Treaty Sometimes he denied the Garisons upon jealousie of his future pretensions sometimes he urged that he should for ever depart from Sicily and another time he required his Children for hostages Agathocles though he perceived the drift of the man and that he should prevail nothing by this Treaty but make them more eager in requiring what they knew he would deny did yet continue his practice that by his Commissioners he might debauch the Army buy off the faith of some raise diffidence of their General in others and stir up Seditions and Factions against him in the several Cities He insinuates by his agents that Dinocrates did not faithfully intend the liberty of Sicily but sought to have that power in himself which he envied and fought against in another that he was the great obstruction of the publick Peace and Happiness of every City by refusing such Articles which a Conquerour would not have denied to the vanquished and so he neglected the safety of all those Cities whose servant he was Whiles he laies these grounds for Victory there he concludes a Peace with the Carthaginians and delivers up all their Forts and Cities which he had seized upon in Sicily for the summe of three hundred talents and two hundred thousand measures of corn By this composition he was at liberty to employ all his thoughts forces against the Free League with whom he was resolved to try what his secret arts had done and offer them a set Battel in the Field although he had no more then five thousand foot and eight hundred horse which he did not so much trust to as he did unto his own practices and the Vices of the Enemy The Confederates were well pleased with the Tyrant's confidence who seemed to offer up his small number to the swords of twenty five thousand foot and three thousand horse which was their strength Therefore both parties did willingly engage at a place called Gorgium The Fight was stoutly maintained on both sides for some time and the Victory doubtful whether it should fall where was the greatest Number or the bravest Courage but at length the practices of the Tyrant began to work for two thousand of Dinocrates's Army that were corrupted by the Treaty in the very heat of the Battel went over to Agathocles's side Which did both raise the hopes and courage of his party and so terrifie the other with this unexpected Perfidiousness that every one doubting whether his next comerade were a friend or foe they trusted more in their flight then in their companions and were immediately routed Agathocles would not pursue his flying Enemies but by a seeming humanity to spare his deceived Country-men he sounds a retreat from the slaughter So that all the horse were gotten safe to Ambicus many of the foot by the benefit of the approaching night escaped quite away but the greatest part of them that were left in a body together had possessed themselves of an hill which they had fortified for their defence To these the Tyrant offers hopes of Pardon and Peace lest despair might kindle them to a dangerous obstinacy Necessity many times forcing men to miraculous acts therefore by some messengers he desires them to come to a Treaty Which as before he had entertained with them onely out of a desire of Peace so now he had no other motives but by that means to put an end to the miseries of his Country That although his condition were now better then it was then yet he knew how it became not just persons and generous spirits to change their honest desires with success He had never thought any cause of War could be just against the Sicilians and that therefore he chose rather to maintain their common interest and to undergoe so many dangers for them in Africk to break the Punick yoke which he had done had not some that envied the publick Happiness of the Island distracted him by assaulting his estate here while he was faithfully serving them there That now if they were weary of a tedious and fruitless War and were desirous to return to the comforts of Peace and the pleasures of their own homes laying down their arms they should find a free and safe passage But if they preferred the hatred of him to all the blessings of Quiet and would still retain their hostile affections together with their weapons they must make their way with the sword and he would extinguish their hate of him with their own blood For they had found by a sadder experience then he could have wished that there was no hope of success against him who with so small an handful of men through the assistance of the Gods without whose favour there could be no prosperity had overthrown their mighty Army The poor wretches though they knew that not any word was true and had many testimonies that not any Promise he would make he did intend to keep yet because they were hopeless of Victory desirous of Peace and contented with Safety were easily deluded by their hopes and fears to try once more his faith and accept what he offered before they desired a readiness which might justly have moved their suspicion For Tyrants are never forward to doe an act that becomes a vertuous person but they intend some horrid Impiety which would move blushes in a Fury The credulous Souldiers accepting his Oath for a safe convoy left their works and arms upon the Hill and came down to require the performance When they had thus parted with all their means of safety the Tyrant incompasses them about being to the number of seven thousand others say but four thousand with his own Souldiers all armed Then the miserable men perceived themselves cheated to their Ruine when they saw that they were hemm'd in by an Enemy insolent with Victory and terrible with their Arms and they