XII. So thinking that the Corinthian would be no better than these men,
and that the same plausible and specious baits would be held out to lure
them with hopes and pleasant promises under the yoke of a new master,
they all viewed the proposals of the Corinthians with suspicion and
shrank back from them except the Adranites. These were the inhabitants
of a small city, sacred to Adranus, a god whose worship extends
especially throughout Sicily. They were at feud with one another, as one
party invited Hiketes and the Carthaginians, while the other sent for
Timoleon to help them. And by some chance it happened that as each party
strove to get there first, they both arrived at the same time; Hiketes
with five thousand soldiers, whereas Timoleon altogether had no more
than twelve hundred.
Starting with these men from Tauromenium, which is forty-two miles from
Adranum, he made but a short march on the first day, and then encamped.
On the next day he marched steadily forward, passed some difficult
country, and late in the day heard that Hiketas had just reached the
little fortress and was encamping before it. On this the officers halted
the van of the army, thinking that the men would be fresher after taking
food and rest; but Timoleon went to them and begged them not to do so,
but to lead them on as fast as they could, and fall upon the enemy while
they were in disorder, as it was probable they would be, having just
come off their march, and being busy about pitching their tents, and
cooking their supper.
Pages:
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617