but the others, who thought that they were eclipsed by Dion, and were
jealous of his power, at once set to work to effect his ruin, and lost
no opportunity of exasperating the young despot against him by pointing
out that he was plotting to obtain the supreme throne by means of the
fleet, and that his object in making the offer of the ships was to place
all real power in the hands of the children of Aristomache. Their hate
and jealousy of Dion was chiefly owing to the proud reserve of his life,
so different to their own: for they at once began to court the
friendship of their young and ill-trained monarch by offering him all
kinds of flatteries and pleasures, endeavouring to amuse his leisure by
vagrant amours, drinking parties, and the like dissolute pastimes, which
blunted the excessive sharpness of his tyranny, and made his subjects
regard it as milder and less ferocious than before, although the
alteration was due only to the laziness and not to the real goodness of
their ruler. By slow degrees the extravagance and licentious life of the
young monarch relaxed and broke those "chains of adamant" by which the
elder Dionysius boasted that he had secured his power. We are told that
he once continued drinking for ninety days in succession, and that
during the whole of this time his court was a place which no respectable
person could enter, and where no business could be transacted, as it was
a constant scene of singing, jesting, dancing, drunkenness and
debauchery.
VIII. As may easily be imagined, Dion soon lost the favour of the
monarch, as he never relaxed the austerity of his life. For this reason
the calumnies of infamous men were more easily believed by Dionysius,
when they attacked the virtues of Dion, calling his pride arrogance, and
his boldness of speech churlishness. When he gave good advice he was
thought to reproach them, and because he refused to join in their
excesses, he seemed to despise them. Indeed, his disposition was
naturally inclined to haughtiness, and his manners harsh and forbidding.
It was not only to a young man whose ears were accustomed to flatteries
that he appeared so ungracious and harsh-tempered, but even those who
were sincerely attached to him, and who admired the noble simplicity of
his character, used to blame his discourtesy and rudeness towards those
with whom he was brought in contact upon political business. Indeed, not
long after this, Plato, as if prophetically, wrote to him, warning him
against a stubborn and arrogant temper, the consort of a lonely life.
Yet, even at that time, though Dion was regarded as the most able man in
the state, and was thought to be the only person who could save the
kingdom from the dangers by which it was menaced, he knew well that his
honourable and powerful position was not due to any love which the
monarch bore him, but merely to the fact that he could not do without
him.
IX. As Dion imagined that this must be caused by Dionysius's want of
education, he endeavoured to interest him in literature, and to form his
character by the study of philosophy and science. Indeed Dionysius was
far from being a stupid ruler, but his father, fearing that if he were
educated, and frequented the society of intellectual men, he would
certainly plot against him and seize his throne, used to keep him shut
up at home, where, through want of companionship and ignorance, he was
forced, we are told, to amuse himself by making little waggons and
lamps, and wooden chairs and tables; for the elder Dionysius was so
distrustful and suspicious of all men, and was driven by his fears to
take such precautions against assassination, that he would not even
allow his hair to be cut with a barber's tools, but a workman used to
come and singe his hair with a live coal. Neither his brother nor his
son was allowed to enter his house in their ordinary dress, but were
obliged to take off their clothes and put on others, so that they might
be seen naked by the guard. Once when his brother Leptines, describing
the situation of some place, took a spear from one of the life-guards
and with it drew a map upon the floor, Dionysius was furiously angry
with him, and put to death the man who gave him the spear. He used to
say that he suspected all his friends, because he knew that they were
sensible men, who would prefer to be despots themselves rather than live
under the rule of a despot. He put to death one Marsyas, whom he had
himself promoted to a responsible post, because he dreamed that he was
killing him; for Dionysius argued that his dream must have been
suggested by some thoughts or talk in his waking hours. To such a
condition of terror and misery was he reduced by his cowardice, although
he was angry with Plato for not declaring him to be the bravest of men.
