Episode 12

Seeing me not at all inclined to stay, he devised the followingscheme to make me stay during that sading season. On the next day hecame to me and made a plausible proposal: "Let us put an end," hesaid, "to these constant quarrels between you and me about Dion andhis affairs. For your sake I will do this for Dion. I require him totake his own property and reside in the Peloponnese, not as anexile, but on the understanding that it is open for him to migratehere, when this step has the joint approval of himself, me, and youhis friends; and this shall be open to him on the understanding thathe does not plot against me. You and your friends and Dion's friendshere must be sureties for him in this, and he must give yousecurity. Let the funds which he receives be deposited in thePeloponnese and at Athens, with persons approved by you, and letDion enjoy the income from them but have no power to take them outof deposit without the approval of you and your friends. For I have nogreat confidence in him, that, if he has this property at hisdisposal, he will act justly towards me, for it will be no smallamount; but I have more confidence in you and your friends. See ifthis satisfies you; and on these conditions remain for the presentyear, and at the next season you shall depart taking the property withyou. I am quite sure that Dion will be grateful to you, if youaccomplish so much on his behalf."When I heard this proposal I was vexed, but after reflection saidI would let him know my view of it on the following day. We agreedto that effect for the moment, and afterwards when I was by myself Ipondered the matter in much distress. The first reflection that cameup, leading the way in my self-communing, was this: "Come suppose thatDionysios intends to do none of the things which he has mentioned, butthat, after my departure, he writes a plausible letter to Dion, andorders several of his creatures to write to the same effect, tellinghim of the proposal which he has now made to me, making out that hewas willing to do what he proposed, but that I refused andcompletely neglected Dion's interests. Further, suppose that he is notwilling to allow my departure, and without giving personal orders toany of the merchants, makes it clear, as he easily can, to all that henot wish me to sail, will anyone consent to take me as a passenger,when I leave the house: of Dionysios?"For in addition to my other troubles, I was lodging at that timein the garden which surround his house, from which even the gatekeeperwould have refused to let me go, unless an order had been sent tohim from Dionysios. "Suppose however that I wait for the year, I shallbe able to write word of these things to Dion, stating the position inwhich I am, and the steps which I am trying to take. And ifDionysios does any of the things which he says, I shall haveaccomplished something that is not altogether to be sneered at; forDion's property is, at a fair estimate, perhaps not less than ahundred talents. If however the prospect which I see looming in thefuture takes the course which may reasonably be expected, I know notwhat I shall do with myself. Still it is perhaps necessary to go onworking for a year, and to attempt to prove by actual fact themachinations of Dionysios."Having come to this decision, on the following day I said toDionysios, "I have decided to remain. But," I continued, "I must askthat you will not regard me as empowered to act for Dion, but willalong with me write a letter to him, stating what has now beendecided, and enquire whether this course satisfies him. If it doesnot, and if he has other wishes and demands, he must write particularsof them as soon as possible, and you must not as yet take any hastystep with regard to his interests."This was what was said and this was the agreement which was made,almost in these words. Well, after this the trading-ships took theirdeparture, and it was no longer possible for me to take mine, whenDionysios, if you please, addressed me with the remark that half theproperty must be regarded as belonging to Dion and half to his son.

Therefore, he said, he would sell it, and when it was sold wouldgive half to me to take away, and would leave half on the spot for theson. This course, he said, was the most just. This proposal was a blowto me, and I thought it absurd to argue any longer with him;however, I said that we must wait for Dion's letter, and then oncemore write to tell him of this new proposal. His next step was thebrilliant one of selling the whole of Dion's property, using his owndiscretion with regard to the manner and terms of the sale and ofthe purchasers. He spoke not a word to me about the matter frombeginning to end, and I followed his example and never talked to himagain about Dion's affairs; for I did not think that I could do anygood by doing so. This is the history so far of my efforts to cometo the rescue of philosophy and of my friends.

After this Dionysios and I went on with our daily life, I with myeyes turned abroad like a bird yearning to fly from its perch, andhe always devising some new way of scaring me back and of keeping atight hold on Dion's property. However, we gave out to all Sicily thatwe were friends. Dionysios, now deserting the policy of his father,attempted to lower the pay of the older members of his body guard. Thesoldiers were furious, and, assembling in great numbers, declared thatthey would not submit. He attempted to use force to them, shutting thegates of the acropolis; but they charged straight for the walls,yelling out an unintelligible and ferocious war cry. Dionysios tookfright and conceded all their demands and more to the peltasts thenassembled.

A rumour soon spread that Heracleides had been the cause of allthe trouble. Hearing this, Heracleides kept out of the way.

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