In despair at
this Mamercus sailed to Italy, to try to bring the Lucanians against
Timoleon and the Syracusans; but he was deserted by his followers, who
turned their ships back, sailed to Syracuse, and surrendered Catana to
Timoleon. Mamercus now was forced to take refuge in Messina with Hippo,
the despot there. But Timoleon came and besieged it both by sea and
land. Hippo endeavoured to escape on a ship, and was taken. The people
of Messina, to whom he was delivered up, brought every one, even the
boys from school, into the theatre, to witness that most salutary
spectacle, a tyrant meeting with his deserts. He was put to death with
torture; but Mamercus surrendered himself to Timoleon on condition that
he should have a fair trial before the people of Syracuse, and that
Timoleon should say nothing against him. When he was brought to Syracuse
he was brought before the people, and tried to deliver a long
premeditated speech to them, but meeting with interruptions and seeing
that the assembly was inexorable he flung away his cloak and rushed
across the theatre, striking his head against a stone step with the
intention of killing himself. However he failed, and paid the penalty of
his crimes by suffering the death of a pirate.
XXXV. In this fashion the despotisms were put down by Timoleon, and the
wars finished. The whole island, which had become a mere wilderness
through the constant wars, and was grown hateful to the very natives,
under his administration became so civilized and desirable a country
that colonists sailed to it from those very places to which its own
citizens had formerly betaken themselves to escape from it.
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