the seventh letter-第7章
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bring Heracleides before us to defend himself on the charges which
have been made against him； and if he decides that Heracleides must no
longer live in Sicily； he should be allowed （this is my point） to take
his son and wife and sail to the Peloponnese and reside there；
taking no action there against Dionysios and enjoying the income of
his property。 I have already sent for him and will send for him again；
and if he comes in obedience either to my former message or to this
one…well and good。 But I beg and entreat Dionysios that； if anyone
finds Heracleides either in the country or here； no harm shall come to
him； but that he may retire from the country till Dionysios comes to
some other decision。 Do you agree to this？〃 he added； addressing
Dionysios。 〃I agree；〃 he replied； 〃that even if he is found at your
house； no harm shall be done to him beyond what has now been said。〃
On the following day Eurybios and Theodotes came to me in the
evening； both greatly disturbed。 Theodotes said； 〃Plato； you were
present yesterday during the promises made by Dionysios to me and to
you about Heracleides？〃 〃Certainly；〃 I replied。 〃Well；〃 he
continued； 〃at this moment peltasts are scouring the country seeking
to arrest Heracleides； and he must be somewhere in this neighbourhood。
For Heaven's sake come with us to Dionysios。〃 So we went and stood
in the presence of Dionysios； and those two stood shedding silent
tears； while I said： 〃These men are afraid that you may take strong
measures with regard to Heracleides contrary to what was agreed
yesterday。 For it seems that he has returned and has been seen
somewhere about here。〃 On hearing this he blazed up and turned all
colours； as a man would in a rage。 Theodotes； falling before him in
tears； took his hand and entreated him to do nothing of the sort。
But I broke in and tried to encourage him； saying： 〃Be of good
cheer； Theodotes； Dionysios will not have the heart to take any
fresh step contrary to his promises of yesterday。〃 Fixing his eye on
me； and assuming his most autocratic air he said； 〃To you I promised
nothing small or great。〃 〃By the gods；〃 I said； 〃you did promise
that forbearance for which our friend here now appeals。〃 With these
words I turned away and went out。 After this he continued the hunt for
Heracleides； and Theodotes； sending messages； urged Heracleides to
take flight。 Dionysios sent out Teisias and some peltasts with
orders to pursue him。 But Heracleides； as it was said； was just in
time； by a small fraction of a day； in making his escape into
Carthaginian territory。
After this Dionysios thought that his long cherished scheme not to
restore Dion's property would give him a plausible excuse for
hostility towards me； and first of all he sent me out of the
acropolis； finding a pretext that the women were obliged to hold a
sacrificial service for ten days in the garden in which I had my
lodging。 He therefore ordered me to stay outside in the house of
Archedemos during this period。 While I was there； Theodotes sent for
me and made a great outpouring of indignation at these occurrences；
throwing the blame on Dionysios。 Hearing that I had been to see
Theodotes he regarded this； as another excuse； sister to the
previous one； for quarrelling with me。 Sending a messenger he enquired
if I had really been conferring with Theodotes on his invitation
〃Certainly；〃 I replied； 〃Well；〃 continued the messenger； 〃he ordered
me to tell you that you are not acting at all well in preferring
always Dion and Dion's friends to him。〃 And he did not send for me
to return to his house； as though it were now clear that Theodotes and
Heracleides were my friends； and he my enemy。 He also thought that I
had no kind feelings towards him because the property of Dion was
now entirely done for。
After this I resided outside the acropolis among the mercenaries。
Various people then came to me； among them those of the ships' crews
who came from Athens； my own fellow citizens； and reported that I
was evil spoken of among the peltasts； and that some of them were
threatening to make an end of me； if they could ket hold of me
Accordingly I devised the following plan for my safety。
I sent to Archytes and my other friends in Taras； telling them the
plight I was in。 Finding some excuse for an embassy from their city；
they sent a thirty…oared galley with Lamiscos； one of themselves；
who came and entreated Dionysios about me； saying that I wanted to go；
and that he should on no account stand in my way。 He consented and
allowed me to go； giving me money for the journey。 But for Dion's
property I made no further request； nor was any of it restored。
