timoleon-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TIMOLEON
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　411？…337　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　IT　was　for　the　sake　of　others　that　I　first　commenced　writing
biographies；　but　I　find　myself　proceeding　and　attaching　myself　to　it
for　my　own；　the　virtues　of　these　great　men　serving　me　as　a　sort　of
looking…glass；　in　which　I　may　see　how　to　adjust　and　adorn　my　own　life。
Indeed；　it　can　be　compared　to　nothing　but　daily　living　and　associating
together；　we　receive；　as　it　were；　in　our　inquiry；　and　entertain　each
successive　guest；　view…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Their　stature　and　their　qualities；〃

and　select　from　their　actions　all　that　is　noblest　and　worthiest　to
know。

　　　　　　　　〃Ah；　and　what　greater　pleasure　can　one　have？〃

or　what　more　effective　means　to　one's　moral　improvement？　Democritus
tells　us　we　ought　to　pray　that　of　the　phantasms　appearing　in　the
circumambient　air；　such　may　present　themselves　to　us　as　are
propitious；　and　that　we　may　rather　meet　with　those　that　are
agreeable　to　our　natures　and　are　good　than　the　evil　and　unfortunate；
which　is　simply　introducing　into　philosophy　a　doctrine　untrue　in
itself；　and　leading　to　endless　superstitions。　My　method；　on　the
contrary；　is；　by　the　study　of　history；　and　by　the　familiarity　acquired
in　writing；　to　habituate　my　memory　to　receive　and　retain　images　of　the
best　and　worthiest　characters。　I　thus　am　enabled　to　free　myself　from
any　ignoble；　base；　or　vicious　impressions；　contracted　from　the
contagion　of　ill　company　that　I　may　be　unavoidably　engaged　in；　by
the　remedy　of　turning　my　thoughts　in　a　happy　and　calm　temper　to　view
these　noble　examples。　Of　this　kind　are　those　of　Timoleon　the
Corinthian　and　Paulus　Aemilius；　to　write　whose　lives　is　my　present
business；　men　equally　famous；　not　only　for　their　virtues；　but　success；
insomuch　that　they　have　left　it　doubtful　whether　they　owe　their
greatest　achievements　to　good　fortune；　or　their　own　prudence　and
conduct。
　　The　affairs　of　the　Syracusans；　before　Timoleon　was　sent　into　Sicily；
were　in　this　posture；　after　Dion　had　driven　out　Dionysius　the
tyrant；　he　was　slain　by　treachery；　and　those　that　had　assisted　him
in　delivering　Syracuse　were　divided　among　themselves；　and　thus　the
city　by　a　continual　change　of　governors；　and　a　train　of　mischiefs　that
succeeded　each　other；　became　almost　abandoned；　while　of　the　rest　of
Sicily；　part　was　now　utterly　depopulated　and　desolate　through　long
continuance　of　war；　and　most　of　the　cities　that　had　been　left　standing
were　in　the　hands　of　barbarians　and　soldiers　out　of　employment；　that
were　ready　to　embrace　every　turn　of　government。　Such　being　the　state
of　things；　Dionysius　takes　the　opportunity；　and　in　the　tenth　year　of
his　banishment；　by　the　help　of　some　mercenary　troops　he　had　got
together；　forces　out　Nysaeus；　then　master　of　Syracuse；　recovers　all
afresh；　and　is　again　settled　in　his　dominion；　and　as　at　first　he　had
been　strangely　deprived　of　the　greatest　and　most　absolute　power　that
ever　was　by　a　very　small　party；　so　now；　in　a　yet　stranger　manner；　when
in　exile　and　of　mean　condition；　he　became　the　sovereign　of　those　who
had　ejected　him。　All　therefore　that　remained　in　Syracuse　had　to
serve　under　a　tyrant；　who　at　the　best　was　of　an　ungentle　nature；　and
exasperated　now　to　a　degree　of　savageness　by　the　late　misfortunes
and　calamities　he　had　suffered。　The　better　and　more　distinguished
citizens；　having　timely　retired　thence　to　Hicetes；　ruler　of　the
Leontines；　put　themselves　under　his　protection；　and　chose　him　for
their　general　in　the　war；　not　that　he　was　much　preferable　to　any
open　and　avowed　tyrant；　but　they　had　no　other　sanctuary　at　present；
