Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/308

 300 DION. oring to stifle and crush him ; then, finding they were doing nothing, they called for a sword, but none durst open the door. There were a great many within with Dion, but every one was for securing himself, supposing that by letting him lose his life he should save his own, and therefore no man ventured to assist him. When they had waited a good while, at length Lycon the Syra- cusan reached a short sword in at the window to one of the Zacynthians, and thus, like a victim at a sacrifice, this long time in their power, and trembling * for the blow, they killed him. His sister, and wife big with child, they hurried to prison, who, poor lady, in her unfortunate con- dition was there brought to bed of a son, which, by the consent of the keepers, they intended to bring up, the rather because Callippus began already to be embroiled in troubles. After the murder of Dion, he was in great glory, and had the sole government of Syracuse in his hands ; and to that effect wrote to Athens, a place which, next the im- mortal gods, being guilty of such an abominable crime, he ought to have regarded with shame and fear. But true it is, what is said of that city, that the good men she breeds are the most excellent, and the bad the most noto- rious ; as their country also produces the most delicious honey and the most deadly hemlock. Callippus, however, did not long continue to scandalize fortune and upbraid the gods with his prosperity, as though they connived at and bore with the wretched man, while he purchased riches and power by heinous impieties, but he quickly re- ceived the punishment he deserved. For, going to take Catana, he lost Syracuse ; whereupon they report he said, he had lost a city and got a bauble.f Then, attempting Messena, he had most of his men cut off, and, among the t Literally, a cheese-scraper ; — posing that the name Catana or there seems to be some probability, Palana had this meaning.
 * This word is uncertain. independent of this passage, for sup-