Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/55

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LYSIAS AT OLYMPIA. 251 painful publicity to the fact, that the free community of Kaulonia no longer existed, and to the absorptions of Grecian freedom effected by Dionysius. In following the history of affairs in Central Greece, I have already dwelt upon the strong sentiment excited among Grecian patriots by the peace of Antalkidas, wherein Sparta made herself the ostentatious champion and enforcer of a Persian rescript, pur- chased by surrendering the Asiatic Greeks to the Great King. It was natural that this emotion should manifest itself at the next ensuing Olympic festival in 384 B. c., wherein not only Spartans, Athenians, Thebans, and Corinthians, but also Asiatic and Sicilian Greeks, were reunited after a long separation. The emotion found an eloquent spokesman in the orator Lysias. Descended from Syracusan ancestors, and once a citizen of Thurii, 1 Lysias had pe- culiar grounds for sympathy with the Sicilian and Italian Greeks. He delivered a public harangue upon the actual state of political affairs, in which he dwelt upon the mournful present and upon the serious dangers of the future. " The Grecian world (he said) is burning away at both extremities. Our eastern brethren have passed into slavery under the Great King, our western under the despotism of Dionysius. 2 These two are the great potentates, both in naval force and in money, the real instruments of dominion : 3 if both of them combine, they will extinguish what remains of freedom in Greece. They have been allowed to consummate all this ruin unopposed, because of the past dissensions among the leading Gre- and incorporated with Lokri ; the inhabitants being taken away to Syra- cuse and made Syracusan citizens (Diodor. xiv. 106). Dikon therefore could not have been proclaimed a Kauloniate, even had he desired it when the city of Kaulonia no longer existed. The city was indeed after- wards reestablished ; and this circumstance doubtless contributed to mis- lead Pausanias, who does not seem to have been avare of its temporary subversion by Dionysius. 1 Dionys. Hal. Judic. de LysS, p. 452, Reisk.

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