"throughout his whole dominions, with the extent of which 66 you are not unacquainted. It is himself who makes all "these advances, who importunes and solicits you to come "to his assistance, and employs the interest of all your friends "to that purpose. What more favourable conjuncture could "we expect from the divine providence than that which now "offers itself? Are you not afraid that your delays will give "the flatterers who surround the young prince the oppor "tunity of drawing him over to themselves, and of seducing "him to change his resolution? What reproaches would you "not make yourself, and what dishonour would it not be to "philosophy, should it ever be said that Plato, whose coun"sels to Dionysius might have established a wise and equitable 66 government in Sicily, abandoned it to all the evils of tyran"ny, rather than undergo the fatigues of a voyage, or from "I know not what other imaginary difficulties.'

* Plato could not resist solicitations of so much force. Vanquished by the consideration of his own character, and to obviate the reproach of his being a philosopher in words only, without having ever shown himself such in his actions, and conscious besides of the great advantages which Sicily might acquire from his voyage, he suffered himslf to be persuaded. The flatterers at the court of Dionysius, terrified with the resolution he had taken contrary to their remonstrances, and fearing the presence of Plato, of which they foresaw the consequences, united together against him as their common enemy. They rightly judged, that if, according to the new maxims of government, all things were to be measured by the standard of true merit, and no favour to be expected from the prince but for the services done the state, they had nothing further to expect, and might wait their whole lives at court to no manner of purpose. They therefore spared no pains to render Plato's voyage ineffectual, though they were not able to prevent it. They prevailed upon Dionysius to recal Philistus from banishment, who was not only an able soldier, but a great historian, very eloquent and learned, and a zealous assertor of the tyranny. They hoped to find a counterpoise in him against Plato and his philosophy. Upon his being banished by Dionysius the elder, on some personal discontent, he had retired into the city of Adria, where it is believed he composed the greatest part of his writings. He wrote the history of Egypt, in 12 books, that of Sicily in 11, and of Dionysius the tyrant in six; all which works are entirely lost. Cicero praises him much, and calls him Thucydides the Less, pene pusillus Thucydides, to signify that he copied after that author not unhappily. The courtiers at the same time made complaints a † Diod. 1. xiii. p. 222,

Plut. p. 962,

gainst Dion to Dionysius, accusing him of having held conferences with Theodotus and Heraclides, the secret enemies of that prince, upon measures for subverting the tyranny.

This was the state of affairs when Plato arrived in Sicily. He was received with infinite caresses, and with the highest marks of honour and respect. Upon his landing, he found one of the prince's chariots, equally magnificent in its horses and ornaments, attending upon him. The tyrant offered a sacri fice, as if some singular instance of good fortune had befallen him. Nor was he mistaken: for a wise man, who is capable of giving a prince good counsels, is a treasure of inestimable value to a whole nation. But the worth of such a person is rarely known, and more rarely applied to the uses which might be made of it.

Plato found the most happy dispositions imaginable in young Dionysius, who applied himself entirely to his lessons and counsels; but as he had improved infinitely from the precepts and example of Socrates his master, the most exquisite of all the pagan world in forming the mind for a right taste of truth, The took care to adapt himself with wonderful address to the young tyrant's humour, avoiding all direct attacks upon his passions; taking pains to acquire his confidence by kind and insinuating behaviour; and particularly endeavouring to ren der virtue amiable, and at the same time triumphant over vice, which keeps mankind in its chains, by the sole force of allurements, pleasure, and voluptuousness.

The change was sudden and surprising. The young prince, who had abandoned himself till then to idleness, pleasure, and luxury, and was ignorant of all the duties of his character, the inevitable consequences of a dissolute life, awaking as from a lethargic sleep, began to open his eyes, to have some idea of the beauty of virtue, and to relish the refined pleasure of conversation equally solid and agreeable. He was now as passionately fond of learning and instruction, as he had once been averse and repugnant to them. The court, which always apes the prince, and falls in with his inclinations in every thing, entered into the same way of thinking. The apart ments of the palace, like so many schools of geometry, were full of the dust made use of by the professors of that science in tracing their figures; and in a very short time the study of philosophy and of every kind of literature became the reigning and universal taste.

The great benefit of these studies in regard to a prince does not consist alone in storing his mind with an infinity of the most curious, useful, and often necessary notions of things, but has the further advantage of abstracting him from idleness,

† Plut. in Dion. P. 963.

indolence, and the frivolous amusements of a court; of habituating him to a life of application and reflection; of inspiring him with a passion to inform himself in the duties of the sovereignty, and to know the characters of such as have excelled in the art of reigning; in a word, of making himself capable of governing the state in his own person, and of seeing every thing with his own eyes, that is to say, to be indeed a king; but that the courtiers and flatterers are almost always unanimous in opposing.

They were considerably alarmed by a word that escaped Dionysius, and showed how much he was affected with the discourses he had heard upon the happiness of a king, regarded with tender affection by his people as their common father, and the wretched condition of a tyrant, whom they abhor and detest. Some days after Plato's arrival was the anniversary, on which a solemn sacrifice was offered in the palace for the prince's prosperity. The herald having prayed to this effect, according to custom, "that it would please the gods to sup"port the tyranny, and preserve the tyrant," Dionysius, who was not far from him, and to whom these terms began to grow odious, called out to him aloud, "will you not give over "cursing me!" Philistus and his party were infinitely alarmed at that expression, and judged from it,that time and habit must give Plato an invincible ascendant over Dionysius, if the correspondence of a few days could so entirely alter his disposition. They therefore set themselves at work upon new and more effectual stratagems against him.

