Artax.

W

without taking the least umbrage at it. But it was Longim. far otherwise in the court of Hiero or of Theron. It is said that Simonides, and Bacchylides his nephew, employed all kinds of criticism, to lessen the esteem which those princes had for Pindar's works. The latter, by way of reprisal, ridicules them very strongly in his ode to Theron, in comparing them to ravens, who croak in vain against the divine bird of Jove. But modesty was not the virtue which dis. tinguished Pindar.

X

Hiero, having drove the ancient inhabitants of Catana and Naxos from their country, settled a colony of ten thousand men there, half of whom were Syracusans, and the rest Peloponnesians. This prompted the inhabitants of those two cities to appoint, after his death, the same solemnities in his honour, as were bestowed on heroes or demi-gods, because they considered him as their founder.

y He shewed great favour to the children of Anaxilaus, formerly tyrant of Zancle, and a great friend to Gelon his brother. As they were arrived at years of maturity, he exhorted them to take the government into their own hands; after Micythus, their tutor, should have informed them of the perfect state of it, and how he himself had behaved in the administration. The latter, having assembled the nearest relations and most intimate friends of the young princes, gave, in their presence, so good an account of his guardianship, that the whole assembly (in perfect admiration) bestowed the highest encomiums on his prudence, integrity, and justice. Matters were carried so far, that the young princes were extremely urgent with him to preside in the administration, as he had hitherto done. However, the wise tutor preferring the sweets of ease to the splendor of authority, and persuaded, at the same time, that it would be for the interest of the state if the young princes took the government into their own

w Scholiast. Pind. * Diod. 1. xi. p. 37. y Ibid. p. 50.

hands, he resolved to retire from business. died, after having reigned eleven years.

III. Thrasybulus.

Hiero Artax,
Longim.

He was succeeded by Thrasybulus his brother, who, by his evil conduct, contributed very much to the making him be regretted. Swelled with pride and a brutal haughtiness, he considered men as mere worms; vainly fancying that they were created for him to trample upon, and that he was of a quite different nature from them. He abandoned himself implicitly to the flattering counsels of the giddy young courtiers who surrounded him. He treated all his subjects with the utmost severity; banishing some, confiscating the possessions of others, and putting great numbers to death. So severe a slavery grew soon insupportable to the Syracusans, and therefore they implored the succour of the neigh bouring cities, whose interest it was also to throw off the tyrant's yoke. Thrasybulus was besieged even in Syracuse, the sovereignty of part of which he had reserved to himself, viz. Acradina, and the island which was very well fortified; but the third quarter of the city, called Tyche, was possessed by $ the enemy. After making a feeble resistance, and demanding to capitulate, he left the city, and withdrew into banishment among the Locrians. He had reigned but a year. In this manner the Syracusans recovered their liberty. They also delivered the rest of the cities of Sicily from tyrants; established a popular government in all places, and maintained that form themselves during threescore years, till the reign of Dionysius the tyrant, who again enslaved them. $

a

After Sicily had been delivered from the government of tyrants, and all the cities of it were restor ed to their liberty; as the country was extremely

z Diod. 1. xi. p. 51, 62,

Ibid. p. 55, &c.

Artax. fruitful in itself, and the peace which all places enLongim. joyed, gave the inhabitants of this island an oppor

tunity of cultivating their lands, and feeding their flocks; the people grew very powerful, and amassed great riches. To perpetuate to latest posterity the remembrance of the happy day in which they had thrown off the yoke of slavery, by the banishment of Thrasybulus, it was decreed in the general assembly of the nation, that a colossal statue should be set up to Jupiter the deliverer; that on the anniversary of this day, a festival should be solemnized, by way of thanksgiving, for the restoration of their liberty; and that there should be sacrificed in honour of the gods, four hundred and fifty bulls, with which the people should be entertained as a common feast.

There nevertheless lay concealed in the minds of many, I know not what secret leaven of tyranny, which frequently disturbed the harmony of this peace, and occasioned several tumults and commotions in Sicily, the particulrrs of which I shall omit. To prevent the evil consequences of them, the Syracusans established the Petalism, which differed very little from the Athenian Ostracism; and was so called from the Greek wirahov, signifying a leaf, because the votes were then given on an olive leaf. This judgment was pronounced against such citizens whose great power made the people apprehensive that they aspired at the tyranny, and it banished them for ten years; however, it did not long continue in force, and was soon abolished; because the dread of falling under its censure, having prompted the most virtuous men to retire, and renounce the government, the chief employments were now filled by such citizens only as had the least merit.

Deucetius, according to Diodorus, was chief over the people who were properly called Sicilians,

Having united them all (the inhabitants of Hybla Artax. excepted) into one body, he became very powerful, Longim. and formed several great enterprizes. It was he who built the city Palica, near the temple of the gods called Palici. This city was very famous on account of some wonders which are related of it; and still more from the sacred nature of the oaths which were there taken, the violation whereof was said to be always followed by a sudden and exemplary punishment. This was a secure asylum for all persons 1. who were oppressed by superior power; and especially for slaves who were unjustly abused, or too cruelly treated by their masters. They continued in safety in this temple, till certain arbiters and me diators had made their peace; and there was not a single instance of a master's having ever forfeited the promise he had made to pardon his slaves; so famous were, the gods who presided over this temple, for the severe vengeance they took on those who violated their oaths.

This Deucetius, after having been successful on a great many occasions, and gained several victories, particularly over the Syracusans; saw his fortune change on a sudden by the loss of a battle, and was abandoned by the greatest part of his forces. In the consternation and despondency into which so general and sudden a desertion threw him, he formed such a resolution as despair only could suggest. He withdrew in the night to Syracuse, advanced as far as the great square of the city, and there falling prostrate at the foot of the altar, he abandoned his life and dominions to the mercy of the Syracusans, that is, to his professed enemies. The singularity of this spectacle drew great numbers of people to it. The magistrates immediately convened the people, and debated on the affair. They first heard the orators, whose business was generally to address the people by their speeches; and these animated them prodigiously against Deucetius, as a publick enemy, whom Providence seemed to throw into their way,

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to revenge and punish, by his death, all the injuries Longim he had done the republick. A speech in this cast, struck all the virtuous part of the assembly with horror. The most ancient and wisest of the sena tors represented, "That they were not to consider "what punishment Deucetius deserved, but how it "behoved the Syracusans to behave on that occa"sion; that they ought not to look upon him any "longer as an enemy, but as a suppliant, a charac"ter by which his person was become sacred and "inviolable. That there was a goddess (Nemesis) "who took vengeance of crimes, especially of cru"elty and impiety, and who doubtless would not "suffer that to go unpunished: That besides the "baseness and inhumanity there is in insulting the "unfortunate, and in crushing those who are already "under one's foot; it was worthy the grandeur "and goodness natural to the Syracusans, to exert "their clemency even to those who least deserved it." All the people came into this opinion, and, with one consent, spared Deucetius's life. He was ordered to reside in Corinth, the metropolis and foundress of Syracuse; and the Syracusans engaged to furnish Deucetius with all things necessary for his subsist, ing honourably there. What reader, who compares these two different opinions, does not perceive which of them was the noblest and most generous?

SECT. II. Of some famous persons and cities in Gracia major. Pythagoras, Charondás, Zaleucus, Milo the Athleta, Croton, Sybaris, and Thurium.

I. Pythagoras.

AM. IN treating of what relates to Græcia major in 3480. Italy, I must not omit Pythagoras, who was the Ant glory of it. He was born in Samos. After having 524. travelled into a great many regions, and enriched his mind with the most excellent learning of every

J.C

Diog. Laert. in vit. Pythag