---
title: "Life of Dion · Δίων"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Bernadotte Perrin"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 4
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dion/2/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin, Life of Dion · Δίων, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dion/2/"
---

# Life of Dion · Δίων

*Plutarch, tr. Bernadotte Perrin*

Plato’s friend in Syracuse, who freed the city from the tyrant Dionysius and was murdered by a companion.

> Greek: ed. Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg060, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Bernadotte Perrin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg060.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Chapters 16–30

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dion/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dion/2/#p-N

[¶0] 16.6. as soon as peace was made he would summon Dion home, and he asked him to be quiet, and to attempt no revolution, and to say no evil of him to the Greeks.

> Greek: 16.6. εἰρήνης γὰρ γενομένης τάχιστα μεταπέμψεσθαι τὸν Δίωνα, καὶ ἀξιοῦν αὐτὸν ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν καὶ μηδὲν νεωτερίζειν μηδὲ βλασφημεῖν κατʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας.

[¶1] 17.1. This Plato tried to effect, and kept Dion with him in the Academy, where he turned his attention to philosophy.

> Greek: 17.1. ταῦτα ἐπειρᾶτο ποιεῖν Πλάτων, καὶ Δίωνα τρέψας ἐπὶ φιλοσοφίαν ἐν Ἀκαδημείᾳ συνεῖχεν.

[¶2] 17.2. Dion dwelt in the upper city of Athens with Callippus, one of his acquaintances, but for diversion he bought a country-place, and afterwards, when he sailed to Sicily, he gave this to Speusippus, who was his most intimate friend at Athens. For Plato desired that Dion’s disposition should be tempered and sweetened by association with men of charming presence who indulged seasonably in graceful pleasantries.

> Greek: 17.2. ᾤκει μὲν οὖν ἐν ἄστει παρὰ Καλλίππῳ τινὶ τῶν γνωρίμων, ἀγρὸν δὲ διαγωγῆς χάριν ἐκτήσατο, καὶ τοῦτον ὕστερον εἰς Σικελίαν πλέων Σπευσίππῳ δωρεὰν ἔδωκεν, ᾧ μάλιστα τῶν Ἀθήνησι φίλων ἐχρῆτο καὶ συνδιῃτᾶτο, βουλομένου τοῦ Πλάτωνος ὁμιλίᾳ χάριν ἐχούσῃ καὶ παιδιᾶς ἐμμελοῦς κατὰ καιρὸν ἁπτομένῃ κεραννύμενον ἀφηδύνεσθαι τοῦ Δίωνος τὸ ἦθος.

[¶3] 17.4. And such a man was Speusippus; wherefore Timon, in his “Silli,” spoke of him as “good at a jest.”

> Greek: 17.4. τοιοῦτος δέ τις ὁ Σπεύσιππος ἦν· ᾗ καὶ σκῶψαι ἀγαθὸν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς Σίλλοις ὁ Τίμων προσηγόρευσεν.

[¶4] 17.5. And when Plato himself was called upon to furnish a chorus of boys, Dion had the chorus trained and defrayed all the expense of its maintenance, and Plato encouraged in him such an ambition to please the Athenians, on the ground that it would procure goodwill for Dion rather than fame for himself.

> Greek: 17.5. αὐτῷ δὲ Πλάτωνι χορηγοῦντι παίδων χορῷ τόν τε χορὸν ἤσκησεν ὁ Δίων καὶ τὸ δαπάνημα πᾶν ἐτέλεσε παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ, συγχωροῦντος τοῦ Πλάτωνος τὴν τοιαύτην φιλοτιμίαν πρὸς τοὺς Ἀθηναίους, ὡς ἐκείνῳ μᾶλλον εὔνοιαν ἢ δόξαν αὐτῷ φέρουσαν.

[¶5] 17.6. Dion used to visit the other cities also, where he shared the leisure and festal enjoyments of the noblest and most statesmanlike men, manifesting in his conduct with them nothing that was rude or arrogant or effeminate, but rather great moderation, virtue, and manliness, and a becoming devotion to letters and philosophy.

> Greek: 17.6. ἐπεφοίτα δὲ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις πόλεσιν ὁ Δίων, καὶ συνεσχόλαζε καὶ συνεπανηγύριζε τοῖς ἀρίστοις καὶ πολιτικωτάτοις ἀνδράσιν, οὐδὲν ἐν τῇ διαίτῃ σόλοικον ἐπιδεικνύμενος οὐδὲ τυραννικὸν οὐδὲ ἐπιτεθρυμμένον, ἀλλὰ σωφροσύνην καὶ ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀνδρείαν καὶ περὶ λόγους καὶ περὶ φιλοσοφίαν εὐσχήμονας διατριβάς.

[¶6] 17.7. This procured him the emulous goodwill of all men, and decrees of public honours from the cities.

> Greek: 17.7. ἐφʼ οἷς εὔνοια παρὰ πάντων ἐγίνετο καὶ ζῆλος αὐτῷ τιμαί τε δημόσιαι καὶ ψηφίσματα παρὰ τῶν πόλεων.

[¶7] 17.8. The Lacedaemonians even made him a citizen of Sparta, without any regard for the anger of Dionysius, although at that time the tyrant was their zealous ally against the Thebans.

> Greek: 17.8. Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ καὶ Σπαρτιάτην αὐτὸν ἐποιήσαντο, τῆς Διονυσίου καταφρονήσαντες ὀργῆς, καίπερ αὐτοῖς τότε προθύμως ἐπὶ τοὺς Θηβαίους συμμαχοῦντος.

[¶8] 17.9. And it is related that Dion once went to pay a visit to Ptoeodorus the Megarian, upon his invitation. Now Ptoeodorus, it would seem, was one of the wealthy and influential men of the city;

> Greek: 17.9. λέγεται δέ ποτε τὸν Δίωνα τοῦ Μεγαρέως Πτοιοδώρου δεόμενον ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐλθεῖν ἦν δέ, ὡς ἔοικε, τῶν πλουσίων τις καὶ δυνατῶν ὁ Πτοιόδωρος·

[¶9] 17.10. and when, therefore, Dion saw a crowd of people at his door, and a press of business, which made him difficult of access and hard to come at, he turned to his friends, who were vexed and indignant at it, and said: “Why should we blame this man? For we ourselves used to do just so in Syracuse.”

> Greek: 17.10. ὄχλον οὖν ἐπὶ θύραις ἰδὼν ὁ Δίων καὶ πλῆθος ἀσχολιῶν καὶ δυσέντευκτον αὐτὸν καὶ δυσπρόσοδον, ἀπιδὼν πρὸς τοὺς φίλους δυσχεραίνοντας καὶ ἀγανακτοῦντας, τί τοῦτον ἔφη, μεμφόμεθα; καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ πάντως ἐν Συρακούσαις ὅμοια τούτοις ἐποιοῦμεν.

[¶10] 18.1. But as time went on, Dionysius became jealous of Dion and afraid of his popularity among the Greeks. He therefore stopped sending him his revenues, and handed his estate over to his own private stewards.

> Greek: 18.1. χρόνου δὲ προϊόντος ὁ Διονύσιος ζηλοτυπῶν καὶ δεδοικὼς τοῦ Δίωνος τὴν παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν εὔνοιαν, ἐπαύσατο τὰς προσόδους ἀποστέλλων καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν παρέδωκεν ἰδίοις ἐπιτρόποις.

[¶11] 18.2. However, with a desire to make head against the bad repute which he had also won among the philosophers on Plato’s account, he assembled at his court many men with a reputation for learning.

> Greek: 18.2. βουλόμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν εἰς τοὺς φιλοσόφους διὰ Πλάτωνα κακοδοξίαν ἀναμάχεσθαι, πολλοὺς συνῆγε τῶν πεπαιδεῦσθαι δοκούντων.

[¶12] 18.3. But he was ambitious to surpass them all in discussion, and was therefore driven to use inaptly what he had imperfectly learned from Plato.

> Greek: 18.3. φιλοτιμούμενος δὲ τῷ διαλέγεσθαι περιεῖναι πάντων, ἠναγκάζετο τοῖς Πλάτωνος παρακούσμασι κακῶς χρῆσθαι.

[¶13] 18.4. So he yearned once more for that philosopher, and reproached himself for not having utilized his presence to learn all that he should have learned.

> Greek: 18.4. καὶ πάλιν ἐκεῖνον ἐπόθει, καὶ κατεγίνωσκεν αὐτός αὑτοῦ μὴ χρησάμενος παρόντι μηδὲ διακούσας ὅσα καλῶς εἶχεν.

