nthians with suspicion and
shrank back from them except the Adranites. These were the inhabitants
of a small city, sacred to Adranus, a god whose worship extends
especially throughout Sicily. They were at feud with one another, as one
party invited Hiketes and the Carthaginians, while the other sent for
Timoleon to help them. And by some chance it happened that as each party
strove to get there first, they both arrived at the same time; Hiketes
with five thousand soldiers, whereas Timoleon altogether had no more
than twelve hundred.

Starting with these men from Tauromenium, which is forty-two miles from
Adranum, he made but a short march on the first day, and then encamped.
On the next day he marched steadily forward, passed some difficult
country, and late in the day heard that Hiketas had just reached the
little fortress and was encamping before it. On this the officers halted
the van of the army, thinking that the men would be fresher after taking
food and rest; but Timoleon went to them and begged them not to do so,
but to lead them on as fast as they could, and fall upon the enemy while
they were in disorder, as it was probable they would be, having just
come off their march, and being busy about pitching their tents, and
cooking their supper. Saying this he seized his shield,[A] and led the
way himself as to an assured victory; and the rest, reassured, followed
him confidently. They were distant only about thirty furlongs. These
were soon passed, and they fell headlong upon the enemy, who were in
confusion, and fled as soon as they discovered their attack. For this
reason no more than three hundred of them were slain, but twice as many
were taken prisoners, and their camp was captured. The people of Adranum
now opened their gates, and made their submission to Timoleon, relating
with awe and wonder how, at the outset of the battle, the sacred doors
of the temple flew open of their own accord, and the spear of the god
was seen to quiver at the point, while his face was covered with a thick
sweat.

[Footnote A: The shield of a General was habitually carried for him by
an orderly.]

XIII. These portents, it seems, did not merely presage the victory, but
also the subsequent events, of which this was the prosperous beginning.
Immediately several cities sent ambassadors and joined Timoleon, as did
also Mamercus the despot of Katana, a man of warlike tastes and great
wealth, who made an alliance with him. But the most