Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/192

1(36 HISTORY OF GREECE. away the obnoxious fortress, he erected upon the same site, SA/* probably with the same materials, courts for future judicature. The most striking symbol and instrument of popular government thus met the eye as a local substitute for that of the past des- potism. Deep was the gratitude of the Syracusans for these proceeding.* the first fruits of Timoleon's established ascendency. And if we regard the intrinsic importance of the act itself the munne> in which an emphatic meaning was made to tell a? well upon th Syracusan eye as upon the Syracusan mind the proof evinced not merely of disinterested patriotism, but also of prudence in es- timating the necessities of the actual situation lastly, the foun dation thus laid for accomplishing farther good if we take al these matters together, we shall feel that Timoleon's demolition of the Dionysian Bastile, and erection in its place of a building fry the administration of justice, was among the most impressive phenomena in Grecian history. The work which remained to be done was indeed such as to re quire the best spirit, energy and discretion, both on his part an<* on that of the Syracusans. Through long oppression and suffer- ing, the city was so impoverished and desolate, that the market place (if we were to believe what must be an exaggeration a* Plutarch) served as pasture for horses, and as a place of soft re* pose for the grooms who attended them. Other cities of Sicily exhibited the like evidence of decay, desertion, and poverty. The manifestations of city life had almost ceased in Sicily. Men were afraid to come into the city, which they left to the despot and hi* mercenaries, retiring themselves to live on their fields and farms, and shrinking from all acts of citizenship. Even the fields were but half cultivated, so as to produce nothing beyond bare subsis- tence. It was the first anxiety of Timoleon to revive the one* haughty spirit of Syracuse out of this depth of insecurity and abasement ; to which revival no act could be more conducive than his first proceedings in Ortygia. His next step was to bring together, by invitations and proclamations everywhere circulated, those exiles who had been expelled, or forced to seek refuge else- where, during the recent oppression. Many of these, who had found shelter in various parts of Sicily and Italy, oleyed his sura-