themselves naked without any instrument either for revenge or defence they concluded themselves devoted to destruction Therefore falling upon one another's necks and shaking one another by the hand they gave and took the last salutes each one desiring his Friend and neighbour not to seek a different fortune in a common cause So invoking Heaven and the injured Gods to revenge their blood they were in that posture all killed by the command of the perjured Tyrant Thus was the Religion of an Oath used by Agathocles and constantly practised by all Usurpers onely to deceive men whom they fear should their intentions be open while they contemn that Deity which they invoke and attest So that Perjury is the evidence of base spirits and wicked souls and never falls upon those that fear no enemy or reverence any God Regulus shall be for ever memorable as long as Piety or Vertue are in the world that would not break his oath though made to such enemies who he knew would punish those Vertues which they should have admired and would reward his reverence of Heaven with such tortures as would have been
made it dangerous to pass him by in so honourable an emploiment but Hanno to watch over the others actions which not onely the love of his Country but also an ancient fewd betwixt their Families did assure them would be with the most exact circumspection His Integrity they hoped would so temper his Passions that he would not to his private Discords sacrifice the Publick Safety in the male-administration of his charge and his hate of Bomilcar promised a sufficient ballance to his aspiring soul who was suspected to affect the Tyranny but as yet wanted an opportunity to satisfie his Ambition Therefore they durst not trust him alone with such an extraordinary power as they must expect onely from his Modesty when he would lay it down A Vertue sometimes wanting in the Carthaginian Nobless who often attempted upon the Liberty of their Commonwealth Which some refer to the vitious constitution of their Government that preferr'd such to the highest trust whose cense was largest and so made Wealth not Vertue the mark for Honour For they thought the greatness of their interest in their Country would oblige them to a greater industry for its preservation This indeed is a remedy proper against a forein yoke but an incitement to domestick Tyranny For such as they will be watchful guardians to preserve their City from others so will they often make attempts upon it themselves And those that abound with Wealth when they see Glory and Power are the attendants of it grow insolent and esteem the Supreme power but their due Equality of Honour being not competent with the inequality of Fortune It was accounted the great preservative of the Roman Liberty that Riches came into no consideration when they came to chuse the Commanders of their Forces but they would fetch their Dictators from the plough and nominate those for Consuls whose estates were so scanty that the publick stock must defray the charges of their Funerals and provide portions for their fatherless Daughters These men after they satisfied the publick charge and eminently served their Commonwealth hasted home to look after their narrow fortunes and their few acres when they had yoked the Enemy returned to doe the like to their Oxen and to finish the Tillage they had begun and so became private persons and were obedient to the ordinary Magistrates contented with their turnips and desiring no more of the spoil of the conquered then a wooden goblet to use in Sacrifices So that they gave not the least jealousie of Tyranny to the people who still making their choice by the Merit of the persons had so many Virtuosi among them men glorious with several Victories that they were a guard for the Publick against each other Thus spoiling Riches of that glory which is given to it in a corrupt State they preserved their own Liberty and the Patrician Modesty till the love of Wealth entred and then followed the desire of Empire Others referred this to the base Ingratitude of the People which is the usual disease of all Democracies who rewarded their victorious Commanders with seditious Accusations and afterwards with the Cross and often did too severely punish the mischances of the unprosperous So that many that had the chief Command of their forces have prevented their unjust sentences with a voluntary renunciation of life and emploiment or to defend their Dignity sought to extinguish those flames which would have consumed their private houses with the ruine of the Publick and pulling down the frame of Government So that this Ingratitude and Severity did diminish the infamy and somewhat necessitate such undertakings But this infirmity never fell upon the Roman Commonwealth for while it was not corrupted by too great an Empire they were far from such unworthy Jealousies rewarding the prosperous Valour of their Commanders with such glorious Triumphs as did both satiate their thirsts of honour and not force them to seek the shadow of a name by being great Oppressors and also raised the hopes and spirits of their other Citizens to the like atchievements Which did both increase their Strength and Empire and also secure their Liberty by so many rivals of glory If ever they punished the unsuccessful it was with much humanity Such as lost their Armies by any criminal failance had the light corrections of a pecuniary mulct and were not forced to wash away the ignominy of an Overthrow with their own blood Such as through Misfortune Inadvertency or Ignorance brought wounds upon the Commonwealth were rather caressed and cheared then dealt severely with and had sometimes their