X. Dion, perceiving, as has been said before, that the character of the
young Dionysius had been ruined by his want of education, begged him to
educate himself, to offer all possible inducements to the first of
philosophers to visit Sicily, and when he came, to place himself in his
hands, in order that his character might be exalted by the contemplation
of virtue, and formed upon the noblest of models, which alone can
produce order out of chaos; by which means he would not only gain great
happiness for himself, but would bestow great happiness upon the
citizens by his mild and just paternal rule, thus becoming a true king
instead of a despot. He pointed out that the "adamantine chains" by
which Dionysius's father boasted that his dominion was secured, were not
terror and force, the numbers of his ships of war, or the thousands of
his barbarian mercenaries, but rather the goodwill, loyalty, and
gratitude engendered by virtue and justice, which, though softer than
those rough defences, would nevertheless establish his rule far more
securely than they. Besides these considerations he urged that it was a
sorry thing, and showed a want of proper ambition for a ruler to be
splendidly dressed and luxuriously lodged, but yet to be no more
intellectual in his conversation and arguments than any ordinary man,
and to neglect to adorn the palace of his soul as became a king.
XI. As Dion frequently urged these considerations, and quoted several of
Plato's discourses, Dionysius became passionately desirous of seeing and
conversing with Plato. Many letters were at once sent to Athens by
Dionysius, while Plato also received many injunctions from Dion and from
several of the Pythagorean philosophers in Italy, bidding him go to
Syracuse, undertake the guidance of the mind of this young and powerful
ruler, and fill it with serious thoughts. Plato obeyed their invitation,
chiefly, he tells us, because he feared to appear a mere man of words,
unwilling to take in hand any real work, and also because he hoped that
if he could purify the mind of the chief, he might through him influence
for good the whole of the corrupt people of Sicily. The opponents of
Dion, who feared the results of any change in the character of
Dionysius, prevailed upon him to recall from exile Philistus, a man of
intellectual culture and an experienced courtier, in order to make use
of him as a counterpoise to Plato and his philosophy. Indeed, Philistus
had zealously assisted in the establishment of the despotism, and for a
long time had acted as chief of the garrison of the citadel. There was
also a report that he had been the favoured lover of the mother of the
elder Dionysius, and that, too, not altogether without the knowledge of
the despot; for when Leptines, without telling Dionysius of it, gave
Philistus for his wife one of the two daughters which had been born to
him by a woman whom he had seduced while she was married to another man,
and who afterwards lived with him, Dionysius was very angry, caused the
wife of Leptines to be imprisoned in chains, and forced Philistus to
leave Sicily and take refuge with some friends of his at Adria, where he
is thought to have found leisure to write the greater part of his
history; for he never returned to Syracuse during the life of the elder
Dionysius, but it was after that prince's death, as has been told, that
the opposition to Dion brought him back as being a person more likely to
agree with their views and more likely to support the monarchy.
XII. Philistus on his return at once became closely connected with the
monarchy; while Dion was assailed by misrepresentations and slanders
reported by others to the despot, charging him with having discussed the
extinction of despotism with Theodotes and Herakleides. Dion appears to
have hoped by the influence of Plato to remove from Dionysius all the
arbitrary harshness of a despot, and to make him into an orderly
constitutional ruler. If he resisted, and refused to be thus softened
and refined, Dion had determined to set him aside, and to restore to the
Syracusans their free constitution; not that he was an admirer of
democracy, but because he thought that at any rate it was better than a
despotism for states which were not ruled by a wise and stable
oligarchy.
XIII. While affairs were in this posture, Plato arrived at Sicily and
received a most kindly and magnificent welcome. One of the royal
carriages, splendidly equipped, stood ready to receive him as he landed,
and Dionysius offered sacrifice, as though some great good fortune had
befallen his rule. The sobriety of the royal banquets, the refined tone
of the court and the gentle manners of Dionysius himself in transacting
business, all inspired the Syracusans with great hope of a change for
the better. It became the fashion to take interest in philosophical
matters, and it is said that so many began to study geometry that the
palace was filled with the dust in which they drew their figures. In a
few days' time a hereditary sacrifice was celebrated in the palace; and
when the herald, according to custom, prayed that the despotism might
remain unshaken for many years, it is said that Dionysius, who stood
near him, exclaimed: "Will you not cease from imprecating curses upon
us?" This greatly grieved the party of Philistus, who feared that
Plato's power over Dionysius would become unassailable, if he were
allowed time to become intimate with him, if after so short an
acquaintance he had already wrought so great a change in the young man's
ideas.
