quintam sortis partem quod vulgo dicimus viginti in centum Salmasius de Usura p. 188. Lugd. Bat. 1639. Vsurae communes Atticis majores nauticae minores quà m Romanis rationem dat Salmasius quia Navigationes At he 〈…〉 enses omnes fere Bosphorum petebant qui longissimae Pontum Salmas Ibidem Who may be allowed to praise their Ancestors The Government and State of the City of Sicyon Aratus's narrow escape His Education at Argos Aratus attempts to free Sicyon His marches towards Sicyon Delivers the City without bloodshed And aessociates it to the Achaeans The Charactar of Aratus He sails into Aegypt The Sicyonian Painting in much esteem Ptolomy's liberality to Aratus Antigonus indeavours to win Aratus to his party Aratus plunders Locris Resolves to attempt the taking of the Cittadel of Corinth * Here the old English Translator makes a pleasant mistake for whereas Amyoâ— calls Peloponnesus Presqu'Isle that is Peninsula the old Translator tells us news of a certain Island of Peloponnesus call'd Presche Sister to the Isle of Pines The Acro-corinth seis'd by Antigonus * A famous Muâ—itian of that time Erginus discovers a secret path leading to the weakest part of the Cittadel Technon Servant to Aratus his mistake Aratus marches to Corinth by night Surprises the City Stormes the Acro-Corinth and takes it Makes an Oration to the Citizens The good effects of this Exploit Aratus attempts to free Argos But fails in his design The surest Guard of a Prince The Tyrant Aristippus's manner of life Aristippus fights Aratus and beats him Aratus regains his credit and Aristippus is killâ—d The Tyrant Lysiades voluntarily frees Megalopolis Emulates and opposes Aratus And thereby loses the favour of the Achaeans The Aetolick War Pellene recover'd by a Panick fear Peace made with the Aetolians Aratus excuses the assaulting the Piraeum * The Territory between Athens and Eleusis He is defeated by the Macedonian General and reported to be Slain Invades the Athenians in a rage for their flattery is pacify'd and assists them to recover their Liberty Perswades Aristomachus to see free Argos Aristomachus oontrary to Aratus's advice invades Laconia Aratus is routed by Cleomenes But shortly after takes Mantinea Lysiades ingaging rashly in a Battle with Cleomenes is slain Aratus in disgrace Fights Megistonus and takes him Prisoner Refuses the Generalship of the Achaeans and why I seensur'd for calling in Antigonus and the Macedonians The Achaeans lose Mantinea and are beaten at Hecatombaeum by Cleomenes Their affairs in very ill posture Aratus being commission'd to punish the Traitors is forced to shift for his own life Aratus in great distress Antigonus called in to the assistance of the Achaeans Receives Aratus very Honourably A Prediction pleasantly fulfill'd Argos revolts from Cleomenes Aratus is blam'd for the death of Aristomachus and upon other accounts Philip the Son of Antigonus comes into Peloponnesus Aratus ill success against the Aetolians occasion'd the calling in of Philip into Greece Who suffers himself to be govern'd by the Counsel of Aratus Aratus affronted by Philips Courtiers Is ill us'd by Philip himself Aratus falls out with Philip Taurion poisons Aratus by the command of Philip. He dies at Aegium And is bury'd at Sicyon * The fifth of November The youngest Aratus poisoned also by Philip dyes Philip smarts sufficiently for these murders The Comparison of Dion and Brutus Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicily Marries two Wives Dion comes to Court Plato comes into Sicily Dion Plato's Scholar Dionysius hears Plato discourse Plato leaves Si 〈…〉 y. Dion sent Embassador to Carthage Dionysius his Children His Death Dionysius the Second succeeds his Father His Debauchery Dion's haughty Humour His Edution Dionysius the first very timorous Dion perswades Dionysius to send for Plato Plato sent for Philistus the Historian Why banish'd Recalled from Banishment Plato arrives in Sicily Dion railed at by the Courtiers Out of favour at Court Is forced away into Italy His Riches Plato sent away Dion sojourns at Athens Exhibits a Play for the Youth Travels in Greece Is made Citizen of Sparta His Revenues stopt Plato sent for Plato arrives in Sicily Sent away again Theste's Answer to Dionysius the First Dion resolves upon a War with Dionysius Is encourag'd by the Sicilians readiness to assist him Zante Dion Sacrifices to Apollo The Moon Eclipsed Prodigies before the War in Sicily Dion sets Sail with his Fleet. Passes the Cape Pachinus Iâ— driven 〈…〉 e Coast of Africk Arrives at Minoa in Sicily Takes the Town And delivers it up again Marches to Syracuse By a strange Accident Dionysius hears not Dion's arrival The Citizens meet him at the Gates Dion marches into the City in triumph Proclaims the Sicilians free Is chosen General Besieges the Castle Dionysius arrives Sends to treat with Dion and the Citizens Their Answer