Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/497

 riMOTiiEus DESPOT. 4(M:> The government of Herakleia now devolved on Timotheus, who exhibited a contrast, alike marked and beneficent, with his father and uncle. Renouncing all their cruelty and constraint, he set at liberty every man whom he found in prison. He was strict in dispensing justice, but mild and even liberal in all his dealings towards the citizens. At the same time, he was a man of adventurous courage, carrying on successful war against for- eign enemies, and making his power respected all round. With his younger brother Dionysius, he maintained perfect harmony, treating him as an equal and partner. Though thus using his power generously towards the Herakleots, he was, however, still a despot, and retained the characteristic marks of despotism — the strong citadel, fortified separately from the town, with a com- manding mercenary force. After a reign of about nine years, he died, deeply mourned by every one.^ Dionysius, who succeeded him, fell upon unsettled times, full both of hope and fear ; opening chances of aggrandizement, yet with many new dangers and uncertainties. The sovereignty which he inherited doubtless included, not simply the city of Herakleia, but also foreign dependencies and possessions in its Toic Tov u6el<pov Tvaicfiv uvenripEaarov axrvrripuv, em roaovrov T?7f avriJv KTjdefiovlag loyov kTideTO, <jf Kot yvvatKi cvvuv, Kal tote Xiav CTEpyoiuvri, (XT] uvaaxia&ai TratdoTTOif/aat, uXXH firixdvy nt'iay yovrjg aTEprjaiv iavTU 6iKa- aai, (Jf av nr/d'' 6Au( vkoXIttol tivu i(j)e6pEvovra toic toC (iJe/l^oO naiaiv. In the Antigonid dynasty of Macedonia, we read that Demetrius, son of Antigonus Gonatas, died leaving his son Philip a boy. Antigonus called Doson, younger brother of Demetrius, assumed the regency on behalf of Philip; he married the widow of Demetrius, and had children by her; but he was so anxious to guard Philip's succession against all chance of being disturbed, that he refused to bring up his own children — '0 6s naiduv yevofiEvuv ek tt/c X.pvai]t6oc, ovk uvE'&pE^aTO, rj]v upxvv tu> ^iT^nvrrC) mpiau- Cuv (Porphyry, Fragm. ap. Didot, Fragm. Histor. Graec. vol. iii. p. 701). In the Greek and Roman world, the father was generally considered to have the right of determining whether he would or would not bring up a new- born child. The obligation was only supposed to commence when he ac- cepted or sanctioned it, by taking up the child. 1 Memnon, c. 3. The Epistle of Isokrates (vii.) addressed to Timotheus in recommendation of a friend, is in harmony with this general character, but gives no new information. Diodorus reckons Timotheus as immediately succeeding Elearchns his father — considering Satyrus simply as regsnt (xvi. 36).