A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

LEPTINES. LEPTINES. 771
Q. LEPTA, a native of Cales in Campania, and the Thurian fugitives, and succeeded' in bringing
praefectus fabruim to Cicero in Cilicia B. C. 51. (Cic. about a peace between the contending parties. For
ad Fain. iii. 7, v. 10). Two of the letters which this conduct, which was entirely opposed to the
Cicero addressed to him are extant (ad Fam. vi. views of Dionysius, he was deprived of the command
18, 19), and show strict intimacy between the of the fleet, which was given to his younger brother,
correspondents. Lepta was a Pompeian; and Thearides. (Id. xiv. 102.) Some time afterwards
while Cicero, in B. c. 49, was hesitating whether he gave farther offence to the jealous temper of the
to remain in Italy, or to repair to Pompeyi's camp, tyrant, by giving one of his daughters in marriage
Lepta was one of his channels of communication to Philistus, without any previous intimation to
with the Pompeians (ad Pam. vi. 18, xiv. 17, xvi. Dionysius, and on this account he was banished
4, ad Att. vi. 8, viii. 3, ix. 12, 14, xi. 8.); and at from Syracuse,together with Philistus. He therethe close of the war, after the battle of Munda, upon retired to Thurii, where the services rendered
Lepta, through his zeal for two of his fellow-towns- by him to that city during the late war with the
men of Cales, was hazarding his own interests Lucanians secured him a favourable reception; and
with the Caesarians. (Ad Fam. ix. 13.) In B. c. he quickly rose to so much power and influence
45 he was, however, suing for a commission to among the Greeks of Italy, that Dionysius judged
supply the wine for Caesar's triumphal games, for it prudent to recal his sentence of banishment, and
which his connection with Cales in the vine district invite him again to Syracuse. Here he was com(ager Falero.ou) of Campania probably afforded pletely reinstated in his former faour, and obtained
him facilities. (Ad Art. xiii. 46.) Cicero dis- one of the daughters of Dionysius in marriage.
suaded him from undertaking it, as likely to prove (Diod. xv..7; Plut. Dion. 11.) In B. C. 383,
a laborious and thankless task. (Ad Fam. vi. 19.) war having again broken out with the CarthagiHe was one of Cicero's debtors. (Ad Att. x. 11,) nians, Leptines once more took an active part in
Lepta had at least one son,.to whom Cicero (ad the support of his brother, and commanded the
Fam. vi. 18) recommends the reading of his treatise right wing of the Syracusan army in the battle
de Oratore, and a precept of Hesiod. (Op. et dies, near Croniumn: but after displaying the greatest
287.) [W. B. D.] personal prowess, he himself fell ian the action, and
LE'PTINES (AesrIvMls). 1. A Syracusan, son of the troops under his command immediately gave
Hermocrates, and brother of Dionysius the elder, way. (Diod. xv. 17.)
tyrant of Syracuse. He is first mentioned as com- 2. A Syracusan, who'joined with Callippus in
manding his brother's fleet at the siege of Motya expelling the garrison of. the younger Dionysius
(B. C. 397), and was for some time entrusted by from Rhegium, B. c. 351. Having effected this,
Dionysius with the whole direction of the siege, they restored the city to nominal independence,
while the latter was engaged in reducing the other but it appears that they continued to occupy it
towns still held by the Carthaginians. (Diod. xiv. with their mercenaries: and not long afterwards
48.) After the fall of Motya he was stationed Leptines took advantage of the discontent which
there with a fleet of 120 ships, to watch for and had arisen among these, to. remove Callippus by
intercept the Carthaginian fleet under Himilco; but assassination. (Diod. xvi. 45; Plut. Dion. 58.)
the latter eluded his vigilance, and effected his We know nothing of his'subsequent proceedings,
passage to Panormus in safety, with the greater nor of the circumstances that led him to quit Rhepart of his forces, though Leptines pursued them, gium, but it seems probable that he availed' himand sunk fifty of his transports, containing 5000 self of the state of confusion in which Sicily then
troops. (Id. 53-55.) The face of affairs was now was to make himself master of the two cities of
changed: Himilco was able to advance unopposed Apollonia and Engyum: at least there is little
along the north coast of the island, and took and doubt that the Leptines whom we find established
destroyed Messana; from whence he advanced as the tyrant of those cities when Timoleon arrived
upon Syracuse, his fleet, under Mago, supporting in Sicily is the same with the associate of Callipthe operations of the army. Leptines, by his pus. He was expelled in common with all the
brother's orders, immediately advanced with the other petty tyrants, by Timoleon; but his life was
Syracusan fleet to engage that of Mago, and a great spared, and he was sent into exile at Corinth, B. C.
naval action ensued, in which Leptines displayed 342. (Diod. xvi. 7'2; Plut. Timol. 24.)
the utmost valour; but having imprudently ad- 3. One of the generals of Agathocles, who,
vanced with 30 of his best ships into the midst of during the absence of that monarch in Africa, dethe enemy, he was cut off from the rest of his fleet, feated Xenodocus, the governor of Agrigentum, in
and only able to effect his escape by standing out a pitched battle, and with great slaughter. (Diod.
to sea. The result was, that the Syracusans were xx. 56.) When Agathocles, after repairing for a
defeated with great loss, many of their ships fell short time to Sicily, returned once more to Africa,
into the hands of the enemy, and Leptines himself B. c. 307, he again left Leptines in command
retired with the rest to Syracuse. During the during his absence, who obtained a second victory
siege that followed, he continued to render im- over Xenodocus. (Id. xx. 61, 62.)
portant services, and commanded (together with 4. A Syracusan, whose daughter was married to
the Lacedaemonian Pharacidas) the final attack Hieron, afterwards king of Syracuse. Leptines was
upon the naval camp of the Carthaginians, which at that time, we are told, unquestionably the man
terminated in the complete destruction of their of the highest consideration among his fellow-citifleet. (Diod. xiv. 59, 60, 64, 72.) We hear no zens, which induced Hieron, who had just been
nore of him until B. C. 390, when he was again appointed general of the republic, but was already
despatched by Dionysius with a fleet to the assist- aiming at higher objects, to court his alliance.
ance of the Lucanians against the Italian Greeks. (Polyb. i. 9.)
He arrived just as the former had gained a great 5. An Athenian, known only as the proposer of
victory over the Thurians; but instead of joining a law taking away all special exemptions from the
them to crush their enemies, he afforded a refuge to burden of public charges (derAcar Ty ear reovppyiwi),
3n 2