timoleon-第8章

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Messena；　where　Hippo　was　tyrant。　Timoleon；　however；　coming　up
against　them；　and　besieging　the　city　both　by　sea　and　land；　Hippo；
fearful　of　the　event；　endeavoured　to　slip　away　in　a　vessel；　which
the　people　of　Messena　surprised　as　it　was　putting　off；　and　seizing
on　his　person；　and　bringing　all　their　children　from　school　into　the
theatre；　to　witness　the　glorious　spectacle　of　a　tyrant　punished；
they　first　publicly　scourged　and　then　put　him　to　death。　Mamercus
made　surrender　of　himself　to　Timoleon；　with　the　proviso　that　he　should
be　tried　at　Syracuse　and　Timoleon　should　take　no　part　in　his
accusation。　Thither　he　was　brought　accordingly；　and　presenting　himself
to　plead　before　the　people；　he　essayed　to　pronounce　an　oration　he
had　long　before　composed　in　his　own　defence；　but　finding　himself
interrupted　by　noise　and　clamours；　and　observing　from　their　aspect　and
demeanour　that　the　assembly　was　inexorable；　he　threw　off　his　upper
garment；　and　running　across　the　theatre　as　hard　as　he　could；　dashed
his　head　against　one　of　the　stones　under　the　seats　with　intention　to
have　killed　himself；　but　he　had　not　the　fortune　to　perish　as　he
designed；　but　was　taken　up　alive；　and　suffered　the　death　of　a　robber。
　　Thus　did　Timoleon　cut　the　nerves　of　tyranny　and　put　a　period　to
the　wars；　and；　whereas；　at　his　first　entering　upon　Sicily；　the
island　was　as　it　were　become　wild　again；　and　was　hateful　to　the　very
natives　on　account　of　the　evils　and　miseries　they　suffered　there；　he
so　civilized　and　restored　it；　and　rendered　it　so　desirable　to　all　men；
that　even　strangers　now　came　by　sea　to　inhabit　those　towns　and
places　which　their　own　citizens　had　formerly　forsaken　and　left
desolate。　Agrigentum　and　Gela；　two　famous　cities　that　had　been
ruined　and　laid　waste　by　the　Carthaginians　after　the　Attic　war；　were
then　peopled　again；　the　one　by　Megellus　and　Pheristus　from　Elea；　the
other　by　Gorgus；　from　the　island　of　Ceos；　partly　with　new　settlers；
partly　with　the　old　inhabitants　whom　they　collected　again　from　various
parts；　to　all　of　whom　Timoleon　not　only　afforded　a　secure　and　peaceful
abode　after　so　obstinate　a　war；　but　was　further　so　zealous　in
assisting　and　providing　for　them　that　he　was　honoured　among　them　as
their　founder。　Similar　feelings　also　possessed　to　such　a　degree　all
the　rest　of　the　Sicilians　that　there　was　no　proposal　for　peace；　nor
reformation　of　laws；　nor　assignation　of　land；　nor　reconstruction　of
government；　which　they　could　think　well　of；　unless　he　lent　his　aid
as　a　chief　architect；　to　finish　and　adorn　the　work；　and　superadd
some　touches　from　his　own　hand；　which　might　render　it　pleasing　both　to
God　and　man。
　　Although　Greece　had　in　his　time　produced　several　persons　of
extraordinary　worth；　and　much　renowned　for　their　achievements；　such　as
Timotheus　and　Agesilaus　and　Pelopidas　and　（Timoleon's　chief　model）
Epaminondas；　yet　the　lustre　of　their　best　actions　was　obscured　by　a
degree　of　violence　and　labour；　insomuch　that　some　of　them　were
matter　of　blame　and　of　repentance；　whereas　there　is　not　any　one　act　of
Timoleon's；　setting　aside　the　necessity　he　was　placed　under　in
reference　to　his　brother；　to　which；　as　Timaeus　observes；　we　may　not
fitly　apply　that　exclamation　of　Sophocles…

　　　　　　　　〃O　gods！　what　Venus；　or　what　grace　divine；
　　　　　　　　　Did　here　with　human　workmanship　combine？〃

For　as　the　poetry　of　Antimachus；　and　the　painting　of　Dionysius；　the
artists　of　Colophon；　though　full　of　force　and　vigour；　yet　appeared
to　be　strained　and　elaborate　in　comparison　with　the　pictures　of
Nicomachus　and　the　verses　of　Homer；　which；　besides　their　general
strength　and　beauty；　have　the　peculiar　charm　of　seeming　to　have　been
executed　with　perfect　ease　and　readiness；　so　the　expeditions　and
