a smaller history of greece-第48章

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rned　Sparta　of　the　evils　awaiting　her　under　a　〃lame　sovereignty。〃　　But　Agesilaus　had　not　yet　abandoned　all　hope；　and　he　now　directed　his　views　towards　the　east　as　the　quarter　from　which　Spartan　power　might　still　be　resuscitated。　　At　the　age　of　80　the　indomitable　old　man　proceeded　with　a　force　of　1000　hoplites　to　assist　Tachos；　king　of　Egypt；　in　his　revolt　against　Persia。　　He　died　at　Cyrene　on　his　return　to　Greece。　　His　body　was　embalmed　in　wax　and　splendidly　buried　in　Sparta。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

HISTORY　OF　THE　SICILIAN　GREEKS　FROM　THE　DESTRUCTION　OF　THE　ATHENIAN　ARMAMENT　TO　THE　DEATH　OF　TIMOLEON。

The　affairs　of　the　Sicilian　Greeks；　an　important　branch　of　the　Hellenic　race；　deserve　a　passing　notice。　　A　few　years　after　the　destruction　of　the　Athenian　armament；　Dionysius　made　himself　master　of　Syracuse；　and　openly　seized　upon　the　supreme　power　（B。C。　405）。　　His　reign　as　tyrant　or　despot　was　long　and　prosperous。　　After　conquering　the　Carthaginians；　who　more　than　once　invaded　Sicily；　he　extended　his　dominion　over　a　great　part　of　the　island；　and　over　a　considerable　portion　of　Magna　Graecia。　He　raised　Syracuse　to　be　one　of　the　chief　Grecian　states；　second　in　influence；　if　indeed　second；　to　Sparta　alone。　　Under　his　sway　Syracuse　was　strengthened　and　embellished　with　new　fortifications；　docks；　arsenals；　and　other　public　buildings；　and　became　superior　even　to　Athens　in　extent　and　population。

Dionysius　was　a　warm　patron　of　literature；　and　was　anxious　to　gain　distinction　by　his　literary　compositions。　　In　the　midst　of　his　political　and　military　cares　he　devoted　himself　assiduously　to　poetry；　and　not　only　caused　his　poems　to　be　publicly　recited　at　the　Olympic　games；　but　repeatedly　contended　for　the　prize　of　tragedy　at　Athens。　　In　accordance　with　the　same　spirit　we　find　him　seeking　the　society　of　men　distinguished　in　literature　and　philosophy。　　Plato；　who　visited　Sicily　about　the　year　389　from　a　curiosity　to　see　Mount　AEtna；　was　introduced　to　Dionysius　by　Dion。　　The　high　moral　tone　of　Plato's　conversation　did　not　however　prove　so　attractive　to　Dionysius　as　it　had　done　to　Dion；　and　the　philosopher　was　not　only　dismissed　with　aversion　and　dislike；　but　even；　it　seems　through　the　machinations　of　Dionysius；　seized；　bound；　and　sold　for　a　slave　in　the　island　of　AEgina。　　He　was；　however；　repurchased　by　Anniceris　of　Cyrene；　and　sent　back　to　Athens。

Dionysius　died　in　B。C。　367；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　eldest　son；　commonly　called　the　younger　Dionysius；　who　was　about　25　years　of　age　at　the　time　of　his　father's　death。　　At　first　he　listened　to　the　counsels　of　Dion；　who　had　always　enjoyed　the　respect　and　confidence　of　his　father。　　At　the　advice　of　Dion　he　invited　Plato　to　Syracuse；　where　the　philosopher　was　received　with　the　greatest　honour。　　His　illustrious　pupil　immediately　began　to　take　lessons　in　geometry；　superfluous　dishes　disappeared　from　the　royal　table；　and　Dionysius　even　betrayed　some　symptoms　of　a　wish　to　mitigate　the　former　rigours　of　the　despotism。　　But　now　the　old　courtiers　took　the　alarm。　　It　was　whispered　to　Dionysius　that　the　whole　was　a　deep…laid　scheme　on　the　part　of　Dion　for　the　purpose　of　effecting　a　revolution　and　placing　his　own　nephews　on　the　throne。　＇The　elder　Dionysius　had　married　two　wives　at　the　same　time：　　one　of　these　was　a　Locrian　woman　named　Doris；　the　other；　Aristomache；　was　a　Syracusan；　and　the　sister　of　Dion。　　The　younger　Dionysius　was　his　elder　son　by　Doris；　but　he　also　had　children　by　Aristomache。＇　　These　accusations　had　the　desired　effect　on　the　mind　of　Dionysius；　who　shortly　afterwards　expelled　Dion　from　Sicily。　　Plato　with　difficulty　obtained　permission　to　return　to　Greece　（B。C。　366）。　　Dionysius　now　gave　way　to　his　vices　without　restraint；　and　became　an　object　of　contempt　to　the　Syracusans。　Dion　saw　that　the　time　had　come　for　avenging　his　own　wrongs　as　well　as　those　of　his　country。　　Collecting　a　small　force；　he　sailed　to　Sicily；　and　suddenly　appeared　before　the　gates　of　Syracuse　during　the　absence　of　Dionysius　on　an　expedition　to　the　coasts　of　Italy。　　The　inhabitants；　filled　with　joy；　welcomed　Dion　as　their　deliverer：　　and　Dionysius　on　his　return　from　Italy　found　himself　compelled　to　quit　Syracuse　（B。C。　356）；　leaving　Dion　undisputed　master　of　the　city。　　The　latter　was　now　in　a　condition　to　carry　out　all　those　exalted　notions　of　political　life　which　he　had　sought　to　instil　into　the　mind　of　Dionysius。　　He　seems　to　have　contemplated　some　political　changes；　but　his　immediate　and　practical　acts　were　tyrannical；　and　were　rendered　still　more　unpopular　by　his　overbearing　manners。　　His　unpopularity　continued　to　increase；　till　at　length　one　of　his　bosom　friendsthe　Athenian　Callippusseized　the　opportunity　to　mount　to　power　by　his　murder；　and　caused　him　to　be　assassinated　in　his　own　house。　This　event　took　place　in　353；　about　three　years　after　the　expulsion　of　the　Dionysian　dynasty。　　Callippus　contrived　to　retain　the　sovereign　power　only　a　twelvemonth。　　A　period　of　anarchy　followed；　during　which　Dionysius　made　himself　master　of　the　city　by　treachery；　about　B。C。　346。　　Dionysius；　however；　was　not　able　to　re…establish　himself　firmly　in　his　former　power。　Most　of　the　other　cities　of　Sicily　had　shaken　off　the　yoke　of　Syracuse；　and　were　governed　by　petty　despots。　　Meantime　the　Carthaginians　prepared　to　take　advantage　of　the　distracted　condition　of　Sicily。　　In　the　extremity　of　their　sufferings；　several　of　the　Syracusan　exiles　appealed　for　aid　to　Corinth；　their　mother…city。　　The　application　was　granted；　and　Timoleon　was　appointed　to　command　an　expedition　destined　for　the　relief　of　Syracuse。

