was re-instated into his former Dignity, he demanded restitution of the Land, which the Olynthians deny'd. Upon which, Amyntas rais'd both an Army of his own, and enter'd into a League with the Lacedemonians, and prevail'd with them to send a General with a great Army against the Olynthians. The Lacedemonians resolving to fix in those parts of Thrace, rais'd an Army out of their own Citizens and Confederates, to the number of Ten thousand Men, over which they made Phoebidas, that Spartan, General, and commanded him to join with Amyntas and make War upon the Olynthians. They sent out another Body against the Phaeuntians, whom they subdu'd, and forc'd to submit to their Government.

About this time the Two Lacedemonian Kings having different Sentiments disagreed one with another. For Agesipolis was a lover of Peace, and a Just and Wise Man, and therefore Declar'd against oppressing the Greeks. For he said that Sparta would become infamous amongst all the People, if after they had been instrumental in making the Grecians in Asia Slaves to the Persians, they should now enslave all the Cities of Greece to


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