continues the same author, he that can do what ever he will, is in great danger of doing what he ought not. Besides these characteristics of cruelty and tyranny, which particularly distinguished the first Dionysius, we shall see in his history, whatever unbounded ambition, sustained by great valor, extensive abilities, and the necessary talents for acquiring the confidence of a people, is capable of undertaking for the attainment of sovereignty; the various means he had the address to employ for the maintaining himself in it against the opposition of his enemies, and the odium of the public; and lastly, the tyrant's success in escaping, during a reign of thirty eight years, the many conspiracies forined against him, and in transmitting peaceably the tyranny to his son, as a legitimate possession, and a right of inheritance. CHAPTER I. THIS chapter contains the history of Dionysius the elder, who reigned thirty eight years. SECTION I. MEANS MADE USE OF BY DIONYSIUS THE ELDER TO POSSESS HIMSELF OF THE TYRANNY. DIONYSIUS was a native of Syracuse,' of noble and illustrious extraction according to some, but others f Diod. l. xiii. p. 197. Say his birth was base and obscure. However it was, he distinguished himself by his valor, and acquired great reputation in a war with the Carthaginians. He was one of those who accompanied Hermocrates, when he attempted to reenter Syracuse by force of arms, after having been banished through the intrigues of his enemies. The event of that enterprise was not happy. Hermocrates was killed. The Syracusans did not spare his accomplices, several of whom were publicly executed. Dionysius was left among the wounded. The report of his death, designedly given out by his relations, saved his life. Providence had spared Syracuse an infinity of misfortunes, had he expired either in the fight or by the executioner. The Carthaginians had made several attempts to es tablish themselves in Sicily, and to possess themselves of the principal towns of that island as we have observ. ed elsewhere. Its happy situation for their maritime commerce, the fertility of its soil, and the riches of its inhabitants, were powerful inducements to such an enterprise. We may form an idea of the wealth of its cities from Diodorus Siculus's account of Agrigentum. The temples were of extraordinary magnificence, especially that of Jupiter Olympius, which was three hundred and forty feet in length, sixty in breadth, and one hundred and twenty in height. The piazzas or galleries, in their extent and beauty, answered to the rest of the building. On one side was repre sented the battle of the giants, on the other the taking of Troy, in figures as large as life. Without the city In the History of the Carthaginians, book ii. part i was an artificial lake, which was seven stadia, above a. quarter of a league, in circumference. It was full of all kinds of fish, covered with swans and other waterfowls, and afforded the most agreeable prospect imaginable. It was about the time of which we speak, that Exenetus, victor in the Olympic games, entered the city in triumph in a magnificent chariot, attended by three hundred more, all drawn by white horses. Their habits were adorned with gold and silver, and nothing was ever more splendid than their appearance. Gellias, the most wealthy of the citizens of Agrigentum, erected several large apartments in his house for the reception and entertainment of his guests. Servants waited by his order at the gates of the city, to invite all strangers to lodge at their master's house, whither they conducted them. Hospitality was much practised and esteemed by the generality of that city. A violent storm having obliged five hundred horsemen to take shelter there, Gellias entertained them all in his house, and supplied them immediately with dry clothes, of which he had always a great quantity in his wardrobe. This is understanding how to make a noble use of riches. His cellar is much talked of by historians, in which he had three hundred reservoirs hewn out of the rock, each of which contained one hundred amphora.i This great and oppulent city was besieged and at length taken by the Carthaginians. Its fall shook all ¡ An amphora contained about seven gallons; one hundred consequently consisted of seven hundred gallons, or eleven hogsheads seven gallons. Sicily, and spread an universal terror. The cause of its being lost was imputed to the Syracusans, who had but weakly aided it. Dionysius, who from that time had no other thoughts but of his grand designs, and was secretly active in laying the foundations of his future power, took the advantage of this favourable opportunity, and of the general complaints of Sicily against the Syracusans, to render the magistrates odious, and to exclaim against their administration. In a public assembly, held to consider of the present state of affairs, when no body dared to open their mouths for fear of the persons at the helm, Dionysius rose up, and boldly accused the magistrates of treason; adding, that it was his opinion, that they ought to be deposed immediately, without waiting till the term of their administration should expire. They retorted this audacity with treating him as a seditious person, and a disturber of the public tranquillity, and as such, laid a fine upon him according to the laws. This was to be paid before he could be admitted to speak again, and Dionysius was not in a condition to discharge it. Philistus, one of the richest citizens, who wrote the history of Sicily, which is not come down to us, deposited the money, and exhorted him at the same time to give his opinion upon the state of affairs with all the liberty which became a citizen zealous for his country. Dionysius accordingly resumed his discourse with more vigor than before. He had long cultivated the habit of eloquence, which he had looked upon with reason as a very necessary talent in a republican govVOL. 4. 24 ernment; especially in his views of acquiring the peo. ple's favour, and of reconciliating them to his measures. He began with describing in a lively and pathetic manner the ruin of Agrigentum, a neighbouring city in their alliance; the deplorable extremity to which the inhabitants had been reduced, of quitting the place under the cover of the night; the cries and lamentations of infants, and of aged and sick persons, whom they had been obliged to abandon to a cruel and merciless enemy; and the consequential murder of all who had been left in the city, whom the barbarous victor dragged from the temples and altars of the gods; feeble refuges against the Carthaginian fury and impiety. He imputed all these evils to the treachery of the commanders of the army, who, instead of marching to the relief of Agrigentum, had retreated with their troops; to the criminal protraction and delay of the magistrates, corrupted by Carthaginian bribes; and to the pride of the great and rich, who regarded nothing but establishing their own power upon the ruins of their country's liberty. He represented Syracuse as composed of two different bodies; the one, by their power and influence, usurping all the dignities and wealth of the state; the other, obscure, despised, and trod under foot, bearing the same yoke of a shameful servitude, and rather slaves than citizens. He concluded with saying, that the only remedy for so many evils was to elect persons from among the people devoted to their interests, and who, not being capable of rendering themselves formidable by their riches and authority, would be solely employed for the public good, and |