XIV. They now no longer singly and in secret, but in a body openly
assailed Dion, declaring that they could easily see through his motives
in bewitching Dionysius with the eloquence of Plato, in order that
Dionysius might be induced to voluntarily abdicate his throne, and hand
it over to the children of Aristomache, whose uncle Dion was. Some of
them even pretended to be angry that, though in former times a great
Athenian naval and military force sailed thither and perished before it
could effect the conquest of Syracuse, yet now the Athenians should be
able, by means of one single sophist, to destroy the throne of
Dionysius, and persuade him to desert his ten thousand life-guards,
leave his four hundred ships of war, his ten thousand cavalry and many
thousands more of infantry soldiers, in order to seek in the Academy for
the ineffable good, and find real pleasure in geometry, leaving the
pleasures of power, wealth and luxury to be enjoyed by Dion and Dion's
nephews. This led at first to Dion's being regarded with suspicion, and
then, when Dionysius began to show his dislike openly, he received a
letter which Dion had secretly despatched to the Carthaginian
commanders, warning them, when they came to treat for peace with
Dionysius, not to conduct the interview without his being present, as
he would see that the whole matter was permanently settled. We are told
by Timæus that Dionysius, after reading this letter to Philistus and
having taken counsel with him, deceived Dion by making false offers of
reconciliation with him. After much friendly talk, he declared that
their differences were at an end, and then, leading him alone towards
the sea-shore under the walls of the citadel, showed him the letter, and
upbraided him with plotting with the Carthaginians against himself. He
would not listen to Dion when he tried to excuse himself, but at once
placed him on board of a small vessel and ordered the sailors to land
him on the coast of Italy.
XV. Upon this, as Dionysius appeared to have acted very harshly, the
whole palace was plunged in grief by the women, while the city of
Syracuse became much excited, expecting that the exile of Dion and the
mistrust with which others regarded the despot would soon lead to some
revolution. Dionysius, perceiving and fearing this, encouraged the women
and friends of Dion, speaking of Dion as though he were not banished,
but had left the country of his own free will, for fear that if he
remained at home his quick temper might betray him into some violent
collision with himself. He placed two ships at the disposal of Dion's
relatives, and bade them embark with as much of his property and
servants as they pleased and go to rejoin him in Peloponnesus. Dion's
property was very extensive, and his whole household was on a
magnificent, almost a royal, scale. Everything was now carried away by
his friends, and much more was sent to him by his female relatives and
his friends, so that his wealth and magnificence became famous
throughout Greece, and the power of the despot became enhanced by the
sight of the riches of the exile.
XVI. Dionysius at once removed Plato into the citadel, where, under
pretence of showing him kindly respect, he was kept in an honourable
captivity, in order that he might not sail away with Dion, a witness of
his unjust treatment. By degrees, like a wild animal who gradually
becomes used to the touch of human beings, so Dionysius accustomed
himself to the society and discourses of Plato, and, after the manner
of despots, conceived a violent passion for him. He was especially
anxious that Plato should return his affection and should approve of his
acts, and was even willing to entrust the government and the crown
itself to him if he would only not prefer Dion's friendship to his own.
This passion of his caused great annoyance to Plato, for like all true
lovers he was furiously jealous and had frequent quarrels and
reconciliations with him, being very eager to hear his discourses, and
engage in the study of philosophy, and yet being influenced by those who
advised him to keep away from Plato, as he would be corrupted by his
teaching. Meanwhile, as some war broke out, he sent Plato away,
promising that in a year's time he would recall Dion. This promise he
broke at once, but he remitted to Dion the revenues of his estate, and
besought Plato to pardon his breach of faith about the time, because of
the war; for, as soon as peace should be made, he promised that he would
at once send for Dion. He also asked Plato to beg Dion to remain quiet,
and not to engage in any revolutionary schemes, and not to traduce his
character to the Greeks.
