the two goddesses. Timoleon himself proceeded to Delphi and sacrificed
to the god, and when he came into the place where oracles were
delivered, a portent occurred to him. From among the various offerings
suspended there, a victor's wreath, embroidered with crowns and symbols
of victory slipped down and was carried by the air so as to alight upon
the head of Timoleon; so that it appeared that the god sent him forth to
his campaign already crowned with success. He started with only seven
ships from Corinth, two from Korkyra, and one from Leukadia; and as he
put to sea at night and was sailing with a fair wind, he suddenly saw
the heavens open above his ship and pour down a flood of brilliant
light. After this a torch like that used at the mysteries rose up before
them, and, proceeding on the same course, alighted on that part of Italy
for which the pilots were steering. The seers explained that this
appearance corroborated the dream of the priestesses, and that the light
from heaven showed that the two goddesses were joining the expedition;
for Sicily is sacred to Proserpine, as the myth tells us that she was
carried off there, and that the island itself was given her as a wedding
present.

The fleet, encouraged by these proofs of divine favour, crossed the open
sea, and proceeded along the Italian coast. But the news from Sicily
gave Timoleon much concern, and dispirited his soldiers. For Hiketes had
conquered Dionysius, and taken the greater part of Syracuse; he had
driven him into the citadel and what is called the island, and was
besieging and blockading him there, and urging the Carthaginians to take
measures to prevent Timoleon from landing in Sicily, in order that, when
the Greeks were driven off, he and his new allies might partition the
island between themselves.

IX. The Carthaginians sent twenty triremes to Rhegium, having on board
ambassadors from Hiketes to Timoleon charged with instructions as bad as
his deeds. For their proposals were plausible, though their plan was
base, being that Timoleon, if he chose, should come as an adviser to
Hiketes and partake of his conquests; but that he should send his ships
and soldiers back to Corinth, as the war was within a little of being
finished, and as the Carthaginians were determined to oppose his passage
by force if he attempted it. So the Corinthians, when they reached
Rhegium, found these ambassadors, and saw the Carthaginian fleet
cruising to intercept them. Th