Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/2/2025, 10:00:30 PM
Added description
The narrative is descriptive, citing military movements, political intrigues, and natural disasters that shaped the region’s history during the late 4th century BCE.
@diodorus_siculus:person {full_name: "Diodorus of Sicily", active: @date_0308_BC}
@book_xx:document {title: "Book XX of Diodorus Siculus", author: @diodorus_siculus, year: @date_0308_BC, pages: "255‑263"}
@file_pinax -> documents -> @book_xx:document
@ophellas:person {full_name: "Ophellas", role: "General"}
@agathocles:person {full_name: "Agathocles", role: "Carthaginian leader"}
@carthaginians:organization {type: "people", region: @carthage}
@ophellas_march:event {description: "Ophellas' march through the Syrtis desert, suffering water and food shortage, encountering Agathocles and provoking Carthaginian panic", when: @date_0308_BC, where: @syrtis}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_255 -> documents -> @ophellas_march:event
@ophellas -> led -> @ophellas_march:event
@agathocles -> met -> @ophellas {when: @date_0308_BC}
@carthaginians -> panicked at -> @ophellas_march:event
@bormilcar:person {full_name: "Bormilcar", role: "Carthaginian conspirator"}
@bormilcar_tyranny_attempt:event {description: "Bormilcar's plot to establish tyranny in Carthage", when: @date_0308_BC, where: @carthage}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_257 -> documents -> @bormilcar_tyranny_attempt:event
@bormilcar -> attempted -> @bormilcar_tyranny_attempt:event
@agathocles -> forced -> @ophellas_march:event {outcome: "army laid down arms"}
@nomads:people {region: "Nomadic tribes"}
@distinguished_citizens:person {description: "most distinguished Carthaginian citizens"}
@nomad_campaign:event {description: "Campaign against the Nomads led by distinguished Carthaginian citizens", when: @date_0308_BC, where: @nomads}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_259 -> documents -> @nomad_campaign:event
@agathocles -> sent -> @distinguished_citizens {to: @nomad_campaign:event}
@bormilcar -> attempted -> @bormilcar_tyranny_attempt:event {again: true}
@new_city:place {description: "New City near Old Carthage"}
@bormilcar_tyranny:event {description: "Bormilcar's tyrannical rule in the New City, killing citizens and mercenaries", when: @date_0308_BC, where: @new_city}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_261 -> documents -> @bormilcar_tyranny:event
@bormilcar -> ruled -> @bormilcar_tyranny:event
@carthaginians -> overthrew -> @bormilcar_tyranny:event
@bormilcar_death:event {description: "Bormilcar captured, tortured, and executed by Carthaginians", when: @date_0308_BC, where: @carthage}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_263 -> documents -> @bormilcar_death:event
@carthaginians -> executed -> @bormilcar
@agathocles_ship_sending:event {description: "Agathocles loaded cargo vessels with spoils and sent ships to Syracuse", when: @date_0308_BC}
@storm_event:event {description: "Storms destroyed some ships, some were driven to the Pithecusan Islands, a few reached Syracuse", when: @date_0308_BC}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_263 -> documents -> @agathocles_ship_sending:event
@agathocles -> sent -> @agathocles_ship_sending:event
@agathocles_ship_sending:event -> affected by -> @storm_event:event
@roman_consuls:organization {role: "Roman military leaders"}