Dionysius puts the Deputies in Prison Makes a Salley Is wounded And carried off Dionysins's men beat into the Castle Letters sent to Dion from Dionysius Read publickly Dion suspected Heraclides arrives Courts the Mobile Is chosen Admiral Sosis plots against Dion Is found guilty of false Accusation and condemn'd to die Philistus arrives with a Fleet to help Dionysius Taken Prisoner and slain Timaeus the Historian Ephorus the Historian Dionysius makes offer of Surrender Receives no Answer Makes his Escape by Sea Hippon a Leveller Heraclides joyns with him Sets the Citizens against Dion They choose five and twenty Commanders Dion's Soldiers guard him out of the City The Citizens set upon them Fly before them Dion marches to the Leontines The Syracusians march after him and are beaten The Leontines receive Dion Nypsius arrives with a Fleet. Storms the Works and 〈…〉 ters the 〈…〉 ty Dion sent for back by the Syracusians Calls an Assembly His Speech to his Soldiers Dionysius's Men retreat into the Castle Make another Sally Fire the City Dion and his Men come to their succour March in great danger thró the Ruins Beat Nypsiuâ—'s Men into the Castle The Demagogues leave the City Dion pardons Heraclides and Theodotes Carries on the Siege Repeals the Votes of the Levellers A Famine occasion'd by the Sedition in the Army Dion forc'd to engage Pharax is beaten Prevents Heraclides Design of Possessing himself of the City Gaesylus the Spartan Apollicrates delivers up the Castle upon Articles Dion enters the Castle Takes again his Wife He is murther'd by Dion's means Calippus the Athenian Dion sees ae strange Apparition His Son breaks his Neck Dion inform'd of the Plot. Calippus denies it upon Oath Calippus Chief at Syracuse Kill'd at Rhegium Dion's Sister Wife and Son drown'd * Labio †Flavius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod ab urbe Semitertio miliari distat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
aviod admitting again the exploding Opinion of the Ancients That the Devils and evil Spirits out of an envious hatred to good men vigorously oppose whatever they do and by raising distractions and terrors in their minds endeavour to shake and undermine their Vertue lest by a steady and unbyass'd perseverance in Goodness they should after death obtain a happier condition of futurity than those wretched Beings can ever hope for But I shall refer these things to another place and in this Twelfth Book of the Lives of great Men compar'd one with another begin with his who was the elder Dionysius the First having seiz'd the Government of Sicily took to Wife the Daughter of Hermocrates a Syracusian She in an Insurrection which the Citizens made before the Government was well settled was abused in such a barbarous and outragious manner that for shame she put an end to her own life But Dionysius soon re-established and confirmed in the Throne married two Wives one named Doride of Locris the other Aristomache a Native of Sicily and Daughter of Hipparinus a Nobleman of the first Quality in Syracuse and Collegue with Dionysius when he was chosen General of the Army 'T is said he married them both in one day but which he enjoyed first is uncertain ever after he divided his kindness equally betwixt them both accompanying him together at his Table and in his Bed by turns Indeed the Syracusians were urgent that their own Country-woman might be preferred before the Stranger but Doride to recompence the aspersion of being a Foreigner had the good Fortune to be the Mother of Dionysius's eldest Son whilest Aristomache continued a long time without Issue tho' the King was very desirous to have Children by her and caused Doride's Mother to be put to death laying to her Charge that she had bewitch'd Aristomache to prevent her being with Child Dion Aristomache's Brother at first found a very Honourable Reception at Court for his Sisters sake but his own worth and parts soon procured him a nearer place in the Princes Affection who among other favours gave special Command to his Treasurers to furnish Dion with whatever Money he demanded enjoyning them withal the same day to give him a particular account of what they had delivered out Now tho' Dion was before reputed a person of extraordinary Parts a noble Mind and daring Courage yet all these excellent Qualifications received a considerable improvement by Plato's happy arrival in Sicily It was without doubt no humane Contrivance but the direction of Providence designing that this remote Cause should hereafter occasion the recovery of the Sicilians lost Liberty and the subversion of the Tyrannical Government which brought the Philosopher out of Italy and settled him at Syracuse Dion soon gain'd his acquaintance and became the most considerable among his Scholars by his wonderful disposition to Learning and inclination to Vertue far above what his years could promise