I made my way to the Peloponnese to Olympia； where I found Dion a
spectator at the Games； and told him what had occurred。 Calling Zeus
to be his witness； he at once urged me with my relatives and friends
to make preparations for taking vengeance on Dionysios…our ground
for action being the breach of faith to a guest…so he put it and
regarded it； while his own was his unjust expulsion and banishment。
Hearing this； I told him that he might call my friends to his aid；
if they wished to go； 〃But for myself；〃 I continued； 〃you and others
in a way forced me to be the sharer of Dionysios' table and hearth and
his associate in the acts of religion。 He probably believed the
current slanders； that I was plotting with you against him and his
despotic rule； yet feelings of scruple prevailed with him； and he
spared my life。 Again； I am hardly of the age for being comrade in
arms to anyone； also I stand as a neutral between you； if ever you
desire friendship and wish to benefit one another； so long as you
aim at injuring one another； call others to your aid。〃 This I said；
because I was disgusted with my misguided journeyings to Sicily and my
ill…fortune there。 But they disobeyed me and would not listen to my
attempts at reconciliation； and so brought on their own heads all
the evils which have since taken place。 For if Dionysios had
restored to Dion his property or been reconciled with him on any
terms； none of these things would have happened； so far as human
foresight can foretell。 Dion would have easily been kept in check by
my wishes and influence。 But now； rushing upon one another； they
have caused universal disaster。
Dion's aspiration however was the same that I should say my own or
that of any other right…minded man ought to be。 With regard to his own
power； his friends and his country the ideal of such a man would be to
win the greatest power and honour by rendering the greatest
services。 And this end is not attained if a man gets riches for
himself； his supporters and his country； by forming plots and
getting together conspirators； being all the while a poor creature；
not master of himself； overcome by the cowardice which fears to
fight against pleasures； nor is it attained if he goes on to kill
the men of substance； whom he speaks of as the enemy； and to plunder
their possessions； and invites his confederates and supporters to do
the same； with the object that no one shall say that it is his
fault； if he complains of being poor。 The same is true if anyone
renders services of this kind to the State and receives honours from
her for distributing by decrees the property of the few among the
many…or if； being in charge the affairs of a great State which rules
over many small ones； he unjustly appropriates to his own State the
possessions of the small ones。 For neither a Dion nor any other man
will； with his eyes open； make his way by steps like these to a
power which will be fraught with destruction to himself and his
descendants for all time； but he will advance towards constitutional
government and the framing of the justest and best laws； reaching
these ends without executions and murders even on the smallest scale。
This course Dion actually followed； thinking it preferable to suffer
iniquitous deeds rather than to do them； but； while taking precautions
against them； he nevertheless； when he had reached the climax of
victory over his enemies； took a false step and fell； a catastrophe
not at all surprising。 For a man of piety； temperance and wisdom； when
dealing with the impious； would not be entirely blind to the character
of such men； but it would perhaps not be surprising if he suffered the
catastrophe that might befall a good ship's captain； who would not
be entirely unaware of the approach of a storm； but might be unaware
of its extraordinary and startling violence； and might therefore be
overwhelmed by its force。 The same thing caused Dion's downfall。 For
he was not unaware that his assailants were thoroughly bad men； but he
was unaware how high a pitch of infatuation and of general
wickedness and greed they had reached。 This was the cause of his
downfall； which has involved Sicily in countless sorrows。
As to the steps which should be taken after the events which I
have now related； my advice has been given pretty fully and may be
regarded as finished； and if you ask my reasons for recounting the
story of my second journey to Sicily； it seemed to me essential that
an account of it must be given because of the strange and
paradoxical character of the incidents。 If in this present account
of them they appear to anyone more intelligible； and seem to anyone to
show sufficient grounds in view of the circumstances； the present
statement is adequate and not too lengthy。
…THE END…
。
