the famous tyrant of Sicily, was the son of a potter at Reggio. He was a thief, a common soldier, a centurion, a general, and a pirate, all in regular succession. He defeated the Carthaginians several times in Sicily, and was once defeated himself. He first made himself tyrant of Syracuse, and then of all Sicily; after which he vanquished the Carthaginians again both in Sicily and Africa. But at length having ill success, and being in arrears with his soldiers, they mutinied, forced him to fly his camp, and cut the throats of his children, whom he left behind. Recovering himself again, he relieved Corfu, besieged by Cassander; burnt the Macedonian fleet; returned to Sicily; murdered the wives and children of those who had murdered him; afterwards meeting with the soldiers themselves, he put them all to the sword; and, ravaging the sea-coast of Italy, took the city of Hippoium. He was at length poisoned by his grandson Archagathus, in the 72nd year of his age, 290 years before Christ, having reigned 28 years.