dion-第10部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


eight　of　prosperity；　and　no　man　living　greater　than　he；　no　general　more　renowned　for　valour　and　success；　yet　in　his　guard；　his　attendance；　his　table；　he　seemed　as　if　he　rather　commoned　with　Plato　in　the　Academy　than　lived　among　hired　captains　and　paid　soldiers；　whose　solace　of　their　toils　and　dangers　it　is　to　eat　and　drink　their　fill；　and　enjoy　themselves　plentifully　every　day。　Plato　indeed　wrote　to　him　that　the　eyes　of　all　the　world　were　now　upon　him；　but　it　is　evident　that　he　himself　had　fixed　his　eye　upon　one　place　in　one　city；　the　Academy；　and　considered　that　the　spectators　and　judges　there　regarded　not　great　actions；　courage；　or　fortune；　but　watched　to　see　how　temporately　and　wisely　he　could　use　his　prosperity；　how　evenly　he　could　behave　himself　in　the　high　condition　he　now　was　in。　Neither　did　he　remit　anything　of　his　wonted　stateliness　in　conversation　or　serious　charge　to　the　people；　he　made　it　rather　a　point　to　maintain　it；　notwithstanding　that　a　little　condescension　and　obliging　civility　were　very　necessary　for　his　present　affairs；　and　Plato；　as　we　said　before；　rebuked　him；　and　wrote　to　tell　him　that　self…will　keeps　house　with　solitude。　But　certainly　his　natural　temperament　was　one　that　could　not　bend　to　complaisance；　and；　besides；　he　wished　to　work　the　Syracusans　back　the　other　way；　out　of　their　present　excess　of　license　and　caprice。　　　Heraclides　began　again　to　set　up　against　him；　and；　being　invited　by　Dion　to　make　one　of　the　Council；　refused　to　come；　saying　he　would　give　his　opinion　as　a　private　citizen　in　the　public　assembly。　Next　he　complained　of　Dion　because　he　had　not　demolished　the　citadel；　and　because　he　had　hindered　the　people　from　throwing　down　Dionysius's　tomb　and　doing　despite　to　the　dead；　moreover；　he　accused　him　for　sending　to　Corinth　for　counsellors　and　assistants　in　the　government；　thereby　neglecting　and　slighting　his　fellow…citizens。　And　indeed　he　had　sent　messages　for　some　Corinthians　to　come　to　him；　hoping　by　their　means　and　presence　the　better　to　settle　that　constitution　he　intended；　for　he　designed　to　suppress　the　unlimited　democratic　government；　which　indeed　is　not　a　government；　but；　as　Plato　calls　it；　a　market…place　of　governments；　and　to　introduce　and　establish　a　mixed　polity；　on　a　Spartan　and　Cretan　model；　between　a　commonwealth　and　a　monarchy；　wherein　an　aristocratic　body　should　preside；　and　determine　all　matters　of　greatest　consequence；　for　he　saw　also　that　the　Corinthians　were　chiefly　governed　by　something　like　an　oligarchy；　and　the　people　but　little　concerned　in　public　business。　　　Now　knowing　that　Heraclides　would　be　his　most　considerable　adversary；　and　that　in　all　ways　he　was　a　turbulent；　fickle；　and　factious　man；　he　gave　way　to　some　whom　formerly　he　hindered　when　they　designed　to　kill　him；　who；　breaking　in；　murdered　Heraclides　in　his　own　house。　His　death　was　much　resented　by　the　citizens。　Nevertheless；　when　Dion　made　him　a　splendid　funeral；　followed　the　dead　body　with　all　his　soldiers；　and　then　addressed　them；　they　understood　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　have　kept　the　city　quiet；　as　long　as　Dion　and　Heraclides　were　competitors　in　the　government。　　　Dion　had　a　friend　called　Callippus；　an　Athenian；　who；　Plato　says；　first　made　acquaintance　and　afterwards　obtained　familiarity　with　him；　not　from　any　connection　with　his　philosophic　studies；　but　on　occasion　afforded　by　the　celebration　of　the　mysteries；　and　in　the　way　of　ordinary　society。　