[¶14] 18.5. And since, like a tyrant, he was always extravagant in his desires and headstrong in all that he undertook, he set out at once to secure Plato, and, leaving no stone unturned, persuaded Archytas and his fellow Pythagoreans to become sureties for his agreements, and to summon Plato; for it was through Plato, in the first place, that he had entered into friendly relations with these philosophers.

> Greek: 18.5. οἷα δὲ τύραννος ἔμπληκτος ἀεὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ὀξύρροπος σπουδήν, εὐθὺς ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸν Πλάτωνα, καὶ πᾶσαν μηχανὴν αἴρων, συνέπεισε τοὺς περὶ Ἀρχύταν Πυθαγορικοὺς τῶν ὁμολογουμένων ἀναδόχους γενομένους καλεῖν Πλάτωνα· διʼ ἐκείνου γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐγεγόνει φιλία καὶ ξενία τὸ πρῶτον.

[¶15] 18.6. So they sent Archedemus to Plato, and Dionysius also sent a trireme for him, and friends to entreat his return.

> Greek: 18.6. οἱ δʼ ἔπεμψαν Ἀρχέδημον παρʼ αὐτόν· ἔπεμψε δὲ καὶ Διονύσιος τριήρη καὶ φίλους δεησομένους τοῦ Πλάτωνος·

[¶16] 18.7. He also wrote to him himself in clear and express terms, saying that no mercy should be shown to Dion unless Plato were persuaded to come to Sicily; but if he were persuaded, every mercy.

> Greek: 18.7. αὐτός τε σαφῶς καὶ διαρρήδην ἔγραψεν ὡς οὐδὲν ἂν γένοιτο τῶν μετρίων Δίωνι μὴ πεισθέντος Πλάτωνος ἐλθεῖν εἰς Σικελίαν, πεισθέντος δὲ πάντα.

[¶17] 18.8. Dion also received many injunctions from his wife and sister, that he should beg Plato to listen to Dionysius and not afford him an excuse for further severity.

> Greek: 18.8. πολλαὶ δʼ ἀφίκοντο πρὸς Δίωνα παρὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς καὶ γυναικὸς ἐπισκήψεις, δεῖσθαι Πλάτωνος ὑπακοῦσαι Διονυσίῳ καὶ μὴ πρόφασιν παρασχεῖν.

[¶18] 18.9. Thus it was, then, that Plato, as he himself says,
came for the third time to the straits of Scylla,
That he might once more measure back his way to
fell Charybdis.

> Greek: 18.9. οὕτω μὲν δή φησιν ὁ Πλάτων ἐλθεῖν τὸ τρίτον εἰς τὸν πορθμὸν τὸν περὶ Σκύλλαν, ὄφρʼ ἔτι τὴν ὀλοὴν ἀναμετρήσειε Χάρυβδιν.

[¶19] 19.1. His arrival filled Dionysius with great joy, and the Sicilians again with great hope; they all prayed and laboured zealously that Plato might triumph over Philistus, and philosophy over tyranny.

> Greek: 19.1. ἐλθὼν δὲ μεγάλης μὲν αὐτὸν ἐνέπλησε χαρᾶς, μεγάλης δὲ πάλιν ἐλπίδος Σικελίαν, συνευχομένην καὶ συμφιλοτιμουμένην Πλάτωνα μὲν Φιλίστου περιγενέσθαι, φιλοσοφίαν δὲ τυραννίδος.

[¶20] 19.2. The women also were very earnest in his behalf, and Dionysius gave him a special token of his trust, which no one else had, in the privilege of coming into his presence without being searched.

> Greek: 19.2. ἦν δὲ πολλὴ μὲν τῶν γυναικῶν σπουδὴ περὶ αὐτόν, ἐξαίρετος δὲ παρὰ τῷ Διονυσίῳ πίστις, ἣν οὐδεὶς ἄλλος εἶχεν, ἀδιερεύνητον αὐτῷ πλησιάζειν.

[¶21] 19.3. The tyrant offered him, too, presents of money, much money and many times, but Plato would not accept them. Whereupon Aristippus of Cyrene, who was present on one of these occasions, said that Dionysius was safely munificent; for he offered little to men like him, who wanted more, but much to Plato, who would take nothing.

> Greek: 19.3. δωρεὰς δὲ χρημάτων πολλῶν καὶ πολλάκις τοῦ μὲν διδόντος, τοῦ δὲ μὴ δεχομένου, παρὼν Ἀρίστιππος ὁ Κυρηναῖος ἀσφαλῶς ἔφη μεγαλόψυχον εἶναι Διονύσιον· αὐτοῖς μὲν γὰρ μικρὰ διδόναι πλειόνων δεομένοις, Πλάτωνι δὲ πολλὰ μηδὲν λαμβάνοντι.

[¶22] 19.4. After the first acts of kindness, however, Plato introduced the subject of Dion, and then there were postponements at first on the part of Dionysius, and afterwards faultfindings and disagreements. These were unnoticed by outsiders, since Dionysius tried to conceal them, and sought by the rest of his kind attentions and honourable treatment to draw Plato away from his goodwill towards Dion. And even Plato himself did not at first reveal the tyrant’s perfidy and falsehood, but bore with it and dissembled his resentment.

> Greek: 19.4. μετὰ δὲ τὰς πρώτας φιλοφροσύνας, ἀρξαμένου Πλάτωνος ἐντυγχάνειν περὶ Δίωνος, ὑπερθέσεις τὸ πρῶτον ἦσαν, εἶτα μέμψεις καὶ διαφοραὶ λανθάνουσαι τοὺς ἐκτός, ἐπικρυπτομένου Διονυσίου καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις τὸν Πλάτωνα θεραπείαις καὶ τιμαῖς πειρωμένου παράγειν ἀπὸ τῆς Δίωνος εὐνοίας, οὐδʼ αὐτὸν ἔν γε τοῖς πρώτοις χρόνοις ἀποκαλύπτοντα τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ψευδολογίαν, ἀλλʼ ἐγκαρτεροῦντα καὶ σχηματιζόμενον.

[¶23] 19.6. But while matters stood thus between them, and no one knew of it, as they supposed, Helicon of Cyzicus, one of Plato’s intimates, predicted an eclipse of the sun. This took place as he had predicted, in consequence of which he was admired by the tyrant and presented with a talent of silver.

> Greek: 19.6. οὕτω δὲ διακειμένων πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ λανθάνειν πάντας οἰομένων. ἑλίκων ὁ Κυζικηνός εἷς τῶν Πλάτωνος συνήθων ἡλίου προεῖπεν ἔκλειψιν καὶ γενομένης ὡς προεῖπε, θαυμασθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ τυράννου δωρεὰν ἔλαβεν ἀργυρίου τάλαντον.

[¶24] 19.7. Thereupon Aristippus, jesting with the rest of the philosophers, said that he himself also could predict something strange. And when they besought him to tell what it was, “Well, then,” said he, “I predict that ere long Plato and Dionysius will become enemies.”

> Greek: 19.7. Ἀρίστιππος δὲ παίζων πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους φιλοσόφους ἔφη τι καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχειν τῶν παραδόξων προειπεῖν. ἐκείνων δὲ φράσαι δεομένων, προλέγω τοίνυν, εἶπεν, ὀλίγου χρόνου Πλάτωνα καὶ Διονύσιον ἐχθροὺς γενησομένους.

[¶25] 19.8. At last Dionysius sold the estate of Dion and appropriated the money, and removing Plato from his lodging in the palace garden, put him in charge of his mercenaries, who had long hated the philosopher and sought to kill him, on the ground that he was trying to persuade Dionysius to renounce the tyranny and live without a bodyguard. Now when Archytas and his fellow Pythagoreans learned that Plato was in such peril, they quickly sent a galley with an embassy, demanding him from Dionysius and declaring that Plato had taken them for sureties of his safety when he sailed to Syracuse.

