* Damon and Pythias had both been educated in the principles of the Pythagorean philosophy, and were united to each other in the strictest ties of friendship, which they had mutually sworn to observe with inviolable fidelity. Their faith was put to a severe trial. One of them being condemned to die by the tyrant, petitioned for permission to make a journey into his own country, to settle his affairs, promising to return at a fixed time, the other generously offering to be his security. The courtiers, and Dionysius in particular, expected with impatience the event of so delicate and extraordinary an adventure. The day fixed for his return drawing nigh, and he not appearing, every body began to blame the rash and imprudent zeal of his friend, who had bound himself in such a manner. But he, far from expressing any fear or concern, replied with tranquility in his looks, and confidence in his expressions, that he was assured his friend would return; as he accordingly did upon the day and hour agreed. The tyrant, struck with admiration at so uncommon an instance of fidelity, and softened with the view of so amiable an union, granted him his life, and desired to be admitted as a third person into their friendship.

He expressed with equal ingenuousness on another occasion, what he thought of his condition. One of his courtiers, named Damocles, was perpetually extolling with rapture his treasures, grandeur, the number of his troops, the extent of his dominions, the magnificence of his palaces, and the universal abundance of all good things and enjoyments in his possession; always repeating that never man was happier than Dionysius. "Because you are of that opinion," said the tyrant to him one day, "will you taste and make prooof of my felicity in person?" The offer was accepted with joy. Damocles was placed upon a golden bed, covered with carpets of inestimable value. The side boards were loaded with vessels of gold and silver. The most beautiful slaves in the most splendid habits stood around, watching the least signal to serve him. The most exquisite essences and perfumes had not been spared. The table was spread with proportionate magnificence. Damocles was all joy, and looked upon himself as the happiest man in the world, when unfortunately casting up his eyes, he beheld over his head the point of a sword, which hung from the roof only by a single horse hair. He was immediately seized with a cold sweat; every thing disappeared in an instant; he could see nothing but the sword, nor think of any thing but his danger. In the height of his fear he desired permission to retire, and declared he would be happy no longer. A very natural image of the life of a tyrant. Ours reigned, as I have observed before, 38 years.

CHAPTER II.

THIS chapter includes the history of Dionysius the Younger, tyrant of Syracuse, son of the former; and that of Dion, his near relation.

*Cic. de offic. 1. iii. n. 43. Val. Max. 1. iv. c. 7.

Cic. Tusc. Quæst. l. v. n. 61, 62.

SECTION I.

DIONYSIUS THE YOUNGER SUCCEEDS HIS FATHER. HE INVITES PLATO TO HIS COURT.

DIONYSIUS the Elder,* was succeeded by one of his sons of his own name, commonly called Dionysius the Younger. After his father's funeral had been solemnized with the utmost magnificence, he assembled the people, and desired they would have the same good inclinations for him as they had professed for his father. They were very different from each other in their character; † for the latter was as peaceable and calm in his disposition as the former was active and enterprising; which would have been no disadvantage to his people, had that mildness and moderation been the effect of a wise and judicious understanding, and not of natural sloth and indolence of temper.

It was surprising to see Dionysius the younger, take quiet possession of the tyranny after the death of his father, as of a right of inheritance, notwithstanding the passion of the Syracusans for liberty, which could not but revive upon so favourable an occasion, and the weakness of a young prince, undistinguished by his merit, and void of experience. It seemed as if the last years of the elder Dionysius, who had applied himself towards the close of his life, in making his subjects taste the advantage of his government, had in some measure reconciled them to the tyranny, especially after his exploits by sea and land had acquired him a great reputation and infinitely exalted the glory of the Syracusan power, which be had found means to render formidable to Carthage itself, as well as to the most potent states of Greece and Italy. Besides which, it was to be feared, that should they attempt a change in the government, the sad consequences of a civil war might deprive them of those advantages; and at the same time the gentle and humane disposition of young Dionysius gave them reason to entertain the most favourable hopes of the fuHe therefore peaceably ascended his father's throne.

ture.

England has seen something of this kind in the famous Cromwell, who died in his bed with as much tranquility as the best of princes, and was interred with the same honours and pomp as the most lawful sovereign. Richard his son succeeded him, and was for some time in equal authority with his father, though he had not any of his great qualities.