This　man　went　with　him　in　all　his　military　service；　and　was　in　great　honour　and　esteem；　being　the　first　of　his　friends　who　marched　by　his　side　into　Syracuse；　wearing　a　garland　upon　his　head；　having　behaved　himself　very　well　in　all　the　battles；　and　made　himself　remarkable　for　his　gallantry。　He；　finding　that　Dion's　principal　and　most　considerable　friends　were　cut　off　in　the　war；　Heraclides　now　dead；　and　the　people　without　a　leader；　and　that　the　soldiers　had　a　great　kindness　for　him；　like　a　perfidious　and　wicked　villain；　in　hopes　to　get　the　chief　command　of　Sicily　as　his　reward　for　the　ruin　of　his　friend　and　benefactor；　and；　as　some　say；　being　also　bribed　by　the　enemy　with　twenty　talents　to　destroy　Dion；　inveigled　and　engaged　several　of　the　soldiers　in　a　conspiracy　against　him；　taking　this　cunning　and　wicked　occasion　for　his　plot。　He　daily　informed　Dion　of　what　he　heard　or　what　he　feigned　the　soldiers　said　against　him；　whereby　he　gained　that　credit　and　confidence；　that　he　was　allowed　by　Dion　to　consort　privately　with　whom　he　would；　and　talk　freely　against　him　in　any　company；　that　he　might　discover　who　were　his　secret　and　factious　maligners。　By　this　means；　Callippus　in　a　short　time　got　together　a　cabal　of　all　the　seditious　malcontents　in　the　city；　and　if　any　one　who　would　be　drawn　in　advised　Dion　that　he　was　tampered　with；　he　was　not　troubled　or　concerned　at　it；　believing　Callippus　did　it　in　compliance　with　his　directions。　　　While　this　conspiracy　was　afoot；　a　strange　and　dreadful　apparition　was　seen　by　Dion。　As　he　sat　one　evening　in　a　gallery　in　his　house；　alone　and　thoughtful；　hearing　a　sudden　noise　he　turned　about；　and　saw　at　the　end　of　the　colonnade；　by　clear　daylight；　a　tall　woman；　in　her　countenance　and　garb　like　one　of　the　tragical　Furies；　with　a　broom　in　her　hand；　sweeping　the　floor。　Being　amazed　and　extremely　affrighted；　he　sent　for　some　of　his　friends；　and　told　them　what　he　had　seen；　entreating　them　to　stay　with　him　and　keep　him　company　all　night；　for　he　was　excessively　discomposed　and　alarmed；　fearing　that　if　he　were　left　alone　the　spectre　would　again　appear　to　him。　He　saw　it　no　more。　But　a　few　days　after；　his　only　son；　being　almost　grown　up　to　man's　estate；　upon　some　displeasure　and　pet　he　had　taken　upon　a　childish　and　frivolous　occasion；　threw　himself　headlong　from　the　top　of　the　house　and　broke　his　neck。　　　While　Dion　was　under　this　affliction；　Callippus　drove　on　his　conspiracy；　and　spread　a　rumour　among　the　Syracusans　that　Dion；　being　now　childless；　was　resolved　to　send　for　Dionysius's　son；　Apollocrates；　who　was　his　wife's　nephew　and　sister's　grandson；　and　make　him　his　heir　and　successor。　By　this　time；　Dion　and　his　wife　and　sister　began　to　suspect　what　was　doing；　and　from　all　hands　information　came　to　them　of　the　plot。　Dion　being　troubled；　it　is　probable；　for　Heraclides's　murder；　which　was　like　to　be　a　blot　and　stain　upon　his　life　and　actions；　in　continual　weariness　and　vexation；　he　had　rather　die　a　thousand　times；　and　open　his　breast　himself　to　the　assassin；　than　live　not　only　in　fear　of　his　enemies　but　suspicion　of　his　friends。　But　Callippus；　seeing　the　women　very　inquisitive　to　search　to　the　bottom　of　the　business；　took　alarm；　and　came　to　them；　utterly　denying　it　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　offering　to　give　them　whatever　assurances　of　his　fidelity　they　desired。　They　required　that　he　should　take　the　Great　Oath；　which　was　after　this　manner。　