Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/143

 SURRENDER OF ORTYGIA. 117 hit) own guarantee for the observance of the covenant ; but the better to ensure such observance, the greater part of the Syracu- sau fleet (the chief instrument of Herakleides) was disbanded, leaving only enough to keep Ortygia under blockade. 1 The capture of that islet and fortress, now more strictly watched than ever, was approaching. What had become of Pharax, or why he did not advance, after the retreat of Dion, to harass the Syracusans and succor Ortygia we know not. But no succor arrived ; provisions grew scarce ; and the garrison became so dis- contented, that Apollokrates the son of Dionysius could not hold out any longer. Accordingly, he capitulated with Dion ; hand- ing over to him Ortygia with its fort, arms, magazines and every- thing contained in it except what he could carry away in five triremes. Aboard of these vessels, he placed his mother, his sis ters, his immediate friends, and his chief valuables, leaving everything else behind for Dion and the Syracusans, who crowded to the beach in multitudes to see him depart. To them the mo- ment was one of lively joy, and mutual self-congratulation promising to commence a new era of freedom. 2 On entering Ortygia, Dion saw for the first time after a separa- tion of about twelve years, his sister Aristomache, his wife Arete, and family. The interview was one of the tenderest emotion and tears of delight to all. Arete, having been made against her own consent the wife of Timokrates, was at first afraid to approach Dion. But he received and embraced her with unabated affec- tion. 3 He conducted both her and his son away from the Diony- sian acropolis, in which they had been living since his absence, into his own house ; having himself resolved not to dwell in the acropolis, but to leave it as a public fort or edifice belonging to Syracuse. However, this renewal of his domestic happiness was shortly afterwards imbittered by the death of his son ; who hav- ing imbibed from Dionysius drunken and dissolute habits, fell from the roof of the house, in a fit of intoxication or frenzy, and perished. 4 Dion was now at the pinnacle of power as well as of glory. With means altogether disproportionate, he had achieved the ex- 1 Plutarch, Dion, c. 50. 2 Plutarch, Dion, c. 50. 1 Plutarch, Dion, c. 51. 4 Cornelius Ncpos, Dion, c f.