dion-第4部分

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to　says　to　himself；　the　third　time　he　set　sail　for　the　Strait　of　Scylla…

　　　　　　　　〃Venturing　again　Charybdis's　dangerous　gulf。〃

This　arrival　brought　great　joy　to　Dionysius；　and　no　less　hopes　to　the　Sicilians；　who　were　earnest　in　their　prayers　and　good　wishes　that　Plato　might　get　the　better　of　Philistus；　and　philosophy　triumph　over　tyranny。　Neither　was　he　unbefriended　by　the　women；　who　studied　to　oblige　him；　and　he　had　with　Dionysius　that　peculiar　credit　which　no　man　else　ever　obtained；　namely；　liberty　to　come　into　his　presence　without　being　examined　or　searched。　When　he　would　have　given　him　a　considerable　sum　of　money；　and；　on　several　repeated　occasions；　made　fresh　offers；　which　Plato　did　come　Dion　should　be　assured　of　whatever　he　desired。　Dion　also　Dionysius　was　very　safe　in　his　munificence；　he　gave　little　to　those　who　were　ready　to　take　all　they　could　get；　and　a　great　deal　to　Plato；　who　would　accept　of　nothing。　　　After　the　first　compliments　of　kindness　were　over；　when　Plato　began　to　discourse　of　Dion；　he　was　at　first　diverted　by　excuses　for　delay；　followed　soon　after　by　complaints　and　disgusts；　though　not　as　yet　observable　to　others；　Dionysius　endeavouring　to　conceal　them；　and；　by　other　civilities　and　honourable　usage；　to　draw　him　off　from　his　affection　to　Dion。　And　for　some　time　Plato　himself　was　careful　not　to　let　anything　of　this　dishonesty　and　breach　of　promise　appear；　but　bore　with　it；　and　dissembled　his　annoyance。　While　matters　stood　thus　between　them；　and；　as　they　thought；　they　were　unobserved　and　undiscovered；　Helicon；　the　Cyzicenian；　one　of　Plato's　followers；　foretold　an　eclipse　of　the　sun；　which　happened　according　to　his　prediction；　for　which　he　was　much　admired　by　the　tyrant；　and　rewarded　with　a　talent　of　silver；　whereupon　Aristippus；　jesting　with　some　others　of　the　philosophers；　told　them；　he　also　could　predict　something　extraordinary；　and　on　their　entreating　him　to　declare　it；　〃I　foretell；〃　said　he；　〃that　before　long　there　will　be　a　quarrel　between　Dionysius　and　Plato。〃　　　At　length；　Dionysius　made　sale　of　Dion's　estate；　and　converted　the　money　to　his　own　use；　and　removed　Plato　from　an　apartment　he　had　in　the　gardens　of　the　palace　to　lodgings　among　the　guards　he　kept　in　pay；　who　from　the　first　had　hated　Plato；　and　sought　opportunity　to　make　away　with　him；　supposing　he　advised　Dionysius　to　lay　down　the　government　and　disband　his　soldiers。　　　When　Archytas　understood　the　danger　he　was　in；　he　immediately　sent　a　galley　with　messengers　to　demand　him　of　Dionysius；　alleging　that　he　stood　engaged　for　his　safety；　upon　the　confidence　of　which　Plato　had　come　to　Sicily。　Dionysius；　to　palliate　his　secret　hatred；　before　Plato　came　away；　treated　him　with　great　entertainments　and　all　seeming　demonstrations　of　kindness；　but　could　not　forbear　breaking　out　one　day　into　the　expression；　〃No　doubt；　Plato；　when　you　are　at　home　among　the　philosophers；　your　companions；　you　will　complain　of　me；　and　reckon　up　a　great　many　of　my　faults。〃　To　which　Plato　answered　with　a　smile；　〃The　Academy　will　never；　I　trust；　be　at　such　a　loss　for　subjects　to　discuss　as　to　seek　one　in　you。〃　Thus；　they　say；　Plato　was　dismissed；　but　his　own　writings　do　not　altogether　agree　with　this　account。　　　Dion　was　angry　at　all　this；　and　not　long　after　declared　open　enmity　to　Dionysius；　on　hearing　what　had　been　done　with　his　wife；　on　which　matter　Plato；　also；　had　had　some　confidential　correspondence　with　Dionysius。　