charges renewed that they might redeem the Glory they had before lost He that by a rash and indiscreet desire of Victory had occasioned that terrible Overthrow at Cannae when he returned home in stead of a triumph had the Consuls and the whole Senate met him who though they could not congratulate his Victory did yet thank him for his valour that he had not despaired of the Commonwealth This proceeding of theirs towards their Generals was upon a good consideration Because they judged it to be a matter of great importance that such as were intrusted with affairs of so great moment as managing a Battel should when they were to make their resolutions have their minds free and without sollicitude of their Cities censure of their actions and therefore they would not increase their difficulties supposing that none could be gallant under the load of so many doubts and fears And as Carthage wanted this Wisdome of Rome so did she the Glory and Power and was afterwards forced to serve her rival of Empire The Generals being chosen they conceived too great dangers in the least delay and therefore made too much hast for they tarried not to levy souldiers from the Confederate Cities nor to take up such that were hardned with the country labours but took those of their own City whom the pleasures and abject arts of the City had made unfit for the toils of war such also whom the fortune of their Common-wealth and the news of the late Victory in Sicily had raised to so high a confidence that they conceived it rather a journy to fetch in Slaves then an encounter to conquer an Enemy therefore advising one another to give quarter to as many of the Greeks as were not obstinate to ruine they carried along with them twenty thousand pair of fetters to bind their Captives And they seemed to be careful of nothing more then lest their delaies would give opportunity to the Enemy to get away out of Africk and so defeat their hopes of spoil By this great confidence in themselves and contempt of the enemy in whom nothing can be safely despised for a neglectful contempt will alwaies make him stronger they were precipitated to an Overthrow For they immediately drew out into the Field being about forty thousand Foot one thousand Horse and two thousand Chariots and pitching upon an Hill not far from the Enemy they ranged all their
easie then he could have hoped for at the same time there had gotten into the Haven by night eighteen Ships which he had hired of the Tuscans Their fortunate coming raised the Tyrant's courage to a resolution of fighting the Enemy To perform it he commands the Tuscans to continue in the Haven till he had drawn the Africans in pursuit after him So making out with full Sails the Carthaginians made up towards him and the Tuscans after them Agathocles when he saw the Tuscans near the Enemy turns back his Vessels upon them also which unexpected assault both behind and before did so break their spirits that they thought not of fighting but of flight five of their Ships being immediately taken and the Admiral also ready to be boarded who to prevent the ignominy and misery of Captivity presently killed himself An act more rash then stout For it is the temper of a brave Soul alwaies to hope which if he had done he had escaped as did his Ship which a brisk wind brought off from the Enemy without any farther loss This success at Sea made the passage to Africk safe opened the Trade of Syracuse which was very sensible of her wants and so raised the Tyrants hopes in his Fortune that he designs another attempt upon his Enemies at Land Therefore he commands Leptines forth to wast and forage about all the Regions of those Cities that were at fewd with him but especially of Agrigentum where he was informed that the late defeat given to Xenodicus had broken no less his credit then his force his Adversity having heightned the clamours of an opposite Faction against him which the envy of his Prosperity had first formed If Leptines therefore could draw him forth to fight the Tyrant promised himself an assured Victory over a factious Enemy For where the Souldiers distrust their General and he likewise is displeased with them his Orders are disputed and their Obedience given according to their own counsels Every one will be ready to command and advise and none to execute It is the mutual confidence which begets resolution in all parties and draws success along with it Leptines acts according to his instructions and by fire and sword wasting the Regions of Agrigentum forces into the Town many sad informations where the Enemy was Xenodicus whom his former fortune and the present odium had made more wary did forbear any attempts to restrain the fury of the provoking Enemy nor would he lead his forces to another trial of fortune with those that were so lately their Conquerours preferring safe counsels with Reason to rash which onely Chance could make prosperous He would not hazard the Safety and Liberty of his City for the spoil of the Country nor gratifie his Enemies so far as to satisfie their expectation by accepting of a Battel For he considered that though the Number of his men were not inferiour to the Enemy yet their Courage was and the Softness of men bred on Stalls and Shops not to be compared with the hardiness and experience of such that were acquainted with the toils of War But being pressed on by the Factions of his own Citizens and continual reproaches of Baseness and Treachery from his own Army which when it hath laid aside the modesty of discipline is extremely impatient of not fighting he was forced to be the companion of other men's Rashness and therefore leading out his Army he did engage the Enemy and was as soon routed For those that were so fierce before the encounter were fearful in the dangers of it and being more fit for a Sedition then for a defence of their City they soon fled leaving behind them of their fellow-Citizens five hundred foot and fifty horse Xenedicus with the loss of this Battel lost his Country also for being continually assaulted with the accusations of his Enemies he was forced to leave his own City and by a voluntary exile planted himself at Gela. These two Victories could not yet make the Tyrant secure but he designs a more base and bloody upon his own Vassals who he doubted in his absence might open their gates to receive in Dinocrates Thus wicked men alwaies fear and expect what they are conscious they do deserve and though some Tyrants may be safe for a while from the punishment of their Crimes yet none can ever be secure To provide therefore against such practices he projects how he may find out and murder those who were most averse to his Government In order whereunto he appoints a publick Sacrifice and Feast in pretence of a Religious gratitude for those two Victories that so the publick Jollity and excess of Wine might take off that guard which the Vassals of a Tyrant should observe and set upon their words and provokes them to a greater liberty of speech By this means he should more indear the Rabble unto him who commonly receive such publick Feasts as the base price of their Slavery and esteem such Rejoicings among the blessings of Peace and as the adequate wages for their many years of Bondage And besides he should discover the minds of such as had freer souls and their inclinations towards him His Preparations were answerable to his Design and the whole City being resolved into Mirth to provoke them to a greater freedome of speech himself laies aside his Imperial Vestments plaies the part of a Mimick and was profuse in Drollery jearing some of his company and acting their most ridiculous postures So that he did tickle the Vulgar rout as much as a Stage-play or the tricks of Jugiers And it was usual with him at other times to come into the publick Conventions and Assemblies without any guard and there to provoke the laughter of the people by trivial and plebeian jeasts and by mocking and personating some of those that were about him But at this time he made use of all his arts and the more to excite the petulancy of others he fell a jearing himself For taking up in his hands a golden Goblet he told the people that he left not off his Potter's trade till he found the way of making such Pots as those Glorying thus in his low beginnings because it boasted the subtilties of him that had raised himself from such an abject depth to so great an height or to shew how patient he would be of another's liberty in scoffing him that did make sport with his own Infamy or which is most likely it was in him as in all that have sinned beyond shame Ignominy is their last pleasure So that he was never moved nor did blush at that which was the fortune of his birth when he gloried in the wickedness of his life For when he lay at the Siege of a great Town the Souldiers in the Garrison as it is usual to extimulate their adversaries with reproaches and the Vulgar wits are pleased with petulant scoffs to vex those whom they cannot strike would call Agathocles Potter and Kilneman and ask
from whence he at first set forth But his flight emboldened and increased his Enemies and in his retreat through the narrow Lanes many more of his men were much wounded from the Houses and when he came to the place he intended they closely besieged him Bomilcar seeing his design broke parlies with his besiegers and with as much Baseness as he had begun with Villany he puts an end to his ambitious hopes yielding himself up upon Articles of Impunity All the rest that had been his Instruments were pardoned their Ministery to his Wickedness being imputed to their Weakness and it was not safe now to draw much blood within their walls when such rivers were spilt without Onely the Tyrant himself must by his death seal the security of the Commonwealth and satisfie the publick hatred For hatred that is raised by danger out-lasts the fear nor doth the conquered cease to be hated till he cease to be Therefore notwithstanding the Publick faith for his impunity he was most cruelly tortured and afterwards crucified He shewed himself consentaneous in life and death for from the Cross as from a Throne his Imperious and Proud spirit declamed against the Ingratitude and Cruelty of the Carthaginians Objecting to them how they murdered Hanno whom they had falsely accused with the affectation of Tyranny banished Gisgo whose Innocency their Wickedness could not endure basely passed private sentences of death against his Uncle Amilcar who wisely endeavoured to make Agathocles rather their Friend then their Enemy and in this fury because he could not revenge the Crimes he objected he breathed out his restless soul Thus Conspiracies if they do not ruine yet defame the Magistrate and when they thrive not against them are supposed to come from them as inventions to cover their Avarice in seizing upon the Estates of others or to hide their inhumane thirst of blood This was the end of Bomilcar who following the same designs with Agathocles had yet a different issue for the Cross rewarded his Wickedness when Power and Greatness was the price of the others Not to refer this difference either to the Justice of Heaven by conceiving one to be more wicked then the other and that he which thrived was less impious then he that perished in the undertakings for this would injure that immaculate