@battle_roman_vs_samnites:event {description: "Roman consuls defeated the Samnites, invaded Etruria and captured the fortress Caerium", when: @date_0308_BC}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_263 -> documents -> @battle_roman_vs_samnites:event
@roman_consuls -> victorious at -> @battle_roman_vs_samnites:eventDiodorus of Sicily τὴν Λιβύην γέγονεν αὕτη καὶ τὸν Εὐριπίδην δείξαι τις ἂν μαρτυροῦντα· λέγει γὰρ τίς τοὔνομα τὸ ἐπονείδιστον βροτοῖς1 οὐκ οἶδε Λαμίας τῆς Λιβυστικῆς γένος; 42. Ὁ δ᾿ οὖν2 Ὀφέλλας ἀναλαβὼν τὴν δύναμιν προῆγεν διὰ τῆς ἀνύδρου καὶ θηριώδους ἐπιπόνως· οὐ μόνον γὰρ ὕδατος ἐσπάνιζεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ξηρᾶς τροφῆς ἀπολιπούσης ἐκινδύνευσεν ἅπαν ἀπολέσαι 2τὸ στρατόπεδον. δακέτων δὲ θηρίων παντοίων ἐπεχόντων τὰ περὶ τὰς Σύρτεις ἔρημα καὶ τῶν πλείστων ὀλέθριον ἐχόντων τὸ δῆγμα πολλῇ τῇ συμφορᾷ περιέπιπτον, ἀβοήθητον ἔχοντες τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἰατρῶν καὶ φίλων ἐπικουρίαν. καὶ γὰρ ἔνιοι τῶν ὄφεων ὁμοίαν ἔχοντες τὴν χρόαν τῇ κατ᾿ αὐτοὺς οὔσῃ χώρᾳ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν ἀπροόρατον ἐποίουν· οἷς πολλοὶ διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἐπιβαίνοντες δήγμασι θανατηφόροις περιέπιπτον. τέλος δὲ κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν πλεῖον ἢ δύο μῆνας κακοπαθήσαντες μόγις διήνυσαν πρὸς τοὺς περὶ Ἀγαθοκλέα καὶ βραχὺ διαχωρίσαντες ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων τὴν δύναμιν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν. 3Εἶθ᾿ οἱ μὲν Καρχηδόνιοι πυθόμενοι τὴν τούτων παρουσίαν κατεπλάγησαν, ὁρῶντες τηλικαύτην δύναμιν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἥκουσαν· ὁ δ᾿ Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἀπαντήσας τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ὀφέλλαν καὶ φιλοφρόνως ἅπαντα χορηγήσας τούτους μὲν ἠξίου τὴν στρατιὰν ἀναλαμβάνειν ἐκ τῆς κακοπαθείας, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπιμείνας ἡμέρας ὀλίγας καὶ κατασκεψάμενος ἕκαστα τῶν πραττομένων ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν παρόντων, 1None of the attempts to heal this limping verse is convincing.2δ᾿ οὖν Dindorf: γοῦν R, γ᾿ οὖν XF.254Book XX as a witness that she was born in Libya, for he says: 308 b.c. “Who does not know the name of Lamia, Libyan in race, a name of greatest reproach among mortals?”1 42. Now Ophellas with his army was advancing with great difficulty through a waterless land filled with savage creatures; for not only did he lack water, but since dry food also gave out, he was in danger of losing his entire army. Fanged monsters of all kinds infest the desert near the Syrtis, and the bite of most of these is fatal; therefore it was a great disaster into which they were fallen since they were not helped by remedies supplied by physicians and friends. For some of the serpents, since they had a skin very like in appearance to the ground that was beneath them, made their own forms invisible; and many of the men, treading upon these in ignorance, received bites that were fatal. Finally, after suffering great hardships on the march for more than two months, they with difficulty completed the journey to Agathocles and encamped, keeping the two forces a short distance apart. The Carthaginians, on hearing of their presence, were panic stricken, seeing that so great a force had arrived against them; but Agathocles, going to meet Ophellas and generously furnishing all needed supplies, begged him to relieve his army from its distress.2 He himself remained for some days and carefully observed all that was being done in the camp of the 1The play from which this fragment comes is not known. Cp. Nauck, Trag, Gr. Frag., Euripides, 922.2According to Justin, 22. 7. 5, Agathocles went so far in showing his friendship as to have Ophellas adopt one of his sons.255