> Greek: 19.8. τέλος δὲ τὴν μ?ὲν οὐσίαν τοῦ Δίωνος ὁ Διονύσιος ἐπώλει καὶ τὰ χρήματα κατεῖχε, Πλάτωνα δʼ ἐν τῷ περὶ τὴν οἰκίαν κήπῳ διαιτώμενον εἷς τοὺς μισθοφόρους μετέστησε πάλαι μισοῦντας αὐτὸν καὶ ζητοῦντας ἀνελεῖν ὡς πείθοντα Διονύσιον ἀφεῖναι τὴν τυραννίδα καὶ ζῆν ἀδορυφόρητον, ἐν τοιούτῳ δὲ κινδύνῳ γενομένου τοῦ Πλάτωνος οἱ περὶ Ἀρχύταν πυθόμενοι ταχὺ πέμπουσι πρεσβείαν καὶ τριακόντορον, ἀπαιτοῦντες τὸν ἄνδρα παρὰ Διονυσίου καὶ λέγοντες ὡς αὐτοὺς λαβὼν ἀναδόχους τῆς ἀσφαλείας πλεύσειεν εἰς Συρακούσας.

[¶26] 20.2. Dionysius sought to disprove his enmity to Plato by giving banquets in his honour and making kind provisions for his journey, and went so far as to say something like this to him: “I suppose, Plato, thou wilt bring many dire accusations against me to the ears of your fellow philosophers.”

> Greek: 20.2. ἀπολεγομένου δὲ τοῦ Διονυσίου τὴν ἔχθραν ἑστιάσεσι καὶ φιλοφροσύναις περὶ τὴν προπομπήν, ἓν δέ τι προαχθέντος πρὸς αὐτὸν τοιοῦτον εἰπεῖν· ἦ που, Πλάτων, πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ κατηγορήσεις ἡμῶν πρὸς τοὺς συμφιλοσοφοῦντας·

[¶27] 20.3. To this Plato answered with a smile: “Heaven forbid that there should be such a dearth of topics for discussion in the Academy that any one mention thee.”

> Greek: 20.3. ὑπομειδιάσας ἐκεῖνος ἀπεκρίνατο μὴ τοσαύτη λόγων ἐν Ἀκαδημείᾳ γένοιτο σπάνις ὥστε σοῦ τινα μνημονεῦσαι.

[¶28] 20.4. Such, they say, was the dismissal of Plato; Plato’s own words, however, do not entirely agree with this account.

> Greek: 20.4. τοιαύτην μὲν τὴν ἀποστολὴν τοῦ Πλάτωνος γενέσθαι λέγουσιν· οὐ μέντοι τὰ Πλάτωνος αὐτοῦ πάνυ τούτοις συνᾴδει.

[¶29] 21.1. But Dion was vexed by all this, and shortly afterwards became altogether hostile when he learned how his wife had been treated, on which matter Plato also spoke covertly in a letter to Dionysius. The case was as follows.

> Greek: 21.1. Δίων δὲ καὶ τούτοις ἐχαλέπαινε, καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἐξεπολεμώθη παντάπασι πυθόμενος τὸ περὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, περὶ οὗ καὶ Πλάτων ᾐνίξατο γράφων πρὸς Διονύσιον, ἦν δὲ τοιοῦτον.

[¶30] 21.2. After the expulsion of Dion and when Dionysius was sending Plato back, he bade him learn from Dion confidentially whether he would oppose his wife’s marrying another man;

> Greek: 21.2. μετὰ τὴν ἐκβολὴν τοῦ Δίωνος ἀποπέμπων Πλάτωνα Διονύσιος ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοῦ διʼ ἀπορρήτων πυθέσθαι, μή τι κωλύοι τὴν γυναῖκα πρὸς γάμον ἑτέρῳ δοθῆναι·

[¶31] 21.3. for there was a report, whether true or concocted by Dion’s enemies, that his marriage had not proved agreeable to him, and that he did not live harmoniously with his wife.

> Greek: 21.3. καὶ γὰρ ἦν λόγος, εἴτʼ ἀληθὴς εἴτε συντεθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν Δίωνα μισούντων, ὡς οὐ καθʼ ἡδονὴν ὁ γάμος εἴη Δίωνι γεγονὼς οὐδʼ εὐάρμοστος ἡ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα συμβίωσις.

[¶32] 21.4. Accordingly, after Plato came to Athens and had conferred with Dion about everything, he wrote a letter to the tyrant which spoke of other matters in a way that was clear to anybody, but of this particular matter in language that could be understood by Dionysius alone, saying that he had talked with Dion about that business, and that Dion would evidently be exceedingly angry if Dionysius should carry it through.

> Greek: 21.4. ὡς οὖν ἧκεν ὁ Πλάτων Ἀθήναζε καὶ τῷ Δίωνι περὶ πάντων ἐνέτυχε, γράφει πρὸς τὸν τύραννον ἐπιστολήν τὰ μὲν ἄλλα σαφῶς πᾶσιν, αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο μόνῳ γνώριμον ἐκείνῳ φράζουσαν, ὡς διαλεχθείη Δίωνι περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἐκείνου καὶ σφόδρα δῆλος εἴη χαλεπαίνων, εἰ τοῦτο Διονύσιος ἐξεργάσαιτο.

[¶33] 21.5. Now, as long as there were many hopes of a reconciliation, the tyrant took no violent measures with his sister, but suffered her to continue living with Dion’s young son;

> Greek: 21.5. καὶ τότε μὲν ἔτι πολλῶν ἐλπίδων οὐσῶν πρὸς τὰς διαλύσεις οὐδὲν ἔπραξε περὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν νεώτερον, ἀλλʼ εἴα μένειν αὐτὴν μετὰ τοῦ παιδίου τοῦ Δίωνος οἰκοῦσαν.

[¶34] 21.6. when, however, the estrangement was complete, and Plato, who had come to Sicily a second time, had been sent away in enmity, then he gave Arete in marriage, against her will, to Timocrates, one of his friends. And in this action, at least, he did not imitate the reasonableness of his father.

> Greek: 21.6. ἐπεὶ δὲ παντάπασιν ἀσυμβάτως εἶχε καὶ Πλάτων αὖθις ἐλθὼν ἀπεπέμφθη πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν, οὕτω τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἄκουσαν ἑνὶ τῶν φίλων Τιμοκράτει δίδωσιν, οὐ μιμησάμενος τὴν κατά γε τοῦτο τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπιείκειαν.

[¶35] 21.7. For the elder tyrant also, as it would appear, had a sister, Theste, whose husband, Polyxenus, had become his enemy. When, therefore, Polyxenus was moved by fear to run away and go into exile from Sicily, the tyrant sent for his sister and upbraided her because she had been privy to her husband’s flight and had not told her brother about it.

> Greek: 21.7. ἐγεγόνει γὰρ, ὡς ἔοικε, κἀκείνῳ Πολύξενος ὁ τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἔχων αὐτοῦ Θέστην πολέμιος, ἀποδράντος οὖν αὐτοῦ διὰ φόβον καὶ φυγόντος ἐκ Σικελίας μεταπεμψάμενος ᾐτιᾶτο τὴν ἀδελφήν, ὅτι συνειδυῖα τὴν φυγὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὐ κατεῖπε πρὸς αὐτόν.

[¶36] 21.8. But she, without consternation, and, indeed, without fear, replied: “Dost thou think me, Dionysius, such a mean and cowardly wife that, had I known beforehand of my husband’s flight, I would not have sailed off with him and shared his fortunes? Indeed, I did not know about it; since it would have been well for me to be called the wife of Polyxenus the exile, rather than the sister of Dionysius the tyrant.”

> Greek: 21.8. ἡ δʼ ἀνεκπλήκτως καὶ νὴ Δίʼ ἀφόβως· εἶθʼ οὕτω σοι δοκῶ, Διονύσιε, φαύλη γυνὴ γεγονέναι καὶ ἄνανδρος ὥστε προγνοῦσα τὴν φυγὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἂν συνεκπλεῦσαι καὶ μετασχεῖν τῆς αὐτῆς τύχης; ἀλλʼ οὐ προέγνων ἐπεὶ καλῶς εἶχέ μοι μᾶλλον Πολυξένου γυναῖκα φεύγοντος ἢ σοῦ τυραννοῦντος ἀδελφὴν λέγεσθαι.

[¶37] 21.9. The tyrant is said to have admired Theste for this bold speech. And the Syracusans also admired the virtue of the woman, so that even after the dissolution of the tyranny she retained the honours and services paid to royalty, and when she died, the citizens, by public consent, attended her funeral. This is a digression, it is true, but not a useless one.

> Greek: 21.9. ταῦτα τῆς Θέστης παρρησιασαμένης θαυμάσαι λέγουσι τὸν τύραννον.ἐθαύμασαν δὲ καὶ οἱ Συρακούσιοι τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς γυναικός, ὥστε καὶ μετὰ τὴν κατάλυσιν τῆς τυραννίδος ἐκείνῃ τιμὴν καὶ θεραπείαν βασιλικὴν ὑπάρχειν, ἀποθανούσης δὲ δημοσίᾳ πρὸς τὴν ταφὴν ἐπακολουθῆσαι τοὺς πολίτας. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἄχρηστον ἔχει τὴν παρέκβασιν.

