Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 44: The Current State of Carthage

“That’s right, this is the original manuscript of Herodotus’s *Histories* and the diaries and materials he recorded during his travels. When Thurii was burned down, his family brought nothing but these precious materials as they fled the fire. Now they have donated everything to the library!” Antistanos said excitedly.

“C-Could I take a look?” Lysias, who in Athens had never begged anyone even when his family was poor, now looked at Antistanos with a face full of longing.

Antistanos shook his head. “I’m sorry, Lysias. The original manuscript of Herodotus’s *Histories* and the materials are Daonia’s most precious treasures, and such valuable materials are stored upstairs, under the care of a dedicated keeper.” Antistanos pointed upward to the second floor of the library. “Only senators of the Senate and scholars of the Daonian Academy are allowed up there to examine those precious and confidential materials, due to their duties or research needs, and they are not allowed to take the books out.”

“If you join Daonia, according to Lord Davos’s promise, you will become the head of the School of Literature, and then it will be easy for you to examine any books or materials in the library.”

Lysias stood still, his expression shifting. Although he had only been in Daonia for about two days, it had deeply shaken him: this city-state alliance, though founded not long ago, was not only vibrant and developing rapidly, but also placed great emphasis on knowledge and culture. They had established many institutions and built many facilities to highlight its importance and ensure its development and inheritance—such as the Daonian Academy, the Hall of Worthies, and this newly completed library. Even Athens, with its splendid culture, did not have such institutions and facilities, nor did it place the respect for knowledge and scholars in such an important position as Daonia did. Here truly was a paradise for scholars to fully utilize their talents!

Lysias thought it over and finally made up his mind. “After I return to Athens, I will discuss with my family and then decide when to come to Thurii.”

“That’s wonderful!” Antistanos rejoiced, stepping forward to grasp Lysias’s shoulder. “When Lord Davos learns of this, he will be overjoyed that Daonia has gained another scholar renowned throughout Greece! Trust me, you will only be better off in Daonia than in Athens!”

“Shh!” The librarian poked his head out from behind the registration desk and made a shushing gesture.

Antistanos nodded apologetically.

At that moment, Lysias said with a complex expression, “Antistanos, as far as I know, you are the head of the School of Literature.”

“Studying history is where my true interest lies. I only took the position as head of the School of Literature because there was no one else capable at the time, so I reluctantly agreed to the magistrate’s request. It has already wasted too much of the time I should have spent writing books. Now that someone with greater ability and deeper literary cultivation than me has come to take over, I couldn’t be happier...” Antistanos spoke a great deal without hesitation.

“Thank you, my friend!” Lysias bowed to Antistanos with a smile. Having finally made his decision, his heart suddenly felt incredibly light. He looked at the countless rows of bookshelves stretching deep into the hall. The air was filled with a peculiar fragrance of wood and paper shavings intertwined. He took a deep breath, somewhat mesmerized: The rest of his life would be spent here!

“Antistanos, if it’s convenient, please take me to meet the one you call the ‘God-Touched One’, the invincible general Davos. I want to see what kind of great man it is who established the Daonian Academy and built this library.” His eyes were full of curiosity and yearning.

…

When the Carthaginian envoys’ ship sailed into Carthage’s renowned circular military harbor, known throughout the Mediterranean, and the envoys came out from the dock, the Carthaginian citizens surged forward, surrounding them tightly to learn about the negotiations.

When the Carthaginian citizens learned that a peace treaty had been signed, and that Carthage only had to pay a certain amount of grain and gold and silver, and could continue to possess several cities including Lilybaeum and Eryx, as well as a small part of western Sicily, many cheered, and some shed tears...

The several-year-long Sicilian War had not only cost Carthage a vast amount of gold and silver, but also caused the deaths of tens of thousands of citizens in this protracted and brutal war.

Especially the first war against the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius, when the Suffete Himilco led his army to great initial victories, even advancing to the gates of Syracuse, but then a plague broke out, severely weakening his forces, and ultimately they suffered a crushing defeat, with only a dozen or so ships struggling back to port.

At that time, upon hearing of this disaster, the Carthaginian citizens gathered at the harbor to inquire about their relatives. When they learned that fifty to sixty thousand soldiers (not including mercenaries) had either died in Sicily or been taken captive, the wailing and screaming of the bereaved echoed along the entire coastline. Those were Carthage’s darkest days, as the whole city was plunged into grief.

