§14.48.1τηλικαύτης δὲ τῆς παρασκευῆς οὔσης, Ἐρυκῖνοι μὲν καταπλαγέντες τὸ μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ μισοῦντες Καρχηδονίους προσεχώρησαν τῷ Διονυσίῳ, οἱ δὲ τὴν Μοτύην κατοικοῦντες προσδεχόμενοι τὴν ἐκ Καρχηδονίων βοήθειαν οὐ κατεπλήττοντο τὴν Διονυσίου δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν παρεσκευάζοντο· οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόουν τοὺς Συρακοσίους ὅτι πρώτην τὴν Μοτύην πορθήσουσι διὰ τὸ πιστοτάτην εἶναι τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις.
Since his preparations were of such magnitude, the Erycinian people, terrified by the size of the forces and hating the Carthaginians, went over to Dionysius. But those who inhabited Motya, expecting aid from the Carthaginians, were not terrified by the forces of Dionysius, but prepared themselves for the siege; for they were not ignorant that the Syracusans would ravage Motya first, because it was most loyal to the Carthaginians.
§14.48.2αὕτη δʼ ἡ πόλις ἦν ἐπί τινος νήσου κειμένη, τῆς Σικελίας ἀπέχουσα σταδίους ἕξ, τῷ δὲ πλήθει καὶ τῷ κάλλει τῶν οἰκιῶν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν πεφιλοτεχνημένη διὰ τὴν εὐπορίαν τῶν κατοικούντων.
Now this city was situated on a certain island, lying six stades away from Sicily, and because of the wealth of its inhabitants, it was excessively embellished with artistic skill in the number and beauty of its houses.
εἶχε δὲ καὶ ὁδὸν στενὴν χειροποίητον φέρουσαν ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς Σικελίας αἰγιαλόν, ἣν οἱ Μοτυηνοὶ τότε διέσκαψαν, ὡς μὴ προσόδους ἔχοιεν κατʼ αὐτῶν οἱ πολέμιοι.
It also had a narrow, man-made road leading to the shore of Sicily, which the Motyans dug through at that time, so that the enemy might have no approach against them.
§14.48.3Διονύσιος δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχιτεκτόνων κατασκεψάμενος τοὺς τόπους, ἤρξατο χώματα κατασκευάζειν ἐπὶ τὴν Μοτύην, καὶ τὰς μὲν μακρὰς ναῦς παρὰ τὸν εἴσπλουν τοῦ λιμένος ἐνεώλκησε, τὰ δὲ φορτηγὰ τῶν πλοίων ὥρμισε παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλόν.
Dionysius, having surveyed the sites with his engineers, began to construct mounds toward Motya, and hauled his war vessels onto the shore beside the entrance of the harbor, while he anchored his merchant vessels near the beach.
§14.48.4μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἔργων κατέλιπεν ἐπιστάτην Λεπτίνην τὸν ναύαρχον, αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῆς πεζῆς στρατιᾶς ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὰς τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις συμμαχούσας πόλεις.
After this, he left Leptines the admiral as overseer of the works, while he himself set out with the infantry force against the cities allied with the Carthaginians.
Σικανοὶ μὲν οὖν πάντες εὐλαβούμενοι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως προσεχώρησαν τοῖς Συρακοσίοις, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων πόλεων πέντε μόνον διέμειναν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Καρχηδονίους φιλίᾳ· αὗται δὲ ἦσαν Ἁλικύαι, Σολοῦς, Αἴγεστα, Πάνορμος, Ἔντελλα.
All the Sicanians, therefore, fearing the magnitude of his forces, went over to the Syracusans, but of the other cities only five remained in their friendship with the Carthaginians; and these were Halicyae, Solus, Aegesta, Panormus, and Entella.
§14.48.5τὴν μὲν οὖν τῶν Σολουντίνων καὶ Πανορμιτῶν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Ἁλικυαίων χώραν ὁ Διονύσιος λεηλατήσας ἐδενδροτόμησε, τὴν δὲ Αἴγεσταν καὶ Ἔντελλαν πολλῇ δυνάμει περιστρατοπεδεύσας συνεχεῖς ἐποιεῖτο προσβολάς, σπεύδων αὐτῶν μετὰ βίας κυριεῦσαι.
Dionysius, having plundered the territory of the Soluntines and Panormitans, and in addition that of the Halicyaeans, cut down their trees; and having besieged Aegesta and Entella with a large force, he made continuous assaults, being eager to gain possession of them by force.
καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ Διονύσιον ἐν τούτοις ἦν.
Such, then, was the state of affairs of Dionysius.