as Plato himself reports of him and his own Actions sufficiently testifie For tho' he was bred up under the Tyrant in a condition much below himself inur'd to a dissolute and servile kind of life under a haughty and imperious Command glutted with extravagant Pleasures and a customary regard to nothing but Wealth and Luxury the mistaken happiness of life yet no sooner had he tasted the Sweets of more rational Notions and was made acquainted with the Precepts of Philosophy which direct the way to Vertue and true Satisfaction but his Appetite increas'd and his Soul was inflamed with a desire of more knowledge and greater Attainments Hereupon innocently tho' not judiciously concluding from his own ingenuous disposition that the same powerful Reasons would work the same Effects upon Dionysius he made it his business and at length obtain'd the favour of him at a leisure hour to admit and hear Plato At this their meeting the Subject-matter of their Discourse in general was Vertue but more particularly they disputed concerning Fortitude which Plato prov'd Tyrants of all men had the least pretence to and thence proceeding to treat of Justice he asserted the happy Estate of the Just and the miserable condition of the Unjust Here the King touch'd to the quick and not able to answer his Arguments would not endure to hear him out being highly displeas'd with the rest of the Auditors there present who with wonder and delight had listned to his Discourses At length exceedingly exasperated he asked the Philosopher in a great rage what business he had in Sicily To which Plato answered I came hither to seek an honest man It seems then replyed Dionysius you have lost your labour Dion supposing the Kings anger pretty well over at Plato's Request conveyed him suddenly aboard a Galley the Captains name Pollis a Lacedemonian bound for Greece but Dionysius privately dealt with Pollis by all means to kill Plato in the Voyage If not to be sure to sell him for a Slave alledging for an inducement that as a good man he could not be endammaged but would still enjoy his happiness tho' he lost his Liberty Pollis therefore as 't is reported carryed Plato to Aegina and there sold him to the Aeginetes then at War with Athens having made a decree That whatever Athenian was taken on their Coasts should forthwith be exposed to Sale Notwithstanding Dion was in no less Favour and Credit with Dionysius than formerly but was entrusted with the most considerable Employments and sent on an Honourable Embassage to Carthage in the management of which he gained very great Reputation Besides the King bore with the Liberty he took to speak his mind freely he being the only man who upon any occasion durst so boldly say what he thought witness his smart Repartee upon the account of Gelon Dionysius on a time ridiculing Gelon's Government and alluding to his Name said Gelon was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laughing-stock of Sicily while others seem'd to admire and applaud the Quibble Dion very warmly reply'd Sir you got the Crown by being trusted for Gelon's sake but for your sake no man will ever hereafter be trusted again for indeed Gelon made it appear that Monarchy was the best of Governments and you have convinced us 't is the worst Dionysius had three Children by Doride and by Aristomache four two of which were Daughters Sophrosyne and Arete Sophrosyne was married to his Son Dionysius Arete to his Brother Thearides after whose death Dion took his Niece Arete to Wife Now when Dionysius was sick and like to die Dion endeavour'd to discourse with him in behalf of the Children he had by Aristomache but was still prevented by the Phisitians designing thereby to ingratiate themselves with the next Successor who also as Timaeus reports gave him as he desired a sleeping Potion which soon depriv'd him of his Senses and made him sleep his last Hereupon at the first Council Dionysius the Second held with his Confidents Dion
as their Lord. For Fear and Force a great Navy and standing Army of ten thousand Mercenary Soldiers are not as his Father said the Adamantine Chains which secure the Regal Power but the love and affection of Subjects to their Prince endeared to him by his Clemency and Justice which tho' they seem more pliant than the stiff and hard bonds of Severity are nevertheless the strongest and most durable Tyes to fix and establish a settled and lasting Empire Moreover it is mean and dishonourable that a Prince glorious in his Equipage splendid in the Gallantry and Magnificence of his Court should not at all excell a Peasant in Discourse and Conversation nor have his princely Mind accomplished as well as Body adorned according to his Royal Dignity Dion frequently entertaining the King upon this Subject and as occasion offered repeating some of the Philosophers Learned Arguments Dionysius grew impatiently desirous to have