Dialogue

1001 Text|               is this.~He who advises a sick man, whose manner of life
1002 Text|              such men with the power of sight.~In one word, the man who
1003 Text|                  as names, definitions, sights, and other data of sense,
1004 Text|                those two stood shedding silent tears, while I said: “These
1005 Text|              And if it should produce a similar effect on Dionysios, as
1006 Text|               among you cannot live the simple Dorian life according to
1007 Text| philosophy-whose praises you are always singing, while you say she is held
1008 Text|                this, as another excuse, sister to the previous one, for
1009 Text|               for them to have any real skill in the matter. There neither
1010 Text|         penetrating, like sunburn, only skin deep, when they see how
1011 Text|               own son. I would advise a slave under such circumstances,
1012 Text|               he had made an end of her slavery, clothed her in bright apparel,
1013 Text|              glutting himself with that slavish and gross pleasure which
1014 Text|                 to all mankind, they by slaying the man that was willing
1015 Text|                have the kinship but are slow learners and have no memory-none
1016 Text|              say, has nothing in either smaller or greater, of that which
1017 Text|                 and murders even on the smallest scale.~This course Dion
1018 Text|            superiority, and shamelessly snatches for himself from every source
1019 Text|                 is not altogether to be sneered at; for Dion’s property
1020 Text|                 as will give him inward sobriety and therewith quickness
1021 Text|                sell it, and when it was sold would give half to me to
1022 Text|          members of his body guard. The soldiers were furious, and, assembling
1023 Text|             appear to myself wholly and solely a mere man of words, one
1024     | sometimes
1025 Text|              cessation of evils for the sons of men, till either those
1026 Text|            desires which I myself would sooner die than cherish. The wise
1027 Text|              put upon Dion. He tried to soothe me and begged me to remain,
1028 Text|            involved Sicily in countless sorrows.~As to the steps which should
1029 Text|                 by the disorders of all sorts and kinds which arise every
1030 Text|               at all, belongs to things soulless; but good or evil will be
1031 Text|           living being, to character in souls, and to all things done
1032 Text|                in bodily shapes, but in souls-from which it is dear that it
1033 Text|         snatches for himself from every source whatever his bestial fancy
1034 Text|                 circulated from various sources-charges which, prevailing as they
1035 Text|             know that the entreaties of sovereigns are mixed with compulsion.
1036 Text|              prevailed with him, and he spared my life. Again, I am hardly
1037 Text|               the mind of the writer or speaker which is proved to be at
1038 Text|               men of substance, whom he speaks of as the enemy, and to
1039 Text|                to look upon him as more specially my friend than Dion, and
1040 Text|           Olympia, where I found Dion a spectator at the Games, and told him
1041 Text|              who gives an exposition in speech or writing or in replies
1042 Text|               mind had fallen under the spell of culture, should neglect
1043 Text|         Archedemos-one of those who had spent some time with Archytes,
1044 Text|               and of the purchasers. He spoke not a word to me about the
1045 Text|                assembled.~A rumour soon spread that Heracleides had been
1046 Text|              when men think it right to squander all their property in extravagant,
1047 Text|             Dion’s mind was naturally a stable one and had also the advantage
1048 Text|                the guilt of his murder, standing by his murderers as supporters
1049 Text|             move in the right path, and start by giving notice to their
1050 Text|               second place, that, after starting in this way, he should make
1051 Text|                it has often before been stated by me, and it seems suitable
1052 Text|            expressed in the shortest of statements-but if he wrote it at all, it
1053 Text|              and had raised from humble station to high office and from
1054 Text|           redound to his credit, but my staying might do so. Therefore,
1055     | stop
1056 Text|            unaware of the approach of a storm, but might be unaware of
1057 Text|                 the third time into the strait of Scylla,~that once again
1058 Text|                 be given because of the strange and paradoxical character
1059 Text|         forthwith press on with all his strength, and that life is not worth
1060 Text|            wholly right and noble is to strive for that which is most honourable
