Page 512 Miseries attending a Place taken by Storm, with generous and undaunted Resolutions, shunn'd nothing of Hazard, for their own and the Preservation of their Country. The Situation of the Place contributed much all along to the Besieged for the Batteling the Enemy: For Perinthus is situated on the Sea-side, upon a rising Neck of Land, in a Peninsula stretch'd out a Furlong in length: The Houses are close together, and very high; for one stands above another, according to the Ascent of the Hill; and the Form of the City represents, as it were, a Theatre. And therefore though a large Breach was made in the Walls, yet they within were but little prejudic'd thereby; for the strait and narrow Passage being barricado'd, the higher Houses were instead, and as advantageous as a Wall. Philip therefore having gain'd the Wall, after much Toil and Hazard, found another far stronger made by the Situation of the Houses: And besides all these Disadvantages, he saw that every thing necessary for War was readily and in great abundance sent to them from Byzantium; therefore he divided his Army into two Bodies; the one half he left with the best of his Commanders to carry on the Siege, and with the rest he marches speedily away to Byzantium, and lays close Siege to it on a sudden. Upon whick, the Townsmen were put into great fear and perplexity, having before sent away their Soldiers, Arms, and other things necessary for War, to the Perinthians. These were the things done at Perinthus and Byzantium at that time. Here Ephorus, one of the Writers, ends his History with the Siege of Perinthus. In his Memoirs he comprehends the Affairs both of the Greeks and Barbarians, from the return of the Heraclide, for the space of almost Seven hundred and fifty Years; and divides his History into Thirty Books, to every one of which he adjoins a Preface. Diyllus the Athenian continues this History of Ephorus, treating of the Actions of the Grecians and Barbarians to the Death of Philip.
The Athenians aid Byzantium. Philip raises the Siege. The Carthaginians transport Forces into Sicily. The remarkable Victory of Timoleon over the Carthaginians. The Acts of Timoleon in Sicily. The Works of Hiero in Sicily.
WHen Theophrastus was Lord Cancellor at Athens, and Marcus Valerius and Aulus Cornelius Roman Consuls, The hundred and tenth Olympiad began, in which Anticles the Athenian was Victor. Philip then besieging Byzantium, the Athenians judging he had broken the Peace they had made with him, forthwith fitted out a great Fleet against him in aid of the Byzantians; whose Example they of Chius, Coos, and Rhodes, and other Gracians follow'd, and sent Auxiliaries to the same Place. Whereupon Philip being startled at the Forces of the Grecians, rais'd both his Sieges, and made Peace with the Athenians and the rest of the Grecians that were in Arms against him.
In the mean time, the Carthaginians, after their great Preparations, transport their Forces into Sicily, which with those that were before in the Island, amounted to Seventy thousand Foot; and Horse, Chariots, and Waggons, no fewer than Ten thousand. They had also a Navy of Two hundred Men of War; and Transport-Ships for the conveying of Horses, Arms, and Provision above a Thousand. Timoleon, though he was inform'd of this great Preparation, yet was not at all afrighted with the Barbarians, tho' his Army was but small. He was at this time engag'd still in War with Hicetas, but at length agreed the matter, and by the accession of his Forces greatly increas'd his Army. And now he judg'd it most for his advantage to transfer the War with the Carthaginians into their own Territory; by this means to preserve the Country of his Confederates, and, on the other side, by Waste and Spoil to weaken the Enemy: To this end he forthwith muster'd his Army, consisting of Syracusians, Mercenaries, and other Confederates; and in a General Assembly, by a pithy Oration, advis'd them to be Courageous, for that all now lay at stake: Which was receiv'd with general Acclamation, and all prest him without delay to be led forth against the Enemy. Whereupon he advanc'd, not having with him above Twelve thousand Men: But as soon as he came into the Confines of Agrigentum, there arose a sudden Mutiny in his Camp; for a Mercenary Soldier, call'd Thracius, a bold and impudent Fellow, none exceeding him in that respect (lately a Companion of those Phocians who robb'd the Temple of Delphos) committed a Fact agreeable to his former Villanies: For whereas most of them who had an hand in that Sacrilege were overtaken by Divine Vengeance (as before related) this only Fellow seem'd to have