Dion, the bravest, and at the same time the wisest of the Syracusans, Dionysius' brother-in-law, might have been of great support to him, had he known how to make use of his counsels. In the first assembly held by Dionysius and all his friends, Dion spoke in so wise a manner upon what was necessary and expedient in the present conjuncture, as showed that the rest were like infants in comparison with him, and in regard to a just boldness and freedom of speech, were no more than despicable slaves of the tyranny, solely employed in the abject endeavour of pleasing the prince. But what surprised and amazed them most, was, that Dion, at a time when the whole court was struck with terror at the prospect of the storm forming on the side of Carthage, and just ready to break upon Sicily, should insist, that if Dionysius desired peace, he would embark immediately for Africa, and dispel this tempest to his satisfaction; or, if he preferred the war, that he would furnish and maintain him 50 galleys of three benches, completely equipped for service.

* A. M. 3632. Ant. J. C. 372. Diod. 1. xv. p. 385

Jd. 1. xvi. p. 410.

Plut. in Dion. p. 960, 961.

Dionysius admiring and extolling his generous magnanimity to the skies, professed the highest gratitude to him for his zeal and affection; but the courtiers, who looked upon Dion's magificence as a reproach to themselves, and his great power as a lessening of their own, took immediate occasion from thence to calumniate him, and spared no discourse that might influence the young prince against him. They insinuated, that in making himself strong at sea, he would open his way to the tyranny; and that he designed to transport the sovereignty on board his vessels to his nephews the sons of Aristomache.

But what put them most out of humour with Dion, was his manner of life, which was a continual reproach to theirs; for these courtiers having presently insinuated themselves, and got the ascendant of the young tyraat, who had been wretchedly educated, thought of nothing but supplying him perpetually with new amusements, keeping him always employed in feasting, abandoned to women, and all manner of shameful pleasures. * In the beginning of his reign he made a debauch which continued for three months entire, during all which time his palace, shut against all persons of sense and reason, was crowded with drunkards, and resounded with nothing but low buffoonery, obscene jests, lewd songs, dances, masquerades, and every kind of gross and dissolute extravagance. It is therefore natural to believe that nothing could be more offensive and disgusting to them than the presence of Dion, who gave in to none of these pleasures. For which reason, painting his virtues in such of the colours of vice as were most likely to disguise them, they found means to calumniate him with the prince, and to make his gravity pass for arrogance, and his freedom of speech for insolence and sedition. If he advanced any wise counsel, they treated him as a sour pedagogue, who took upon him to obtrude his lectures, and to school his prince without being asked; and if he refused to share in the debauch with the rest, they called him a man-hater, a splenetic, melancholy wretch, who from the fantastic height of virtue looked down with contempt on the rest of the world, of whom he set himself up for the censor.

And indeed it must be confessed that he had naturally something austere and rigid in his manners and behaviour, which seemed to argue an haughtiness of nature, very capable not only of disgusting a young prince, nurtured from his infancy amidst flatteries and submissions, but the best of his friends, and those who were most nearly attached to him. Full of admiration for his integrity, fortitude, and nobleness of sentiments, they represented to him, that for a statesman, who ought to know how to adapt himself to the different tempers of men, and how to apply them to his purposes, his humour was much too rough and forbidding. Plato afterwards took pains to correct that defect in him, by making him intimate with a philosopher of a gay and polite turn of mind, whose conversation was very proper to inspire him with more easy and insinuating manners. He observes also upon that failing in a letter to him, wherein he speaks to this effect: "Consider, I beg you, that you are censured of being deficient in point of good nature and affability; and be entirely as"sured, that the most certain means to the success of affairs, is to be "agreeable to the persons with whom we have to transact. An haughty carriage keeps people at a distance, and reduces a man to pass his life

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* Athen. 1. x. p. 485.

Plat. Epist. iv.

† d'avdadera sporic Evvoines. M. Dacier renders these words, "pride is always

"in solitude." Notwithstanding this defect, he continued to be highly considered at court, where his superior abilities and transcendent merit made him absolutely necessary, especially at a time when the state was threatened with great danger and emergency.

* As he believed that all the vices of young Dionysius were the effect of his bad education and entire ignorance of his duty, he conceived justly that the best remedy would be to associate him if possible, with persons of wit and sense, whose solid but agreeable conversation might at once instruct and divert him; for the prince did not naturally want parts and genius.

The sequel will show that Dionysius the younger had a natural propensity to what was good and virtuous, and a taste and capacity for arts and sciences. He knew how to set a value upon the merit and talents by which men are distinguished. He delighted in conversing with persons of ability, and from his correspondence with them made himself capable of the highest improvements. He went so far as to familiarise the throne with the sciences, which of themselves have little or no access to it; and by rendering them in a manner his favourites, he gave them courage to make their appearance in courts. His protection was the patent of nobility, by which he raised them to honour and distinction. Nor was he insensible to the joys of friendship. In private he was a good parent, relation, and master, and acquired the affection of all that approached him. He was not naturally inclined to violence or cruelty; and it might be said of him, that he was rather a tyrant by succession and inheritance than by temper and inclination.