[¶38] 22.1. From this time on Dion turned his thoughts to war. With this Plato himself would have nothing to do, out of respect for his tie of hospitality with Dionysius, and because of his age. But Speusippus and the rest of his companions co-operated with Dion and besought him to free Sicily, which stretched out her arms to him and eagerly awaited his coming.

> Greek: 22.1. ὁ δὲ Δίων ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη τρέπεται πρὸς πόλεμον, αὐτοῦ μὲν Πλάτωνος ἐκποδὼν ἱσταμένου διʼ αἰδῶ τῆς πρὸς Διονύσιον ξενίας καὶ γῆρας, Σπευσίππου δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἑταίρων τῷ Δίωνι συλλαμβανόντων καὶ παρακελευομένων ἐλευθεροῦν Σικελίαν χεῖρας ὀρέγουσαν αὐτῷ καὶ προθύμως ὑποδεχομένην.

[¶39] 22.2. For when Plato was tarrying in Syracuse, Speusippus, as it would appear, mingled more with its people and learned to know their sentiments;

> Greek: 22.2. ὅτε γὰρ ἐν Συρακούσαις Πλάτων διέτριβεν, οἱ περὶ Σπεύσιππον, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον ἀναμιγνύμενοι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις κατεμάνθανον τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐφοβοῦντο τὴν παρρησίαν ὡς διάπειραν οὖσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ τυράννου, χρόνῳ δʼ ἐπίστευσαν.

[¶40] 22.3. and though at first they were afraid of his boldness of speech, thinking it a trap set for them by the tyrant, yet in time they came to trust him. For all now spoke in the same strain, begging and exhorting Dion to come without ships men-at-arms, or horses; he was simply to come himself in a small boat, and lend the Sicilians his person and his name against Dionysius.

> Greek: 22.3. ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἦν παρὰ πάντων λόγος δεομένων καὶ παρακελευομένων ἐλθεῖν Δίωνα μὴ ναῦς ἔχοντα μηδʼ ὁπλίτας μηδʼ ἵππους, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν εἰς ὑπηρετικὸν ἐμβάντα χρῆσαι τὸ σῶμα καὶ τοὔνομα Σικελιώταις ἐπὶ τὸν Διονύσιον.

[¶41] 22.4. Encouraged by this information from Speusippus, Dion collected mercenaries secretly and by the agency of others, concealing his purpose.

> Greek: 22.4. ταῦτα τῶν περὶ Σπεύσιππον ἀγγελλόντων ἐπιρρωσθεὶς ἐξενολόγει κρύφα καὶ διʼ ἑτέρων ἐπικρυπτόμενος τὴν διάνοιαν.

[¶42] 22.5. He was assisted also by many statesmen and philosophers, such as Eudemus the Cyprian, on whose death Aristotle wrote his dialogue “On the Soul,” and Timonides the Leucadian.

> Greek: 22.5. συνέπραττον δὲ καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν φιλοσόφων, ὅ τε Κύπριος Εὔδημος, εἰς ὃν Ἀριστοτέλης ἀποθανόντα τὸν περὶ ψυχῆς διάλογον ἐποίησε, καὶ Τιμωνίδης ὁ Λευκάδιος.

[¶43] 22.6. Furthermore, they enlisted on his side Miltas the Thessalian also, who was a seer and had studied in the Academy.

> Greek: 22.6. συνέστησαν δὲ καὶ Μιλτᾶν αὐτῷ τὸν Θεσσαλόν, ἄνδρα μάντιν καὶ μετεσχηκότα τῆς ἐν Ἀκαδημείᾳ διατριβῆς.

[¶44] 22.7. But of those who had been banished by the tyrant, and there were not less than a thousand of them, only twenty-five took part in the expedition; the rest played the coward and abandoned it.

> Greek: 22.7. τῶν δʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ τυράννου πεφυγαδευμένων, οὐ μεῖον ἢ χιλίων ὄντων, πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι μόνοι τῆς στρατείας ἐκοινώνησαν, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι προὔδοσαν ἀποδειλιάσαντες.

[¶45] 22.8. The rendezvous was the island of Zacynthus, and here the soldiers were assembled. They numbered fewer than eight hundred, but they were all well known in consequence of many great campaigns, their bodies were exceptionally well trained, while in experience and daring they had no equals in the world, and were capable of inciting and inflaming to share their prowess all the host which Dion expected to have in Sicily.

> Greek: 22.8. ὁρμητήριον δʼ ἦν ἡ Ζακυνθίων νῆσος, εἰς ἣν οἱ στρατιῶται συνελέγησαν ὀκτακοσίων ἐλάττους γενόμενοι, γνώριμοι δὲ πάντες ἐκ πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων στρατειῶν, καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἠσκημένοι διαφερόντως, ἐμπειρίᾳ δὲ καὶ τόλμῃ πολὺ πάντων κράτιστοι, καὶ δυνάμενοι πλῆθος ὅσον ἤλπιζεν ἕξειν ἐν Σικελίᾳ Δίων ὑπεκκαῦσαι καὶ συνεξορμῆσαι πρὸς ἀλκήν.

[¶46] 23.1. At first, indeed, when these men heard that their expedition was directed against Dionysius and Sicily, they were full of consternation and denounced the enterprise, declaring that Dion, in a mad frenzy of anger, or in despair, was plunging into desperate undertakings; they were also enraged at their own leaders and recruiting officers for not having told them at the very outset about the war.

> Greek: 23.1. οὗτοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀκούσαντες ἐπὶ Διονύσιον καὶ Σικελίαν αἴρεσθαι τὸν στόλον, ἐξεπλάγησαν καὶ κατέγνωσαν, ὡς ὀργῆς τινος παραφροσύνῃ καὶ μανίᾳ τοῦ Δίωνος ἢ χρηστῶν ἐλπίδων ἀπορίᾳ ῥιπτοῦντος ἑαυτὸν εἰς ἀπεγνωσμένας πράξεις· καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἡγεμόσι καὶ ξενολόγοις ὠργίζοντο μὴ προειποῦσιν εὐθὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὸν πόλεμον.

[¶47] 23.2. But when Dion addressed them, setting forth in detail the unsound condition of the tyranny, and declaring that he was taking them, not as soldiers, but as commanders of the Syracusans and the rest of the Sicilians, who had long been ready for a revolt; and when, after Dion, Alcimenes, who was an Achaean of the highest birth and reputation and a member of time expedition, had argued with them, they were persuaded.

> Greek: 23.2. ἐπεὶ δὲ Δίων τῷ λόγῳ τὰ σαθρὰ τῆς τυραννίδος ἐπεξιὼν ἐδίδασκεν, ὡς οὐ στρατιώτας, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἡγεμόνας αὐτοὺς κομίζοι Συρακουσίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Σικελιωτῶν πάλαι πρὸς ἀπόστασιν ἑτοίμων ὑπαρχόντων, μετὰ δὲ τὸν Δίωνα διαλεχθέντος αὐτοῖς Ἀλκιμένους, ὃς πρῶτος ὢν Ἀχαιῶν δόξῃ καὶ γένει συνεστράτευεν, ἐπείσθησαν.

[¶48] 23.3. It was now midsummer, the Etesian winds prevailed at sea, and the moon was at the full. Dion had prepared a magnificent sacrifice to Apollo, and marched in solemn procession to the temple with his soldiers, who were arrayed in full armour.

> Greek: 23.3. ἦν μὲν οὖν θέρους ἀκμή καὶ κατεῖχον ἐτησίαι τὸ πέλαγος, ἡ δὲ σελήνη διχομηνίαν ἦγε. τῷ δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι θυσίαν μεγαλοπρεπῆ παρασκευάσας ὁ Δίων ἐπόμπευσε μετὰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν κεκοσμημένων ταῖς πανοπλίαις πρὸς τὸ ἱερόν·

[¶49] 23.4. After the sacrifice, he gave them a banquet in the stadium of the Zacynthians, where, as they reclined on their couches, they wondered at the splendour of the gold and silver beakers, and of the tables, for it passed the limits set by a private man’s fortune; they reasoned, too, that a man who was already past his prime and was master of such great affluence, would not engage in hazardous enterprises unless he had solid hopes of success, and friends over there who offered him unbounded resources.

