Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/435

SACRIFICE OF PRISONERS. 4lb physical force, of these brave men, was now at an ind. The gods were quitting Himera, as they had before quitted Selinus. At the moment when the triremes were seen coming near to the port, the Iberian assailants broke down a wide space of the fortification with their battering-rams, poured in through the breach, and over- came all opposition. Encouraged by their shouts, the barbaric host now on all sides forced the walls, and spread themselves over the city, which became one scene of wholesale slaughter and plunder. It was no part of the scheme of Hannibal to interrupt the plunder, which he made over as a recompense to his soldiers. But he speedily checked the slaughter, being anxious to take as many prisoners as possible, and increasing the number by dragging away all who had taken sanctuary in the temples. A few among this wretched population may have contrived to reach the approaching triremes ; all the rest either perished or fell into the hands of the victor. 1 It was a proud day for the Carthaginian general when he stood as master on the ground of Himera ; enabled to fulfil the duty, and satisfy the exigencies, of revenge for his slain grandfather. Tragical indeed was the consummation of this long-cherished pur- pose. Not merely the walls and temples (as at Selinus), but all the houses in Himera, were razed to the ground. Its temples, having been first stripped of their ornaments and valuables, were burnt. The women and children taken captive were distributed as prizes among the solcliei's. But all the male captives, three thousand in number, were conveyed to the precise spot where Hamilkar had been slain, and there put to death with indignity, 9 as an expiatory satisfaction to his lost honor. Lastly, in order that even the hated name of Himera might pass into oblivion, a new town called Therma (so designated because of some warm springs) was shortly afterwards founded by the Carthaginians in the neighborhood. 3 1 Diodor. xiii, 61, 62. 2 Diodor. xiii, 62. Tuv c5' a!%[ta'uruv yvvaiKut; re Kai Traldaf 6ia6oi) elf TO arparoTtedov Kapetyv'XaTTE' TUV 6' uvdpuv rot)f d/lwraf, eif rpia^Movf 6vTdf, -apriyayev enl rbv TOTTOV, ev cj irporepov 'A/a'/l/caf 6 Trumroe avrov vird TeTiuvof livr/petit], Kai KUVTO. aiKiffu.fj.evof Ka.Tea<j>at;e. The Carthaginians, after their victory over Agathokles in 307 B. c., sacri ficed their finest prisoners as offerings of thanks to the gods (Diodor. xx 65.) 3 Diodor. xiii, 79.