But the Carthaginians who were left in Rhegium perceiving, when the assembly was dissolved, that Timoleon had given them the go-by, were not a little vexed to see themselves out-witted, much to the amusement of the Rhegians, who could not but smile to find Phoenicians complain of being cheated.
However, they despatched a messenger aboard one of their galleys to Tauromenium, who, after much blustering in the insolent barbaric way, and many menaces to Andromachus if he did not forthwith send the Corinthians off, stretched out his hand with the inside upward, and then turning it down again, threatened he would handle their city even so, and turn it topsy-turvy in as little time, and with as much ease.
Andromachus, laughing at the man’s confidence, made no other reply, but, imitating his gesture, bid him hasten his own departure, unless he had a mind to see that kind of dexterity practiced first upon the galley which brought him hither.
tl;dr:
Andromachus, rules of Tauromenium, was assisting the Greeks in their war against Syracuse, who was allied with the Carthaginians. At one point, the Carthaginians send an envoy to Tauromenium to basically threaten Andromachus if he didn’t break off his support. The Carthaginian envoy makes a hand gesture that suggests he would ‘flip Tauromenium upside down’ if he and his people so wished. So Andromachus nonchalantly imitated the same gesture, suggesting he was going to flip the guy’s boat if he didn’t get the hell out of there.
Source:
Plutarch, John Dryden, and Arthur Hugh Clough. "Timoleon." Plutarch's Lives. New York: Modern Library, 2001. 333. Print.
Further Reading:
Rìggiu / Righi / Ῥήγιον / Rhēgium (Reggio di Calabria) / Reggio Calabria / Reggio
No comments, yet...