Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/496

 »|G4 HISTORY OF GREF.CE. bv Klearclms, 'vvlio after this victory became more brutal and unrelenting than ever.^ He was now in irresistible power; despot of the whole city, plebs as well as oligarchy. Such he continued to be for twelve 3^ears ; during which he displayed great warlike energy against exterior enemies, together with unabated cruelty towards the citizens. He farther indulged in the most overweening in.'^o- lence of personal demeanor, adopting an Oriental costume ana ornaments, and proclaiming himself the son of Zeus — as Alex- ander the Great did after him. Amidst all these enormities, however, his literary tastes did not forsake him j he collected a library, at that time a very rare possession.2 Many were the conspiracies attempted by suffering citizens against +his tyrant ; but his vigilance baffled and punished all. At length two young men, Chion and Leonides (they too having been among the hearers of Plato), found an opportunity to stab him at n Diony- siac festival. They, with those who seconded them, were slain by his guards, after a gallant resistance ; but Klearchus himself died of the wound, in torture and mental remorse.'' His death unfortunately brought no relief to the Herakleots. The two sons whom he left, Timotheus and Dionysius, were both minors ; but his brother Satyrus, administering in their name, grasped the sceptre and continued the despotism, w ith cruelty not merely undiminished, but even aggravated and sharp- ened by the past assassination. Not inferior to his predecessor in energy and vigilance, Satyrus was in this respect different, that he was altogether rude and unlettered. Moreover he was rigidly scrupulous in preserving the crown for his brother's chil- dren, as soon as they should be of age. To ensure to them an undisturbed succession, he took every precaution to avoid beget- ting children of his own by his wife.'* After a rule of seven years, Satyrus died of a lingering and painful distemper. 1 Justin, xvi. 4. 3 ; Tlieoporapus ap. Athense. iii. p. 83. Fragm. 200, ed. Didot. ' Memnoii, c. 1. Tlie seventh Epistle of Isokrates, addressed to Timo Ulcus son of Klearchus, recognizes generally this character of the latter* with whose memory Isokrates disclaims all sympathy.
 * Memnon, c. 1 ; Justin, xvi. 5; Diodor. xvi. 36.
 * Memnon, c. 2 irrl de rj} (pi^a6£?.(l>ia to Tzpurov ijVfyKnTo- rr/v yap (ipx'i*