XVII. Plato endeavoured to effect this, and turned Dion's attention to
philosophy, and kept him in the Academy. Dion lived at this time in the
city of Athens, in the house of Kallippus, one of his friends, though he
also bought an estate in the country for recreation, which, when he
subsequently set sail for Sicily, he presented to Speusippus, who, of
all the Athenians, was his most intimate friend. This intimacy was
brought about by Plato, who hoped that the harshness of Dion's character
might be somewhat softened by the society of a well-bred and cheerful
man. Such a person as this was Speusippus, whom we find spoken of in
Timon's Silli as being "good at a jest." When Plato himself exhibited a
chorus of boys, Dion both trained the chorus and defrayed all the
expenses, and Plato permitted him to gain this distinction although it
was likely to obtain popularity for Dion at his own expense. Dion also
visited other cities, where he associated with the best and most
statesmanlike of the citizens, and attended their solemn festivals,
without ever betraying anything repulsive, affected, or imperious in his
manner, but acting with manliness and discretion, and discoursing with
elegance on philosophy as well as ordinary topics. By this conduct he
everywhere gained good opinions, and public honours were decreed to him
by various cities. The Lacedæmonians even adopted him as a Spartan,
disregarding the anger of Dionysius, though he at the time was zealously
assisting them in a war against the Thebans. We are told that once Dion
wished to see Ptoiodorus, of Megara, and went to his house. Ptoiodorus,
it seems, was a rich and powerful man; and when Dion observed the crowds
at his door and the busy throng and saw how hard it was to gain an
audience of him, he turned to his friends, who were vexed at this, and
said: "Why should we find fault with this man? for we ourselves used to
do just the same thing at Syracuse?"
XVIII. As time went on, Dionysius, feeling jealous of Dion, and fearing
the popularity which he was obtaining among the Greeks, left off
forwarding his revenues to him and confiscated his property. Being
desirous of effacing the bad impression which he had made upon all
philosophers by his treatment of Plato, he collected round him many men
who had a reputation for learning. As he wished to surpass them all in
argument, he was forced to make use, often improperly, of what he had
very imperfectly learned from Plato. He now again began to wish for
Plato, and blamed himself for not having made use of him when he was
present, and for not having listened to all his noble language. Frantic
in his desires, and impatient to obtain whatever he wished, as despots
are, he at once set his heart upon Plato and tried every means to
attract him. He induced Archytas and the other successors of the
original Pythagorean philosophers to invite Plato; for it was by means
of Plato that Dionysius had at first become their friend. They sent
Archedemus to Plato, and Dionysius also despatched a trireme and several
of his friends to entreat Plato to come: while he himself wrote a letter
in which he distinctly stated that Dion would never get his rights if
Plato refused to come to Sicily, but that if he would, Dion should
receive them all. Many letters also reached Dion from his sister and his
wife, urging him to beg Plato to accede to the request of Dionysius,
and not afford him grounds for ill-treating them. Thus, they say, it was
that Plato came to sail a third time into the straits of Scylla.
"Again the dread Charybdis to explore."
XIX. His arrival afforded unbounded delight to Dionysius, and again
filled Sicily with great hopes; for all men prayed and were eager that
Plato and philosophy should get the better of Philistus and despotism.
He was treated with great respect by the ladies,[483] and received from
Dionysius a mark of confidence which was accorded to no one else, in
being allowed to come into his presence without his clothes being
searched. As Dionysius frequently offered valuable presents to Plato,
who never would receive them, Aristippus of Cyrene, who was present,
observed that Dionysius exercised a very cheap generosity; for he gave
small presents to himself and to others who wished for more, and offered
great ones to Plato, who would not accept of any. When, however, after
the first welcome was over, Plato began to speak of Dion, Dionysius at
first put off discussing the subject, and subsequently reproaches and
quarrels took place between them, of which no one else was aware, since
Dionysius kept them secret, and by showing Plato assiduous attentions
and marks of respect tried to win him over from his friendship for Dion.
