History of the Peloponnesian War

​Phaeax, the son of Erasistratus, set sail around the same time as an ambassador, himself with two others, the Athenians sending them with two ships to Italy and Sicily.

​For the Leontines, after the Athenians had departed from Sicily following the agreement, enrolled many new citizens, and the commons was intending to redistribute the land.

​But the oligarchs, perceiving this, called in the Syracusans and expelled the commons. And while the latter dispersed in various directions as best they could, the oligarchs came to an agreement with the Syracusans, abandoned and depopulated their own city, and settled in Syracuse with rights of citizenship.

​Later, some of them, being dissatisfied, left Syracuse and seized Phocaeae, a quarter of the city of Leontini so called, and Bricinniae, which was a fortress in the Leontine territory. And most of those of the commons who had been expelled at that time came to join them, and establishing themselves, they waged war from these strongholds.

​Learning of these things, the Athenians sent Phaeax to see if they might, by persuading their own allies there and, if possible, the other Siceliots, to make a joint expedition against them—on the ground that the Syracusans were acquiring dominant power—somehow save the commons of the Leontines.

​Phaeax, upon his arrival, persuaded the Camarinaeans and Agrigentines; but as the matter met with opposition in Gela, he went no further to the others, perceiving that he would not convince them. Instead, he retreated through the territory of the Sicels to Catana, visiting Bricinniae on his way to encourage the inhabitants, and then sailed away.