At the deathIn 498. of Cleandrus son of Pantares, who had been tyrant of +Gela [14.25,37.0667] (Perseus) Gela for seven years, and had been slain by a man of that city named Sabyllus, the sovereignty passed to Cleandrus' brother Hippocrates. While Hippocrates was tyrant, Gelon, a descendant of the ministering priest Telines, was one of Hippocrates' guard, as were Aenesidemus son of Pataecus and many others.

In no long time he was appointed for his worth to be captain of the entire cavalry, for his performance had been preeminent while he served under Hippocrates in the assaults against +Gallipoli [17.983,40.5] (inhabited place), Lecce, Apulia, Italy, Europe Callipolis, +Naxos [15.283,37.816] (deserted settlement), Messina, Sicily, Italy, Europe Naxos, +Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle, Leontini, +Syracuse [15.3,37.0667] (Perseus) Syracuse, and many other of the foreigners' towns. None of these cities, with the exception of +Syracuse [15.3,37.0667] (Perseus) Syracuse, escaped enslavement by Hippocrates; the Syracusans were defeated in battle on the river Elorus.

They were, however, rescued by the Corinthians and Corcyraeans, who made a peace for them on the condition that the Syracusans should deliver up to Hippocrates Camarina, which had formerly been theirs.

When Hippocrates, too, after reigning the same number of years as his brother Cleandrus, came to his end near the town of Hybla—from where he had marched against the Sicels—then Gelon made a pretence of serving the cause of Hippocrates' sons Euclides and Cleandrus, whose rule the citizens would no longer bear. When he had defeated the men of +Gela [14.25,37.0667] (Perseus) Gela, however, he deposed the sons of Hippocrates and held sway himself.