Page 662 up the spirits of the Soldiers, all taking it for a very happy Omen because that creature is sacred to Minerva: These sorts of tricks and devices altho' they may seem to some to be foolish and vain, yet they have many times been the causes of extraordinary success. As it fell out likewise at this time; for the soldiers by this means growing more bold and couragious, and it being generally nois'd abroad that the Goddess plainly soretold that they should be victorious, they more resolutely underwent all dangers and difficulties: For when the Chariots charg'd fiercely upon them, some they pierc'd through with their Darts and Arrows, others they avoided and suffer'd to pass by, and most of them they drave back into the midst of their own Foot. In the same manner they receiv'd the Charge of their Horse, wounding many and putting them all at last to flight.
When they had thus gallantly behav'd themselves in the first Charge, the Barbarians began to fall upon them with their whole Body of Foot at once; upon which there was a very sharp Engagment, wherein Hanno with that Body of Men call'd the Sacred Brigade (striving to win the day by his own Valour) makes a fierce Charge upon the Grecians, and hews down many of them: And tho' he was even overwhelm'd with showers of Darts and Arrows, yet he fell not; but receiving one Wound after another, on he still goes, till being overprest and altogether tir'd out, down he fell and gave up his last Breath. On the other hand Agathocles his Soldiers were so lifed up with expectations of Victory that they were still more and more couragious; which when the other General Bomilcar came to understand, conceiving that the Gods had put an opportunity into his hand to gain the Tyranny, he reason'd with himself, That if the Army of Agathocles were destroy'd, he could not mount the Throne because the City would be too strong for him; but if Agathocles were Conqueror, and by that means broke the Spirits of the Carthaginians, then (when they were brought low) he should be able to lead them which way he would; and as for Agathocles he concluded he should be able to subdue him when ever he pleas'd. Revolving these things in his mind, he began to face about and Retreat, willing the Enemy should take notice of what they were about to do; then telling his Soldiers that Hanno was slain, order'd them to keep their ranks and get to a rising ground there near at hand; for that was now the last course for them to take. But the Retreat looking like a down-right flight, the Enemy prest so close upon them, that the Africans who were in the Rear, supposing that those in the Front of the Battle were Routed, took to their Heels likewise.
In the mean time those in the Sacred Brigade fought bravely for a while after the death of Hanno, and resolutely prest forward upon the Enemy over the Carkases of their fellow-soldiers; but when they perceiv'd that most of their Army was fled, and that the Enemy was surrounding them at their backs, they were forc'd likewise to give way and be gone.
The whole Carthaginian Army being thus put to flight, the Barbarians made toward, Carthage; whom Agathocles pursu'd but a little way, and then return'd, and took the Pillage of the field; In this Battle were slain Two hundred Grecians, and not above a Thousand Carthaginians, though some have written above Six Thousand: Amongst other rich spoiles there were found many Chariots in the Carthaginians Camp, in which were carri'd above Twenty thousand pair of Fetters and Manacles. For concluding that they would easily overcome the Greeks, they agreed together to take as many Prisoners as they could, and threw them into the Dungeons setter'd hand and foot; but God (I conceive) purposely sets himself by meer contrary Events to cross the expectations of such, who proudly before hand resolve what shall absolutely be done.
Agathocles having now Routed the Carthaginians both beyond their, and even his own expectation, blockt them up within their Walls; and thus we see Fortune whose common Course it is to make Chequer-work of good and bad success, of Routs and Victories in their several turns, now humbled the Conquerors as well as those that were before conquered. For the Carthaginians after they had beaten Agathocles in Sicily in a great Battle, besieg'd Syracuse; and now Agathocles having Routed them in Africa, Besieges Carthage: And that which was most to be admir'd was that this Prince was beaten by the Barbarians in the Island when all his Forces were with him whole and intire: but now is Victorious in the Continent over the Conquerors with a piece of a broken and shatter'd Army. The Carthaginians therefore concluding that this miserable misfortune was brought upon them by the Gods, they all betook themselves to Prayers and Supplications to the Deity; especially thinking that Hercules, the Tutelar god of their Country, was angry at them, they sent a vast sum of Mony, and many other rich Gifts to Tyre. For in as much as they were a Colony which came out from them, they us'd in former Ages to send the Tenth part of all their Revenues as an Offering to that God: