their ranks, whilst they opened their way through frightful clouds of smoke, mingled with dust.

When they had joined the enemy, only a very small number on each side were capable of coming to blows, from the want of room and the unevenness of the ground. But at length, Dion's soldiers, encouraged and supported by the cries and ardour of the Syracusans, charged the enemy with such redoubled vigour, that the troops of Nypsius gave way. The greatest part of them escaped into the citadel, which was very near, and those who remained without being broken, were cut to pieces in the pursuit by the foreign troops.

The time would not admit their making immediate rejoicings for their victory, in the manner so great an exploit deserved; the Syracusans be ing obliged to apply to the preservation of their houses, and to pass the whole night in extinguishing the fire; which however they did not effect without great difficulty.

At the return of day, none of the seditious orators durst stay in the city, but all fled self-condemned, to avoid the punishment due to their crimes. Only Heraclides and Theodotus came to Dion, and put themselves into his hands, confessing their injurious treatment of him, and conjuring him not to imitate their ill conduct: that it became Dion, superior as he was in all other respects to the rest of mankind, to show himself as much so in that greatness of soul, which could conquer resentment and revenge, and forgive the ungrateful, who owned themselves unworthy of his pardon.

Heraclides and Theodotus having made these supplications, Dion's friends advised him not to spare men of their vile and malignant disposition, but to abandon Heraclides to the soldiers, and in so doing, exterininate from the state that spirit of sedition and intrigue: a distemper that has really something of madness in it, and is no less to be feared from its pernicious consequences than tyranny itself, But Dion to appease them, said, that other captains generally made the means of conquering their "enemies their sole application; that for his part he had passed much "time in the academy, in learning to subdue anger, envy, and all the jarring passions of the mind: that the sign of having conquered them is, "not kindness and affability to friends and persons of merit, but treating "those with humanity who have injured us, and in being always ready to "forgive them; that he did not desire so much to appear superior to Hera"clides in power and ability, as in wisdom and justice; for in that, true "and essential superiority consists. That if Heraclides be wicked, invid"ious, and perfidious, must Dion contaminate and dishonour himself with "low resentment? It is true, according to human laws, there seems to be "less injustice in revenging an injury than committing it; but if we con"sult nature, we shall find both the one and the other to have their rise in "the same weakness of mind. Besides, there is no disposition so obdurate "and savage but may be vanquished by the force of kind usage and obliga"tion." Dion upon these maxims pardoned Heraclides.

His next application was to inclose the citadel with a new work, and he ordered each of the Syracusans to go and cut a large stake. In the night, he set his soldiers to work, whilst the Syracusans took their rest. He surrounded the citadel in this manner with a strong palisade, before it was perceived; so that in the morning, the greatness of the work, and the suddenness of the execution, were matter of admiration for all the world, as well the enemy as the citizens.

Having finished this palisade, he buried the dead; and dismissing the

prisoners taken from the enemy, he summoned an assembly. Heraclides proposed in it, that Dion should be elected generalissimo, with supreme authority by sea and land. All the people of worth, and the most considerable of the citizens were pleased with the proposal, and desired that it might have the authority of the assembly. But the mariners and artisans who were sorry that Heraclides should lose the office of admiral; and convinced, that although he was very little estimable in all other respects, he would at least be more for the people than Dion: they opposed it with all their power. Dion, to avoid disturbance and confusion, did not insist upon that point, and acquiesced that Heraclides should continue to command in chief at sea. But his opposing the distribution of lands and bouses, which they were earnest for having take place, and his cancelling and annulling whatever had been decreed upon that head, embroiled him with them irretrievably.

Heraclides, taking advantage of a disposition so favourable to his views, did not fail to revive his cabals and intrigues; as appeared openly by an attempt of his to make himself master of Syracuse, and to shut the gates upon his rival; but it proved unsuccessful. A Spartan, who had been sent to the aid of Syracuse, negociated a new accommodation between Heraclides and Dion, under the strictest oaths, and the strongest assurances of obedience on the side of the former: weak ties to a man void of faith and probity.

The Syracusans, having dismissed their sea forces, who were become unnecessary, applied solely to the siege of the citadel, and rebuilt the wall which had been thrown down. As no relief came to the besieged, and bread began to fall short with them, the soldiers grew mutinous, and would observe no discipline, The son of Dionysius, finding himself without hope of resource, capitulated with Dion, to surrender the citadel, with all the arms and munitions of war. He carried his mother and sisters away with him; filled five galleys with his people and effects, and went to his father for Dion gave him entire liberty to retire unmolested. It is easy to conceive the joy of the city upon his departure. Women, children, old people, all were passionately fond of gratifying their eyes, from the port with so agreeable a spectacle, and solemnized the joyful day on which, after so many years servitude, the sun arose for the first time upon the Syracusan liberty.

