As Dion was young and inexperienced, observing the facility with which Plato had changed his taste and inclinations, he imagined, with simplicity enough, that the same reasons would have the same effects upon the mind of Dionysius; and from that opinion could not rest till he had prevailed upon the tyrant to hear and converse with him. Dionysius consented; but the lust of tyrannic power had taken too deep a root in his heart to be ever eradicated from it. It was * like an indelible dye, that had penetrated his inmost soul, from whence it was impossible ever to efface it.

Though the stay of Plato at the court made no alteration in Dionysius, he persevered in giving Dion the same instances of his esteem and confidence, and even to support, without taking offence, the freedom with which he spoke to him. Dionysius ridiculing one day the government of Gelon, formerly king of Syracuse, and saying in allusion to his name, that he had been the "laughing stock " of Sicily, the whole court fell into great admiration, and took no sinali pains in praising the quaintness and delicacy of the conceit, insipid and flat as it was, and indeed as puns and quibbles generally are. Dion took it in a serious sense, and was so bold as to represent to him that he was in the wrong to talk in that manner of a prince whose wise and equitable conduct had been an excellent model of government, and given the Syracusans a favourable opinion of monarchical power. “You reign,” added he, “ and have been trusted for Ge"lon's sake; but for your sake no man will ever be trusted after you." It was very much that a tyrant should suffer himself to be talked to in such a manner with impunity.

SECTION III.

DIONYSIUS DECLARES WAR AGAINST THE CARTHAGINIANS.-VARIOUS SUCCESS OF IT.

DIONYSIUS seeing his great preparations were complete, and that he was in a condition to take the field, publicly opened his design to the Syracusans, in order to interest them the more in the success of the enter prise and told them that it was against the Carthaginians. He represented that people as the perpetual and inveterate enemy of the Greeks, and especially of those who inhabited Sicily; that the plague, which had lately wasted Carthage, had made the opportunity favourable, which ought not to be neglected; that the people in subjection to so cruel a power, waited only the signal to declare against it; that it would be much for the glory of Syracuse to reinstate the Grecian cities in their liberty, after hav ing so long groaned under the yoke of the barbarians; that in declaring war at present against the Carthaginians, they only preceded them in doing so for some time, since, as soon as they had retrieved their losses, they would not fail to attack Syracuse with all their forces.

The asserably were unanimously of the same opinion. Their ancient and natural hatred of the barbarians, their anger against them for having given Syracuse a master, and the hope that with arms in their hands, they might find some occasion of recovering their liberty, united them in their

* Την βάδην εκ ανιέντα της τυραννίδος, εν πολλώ χρόνω δευτοποιόν ήταν και δυσεκπ Δρομαίος δε οντας ετι δεί των χρησων αντιλαμβανεςθαι λοιον. Plut. in moral.

TUTOV.

p. 779.

suffrages. The war was resolved without any opposition and began that very instant. There were, as well in the city as the port, a great number of Carthaginians, who, upon the faith of treaties and under the peace, exercised traffic, and thought themselves in security. The populace, by Dionysius' authority, upon the breaking up of the assembly, ran to their houses and ships, plundered their goods, and carried off their effects. They met with the same treatment throughout Sicily; to which murders and massacres were added, by way of reprisal for the many cruelties committed by the barbarians upon those they conquered, and to show them what they had to expect if they continued to make war with the same inhumanity.

After this bloody execution, Dionysius sent a letter by an herald to Carthage, in which he signified that the Syracusans declared war against the Carthaginians, if they did not withdraw their garrisons from all the Grecian cities held by them in Sicily. The reading of this letter at first in the senate, and afterwards in the assembly of the people, occasioned an uncommon alarm, as the pestilence had reduced the city to a deplorable condition. However, they were not dismayed, and prepared for a vigorous defence. They raised troops with the utmost diligence, and Imilcar set out immediately to put himself at the head of the Carthaginian army in Sicily.

Dionysius on his side lost no time, and took the field with his army, which daily increased by the arrival of new troops, who came to join him from all parts. It amounted to 80,000 foot, and 3000 horse. The fleet consisted of 200 galleys, and 500 barks laden with provisions and machines of war. He opened the campaign with the siege of Motya, a fortified town under the Carthaginians near Mount Eryx, in a little island something more than a quarter of a league* from the continent, to which it was joined by a small neck of land, which the besieged immediately cut off, to prevent the approaches of the enemy on that side.

Dionysius having left the care of the siege to Leptinus, who commanded the fleet, went with his land forces to attack the places in alliance with the Carthaginians. Terrified by the approach of so numerous an army, they all surrendered except five, which were Ancyra, Solus, † Palermo, Segesta, and Entella. The last two places he besieged.

Imilcar, however, to make a diversion, detached ten galleys of his fleet, with orders to attack and surprise in the night all the vessels which remained in the port of Syracuse. The commander of this expedition entered the port according to his orders without resistance, and after having sunk a great part of the vessels which he found there, retired well satisfied with the success of his enterprise.

