Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/288

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

280 DION. and wounded him ; they ran at once to look after them, and met no one, but spied this razor lying under a hol- low stone near the place from which they observed he came. Sosis was now likely to come by the worst of it. But when, to back all this, his own servants came in, and gave evidence that he had left his house alone before break of day, with the razor in his hand, Dion's accusers withdrew themselves, and the people by a general vote condemned Sosis to die, being once again well satisfied with Dion and his proceedings. Yet they were still as jealous as before of his soldiers, and the rather^ because the war was now carried on prin- cipally by sea ; PhUistus being come from lapygia with a great fleet to Dionysias's assistance. They supposed, therefore, that there would be no longer need of the sol- diers, who were all landsmen and anned accordingly: these were rather, indeed, they thought, in a condition to be protected by themselves, who were seamen, and had their power in their shipping. Their good opinion of themselves was also much enhanced by an advantage they got in an engagement' by sea, in which they took Philistus prisoner, and used him in a barbarous and cruel manner. Ephorus relates that when he saw his ship was taken he slew himself But Timonides, who was with Dion from the very first, and was present at all the events as they occurred, writing to Sjieusippus the philosopher, relates the story thus: that Philistus's galley running aground, he was taken prisoner alive, and first dis- armed, then strijjped of his corslet, and exposed naked, being now an old man, to every kind of contumely; after which they cut off his head, and gave his body to the boys of the town, bidding them drag it through the Achradina, and then throw it into the Quarries. Timseus, to increase the mockery, adds further, that