Plato's Company and to hear him discourse Forthwith therefore he sent divers Letters to him to Athens to which Dion added his entreaties also several Philosophers of the Pythagorean Sect from Italy perswaded him to come and manage the plyable Youth of the King and by his grave and serious Advice restrain the unstable and desultory efforts of his new-acquired Power and Grandeur Plato as he says of himself being ashamed to seem busie only in words and sloathful in Action hoping withal that if he could work a Cure upon one Man the Head and Guide of the rest he might remedy the Distempers of the whole Kingdom of Sicily yielded to their Requests But Dion's Enemies fearing an alteration in Dionysius perswaded him to recall from Banishment one Philistus a Learned Man and very skilful in Tyrannical Policy whom they designed to set in opposition to Plato and his Philosophy For Philistus from the beginning was a great instrument to promote the Tyranny and being Governour of the Castle kept it a long time for that Faction There was a report that he had to do with the Mother of Dionysius the First and that he was not altogether ignorant of it But Leptimes having two Daughters by a married Woman whom he had Debauched gave one of them in marriage to Philistus without acquainting the King who being enraged put Leptimes's Mistress in Prison and Banished Philistus the Kingdom Whereupon he fled to some of his Friends at Adria in which retirement and leisure 't is probable he writ the greatest part of his History for he returned not into his Country during the Reign of that Dionysius But after his Death as is before related Dion's Enemies occasioned him to be recalled Home as fitter for their purpose and a firm Friend to the Arbitrary Government which he immediately upon his return endeavoured to abett and at the same time divers Calumnies and Accusations against Dion were by others brought to the King as that he held Correspondence with Theodotes and Heraclides to subvert the Monarchy for indeed 't is likely he had hopes by the coming of Plato to take off the unlimitted Power of Dionysius and make him more moderate and equitable in his Authority but if he continued averse to that and were not to be reclaimed he resolved to depose him and restore the Common-wealth to the Syracusians not that he approved a Democracy or Popular Government but thought it preferrable to a Tyranny when a good Aristocracy or Regency of the Grandees could not be procured This was the state of Affairs when Plato came into Sicily who at his first arrival was received with wonderful demonstration of Kindness and Respect for one of the Kings richest Chariots waited upon him when he came on shore Dionysius himself sacrificed to the Gods in thankful acknowledgment for the great happiness which had befel his Kingdom The Citizens also entertained marvellous hopes of a speedy and thorough Reformation For that at Court they observed a modest Decorum in their Feastings a grave composure in their Behaviour and the King himself returned kind and obliging Answers to all Petitions and Causes that came before him Men were generally grown very desirous of Learning and eagerly intent upon the study of Philosophy insomuch that the very Palace as 't is reported was covered with dust by the numerous Concourse of the Students in the Mathematicks that resorted thither Not long after at a Solemn Sacrifice in the Castle according to the Custom of the Country when the Priest as he was wont prayed for the long continuance of the present Government Dionysius standing by was heard to say What will you never leave off cursing me This sensibly vext Philistus and his Party who conjectured that if Plato by so little acquaintance had thus transformed and altered the young King's mind consequently by longer converse and greater intimacy he would get such Power and Authority that it would be impossible to withstand him They did therefore no longer privately and apart but joyntly and in publick all of them rail at Dion noising it about that he manifestly charmed and bewitched Dionysius by Plato's Sophistry to the end that when he was persuaded voluntarily to part with the Regency and throw off his Authority Dion might take it up and settle it upon his Sister Aristomache's Children Others seemed to take it in great scorn that the Athenians who formerly arrived in Sicily with a great Fleet and numerous Land-Army but were routed and beaten off with great loss without being able so much as to take the City of Syracuse should now by means of one Sophister overturn the whole Empire of Dionysius inveagling him to cashier his Guard of ten thousand Lances dismiss a Navy of four hundred Galleys disband an Army of ten thousand Horse and treble the number of Foot and go seek in the Schools an unknown and imaginary Bliss and learn by the Mathematicks how to be happy while in the mean time he