404 HISTORY OF GREECE. Carthaginians (perhaps the newly-appointed Ilamilkar), who now at length protested against his violation of the convention ; meaning (as we must presume, for Ave know of no other conven- tion) the oath which had been sworn by Agathokles at Syracuse under the guarantee of the Carthaginians.^ Though thus disap- pointed at Messene, Agathokles seized Abakajnum — where he slew the leading citizens opposed to him, — and carried on his aggressions elsewhere so effectively, that the leaders at Agrigen- tum, instigated by the Syracusan exiles there hai'bored, became convinced of the danger of leaving such encroachments unresist- ed.^ The people of Agrigentum came to the resolution of taking up arms on behalf of the liberties of Sicily, and allied themselves with Gela and Messene for the purpose. But the fearful example of Agathokles himself rendered them so apprehensive of the dangers from any military leader, at once native and energetic, that they resolved to invite a foreigner Some Syracusan exiles were sent to Sparta, to choose and in- voke some Spartan of eminence and ability, as Archidamus hat recently been called to Tarentum — and even more, as Timo- leon had been brought from Corinth, with results so signall} beneficent. The old Spartan king Kleomenes (of the Eurysthe- nid race) had a son Akrotatus, then unpopular at home,^ and ^ Diodor. xix. 65. ku^' bv 6r/ xpoi>ov Jjkov Ik Ka/j;;r/(5o:'Of TipiafSeic, ol t<j fiiv ^A}a-&OK?:ei rrepi tuv Tcpax'^evruv kTcerifiriaav, ug Trapa^a'tvovrt rilg avv- ■&i)Kaq' Tolg 61 M.^aaTjpioic F.lprjvrjv ivapeaKEvaaav, kox to ifipovpiov uvayKuaav- TEf uTTOKaraarrjaaL tov Tvpavvov, uni7r2.evaav eig tt/v AifivTiv. I do not know what auvdrjKai. can be liere meant, except that oath de- scribed by Justin under the words "in obsequia Pcenorum jurat") xxii. 2). '■' Diodor. xix. 70. /z?) wEpLopnv ^ kya^oK^ia avaKeva!^6(ievov rug TO/lEif. ^ Diodor. xix. 70. After the defeat of Agis by Antipater, the severe Lace- daemonian hiws against those who fled from battle had been suspended for the occasion ; as had been done before, after the defeat of Leuktra. Akro- tatus had been tlie onlg person [fiovog] who opposed this suspension ; where- by lie incurred the most violent odium generally, but most especially from the citizens who profited by the suspension. These men carried tlieir hatred so far, that they even attacked, beat him and conspired against his life (ovTOL yup avaTpa<pEVTeg n?^T]yug re kve^opj^aav avTu koI iiitTi?.ovi' Itti GovXevovreg). This is a curious indication of Spartan manners
