pursue them.—Daphnæus enters Agrigentum. Discontent against the Agrigentine generals, for having been backward in attack. They are put to death.—Privations in both armies—Hamilkar captures the provision-ships of the Syracusans—Agrigentum is evacuated.—Agrigentum taken and plundered by the Carthagians.—Terror throughout Sicily.—Bitter complaints against the Syracusan generals.—The Hermokratean party at Syracuse comes forward to subvert the government and elevate Dionysius.—Harangue of Dionysius in the Syracusan assembly against the generals, who are deposed by vote of the people, and Dionysius with others appointed in their room.—Ambitious arts of Dionysius—he intrigues against his colleagues, and frustrates all their proceedings. He procures a vote for restoring the Hermokratean exiles.—Dionysius is sent with a Syracusan reinforcement to Gela. He procures the execution or banishment of the Geloan oligarchy.—He returns to Syracuse with an increased force—he accuses his colleagues of gross treason.—Dionysius is named general, single-handed, with full powers.—Apparent repentance of the people after the vote. Stratagem of Dionysius to obtain a vote ensuring to him a body of paid guards.—March of Dionysius to Leontini.—Dionysius establishes himself at Syracuse as despot.—Dionysius as despot—the means whereby he attained the power. 383-446 CHAPTER LXXXII. SICILY DURING THE DESPOTISM OF THE ELDER DIONYSIUS AT SYRACUSE. Imilkon with the Carthaginian army marches from Agrigentum to attack Gela.—Brave defence of the Geloans—Dionysius arrives with an army to relieve them.—Plan of Dionysius for a general attack on the Carthaginian army.—He is defeated and obliged to retreat.—He evacuates Gela and Kamarina—flight of the population of both places, which are taken and sacked by the Carthaginians.—Indignation and charges of treachery against Dionysius.—Mutiny of the Syracusan horsemen—they ride off to Syracuse, and declare against Dionysius.—Their imprudence. Dionysius master of Syracuse.—Propositions of peace come from Imilkon. Terms of peace.—Collusion of Dionysius with the Carthaginians, who confirm his dominion over Syracuse. Pestilence in the Carthaginian army.—Near coincidence, in time, of this peace, with the victory of Lysander at Ægospotami—sympathy of Sparta with Dionysius.—Depressed condition of the towns of Southern Sicily, from Cape Pachynus to Lilybæum.—Strong position of Dionysius.—Strong fortifications and other buildings erected by Dionysius, in and about Ortygia.—He assigns houses in Ortygia to his soldiers and partisans—he distributes the lands of Syracuse anew.—Exorbitant exactions of Dionysius—discontent at Syracuse.—Dionysius marches out of Syracuse against the Sikels—mutiny of the Syracusan soldiers at Herbesa—Dorikus the commander is slain.—The Syracusan insurgents, with assistance from Rhegium and Messênê, besiege