mantic of the goddess Proserpina, and holding a lighted torch in his hand, pronounced in the temple the most dreadful execrations against himself it is possible to imagine. The oath cost him nothing but did not convince the princesses. They daily received new intimations of his guilt from several bands, as did Dion himself, whose friends in general persuaded him to prevent Callippus' crime by a just and suden punishment. But he never could resolve upon it. The death of Heraclides, which he looked upon as an horrible blot in his reputation and virtue, was perpetually present to his troubled imagination, and renewed by continual terrors bis grief and repentance. Tormented night and day by that cruel rémembiance, he professed that he had rather die a thousand deaths, and present his throat himself to whoever would kill him, than to live under the uccessity of continual precau tions, not only against his enemies, but the best of his friends. Callippus ill deserved that name. He hastened the execution of his crime, and caused Dion to be assassinated in his own house by the Zacynthian soldiers, who were entirely devoted to his interest. The sister and wife of that prince were put into prison, where the latter was delivered of a son whom she resolved to nurse there herself. * After this murder, Callippus was for some time in a splendid condition, having made himself master of Syracuse, by the means of the troops who were entirely devoted to his service, in effect of the gifts he bestowed upon them. The pagans believed that the divinity ought to punish great crimes in a sudden and extraordinary manner in this life and Plutarch observes, that the success of Callippus occasioned very great complaints against the gods, as suffering calmly, and without indignation, the vilest of men to raise himself to so exalted a fortune by so detestable and impious a method. But providence was not long without justifying itself; for Callippus soon suffered the punishment of his guilt. Having marched with his troops to take Catana, Syracuse revolted against him, and threw off so shameful a subjection. He afterwards attacked Messina, where he lost abundance of men, and particular ly the Zacynthian soldiers, who had murdered Dion. No city of Sicily would receive him; but all detesting him as the most execrable of wretches, he retired to Rhegium, where, after having led for some time a miserable life, he was killed *A. M. 3646. Ant. J C. 358. by Leptinus and Polyperchon, and it was said, with the same dagger with which Dion had been assassinated. History has few examples of so distinct an attention of providence to punish great crimes, such as murder, perfidy, treason, either in the authors of those crimes themselves, who com- . manded or exccuted them, or in the accomplices any way con cerned in them. The divine justice evidences itself from time to time in this manner, to prove that it is not unconcerned and inattentive; and to prevent the inundation of crimes, which an entire impunity would occasion; but it does not always distinguish itself by remarkable chastisements in this world, to intimate to mankind that greater punishments are reserved for guilt in the next. As for Aristomache and Arete, as soon as they came out of prison, Icetes of Syracuse, one of Dion's friends, received them into his house, and treated them at first with an attention, fidelity, and generosity of the most exemplary kind, had he persevered: but complying at last with Dion's enemies, he provided a bark for them, and having put them on board,under the pretence of sending them to Peloponnesus, he gave orders to those who were to carry them, to kill them in the passage, and to throw them into the sea. He was not long without receiving the chastisement due to his black treachery; for being taken by Timoleon, he was put to death. The Syracusans, fully to avenge Dion, killed also the two sons of that traitor. * The relations and friends of Dion, soon after his death, had written to Plato to consult him upon the manner in which they should behave in the present troubled and fluctuating condition of Syracuse, and to know what sort of government it was proper to establish there. Plato, who knew the Syracu sans were equally incapable of entire liberty or absolute servitude, exhorted them strenuously to pacify all things as soon as possible and for that purpose to change the tyranny, of which the very name was odious, into a lawful sovereignty, which would make subjection easy and agreeable. He advised them (and according to him it had been Dion's opinion) to create three kings; one to be Hipparinus, Dion's son, another Hipparinus, Dionysius the younger's brother, who seemed to be well inclined towards the people; and Diony sius himself, if he would comply with such conditions as should be prescribed him; their authority to be not unlike that of the kings of Sparta. Plat. epist. viii. By the same scheme, 35 magistrates were to be appointed to take care that the laws should be duly observed, to have great authority both in times of war, and peace, and to serve as a balance between the power of the kings, the senate, and the people. It does not appear that this advice was ever followed, which indeed had its great inconveniences. It is only known that Hipparinus,* Dionysius' brother, having landed at Syracuse with a fleet, and considerable forces, expelled Callippus, and exercised the sovereign power two years. The history of Sicily, as related thus far, includes about 50 years, beginning with Dionysius the elder, who reigned 38 of them, and continuing to the death of Dion. I shall return in the sequel to the affairs of Sicily, and shall relate the end of Dionysius the younger, and the re-establishment of the Syracusan liberty by Timoleon. SECTION IV. CHARACTER OF DION. It is not easy to find so many excellent qualities in one and the same person as were united in Dion. I do not