Page 714 to the King to treat upon terms of Peace, and to offer him a great sum of Money; But the King refusing the Money, they desir'd that he would permit the Carthaginians to keep only Lilybeum. But the Confederates that were then assembled in Senate, and the Representatives of the several Cities, sent to him, and earnestly intreated him, he would not upon any terms whatsoever permit the Barbarians to have any footing in Sicily, but drive the Carthaginians wholly out of the Island; and limit their Power at Sea. Upon this the King encampt near the Walls; and at first made several Assaults one upon the neck of another; But the Carthaginians being well furnish'd both with Men and other necessaries, beat him off. For they had so vast a number of Engines that cast Darts and Stones, that the Wall could scarcely contain them: which being all ply'd against the Assailants, they were so gall'd and cut off, that Pyrrhus was forc'd to draw off his Men. Then he began to contrive other Engines (besides those he had from Syracuse) and did all he could to undermine the Walls. But the Carthaginians making a stout resistance, and the place being all of Rock, he was now out of all hopes to take it by force, and therefore (after Two Months lying before it) he rais'd his Siege. And now he design'd to bend his Force elsewhere, and to that end to furnish himself with a great Fleet, in order to be Master of the Sea. and to Transport a great Army into Africa.
15. When the Mamertines in Messina grew strong, they fortify'd many Castles, and put Garrisons into them. And came presently with an Army (they had order'd to be in readiness) to the relief of Messina. But Hiero leaving the Enemies Country took Myla by Storm, and brought under his Command 1500 Soldiers, and then march'd towards Amesalus (which lies between the Centoripines and the Agyreans) and tho' it was a strong Place and had many Soldiers in it, yet he took it by Assault and raz'd it to the ground, but he pardon'd all the Garrison'd Soldiers, and joyn'd them to his own Army. The Territory he gave to the Centorippines and the Agyreans. Afterwards Hiero (having a great Army) march'd against the Mamertines, and wan Alesa; and being readily receiv'd of the Abacaenes and Tyndarites, he gain'd their Cities also; and so penn'd up the Mamertines into a strait and narrow corner. For on that side towards the Sicilian Sea, he was Lord of Tauromenium a City near Messina, and towards the Hetrurian Sea, he commanded the Tyndarites. And now making an incursion into the Territories of Messina, he encamp'd at the River Lotanus, having with him in his Army 10000 Foot and 1500 Horse. The Mamertines encamp'd over against him with 8000 Foot and but 40. Horse, under the Command of Cios, who call'd the Augures together to consult the issue of the Battle by the view of the Sacrifices; who answer'd, That by the Intralls the Gods foretold that he must lodge that Night in the Enemies Camp: Upon this he was Transported with Joy to think he should be Master of the King's Camp. Hereupon he forthwith attempted to pass the River with his Forces drawn up in Battalia. Hiero on the other side, Commands 200 Exiles of Messina (who were stout and noted Men for their Valour, with whom he join'd 400 others of his best Soldiers) to compass an Hill call'd Thorax there near at hand, and so to come round upon the back of the Enemy, and he himself in order of Battle met them in the Front. Whereupon the Armies Engag'd both Horse and Foot (the King having gain'd a Rising Ground near the River much to his advantage) The issue was doubtful for some time: but they that were order'd to the Hill, on a sudden fell upon the Mamertines, who (being but raw Men and tir'd out) were easily vanquish'd. At length, being hemm'd in on every side, they took to their Heels: But the Syracusians pursu'd them so close with their whole Army, that they cut them off every Man, save the General, who fighting with great Valour, at length fainted by the many wounds he receiv'd, and was taken prisoner, and brought half dead into the King's Camp, and committed to the care of the Chirurgeons; thus being brought to spend the Night according to the prediction of the Augures in the Enemies Camp. When the King was very earnest to have Cion being Cur'd, some came to the King with Horses they had taken in the Fight; Upon which, when Cion saw his Son's Horse among the rest, he concluded he was kill'd; whereupon he was so Transported with Passion, that he tore in pieces all the Bands and Ligatures of his Wounds, that by his own death he might Honour his Sons. The Mamertines hearing that both their General Cion and their whole Army was destroy'd, resolv'd to go and humble themselves to the King, as Suppliants. However, Fortune suffer'd not the Mamertines to be altogether lost and undone. For it hapned that at that time Hannibal the Carthaginian General lay at the Island Lipara, who as soon as he heard of this slaughter, went to the King with all speed, seemingly to congratulate his Victory, but in truth by some stratagem to circumvent him. And the King trusting to the Carthaginian's word, lay still. But Hannibal going to Messina, and finding