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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871 Excerpt:...But, soon recovering themselves, the citizens took up arms with so much alacrity, that in a short time they raised an army of 40,000 foot and 1000 horse, with 2000 armed chariots, and intrusted the command to Hanno and Hamilcar, two generals between whom there subsisted a great animosity. But this disunion occasioned the defeat of their whole army, with the loss of their camp, although the force of Agathocles did not exceed 14,000 men. Among the rich spoils the conqueror found many chariots of curious workmanship, which carried 20,000 pairs of fetters and manacles which the enemy had provided for their expected prisoners. After this defeat, the Carthaginians,, supposing themselves to have fallen under the displeasure of their deities on account of their neglecting to offer in sacrifice children of noble families, resolved to expiate this guilt. Accordingly two hundred children of the first rank were sacrificed to their gods, besides three hundred other persons who voluntarily offered themselves to pacify the wrath of these sanguinary deities. After these expiations Hamilcar was recalled from Sicily. When the messengers arrived, Hamilcar commanded them not once to mention the victory of Agathocles; but, on the contrary, to give out among the troops that he had been entirely defeated, his forces cut off, ar.d his fleet destroyed by the Carthaginians. This threw the Syracusans into the utmost despair; however, one Eurymnon, an Etolian, prevailed upon Antandrus not to consent to a capitulation, but to stand a general assault. Hamilcar, informed of this, prepared his battering engines, and made all the necessary preparations for storming the town without delay. But while matters were in this situation, a galley, which Agathocles had caused to be built immediatel...