They began by turning the retired life which Dionysius led with Plato, and the studies in which he employed himself, inta ridicule, as if intended to make a philosopher of him. But that was not all; they laboured in concert to render the zeal of Dion and Plato suspected, and even odious to him. They represented them as impertinent censors and imperious peda gogues, who assumed an authority over him, which neither consisted with his age nor rank. It is no wonder that a young prince like Dionysius, who, with the most excellent natural parts, and amidst the best examples, would have found it difficult to have supported itself should at length give way to such artful insinuations in a court that had long been infected. where there was no emulation but to excel in vice, and where he was continually besieged by a crowd of flatterers incessantly praising and admiring him in every thing.

But the principal application of the courtiers was to decry the character and conduct of Dion himself; not separately, nor in the method of whisper, but altogether, and in public. They talked openly, and to whoever would give them the hearing, that it was visible Dion made use of Plato's eloquence to insinuate and enchant Dionysius, with a design to draw him

into a voluntary resignation of the throne, that he might take possession of it for his nephews, the children of Aristomache, and establish them in the sovereignty. They added, that it was very extraordinary and afflicting, that the Athenians, who had formerly invaded Sicily with great forces both by sea and land, which had all perished there without being able to take Syracuse, should now with a single sophist attain their point, and subvert the tyranny of Dionysius, by persuading him to dismiss the 10,000 strangers of his guard; to lay aside his fleet of 400 galleys, which he always kept in readiness for service; and to disband his 10,000 horse, and the greatest part of his foot; for the sake of going to find in the academy, the place where Plato taught, a pretended supreme gocl not explicable, and to make himself happy in imagination by the study of geometry, whilst he abandoned to Dion and his nephews a real and substantial felicity, consisting in empire, riches, luxury, and pleasure.

SECTION II.

BANISHMENT OF DION.

THE Courtiers, intent upon making the best use of every fa ourable moment, perpetually besieged the young prince, and covering their secret motives under the appearance of zeal for his service, and an affected moderation in regard to Dion, incessantly advised him to take proper measures for the security of his life and throne. Such repeated discourses soon raised in the mind of Dionysius the most violent suspicions of Dion, which presently increased into fierce resentment, and broke out in an open rupture. Letters were privately brought to Dionysius, written by Dion to the Carthaginian ambassadors, wherein he tells them, "that when they should treat of peace "with Dionysius, he would advise them not to open the con"ferences but in his presence; because he would assist them "in making their treaty more firm and lasting." Dionysius read these letters to Philistus, and having concerted with him what measures to take, he amused Dion with the appearance of a reconciliation, and led him alone to the sea-side below the citadel, where he showed him his letters, and accused him of having entered into a league against him with the Carthaginians. Dion would have justified himself, but he refused to hear him, and made him immediately go on board a brigantine, which had orders to carry him to the coast of Italy, and to leave him there. Dion immediately after set sail for Peloponnesus.

So hard and unjust a treatment could not fail of making abundance of noise, and the whole city declared against it;

Diod. l. xvi, p. 410. 411.

+ Plut.

P. 9641

especially as it was reported, though without foundation, that Plato had been put to death. + Dionysius, who apprehended the consequences, took pains to appease the public discontent, and to obviate complaints. He gave Dion's relations two vessels to transport to him in Peloponnesus his riches and numerous family; for he had the equipage of a king.

As soon as Dion was gone, Dionysius made Plato change his lodging, and brought him into the citadel; in appearance to do him honour, but in reality to assure himself of his person, and prevent him from going to join Dion. In bringing Plato near to him, he might also have in view the opportunity of hearing him more frequently and more commodiously. For, charmed with the delights of his conversation, and studious of pleasing him in every thing, and to merit his affection, he had conceived an esteem, or rather passion for him, which rose even to jealousy, but a jealousy of that violence, that could suffer neither companion nor rival. He was for engrossing him entirely to himself, for reigning solely in his thoughts and affections, and for being the only object of his love and esteem. He seemed content to give him all his treasures and authority, prowided he would but love him better than Dion, and not prefer the latter's friendship to his. Plutarch has reason to call this. passion a tyrannic affection. Plato had much to suffer from it, for it had all the symptoms of the most ardent jealousy.

Sometimes it was all friendship, caresses, and fond respect, with an unbounded effusion of heart, and an endless swell of tender sentiments; sometimes it was all reproaches, menaces, fierce passion, and wild emotion; and soon after it sunk into repentance, excuses, tears, and humble entreates of pardon and forgiveness.

About this time a war broke out very conveniently for Plato, which obliged Dionysius to restore him to his liberty, and send him home. At his departure he would have laden him with presents, but Plato refused them, contenting himself with his promise to recal Dion the following spring: he did not keep his word, and only sent him his revenues, desiring Plato in his letters to excuse his breach of promise at the time prefixed, and to impute it only to the war. He assured him, as soon as peace should be concluded, that Dion should return; upon condition, however, that he should continue quiet, and not intermeddle in affairs, nor endeavour to lessen him in the opinion of the Greeks.

Plato, in his return to Greece, went to see the games at Olympia, where he happened to lodge amongst strangers of Plat. epist. vii.

In amore hæc omnia insunt vitia; suspiciones, inimicitiæ, in juriæ, induciæ, bellum, pax rursum. Terent. in Eunuch.

In amore hæc sunt mala, bellum, pax rursum. Horat.