acts　of　Epaminondas　or　Agesilaus；　that　were　full　of　toil　and　effort；
when　compared　with　the　easy　and　natural　as　well　as　noble　and
glorious　achievements　of　Timoleon；　compel　our　fair　and　unbiased
judgment　to　pronounce　the　latter　not　indeed　the　effect　of　fortune；　but
the　success　of　fortunate　merit。　Though　he　himself　indeed　ascribed　that
success　to　the　sole　favour　of　fortune；　and　both　in　the　letters　which
he　wrote　to　his　friends　at　Corinth；　and　in　the　speeches　he　made　to　the
people　of　Syracuse；　he　would　say；　that　he　was　thankful　unto　God；
who；　designing　to　save　Sicily；　was　pleased　to　honour　him　with　the　name
and　title　of　the　deliverance　he　vouchsafed　it。　And　having　built　a
chapel　in　his　house；　he　there　sacrificed　to　Good　Hap；　as　a　deity
that　had　favoured　him；　and　devoted　the　house　itself　to　the　Sacred
Genius；　it　being　a　house　which　the　Syracusans　had　selected　for　him；　as
a　special　reward　and　monument　of　his　brave　exploits；　granting　him
together　with　it　the　most　agreeable　and　beautiful　piece　of　land　in　the
whole　country；　where　he　kept　his　residence　for　the　most　part；　and
enjoyed　a　private　life　with　his　wife　and　children；　who　came　to　him
from　Corinth。　For　he　returned　thither　no　more；　unwilling　to　be
concerned　in　the　broils　and　tumults　of　Greece；　or　to　expose　himself　to
public　envy　（the　fatal　mischief　which　great　commanders　continually　run
into；　from　the　insatiable　appetite　for　honours　and　authority）；　but
wisely　chose　to　spend　the　remainder　of　his　days　in　Sicily；　and　there
partake　of　the　blessings　he　himself　had　procured；　the　greatest　of
which　was　to　behold　so　many　cities　flourish；　and　so　many　thousands
of　people　live　happy　through　his　means。
　　As；　however；　not　only；　as　Simonides　says；　〃on　every　lark　must　grow　a
crest；〃　but　also　in　every　democracy　there　must　spring　up　a　false
accuser；　so　was　it　at　Syracuse：　two　of　their　popular　spokesmen；
Laphystius　and　Demaenetus　by　name；　fell　to　slander　Timoleon。　The
former　of　whom　requiring　him　to　put　in　sureties　that　he　would　answer
to　an　indictment　that　would　be　brought　against　him；　Timoleon　would　not
suffer　the　citizens；　who　were　incensed　at　this　demand；　to　oppose　it　or
hinder　the　proceeding；　since　he　of　his　own　accord　had　been；　he　said；
at　all　that　trouble；　and　run　so　many　dangerous　risks　for　this　very　end
and　purpose；　that　every　one　who　wished　to　try　matters　by　law　should
freely　have　recourse　to　it。　And　when　Demaenetus；　in　a　full　audience　of
the　people；　laid　several　things　to　his　charge　which　had　been　done
while　he　was　general；　he　made　no　reply　to　him；　but　only　said　he　was
much　indebted　to　the　gods　for　granting　the　request　he　had　so　often
made　them；　namely；　that　he　might　live　to　see　the　Syracusans　enjoy　that
liberty　of　speech　which　they　now　seemed　to　be　masters　of。
　　Timoleon；　therefore；　having　by　confession　of　all　done　the　greatest
and　the　noblest　things　of　any　Greek　of　his　age；　and　alone
distinguished　himself　in　those　actions　to　which　their　orators　and
philosophers；　in　their　harangues　and　panegyrics　at　their　solemn
national　assemblies；　used　to　exhort　and　incite　the　Greeks；　and　being
withdrawn　beforehand　by　happy　fortune；　unspotted　and　without　blood；
from　the　calamities　of　civil　war；　in　which　ancient　Greece　was　soon
after　involved；　having　also　given　full　proof；　as　of　his　sage　conduct
and　manly　courage　to　the　barbarians　and　tyrants；　so　of　his　justice　and
gentleness　to　the　Greeks；　and　his　friends　in　general；　having　raised；
too；　the　greater　part　of　those　trophies　he　won　in　battle　without　any
tears　shed　or　any　mourning　worn　by　the　citizens　either　of　Syracuse
or　Corinth；　and　within　less　than　eight　years'　space　delivered　Sicily
from　its　inveterate　grievances　and　intestine　distempers；　and　given
it　up　free　to　the　native　inhabitants；　began；　as　he　was　now　growing
