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

Dionysius I 243
dred and sixty, many of which would receive two ships
apiece.
He likewise repaired and covered over with newplanks
one hundred and fifty old and useless vessels.
The preparation of so many arms and ships in one J^e amazlocahty
struck the beholder with admiration. If in fact a of Syracuse.
man only noticed the attention bestowed on the ships, he ^j ^^_
would presently conclude that all the Sicilians were engaged
in building them; and then to turn and look upon
the army and engines, he would judge that there the
height of skill was expended on them. The zeal devoted
to them could not be surpassed, yet there were prepared
in addition 140,000 bucklers, and as many swords and
helmets. There were forged, too, 14,000 corselets of all The impor-
^^ ,
L3.ncc 01 tncsc
sorts of excellent workmanship. These equipments he preparations
assigned to the horse and to the colonels and captains of
fa^That^
the foot, and to the mercenaries who formed his lifeguard. ^Jf^^^n^^^^'to
He prepared likewise catapults of all kinds and a vast stem the tide
. . ., r^-, • r r. -J J of Carthanumber
of missiles. The city of Syracuse provided one ginian invahalf
of the galleys with captains, pilots, and oarsmen cf ^°n^ced,^not
their own citizens. For the rest Dionysius hired foreigners, only Sicily,
•^
111 "^^
After all the ships and arms were ready and complete, he
began to call his soldiers together; for he thought it ad-
visable not to hire them long in advance, that he might
avoid expense.
II.
The Old Age of Timoleon
In this fashion the tyrannies were put down by Timo-
Europe;
Atident
'"'
'
'^^'
The liberaleon,
and the wars finished. The whole island, which had pieted.
become a mere wilderness through the constant wars and
was gro^\•n hateful to the very natives, under his adminis-
piutarch,
Timoleon, 35.
Greece, 246-
tration became so civilized and desirable a country that
8; Ancient
colonists sailed to it
. .
from those very places to which its World, 249 f,
own citizens had formerly betaken themselves to escape