Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/469

ATTACK UPON GEL A 44 f period by the Carthaginians, who were kept inactive in quarters at Agrigentum, to repose after the hardships of the blockade; employed in despoiling the city of its movable ornaments, for transmission to Carthage, and in burning or defacing, with barba- rous antipathy, such as could not be carried away. 1 In the spring Imilkon moved forward towards Gela, having provided himself with fresh siege-machines, and ensured his supplies from the Car thaginiaii territory in his rear. Finding no army to oppose him, he spread his troops over the territory both of Gela and of Ka- marina, where much plunder was collected and much property ruined. He then returned to attack Gela, and established a forti- fied camp by clearing some plantation-ground near the river of the same name, between the city and the sea. On this spot stood, without the walls, a colossal statue of Apollo, which Imilkon caused to be carried off and sent as a present to Tyre. Gela was at this moment defended only by its own citizens, for Dionysius had called away Dexippus with the mercenary troops. Alarmed at the approach of the formidable enemy who had already mastered Agrigentum, Himera, and Selinus, the Geloans de- spatched pressing entreaties to Dionysius for aid ; at the same time resolving to send away their women and children for safety to Syracuse. But the women, to whom the idea of separation was intolerable, supplicated so earnestly to be allowed to stay and share the fortunes of their fathers and husbands, that this resolu- tion was abandoned. In expectation of speedy relief from Dio- nysius, the defence was brave and energetic. While parties of the Geloans, well-acquainted with the country, sallied out and acted with great partial success against the Carthaginian plun- derers, the mass of the citizens repelled the assaults of Imilkon against the walls. His battering-machines and storming-parties were brought to bear on several places at once ; the walls them- selves, being neither in so good a condition, nor placed upon so months of 405 B. c., as Diodorus places them. Both events are in the same Olympic year, between Midsummer 406 B. c. and Midsummer 405 B. o But this year is exactly the year which falls between the two passages above referred to in Xenophon ; not coinciding exactly with either one or the other. Compare Dodwell, Chronolog. Xenoph. ad ann. 407 B. c. 1 Diodor. xiii, 82 96, 108. r<if y/lt>0uf nal rii TrepiTTorepug elpyaafieva etc.