24.21
A war
was threatening in Sicily which could by no means be treated lightly, for the
death of the tyrant had rather furnished the Syracusans with able and
energetic leaders than produced any change in their political sentiments. The
senate accordingly placed the other consul, M. Marcellus, in charge of that
province. Immediately after the death of Hieronymus a disturbance broke out
among the soldiery at Leontini; they loudly demanded that the murder of the
king should be atoned for by the blood of the conspirators. When, however,
the words, so delightful to hear, "the restoration of liberty," were constantly
uttered, and they were led to hope that they would receive a largesse out of
the royal treasure and would henceforth serve under more able generals,
when, too, the foul crimes and still fouler lusts of the late tyrant were
recounted to them, their feelings were so completely changed that they
allowed the body of the king, whose loss they had regretted, to lie unburied.
The rest of the conspirators remained behind to secure the army, whilst
Theodotus and Sosis, mounting the king's horses, rode at full speed to
Syracuse to crush the royalists while still ignorant of all that had happened.
Rumour, however, which on such occasions travels more quickly than
anything else, reached the city before them, and also one of the royal
servants had brought the news. Thus forewarned, Andranodorus had
occupied with strong garrisons the Island, the citadel, and all the other
suitable positions. Theodotus and Sosis rode in through the Hexapylon after
sunset when it was growing dark and displayed the blood-stained robe of the
king and the diadem that had adorned his head. Then they rode on through
the Tycha, and summoning the people to liberty and to arms bade them
assemble in the Achradina. Some of the population ran out into the streets,
others stood in the doorways, others looked out from the windows and the
roofs inquiring what was the matter. Lights were visible everywhere and the
whole city was in an uproar. Those who had arms mustered in the open
spaces of the city; those who had none tore down the spoils of the Gauls and
Illyrians which the Roman people had given to Hiero and which he had hung
up in the temple of Olympian Jupiter, and as they did so prayed to the deity
that he would of his grace and mercy lend them those consecrated arms to
use in defence of the shrines of the gods and in defence of their liberty. The
citizens were joined by the troops who had been posted in the different parts
of the city. Amongst the other places in the Island Andranodorus had
strongly occupied the public granary. This place, enclosed by a wall of large
stone blocks and fortified like a citadel, was held by a body of young men
told off for its defence, and they sent messengers to the Achradina to say
that the granaries and the corn stored there were in the possession of the
senate.