resigned the substantial enjoyments of absolute Power Riches and Pleasure of Dion and his Sisters Children By these means at first Dion incurred the Kings suspicion and by degrees his apparent displeasure and aversion A Letter also was intercepted which Dion had writ to the Carthaginian's agents advising them that when they treated with Dionysius concerning a Peace they should not come to their Audience unless he were there and then he would effectually dispatch their business according to their minds When Dionysius had shewed this to Philistus and as Timaeus relates consulted with him about it he over-reached Dion by a feigned reconciliation fairly pretending to receive him again to his favour but leading him alone one day to the Sea-side under the Castle Wall he shewed him the Letter and taxed him with Conspiring with the Carthaginians against him when Dion assayed to offer something in his own defence Dionysius suffered him not but immediately forced him aboard a Vessel which lay there for that purpose and commanded the Sailors to set him ashore on the
the contrary So that as Plato says of himself the third time he set Sail for Sicily Venturing again to shoot Charibdis dangerous Gulph This arrival brought great joy to Dionysius and no less hopes to the Sicilians who were as earnest in their wishes as studious in their endeavours that Plato might get the better of Philistus and Philosophy triumph over Tyranny Neither was he unbefriended by the Ladies who upon all occasions studied to oblige him but he had from Dionysius that peculiar Credit which no man else ever obtained to that degree of confiding that he might come into his Presence without being examined or searched When the King offered him a very considerable sum of Money and repeated the tender of his Bounty but Plato still refused to accept it Aristippus the Cyrenian then present said That Dionysius was liberal without danger of hurting his Treasury for to those that wanted much he gave very little and a great deal to Plato who received nothing After the first Complements of kindness were over when Plato began to discourse of Dion he was at first diverted by dilatory Excuses which soon after begat feuds and disgusts tho' as yet not publickly taken notice of Dionysius endeavouring all he could to conceal them and by other Civilities and Honourable usage to draw him off from his Kindness to Dion Plato for some time did not divulge this his perfidious dealing and breach of promise but bore with it and dissembled his rescent While matters stood thus betwixt them and as they thought they were unobserved and undiscovered Helicon the Cyzicinian one of Plato's followers foretold an Eclipse of the Sun which happened according to his Prediction for which he was much admired by the King and rewarded with a Talent of Silver Aristippus drolling with some others of the Philosophers told them he also had something extraordinary to Prognosticate which they entreating him to declare I fore-tell said he that Dionysius and Plato will in a very little time fall out At length Dionysius made Sale of Dion's Estate converted the Money to his own use and removed Plato from an Apartment he had in the Gardens of the Palace to Lodgings near those of the Guards he kept in Pay who bore Plato an old grudge and sought Opportunity to make him away suppposing he advised Dionysius to lay down the Government and disband his Soldiers When Archytas understood the danger Plato was in he immediately sent a Galley with Messengers to demand him of Dionysius alledging that he stood engaged for his safety upon the confidence of which Plato came for Sicily Dionysius to palliate his secret hatred before Plato came away treated him with great Entertainments and all seeming demonstrations of kindness but could not forbear breaking out one day into such an expression as this No doubt Plato but when you are at home among the Philosophers your Companions you will complain of me and reckon up a great many of my faults To which Plato smiling return'd Answer I hope Sir we shall never be so put to it in the Academy for want of Subjects to discourse of as to talk of you Thus they say Plato was dismissed but his own Writings do not altogether agree with this Relation Dion was very angry at this and not long after he declared himself an open Enemy to Dionysius having received some intelligence concerning his Wife about which Plato by Letters had held a Correspondence with Dionysius now thus it was After Dion's Banishment Dionysius sending back Plato desired him to ask Dion privately if he would be against his Wife's marrying another Man for there went a report whether true or raised by Dion's Enemies was uncertain that his Marriage was not pleasing to him and that he lived with his Wife uneasie and dissatisfied When Plato therefore came to Athens and had discoursed the matter with Dion he writ a Letter