The　juror　went　into　the　sanctuary　of　Ceres　and　Proserpine；　where；　after　the　performance　of　some　ceremonies；　he　was　clad　in　the　purple　vestment　of　the　goddess；　and；　holding　a　lighted　torch　in　his　hand；　took　his　oath。　Callippus　did　as　they　required；　and　forswore　the　fact。　And　indeed　he　so　little　valued　the　goddesses　that　he　stayed　but　till　the　very　festival　of　Proserpine；　by　whom　he　had　sworn；　and　on　that　very　day　committed　his　intended　murder；　as　truly　he　might　well　enough　disregard　the　day；　since　he　must　at　any　other　time　as　impiously　offend　her；　when　he　who　had　acted　as　her　initiating　priest　should　shed　the　blood　of　her　worshipper。　　　There　were　a　great　many　in　the　conspiracy；　and　as　Dion　was　at　home　with　several　of　his　friends　in　a　room　with　tables　for　entertainment　in　it；　some　of　the　conspirators　beset　the　house　around；　others　secured　the　doors　and　windows。　The　actual　intended　murderers　were　some　Zacynthians；　who　went　inside　in　their　under…dresses　without　swords。　Those　outside　shut　the　doors　upon　them　and　kept　them　fast。　The　murderers　fell　on　Dion；　endeavouring　to　stifle　and　crush　him；　then；　finding　they　were　doing　nothing；　they　called　for　a　sword；　but　none　durst　open　the　door。　There　were　a　great　many　within　with　Dion；　but　every　one　was　for　securing　himself；　supposing　that　by　letting　him　lose　his　life　he　should　save　his　own；　and　therefore　no　man　ventured　to　assist　him。　When　they　had　waited　a　good　while；　at　length　Lycon　the　Syracusan　reached　a　short　sword　in　at　the　window　to　one　of　the　Zacynthians；　and　thus；　like　a　victim　at　a　sacrifice；　this　long　time　in　their　power　and　trembling　for　the　blow；　they　killed　him。　His　sister；　and　wife　big　with　child；　they　hurried　to　prison；　who；　poor　lady；　in　her　unfortunate　condition　was　there　brought　to　bed　of　a　son；　which；　by　the　consent　of　the　keepers；　they　intended　to　bring　up；　the　rather　because　Callippus　began　already　to　be　embroiled　in　troubles。　　　After　the　murder　of　Dion；　he　was　in　great　glory；　and　had　the　sole　government　of　Syracuse　in　his　hands；　and　to　that　effect　wrote　to　Athens；　a　place　which；　next　the　immortal　gods；　being　guilty　of　such　an　abominable　crime；　he　ought　to　have　regarded　with　shame　and　fear。　But　true　it　is；　what　is　said　of　that　city；　that　the　good　men　she　breeds　are　the　most　excellent；　and　the　bad　the　most　notorious；　as　their　country　also　produces　the　most　delicious　honey　and　the　most　deadly　hemlock。　Callippus；　however；　did　not　long　continue　to　scandalize　fortune　and　upbraid　the　gods　with　his　prosperity；　as　though　they　connived　at　and　bore　with　the　wretched　man；　while　he　purchased　riches　and　power　by　heinous　impieties；　but　quickly　received　the　punishment　he　deserved。　For；　going　to　take　Catana；　he　lost　Syracuse；　whereupon　they　report　he　said；　he　had　lost　a　city　and　got　a　bauble。　Then　attempting　Messene；　he　had　most　of　his　men　cut　off；　and；　among　the　rest；　Dion's　murderers。　When　no　city　in　Sicily　would　admit　him；　but　all　hated　and　abhorred　him；　he　went　into　Italy　and　took　Rhegium；　and　there；　being　in　distress　and　not　able　to　maintain　his　soldiers；　he　was　killed　by　Leptines　and　Polysperchon；　and；　as　fortune　would　have　it；　with　the　same　sword　by　which　Dion　was　murdered；　which　was　known　by　the　size；　being　but　short；　as　the　Spartan　swords；　and　the　workmanship　of　it　very　curious　and　artificial。　Thus　Callippus　received　the　reward　of　his　villainies。　　　When　Aristomache　and　Arete　were　released　out　of　prison；　Hicetes；　one　of　Dion's　friends；　took　them　to　his　house；　and　seemed　to