Thus　it　was。　After　Dion's　banishment；　Dionysius；　when　he　sent　Plato　back；　had　desired　him　to　ask　Dion　privately；　if　he　would　be　averse　to　his　wife's　marrying　another　man。　For　there　went　a　report；　whether　true；　or　raised　by　Dion's　enemies；　that　his　marriage　was　not　pleasing　to　him；　and　that　he　lived　with　his　wife　on　uneasy　terms。　When　Plato　therefore　came　to　Athens；　and　had　mentioned　the　subject　to　Dion；　he　wrote　a　letter　to　Dionysius　speaking　of　other　matters　openly；　but　on　this　in　language　expressly　designed　to　be　understood　by　him　alone；　to　the　effect　that　he　had　talked　with　Dion　about　the　business；　and　that　it　was　evident　he　would　highly　resent　the　affront；　if　it　should　be　put　into　execution。　At　that　time；　therefore；　while　there　were　yet　great　hopes　of　an　accommodation；　he　took　no　new　steps　with　his　sister；　suffering　her　to　live　with　Dion's　child。　But　when　things　were　come　to　that　pass；　that　no　reconciliation　could　be　expected；　and　Plato；　after　his　second　visit；　was　again　sent　away　in　displeasure；　he　then　forced　Arete；　against　her　will；　to　marry　Timocrates；　one　of　his　favourites；　in　this　action　coming　short　even　of　his　father's　justice　and　lenity；　for　he；　when　Polyxenus；　the　husband　of　his　sister；　Theste；　became　his　enemy；　and　fled　in　alarm　out　of　Sicily；　sent　for　his　sister；　and　taxed　her；　that；　being　privy　to　her　husband's　flight；　she　had　not　declared　it　to　him。　But　the　lady；　confident　and　fearless；　made　him　this　reply：　〃Do　you　believe　me；　brother；　so　bad　a　wife；　or　so　timorous　a　woman；　that　having　known　my　husband's　flight；　I　would　not　have　borne　his　company；　and　shared　his　fortunes？　I　knew　nothing　of　it；　since　otherwise　it　had　been　my　better　lot　to　be　called　the　wife　of　the　exile　Polyxenus　than　the　sister　of　the　tyrant　Dionysius。〃　It　is　said；　he　admired　her　free　and　ready　answer；　as　did　the　Syracusans　also　her　courage　and　virtue；　insomuch　that　she　retained　her　dignity　and　princely　retinue　after　the　dissolution　of　the　tyranny；　and　when　she　died；　the　citizens；　by　public　decree；　attended　the　solemnity　of　her　funeral。　And　the　story；　though　a　digression　from　the　present　purpose；　was　well　worth　the　telling。　　　From　this　time；　Dion　set　his　mind　upon　warlike　measures；　with　which　Plato；　out　of　respect　for　past　hospitalities；　and　because　of　his　age；　would　have　nothing　to　do。　But　Speusippus　and　the　rest　of　his　friends　assisted　and　encouraged　him；　bidding　him　deliver　Sicily；　which　with　lift…up　hands　implored　his　help；　and　with　open　arms　was　ready　to　receive　him。　For　when　Plato　was　staying　at　Syracuse；　Speusippus；　being　oftener　than　he　in　company　with　the　citizens；　had　more　thoroughly　made　out　how　they　were　inclined；　and　though　at　first　they　had　been　on　their　guard；　suspecting　his　bold　language；　as　though　he　had　been　set　on　by　the　tyrant　to　trepan　them；　yet　at　length　they　trusted　him。　There　was　but　one　mind　and　one　wish　or　prayer　among　them　all；　that　Dion　would　undertake　the　design；　and　come；　though　without　either　navy；　men；　horse；　or　arms；　that　he　would　simply　put　himself　aboard　any　ship；　and　lend　the　Sicilians　his　person　and　name　against　Dionysius。　This　information　from　Speusippus　encouraged　Dion；　who；　concealing　his　real　purpose；　employed　his　friends　privately　to　raise　what　men　they　could；　and　many　statesmen　and　philosophers　were　assisting　him；　as；　for　instance；　Eudemus　the　Cyprian；　on　whose　death　Aristotle　wrote　his　Dialogue　of　the　Soul；　and　Timonides　the　Leucadian。　