and　it　gave　them　some　ground　of　confidence　he　was　of　a　Syracusan
family；　and　had　forces　able　to　encounter　those　of　Dionysius。
　　In　the　meantime　the　Carthaginians　appeared　before　Sicily　with　a
great　navy；　watching　when　and　where　they　might　make　a　descent　upon　the
island；　and　terror　at　this　fleet　made　the　Sicilians　incline　to　send　an
embassy　into　Greece　to　demand　succours　from　the　Corinthians；　whom　they
confided　in　rather　than　others；　not　only　upon　the　account　of　their
near　kindred；　and　the　great　benefits　they　had　often　received　by
trusting　them；　but　because　Corinth　had　ever　shown　herself　attached
to　freedom　and　averse　from　tyranny　and　had　engaged　in　many　noble　wars；
not　for　empire　or　aggrandizement；　but　for　the　sole　liberty　of　the
Greeks；　But　Hicetes；　who　made　it　the　business　of　his　command　not　so
much　to　deliver　the　Syracusans　from　other　tyrants；　as　to　enslave
them　to　himself；　had　already　entered　into　some　secret　conferences　with
those　of　Carthage；　while　in　public　he　commended　the　design　of　his
Syracusan　clients；　and　despatched　ambassadors　from　himself；　together
with　theirs；　into　Peloponnesus；　not　that　he　really　desired　any
relief　to　come　from　there；　but　in　case　the　Corinthians；　as　was
likely　enough；　on　account　of　the　troubles　of　Greece　and　occupation
at　home；　should　refuse　their　assistance；　hoping　then　he　should　be　able
with　less　difficulty　to　dispose　and　incline　things　for　the
Carthaginian　interest；　and　so　make　use　of　these　foreign　pretenders；　as
instruments　and　auxiliaries　for　himself；　either　against　the　Syracusans
or　Dionysius；　as　occasion　served。　This　was　discovered　a　while　after。
　　The　ambassadors　being　arrived；　and　their　request　known；　the
Corinthians；　who　had　always　a　great　concern　for　all　their　colonies　and
plantations；　but　especially　for　Syracuse；　since　by　good　fortune
there　was　nothing　to　molest　them　in　their　own　country；　where　they　were
enjoying　peace　and　leisure　at　that　time；　readily　and　with　one　accord
passed　a　vote　for　their　assistance。　And　when　they　were　deliberating
about　the　choice　of　a　captain　for　the　expedition；　and　the
magistrates　were　urging　the　claims　of　various　aspirants　for
reputation；　one　of　the　crowd　stood　up　and　named　Timoleon；　son　of
Timodemus；　who　had　long　absented　himself　from　public　business；　and　had
neither　any　thoughts　of　nor　the　least　pretensions　to；　an　employment　of
that　nature。　Some　god　or　other；　it　might　rather　seem；　had　put　it　in
the　man's　heart　to　mention　him；　such　favour　and　good…will　on　the
part　of　Fortune　seemed　at　once　to　be　shown　in　his　election；　and　to
accompany　all　his　following　actions；　as　though　it　were　on　purpose　to
commend　his　worth；　and　add　grace　and　ornament　to　his　personal　virtues。
As　regards　his　parentage；　both　Timodemus　his　father；　and　his　mother
Demariste；　were　of　high　rank　in　the　city；　and　as　for　himself；　he　was
noted　for　his　love　of　his　country；　and　his　gentleness　of　temper；
except　in　his　extreme　hatred　to　tyrants　and　wicked　men。　His　natural
abilities　for　war　were　so　happily　tempered；　that　while　a　rare　prudence
might　be　seen　in　all　the　enterprises　of　his　younger　years；　an　equal
courage　showed　itself　in　the　last　exploits　of　his　declining　age。　He
had　an　elder　brother；　whose　name　was　Timophanes；　who　was　every　way
unlike　him；　being　indiscreet　and　rash；　and　infected　by　the　suggestions
of　some　friends　and　foreign　soldiers；　whom　he　kept　always　about　him；
with　a　passion　for　absolute　power。　He　seemed　to　have　a　certain　force
and　vehemence　in　all　military　service；　and　even　to　delight　in　dangers；
and　thus　he　took　much　with　the　people；　and　was　advanced　to　the　highest
charges；　as　a　vigorous　and　effective　warrior；　in　the　obtaining　of
which　offices　and　promotions；　Timoleon　much　assisted　him；　helping　to
conceal　or　at　least　to　extenuate　his　errors；　embellishing　by　his
