Agathŏcles
（
Ἀγαθοκλῆς). A Sicilian adventurer, born at Thermae, and
brought up as a potter at Syracuse. His strength and personal beauty recommended him to Damas,
a noble Syracusan, who drew him from obscurity, and on whose death he married his rich widow,
and so became one of the wealthiest citizens in Syracuse. His ambitious schemes then developed
themselves, and he was driven into exile. After several changes of fortune he collected an
army, and was declared sovereign of Syracuse, B.C. 317. In the course of a few years the whole
of Sicily which was not under the dominion of Carthage submitted to him. In 310 he was
defeated at Himera by the Carthaginians, under Hamilcar, who straightway laid siege to
Syracuse, whereupon he formed the bold design of averting the ruin which
threatened him by carrying the war into Africa. His successes were most brilliant and rapid.
He constantly defeated the troops of Carthage, but was at length summoned from Africa by the
affairs of Sicily, where many cities had revolted from him, B.C. 307. These he reduced, after
making a treaty with the Carthaginians. He had previously assumed the title of King of Sicily.
He afterwards plundered the Lipari Isles, and also carried his arms into Italy, in order to
attack the Bruttii. But his last days were embittered by family misfortunes. His grandson
Archagathus murdered his son Agathocles, for the sake of succeeding to the crown, and the old
king feared that the rest of his family would share his fate. He accordingly sent his wife and
her two children to Egypt; and his own death followed almost immediately, in 289, after a
reign of twentyeight years, and in the seventy-second year of his age. Some authors relate an
incredible story of his being poisoned by Maeno, an associate of Archagathus. The poison, we
are told, was concealed in the quill with which he cleaned his teeth, and reduced him to so
frightful a condition that he was placed on the funeral pile and burned while yet living,
being unable to give any signs that he was not dead.