> Greek: 23.4. καὶ μετὰ τὴν θυσίαν ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ τῶν Ζακυνθίων κατακλιθέντας αὐτοὺς εἱστία, θαυμάζοντας ἀργυρῶν καὶ χρυσῶν ἐκπωμάτων καὶ τραπεζῶν ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἰδιωτικὸν πλοῦτον λαμπρότητα, καὶ λογιζομένους ὅτι παρηκμακὼς ἀνὴρ ἤδη καὶ τοσαύτης εὐπορίας κύριος οὐκ ἂν ἐπιχειροίη παραβόλοις πράγμασι χωρὶς ἐλπίδος βεβαίου καὶ φίλων ἐνδιδόντων ἐκεῖθεν αὐτῷ τὰς πλείστας καὶ μεγίστας ἀφορμάς.

[¶50] 24.1. But after the libations and the customary prayers, the moon was eclipsed. Now, to Dion this was nothing astonishing, for he knew that eclipses recurred at regular intervals, and that the shadow projected on the moon was caused by the interposition of the earth between her and the sun.

> Greek: 24.1. μετὰ δὲ τὰς σπονδὰς καὶ τὰς νενομισμένας κατευχὰς ἐξέλιπεν ἡ σελήνη, καὶ τοῖς μὲν περὶ τὸν Δίωνα θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲν ἦν λογιζομένοις τὰς ἐκλειπτικὰς περιόδους καὶ τὴν γινομένην τοῦ σκιάσματος ἀπάντησιν πρὸς τὴν σελήνην καὶ τῆς γῆς τὴν ἀντίφραξιν πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον.

[¶51] 24.2. But since the soldiers, who were greatly disturbed, needed some encouragement, Miltas the seer stood up amongst them and bade them be of good cheer, and expect the best results; for the divine powers indicated an eclipse of something that was now resplendent;

> Greek: 24.2. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῖς στρατιώταις διαταραχθεῖσιν ἔδει τινὸς παρηγορίας, Μιλτᾶς ὁ μάντις ἐν μέσῳ καταστὰς ἐκέλευε θαρρεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ προσδοκᾶν τὰ κράτιστα· σημαίνειν γὰρ τὸ δαιμόνιον ἔκλειψίν τινος τῶν νῦν ἐπιφανῶν·

[¶52] 24.3. but nothing was more resplendent than the tyranny of Dionysius, and it was the radiance of this which they would extinguish as soon as they reached Sicily.

> Greek: 24.3. ἐπιφανέστερον δὲ μηδὲν εἶναι τῆς Διονυσίου τυραννίδος, ἧς τὸ λαμπρὸν ἀποσβέσειν ἐκείνους εὐθὺς ἁψαμένους Σικελίας.

[¶53] 24.4. This interpretation, then, Miltas made public for all to know; but that of the bees, which were seen settling in swarms upon the sterns of Dion’s transports, he told privately to him and his friends, expressing a fear that his undertakings would thrive at the outset, but after a short season of flowering would wither away.

> Greek: 24.4. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ὁ Μιλτᾶς εἰς μέσον ἐξέθηκε πᾶσι τὸ δὲ τῶν μελισσῶν, αἳ περὶ τὰ πλοῖα τοῦ Δίωνος ὤφθησαν ἑσμὸν λαμβάνουσαι κατὰ πρύμναν, ἰδίᾳ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς φίλους ἔφραζε δεδιέναι μὴ καλαὶ μὲν αἱ πράξεις αὐτοῦ γένωνται, χρόνον δʼ ὀλίγον ἀνθήσασαι μαρανθῶσι.

[¶54] 24.5. It is said that Dionysius also had many portentous signs from Heaven.

> Greek: 24.5. λέγεται δὲ καὶ τῷ Διονυσίῳ πολλὰ τερατώδη παρὰ τοῦ δαιμονίου γενέσθαι σημεῖα.

[¶55] 24.6. An eagle snatched a lance from one of his body-guards, carried it aloft, and then let it drop into the sea.

> Greek: 24.6. ἀετὸς μὲν γὰρ ἁρπάσας δοράτιόν τινος τῶν δορυφόρων ἀράμενος ὑψοῦ καὶ φέρων ἀφῆκεν εἰς τὸν βυθόν·

[¶56] 24.7. Furthermore, the water of the sea which washed the base of the acropolis was sweet and potable for a whole day, as all who tasted it could see.

> Greek: 24.7. ἡ δὲ προσκλύζουσα πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν θάλασσα μίαν ἡμέραν τὸ ὕδωρ γλυκὺ καὶ πότιμον παρέσχεν, ὥστε γευσαμένοις πᾶσι κατάδηλον εἶναι.

[¶57] 24.8. Again, pigs were littered for him which were perfect in their other parts, but had no ears.

> Greek: 24.8. χοῖροι δʼ ἐτέχθησαν αὐτῷ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων οὐδενὸς ἐνδεεῖς μορίων, ὦτα δʼ οὐκ ἔχοντες.

[¶58] 24.9. This the seers declared to be a sign of disobedience and rebellion, since, as they said, the citizens would no longer listen to the commands of the tyrant; the sweetness of the sea-water indicated for the Syracusans a change from grievous and oppressive times to comfortable circumstances;

> Greek: 24.9. ἀπεφαίνοντο δʼ οἱ μάντεις τοῦτο μὲν ἀποστάσεως καὶ ἀπειθείας εἶναι σημεῖον, ὡς οὐκέτι τῶν πολιτῶν ἀκουσομένων τῆς τυραννίδος, τὴν δὲ γλυκύτητα τῆς θαλάσσης μεταβολὴν καιρῶν ἀνιαρῶν καὶ πονηρῶν εἰς πράγματα χρηστὰ φέρειν Συρακουσίοις.

[¶59] 24.10. an eagle, moreover, was servant of Zeus, and a spear, an emblem of authority and power, wherefore this prodigy showed that the greatest of the gods desired the utter dissolution of the tyranny. Such, at all events, is the account which Theopompus has given.

> Greek: 24.10. ἀετὸς δὲ θεράπων Διός, λόγχη δὲ παράσημον ἀρχῆς καὶ δυναστείας· ἀφανισμὸν οὖν καὶ κατάλυσιν τῇ τυραννίδι βουλεύειν τὸν τῶν θεῶν μέγιστον. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Θεόπομπος ἱστόρηκε.

[¶60] 25.1. The soldiers of Dion filled two merchant-ships, and a third transport of small size, together with two thirty-oared galleys, accompanied these.

> Greek: 25.1. τοὺς δὲ στρατιώτας τοὺς Δίωνος ἐξεδέξαντο στρογγύλαι δύο ναῦς, τρίτον δὲ πλοῖον οὐ μέγα καὶ δύο τριακόντοροι παρηκολούθουν.

[¶61] 25.2. Moreover, besides the arms which his soldiers had, Dion carried two thousand shields, missiles and spears in great numbers, and a boundless store of provisions, that they might suffer no lack as they traversed the high sea. For they put themselves entirely at the mercy of winds and sea during their voyage, because they were afraid of the coast, and learned that Philistus was watching for them with a fleet at Iapygia.

> Greek: 25.2. ὅπλα δέ, χωρὶς ὧν εἶχον οἱ στρατιῶται, δισχιλίας μὲν ἐκόμιζεν ἀσπίδας, βέλη δὲ καὶ δόρατα πολλὰ, καὶ πλῆθος ἐφοδίων ἄφθονον, ὅπως ἐπιλίπῃ μηδὲν αὐτοὺς ποντοποροῦντας, ἅτε δὴ τὸ σύμπαν ἐπὶ πνεύμασι καὶ θαλάσσῃ πεποιημένους τὸν πλοῦν διὰ τὸ τὴν γῆν φοβεῖσθαι καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι Φίλιστον ἐν Ἰαπυγίᾳ ναυλοχοῦντα παραφυλάττειν.

[¶62] 25.3. After sailing with a light and gentle breeze for twelve days, on the thirteenth they reached Pachynus, a headland of Sicily.

> Greek: 25.3. ἀραιῷ δὲ καὶ μαλακῷ πνεύματι πλεύσαντες ἡμέρας δώδεκα, τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ κατὰ Πάχυνον ἦσαν, ἄκραν τῆς Σικελίας.

[¶63] 25.4. Here Protus their pilot urged them to disembark with all speed, since, if they should be forced away from the shore, and should relinquish the headland which they had gained, they would be tossed about on the high sea for many days and nights, awaiting a south wind in the summer season.

