Diodorus Siculus

“ Then breaking up his camp, he acquainted all the common soldiers, that this expedition was intended against Artaxerxes. Upon this every one weighing the thing seriously within himself, and considering the vast length of the way they were to march, and how many enemy's nations they were to pass through, took the matter very grievously: for a rumour was spread abroad that it was four months march to Bactria, and that the king had an army of four hundred thousand men: upon which the soldiers were so transported with fear and rage, that they resolved to kill all their officers as traitors. ”

“ Diodorus Siculus, is carried about in a ship of gold by eighty of his priests. They bear him upon their shoulders, and pursue their way by instinct, just as the divine automaton chances to direct them. These persons, who thus officiated, were probably the same as the Petipharæ of the antient Egyptians, but were called Pateræ by the Greeks. It was a name, and office, by which the priests of Delphi, and of many other places besides those in Egypt, were distinguished: and the term always related to oracular interpretation. ”

“ It is the special property of covetousness not to be content with its present condition, but violently to lust after things remote, and what is not our own; which is most notoriously done by these men: for though they were the most happy and prosperous of all the Grecians, yet not being able to bear the weight of their own greatness, they thirsted after Sicily, (though separated from them by so large a sea) , to divide it by lot amongst themselves. A most horrid and wicked thing it is to make war upon them, who never gave any occasion or provocation: and this these men have done. ”

“ Diodorus Siculus and Dionysius of Halicarnassus [203] are both rhetoricians, the rhetoric of Diodorus being combined with a quasi-philosophical bent, and that of Dionysius with aesthetic criticism. Diodorus, indeed, has some quaintly judicious remarks on the introduction of long speeches into history. They interrupt the story, he says, and distract the reader: writers who wish to show their eloquence should do so somewhere else. A history should be an organic whole ”

“ Then presently forcing into another, he laid open a passage for his army into the city: upon which the whole power and strength of the Sicilians ran together, and drove the Dionysians out of the city and castle: and he himself (by a blow upon his brigandine) in the pursuit was knocked down, and was very near falling alive into the hands of his enemies. And in regard the Sicilians had the advantage of high ground, (from whence they galled the other) , above six hundred of Dionysius's men were killed, and many lost their arms; Dionysius himself saved only by his corslet. ”

“ Many that preferred death before the leaving of their country, killed themselves, choosing rather to die in their own houses. But that multitude of people that did go forth, were guarded by the soldiers to Gela, so that all the ways and country towards Gela swarmed with a promiscuous multitude of women and children; amongst whom were young ladies, who though they had now changed their former soft and delicate way of living, into the fatigues and sorrows of tedious journies, yet being quickened and stirred up by fear, bore all difficulties with eminent patience. ”

“ When Syennesis, king of Cilicia, heard of this great army, he was greatly perplexed what to do, because he was in no condition to cope with so great a force. But being sent for by Cyrus, with promises of safe conduct, he came to him, and being acquainted with the design, promised his assistance against Artaxerxes, and straitway joined Cyrus with a small party, under the command of one of his sons: but being a crafty man, and preparing for the worst, he sent the other secretly to the king, to inform him of the great forces that were coming against him ”

“ As soon as the main body with Cyrus came up to the king's, a shower of darts and arrows like a tempest fell upon them, as great as can be imagined might be discharged by an army of fifty thousand men. But, after they had fought awhile with their darts at a distance, at length they fell to it hand to hand. The Lacedæmonians and mercenaries at the first charge routed that part of the army that opposed them, far exceeding the barbarians both in dexterity of fight and the resplendent brightness of their arms ”

“ Diodorus Siculus has said, that Meroë was in the form of a shield, that is, in the figure of that triangular shield called Scutum, pointed at the bottom, and growing broader towards the top where it is square. Nothing can be more exact than this resemblance of the lower part of Atbara, that is, from Gerri to the Magiran, the part we suppose Diodorus was acquainted with, and it is scarcely possible that he could have fixed upon this resemblance without having seen some figure of it delineated upon paper. ”

“ On the other side, Callicratides advancing into the open sea, commanded the right wing: the Bœotians were in the left, commanded by Thrasonidas the Theban. But when they saw that they could not reach to equal the line of the enemy, because the islands stretched out so far, he divided his navy into two parts, and fought in two places. This amazed the beholders from all parts, as if four fleets, with no less than three hundred sail, close together, were hotly engaged. For this was the greatest sea-fight that ever was fought, by Grecians against Grecians, that any history commemorates. ”

“ This admirable courage and brave spirit of the man began to work compassion in some of Dionysius's soldiers, so that they began to murmur: upon which Dionysius (being afraid lest Philo should be rescued) left off tormenting him, and ordered the miserable man, with all his kindred, to be drowned in the sea. Thus suffered this worthy man, who deserved much better than to undergo so heavy and dreadful a punishment: and many Grecians there were who grieved at his sad misfortune ”

“ The consultations concerning preparations for war being very frequent, and Dionysius discerning that the Syracusans were in a great fright, he advised to recal the exiles: for he said it was a very absurd thing to receive aids of strangers from Italy and Peloponnesus, and yet to be backward in making use of their own countrymen to withstand the common danger, who are solicited by the enemy with great promises of reward to join with them, and yet are content to wander up and down amongst strangers, and die rather than do any thing prejudicial to their country. ”

“ He was a man civil and courteous to all, and almost the richest and of greatest interest of any man in Athens; there was not therefore a family but lamented his death, the memory of his kind and sweet disposition forcing tears from every one. Yet the tyrants did not in the least remit any thing of their acts of injustice and violence, but growing still worse and worse in all manner of villanies, they cut the throats of threescore of the richest men in the city, that they might revel in their estates. ”