They　also　engaged　on　his　side　Miltas　the　Thessalian；　who　was　a　prophet；　and　had　studied　in　the　Academy。　But　of　all　that　were　banished　by　Dionysius；　who　were　not　fewer　than　a　thousand；　five　and　twenty　only　joined　in　the　enterprise；　the　rest　were　afraid；　and　abandoned　it。　The　rendezvous　was　in　the　island　Zacynthus；　where　a　small　force　of　not　quite　eight　hundred　men　came　together；　all　of　them；　however；　persons　already　distinguished　in　plenty　of　previous　hard　service；　their　bodies　well　trained　and　practised；　and　their　experience　and　courage　amply　sufficient　to　animate　and　embolden　to　action　the　numbers　whom　Dion　expected　to　join　in　Sicily。　　　Yet　these　men；　when　they　first　understood　the　expedition　was　against　Dionysius；　were　troubled　and　disheartened；　blaming　Dion；　that；　hurried　on　like　a　madman　by　mere　passion　and　despair；　he　rashly　threw　both　himself　and　them　into　certain　ruin。　Nor　were　they　less　angry　with　their　commanders　and　muster…masters　that　they　had　not　in　the　beginning　let　them　know　the　design。　But　when　Dion　in　his　address　to　them　had　set　forth　the　unsafe　and　weak　condition　of　arbitrary　government；　and　declared　that　he　carried　them　rather　for　commanders　than　soldiers；　the　citizens　of　Syracuse　and　the　rest　of　the　Sicilians　having　been　long　ready　for　a　revolt；　and　when；　after　him；　Alcimenes；　an　Achaean　of　the　highest　birth　and　reputation；　who　accompanied　the　expedition；　harangued　them　to　the　same　effect；　they　were　contented。　　　It　was　now　the　middle　of　summer；　and　the　Etesian　winds　blowing　steadily　on　the　seas　the　moon　was　at　the　full；　when　Dion　prepared　a　magnificent　sacrifice　to　Apollo；　and　with　great　solemnity　marched　his　soldiers　to　the　temple　in　all　their　arms　and　accoutrements。　And　after　the　sacrifice；　he　feasted　them　all　in　the　race…course　of　the　Zacynthians；　where　he　had　made　provisions　for　their　entertainment。　And　when　here　they　beheld　with　wonder　the　quantity　and　the　richness　of　the　gold　and　silver　plate；　and　the　tables　laid　to　entertain　them；　all　far　exceeding　the　fortunes　of　a　private　man；　they　concluded　with　themselves　that　a　man　now　past　the　prime　of　life；　who　was　master　of　so　much　treasure；　would　not　engage　himself　in　so　hazardous　an　enterprise　without　good　reason　of　hope；　and　certain　and　sufficient　assurances　of　aid　from　friends　over　there。　Just　after　the　libations　were　made；　and　the　accompanying　prayers　offered；　the　moon　was　eclipsed；　which　was　no　wonder　to　Dion；　who　understood　the　revolutions　of　eclipses；　and　the　way　in　which　the　moon　is　overshadowed　and　the　earth　interposed　between　her　and　the　sun。　But　because　it　was　necessary　that　the　soldiers；　who　were　surprised　and　troubled　at　it；　should　be　satisfied　and　encouraged；　Miltas　the　diviner；　standing　up　in　the　midst　of　the　assembly；　bade　them　be　of　good　cheer；　and　expect　all　happy　success；　for　that　the　divine　powers　foreshowed　that　something　at　present　glorious　and　resplendent　should　be　eclipsed　and　obscured；　nothing　at　this　time　being　more　splendid　than　the　sovereignty　of　Dionysius；　their　arrival　in　Sicily　should　dim　this　glory；　and　extinguish　this　brightness。　Thus　Miltas；　in　public；　descanted　upon　the　incident。　But　concerning　a　swarm　of　bees　which　settled　on　the　poop　of　Dion's　ship；　he　privately　told　him　and　his　friends　that　he　feared　the　great　actions　they　were　like　to　perform；　though　for　a　time　they　should　thrive　and　flourish；　would　be　of　short　continuance；　and　soon　suffer　a　decay。　It　is　reported；　also；　that　many　prodigies　happened　to　Dionysi