> Greek: 25.4. καὶ Πρῶτος μὲν ὁ κυβερνήτης κατὰ τάχος ἐκέλευσεν ἀποβαίνειν, ὡς, ἂν ἀποσπασθῶσι τῆς γῆς καὶ τὴν ἄκραν ἑκόντες ἀφῶσι, πολλὰς ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας ἐν τῷ πελάγει τριβησομένους, ὥρᾳ θέρους νότον περιμένοντας.

[¶64] 25.5. But Dion, fearing to disembark near the enemy, and wishing to land farther along the coast, sailed past Pachynus.

> Greek: 25.5. Δίων δὲ τὴν ἐγγὺς τῶν πολεμίων ἀπόβασιν δεδιὼς καὶ τῶν πρόσω μᾶλλον ἅψασθαι βουλόμενος παρέπλευσε τὸν Πάχυνον.

[¶65] 25.6. Thereupon a boisterous wind from the north rushed down upon them, raised a great sea, and drove the ships away from Sicily, while flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, now that Arcturus was just rising, conspired to pour down from the heavens a great storm of furious rain.

> Greek: 25.6. ἐκ δὲ τούτου τραχὺς μὲν ἀπαρκτίας ἐπιπεσὼν ἤλαυνε πολλῷ κλύδωνι τὰς ναῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Σικελίας, ἀστραπαὶ δὲ καὶ βρονταὶ φανέντος Ἀρκτούρου συμπεσοῦσαι πολὺν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ χειμῶνα καὶ ῥαγδαῖον ὄμβρον ἐξέχεαν·

[¶66] 25.7. The sailors were confounded by this and driven from their course, until on a sudden they saw that their ships were driving with the sea upon Cercina, off the coast of Africa, at a point where the island presented the roughest and most precipitous shore for their approach.

> Greek: 25.7. ᾧ τῶν ναυτῶν συνταραχθέντων καὶ πλάνης γενομένης καθορῶσιν αἰφνίδιον ὑπὸ τοῦ κύματος ὠθουμένας τὰς ναῦς ἐπὶ τὴν πρὸς Λιβύῃ Κέρκιναν, ᾗ μάλιστα κρημνώδης ἀπήντα καὶ τραχεῖα προσφερομένοις αὐτοῖς ἡ νῆσος.

[¶67] 25.8. Accordingly, after a narrow escape from being cast ashore and dashed to pieces on the rocks, they plied their punting-poles and forced their way along with great difficulty, until the storm abated, when they learned from a vessel which they spoke that they were at what were called the Heads of the Great Syrtis.

> Greek: 25.8. μικρὸν οὖν δεήσαντες ἐκριφῆναι καὶ συντριβῆναι περὶ τὰς πέτρας ἐβιάζοντο πρὸς κοντὸν παραφερόμενοι μόλις, ἕως ὁ χειμὼν ἐλώφησε καὶ πλοίῳ συντυχόντες ἔγνωσαν ἐπὶ ταῖς καλουμέναις κεφαλαῖς τῆς μεγάλης Σύρτεως ὅντες.

[¶68] 25.9. And now they were disheartened by the calm in which they found themselves, and were drifting up and down, when a gentle southerly breeze was wafted to them from the land, although they were by no means expecting a south wind and could not believe in the change.

> Greek: 25.9. ἀθυμοῦσι δʼ αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὴν γαλήνην καὶ διαφερομένοις αὔραν τινὰ κατέσπειρεν ἡ χώρα νότιον, οὐ πάνυ προσδεχομένοις νότον οὐδὲ πιστεύουσι τῇ μεταβολῇ.

[¶69] 25.10. Little by little, however, the wind freshened and grew strong, so that they spread all the sail they had, and praying to the gods, fled over the sea from Africa towards Sicily.

> Greek: 25.10. κατὰ μικρὸν δὲ ῥωννυμένου τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ μέγεθος λαμβάνοντος ἐκτείναντες ὅσον ἦν ἱστίων, καὶ προσευξάμενοι τοῖς θεοῖς, πελάγιοι πρὸς τὴν Σικελίαν ἔφευγον ἀπὸ τῆς Λιβύης·

[¶70] 25.11. For five days they ran swiftly on, and came to anchor at Minoa, a little town in that part of Sicily which the Carthaginians controlled.

> Greek: 25.11. καὶ θέοντες ἐλαφρῶς πεμπταῖοι κατὰ Μίνῳαν ὡρμίσαντο, πολισμάτιον ἐν τῇ Σικελίᾳ τῆς Καρχηδονίων ἐπικρατείας.

[¶71] 25.12. Now, it chanced that Synalus, the Carthaginian commander, was in the place, and he was a guest-friend of Dion’s. But not knowing of Dion’s presence or of his expedition, he tried to prevent his soldiers from landing.

> Greek: 25.12. ἔτυχε δὲ παρὼν ὁ Καρχηδόνιος ἄρχων Σύναλος ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ, ξένος ὢν καὶ φίλος Δίωνος. ἀγνοῶν δὲ τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν στόλον, ἐπειρᾶτο κωλύειν τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀποβαίνοντας.

[¶72] 25.13. These, however, rushed on shore with their arms, and although they killed no one, since Dion had forbidden it because of his friendship with the Carthaginian, they put their opponents to flight, dashed into the place with the fugitives, and captured it.

> Greek: 25.13. οἱ δὲ μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων ἐκδραμόντες ἀπέκτειναν μὲν οὐδένα, ἀπειρήκει γὰρ ὁ Δίων διὰ τὴν οὖσαν αὐτῷ φιλίαν πρὸς τὸν Καρχηδόνιον, φεύγουσι δὲ συνεισπεσόντες αἱροῦσι τὸ χωρίον.

[¶73] 25.14. But as soon as the two commanders had met and greeted one another, Dion restored the city to Synalus, without doing it any harm, and Synalus entertained the soldiers and supplied Dion with what he wanted.

> Greek: 25.14. ὡς δʼ ἀπήντησαν ἀλλήλοις οἱ ἡγεμόνες καὶ ἠσπάσαντο, Δίων μὲν ἀπέδωκε τὴν πόλιν Συνάλῳ, οὐδὲν ἀδικήσας, Σύναλος δὲ τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐξένιζε καὶ συμπαρεσκεύαζεν ὧν Δίων ἐδεῖτο.

[¶74] 26.1. But what most of all encouraged them was the accidental absence of Dionysius from Syracuse; for it chanced that he had recently sailed with eighty ships to Italy.

> Greek: 26.1. μάλιστα δʼ αὐτοὺς ἐθάρρυνε τὸ συμβεβηκὸς αὐτομάτως περὶ τὴν ἀποδημίαν τοῦ Διονυσίου· νεωστὶ γὰρ ἐκπεπλευκὼς ἐτύγχανεν ὀγδοήκοντα ναυσὶν εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν.

[¶75] 26.2. Therefore, even though Dion urged his soldiers to recruit themselves here after their long hardships on the sea, they would not consent to it, so eager were they of themselves to seize their opportunity, but urged him to lead them towards Syracuse.

> Greek: 26.2. διὸ καὶ τοῦ Δίωνος παρακαλοῦντος ἐνταῦθα τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀναλαμβάνειν πολὺν χρόνον ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ κεκακωμένους, οὐχ ὑπέμειναν αὐτοὶ σπεύδοντες ἁρπάσαι τὸν καιρόν, ἀλλʼ ἐκέλευον ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν Δίωνα πρὸς τὰς Συρακούσας.

[¶76] 26.3. Accordingly, he deposited his superfluous arms and baggage there, asked Synalus to send them to him as opportunity offered, and marched against Syracuse.

> Greek: 26.3. ἀποσκευασάμενος οὖν τὰ περιόντα τῶν ὅπλων καὶ τῶν φορτίων ἐκεῖ, καὶ τοῦ Συνάλου δεηθεὶς, ὅταν ᾖ καιρὸς, ἀποστεῖλαι πρὸς αὐτόν, ἐβάδιζεν ἐπὶ τὰς Συρακούσας.

[¶77] 26.4. As he was on his way thither, first he was joined by two hundred horsemen belonging to the Agrigentines who dwelt about Ecnomum, and then by men of Gela.

> Greek: 26.4. πορευομένῳ δʼ αὐτῷ πρῶτον μὲν Ἀκραγαντίνων προσεχώρησαν ἱππεῖς διακόσιοι τῶν περὶ τὸ Ἔκνομον οἰκούντων, μετὰ δὲ τούτους Γελῷοι.