1061 Text|              youth of Dionysios and how strongly his desire was directed
1062 Text|      continuance of internal disorders, struggles, hatred and mutual distrust
1063 Text|             that they have sufficiently studied the whole matter and have
1064 Text|           called the life of happiness, stuffed full as it was with the
1065 Text|        barbarians, driving out some and subduing others, an easier task for
1066 Text|                clear to a more complete subjugation of the Carthaginians than
1067 Text|            declared that they would not submit. He attempted to use force
1068 Text|         overthrow of the tyranny which; subsequently took place. For Dion, who
1069 Text|              goes on to kill the men of substance, whom he speaks of as the
1070 Text|             oligarchies and democracies succeeding one another, while those
1071 Text|             could, but with very little success; and in the fourth month
1072 Text|                without ill will, with a sudden flash there shines forth
1073 Text|              and a life lived together, suddenly a light, as it were, is
1074 Text|             compulsion, unless they are suffering from an attack of insanity;
1075 Text|          philosophy, fearing the danger suggested by mischief-makers, that
1076 Text|                 be despised and is well suited to monarchs, especially
1077 Text|               apprehension. But when-to summarise great events which happened
1078 Text|                 Now by this time it was summer and the season for sea voyages;
1079 Text|                they do not, then do not summon me or any other helper to
1080 Text|                equality under the laws, summoning them from Sicily itself
1081 Text|                 again came on an urgent summons from Dionysios. But before
1082 Text|              opinions penetrating, like sunburn, only skin deep, when they
1083 Text|                it to scorn with fancied superiority, and shamelessly snatches
1084 Text|                reform with good luck to support it. And I was forced to
1085 Text|                Archytes, and of whom he supposed that I had a higher opinion
1086 Text|              whatever his bestial fancy supposes will provide for him the
1087 Text|                friends; and there is no surer criterion of virtue and
1088 Text|             Dion’s friends here must be sureties for him in this, and he
1089 Text|          philosophic temper, but a mere surface colouring of opinions penetrating,
1090 Text|                  So it is no matter for surprise if some God should make
1091 Text|                time in the garden which surround his house, from which even
1092 Text|                 another, and thereafter sustains itself. Yet this much I
1093 Text|              affairs and saw them being swept in all directions by contending
1094 Text|                my head finally began to swim; and, though I did not stop
1095 Text|                the same age and were in sympathy with his pursuit of virtue,
1096 Text|       Providence?” And he described the Syracusan empire in Italy and Sicily,
1097 Text|                 with regard to Dion and Syracuse-and for further troubles too,
1098 Text|          convictions, I crossed over to Syracuse-led there perhaps by chance-but
1099 Text|                 daily life rests on any system, or if he seems likely to
1100 Text|                the sharer of Dionysios’ table and hearth and his associate
1101 Text|               see looming in the future takes the course which may reasonably
1102 Text|         entreaties, it was the same old tale-that I must not betray Dion and
1103 Text|                 not less than a hundred talents. If however the prospect
1104 Text|                 quick to learn, hearing talk of the great truths of philosophy,
1105 Text|          followed his example and never talked to him again about Dion’
1106 Text|                 and my other friends in Taras, telling them the plight
1107 Text|           arrived from Archytes and the Tarentines, praising the philosophical
1108 Text|                lessons which I tried to teach, first to Dion, secondly
1109 Text|                throw the blame upon his teacher but on himself, because
1110 Text|                those ancient and sacred teachings, which declare that the
1111 Text|             words; the rest it would be tedious and inopportune to quote.
1112 Text|              flight. Dionysios sent out Teisias and some peltasts with orders
1113 Text|                not the true philosophic temper, but a mere surface colouring
1114 Text|                 spirit and that godlike temperament which makes him a kin to
1115 Text|               these conditions, and the tenor of it was as follows: “Dionysios
1116 Text|                 after that a revolution terminated the power of the thirty
1117 Text|                 other way save this for terminating the troubles of a city that
1118 Text|           course of scrutiny and kindly testing by men who proceed by question