old；　to　find　his　eyes　fail；　and　awhile　after　became　perfectly　blind。
Not　that　he　had　done　anything　himself　which　might　occasion　this
defect；　or　was　deprived　of　his　sight　by　any　outrage　of　fortune；　it
seems　rather　to　have　been　some　inbred　and　hereditary　weakness　that　was
founded　in　natural　causes；　which　by　length　of　time　came　to　discover
itself。　For　it　is　said；　that　several　of　his　kindred　and　family　were
subject　to　the　like　gradual　decay；　and　lost　all　use　of　their　eyes；
as　he　did；　in　their　declining　years。　Athanis　the　historian　tells　us
that　even　during　the　war　against　Hippo　and　Mamercus；　while　he　was　in
his　camp　at　Mylae；　there　appeared　a　white　speck　within　his　eye；　from
whence　all　could　foresee　the　deprivation　that　was　coming　on　him；　this；
however；　did　not　hinder　him　then　from　continuing　the　siege；　and
prosecuting　the　war；　till　he　got　both　the　tyrants　into　his　power；
but　upon　his　coming　back　to　Syracuse；　he　presently　resigned　the
authority　of　sole　commander；　and　besought　the　citizens　to　excuse　him
from　any　further　service；　since　things　were　already　brought　to　so　fair
an　issue。　Nor　is　it　so　much　to　be　wondered　that　he　himself　should　bear
the　misfortune　without　any　marks　of　trouble；　but　the　respect　and
gratitude　which　the　Syracusans　showed　him　when　he　was　entirely　blind
may　justly　deserve　our　admiration。　They　used　to　go　themselves　to　visit
him　in　troops　and　brought　all　the　strangers　that　travelled　through
their　country　to　his　house　and　manor；　that　they　also　might　have　the
pleasure　to　see　their　noble　benefactor；　making　it　the　great　matter
of　their　joy　and　exultation；　that　when；　after　so　many　brave　and
happy　exploits；　he　might　have　returned　with　triumph　into　Greece；　he
should　disregard　all　the　glorious　preparations　that　were　there　made　to
receive　him；　and　choose　rather　to　stay　here　and　end　his　days　among
them。　Of　the　various　things　decreed　and　done　in　honour　of　Timoleon；
I　consider　one　most　signal　testimony　to　have　been　the　vote　which
they　passed；　that；　whenever　they　should　be　at　war　with　any　foreign
nation；　they　should　make　use　of　none　but　a　Corinthian　general。　The
method；　also；　of　their　proceeding　in　council　was　a　noble　demonstration
of　the　same　deference　for　his　person。　For；　determining　matters　of　less
consequence　themselves；　they　always　called　him　to　advise　in　the　more
difficult　cases；　and　such　as　were　of　greater　moment。　He　was；　on
these　occasions；　carried　through　the　market…place　in　a　litter；　and
brought　in；　sitting；　into　the　theatre；　where　the　people　with　one　voice
saluted　him　by　his　name；　and　then；　after　returning　the　courtesy；　and
pausing　for　a　time；　till　the　noise　of　their　gratulations　and　blessings
began　to　cease；　he　heard　the　business　in　debate；　and　delivered　his
opinion。　This　being　confirmed　by　a　general　suffrage；　his　servants　went
back　with　the　litter　through　the　midst　of　the　assembly；　the　people
waiting　on　him　out　with　acclamations　and　applauses；　and　then　returning
to　consider　other　public　matters；　which　they　could　despatch　in　his
absence。　Being　thus　cherished　in　his　old　age；　with　all　the　respect　and
tenderness　due　to　a　common　father；　he　was　seized　with　a　very　slight
indisposition；　which；　however；　was　sufficient；　with　the　aid　of　time；
to　put　a　period　to　his　life。　There　was　an　allotment　then　of　certain
days　given；　within　the　space　of　which　the　Syracusans　were　to　provide
whatever　should　be　necessary　for　his　burial；　and　all　the
neighbouring　country　people　and　strangers　were　to　make　their
appearance　in　a　body；　so　that　the　funeral　pomp　was　set　out　with
great　splendour　and　magnificence　in　all　other　respects；　and　the
bier；　decked　with　ornaments　and　trophies；　was　borne　by　a　select　body
of　young　men　over　that　ground　where　the　palace　and　castle　of　Dionysius
stoo