The officers informed the Syracusan soldiers that Dionysius had caught a fever and was resting in his residence, so he couldn't go out to inspect for the time being.
But the Theonians’ statement was so detailed that the Syracusans were already disturbed about “Dionysius fleeing alone”. Yet, "Theonia's attack on Syracuse” shocked them even more. It had not only frightened the soldiers, but even the officials could no longer sit stills. As a result, many Syracusan soldiers and freemen gathered in Scylletium's square while nervously discussing these rumours…
Ultimately, they all decided to meet Dionysius to confirm the truth. Thus thousands of people tightly blocked Dionysius' temporary residence,
In Dionysius' temporary residence, Phacipessas, Leptines, Androstini, and several other strategos were anxious like ants on a hot pan.
After hearing those rumours, Phacipessas was confused as only those present knew about Dionysius' departure, so how could the Theonians know about it?! ‘Could the Theonians have an insider?! Secondly, Dionysius only said that the Theonians had landed in Megalos, so he had to rush back to Syracuse. Yet now, the Theonians were saying they had captured many city-states in Sicily and were now attacking Syracuse. Although I can't trust the enemies’ words…now that I think about it, even if the Theonians landed in Sicily, Macias could manage it alone…yet Dionysius still left in such a hurry, is it really possible…that the Theonians are telling the truth about Dionysius' departure?’
As thousands of thoughts flash through Phacipessas' minds, the rest of the people also had their own thoughts. Although the atmosphere inside the room was silent, the outside was in an uproar.
“Everyone, the Theonians' rumours had incited the soldiers, so they all wanted to see Lord Dionysius… What should we do to calm this chaos down?!” Phacipessas broke the silence and asked anxiously.
“We certainly can't let them in! Once they know that Lord Dionysius left, huge chaos will surely arise!” A strategos said firmly.
“But how could we stop them from coming in?!” Phacipessas worriedly said, “The guards couldn't stop the thousands of soldiers outside once they lose their patience!”
“Why don't we send someone out to pledge an oath in the name of the gods that Lord Dionysius hadn't left but was only seriously ill? And instead of them going inside and interfering with his treatment, Lord Dionysius will naturally meet them once cured?!” Androstini suggested.
“That's a wonderful idea!” Phacipessas' eyes brightened, then he looked at the others and asked, “Who is willing to persuade the soldiers?”
Everyone stopped talking as their eyes began wandering, with no one daring to make eye contact with Phacipessas.
“Lord Androstini.” Asked Phacipessas in a desperate tone.
“I am just an insignificant person in charge of gathering information for Lord Dionysius. So how could the soldiers believe what I say?!” Androstini shrugged and politely refused.
Phacipessas rethought it and turned his gaze to Dionysius' brother beside him, “Lord Leptines.”
The upright Leptines shook his head and immediately said, “I will never make such false oath in the name of a god!”
Phacipessas became so angry, ‘As Dionysius' brother if you are not willing to do it, is it possible for the others to do it willingly?! No, because that is ‘Blasphemy’!’
When Phacipessas turned his gaze to the other strategoi, one of them impatiently said, “Strategos Phacipessas, Lord Dionysius had given you full authority to take charge of this army before leaving. Could it be that you want us to persuade the soldiers because you don't want to do it?!!”
“Right! Right! Currently, you have the most authority in Scylletium and have the highest prestige among the soldiers, so there is no better person but you!”
As the several strategoi spoke, Phacipessas' heart cracked as he felt his comrades' deep jealousy in their words.
After Androstini and Leptines expressed their approval, everyone quickly agreed because they knew this was a dangerous task! Once the tens of thousands of Syracusan citizens and freemen learned about this lie, the person who performed this task would arouse the wrath of the Syracusans! Not only will he be ostracised in Syracuse, but the people might demand him to receive a heavy punishment with the charge of ‘Blasphemy’…
Phacipessas was naturally clear about the advantages and disadvantages of this matter. Hence after seeing how these people quickly united in front of him and isolated him, he felt a sense of sadness in his heart… He was once an ordinary citizen of Syracuse but became Dionysius’ trusted strategos due to his vision, skills, and ability to adapt to changes and could always make a choice beneficial to them whenever an important moment arrived.