1119 Text|                I must, next to the God, thank Dionysios, because, though
1120 Text|             acquired it-God wot, as the Theban says; for I gave him the
1121 Text|              and in the fourth month or thereabouts, charging Dion with conspiracy
1122     | thereafter
1123     | thereby
1124 Text|                 him inward sobriety and therewith quickness in learning, a
1125 Text|           teaching to be worthless, or, thirdly, to be beyond his range
1126 Text|                 their city, they sent a thirty-oared galley with Lamiscos, one
1127 Text|            Italy were trying to drag me thither, while my friends at Athens
1128 Text|                that his assailants were thoroughly bad men, but he was unaware
1129 Text|             property. For a city of ten thousand householders their numbers
1130 Text|              and that some of them were threatening to make an end of me, if
1131 Text|                 conspiracy to seize the throne, Dionysios put him on board
1132 Text|               that such a man shall not throw the blame upon his teacher
1133 Text|       indignation at these occurrences, throwing the blame on Dionysios.
1134 Text|            person as the bearer of such tidings. When his entreaties produced
1135 Text|                me back and of keeping a tight hold on Dion’s property.
1136 Text|              which happened in no great time-Dion returned from the Peloponnese
1137 Text|               of these thoughts, on the top of my previous convictions,
1138 Text|                as it is called, on this topic-except for some few, who are able
1139 Text|                 to embark on one of the trading ships and sail away, being
1140 Text|             words. Well, after this the trading-ships took their departure, and
1141 Text|                first to educate him and train him to be a sovereign worthy
1142 Text|                 having received a right training and education in morals.
1143 Text|              could remain in a state of tranquillity under any laws whatsoever,
1144 Text|           himself would provide me with transport. For my intention was to
1145 Text|               on earth, and when he has travelled beneath the earth on a journey
1146 Text|                people. But when men are travelling altogether outside the path
1147 Text|          appropriate it for himself and treacherously depose Dionysios. These
1148 Text|              man of worth, but that his treasures are laid up in the fairest
1149 Text|                 in order that I may not treat as the main point what is
1150 Text|               that, if one sees written treatises composed by anyone, either
1151 Text|               whom I have mentioned, to trial before a court of law, laying
1152 Text|                 me everything else is a trifling injury compared with this.~
1153 Text|               the third time, sending a trireme to ensure me comfort on
1154 Text|                 would I flatter them or truckle to them, providing them
1155 Text|               itself which is known and truly exists. The first is the
1156 Text|               and was so clever that he trusted no one, only secured his
1157 Text|                 himself was legally the trustee. These were the actual facts
1158 Text|                no longer allowed Dion’s trustees to send him remittances
1159 Text|      impoverished as he is in the soul, turns a deaf ear to this teaching;
1160 Text|                 be constantly changing, tyrannies, oligarchies and democracies
1161 Text|         philosophy, and thinks that the tyrant was in the right. Dionysios
1162 Text|               have allowed me to depart unaccompanied, and would not have promptly
1163 Text|           account leave such an impulse unaided nor make myself responsible
1164 Text|                 not in language that is unchangeable, which is true of that which
1165 Text|             into a world of discord and uncomeliness. For he wrote it, not as
1166 Text|       philosophy such symptoms were not uncommon in young men, still it seemed
1167 Text|                 of one instance, and so understand them in the case of all.
1168 Text|               the walls, yelling out an unintelligible and ferocious war cry. Dionysios
1169 Text|               another, they have caused universal disaster.~Dion’s aspiration
1170 Text|               it, while his own was his unjust expulsion and banishment.
1171 Text|                over many small ones, he unjustly appropriates to his own
1172 Text|             which rendered him somewhat unpopular among those whose manner
1173 Text|                to him to be unmanly and unprofessional. In the same way with regard
1174 Text|             even in the new government, unsettled as it was, events occurred
1175 Text|               result would be a life of unspeakable happiness both for himself
1176     | until
1177 Text|               The laws too, written and unwritten, were being altered for
1178 Text|            turned on a lathe and broken up-none of which things can happen