Justice and Purity of Heaven nor to ascribe it to the pity of Providence who would not afflict the miserable Carthaginians that laboured under the fury of a most bloody forein Enemy with those greater mischiefs that follow a change of Government and of necessity flow from a Domestick Tyranny But we may in reason assign this cause that the different events did arise from those divers Occasions which either took for his Enterprize The Syracusan found a corrupted State to work upon for in none but such do Tyrants arise but the African did not For whereas a State is corrupted either through a long Prosperity or variety of Factions in it both which make the People decline from their ancient Constitutions Carthage at this time was delivered from both these springs of Corruption because being pressed with a tedious and cruel War they were all united against the Common Enemy and being to fight for their preservation they could not attend the satisfaction of those Lusts which are most petulant against the established Laws Which Bomilcar 's impotent ambition not considering nailed him to the Cross in stead of fixing him on a Throne About this time all the Family of Alexander the Great was quite extinguished His Brother Aridaeus with his Wife Eurydice were killed by his Mother Olympias She afterwards besieged and by Famine forced to deliver up her self to Cassander was by him murdered Roxane his Wife with her Son the younger Alexander fell by the same hand and so also Hercules his Son by Barsine His Sister Cleopatra was also put to death by the practices of Antigonus So that there remained no Heir unto that great Troubler of the world And he that had shed so much blood for an empty Name had nothing but that Name left His Commanders who as long as any of these did survive were contented with the portions onely of that Empire did after their death assume the Name and Majesty of Kings Which Agathocles hearing the Potter also who thought himself equal to them in Exploits and Conquests and not inferiour in Dominion would also be styled King and wear a Crown as the Ensign of Majesty which he had never before used but as a Priest But Royalty which is the reward of Heroick Vertues may be the Usurpation yet can never be the Propriety of a Tyrant the Ensigns may be worn by a vitious bloody Villain but the Majesty never adorns but a Lawful Just Prince For Crowns do not create but elicite that Reverence which the Vertues of the wearer first formed in the minds of men without which umpress Diadems do but provoke the indignation of the beholders and upbraid not honour the baseness of the Usurper The assumption of the Royal Title made no alteration in the nature of Agathocles but in his next enterprize he exceeded his former Inhumanity For intending to reduce Utica that had revolted from him he suddenly lies down before it and surprizes three hundred of the Citizens that had emploied themselves in the neighbouring Country By these men he offers oblivion and pardon if they would return to their Obedience The Citizens that were sensible of his actions in Africk that his Faith was to be measured by his Lust that no greater misery could happen to them then what they should run into if they did expect his Mercy that they should perish if they were conquered and they must do so if they surrendred that there was no choice to be made but this whether they should lose their blood with scorn and contumely or spend it in a gallant defence and revenge did therefore refuse all Peace with him When he saw they would not be deluded by false hopes he endeavours to reduce them by their affections and would sack the Town by a force upon Nature For making Engines of wood on them he hangs the surprized Citizens under the shelter of whom he sets his own Souldiers and so brings them close to the Wall so that whatsoever arms the besieged did direct to kill their Enemies must first wound their dearest Friends The Uticenses were at first stupified by this inhumane art and in pity durst not shoot those arrows in their own defence which would spill the blood of those they desired to save But the Enemy pressing hard upon them they preferred Liberty to such a dangerous compassion and desiring the Gods to impute the Cruelty to their barbarous Enemy they for a long time stoutly defended themselves But their adverse Fates suffered them not long to survive their miserable Friends For the Town was taken by storm which the Tyrant soon fills with the blood and carcasses of the defendants some he killed in
Forces for a Battel Hanno commanded the right Wing and with him was the Sacred Band of Carthaginians the Chariots and Horse being placed in the Front and Bomilcar commanded the left Agathocles was glad the Enemy was so forward to ingage and that their Confidence made them neglect those safe counsels of permitting his desperate Army to spend it self in its own fury and waste by delaies therefore declines not the fight but uses his greatest diligence in his preparations and orders of this Battel upon which depended the fortune of Syracuse and all his hopes knowing that Fear and Confidence have their birth in the first events and that by the issue of this first encounter he should administer to Fame to preoccupate the minds of men in concluding the fortune of the whole War He orders his Battel according to the manner of the Enemy For having learned the temper of the two Generals a necessary part of the arts of a Leader and of which Annibal afterwards made great use in his war in Italy forming his designs according to the humour of him who commanded the Enemies battel he commits the charge of his right wing to his son Archagathus that was