Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/484

HISTOiif OF GKEECK. ly of armed Syracusau citizens under a commander named Dorikus. While lie was laying siege to the town of Erbessus, the Syracusan troops, finding themselves assembled in arms and animated with one common sentiment, began to concert measures for open resistance to Dionysius. The commander Dorikus, in striving to repress these manifestations, lifted up his hand to chastise one of the most mutinous speakers j 1 upon which the soldiers rushed forward in a body to de- fend him. They slew Dorikus, and proclaimed themselves again, ivith loud shouts, free Syracusan citizens ; calling upon all their com- rades in the camp to unite against the despot. They also sent a message forthwith to the town of .ZEtna, inviting the immediate junction of the Syracusan Horsemen, who had sought shelter there in their exile from Dionysius. Their appeal found the warmest sympathy among the Syracusan soldiers in the camp, all of whom declared themselves decisively against the despot, and prepared for every effort to recover their liberty. So rapidly did this sentiment break out into vehement and unani- mous action, that Dionysius was too much intimidated to attempt to put it down at once by means of his mercenaries. Profiting by the lesson which he had received, after the return march from Gela, he raised the siege of Erbessus forthwith, and returned to Syracuse to make sure of his position in Ortygia, before his Syracusan enemies could arrive there. Meanwhile the latter, thus left full of joy and confidence, as well as masters of the camp, chose for their leaders those soldiers who had slain Dorikus, and found themselves speed- ily reinforced by the Horsemen, or returning exiles from JEtna. Resolved to spare no effort for liberating Syracuse, they sent envoys to Messene and Rhegium, as well as to Corinth, for aid ; while they at the same time marched with all their force to Syracuse, and encamped on the heights of Epipolae. It is not clear whether they remained in this position, or whether they were enabled, through the sympathy of the population, to possess themselves far- ther of the outer city Achradina, and with its appendages Tycha and Neapolis. Dionysius was certainly cut off from all communi- cation with the country ; but he maintained himself in his impreg- nable position in Ortygia, now exclusively occupied by his chosen 1 Diodor. xiv, 7. Compare an occurrence very similar, at Mcnde in Thrace (Thucyd. iv, 130).