1179 Text|               the time being gained the upper hand, when they desire to
1180 Text|                 to describe as the most upright man of that day, with some
1181 Text|               as those of Dion, and you urge me to aid your cause so
1182 Text|             this reason Dion pressed me urgently not to decline his invitation.
1183 Text|                 offend them by offering useless, advice, nor would I flatter
1184 Text|            anything else. After this he uses to the full his own powers
1185     | using
1186 Text|               of life was that which is usual in the courts of despots.~
1187 Text|                 word which we have just uttered. The second thing belonging
1188 Text|                of Sicily which had been utterly destroyed by the barbarians,
1189 Text|               and others with lofty and vain-glorious expectations, as though
1190 Text|                opened my eyes as to the value of Dionysios’ desire for
1191 Text|               being taken were quite at variance with the previous agreement.~
1192 Text|          Dionysios. These slanders were victorious on that occasion; they were
1193 Text|           respite from trouble till the victors make an end of feeding their
1194 Text|             extraordinary and startling violence, and might therefore be
1195 Text|                 either possessing these virtues in himself, or living under
1196 Text|           summer and the season for sea voyages; therefore I decided that
1197 Text|                  It happened that I was walking in the garden at the same
1198 Text|                charged straight for the walls, yelling out an unintelligible
1199 Text|                 about me, saying that I wanted to go, and that he should
1200 Text|              Sicily which had been laid waste, and bind them together
1201 Text|              life into a good one. So I watched them very closely to see
1202 Text|              course of nature, to fire, water, and all such things, to
1203 Text|              Further, on account of the weakness of language, these (i.e.,
1204 Text|            murderers as supporters with weapons in their hands. The guilt
1205 Text|            consults me about any of the weightiest matters affecting his own
1206 Text|             much effort give birth in a well-constituted mind to knowledge of that
1207 Text|             tranquillity under any laws whatsoever, when men think it right
1208 Text|              state of apprehension. But when-to summarise great events which
1209     | whenever
1210 Text|              infatuation and of general wickedness and greed they had reached.
1211 Text|              point) to take his son and wife and sail to the Peloponnese
1212 Text|        circulated among the Syracusans, winning a victory which took an
1213 Text|                could possibly attain to wisdom-human nature is not capable of
1214 Text|               auspices to carry out his wishes-what these were, you have heard
1215 Text|               of their proceedings, and withdrew from any connection with
1216 Text|            themselves bereft him of his wits.”~Anyone who has followed
1217 Text|            years, who have children and wives at home, and, as far as
1218 Text|              finding a pretext that the women were obliged to hold a sacrificial
1219 Text|            which, if Dionysios had been won over, would have been established,
1220 Text|                But if these things were worked at by him as things of real
1221 Text|              perhaps necessary to go on working for a year, and to attempt
1222 Text|                 putting it forth into a world of discord and uncomeliness.
1223 Text|              were being altered for the worse, and the evil was growing
1224 Text|                 of these slanders I was worsted. When Dionysios tried to
1225 Text|           though how he acquired it-God wot, as the Theban says; for
1226 Text|      banishments and executions, and of wreaking their vengeance on their
1227 Text|            which in that second venture wrecked and ruined everything.~And
1228 Text|               it is not the mind of the writer or speaker which is proved
1229 Text|              least, I can say about all writers, past or future, who say
1230 Text|                  after my departure, he writes a plausible letter to Dion,
1231 Text|                obviously I was doing no wrong, but was the party wronged.~
1232 Text|                wrong, but was the party wronged.~Seeing me not at all inclined
1233 Text|               guilt is attached to each wrongful deed, and that the offender
1234 Text|             lesser evil to suffer great wrongs and outrages than to do
1235 Text|                 the displeasure of Zeus Xenios, and made myself clear of
1236 Text|               turned abroad like a bird yearning to fly from its perch, and
1237 Text|                 straight for the walls, yelling out an unintelligible and
1238 Text|               brought up when they were younger, and had raised from humble
1239     | yours