Hieronymus Decides For War
When they heard of this, the Romans sent legates to him
note
again, protesting against his violation of the
treaty made with his forefathers. Hieronymus
thereupon summoned a meeting of his council
and consulted them as to what he was to do.
The native members of it kept silent, because
they feared the folly of their ruler. Aristomachus of Corinth,
Damippus of Sparta, Autonous of Thessaly advised that he
should abide by the treaty with Rome. Andranodorus alone
urged that he should not let the opportunity slip; and affirmed
that the present was the only chance of establishing his rule
over Sicily. After the delivery of this speech, the king
asked Hippocrates and his brother what they thought, and
upon their answering, "The same as Andranodorus," the deliberation was concluded in that sense. Thus, then, war with
Rome had been decided upon: but while the king was anxious
to be thought to have given an adroit answer to the ambassadors, he committed himself to such an utter absurdity as
to make it certain that he would not only fail to conciliate the
Romans, but would inevitably offend them violently. For he
said that he would abide by the treaty, firstly, if the Romans
would repay all the gold they had received from his grandfather Hiero; and secondly, if they would return the corn and
other presents which they had received from him from the first
day of their intercourse with him; and thirdly, if they would
-- 513 --
acknowledge all Sicily east of the Himera to be Syracusan
territory. noteAt these propositions of course the
ambassadors and council separated; and from
that time forth Hieronymus began pushing on
his preparations for war with energy: collected and armed his
forces, and got ready the other necessary provisions. . . .
