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 friends--the Athenian Callippus--seized 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 totally deprived of
sight, yet, when important affairs were discussed in the assembly, it
was customary to send for Timoleon, who was drawn in a car into the
middle of the theatre amid the shouts and affectionate greetings of the
assembled citizens. When the tumult of his reception had subsided he
listened patiently to the debate. The opinion which he pronounced was
usually ratified by the vote of the assembly; and he then left the
theatre amidst the same cheers which had greeted his arrival. In this
happy and honoured condition he breathed his last in B.C. 336, a few
years after the battle of Crimesus. He was splendidly interred at the
public cost, whilst the tears of the whole Syracusan population
followed him to the grave.