The people all wore black veils, every household shut its doors and refused visitors, commercial activities ceased, and even the temples were closed...

Correspondingly, the Magonid family—the aristocrats among aristocrats in Carthaginian politics, descended from the royal house of Tyre, the famous Phoenician city and mother city of Carthage—had their near 200-year monopoly on Carthaginian politics finally threatened. Following the disastrous defeat over 70 years earlier when Magonid clan leader Hamilcar led the Carthaginian army against the Syracusan tyrant Gelon at the Battle of Himera, the Magonid name was again linked with overseas expedition failure. This time it was even more severe: the Carthaginian army was almost completely annihilated, and Himilco, unlike his ancestors who died in battle, abandoned his comrades and soldiers and fled back alone. Such behavior in the face of the enemy would normally incur the extreme penalty of crucifixion under Carthaginian law, but due to the Magonid family’s king-like status within the city, this Magonid clan leader was temporarily spared punishment. However, the storm was not over. The Carthaginian elites, long dissatisfied with the Magonids, used the citizens’ grief and anger to push for institutional reform.

Himilco, this failure who had brought disgrace upon his family, realized the situation was extremely unfavorable for the Magonid family. So day after day he wore cheap, ragged linen robes and wandered around the main temple of Melqart in Carthage, lamenting to the god about his impious acts, begging heaven to punish him, hoping that in this way he could salvage something. But ultimately, the pressure of the situation and the mockery and humiliation of the citizens caused him to have a mental breakdown. Six months later, he locked himself in his home and committed suicide. This public act of atonement was still not enough to ensure the Magonid family’s power.

Soon after, a new Carthaginian political institution was established—the Court of 104, a body composed of members of the aristocratic class. Its duty was to oversee the conduct of Carthaginian officials and military commanders, while also serving as a high court. No member of the Magonid family was selected for this institution.

In order to revive the Magonids’ declining power in Carthage and regain prestige among the people, the new Magonid clan leader Mago—brother of Himilco—used the family’s still considerable influence in the Senate. Taking advantage of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius’s attack on the Carthaginian subordinate state Solus, he once again pushed Carthage into a third Sicilian war against Syracuse.

However, times had changed. The greatly weakened Carthaginian army, now facing an ever-strengthening Syracusan military, suffered more defeats than victories. Mago persisted, but within Carthage the populace had grown weary of war. Seeing no opportunity for victory, they feared another catastrophic defeat even more, so “ceasefire negotiations” became the unanimous cry of the citizens.

An agreement was finally reached, but Mago still had to bear the responsibility for the defeat. When the Carthaginian envoys responsible for negotiating with Syracuse returned, the whole city was celebrating the arrival of peace. Only one household seemed desolate, even sorrowful.

In a great mansion not far from Byrsa Hill, the acropolis of Carthage, members of the Magonid family were holding a memorial ceremony, for that very day was the anniversary of Himilco’s death. However, the noisy music and cheers of the crowd constantly coming from outside the mansion clearly disrupted the somber atmosphere.

Hasdrubal knew: it was the Carthaginians worshipping and celebrating the Greek harvest goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone.

Carthaginian citizens worshipping Greek deities?! Indeed, in Sicily, Greek city-states and Phoenician colonies that had deep relations with Carthage were intermingled. After living together for hundreds of years, mutual influence ran deep. The goddesses Demeter and Persephone were not only popular among Greeks in Sicily, but gradually also accepted by the Phoenicians. Some Sicilians even believed that Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, had abducted Persephone in Sicily. This cultural influence then permeated into Carthage itself. The city already had temples to these two goddesses, but the reckless actions of Himilco’s army elevated their status among Carthaginian deities even more. When Himilco’s army advanced to the gates of Syracuse, his soldiers looted the temples of these two goddesses on the southern slope of Epipolae. Shortly thereafter, a plague broke out in the Carthaginian camp, leading to the final catastrophe. So the Carthaginian people believed this was the goddesses’ punishment for the Carthaginians’ sacrilege—after all, Persephone was the Queen of the Underworld.

In extreme fear, the Carthaginian citizens even strongly petitioned the Senate to formally pass a decree for large-scale worship of the two goddesses. To this end, they specially sought out Greeks residing in Carthage and assigned them to serve the two goddesses, especially Persephone, and stipulated that the worship rituals must be conducted in the Greek manner. As a result, this religious ceremony continued year after year, causing the two Greek goddesses to occupy an increasingly important place in the hearts of Carthaginian citizens.