Apollocrates having set sail, and Dion begun his march to enter the citadel; the princesses who were there did not stay till he arrived, but came out to meet him at the gates. Aristomache led the son of Dion, after whom came Arete his wife, with her eyes fixed upon the ground, and full of tears. Dion embraced his sister first, and afterwards his son. Aristomache then presenting Arete to him, spoke thus: "The tears you see "her shed, the shame expressed in her looks, at the time your presence "restores us life and joy, her silence itself, and her confusion, sufficient"ly denote the grief she suffers at the sight of an husband, to whom "another has been substituted contrary to her will, but who alone has always possessed her heart. Shall she salute you as her uncle, shall she "embrace you as her husband?" Aristomache having spoke in this manner, Dion, with his face bathed in tears, tenderly embraced his wife; to whom he gave his son, and sent them home to his house; because he thought proper to leave the citadel to the discretion of the Syracusans, as an evidence of their liberty.

For himself, after having rewarded with a munificence truly royal all those that had contributed to his success, according to their rank and merit,

at the height of glory and happiness, and the object of admiration not only of Sicily but of Carthage and all Greece, who esteemed him the wisest and most fortunate captain that ever lived, he constantly retained his original simplicity; as modest and plain in his garb, equipage, and table, as if he had lived in the academy with Plato, and not with people bred in armies, with officers and soldiers, who often breathe nothing but pleasures and magnificence. Accordingly, at the time Plato wrote to him, "that "the eyes of all mankind were upon him alone;" little affected with that general admiration, his thoughts were always intent upon the academy, that school of wisdom and virtue, where exploits and successes were not judged from the external splendour and noise with which they are attended, but from the wise and moderate use of them.

Dion designed to establish a form of government in Syracuse composed of the Spartan and Cretan, but wherein the aristocratical was always to prevail, and to decide important affairs by the authority, which, according to his plan, was to be vested in a council of elders. Heraclides again opposed him in this scheme, still turbulent and seditious according to custom, and solely intent upon gaining the people by flattery, caresses, and other popular arts. One day, when Dion sent for him to the council, he answered that he would not come; and that, being only a private person, he should be in the assembly with the rest of the citizens, whenever it was summoned. His view, in such behaviour, was to make his court to the people, and to render Dion odious; who, weary of his repeated insults, permitted those to kill him he had formerly prevented. They accordingly went to his house and dispatched him. We shall see presently Dion's own sense of this action.

The Syracusans were highly affected at his death; but as Dion solemnized his funeral with great magnificence, followed his body in person at the head of his whole army, and afterwards harangued the people upon the occasion, they were appeased and forgave him the murder; convinced that it was impossible for the city ever to be free from commotions and sedition whilst Heraclides and Dion reigned together.

* After that murder Dion never knew joy or peace of mind. An hideous spectre, which he saw in the night, filled him with trouble, terror, and melancholy. The phantom seemed a woman of enormous stature, who, in her attire, air, and haggard looks, resembled a fury sweeping his house with violence. His son's death, who for some unknown grief had thrown himself from the roof of an house, passed for the accomplishment of that ominous apparition, and was the prelude to his misfortunes. Calippus gave the last hand to them. He was an Athenian with whom Dion had contracted an intimate friendship, whilst he lodged in his house at Athens, and with whom he had lived ever after with entire freedom and unbounded confidence. Calippus, having given himself up to his ambitious views, and entertained thoughts of making himself master of Syracuse, threw off all regard for the sacred ties of friendship and hospitality, and contrived to get rid of Dion, who was the sole obstacle to his designs. Notwithstanding his care to conceal them, they got air, and came to the ears of Dion's sister and wife, who lost no time, and spared no pains to discover the truth by a very strict enquiry. To prevent its effects, he went to them with tears in his eyes, and the appearance of being inconsolable that any body should suspect him of such a crime, or think him capable of so black a design. They insisted upon his taking the great oath, as it was

*Plut. P. 981-988. Diod. p. 482.

called. The person who swore it was wrapped in the purple mantle 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 hands, as did Dion himself, whose friends in general persuaded him to prevent Calippus' crime by a just and sudden punishment. But he never could resolve up. on 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 his grief and repentance. Tormented night and day by that cruel remembrance, he professed that he had rather die a thousand deaths, and present his throat to whoever would kill him, than to live under the necessity of continual precautions, not only against his enemies, but the best of his friends.

Calippus 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, Calippus 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 Calippus 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 Calippus 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 particularly the Zacynthian soldiers, who had murdered Dion. No city of Sicily would receive him; but all detest

ing him as the most execrable. of wretches, he retired to Rhegium, where, after having led for some time a miserable life, he was killed 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 commanded or executed them, or in the accomplices any way concerned 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, be provided a bark for them, and having put them on board, un

A. M. 3646. Ant. J. C. 358.

der the pretence of sending them to Peloponnesus, he gave orders to those who were to carry them, to kill them in the passage, and 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 Syracusans 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 Dionysius 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. 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 Calippus, 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 associating them with the greatest employments of peace and war, of extracting from them the rules of conduct and maxins 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 sentiment, 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 tyranny, and