to Dionysius in which he expressed every thing else plainly and intelligibly but this affair in covert and abstruse terms that none else but he might understand it signifying therein to him that he had talked with Dion about the business and that it was evident he would highly resent the Affront if Dionysius should attempt any such thing At that time therefore while there were yet great hopes of an accommodation he altered nothing in his Sisters concerns suffering her to live with Dion's Son but when things were come to that pass that no Reconciliation could be expected and that Plato after his second return was again sent away in displeasure he then forced Arete against her will to Marry Timocrates one of his Favourites in this Action coming short even of his Fathers Justice and Lenity For when Philoxenus who had married his Sister Theste being in disgrace and is declared Enemy for fear had fled and left Sicily he sent for his Sister and taxed her that being privy to her Husbands flight she had not declared it to him But the Lady confident and fearless made him this reply Do you believe me Brother so bad a Wife or so timorous a Woman that having known my Husbands flight I would not have born him company and shared the worst of his Fortunes Alas I was ignorant of it for better had it been for me and more honourable to be called the Wife of the Exile Philoxenus than the Sister of the Tyrant Dionysius 'T is said the King admired her ready and confident answer the Syracusians also honoured her for her Bravery insomuch that she retained her Dignity and Princely Retinue after the dissolution of the Tyranny and when she died the Citizens by Publick Decree attended the Solemnity of her Funeral Tho' this be a digression from the present purpose it is not altogether an useless Remarque From this time Dion set his mind wholly upon a War tho' Plato was against it with a modest regret reflecting upon the Entertainment he had received from Dionysius and also considering Dion's Age But Speucippus and the rest of his friends assisted and encouraged him to undertake the deliverance of Sicily from Slavery which in humble manner with lift up hands seemed to implore his help and with open Arms ready to receive him For when Plato sojourned at Syracuse Speucippus being oftner than he in company with the Citizens throughly understood how they were inclined and tho' at first he was shy of and suspected their bold talk fearing they were set on by the King to trapan him yet at length he gave ear and credit to what they said They generally agreed in their wishes and prayers that Dion would undertake the Design and come tho' without either Navy Men Horse or Arms that he would put himself aboard a Ship and lend the Sicilians only his Person and Name against Dionysius This Information from Speucippus encouraged Dion who that he might the better conceal his Design he employed his Friends privately to raise what men they could many great States-men and
Philosophers were assisting to him among whom was Cyprius Endemus on whose Death Aristotle writ his Dialogue of the Soul and Timonides the Leucadian they also engaged on his side Miltas the Thessalian who was skilful in fore-telling Events and his fellow-Student in the Academy Of all that were Banished by Dionysius who were not fewer than a thousand five and twenty only listed themselves the rest for fear declined the undertaking The general Rendezvous was in the Island Zacynthus whither they marched a small Army being not in all eight hundred compleat but all of them experienced Men who had signalized themselves in many and great Engagements well disciplin'd and inur'd to hardship and for Courage and Conduct the very flower of all the Soldery and such as by their Example would animate and encourage to action the numerous Forces Dion hoped to have in Sicily Yet these Men when they first understood the Expedition was against Dionysius were troubled and disheartned blaming Dion that hurried on like a mad man by his Passion and Despair he rashly threw both himself and them into certain Ruin Nor were they less angry with their Commanders and Muster-Masters that they did not in the beginning let them know the design of the War But when he had in an Oration set forth the unsafe and weak condition of Arbitrary Government and declared that he carryed them rather for Commanders than Soldiers the Citizens of Syracuse and the rest of the Sicilians having been long ready for a Revolt and after him Alcimenes a Grecian Noble-man of great Quality and Reputation who accompanyed him in the Expedition harangued them to the same effect they were quiet and contented It was now the midst of Summer and the Winds blew which are constant to that season of the year called by the Greeks Etesiae the Moon being at the full when Dion prepared a magnificent Sacrifice to Apollo and with great Solemnity marched