Diodorus Siculus

FRAGMENTS - The Library of History



Page 712 who acted the same Cruelty here as the Mamertines did when they Massacred all the Messinians. Afterwards, because he made not an equal distribution of the Prey, and Plunder taken from those miserable People, he was Banish'd Rhegium by his own Country men the Campanians. The Mamertines themselves assisted in this Butchery: And with the Money that was left hir'd him to be their Captain, and Chief Commander. Afterwards a distemper falling into his Eyes, he advis'd with a skilful Physitian, who to revenge the Injuries and Cruelties done to his Country, prescrib'd an application of Cantharides which wholly depriv'd him of his sight: And the Physitian himself took Care to withdraw from Messina. In Sicily, in the mean time there were these Princes, Hicetas at Syracuse, Phintias at Agrigentam, Tyndarus at Tauromenium, and some others in the lesser Cities. Phintias and Hicetas were at War one with another, and sought a Battle at Hibleum in which Hicetas was Conqueror. Afterwards making several Incursions one upon another, and Robbing and Spoiling every where, the Country by this means lay untill'd. Hicetas puff'd up with his Victory, ingag'd with the Carthaginians at the River Teria, where he was beaten with the loss of a great number of his Men. At that time Phintias built Phintia, and planted there the Geleons who were driven out of their Country. It is Scituated at the Sea-side: For both the Houses and Walls of Gela being utterly demolish'd; after he had wall'd Phintia and made a stately Market place, and built Temples for the Service of the Gods, he Transplanted the People of Gela thither. When he had committed the Murther, he was hated by all the Cities under his Government, who drave out all the Garisons, among whom the first were the Agyrineans.

3. King Ptolemy was Kill'd by the Gaus, and the whole Macedonian Army utterly destroy'd and cut off.

4. A Cadmean Victory is a Proverb, meant when the Conquerors have lost abundance of Men, and the Conquer'd are little the worse, because of the largeness of their Empire.

5. Phintias the Builder of Phintia, and Tyrant of Agrigentum, in a Dream had a representation pointing out to him his own Death. He thought he saw, as he was Hunting the Bore, that a Sow fiercely made up upon him, and struck him on the side with her Teeth, which so pierc'd him that he Dy'd.

6. Hicetas after he had Reign'd nine Years at Syracuse, was depriv'd of his Kingdom by Thynion the Son of Mameus.

7. Thynion and Softratus the Successors of Hicetas, sent again for King Pyrrus into Sicily.

8. The Mamertines who treacherously Murder'd the Messinians, having entred into a League with the Carthaginians, in a Senate decreed to hinder Pyrrhus from Landing in Sicily. But Tyndarion, Tyrant of Tauromenia sided with him, and was ready to receive into the City those Forces that joyn'd with him.

9. The Carthaginians entred into a League with the Romans, and took a-board 500 Men into their own Ships, and Sail'd over to Rhegium, and began to assault the Place, but at length rais'd their Siege, and having set on fire all the Timber and other Materials, there prepar'd for Shipping, they made to Sea, and there lay to observe the motion of Pyrrhus.

When Thynio had the Command of the * Island, and Sostratus lorded it over the Syracusians, having each an Army of 10000 Men, they broke out into War one against another, but being tyr'd out, they both sent Ambassadors to Pyrrhus.

11. Pyrrhus Warr'd in Italy 2 Years and 4 Months, and whilst he was preparing for his departure, the Carthaginians closely besieg'd the Syracusians both by Sea and Land. They had a Fleet of 100 Sail that lay in the great Haven; and a Land Army of 50000 Men that Encamp'd near the Walls, and with these they penn'd up the Syracusians, within the City, and Wasting and Harrassing the Country round about, they even turn'd it into a desolate Wilderness. The Syracusians therefore wearied out with the War, depended only upon Pyrrhus, in regard he had Marry'd Lanassa the Daughter of Agathocles, of whom he had begotten Alexander: Upon which account they sent every Day one Messenger after another to him; whereupon Shipping his Men, Elephants and other Provisions, he loos'd from Tarentum, and arriv'd the 10th Day at Locris: Thence he Sail'd after his Landing in S ••lly, to Tauromenium; and there being joyn'd with Tyndario Prince of that City, and Inforc'd by him with more Soldiers, he made from thence and came to Catana, where being Magnificently receiv'd by the Inhabitants, and loaden with golden Crowns, he landed his Men, with which he March'd straight towards Syracuse: His Fleet ready prepar'd for an Engagement, Sailing with him all along upon the Coast. When he came near to Syracuse the Carthaginians (because they had sent away 30 of their Vessels for necessary Provisions) durst not venture a Battle with those that remain'd, so that Pyrrhus came to Syracuse without any opposition: The Island being kept by Thynio and the rest of the City by the Syracusians and Sosistrates. For he had under his


Previous Forward

Bibliotheca Historica


The first five books

The last ten books

Contents



Free Books


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.