The Romans, on receiving information of these events, immediately
moved their camp from Leontini to Syracuse. It happened at this time
that ambassadors were sent by Appius in a quinquereme, to make their
way through the harbour. A quadrireme was sent in advance, which was
captured as soon as it entered the mouth of the harbour, and the
ambassadors with difficulty made their escape. And now not only the
laws of peace but of war also were not regarded, when the Roman army
pitched their camp at Olympium, a temple of Jupiter, a mile and a half
from the city. From which place also it was thought proper that
ambassadors should be sent forward; these were met by Hippocrates and
Epicydes with their friends without the gate, to prevent their
entering the city. The Roman, who was appointed to speak, said that
"he did not bring war, but aid and assistance to the Syracusans, not
only to such as, escaping from the midst of the carnage, fled to the
Romans for protection, but to those also, who, overpowered by fear,
were submitting to a servitude more shocking, not only than exile, but
than death. Nor would the Romans suffer the horrid murder of their
friends to go unavenged. If, therefore, those who had taken refuge
with them were allowed to return to their country with safety, the
authors of the massacre delivered up, and the Syracusans reinstated in
the enjoyment of their liberty and laws, there would be no necessity
for arms; but if these things were not done, they would direct their
arms unceasingly against those who delayed them, whoever they might
be." Epicydes replied, that "if they had been commissioned with any
message for them, they would have given them an answer; and when the
government of Syracuse was in the hands of those persons to whom they
were come, they might visit Syracuse again. If they should commence
hostilities, they would learn by actual experience that it was by no
means the same thing to besiege Syracuse and Leontini." With this he
left the ambassadors and closed the gate. The siege of Syracuse then
commenced by sea and land at the same time; by land on the side of the
Hexapylum; by sea on the side of the Achradina, the wall of which is
washed by its waves; and as the Romans felt a confidence that as they
had taken Leontini by the terror they occasioned on the first assault,
they should be able in some quarter to effect an entrance into a city
so desert, and diffused over so large an extent of ground, they