Dionysius, after having wasted the enemy's country, returned, and sat down with his whole army before Motya, and having employed a great number of hands in making dams and moles, he reinstated the neck of land, and brought his engines to work on that side. The place was attacked and defended with the utmost vigour. After the besiegers had pass ed the breach, and entered the city, the besieged persisted a great while in defending themselves with incredible valour; so that it was necessary to pursue and drive them from house to house. The soldiers enraged at so obstinate a defence, put all before them to the sword; age, youth, women, children, nothing was spared, except those who had taken refuge in the

temples. The town was abandoned to the soldiers' discretion; Dionysius being pleased with an occasion of attaching the troops to his service by the allurements and hope of gain.

The Carthaginians made an extraordinary effort the next year, and raised an army of 300,000 foot, and 4000 horse. The fleet under Mago's command, consisted of 400 galleys, and upwards of 600 vessels laden with provisions and engines of war. Imilcar had given the captains of the fleet his orders sealed up, which were not to be opened till they were out at sea. He had taken this precaution, that his designs might be kept secret, and to prevent spies from sending advices of them to Sicily. The rendezvous was at Palermo; where the fleet arrived without much loss in their passage. Imilcar took Eryx by treachery, and soon after reduced Motya to surrender. Messina seemed to him a place of importance ; because it might favour the landing of troops from Italy and Sicily, and bar the passage of those that should come from Peloponnesus. After a Jong and vigorous defence it fell into his hands, and some time after he entirely demolished it.

Dionysius, seeing his forces extremely inferior to the enemy, retired to Syracuse. Almost all the people of Sicily, who hated him from the beginning, and were only reconciled to him in appearance, and out of fear, took this occasion to quit his party, and to join the Carthaginians. The tyrant levied new troops, and gave the slaves their liberty, that they might serve on board the fleet. His army amounted to 30,000 foot, and 3000 horse, and his fleet to 180 galleys. With these forces he took the field, and removed about 18 leagues from Syracuse. Imilcar advanced perpetually with his land army, followed by the fleet, which kept near the coast. When he arrived at Naxos, he could not continue his march upon the sea side, and was obliged to take a long compass round Mount Etna, which by a new eruption had set the country about it on fire, and covered it with ashes. He ordered his fleet to wait his coming up at Catana. Dionysius apprised of this, thought the opportunity favourable for attacking it, whilst separate from the land forces, and whilst his own, drawn up in battle upon the shore, might be of service to animate and support his fleet. The scheme was wisely concerted, but the success not answerable to it. Leptinus, his admiral, having advanced inconsiderately with 30 galleys, contrary to the opinion of Dionysius, who had particularly recommended to him not to divide his forces, at first sunk several of the enemy's ships, but upon being surrounded by the greater number, was forced to fly. His whole fleet followed his example, and was warmly pursued by the Carthaginians. Mago detached boats full of soldiers, with orders to kill all that endeavoured to save themselves by swimming to shore. The land army drawn up there saw them perish miserably, without being able to give them any assistance. The loss on the side of the Sicilians was very great; more than 100 galleys being either taken or sunk, and 20,000 men perishing either in the battle or the pursuit.

The Sicilians, who were afraid to shut themselves up in Syracuse, where they could not fail of being besieged very soon, solicited Dionysjus to lead them against Imilcar, whom so bold an enterprise might disconcert; besides which, they should find his troops fatigued with their long and hasty march. The proposal pleased him at first; but upon reflecting that Mago, with the victorious fleet, might notwithstanding advance and take Syracuse, he thought it more advisable to return thither; which was the occasion of his losing abundance of his troops, who deserted in numbers on all sides. Imilcar, after a march of two days, arrived at Ca

tana, where he halted some days to refresh his army, and refit his fleet, which had suffered exceedingly by a violent storm.

* He then marched to Syracuse, and made his fleet enter the port in triumph. More than 200 galleys, adorned with the spoils of their victory, made a noble appearance as they advanced; the crews forming a kind of concert by the uniform and regular order they observed in the motion of their oars. They were followed by an infinite number of smaller barks; so that the port, vast as it was, was scarce capable of containing them; the whole sea being in a manner covered with sails. At the same time on the other side appeared the land army, composed, as has been said, of 300,000 foot, and 4000 horse. Imilcar pitched his tent in the temple of Jupiter, and the army encamped around, at somewhat more than half a league's † distance from the city. It is easy to judge the consternation and alarm which such a prospect must give the Syracusans. The Carthaginian general advanced with his troops to the walls to offer the city battle, and at the same time seized on the two remaining ‡ ports by a detachment of 100 galleys. As he saw no motion on the side of the Syracusans, he retired contented for that time with the enemy's confessing their inequality. For 30 days together he laid waste the country, cutting down all the trees, and destroying all before him. He then made himself master of the suburb called Achradina, and plundered the temples of Ceres and Proserpina. Foreseeing that the siege would be of long duration, he intrenched his camp, and inclosed it with strong walls, after having demolished for that purpose all the tombs, and amongst others, that of Gelon and his wife Demarate, which was a monument of great magnificence. He built three forts at some distance from each other; the first at Pemmyra; the second towards the middle of the port; the third near the temple of Jupiter, for the security of his magazines of corn and wine. He sent also a great number of small vessels to Sardinia and Africa to fetch provisions.