to ingage against Bomilcar where an insolent treacherous Captain and diffident Souldiers promised the fewest dangers and least opposition and he himself commands the left to confront Hanno where were all things that are to be expected in a good Leader and resolute Souldiers And because many of his party wanted arms he supplies them with this invention he causes them to take the coverings of shields and to distend them with sticks and rods and to stuff them out in the form of a shield and gave them to such as wanted and were in the rear not as fit for use but to elude the Enemies sight who at a distance could not judge them other then real shields And lest his Souldiers should be discomfited by that terrible prospect of their enemies number and horse For the eyes most commonly are the first that are overcome in every battel he had another invention to secure their minds of Victory for he caused many Owles which he had provided for that purpose to be let flie in several places of the Camp which flying round about the Army and alighting sometimes upon the helmets sometimes upon the shields of the Souldiers was taken for an auspicious augury because this kind of bird was consecrated to Minerva a warlike Goddess And withal he causes it as an interpretation of the Omen to be rumoured that she had assured him of an happy success These devices though they seem trifles and empty projects yet often prove great moments to wonderful successes they raising in the spirits of an Army great Confidence and by that Confidence they overcome For a Confidence that is derived from the conceived care and promises of Heaven and to which a Deity gives the first Original is most active and vigorous because a Prediction doth not onely raise an infallible hope and promise an assistance from Heaven but also doth by those hopes tacitely admonish to brave resolutions Therefore the Romans who could boast of more Victories then any other Nation used to raise a Confidence in their Forces by the waies of Religion for they never would create their Consuls for their Expeditions levy their Armies begin their marches or join in Battel without their Auguries and Auspicies And without doing some such thing never did any of their wise and noble Captains attempt any great action conceiving it difficult to be successful in it unless their Souldiers did first apprehend that the Gods were on their part And herein doth this Confidence differ from that which ariseth in an Army from the consideration of their own strength and contempt of the enemy this commonly is pregnant with neglect of discipline and too much security but the former never disarms it self either by negligence or rashness for the Commanders who knew the uncertainty of human affairs and how much vanity there was in such Auguries used them onely to heighten the rude multitude and themselves in the mean while were careful of taking every advantage for Victory Agathocles that had omitted no part of care for his Army was ready and prepared either to fight or chase not heavy with luggage not greedy of spoil intent upon the commands of their Leader and observing his very nods not anxious for safety nor too presumptive of Victory soon found the effects of his invention to have raised the confidence of his Souldiers For upon the first charge they stoutly repulsed the Punick Chariots upon their own Foot and bravely receiving their Horse forced them to flight and when Hanno had brought up his Foot doing all that the Love of his Country and Glory exacted from him for he thought to have gotten the Victory by his alone Wing with many wounds they slew him being sooner forsaken by Fortune then Valour and with him fell the courage of the whole party which were put to flight onely the Sacred Band did for a while stoutly endeavour to make good the retreat In the other wing Bomilcar did but faintly assault the Enemy and scarce stood upon his own defence not seeking the Victory but the Empire of Carthage which he conceived their overthrow would facilitate and their low condition impose on his shoulders and then he doubted not with ease to send the Syracusans out of Africk Therefore as soon as he heard of Hanno's death he divulges it among his own party and commands them to retreat to a neighbouring Hill which being very disorderly performed the Sacred Band being now no longer able to sustain the victorious Greeks they were at last all totally routed every one running the next way to Carthage and casting away their arms which they had taken for their defence as if they feared their own assistances The Sicilians pursued them not far but greedily returned to the rifling of the Camp where among the other spoils they found the preparations not for War but for Victory those Fetters which had been provided for their Slavery This increased the hatred of the Enemy and heightned the joy of the Victory by the prospect of the dangers they had escaped For although we rather wish an uninterrupted flourishing fortune yet such doth not affect us with so high a sense of pleasure as that which Providence raises us unto from the utmost dangers This likewise administred occasion of discoursing and wondering at the Justice of that over-ruling power of the World that had thus shewed the vanity of humane power and counsels and bound the proud Carthaginians in those fetters which they had provided for a despicable Enemy As also how quick the returns of Prosperity may be after the most desperate misery That there is no condition so low but may have hopes nor any so high that is without the reach of fears The Tyrant while his forces were intire in Sicily was overthrown by the Carthaginians yet with