Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/483

 DISCONTENT AT SYRACUSE. 461 Such mighty works of fortification, combined with so extensive a revolution both in property and in domicile, cannot have been accomplished in less than a considerable time, nor without provok- king considerable resistance in detail. Nor is it to be forgotten that the pecuniary cost of such fortifications must have been very heavy. How Dionysius contrived to levy the money, we do not know. Aristotle informs us that the contributions which he exacted from the Syracusans were so exorbitant, that within the space of five years, the citizens had paid into his hands their entire property; that is, twenty per cent, per annum upon their whole property. 1 To what years this statement refers, we do not know ; nor what was the amount of contribution exacted on the special occasion now before us. But we may justly infer from it that Dionysius would not scruple to lay his hand heavily upon the Syracusans for the purpose of defraying the cost of his fortifications ; and that the simultaneous burthen of large contributions would thus come to aggravate the painful spoliation and transfers of property, and the still more intolerable mischiefs of a numerous standing army dom- iciled as masters in the heart of the city. Under such circum- stances, we are not surprised to learn that the discontent among the Syracusans was extreme, and that numbers of them were greatly mortified at having let slip the favorable opportunity of excluding Dionysius, when the Horsemen were actually for a mo- ment masters of Syracuse, before he suddenly came back from Gela.2 Whatever might be the extent of indignation actually felt, there could be no concert or manifestation in Syracuse, under a watchful despot with the overwhelming force assembled in Ortygia. But a suitable moment speedily occurred. Having completed his fortress and new appropriation for the assured maintenance of the merce- naries, Dionysius resolved to attempt a conquest of the autonomous Sikel tribes in the interior of the island, some of whom had sided with Carthage in the recent war. He accordingly marched out with a military force, consisting partly of his mercenary troops, part- 1 Aristotel. Politic, v, 9, 4. Ka2 i] datyopa TUV re^uv (rvpavvitcov ecm) tv trsvre yap ereaiv iirl kiovvoiov rqv ovalav airaaav dffVTjvo%evai awe- Satve.
 * Diodorns, xiv, 7.