his Soldiers to the Temple in all their Arms and Accoutrements after the Sacrifice he feasted them all in the Publick Cirque or place of Exercise of the Zacynthians where he had made Provision for their Entertainment who seeing with wonder the plenty and richness of Gold and Silver Plate and the Tables furnished in an extraordinary manner far exceeding the fortunes of a private Man concluded with themselves that one of his Age and Master of so much Treasure would not engage himself in so hazardous an Enterprize without good assurance of hope and certain and sufficient Supplies from his Friends As they were offering Wine to the Gods and performing their customary Devotions the Moon was Eclipsed which was no wonder to Dion who understood the revolutions of Eclipses and how the Moon was over-shadowed by the direct interposition of the Earth between her and the Sun But because it was necessary that the Soldiers should be satisfied and encouraged who were surprized and troubled at it Miltas the Diviner standing up in the midst of the Assembly bid them be of good chear and expect all happy success for that the Gods did fore-tell something that was at present glorious and resplendent should be Eclipsed and obscured Now nothing being more resplendent than they Grandeur of Dionysius their arrival in Sicily should cloud the glory and extinguish the brightness of that illustrious Empire Thus Miltas in publick descanted upon the Accident But concerning a swarm of Bees which settled on the Poop of Dion's Ship he privately told him and his Friends that he feared the great Actions they were like to perform tho' for a time they should thrive and flourish would be of short continuance and soon suffer a decay it is reported also that many ill prodigies hapned to Dionysius at that time An Eagle snatching a Javelin from one of the Guard carried it aloft and from thence let it fall into the Sea The water of the Sea that washed the Castle Walls was for a whole day sweet and potable as many that tasted it experienced Piggs were farrowed perfect in all their other parts but without Ears The Diviners did declare this to portend a Revolt and Rebellion for that the Subjects would no longer give ear to the Commands of their Superiours They expounded the sweetness of the Water to signifie to the Syracusians a Change from bad and woful Times into better and more happy Circumstances The Eagle being the Bird of Jupiter and the Spear an Emblem of Power and Command This Prodigy was to denote That Jupiter the chief of the Gods designed the destruction and dissolution of the present Government These things Theopompus in his History relates Two great Ships carryed all Dion's Men which were tended by a third somewhat less and two Galleys of thirty Oars Besides his Soldiers Arms he carried two thousand Shields a very great number of Darts and Lances and abundant stores of all manner of Provisions that there might be no want of any thing in their Voyage because they resolved to keep out at Sea and ply in the Main fearing to come near the Shore upon advice that Philistus rode at Anchor in the Bay of Apulia with a Fleet ready to intercept them Twelve days they sailed with a fresh and gentle gale the thirteenth they made Pachynus afore-Land of Sicily There the chief Pilot advised them to Land presently for if they were forced again from the Shoar and did designedly pass the Cape they might ride out at Sea many Nights and Days expecting a Southerly Wind in the Summer season But Dion fearing a descent too near his Enemies and desirous to land at greater distance and further up in the Country weathered the Cape Pachinus They had not sailed long before stress of Weather the Wind blowing hard at North drove the Fleet from the Coast it being a very stormy Season much about the time that Arcturus appears and there hapning then a great deal of Thunder and Lightning with violent Rains and tempestuous gusts of Wind the Mariners were at their Wits end and wholly ignorant what Course they ran till on a sudden they found they were driven to Circina an Island on the Coast of Africk craggy and full of dangerous Rocks upon which they scaped narrowly of being forced and staved to pieces but labouring hard at their Oars with much difficulty they kept clear until the Storm ceased Then lighting by chance upon a Vessel they understood they were upon the beginning of the Flats called the great Syrtis Being now again disheartned by reason of a sudden Calm and beating too and again without making any way they had a Southerly briese from the Shoar when they least expected the Wind in that quarter and scarce believed the happy change of their Fortune The Gale increasing and beginning to blow fresh they clapt on all their Sails and praying to the Gods put out again to Sea steering to rights for Sicily from the Coast of Africk and running steady before the Wind the fifth