A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

242 Sicily: the Tyrant and the Liberator
Enthusiasm
of the Syracusans.
The tyrant
becomes
popular.
DIodorus
xiv. 42.
Catapult, a
huge crossbow
for
hurling
heavy bolts;
afterward so
modified as
to throw
stones and
lumps of
lead. Heretofore
the
only siege
engine was
the battering
ram.
The wood
was needed
for the ships.
As the Syracusans did all in their power to forward his
design, the greatest emulation was shown in the preparation.
Not only were the front and back porches of the
temples, the gymnasia, and the porticoes of the marketplace
filled with workmen, but also apart from public
places, in the most illustrious private houses arms of all
kinds were being manufactured.
At this time the catapult was invented in Syracuse, for
the most excellent artisans were gathered here from all
sides.
Zeal was inflamed by the high wages, and the greatness
of the rewards that awaited those who were judged
superior. In addition to these inducements Dionysius
himself went daily among the workmen, talked courteously
with them, honored the most diligent with gifts, or
invited them to dine with him. The mechanics, therefore,
vying with each other in the utmost rivalry, devised
new and strange missiles and engines which proved exceedingly
serviceable. He began, too, to build quadriremes
and quinqueremes, being the first to invent this
kind of ship. For hearing that the first triremes were
built in Corinth, Dionysius was anxious that a colony of
hers should have credit for extending the plan of the war
ship. After arranging to obtain a supply of wood from
Italy, he sent half of his woodcutters to Mount Etna,
which then abounded with pine and fir, and the other half
to Italy; and provided teams for hauling the wood to the
sea, and boats and oarsmen to bring the rafts as speedily
as possible to Syracuse,
When Dionysius had thus collected a sufl&cient supply
of wood, he forthwith began to build more than two
hundred war ships and to refit
ones.
the hundred and ten old
Furthermore he erected expensive holds round the
harbor, for receiving the ships, to the number of one hun-