They then dispatched messengers to Hamilcar, who commanded in Sicily, requiring him to come to the relief of his country: he does not, however, seem to have been aware of the extreme urgency of the case, as he con tented himself with dispatching 5000 men. By pressing the siege of Syracuse, he thought to draw Agathocles from his purpose; but in an attempt to surprise it by night, he was slain, and his troops completely discom fited.
In the mean time Agathocles had made himself mas ter of all the open country, and Carthage itself must have fallen, had it not been for a mutiny which broke out in the invader's camp. (Diod. xx.) He succeeded in deed in quelling the mutiny, but by it his efforts were crippled, and he was constrained, instead of assaulting the capital itself, to be content with endeavouring to de tach the tributary states from its interests. He contrived also to delude Ophellas, one of Alexander's captains, who had established himself in Cyrenaica, to co-operate with a large army; promising to assist him in becoming sovereign of Africa. Ophellas (Diod. ubi sup.) little suspected the snare that was laid for him; he joined Agathocles with a considerable force ; but Agathocles caused him to be assassinated, and persuaded the troops of Cyrenaica to enrol themselves under his standard. A transaction at this time was taking place at Carthage, which, if Agathocles had received timely information, would have enabled him to put an end to the war. Bo mile:1•, to whose treachery the loss of the last battle had been attributed, now began openly to avow those designs of which he was then only suspected. He endeavoured, with the assistance of some mercenaries, whom he had contrived to assemble, to get forcible possession of the chief authority in Carthage. His scheme was, however, frustrated, and he himself crucified in the midst of the forum. He endured his sufferings with great constancy; and from the cross he harangued the multitude, and up braided them with their ingratitude to so many illustrious commanders. The singular good fortune of Agathoeles now began to forsake him. The Carthaginian party in Sicily made such rapid progress, that he determined to leave for a season the management of affairs in Africa, and to return to Sicily. His return to Sicily was as for
tunate as he could have hoped ; but he was quickly re called, by the news that his son A rchagathus had been twice defeated by the Carthaginians, and that he labour ed under the most severe want of provisions. With Ins usual activity, lie returned on the instant to Africa; his troops were sunk almost into a state of despair from want of food ; he found himself therefore reduced to the ne• ccssity of engaging immediately, and the consequence was an entire overthrow. The tide of fortune hail now ebbed so low with him, that his only anxiety was to save himself from falling into the hands of the Carthaginians. Ile succeeded, after great exertion, in effecting his es cape, but he left his children and his remaining troops to the mercy of the conqueror. Enraged to find them selves thus deserted, they put to death the tyrant's sons. The Carthaginians, however, were well pleased to grant them very easy terms, and purchased the cession of those strong places which were still in their hands, at the price of 300 talents ; engaging to give those who Were unwil ling to enter into their service safe conduct to Sicily. This treaty was in the following year ratified by Aga thocles, with an additional article, which, availing them selves of his necessities, they extorted, viz. that all those cities which they had formerly possessed in Sicily should be restored to them. Thus did these most extraordinary wars, which had threatened the destruction of the Car thaginian name, terminate in the disappointment and discomfiture of their enemy. Their effects, however, did not cease here ; the success of Agathocles gave to the Romans the first notion of the practicability of invad ing Africa ; and Liu xxviii. c. 43.) makes Scipio expressly quote. this example, to justify the opinion lie had given, that the war might with advantage be trans ferred to the enemy's country. Diodorus is so strongly impressed with the importance of these occurrences, that lie goes out of his way to point out the peculiar circum stances, which skew the intervention of au over-ruling Providence.