:

upon mere conjecture, but upon too evident proof, his complaints were founded that Imilcar, the general of the Carthaginians, had sent an officer to him, under pretext of treating about the ransom of prisoners, but in reality to prevail on him not to be too strict in examining into the conduct of his colleagues; and that if he would not enter into the measures of Carthage, at least that he would not oppose them; that for his part, he came to resign his command, and to abdicate his dignity, that he might leave no room for injurious suspicions of his acting in concert, and holding intelligence with traitors who sold the commonwealth.

The

This discourse being rumoured amongst the troops and about the city, occasioned great inquietude and alarm. next day the assembly was summoned, and Dionysius renewed his complaints against the generals, which were received with universal applause. Some of the assembly cried out that it was necessary to appoint him generalissimo, with unlimited power, and that it would be too late for so salutary a recourse when the enemy was at the gates of Syracuse; that the importance of the war which threatened them required such a leader; that it was in the same manner formerly that Gelon was elected generalissimo, and defeated the Carthaginian army at Himera, which consisted of 300,000 men; that as for the accusation alleged against the traitors, it might be referred to another day, but that the present affair would admit of no delay. Nor was it deferred in effect; for the people, who, when once prejudiced, run headlong after their opinion without examining any thing, elected Dionysius generalissimo with unlimited power that instant. In the same assembly he caused it to be decreed, that the soldiers pay should be doubled; insinuating that the state would be amply reimbursed by the conquests consequential of that advance. This being done, and the as sembly dismissed, the Syracusans, upon cool reflection on what had passed, began to be in some consternation; as if it had not been the effect of their own choice; and comprehended, though too late, that from the desire of preserving their li berty, they had given themselves a master.

Dionysius rightly judged the importance of taking his measures before the people repented what they had done. There remained but one step more to the tyranny, which was to have a body of guards assigned him; and that he accomplished in the most artful and politic manner. He proposed, that all the citi zens under 40 years of age, and capable of bearing arms, should march with provisions for 30 days to the city of Leontium. The Syracusans were at that time in possession of the place, and had a garrison in it. It was full of fugitive and foreign soldiers, who were very fit persons for the execution of his de signs. He justly suspected, that the greatest part of the Syra

cusans would not follow him. He set out however, and incamped in the night upon the plains near the city. It was not long before a great noise was heard throughout the camp. This tumult was raised by persons planted for that purpose by Dionysius. He affected, that ambuscades had been laid with design to assassinate him, and in great trouble and alarm retired for refuge into the citadel of Leontium, where he passed the rest of the night, after having caused a great number of fires to be lighted, and drawn off such of the troops as he most confided in. At break of day the people assembled in a body, to whom, expressing still great apprehension, he explained the danger he had been in, and demanded permission to choose himself a guard of 600 men for the security of his person. Pisistratus had set him the example long before, and had used the same stratagem when he made himself tyrant of Athens. His demand seemed very reasonable, and was accordingly complied with. He chose out 1000 men for his guard upon the spot, armed them completely, equipped them magnificently, and made them great promises for their encouragement. He also attached the foreign soldiers to his interest in a peculiar manner, by speaking to them with great freedom and affability. He made many removals and alterations in the troops, to secure the officers in his interest, and dismissed Dexippus to Sparta, in whom he could not confide. At the same time he ordered a great part of the garrison which he had sent to Gela to join him, and assembled from all parts fugitives, exiles, debtors, and criminals: a train worthy of a tyrant.

With his escort he returned to Syracuse, which trembled at his approach. The people were no longer in a condition to oppose his undertakings, or to dispute his authority. The city was full of foreign soldiers, and saw itself upon the point of being attacked by the Carthaginians. To strengthen himself the more in the tyranny, he espoused the daughter of Hermocrates, the most powerful citizen of Syracuse, and who had contributed the most to the defeat of the Athenians. He also gave his sister in marriage to Polyxenus, brother-inlaw of Hermocrates. He afterwards summoned an assembly, in which he rid himself of Dalpheus and Demarchus, who had been the most active in opposing his usurpation. In this manner Dionysius, from a simple notary and a citizen of the lowest class, made himself absolute ford and tyrant of the greatest and most opulent city of Sicily.

SECTION II.

COMMOTIONS IN SICILY AND AT SYRACUSE AGAINST DIONYSIUS-HE FINDS MEANS TO DISPEL THEM.

DIONYSIUS had a rude shock to experience* in the beginning of his usurpation. The Carthaginians having besieged Gela, he marched to its relief, and after some unsuccessful endeavours against the enemy, threw himself into the place. He behaved there with little vigour; and all the service he did the inhabitants was to make them abandon their city in the night, and to cover their flight in person. He was suspected of acting in concert with the enemy, and the more because they did not pursue him, and that he lost very few of his foreign soldiers. All the inhabitants who remained at Gela were butchered. Those of Camarina, to avoid the same fate, followed their example, and withdrew with all the effects they could carry away. The moving sight of aged persons, matrons, young virgins, and tender infants, hurried on beyond their strength, struck Dionysius's troops with compassion, and incensed them against the tyrant. Those he had raised in Italy withdrew to their own country; and the Syracusan cavalry, after having made a vain attempt to kill him upon the march, from his being surrounded with his foreigners, made forwards, and having entered Syracuse, went directly to his palace, which they plundered, using his wife at the same time with so much vio lence and ill usage, that she died of it soon after. Dionysius, who had foreseen their design, followed them close with only 100 horse, and 400 foot; and having marched almost 20 leagues with the utmost expedition, he arrived at midnight at one of the gates, which he found shut against him. He set fire to it, and opened himself a passage in that manner. The richest of the citizens ran thither to dispute his entrance, but were surrounded by the soldiers, and almost all of them killed. Dionysius having entered the city, put all to the sword that came in his way, plundered the houses of his enemies, of whom he killed a great number, and forced the rest to leave Syracuse. The next day in the morning the whole body of his troops ar rived. The unhappy fugitives of Gela and Camarina, out of horror for the tyrant, retired to the Leontines. Imilcar hav ing sent an herald to Syracuse, a treaty was concluded, as mentioned in the history of the Carthaginians.t By one of the articles it was stipulated, that Syracuse should continue under the government of Dionysius; which confirmed all the sus picions that had been conceived of him. This happened in the year Darius Nothus died.‡