Diodorus of Sicily ἐπεὶ τὸ πλεῖον μέρος τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐπὶ χορτάσματα καὶ σιτολογίαν ἐξεληλύθει, τὸν δὲ Ὀφέλλαν ἑώρα μηδὲν τῶν ὑφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ βεβουλευμένων ὑπονοοῦντα, συνήγαγεν ἐκκλησίαν τῶν ἰδίων στρατιωτῶν, κατηγορήσας δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἐπὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν ὡς ἐπιβουλεύοντος καὶ παροξύνας τὸ πλῆθος εὐθὺς διεσκευασμένην τὴν δύναμιν ἦγεν 4ἐπὶ τοὺς Κυρηναίους. εἶθ᾿ ὁ μὲν Ὀφέλλας διὰ τὸ παράδοξον καταπλαγεὶς ἐπεχείρησε μὲν ἀμύνασθαι, καταταχούμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν ὑπολελειμμένην δύναμιν οὐκ ἔχων ἀξιόχρεων μαχόμενος ἐτελεύτησεν· 5ὁ δ᾿ Ἀγαθοκλῆς συναναγκάσας τὸ λοιπὸν πλῆθος ἀποθέσθαι1 τὰ ὅπλα καὶ φιλανθρώποις ἐπαγγελίαις παραστησάμενος ἅπαντας κύριος ἐγένετο τῆς δυνάμεως πάσης. Ὀφέλλας μὲν οὖν ἐλπίσας μεγάλα καὶ προχειρότερον αὑτὸν πιστεύσας τοιαύτης ἔτυχε τῆς τοῦ βίου καταστροφῆς. 43. Ἐν δὲ τῇ Καρχηδόνι Βορμίλκας πάλαι διανενοημένος ἐπιθέσθαι τυραννίδι καιρὸν ἐπεζήτει ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπιβολαῖς οἰκεῖον. πολλάκις δὲ διδόντος τοῦ καιροῦ τὰς ἀφορμὰς τοῦ πράττειν τὸ βεβουλευμένον ἀεί τις αἰτία μικρὰ παρεμπίπτουσα διεκώλυεν· δεισιδαίμονες γὰρ οἱ μέλλοντες ἐγχειρεῖν ταῖς παρανόμοις καὶ μεγάλαις πράξεσι καὶ τὸ μέλλειν ἀεὶ τοῦ πράττειν καὶ τὴν ὑπέρθεσιν τῆς συντελείας προκρίνουσιν. ὃ καὶ τότε συνέβαινεν καὶ περὶ 1ἀποθέσθαι Dindorf: ἀποδόσθαι.256Book XX new arrivals. When the larger part of the soldiers 308 b.c. had scattered to find fodder and food, and when he saw that Ophellas had no suspicion of what he himself had planned, he summoned an assembly of his own soldiers and, after accusing the man who had come to join the alliance as if he were plotting against himself and thus rousing the anger of his men, straightway led his army in full array against the Cyreneans. Then Ophellas, stunned by this unexpected action, attempted to defend himself; but, pressed for time, the forces that he had remaining in camp not being adequate, he died fighting. Agathocles forced the rest of the army to lay down its arms, and by winning them all over with generous promises, he became master of the whole army. Thus Ophellas, who had cherished great hopes and had rashly entrusted himself to another, met an end so inglorious.1 43. In Carthage Bormilcar, who had long planned to make an attempt at tyranny, was seeking a proper occasion for his private schemes. Time and again when circumstances put him in a position to carry out what he had planned, some little cause intervened to thwart him.2 For those who are about to undertake lawless and important enterprises are superstitious and always choose delay rather than action, and postponement rather than accomplishment. This happened also on this occasion and in regard to this man; 1The whole account, with its emphasis on the treachery of Agathocles, is probably drawn from Duris, as a part of it quite certainly is (cp. note on chap. 41. 3).2For chaps. 43–44 cp. Justin, 22. 7. 6–11, who says that Bormilcar, after Agathocles had inflicted severe losses on the Carthaginians, wished to go over to Agathocles with his army, was prevented by a sedition in the Sicilian camp, and was put to death by his fellow citizens.257
Diodorus of Sicily 2ἐκεῖνον· ἐξέπεμψε μὲν γὰρ τοὺς ἐπιφανεστάτους τῶν πολιτῶν εἰς τὴν ἐπὶ τοὺς Νομάδας στρατείαν, ἵνα μηδένα τῶν ἀξιολόγων ἔχῃ τὸν ἀντιστησόμενον, οὐκ ἐτόλμα δὲ ἀποκαλύψασθαι πρὸς τὴν τυραννίδα, 3μετακαλούμενος ὑπὸ τῆς εὐλαβείας. καθ᾿ ὃν δὲ καιρὸν Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἐπέθετο τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ὀφέλλαν, ὁρμῆσαι καὶ τοῦτον συνέβη πρὸς τὴν δυναστείαν, ἀγνοούντων ἀμφοτέρων τὰ παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις 4πραττόμενα. οὔτε γὰρ Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἔγνω τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τῆς τυραννίδος καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ πόλει ταραχήν, ἐπεὶ ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἐκράτησε τῆς Καρχηδόνος· εἵλετο γὰρ ἂν Βορμίλκας ἐπ᾿ αὐτοφώρῳ γενόμενος συνεργεῖν Ἀγαθοκλεῖ μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς πολίταις δοῦναι τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τιμωρίαν· οὔτε πάλιν οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τὴν Ἀγαθοκλέους ἐπύθοντο· ῥᾳδίως γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν ἐχειρώσαντο προσλαβόμενοι 5τὴν μετ᾿ Ὀφέλλα δύναμιν. ἀλλ᾿, οἶμαι, παρ᾿ ἀμφοτέροις οὐκ ἀλογίστως συνέβη γενέσθαι ταύτην τὴν ἄγνοιαν, καίπερ μεγάλων μὲν οὐσῶν τῶν πράξεων, ἐγγὺς δ᾿ ἀλλήλων τῶν1 ἐπικεχειρηκότων 6τοῖς τηλικούτοις τολμήμασιν· ὅ τε γὰρ Ἀγαθοκλῆς ἄνδρα φίλον μέλλων ἀναιρεῖν πρὸς οὐδὲν ἐπέβαλλε τὴν διάνοιαν τῶν παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις συντελουμένων, ὅ τε Βορμίλκας τὴν τῆς πατρίδος ἐλευθερίαν ἀφαιρούμενος οὐδὲν ὅλως ἐπολυπραγμόνει τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ἀντιστρατοπεδεύουσιν, ὡς ἂν ἔχων προκείμενον ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ τὸ μὴ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος, ἀλλὰ τοὺς πολίτας καταπολεμῆσαι. 7Ταύτῃ δ᾿ ἄν τις καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν καταμέμψαιτο, θεωρῶν ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ βίου πολλὰς καὶ διαφόρους πράξεις συντελουμένας κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρόν, τοῖς δ᾿ ἀναγράφουσιν ἀναγκαῖον ὑπάρχον τὸ μεσολαβεῖν 1τῶν added by Geer.258Book XX for he sent out the most distinguished of the citizens 308 b.c. to the campaign against the Nomads so that he might have no man of consequence to oppose him, but he did not venture to make an open bid for the tyranny, being held back by caution. But it happened that at the time when Agathocles attacked Ophellas, Bormilcar made his effort to gain the tyranny, each of the two being ignorant of what the enemy was doing. Agathocles did not know of the attempt at tyranny and of the confusion in the city when he might easily have become master of Carthage, for when Bormilcar was discovered in the act he would have preferred to co-operate with Agathocles rather than pay the penalty in his own person to the citizens. And again, the Carthaginians had not heard of Agathocles’ attack, for they might easily have overpowered him with the aid of the army of Ophellas. But I suppose that not without reason did such ignorance prevail on both sides, although the actions were on a large scale and those who had undertaken deeds of such daring were near each other. For Agathocles, when about to kill a man who was his friend, paid attention to nothing that was happening among his enemies; and Bormilcar, when depriving his fatherland of its liberty, did not concern himself at all with events in the camp of the enemy, since he had as a fixed purpose in his mind to conquer at the time, not his enemies, but his fellow citizens. At this point one might censure the art of history, when he observes that in life many different actions are consummated at the same time, but that it is necessary for those who record them to interrupt the 259
