TIMOLEON, THE FAVORITE OF FORTUNE. 283

on the western corner of the island, brought thither
by a fleet of two hundred triremes and one thousand
transports. In the army were ten thousand heavy
armed Carthaginians, who carried white shields and
wore elaborate breastplates. Among these were
many of the rich men of Carthage, who brought
with them costly baggage and rich articles of gold
and silver. Twenty-five hundred of them were called
the Sacred Band of Carthage. That great city had
rarely before made such a determined effort at
conquest.

Timoleon was not idle in the fuce of this great in-
vasion. But the whole army he could muster was
but twelve thousand strong, a pitable total to meet
80 powerful a foe. And as he marched to meet the
enemy distrust and fear marched in hisranks. Such
was the dread that one division of the army, one
thousand strong, mutinied and deserted, and it
needed all his personal influence to keep the rest
together.

Yet Timoleon had in him the spirit that commands
success. He pushed on with his disheartened force
until near the river Crimesus, beyond which was en-
camped the great army of Carthage. Some mules
laden with parsley met the Corinthians on the road.
Parsley was used for the wreaths laid on tombstones.
It seemed a fatal omen. But Timoleon, with the
quickness of genius, seized some of it, wove a wreath
for his head, and cried, “This is our Corinthian
symbol of victory: it is the sacred herb with which
we decorate the victors at the Isthmian festival. Its
coming signifies success.” With these encouraging