Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/157

 ADVICE OF PLATO. 131 and desolation which prevailed, the Hellenic race and language were likely to perish in the island, and give place to the Punic or Oscan. 1 He adjures the contending parties at Syracuse to avert this miserable issue by coming to a compromise, and by consti- tuting a moderate and popular government, yet with some rights reserved to the ruling families, among whom he desires to see a fraternal partnership established, tripartite in its character ; in- cluding Dionysius the younger (now at Lokri) Hipparinus son of the elder Dionysius and the son of Dion. On the absolute necessity of such compromise and concord, to preserve both peo- ple and despots from one common ruin, Plato delivers the most pathetic admonitions. He recommends a triple coordinate king- ship, passing by hereditary transmission in the families of the three persons just named ; and including the presidency of reli- gious ceremonies with an ample measure of dignity and venera- tion, but very little active political power. Advising that impar- tial arbitrators, respected by all, should be invoked to settle terms for the compromise, he earnestly implores each of the combatanta to acquiesce peaceably in their adjudication. 2 To Plato, who saw before him the line double of Spartan kings, the only hereditary kings in Greece, the proposition of three coordinate kingly families did not appear at all impractica- ble ; nor indeed was it so, considering the small extent of political power allotted to them. But amidst the angry passions which then raged, and the mass of evil which had been done and suffered ra all sides, it was not likely that any pacific arbitrator, of what- ever position or character, would find a hearing, or would be en- abled to effect any such salutary adjustment as had emanated from the Mantinean Demonax at Kyrene between the discontented Kyreneans and the dynasty of the Battiad princes. 3 Plato's re- commendation passed unheeded. He died in 348-347 B. c., without seeing any mitigation of those Sicilian calamities which Plato, Epistol. viii. p. 353 F ..... diohea-dai 6' vnd TOV KVK%,OV TOVTOV icdl TO TvpavvLKov anav KUI TO drj/toTtKov yevof, r]%et 6e, euv nep TUV duo- rav YiyvijTai TI KO.C unevuruv, a%e6bv elf iprifiiav r^f'EA/ljyvjK^j fuvi)S "S,iK.E^ia iraoa, QOIV'IKUV fy 'OiriKuv fiETapahovaa elf Tiva dvvaaTelav ical KptiTof. TOVTOV 6r) xpr] Tracry Trpodv/ua TTUJ'TOJ ot)f "E%hTjvae TEJJLVELV (j>apfiaicov.
 * Plato, Epistol. viii. p. 356. * Herodot. iv. 161