[¶78] 26.5. But the report of his doings quickly flew to Syracuse, where Timocrates, who had married Dion’s wife, the sister of Dionysius, and who stood at the head of the tyrant’s friends now left in the city, speedily sent off a messenger to Dionysius with letters announcing the arrival of Dion.

> Greek: 26.5. ταχὺ δὲ τῆς φήμης διαδραμούσης εἰς Συρακούσας Τιμοκράτης, ὁ τῇ Δίωνος γυναικὶ συνοικῶν, Διονυσίου δʼ ἀδελφῇ, τῶν ἀπολελειμμένων ἐν τῇ πόλει φίλων προεστώς, ἐκπέμπει κατὰ τάχος ἄγγελον τῷ Διονυσίῳ γράμματα κομίζοντα περὶ τῆς Δίωνος ἀφίξεως.

[¶79] 26.6. He himself, moreover, took steps to prevent any disturbances or tumults in the city, where all were greatly excited, but as yet kept quiet owing to their distrust and fear.

> Greek: 26.6. αὐτὸς δὲ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν πόλιν προσεῖχε θορύβοις καὶ κινήμασιν, ἐπηρμένων μὲν πάντων, διὰ δʼ ἀπιστίαν ἔτι καὶ φόβον ἡσυχαζόντων.

[¶80] 26.7. But a strange misfortune befell the man who had been sent with the letters. After he had crossed to Italy and passed through the territory of Rhegium, and as he was hastening on to Dionysius at Caulonia, he met one of his acquaintances who was carrying an animal that had been recently sacrificed, and after accepting from him a portion of the flesh, went on his way with all speed.

> Greek: 26.7. τῷ δὲ πεμφθέντι γραμματοφόρῳ τύχη τις συμπίπτει παράλογος.διαπλεύσας γὰρ εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν καὶ τὴν Ῥηγίνην διελθὼν, ἐπειγόμενος εἰς Καυλωνίαν πρὸς Διονύσιον ἀπήντησέ τινι τῶν συνήθων ἱερεῖον νεωστὶ τεθυμένον κομίζοντι· καὶ λαβὼν παρʼ αὐτοῦ μοῖραν τῶν κρεῶν ἐχώρει σπουδῇ.

[¶81] 26.8. But after travelling part of the night, he was compelled by weariness to take a little sleep, and lay down, just as he was, in a wood by the side of the road.

> Greek: 26.8. τῆς δὲ νυκτὸς μέρος ὁδεύσας καὶ μικρὸν ἀποδαρθεῖν ὑπὸ κόπου βιασθείς, ὡς εἶχε, παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐν ὕλῃ τινὶ κατέκλινεν ἑαυτόν.

[¶82] 26.9. Then a wolf came to the spot, attracted by the scent, and seizing the flesh which had been fastened to the wallet in which the man had his letters, went off with it and the wallet too.

> Greek: 26.9. πρὸς δὲ τὴν ὀσμὴν λύκος ἐπελθὼν, καὶ λαβόμενος τῶν κρεῶν ἀναδεδεμένων ἐκ τῆς πήρας, ᾤχετο φέρων ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς τὴν πήραν, ἐν ᾗ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἶχεν.

[¶83] 26.10. When the man awoke and perceived what had happened, he wandered about a long time in search of what he had lost, but could not find it, and therefore determined not to go to the tyrant without the letters, but to run away and disappear.

> Greek: 26.10. ὡς δὲ διεγερθεὶς ᾔσθετο καὶ πολλὰ μάτην πλανηθεὶς καὶ διώξας οὐχ εὗρεν, ἔγνω μὴ πορεύεσθαι δίχα τῶν γραμμάτων πρὸς τὸν τύραννον, ἀλλʼ ἀποδρὰς ἐκποδὼν γενέσθαι.

[¶84] 27.1. Dionysius, therefore, was destined to learn of the war in Sicily late and from other sources; but meanwhile, as Dion proceeded on his march, he was joined by the Camarinaeans, and no small multitude of the rural Syracusans revolted and swelled his ranks.

> Greek: 27.1. Διονύσιος μὲν οὖν ὀψὲ καὶ παρʼ ἑτέρων ἔμελλε πυνθάνεσθαι τὸν ἐν Σικελίᾳ πόλεμον, Δίωνι δὲ πορευομένῳ Καμαριναῖοί τε προσέθεντο καὶ τῶν κατʼ ἀγροὺς Συρακουσίων ἀνισταμένων ἐπέρρει πλῆθος οὐκ ὀλίγον.

[¶85] 27.2. Moreover, the Leontines and Campanians who were guarding Epipolae with Timocrates, in consequence of a false report which Dion sent to them that he would attack their cities first, deserted Timocrates and went off to assist their own peoples.

> Greek: 27.2. οἱ δὲ μετὰ Τιμοκράτους τὰς Ἐπιπολὰς φυλάσσοντες Λεοντῖνοι καὶ Καμπανοί, λόγον ψευδῆ προσπέμψαντος εἰς αὐτοὺς τοῦ Δίωνος ὡς ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις πρῶτον τρέποιτο τὰς ἐκείνων, ἀπολιπόντες ᾤχοντο τὸν Τιμοκράτην τοῖς οἰκείοις βοηθήσοντες.

[¶86] 27.3. When news of this was brought to Dion as he lay encamped near Acrae, he roused up his soldiers while it was still night and came to the river Anapus, which is ten furlongs distant from the city.

> Greek: 27.3. ὡς δʼ ἀπηγγέλη ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν Δίωνα περὶ τὰς Ἄκρας στρατοπεδεύοντα, νυκτὸς ἔτι τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀναστήσας πρὸς τὸν Ἄναπον ποταμὸν ἧκεν, ἀπέχοντα τῆς πόλεως δέκα σταδίους.

[¶87] 27.4. There he halted and sacrificed by the river, addressing his prayers to the rising sun, and on the instant the soothsayers declared that the gods promised him victory. When, too, the audience beheld Dion with a wreath on his head for the sacrifice, with one impulse they all crowned themselves with wreaths.

> Greek: 27.4. ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὴν πορείαν ἐπιστήσας ἐσφαγιάζετο πρὸς τὸν ποταμόν, ἀνατέλλοντι τῷ ἡλίῳ προσευξάμενος· ἅμα δʼ οἱ μάντεις παρὰ τῶν θεῶν νίκην ἔφραζον αὐτῷ. καὶ θεασάμενοι τὸν Δίωνα διὰ τὴν θυσίαν ἐστεφανωμένον οἱ παρόντες ἀπὸ μιᾶς ὁρμῆς ἐστεφανοῦντο πάντες.

[¶88] 27.5. No fewer than five thousand men had joined him on the march, and though they were wretchedly armed with such weapons as came to hand, their enthusiasm made up for their lack of equipment, so that when Dion gave the word they advanced on the run, exhorting one another with joyful shouts to win their liberty.

> Greek: 27.5. ἦσαν δὲ πεντακισχιλίων οὐκ ἐλάττους προσγεγονότες κατὰ τὴν ὁδόν ὡπλισμένοι δὲ φαύλως ἐκ τοῦ προστυχόντος ἀνεπλήρουν τῇ προθυμίᾳ τὴν τῆς παρασκευῆς ἔνδειαν, ὥστε κινήσαντος τοῦ Δίωνος δρόμῳ χωρεῖν μετὰ χαρᾶς καὶ βοῆς ἀλλήλους παρακαλοῦντας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν.

[¶89] 28.1. As for the Syracusans in the city, the men of note and cultivation, in fresh apparel, went to meet them at the gates, while the multitude set upon the tyrant’s friends and seized those called tale-bearers, wicked men whom the gods hated, who went up and down in the city busily mingling with the Syracusans and reporting to the tyrant the sentiments and utterances of every one. These, then, were the first to suffer retribution, being beaten to death by those who came upon them; but Timocrates, unable to join the garrison of the acropolis, took horse and dashed out of the city, and as he fled, filled everything with fear and confusion, exaggerating the strength of Dion, that he might not be thought to have abandoned the city through fear of any trivial danger.