* Diod. l. xiii. p. 227, 231.

§ 400 stadia.

† Vol. I

A. M. 3600. Ant. J. C. 404.

It was then he sacrificed every thing that gave umbrage to his repose and security. He knew, that after having deprived the Syracusans of all that was dear to them, he could not fail of incurring their extreme abhorrence: and the fear of the miseries he had to expect in consequence, increased in the usurper in proportion to their hatred of him. He looked upon all his new subjects as so many enemies, and believed that he could only avoid the dangers which surrounded him on all sides and dogged him in all places, by cutting off one part of the people to intimidate the other. He did not observe, that in adding the cruelty of executions to the oppression of the public, he only multiplied his enemies, and induced them, after . the loss of their liberty, to preserve at least their lives by attempting upon his.

Dionysius, who foresaw that the Syracusans would not fail to take the advantage of the repose in which the treaty lately concluded with the Carthaginians had left them, to attempt the re-establishment of their liberty, neglected nothing on his side in support of his power. He fortified the part of the city called the Isle, which was before very strong from the nature of its situation, and might be defended by a moderate garrison. He surrounded it with good walls, flanked at due distances with high towers, and separated in that manner from the rest of the city. To these works he added a strong citadel, to serve him for a retreat and refuge in case of accident, and caused a great number of shops and piazzas to be erected, capable of containing a considerable multitude of inhabitants.

As to the lands, he chose out the best of them, which he bestowed upon his creatures and the officers of his making, and distributed the rest in equal proportion amongst the citizens and strangers, including the slaves, who had been made free amongst the first. He divided the houses in the same manner, reserving those in the isle for such of the citizens as he could most confide in, and for his strangers.

After having taken these precautions for his security, he began to think of subjecting several free states of Sicily, which had aided the Carthaginians. He began with the siege of Herbesses. The Syracusans in his army, seeing their swords in their hands, thought it their duty to use them for the reestablishment of their liberty. At a time when they met in throngs to concert their measures, one of the officers, who took upon him to reprove them, on that account, was killed upon the spot, and his death served as a signal for their revolt. They sent immediately to Etna for the horse, who had retired thither at the beginning of the revolution, Dionysius, alarmed at this motion, raised the siege, and marched directly to Syracuse, to keep it in obedience. The revolters followed f Diod. p. 238, 241.

him close, and having seized upon the suburb Epipolis, barred all communication with the country. They received aid from their allies both by sea and land, and setting a price upon the tyrant's head, promised the freedom of the city to such of the strangers as should abandon him. A great number came over to them, whom they treated with the utmost favour and humanity. They made their machines advance, and battered the walls of the isle vigorously, without giving Dionysius the least respite.

The tyrant, finding himself reduced to extremities, abandoned by the greatest part of the strangers, and shut up on the side of the country, assembled his friends to consult with them, rather by what kind of death he should put a glorious period to his career, than upon the means of saving himself. They endeavoured to inspire him with new courage, and were divided in their opinions; but at last the advice of Philistus prevailed, which was that he should by no means renounce the tyranny. Dionysius, to gain time, sent deputies to the revolters, and demanded permission to quit the place with his adherents, which was granted, and five ships to transport his people and effects. He had, however, sent dispatches secretly to the Campanians, who garrisoned the places in the possession of the Carthaginians, with offers of considerable reward if they would come to his relief.

The Syracusans, who, after the treaty, believed their business done, and the tyrant entirely defeated, had disarmed part of their troops, and the rest acted with great indolence and little discipline. The arrival of the Campanians, to the number of 1200 horse, infinitely surprised and alarmed the city. After having beat such as disputed their passage, they opened themselves a way to Dionysius. At the same time 300 soldiers more arrived to his assistance: the face of things was then entirely altered, and terror and dejection changed parties. Dionysius, in a sally, drove them vigorously as far as that part of the city called Neapolis. The slaughter was not very considerable, because he had given orders to spare those who fled. He caused the dead to be interred, and gave those who had retired to Etna to understand that they might return with entire security. Many came to Syracuse, but others did not think it advisable to confide in the faith of a tyrant. The Campanians were rewarded to their satisfaction, and dismissed. The Lacedæmonians at this time took such measures in regard to Syracuse as were most unworthy of the Spartan name. They had lately subverted the liberty of Athens, and declared publicly in all the cities of their dependence against popular government. They deputed one of their citizens to Syracuse, to express in appearance the part they took in the misfortunes of that city, and to offer it their aid; but in reality he was