Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/88

 62 HISTORY OF GREECE. of respect from other cities also. Such honors tended to exalt his reputation at Syracuse ; while the visits to Athens and the cities of Central Greece enlarged his knowledge both of politi- cians and philosophers. At length occurred the death of the elder Dionysius, occasioned by an unexpected attack of fever, after a few days' illness. He had made no special announcement about his succession. Ac- cordingly, as soon as the physicians pronounced him to be in im- minent danger, a competition arose between his two families: on the one hand Dionysius the younger, his son by the Lokrian wife Doris ; on the other, his wife Aristomache and her brother Dion, representing her children Hipparinus and Nysasus, then very young. Dion, wishing to obtain for these two youths either a partnership in the future power, or some other beneficial provis- ion, solicited leave to approach the bedside of the sick man. But the physicians refused to grant his request without apprising the younger Dionysius ; who, being resolved to prevent it, directed a soporific portion to be administered to his father, from the effects of which the latter never awoke so as to be able to see any one. 1 The interview with Dion being thus frustrated, and the father Ay- ing without giving any directions, Dionysius the younger suc- ceeded as eldest son, without opposition. He was presented to that which was called an assembly of the Syracusan people,- and delivered some conciliatory phrases, requesting them to continue to him that good-will which they had so long shown to his father. with the younger Dionysius then despot of Syracuse ; whom (according to Plutarch) the Spartans took the risk of offending, in order that they might testify their extreme admiration for Dion. I cannot but think that Plutarch is mistaken as to the time of this grant. In and after 367 B. c. the Spartans were under great depression, playing the losing game against Thebes. It is scarcely conceivable that they should be imprudent enough to alienate a valuable ally for the sake of gratuitously honoring an exile whom he hated and had banished. Whereas if we sup pose the vote to have been passed during the lifetime of the elder Diony- sius, it would count as a compliment to him as well as to Dion, and would thus be an act of political prudence as well as of genuine respect. Plutarch speaks as if he supposed that Dion was never in Peloponnesus until the time of his exile, which is, in my judgment, highly improbable. 1 Cornelius Nepos, Dion, c. 2 ; Plutarch, Dion, c. 6.
 * Diodor. TCV. 74.