. The eastern nations and Greece. cily and in Magna Graecia to a stateof dependence upon Syracuse, he built up an empire which includednearly all of Western Hellas. Syracuse was thus raised to a positionof power and affluence corresponding to that which Athens had sorecently held in Eastern Hellas. The object of universal detestation, Dionysius carried his life inhis hands. The state of constant apprehension in which he hved 248 §271] TIMOLEON THE LIBERATOR 249 is illustrated by the story of the sword of Damocles.^ The Damocleansword did not fall during the lifetime of Dionysius. He died a nat
. The eastern nations and Greece. cily and in Magna Graecia to a stateof dependence upon Syracuse, he built up an empire which includednearly all of Western Hellas. Syracuse was thus raised to a positionof power and affluence corresponding to that which Athens had sorecently held in Eastern Hellas. The object of universal detestation, Dionysius carried his life inhis hands. The state of constant apprehension in which he hved 248 §271] TIMOLEON THE LIBERATOR 249 is illustrated by the story of the sword of Damocles.^ The Damocleansword did not fall during the lifetime of Dionysius. He died a naturaldeath, and transmitted his power to his son, who ascended the throneas Dionysius the Younger. 271. Timoleon the Liberator (344-336 ); the Golden Era of theSicilian Greek Cities. The young Dionysius lacked the ability of hisfather to play the tyrant. His reign (367-343 ) was a troubledone and was filled with all sorts of vicissitudes. Most of the Siciliancities broke away from the empire. The Carthaginians began again. Fig. 108. Coin of Syracuse to harass the island. Everything was in confusion, and distressamong the people was universal. Under the stress of these circum-stances the Syracusans sent an embassy to Corinth, their mothercity, for help to free themselves from the tyrant Dionysius. TheCorinthians listened favorably to the appeal, and sent to the succorof the Syracusans a small force under the lead of Timoleon, aman who at home had shown his love for liberty by consenting tothe death of his own brother when he attempted to make himselftyrant of Corinth. Arriving at Syracuse, Timoleon quickly drove out the tyrant andrestored the government to the people. He also expelled the despots 1 A courtier named Damocles having expressed to Dionysius the opinion that hemust be supremely happy, the tyrant invited him to a sumptuous banquet, assigning tohim his own place at the board. When the courtier was in the midst of the enjoymentsof the table, Dionysius bade him l
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