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καὶ τοῦτο. The second cause for wonder is that a man of so weak a character should have accomplished so great a deed (cf. viii. 37. 2); the first, apparently that any one should have produced a great political result by the mere display of sacred emblems; cf. H.'s remarks on the restoration of Pisistratus by sacred means (i. 60).

πρός goes with τῶν οἰκητόρων. The Greek settlers in Sicily are meant. Not only this story of the rise of Gelo (cc. 153-6) but those of Cadmus (c. 163 f.) and of the battle of Himera (165-7) are clearly drawn from local Siceliot sources, probably while H. was at Thurii. The traditions followed are not favourable to the great house of Deinomenes, and need not be Syracusan. They are of the greatest importance, since our only full and connected version of Sicilian history is the late and stupid compilation of Diodorus, who apparently made most use of the fantastic and arbitrary Timaeus.

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