praise　whatever　was　commendable　in　him；　and　setting　off　his　good
qualities　to　the　best　advantage。
　　It　happened　once　in　the　battle　fought　by　the　Corinthians　against　the
forces　of　Argos　and　Cleonae；　that　Timoleon　served　among　the
infantry；　when　Timophanes；　commanding　their　cavalry；　was　brought
into　extreme　danger；　as　his　horse　being　wounded　fell　forward　and　threw
him　headlong　amidst　the　enemies；　while　part　of　his　companions
dispersed　at　once　in　a　panic；　and　the　small　number　that　remained；
bearing　up　against　a　great　multitude；　had　much　ado　to　maintain　any
resistance。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　Timoleon　was　aware　of　the　accident；
he　ran　hastily　in　to　his　brother's　rescue；　and　covering　the　fallen
Timophanes　with　his　buckler；　after　having　received　abundance　of　darts；
and　several　strokes　by　the　sword　upon　his　body　and　his　armour；　he　at
length　with　much　difficulty　obliged　the　enemies　to　retire；　and　brought
off　his　brother　alive　and　safe。　But　when　the　Corinthians；　for　fear
of　losing　their　city　a　second　time；　as　they　had　once　before；　by
admitting　their　allies；　made　a　decree　to　maintain　four　hundred
mercenaries　for　its　security；　and　gave　Timophanes　the　command　over
them；　he；　abandoning　all　regard　to　honour　and　equity；　at　once
proceeded　to　put　into　execution　his　plans　for　making　himself　absolute；
and　bringing　the　place　under　his　own　power；　and　having　cut　off　many
principal　citizens；　uncondemned　and　without　trial；　who　were　most
likely　to　hinder　his　designs；　he　declared　himself　tyrant　of　Corinth；　a
procedure　that　infinitely　afflicted　Timoleon；　to　whom　the　wickedness
of　such　a　brother　appeared　to　be　his　own　reproach　and　calamity。　He
undertook　to　persuade　him　by　reasoning；　that　desisting　from　that
wild　and　unhappy　ambition；　he　would　bethink　himself　how　he　should　make
the　Corinthians　some　amends；　and　find　out　an　expedient　to　remedy　and
correct　the　evils　he　had　done　them。　When　his　single　admonition　was
rejected　and　contemned　by　him；　he　makes　a　second　attempt；　taking
with　him　Aeschylus　his　kinsman；　brother　to　the　wife　of　Timophanes；　and
a　certain　diviner；　that　was　his　friend；　whom　Theopompus　in　his　history
calls　Satyrus；　but　Ephorus　and　Timaeus　mention　in　theirs　by　the　name
of　Orthagoras。　After　a　few　days；　then；　he　returns　to　his　brother
with　this　company；　all　three　of　them　surrounding　and　earnestly
importuning　him　upon　the　same　subject；　that　now　at　length　he　would
listen　to　reason；　and　be　of　another　mind。　But　when　Timophanes　began
first　to　laugh　at　the　men's　simplicity；　and　presently　broke　out　into
rage　and　indignation　against　them；　Timoleon　stepped　aside　from　him　and
stood　weeping　with　his　face　covered；　while　the　other　two；　drawing
out　their　swords；　despatched　him　in　a　moment。
　　On　the　rumour　of　this　act　being　soon　scattered　about；　the　better　and
more　generous　of　the　Corinthians　highly　applauded　Timoleon　for　the
hatred　of　wrong　and　the　greatness　of　soul　that　had　made　him；　though　of
a　gentle　disposition　and　full　of　love　and　kindness　for　his　family；
think　the　obligations　to　his　country　stronger　than　the　ties　of
consanguinity；　and　prefer　that　which　is　good　and　just　before　gain
and　interest　and　his　own　particular　advantage。　For　the　same　brother；
who　with　so　much　bravery　had　been　saved　by　him　when　he　fought
valiantly　in　the　cause　of　Corinth；　he　had　now　as　nobly　sacrificed
for　enslaving　her　afterwards　by　a　base　usurpation。　But　then；　on　the
other　side；　those　that　knew　not　how　to　live　in　a　democracy；　and　had
been　used　to　make　their　humble　court　to　the　men　of　power；　though
they　openly　professed　to　rejoice　at　the　death　of　the　tyrant；
nevertheless；　secretly　reviling　Timoleon；　as　one　that　had　committed　an
impious　and　abominable　act；　drove　him　into　melancholy　and　dejection