m by their halters.

XX. As soon as they had crossed, Timoleon met them, and at once obtained
possession of Messina, and, after reviewing them, marched on Syracuse at
once, confiding more in his good fortune and his former successes than
in the number of his troops, which amounted to no more than four
thousand. When Mago heard of this march, he was much disquieted, and his
suspicions of his allies were increased by the following circumstance.
In the marshes round the city, into which runs much fresh water from
springs and rivers which find their way into the sea, there was a great
quantity of eels, which afforded plenty of sport for those who cared to
fish for them; and the mercenary soldiers on both sides used to meet and
fish whenever there was a cessation of hostilities. As they were all
Greeks, and had no private grounds for hatred, they would cheerfully
risk their lives in battle against each other, but during times of truce
they conversed freely. So then, while engaged in fishing, they talked to
one another, and admired the beauty of the sea, and the fine situation
of the city. Then one of the Corinthian garrison said, "Can it be that
you, Greeks as you are, should be endeavouring to betray to the
barbarian so great and beautiful a city as this, and that you should be
trying to establish these base and cruel Carthaginians nearer to our
country? Rather ought you to wish that there were more Sicilies to act
as bulwarks of Greece. Do you suppose that these men have gathered
together their host from the pillars of Herakles and the Atlantic coast,
and risked their lives at sea, merely to support the dynasty of Hiketes?
He, if he had the spirit of a real prince, never would have turned out
his brethren, and invited the enemy into his native land, but would have
made terms with Timoleon and the Corinthians, and been honoured
accordingly." These words were noised abroad in the camp by the
mercenaries, and gave Mago the pretext which he had long been waiting
for, to abandon their cause on the plea of suspecting their fidelity.
Wherefore, although Hiketes begged him to remain, and pointed out how
far superior he was to the enemy, yet he, thinking that Timoleon's army
surpassed his in courage and good fortune as much as his did in numbers,
weighed anchor at once and sailed to Africa, letting Sicily slip through
his fingers, to his great disgrace, for no assignable reason.

XXI. On the next day appeared Timoleon with his troo