Under the expectant gaze of the crowd, Phacipessas pondered in silence for a while and finally made up his mind. With a composed expression, he stood up and said, “Very well, I'll go out and convince the soldiers.”
Everyone beamed with delight as they watched Phacipessas walk out with heavy steps.
“Wouldn't this be a bad idea?” Leptines said with some reluctance, but the others ignored him.
Suddenly, a louder roar erupted from outside the residence. It was so loud that those inside the room could hear it.
“WE'RE GOING HOME!! WE'RE GOING BACK TO SYRACUSE!!!…”
‘What happened outside?!’ Androstini felt uneasy.
Then a guard broke in and panickily said, “Milords, strategos Phacipessas…Phacipessas announced to the soldiers that Lord Dionysius left Scylletium and would return soon with reinforcements from Sicily!”
“WHAT?!”
“Damn that Phacipessas! How could he tell the truth!!!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Lord Eshmounadon, after passing the cape ahead, we would soon arrive in Crotone!” Shouted the captain.
Eshmounadon nodded in understanding. Eshmounadon, an elder of the Carthaginian senate and Hanno's trusted man, had come to negotiate with Theonia on Hanno's order.
Theonia, a Greek city-state Union that the Carthaginians didn't think much of, had surprised the Carthaginians in this war in South Italia. They had not only defeated the unbeatable Dionysius on sea and land but also sent troops to land in Sicily…As the news continued to spread to Carthage, the people were thrown into an uproar, especially when they saw Carthaginian merchant ships carrying hundreds of tons of food and returned with thousands of Syracusan captives.
In contrast to the sharp rise in the people of Carthage's favourable impression of the Theonia Union, the elders endlessly debated the sudden change in the situation between Magna Graecia and Sicily. Thus Hanno sent Eshmounadon on a mission to Theonia in hopes that they could explore the intention of the city-state union that had just entered a friendly agreement with them. And to see if they could reach an agreement that would protect Carthage's interests in Sicily and give Hanno a reason to propose the removal of Sicily's governorship in the Senate.
Eshmounadon heard from the Carthaginian envoy who had accompanied the cargo ship to Thurii that the Theonian troops were besieging Scylletium, and their new king, who could make the decision, was also in the army. Thus Eshmounadon cancelled his plan to go to Thurii and prepared to go straight to Theonia's camp in Scylletium. But since the port of Scylletium was in the hands of the Syracusans, and if Eshmounadon lands on a nearby beach and seawater soaked his precious chiton, he thought it would damage his image as an envoy of a great city-state. Thus he decided to have his ship stop at the port of Crotone, which was also convenient for him to see how Crotone, a famous Greek city-state, is now after Syracuse's carnage.
As they sailed around Capo Colonna, Eshmounadon saw triremes in double columns. Sometimes they would charge, sometimes they would sail back and sometimes they would circle around…evidently, this is the Theonian fleet's training.
But without finding the corvus warship that had defeated the Syracusan fleet, Eshmounadon became disinterested after watching for a while.
Just as they were about to head to the port, a fast-sailing ship came and stopped them.
Noticing that the other party's sail had the symbol of the Theonia Union painted, Eshmounadon became slightly surprised, ‘The Crotonians are so dependent on Theonia that the Theonian fleet was the one in charge of their port's patrol?!’
After inquiring about Eshmounadon's intention, the patrol ship took the initiative to lead them.
Once they entered the port, Eshmounadon realised why it was the Theonian fleet patrolling the sea of Crotone. Eshmounadon saw most of the columns at the port were burnt down, the wreckage of ships scattered everywhere on the beach, numerous charred planks floated on the sea, and rubbles filled the pitch-dark land…
Seeing all this, Eshmounadon couldn't help but curse after recalling the tragedy caused by the Syracusans after capturing Motya, “Damn Dionysius! The gods will surely punish him after such tyranny!!!”
In the port were a few ships, mostly merchant ships from Theonia, carrying some of the necessities that the Crotonians desperately needed: Olive oil, bitumen, clay pots, furniture, ironware…
After finding a relatively intact wharf for Eshmounadon's ship to dock at, the Carthaginian envoy disembarked and followed the captain of the patrol ship.
Although the houses are in ruins, there is hardly any rubble in the streets. And from time to time, they could see elderly and women cleaning up the garbage in the city and picking up some useful items from the ruins of houses…
