Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/127

DION AND IIERAKLEIDES. 10i with him he set on foot a tissue of base manoeuvres availing himself of the fears and jealousies of the Syracusans. the rivalry of Herakleides, the defects of Dion, and what wm more important than all the relationship of Dion to the Dio- nysian dynasty. Dion had displayed devoted courage, and merited the signal gratitude of the Syracusans. But he had been nursed in the des- potism, of which his father had been one of the chief founders ; he was attached by every tie of relationship to Dionysius, with whom his sister, his former wife, and his children, were still dwell ing in the acropolis. The circumstances therefore were such as to suggest to the Syracusans apprehensions, noway unreasonable, that some private bargain might be made by Dion with the acro- polis, and that the eminent services which he had just rendered might only be made the stepping-stone to a fresh despotism in his person. Such suspicions received much countenance from the infirmities of Dion, who combined, with a masculine and magnan- imous character, manners so haughty as to be painfully felt even by his own companions. The friendly letters from Syracuse, written to Plato or to others at Athens (possibly those from Ti- monides to Speusippus) shortly after the victory, contained much complaint of the repulsive demeanor of Dion ; which defect the philosopher exhorted his friend to amend. 1 All those, whom Dion's arrogance offended, were confirmed in their suspicion of his despotic designs, and induced to turn for protection to his rival Herakleides. This latter formerly general in the service of Dionysius, from whose displeasure he had only saved his life by flight had been unable or unwilling to cooperate with Dion in his expedition from Zakynthus, but had since brought to the aid of the Syracusans a considerable force, including several armed ships. Though not present at the first entry into Syracuse, nor arriving until Ortygia had already been placed under blockade, Herakleides was esteemed the equal of Dion in abilities and in military efficiency ; while with regard to ulterior designs, he had 1 Plato, Epist. iv. p. 321 B ..... ivdv/j.ov ts KOI on donelg nalv repwf rot; TrpoorjKovrof ftepaKEVTiKOC slvai fif] ovv hav&zvETU as on tiiu roi upeaKEiv TOif ttv&pUTTOLf KOI TC> TrpuTTELv EffTiv, fj J' sivddFia io^ui,<f Ivvoi- 9 LI8PARY 'UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA