while his victorious fleet occupied the
great harbor--a much more imposing armament than that the Athenians had at
the close of the Persian war. The total number of vessels was two
thousand. Imilco established his head-quarters at the temple of Zeus
Olympius, one mile and a half from the city, and allowed his troops thirty
days for plunder over the Syracusan territory; then he established
fortified posts, and encircled his camp with a wall, and set down in
earnest to reduce the city to famine. But as he was not master of Epipolae,
as Nicias was, Syracuse was able to communicate with the country around,
both west and north, and also found means to secure supplies by sea.

(M671) Meanwhile the Syracusans defeated a portion of the Carthaginian
fleet, and a terrific pestilence overtook the army before the city. The
military strength of the Carthaginians was prostrated by the terrible
malady, which swept away one hundred and fifty thousand persons in the
camp. When thus weakened and demoralized, the Carthaginians were attacked
by the Syracusans, and were completely routed. The fleet was also defeated
and set on fire, and the conflagration reached the camp, which was thus
attacked by pestilence, fire, and sword. The disaster was fatal to the
Carthaginians, and retreat was necessary. Imilco dispatched a secret envoy
to Dionysius, offering three hundred talents if the fleet was allowed to
sail away unmolested to Africa. This could not be permitted, but Imilco
and the native Carthaginians were allowed to retire. The remaining part of
the army, deprived of their head, was destroyed, with the exception of the
Sikels, who knew the roads, and made good their escape.

(M672) This immense disaster, greater than that the Athenians had suffered
under Nicias, produced universal mourning and distress at Carthage, while
the miserable Imilco vainly endeavoring to disarm the wrath of his
countrymen, shut himself up in his house, and starved himself to death.
This misfortune led also to a revolt of the African allies, which was
subdued with difficulty, while the power of Carthage in Sicily was reduced
to the lowest ebb. Dionysius was now left to push his conquests in other
directions, and Syracuse was rescued from impending ruin.

(M673) Dionysius had now reigned eleven years, with absolute power. The
pestilence, and the treachery of Imilco, had freed him of the
Carthaginians. But a difficulty arose as to the payment of his
mercenaries, whi