Timoleon　was　distinguished　for　gentleness　as　well　as　for　courage；　but　towards　traitors　and　despots　his　hatred　was　intense。　　He　had　once　saved　the　life　of　his　elder　brother　Timophanes　in　battle　at　the　imminent　peril　of　his　own；　but　when　Timophanes；　availing　himself　of　his　situation　as　commander　of　the　garrison　in　the　Acrocorinthus；　endeavoured　to　enslave　his　country；　Timoleon　did　not　hesitate　to　consent　to　his　death。　　Twice　before　had　Timoleon　pleaded　with　his　brother；　beseeching　him　not　to　destroy　the　liberties　of　his　country；　but　when　Timophanes　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　those　appeals；　Timoleon　connived　at　the　action　of　his　friends；　who　put　him　to　death；　whilst　he　himself；　bathed　in　a　flood　of　tears；　stood　a　little　way　aloof。　　The　great　body　of　the　citizens　regarded　the　conduct　of　Timoleon　with　love　and　admiration。　　In　the　mind　of　Timoleon；　however；　their　approving　verdict　was　far　more　than　outweighed　by　the　reproaches　and　execrations　of　his　mother。　　For　many　years　nothing　could　prevail　upon　him　to　return　to　public　life。　　He　buried；　himself　in　the　country　far　from　the　haunts　of　men；　till　a　chance　voice　in　the　Corinthian　assembly　nominated　him　as　the　leader　of　the　expedition　against　Dionysius。

Roused　by　the　nature　of　the　cause；　and　the　exhortations　of　his　friends；　Timoleon　accepted　the　post　thus　offered　to　him。　　His　success　exceeded　his　hopes。　　As　soon　as　he　appeared　before　Syracuse；　Dionysius；　who　appears　to　have　abandoned　all　hope　of　ultimate　success；　surrendered　the　citadel　into　his　hands；　on　condition　of　being　allowed　to　depart　in　safety　to　Corinth　（B。C。　343）。　　Dionysius　passed　the　remainder　of　his　life　at　Corinth；　where　he　is　said　to　have　displayed　some　remnants　of　his　former　luxury　by　the　fastidious　taste　which　he　showed　in　the　choice　of　his　viands；　unguents；　dress；　and　furniture；　whilst　his　literary　inclinations　manifested　themselves　in　teaching　the　public　singers　and　actors；　and　in　opening　a　school　for　boys。

Timoleon　also　expelled　the　other　tyrants　from　the　Sicilian　cities；　and　gained　a　great　victory　over　the　Carthaginians　at　the　river　Crimesus　（or　Crimissus）。　　He　restored　a　republican　constitution　to　Syracuse；　and　his　first　public　act　was　to　destroy　the　impregnable　fortifications　of　the　citadel　of　Ortygia；　the　stronghold　of　the　elder　and　the　younger　Dionysius。　　All　the　rewards　which　Timoleon　received　for　his　great　services　were　a　house　in　Syracuse；　and　some　landed　property　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　city。　　He　now　sent　for　his　family　from　Corinth；　and　became　a　Syracusan　citizen。　　He　continued；　however；　to　retain；　though　in　a　private　station；　the　greatest　influence　in　the　state。　　During　the　latter　part　of　his　life；　though　he　was　totall