Plato, too, at first would not publish what he knew of the treachery and
falsehood of Dionysius, but affected not to perceive it and endured it
in silence. While they were on these terms, though they believed that no
one knew it, Helikon of Kyzikus, an intimate friend of Plato, foretold
an eclipse of the sun; and as it happened according to his prediction,
the despot was much impressed, and gave him a talent of silver.
Aristippus now in joke said to the other philosophers that he too had a
remarkable event to predict; and when they begged him to tell them what
it was, he said, "I predict that before long Plato and Dionysius will
become foes." At last Dionysius sold Dion's property and kept the money,
and even removed Plato from the lodgings in the gardens near his own
palace, where he had hitherto dwelt, and quartered him among the
mercenary troops, who had long disliked Plato and wished to make away
with him, because they believed him to be counselling Dionysius to
abdicate and to live without a bodyguard.
XX. Archytas and his friends, when they heard of the danger to which
Plato was exposed, at once sent a thirty-oared vessel with an embassy to
Dionysius, demanding Plato from him, and alleging that he had originally
come to Syracuse at their request, and that they were responsible for
his safety. Dionysius concealed his dislike of Plato by feasting him and
treating him kindly on his departure, but could not help saying to him,
"I suppose, Plato, you will abuse me terribly to your
fellow-philosophers," or something to that effect. At this Plato smiled,
and replied, "I trust that we shall never be so ill off in the Academy
for subjects to discuss, as for any one to make mention of you." Such,
they say, were the terms upon which they parted; though this does not
entirely agree with Plato's own account of the matter.
XXI. Dion was much angered by these proceedings of Dionysius, and
shortly afterwards was converted into an open enemy on hearing of the
treatment of his wife, on which subject Plato wrote in enigmas to
Dionysius. This happened as follows:--After the expulsion of Dion,
Dionysius, when he sent Plato away, bade him secretly make inquiries as
to whether there was anything to prevent Dion's wife being bestowed upon
another man; for there was a rumour, which may have been true or merely
invented by Dion's enemies, that the marriage had been forced upon Dion
against his will, and that he and his wife had not lived happily
together. Plato, as soon as he arrived at Athens conversed freely with
Dion, and then wrote a letter to the despot, some of which was clearly
expressed, but which in one part intimated to him, in a manner which he
alone could understand, that the writer had spoken about the matter to
Dion, and that he would certainly be furious if Dionysius attempted
anything of the kind. At that time, as there were still great hopes of
arranging their quarrel, Dionysius did nothing further, but allowed his
sister to remain living with her child by Dion. When, however, they
became irreconcilable enemies and Plato, after his second visit, was
sent away bitterly disliked by Dionysius, he proceeded to give Arete in
marriage, sorely against her will, to one of his friends, named
Timokrates, not imitating in this respect the gentle conduct of his
father; for the elder Dionysius also had for an enemy Polyxenus the
husband of his sister Theste. Polyxenus, fearing for his life, escaped
from Syracuse and left Sicily. Upon this Dionysius sent for his sister
and blamed her for having known of her husband's intention to take
flight, and not having told him of it; but she, undismayed, answered him
fearlessly, "Dionysius, do you think me so bad and cowardly a wife that,
if I had known of the intention of my husband to flee, I should not have
accompanied him? Indeed, I did not know of it; for it would have been
more creditable to me to have been spoken of as the wife of Polyxenus
the exile than as the sister of Dionysius the despot." It is said that
when Theste used this bold language the despot regarded her with
admiration, and she was also so much admired by the people of Syracuse
for her courage and goodness that after the fall of the dynasty they
still continued to treat her with the honours due to royalty, and, when
she died, all the citizens came in procession to her funeral. These
circumstances have required a digression which is not without value.