All which demonstrates that he might have made a very tolerable prince (not to say a good one,) had an early and proper care been taken to cultivate the happy disposition which he brought into the world with him. But his father, to whom all merit, even in his own children, gave umbrage, industriously suppressed in him all tendency to goodness, and every noble and elevated sentiment, by a base and obscure education, with the view of preventing his attempting any thing against himself. It was therefore necessary to find a person of the character before mentioned, or rather to inspire himself with the desire of having such an one found. This was what Dion laboured with wonderful address. He often talked to him of Plato, as the most profound and illustrious of philosophers, whose merit he had experienced, and to whom he was obliged for all he knew. He enlarged upon the elevation of his genius, the extent of his knowledge, the amiableness of his character, and the charms of his conversation. He represented him particularly as the man of the world most capable of forming him in the arts of governing, upon which his own and the people's happiness depended. He told him, that his subjects, governed for the future with lenity and indulgence, as a good father governs his family, would voluntarily render that obedience to his moderation and justice which force and violence extorted from them against their will; and that by such a conduct he would from a tyrant become a just king, to whom all submission would be paid out of af fection and gratitude.

It is incredible how much these discourses, introduced in conversation from time to time, as if by accident, without affectation, or the ap

"the companion of solitude." I have shown elsewhere wherein this version is faulty. Art of teaching the Belles Lettres, vol. S. p. 505.

*Plut. in Dion. p. 662. Plat. Epist. 7. p. 327, 328.

pearance of any premeditated design, inflamed the young prince with the desire of knowing and conversing with Plato. He wrote to him in the most importunate and obliging manner to that purpose; he dispatched couriers after couriers to hasten his voyage; whilst Plato, who apprehended the consequences, and had small hopes of any good ef fect of it, protracted the affair, and, without absolutely refusing, suffi ciently intimated that he could not resolve upon it without doing violence to himself. The obstacles and difficulties made to the young prince's request, were so far from disgusting him, that they only served as it commonly happens, to inflame his desire. The Pythagorean philosophers of Græcia Major in Italy, joined their intreaties with his own and Dion's, who on his part redoubled his instances, and used the strongest arguments to conquer Plato's repugnance. "This is not," said he, "the concern "of a private person, but of a powerful prince, whose change of manners will have the same effect throughout his whole dominions, with "the extent of which you are not unacquainted. It is himself who makes "all these advances, who importunes and solicits you to come to his as"sistance, and employs the interest of all your friends to that purpose. "What more favourable conjuncture could we expect from the divine 65 providence than that which now offers itself? Are you not afraid that 66 your delays will give the flatterers who surround the young prince the "opportunity of drawing him over to themselves, and of seducing him to 66 change his resolution? What reproaches would you not make yourself, "and what dishonour would it not be to philosophy, should it ever be "said that Plato, whose counsels to Dionysius might have established a "wise and equitable government in Sicily, abandoned it to all the evils "of tyranny, rather than undergo the fatigues of a voyage, or from I "know not what other imaginary difficulties."

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*Plato could not resist solicitations of so much force. Vanquished by the consideration of his own character and to obviate the reproach of his being a philosopher in words only, without having ever shown himself such in his actions, and conscious besides of the great advantages which Sicily might acquire from his voyage, he suffered himself to be persuaded.

The flatterers at the court of Dionysius, terrified with the resolution he had taken, contrary to their remonstrances, and fearing the presence of Plato, of which they foresaw the consequences, united together against him as their common enemy. They rightly judged, that if, according to the new maxims of government, all things were to be measured by the standard of true merit, and no favour to be expected from the prince but for the services done the state, they had nothing further to expect, and might wait their whole lives at court to no manner of purpose. They therefore spared no pains to render Plato's voyage ineffectual, though they were not able to prevent it. They prevailed upon Dionysius to recal Philistus from banishment, who was not only an able soldier, but a great historian, very eloquent and learned, and a zealous asserter of the tyranny. They hoped to find a counterpoise in him. against Plato and his philosophy. Upon his being banished by Dionysius the elder, on some personal discontent, he retired into the city of Adria, where it is believed he composed the greatest part of his writings. He wrote the history of Egypt in 12 books, that of Sicily in 11, and of Dionysius the tyrant in 6; all which works are entirely

* Plut. p. 96%

Diod. 1. xiii. p.

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