Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/220

1<J4 HISTORY OF GREECE. state of prosperous and active freedom, which had followed on thn expulsion of the Gelonian dynasty a hundred and twenty years before, and lasted about fifty years, without either despots within or invaders from without was now again made prevalent ihroughout Sicily under the auspices of Timoleon. It did not in- deed last so long. It was broken up in the year 316 B. c., twen- ty-four years after the battle of the Krimesus, by the despot Aga- ihokles, whose father was among the immigrants to Syracuse under the settlement of Timolecn. But the interval of security and freedom with which Sicily was blessed between these two epochs, she owed to the generous patriotism and intelligent coun- cil of Timoleon. There are few other names among the Grecian annals, with which we can connect so large an amount of prede termined and beneficent result. Endeared to the Syracusans as a common father and benefac- tor, 1 and exhibited as their hero to all visitors from Greece, he passed the remainder of his life amidst the fulness of affection- ate honor. Unfortunately for the Syracusans, that remainder was but too short ; for he died of an illness apparently slight, in the year 337-336 B. c. three or four years after the battle of the Krimesus. Profound and unfeigned was the sorrow which his death excited, universally, throughout Sicily. Not merely the Syracusans, but crowds from all other parts of the island, attended to do honor to his funeral, which was splendidly celebrated at the public cost. Some of the chosen youths of the city carried the bier whereon his body was deposited : a countless procession of men and women followed, in their festival attire, crowned with wreaths, and mingling with their tears admiration and envy for their departed liberator. The procession was made to pass over that ground which presented the most honorable memento of Timoleon ; where the demolished Dionysian stronghold had once reared its head, and where the court of justice was now placed, at the entrance of Ortygia. At length it reached the Nekropolis, between Ortygia and Achradina, where a massive funeral pile 1 Plutarch, Timoleon, c. 39. 'Ei> Toiaiiry de yriporpopovftevof -tuy per , ua-rep Trarijp Koivof, iic /fiKpuf irpofuaEcc TV />6vcj ffvr<