Diodorus of Sicily τὴν διήγησιν καὶ τοῖς ἅμα συντελουμένοις μερίζειν τοὺς χρόνους παρὰ φύσιν, ὥστε τὴν μὲν ἀλήθειαν τῶν πεπραγμένων τὸ πάθος ἔχειν, τὴν δ᾿ ἀναγραφὴν ἐστερημένην τῆς ὁμοίας ἐξουσίας μιμεῖσθαι μὲν τὰ γεγενημένα, πολὺ δὲ λείπεσθαι τῆς ἀληθοῦς διαθέσεως. 44. Ὁ δ᾿ οὖν Βορμίλκας ἐξετασμὸν τῶν στρατιωτῶν ποιησάμενος ἐν τῇ καλουμένῃ Νέᾳ πόλει, μικρὸν ἔξω τῆς ἀρχαίας Καρχηδόνος οὔσῃ, τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους διαφῆκε, τοὺς δὲ συνειδότας περὶ τῆς ἐπιθέσεως, ὄντας πολίτας μὲν πεντακοσίους, μισθοφόρους δὲ περὶ χιλίους ἀναλαβών,1 ἀνέδειξεν ἑαυτὸν 2τύραννον. εἰς πέντε δὲ μέρη τοὺς στρατιώτας διελόμενος ἐπῄει πάντας τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἀπαντῶντας ἀποσφάττων. γενομένης δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ταραχῆς ἐξαισίου τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι τοὺς πολεμίους ὑπέλαβον παρεισπεπτωκέναι προδιδομένης τῆς πόλεως· ὡς δ᾿ ἐπεγνώσθη τἀληθές, συνέτρεχον οἱ νέοι καὶ εἰς τάξεις καταστάντες 3ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ τὸν τύραννον. ὁ δὲ Βορμίλκας τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἀναιρῶν ὥρμησεν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν πολιτῶν ἀνόπλους καταλαβὼν ἀπέκτεινε. 4τῶν δὲ Καρχηδονίων καταλαβομένων τὰς περὶ τὴν ἀγορὰν οἰκίας ὑψηλὰς οὔσας καὶ τοῖς βέλεσι πυκνοῖς χρωμένων οἱ μετέχοντες τῆς ἐπιθέσεως κατετραυματίζοντο, τοῦ τόπου παντὸς ἐμβελοῦς 5ὄντος. διόπερ κακοπαθοῦντες συνέφραξαν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ διὰ τῶν στενωπῶν συνεξέπεσαν εἰς τὴν Νέαν πόλιν, βαλλόμενοι συνεχῶς ἀπὸ τῶν 1ἀναλαβών added by Rhodoman, who also suggests παρακαλεσάμενος, παρακελευσάμενος, and συναγαγών; παρακατασχών Reiske.260Book XX narrative and to parcel out different times to simultaneous 308 b.c. events contrary to nature, with the result that, although the actual experience of the events contains the truth, yet the written record, deprived of such power, while presenting copies of the events, falls far short of arranging them as they really were. 44. Be that as it may, when Bormilcar had reviewed the soldiers in what was called the New City, which is a short distance from Old Carthage, he dismissed the rest, but holding those who were his confederates in the plot, five hundred citizens and about a thousand mercenaries, he declared himself tyrant. Dividing his soldiers into five bands, he attacked, slaughtering those who opposed him in the streets. Since an extraordinary tumult broke out everywhere in the city, the Carthaginians at first supposed that the enemy had made his way in and that the city was being betrayed; when, however, the true situation became known, the young men ran together, formed companies, and advanced against the tyrant. But Bormilcar, killing those in the streets, moved swiftly into the market place; and finding there many of the citizens unarmed, he slaughtered them. The Carthaginians, however, after occupying the buildings about the market place, which were tall, hurled missiles thick and fast, and the participants in the uprising began to be struck down since the whole place was within range. Therefore, since they were suffering severely, they closed ranks and forced their way out through the narrow streets into the New City, being continuously struck with missiles from 261