“ Dionysius having now made a league with the cities that lay on the sea-coasts, determined to pass over with an army against Rhegium; but for the present his design was retarded by the Sicilians of Taurominium, whom therefore he resolved in the first place to reduce; to which end he marched thither with all his forces, and encamped on that side towards Naxos, and continued the siege all winter, in hopes that the Sicilians would leave the hill, because they had not been long there. ”

“ Clearchus, perceiving the main body of their army to be routed, and the rest ready to fly, stopped his own men in their pursuit; for he feared that if the whole army of the barbarians should fall upon the Grecians, they would be all utterly cut off. In the mean time, the body where the Persian king immediately commanded, having routed the party that engaged them, rifled Cyrus's camp. Afterwards, (it now growing towards night) , in one body they made against the Greeks, who valiantly (like men of brave and generous spirits) received the charge ”

“ Dionysius made general of the Syracusans. He moves to have the exiles recalled. He is invested with the sole command. At length, by several artifices, he gains the sovereignty. AMILCAR having gained the city after eight months siege, a little before the winter solstice, did not presently sack it, to the end the soldiers might quarter there all the winter. When the ruin of Agrigentum was noised abroad, the whole island was struck with such terror that some of the Sicilians fled to Syracuse, and others transported themselves, their wives, children, and moveables, into Italy. ”

“ Therefore he declared he was not willing any longer to be general, but was ready to lay down his commission. For it was altogether intolerable that he only should hazard the loss of all he had with the rest of the citizens, whilst others made merchandise of their country: yea, by this means he should become partaker with them in their treachery. The people being enraged by what he had said, and his words divulged through the whole army, every one went to his own house in great fear and perplexity. ”

“ And, though Dionysius fought very valiantly, yet he lost seven gallies, and no less than fifteen hundred men on the Rhegian shore; and, both ships and men being thrown upon the shore by the storm, many of the seamen were taken prisoners by the citizens. The tyrant himself, flying in a vessel of five oars, very narrowly escaped drowning, and landed at length, with much difficulty, about midnight, at the port of Messana; and because winter now drew on, having made a league with the Lucanians, he returned with his army to Syracuse. ”

“ Dionysius being now terrified with the defection of the Syracusans, broke up the siege, and hastened away with all speed to Syracuse, to possess himself of the city before any of his enemies. Upon his flight thither, of the fomenters of the rebellion created them their captains and leaders who had killed the officer, and being joined by the horse from Enna, they encamped in the Epipolæ (as they are called) lying over against the tyrant, blocking up his passage into the open field. ”

“ Sailing thence to Preconnesus, they there lay at anchor all night. The next day they landed their men in the territories at Cyzicum, with a command to Chares, who led the army, to march straight to Cyzicum. The fleet was divided into three squadrons, one under the command of Alcibiades, another under Theramenes, and the third commanded by Thrasybulus. Alcibiades made out with his squadron far from the rest, and dared the Lacedæmonians to fight. Theramenes and Thrasybulus used their utmost endeavour to close in the enemy, so as to prevent their sailing back to the city. ”

“ But Callicratides knowing by the predictions of the augurs, that he was to die, endeavoured to make his death honourable and glorious. Therefore he made up fiercely upon the gallies of Nausias, the vice admiral, whom he sunk with those next to him, at the first charge; others he disabled, striking them through with the beaks of his ships, and others he made useless for fight, by brushing off their oars. At length he struck the ship of Pericles with such violence that he tore off one great part from another. ”

“ And at length, every man that was in any respect eminent or remarkable, they sacrificed to their raging lusts. By these cruelties they so wasted and destroyed the city, that above one half of its inhabitants ran away and left it.
And although the Lacedæmonians saw the city thus spoiled and ruined, yet they laughed in their sleeves, having no desire it should recover its strength any more, as was very evident by the many convincing arguments. For they made a decree—That all the fugitives from Athens, in every part of Greece, should be carried back bound to the tyrants ”

“ Moving from thence, he besieged the city of Erbita [1] ; but not succeeding there, he made peace with them, and led away his army against Catana; for Arcesilaus the governor had promised to betray it: and in accomplishment of his treachery, about midnight let him in within the walls, and so he gained the city. Then he disarmed all the citizens, and placed there a sufficient garrison. Afterwards Procles, the general of the Naxians, (won over by promises of great rewards) , betrayed the city to Dionysius. ”

“ His army consisted of twenty thousand foot, and two thousand horse. Having marched the greatest part of the way, He encamped at the river Helorus: thereupon Dionysius drew off from the city to meet the Italians; upon which Heloris, at the head of five hundred of the choicest men in the army, marched before the rest. Dionysius encamping about forty stages from the enemy, understood by his spies that the Italians drew near ”

“ The Athenian admirals having intelligence that the Lacedæmonians had besieged Lampsacus with all their forces, got together all their fleet from every place, and with all speed made for Lampsacus, with a hundred and fourscore sail; but hearing that it was taken, they anchored at Ægos Potamos, and there lay. Not long after, they weighed anchor, and made out against the enemy, and dared them every day to a battle; but when the Peloponnesians would not stir, the Athenians began to consider what was best to be done, for that they could not stay long there with the fleet. ”

“ Upon this the people (who are always apt to close with the worst advice) suddenly made Dionysius general, with sole and absolute power.
After things thus succeeded according to his heart's desire, he signed an order, that the soldiers should receive double pay; alleging that thereby they would be encouraged to fight more readily and cheerfully; and bade the Syracusans not trouble or disturb themselves about money, for there would be ways readily found out to bring in sufficient supplies. ”