Text #3227
. The Library of History. Vol. 1[Diod. 16.63. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. Harvard University Press. 1935. (12 Vols.)]
Now Archidamus1 was king of the Lacedaemonians for twenty-three years, and Agis2 his son succeeded to the throne and ruled for fifteen years. After the death of Archidamus his mercenaries, who had participated in plundering the shrine, were shot down by the Lucanians, whereas Phalaecus, now that he had been driven out of Lyctus, attempted to besiege Cydonia. He had constructed siege engines and was bringing them up against the city when lightning descended and these structures were consumed by the divine fire, and many of the mercenaries in attempting to save the engines perished in the flames. Among them was the general Phalaecus.