Diodorus of Sicily οἰκιῶν καθ᾿ ἃς τυγχάνοιεν αἰεὶ γινόμενοι. καταλαβομένων δ᾿ αὐτῶν ὑπερδέξιόν τινα τόπον οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι τῶν πολιτῶν πάντων συνδραμόντων ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις ἀντεστρατοπέδευσαν τοῖς ἀφεστηκόσι. 6τέλος δὲ πρέσβεις πέμψαντες τῶν πρεσβυτάτων τοὺς εὐθέτους καὶ τῶν ἐγκλημάτων δόντες ἄφεσιν διελύθησαν· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις οὐδὲν ἐμνησικάκησαν διὰ τοὺς περιεστῶτας τὴν πόλιν κινδύνους, αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Βορμίλκαν αἰκισάμενοι δεινῶς τοῦ ζῆν ἐστέρησαν, οὐδὲν φροντίσαντες τῶν δεδομένων ὅρκων. Καρχηδόνιοι μὲν οὖν κινδυνεύσαντες τοῖς ὅλοις σφαλῆναι τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἐκομίσαντο τὴν πατρῴαν πολιτείαν. 7Ἀγαθοκλῆς δὲ πλοῖα φορτηγὰ γεμίσας τῶν λαφύρων καὶ τοὺς ἀχρήστους εἰς πόλεμον τῶν ἐκ Κυρήνης παραγενομένων ἐμβιβάσας ἀπέστειλεν εἰς Συρακούσσας. χειμώνων δ᾿ ἐπιγενομένων ἃ μὲν διεφθάρη τῶν πλοίων, ἃ δ᾿ ἐξέπεσε πρὸς τὰς κατ᾿ Ἰταλίαν Πιθηκούσσας νήσους, ὀλίγα δ᾿ εἰς τὰς Συρακούσσας διεσώθη. 8Κατὰ δὲ τὴν Ἰταλίαν οἱ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ὕπατοι, Μαρσοῖς πολεμουμένοις ὑπὸ Σαμνιτῶν βοηθήσαντες, τῇ τε μάχῃ προετέρησαν καὶ συχνοὺς τῶν πολεμίων 9ἀνεῖλον. εἶτα διὰ τῆς Ὀμβρίκων χώρας διελθόντες ἐνέβαλον εἰς τὴν Τυρρηνίαν πολεμίαν οὖσαν καὶ τὸ καλούμενον Καίριον φρούριον ἐξεπολιόρκησαν. διαπρεσβευομένων δὲ τῶν ἐγχωρίων ὑπὲρ ἀνοχῶν πρὸς μὲν Ταρκυνιήτας εἰς ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους Τυρρηνοὺς ἅπαντας εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἀνοχὰς ἐποιήσαντο. 262Book XX whatever houses they chanced at any time to be near. 308 b.c. After these had occupied a certain elevation, the Carthaginians, now that all the citizens had assembled in arms, drew up their forces against those who had taken part in the uprising. Finally, sending as envoys such of the oldest men as were qualified and offering amnesty, they came to terms. Against the rest they invoked no penalty on account of the dangers that surrounded the city, but they cruelly tortured Bormilcar himself and put him to death, paying no heed to the oaths which had been given. In this way, then, the Carthaginians, after having been in the gravest danger, preserved the constitution of their fathers. Agathocles, loading cargo vessels with his spoil and embarking on them those of the men who had come from Cyrenê who were useless for war, sent them to Syracuse. But storms arose, and some of the ships were destroyed, some were driven to the Pithecusan Islands off the coast of Italy, and a few came safe to Syracuse.1 In Italy2 the Roman consuls, going to the aid of the Marsi, against whom the Samnites were making war, were victorious in the battle and slew many of the enemy. Then, crossing the territory of the Umbrians, they invaded Etruria, which was hostile, and took by siege the fortress called Caerium.3 When the people of the region sent envoys to ask a truce, the consuls made a truce for forty years with the Tarquinians but with all the other Etruscans for one year.4 1Continued in chap. 54. 1.2Continued from chap. 36. 6. Cp. Livy, 9. 41. 5–7.3Unknown. Caprium in Table of Contents, p. 138, and in var. lect. here.4Continued in chap. 80. 1.263
No children (leaf entity)