At the same time arrived Polyxenus, whom his brother in law Dionysius had dispatched before into Italy and Greece for all the aid he could obtain, and brought with him a fleet of 30 ships, commanded by Pharacides the Lacedæmonian. This reinforcement came in very good time, and gave the Syracusans new spirit. Upon seeing a bark laden with provisions for the enemy, they detached five galleys and took it. The Carthaginians gave them chase with 40 sail, to which they advanced with their whole fleet, and in the battle carried the admiral galley, damaged many others, took 24, pursued the rest to the place where the whole fleet rode, and offered them battle a second time, which the Carthaginians, discouraged by the check they had received, were afraid to accept,

The Syracusans emboldened by so unexpected a victory, returned to the city with the galleys they had taken, and entered it in a kind of triumph. Animated by this success, which could only be ascribed to their valour, (for Dionysius was then absent with a small detachment of the fleet to procure provisions, attended by Leptinus) they encouraged each other, and seeing they did not want arms, they reproached themselves with cowardice, ardently exclaiming, that the time was come for throwing off the shameful yoke of servitude, and resuming their ancient liberty. Whilst they were in the midst of these discourses, dispersed in small parties, the tyrant arrived; and having summoned an assembly, he congratulated the Syracusans upon their late victory, and promised in a short

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time to put an end to the war, and deliver them from the enemy. He was going to dismiss the assembly, when Theodorus, one of the most illustrious of the citizens, a person of sense and valour, took upon him to speak and to declare boldly for liberty. "We are told" said he, "of restoring peace, terminating the war, and of being delivered from the enemy. What signifies such language from Dionysius? Can we have peace in the wretched state of slavery imposed upon us? Have we any enemy more to be dreaded than the tyrant who subverts our liberty, or a war more cruel than that he has made upon us for so many years? "Let Imilcar conquer, so he contents himself with laying a tribute upon us, and leaves us the exercise of our laws: the tyrant that enslaves us "knows no other but his avarice, his cruelty, his ambition! The temples "of the gods, robbed by his sacrilegious hands, our goods made a prey, "and our lands abandoned to his instruments, our persons daily exposed "to the most shameful and cruel treatment, the blood of so many citi"6 zens shed in the midst of us and before our eyes; these are the fruits "of his reign, and the peace he obtains for us! Was it for the support of our liberties he built yon citadel, that he has inclosed it with such strong "walls and high towers, and has called in for his guard that tribe of strangers and barbarians, who insult us with impunity? How long, O Syracusans, shall we suffer such indignities, more insupportable to the brave "and generous than death itself? Bold and intrepid abroad against the enemy, shall we always tremble like cowards in the presence of a tyrant? "Providence, which has again put arms into our hands, directs us in the use of them! Sparta, and the other cities in our alliance, who hold it "their glory to be free and independent, would deem us unworthy of the "Grecian name if we had any other sentiments. Let us show that we "do not degenerate from our ancestors. If Dionysius consents to retire "from amongst us, let us open him our gates, and let him take along with "him whatever he pleases; but if he persists in the tyranny, let him ex"perience what effects the love of liberty has upon the brave and deter"minate."

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After this speech, all the Syracusans, in suspense betwixt hope and fear, looked earnestly upon their allies, and particularly upon the Spartans. Pharacides, who commanded their fleet rose up to speak. It was expected that a citizen of Sparta would declare in favour of liberty; but he did quite the reverse, and told them that his republic had sent him to the aid of the Syracusans and Dionysius, and not to make war upon Dionysiùs, or to subvert his authority. This answer confounded the Syracusans, and the tyrant's guard arriving at the same time, the assembly broke up. Dionysius perceiving more than ever what he had to fear, used all his endeavours to ingratiate himself with the people, and to attach the citizens to his interests; making presents to some, inviting others to eat with him, and affecting upon all occasions to treat them with kindness and familiarity.

*It must have been about this time that Polyxenus, Dionysius' brother in law, who had married his sister Thesta, having without doubt declared against him in this conspiracy, fled from Sicily for the preservation of his life, and to avoid falling into the tyrant's hands. Dionysius sent for his sister, and reproached her very much for not apprising him of her husband's intended flight, as she could not be ignorant of it. She replied without expressing the least surprise or fear, "have I then appeared so

*Plut. in Diod. p. 966.