consider in this place, his wonderful taste for the sciences, his art of asscciating them with the greatest employments of peace and war, of extracting from them the rules of conduct and maxims of government, and of making them an equally useful and honourable entertainment of his leisure; I confine myself to the statesman and patriot, and in this view how admirably does he appear! Greatness of soul, elevation of sentiments, generosity in bestowing his wealth, heroic valour in battle, attended with a coolness of temper, and a prudence scarce to be paralleled, a mind vast, and capable of the highest views, a constancy not to be shaken by the greatest dangers, or the most unexpected revolutions of fortune, the love of his country and of the public good, carried almost to excess: these are part of Dion's virtues. The design he formed of delivering his country from the yoke of the tyranny, and his boldness and wisdom in the execution of it, explain of what he was capable. But what I conceive the greatest beauty in Dion's character, the most worthy of admiration, and, if I may say so, the most above human nature, is the greatness of soul, and unexampled Diod. 1. xxi. p 436. : patience, with which he suffered the ingratitude of his country. He had abandoned and sacrificed every thing to come to their relief: he had reduced the tyranuy to extremities, and was upon the point of re-establishing them in the full possession of their liberty in return for such great services they shamefully expelled him the city, accompanied with an handful of foreign soldiers, whose fidelity they had not been able to corrupt; they load him with injuries, and add to their base perfidy the most cruel outrages and indignity to punish those ungrateful traitors, he had only a signal to give, and to leave the rest to the indignation of his soldiers: master of theirs, as well as his own temper, he stops their impetuosity, and without disarming their hands, restrains their just rage, suffering them, in the very height and ardour of an attack only to terrify, and not kill his enemies, because he could not forget that they were his fellow-citizens and brethren. There seems to be only one defect that can be objected to Dion, which is, his having something rigid and austere in his manner, that made him less accessible and sociable than he should have been, and kept even persons of worth, and his best friends at a kind of distance. Plato, and those who had his glory sincerely at heart, had often animadverted upon this turn of mind in him: but, notwithstanding the reproaches which were made him upon his too austere gravity, and the inflexible severity with which he treated the people, he still piqued himself upon abating nothing of them; whether his genius was entirely averse to the arts of insinuation and persuasion, or that from the view of correcting and reforming the Syracusans, vitiated and corrupted by the flattering and complaisant discourses of their orators, he chose that rough and manly manner of behaving to them. Dion was mistaken in the most essential point of governing. From the throne to the lowest office in the state, whoever is charged with the care of ruling and conducting others, ought particularly to study the art of managing men's tempers, and of giving them that bent and turn of mind that may best suit his measures: which cannot be done by assuming the severe master, by commanding haughtily, and contenting one's self with laying down the rule and the duty with inflexible rigour. There is in the right itself, in virtue, and the exercise of all * Which art an ancient poet called "Alexanima, atque omnium regina rerum oratio." Cic. 1. i. de divin. n. 80. functions, an exactitude and steadiness, or rather a kind of stiffness, which frequently degenerates into a vice when carried into extremes. I know it is never allowable to break through rules; but it is always laudable, and often necessary to soften and make them more convertible; which is best effected by a kindness of manners, and an insinuating behaviour; not always exacting the discharge of a duty in its utmost rigour; over. looking abundance of small faults, that do not merit much notice, and observing upon those which are more considerable, with favour and goodness; in a word, in endeavouring by all possible means to acquire people's affection, and to render virtue and duty amiable. Dion's permission to kill Heraclides, which was obtained with difficulty, or rather forced from him, contrary to his natural disposition, as well as principles, cost him dear, and brought the trouble and anguish upon him that lasted to the day of his death, and of which they were the principal cause. SECTION V. DIONYSIUS THE YOUNGER, RE-ASCENDS THE THRONE. * CALLIPPUS, who had caused Dion to be murdered, and had substituted himself in his place, did not possess his power long. Thirteen months after, Hipparinus, Dionysius' brother, arriving unexpectedly at Syracuse with a numerous fleet, expelled him from the city, aud recovered his paternal sovereignty, which he held during two years. Syracuset and all Sicily, being harassed by different factions and intestine war, were in a miserable condition. Dionysius, taking the advantage of those troubles, ten years after he had been obliged to quit the throne, had assembled some foreign troops, and having overcome Nypsius, who had made himself master of Syracuse, he reinstated himself in the possession of his dominions. It was perhaps to thank the gods for his re-establishment, and to express his gratitude to them, that he sent statues of gold and ivory to Olympia and Delphos of very great value. The galleys which carried them were taken by Iphicrates, who was at that time near Corcyra§ with a fleet. He wrote to Athens to know in what manner he should dispose of his sacred A. M 3647. Ant. J. C. 357. †A. M. 3654. Ant. J. C. 350. VOL. V. Diod. 1. xvi. p. 432-436. R |