nd some had gone into exile to
avoid the despots, so that the market-place of Syracuse was overrun with
herbage so deep and thick that horses were pastured on it, while the
grooms lay on the grass near them. The other cities, except a very few,
had become the haunts of deer and wild boars, and persons at leisure
used to hunt them with dogs in the suburbs and round the walls. None of
those who had taken refuge in the various forts and castles would return
to the city, as they all felt a dread and hatred of public assemblies
and politics, which had produced the greater part of the tyrants under
whom they had suffered. In this difficulty it occurred to Timoleon and
the Syracusans to apply to the Corinthians, and ask them to send out
fresh colonists from Greece. Otherwise, they said, the land must lie
uncultivated, and, above all, they were looking forward to a great war
with Africa, as they heard that on Mago's return the Carthaginians were
so enraged at his failure, that, though he committed suicide to avoid a
worse fate, they had crucified his dead body, and were collecting a
great force, meaning next summer to invade Sicily.

XXIII. When these letters from Timoleon reached them, together with
ambassadors from the Syracusans, who besought them to take upon them the
care of this their poor city, and once again become the founders of it,
the Corinthians were not tempted by greed to take unfair advantages and
seize the city for themselves, but first sent heralds to all the games
held in honour of the gods throughout Greece, and to all places where
people assembled, to proclaim that the Corinthians, having abolished
despotism at Syracuse and driven out the despot, invite all Syracusans
and other Sicilian Greeks who choose to go and dwell in the city under
free institutions, receiving an equal and just share of the land. Next
they sent messengers to Asia Minor and the islands, wherever they heard
that most of the scattered bands of exiles had settled, and invited them
all to come to Corinth, as the Corinthians would at their own expense
furnish them with vessels and commanders and a safe convoy to Syracuse.

By these proclamations Corinth gained great and well-deserved renown,
seeing that she had forced Syracuse from its tyrants, saved it from the
barbarians, and given back the country to its own citizens. The exiles,
however, when assembled at Corinth found their numbers too small, and
begged to be allowed to receive among t