> Greek: 28.1. τῶν δʼ ἐν τῇ πόλει Συρακουσίων οἱ μὲν γνώριμοι καὶ χαρίεντες ἐσθῆτα καθαρὰν ἔχοντες ἀπήντων ἐπὶ τάς πύλας, οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ τοῖς τυράννου φίλοις ἐπετίθεντο καὶ συνήρπαζον τοὺς καλουμένους προσαγωγίδας, ἀνθρώπους ἀνοσίους καὶ θεοῖς ἐχθρούς, οἳ περιενόστουν ἐν τῇ πόλει καταμεμιγμένοι τοῖς Συρακουσίοις πολυπραγμονοῦντες καὶ διαγγέλλοντες τῷ τυράννῳ τάς τε διανοίας καὶ τάς φωνὰς ἑκάστων, οὗτοι μὲν οὖν πρῶτοι δίκην ἐδίδοσαν ὑπὸ τῶν προστυγχανόντων ἀποτυμπανιζόμενοι Τιμοκράτης δὲ συμμῖξαι τοῖς φρουροῦσι τὴν ἀκρόπολιν μὴ δυνηθείς ἵππον λαβὼν διεξέπεσε τῆς πόλεως καὶ πάντα φεύγων ἐνέπλησε φόβου καὶ ταραχῆς, ἐπὶ μεῖζον αἴρων τὰ τοῦ Δίωνος, ὡς μὴ δοκοίη μέτριόν τι δείσας ἀποβεβληκέναι τὴν πόλιν.

[¶90] 28.3. Meanwhile Dion drew near the city and was presently seen, leading the way himself in brilliant armour, with his brother Megacles on one side of him, and on the other, Callippus the Athenian, both crowned with garlands.

> Greek: 28.3. ἐν τούτῳ δὲ καὶ Δίων προσερχόμενος ἤδη καταφανὴς ἦν, πρῶτος αὐτὸς ὡπλισμένος λαμπρῶς, καὶ παρʼ αὐτὸν ἔνθεν μὲν ὁ ἀδελφὸς Μεγακλῆς, ἔνθεν δὲ Κάλλιππος ὁ Ἀθηναῖος, ἐστεφανωμένοι.

[¶91] 28.4. A hundred of his mercenaries followed Dion as a body-guard, and his officers led the rest in good order, the Syracusans looking on and welcoming as it were a sacred religious procession for the return of liberty and democracy into the city, after an absence of forty-eight years.

> Greek: 28.4. τῶν δὲ ξένων ἑκατὸν μὲν εἵποντο φύλακες περὶ τὸν Δίωνα, τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους ἦγον οἱ λοχαγοὶ διακεκοσμημένους, θεωμένων τῶν Συρακουσίων καὶ δεχομένων ὥσπερ ἱεράν τινα καὶ θεοπρεπῆ πομπὴν ἐλευθερίας καὶ δημοκρατίας διʼ ἐτῶν ὀκτὼ καὶ τετταράκοντα κατιούσης εἰς τὴν πόλιν.

[¶92] 29.1. After Dion had entered the city by the Temenitid gate, he stopped the noise of the people by a blast of the trumpet, and made proclamation that Dion and Megacles, who were come to overthrow the tyranny, declared the Syracusans and the rest of the Sicilians free from the tyrant.

> Greek: 29.1. ἐπεὶ δὲ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Δίων κατὰ τὰς Τεμενίτιδας πύλας, τῇ σάλπιγγι καταπαύσας τὸν θόρυβον, ἐκήρυξεν ὅτι Δίων καὶ Μεγακλῆς ἥκοντες ἐπὶ καταλύσει τῆς τυραννίδος ἐλευθεροῦσι Συρακουσίους καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους Σικελιώτας ἀπὸ τοῦ τυράννου.

[¶93] 29.2. Then, wishing to harangue the people himself, he went up through the Achradina, while on either side of the street the Syracusans set out tables and sacrificial meats and mixing-bowls, and all, as he came to them, pelted him with flowers, and addressed him with vows and prayers as if he were a god.

> Greek: 29.2. βουλόμενος δὲ καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ προσαγορεῦσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀνῄει διὰ τῆς Ἀχραδινῆς, ἑκατέρωθεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν Συρακουσίων ἱερεῖα καὶ τραπέζας καὶ κρατῆρας ἱστάντων, καὶ καθʼ οὓς γένοιτο προχύταις τε βαλλόντων καὶ προστρεπομένων ὥσπερ θεὸν κατευχαῖς.

[¶94] 29.3. Now, there stood below the acropolis and the Pentapyla a tall and conspicuous sun-dial, which Dionysius had set up. Mounted upon this, Dion harangued the citizens and exhorted them to assert their liberty.

> Greek: 29.3. ἦν δʼ ὑπὸ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν καὶ τὰ Πεντάπυλα, Διονυσίου κατασκευάσαντος, ἡλιοτρόπιον καταφανὲς καὶ ὑψηλόν. ἐπὶ τοῦτο προβὰς ἐδημηγόρησε καὶ παρώρμησε τοὺς πολίτας ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς ἐλευθερίας.

[¶95] 29.4. And they, in their joy and affection, made Dion and Megacles generals with absolute powers, and besides, at their wish and entreaty, chose twenty colleagues to hold office with them, half of whom were of those who had come back from exile with Dion.

> Greek: 29.4. οἱ δὲ χαίροντες καὶ φιλοφρονούμενοι κατέστησαν ἀμφοτέρους αὐτοκράτορας στρατηγούς, καὶ προσείλοντο, βουλομένων καὶ δεομένων ἐκείνων, αὐτοῖς συνάρχοντας εἴκοσιν, ὧν ἡμίσεις ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν μετὰ Δίωνος ἀπὸ τῆς φυγῆς συγκατερχομένων.

[¶96] 29.5. To the soothsayers, moreover, it seemed a most happy omen, that Dion, when he harangued the people, had put under his feet the ambitious monument of the tyrant; but because it was a sun-dial upon which he stood when he was elected general, they feared that his enterprise might undergo some speedy change of fortune.

> Greek: 29.5. τοῖς δὲ μάντεσιν αὖθις ἐδόκει τὸ μὲν ὑπὸ πόδας λαβεῖν τὸν Δίωνα δημηγοροῦντα τὴν φιλοτιμίαν καὶ τὸ ἀνάθημα τοῦ τυράννου λαμπρὸν εἶναι σημεῖον ὅτι δʼ ἡλιοτρόπιον ἦν ἐφʼ οὗ βεβηκὼς ᾑρέθη στρατηγός, ὠρρώδουν μὴ τροπήν τινα τῆς τύχης αἱ πράξεις ταχεῖαν λάβωσιν.

[¶97] 29.6. After this, Dion captured Epipolae and set free the citizens who were imprisoned there; then he walled off the acropolis.

> Greek: 29.6. ἐκ τούτου τὰς μὲν Ἐπιπολὰς ἑλὼν τοὺς καθειργμένους τῶν πολιτῶν ἔλυσε, τὴν δὲ ἀκρόπολιν ἀπετείχισεν.

[¶98] 29.7. On the seventh day Dionysius put in with his fleet and entered the acropolis, and waggons brought Dion the armour and weapons which he had left with Synalus.

> Greek: 29.7. ἑβδόμῃ δʼ ἡμέρᾳ Διονύσιος κατέπλευσεν εἰς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, καὶ Δίωνι προσῆγον ἅμαξαι πανοπλίας ἃς Συνάλῳ κατέλιπε.

[¶99] 29.8. These he distributed among the citizens as far as they would go, and all the rest equipped themselves as best they could and zealously offered their services as men-at-arms.

> Greek: 29.8. ταύτας διένειμε τοῖς πολίταις, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν, ὡς δυνατὸν ἦν, ἐκόσμει καὶ παρεῖχεν ὁπλίτην πρόθυμον.

[¶100] 30.1. At first, Dionysius sent envoys privately to Dion and tried to make terms with him; then, when Dion bade him confer publicly with the Syracusans, on the ground that they were a free people, the envoys brought generous propositions from the tyrant, who promised such moderate taxes and easy military service as the people themselves should agree to by vote.

> Greek: 30.1. Διονύσιος δὲ πρῶτον ἰδίᾳ πρὸς Δίωνα πρέσβεις ἔπεμπεν ἀποπειρώμενος· ἔπειτα κελεύσαντος ἐκείνου διαλέγεσθαι κοινῇ Συρακουσίοις ὡς ἐλευθέροις οὖσιν, ἐγένοντο λόγοι διὰ τῶν πρέσβεων παρὰ τοῦ τυράννου φιλάνθρωποι, φόρων ὑπισχνουμένου μετριότητα καὶ ῥᾳστώνην στρατειῶν, ὧν ἂν αὐτοὶ σύμψηφοι γένωνται.