So the Corinthians, when they reached
Rhegium, found these ambassadors, and saw the Carthaginian fleet
cruising to intercept them. They were enraged at this treatment, and all
were filled with anger against Hiketes, and with fear for the people of
Sicily, who, they clearly saw, were to be the prize of the treachery of
Hiketes and the ambition of the Carthaginians. Yet it seemed impossible
that they should overcome both the fleet of the barbarians which was
riding there, double their own in number, and also the forces under
Hiketes at Syracuse, of which they had expected to be put in command.
X. Nevertheless Timoleon met the ambassadors and the Carthaginian
admirals, and mildly informed them that "he would accede to their
proposals, for what could he do if he refused them? but that he wished,
before they parted, to listen to them, and to answer them publicly
before the people of Rhegium, a city of Greek origin and friendly to
both parties; as this would conduce to his own safety, and they also
would be the more bound to stand by their proposal about the Syracusans
if they took the people of Rhegium as their witnesses." He made this
overture to help a plot which he had of stealing a march upon them, and
the leading men of the Rhegines assisted him in it, as they wished the
Corinthian influence to prevail in Sicily, and feared to have the
barbarians for neighbours. Accordingly they called together an assembly
and shut the city gates, that the citizens might not attend to anything
else, and then, coming forward, they made speeches of great length, one
man treating the subject after another without coming to any conclusion,
but merely wasting the time, until the Corinthian triremes had put to
sea.
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