timoleon-第2节

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of　such　a　brother　appeared　to　be　his　own　reproach　and　calamity。　He
undertook　to　persuade　him　by　reasoning；　that　desisting　from　that
wild　and　unhappy　ambition；　he　would　bethink　himself　how　he　should　make
the　Corinthians　some　amends；　and　find　out　an　expedient　to　remedy　and
correct　the　evils　he　had　done　them。　When　his　single　admonition　was
rejected　and　contemned　by　him；　he　makes　a　second　attempt；　taking
with　him　Aeschylus　his　kinsman；　brother　to　the　wife　of　Timophanes；　and
a　certain　diviner；　that　was　his　friend；　whom　Theopompus　in　his　history
calls　Satyrus；　but　Ephorus　and　Timaeus　mention　in　theirs　by　the　name
of　Orthagoras。　After　a　few　days；　then；　he　returns　to　his　brother
with　this　company；　all　three　of　them　surrounding　and　earnestly
importuning　him　upon　the　same　subject；　that　now　at　length　he　would
listen　to　reason；　and　be　of　another　mind。　But　when　Timophanes　began
first　to　laugh　at　the　men's　simplicity；　and　presently　broke　out　into
rage　and　indignation　against　them；　Timoleon　stepped　aside　from　him　and
stood　weeping　with　his　face　covered；　while　the　other　two；　drawing
out　their　swords；　despatched　him　in　a　moment。
　　On　the　rumour　of　this　act　being　soon　scattered　about；　the　better　and
more　generous　of　the　Corinthians　highly　applauded　Timoleon　for　the
hatred　of　wrong　and　the　greatness　of　soul　that　had　made　him；　though　of
a　gentle　disposition　and　full　of　love　and　kindness　for　his　family；
think　the　obligations　to　his　country　stronger　than　the　ties　of
consanguinity；　and　prefer　that　which　is　good　and　just　before　gain
and　interest　and　his　own　particular　advantage。　For　the　same　brother；
who　with　so　much　bravery　had　been　saved　by　him　when　he　fought
valiantly　in　the　cause　of　Corinth；　he　had　now　as　nobly　sacrificed
for　enslaving　her　afterwards　by　a　base　usurpation。　But　then；　on　the
other　side；　those　that　knew　not　how　to　live　in　a　democracy；　and　had
been　used　to　make　their　humble　court　to　the　men　of　power；　though
they　openly　professed　to　rejoice　at　the　death　of　the　tyrant；
nevertheless；　secretly　reviling　Timoleon；　as　one　that　had　committed　an
impious　and　abominable　act；　drove　him　into　melancholy　and　dejection。
And　when　he　came　to　understand　how　heavily　his　mother　took　it；　and
that　she　likewise　uttered　the　saddest　complaints　and　most　terrible
imprecations　against　him；　he　went　to　satisfy　and　comfort　her　as　to
what　had　happened；　and　finding　that　she　would　not　endure　so　much　as　to
look　upon　him；　but　caused　her　doors　to　be　shut；　that　he　might　have
no　admission　into　her　presence；　with　grief　at　this　he　grew　so
disordered　in　his　mind　and　so　disconsolate；　that　he　determined　to
put　an　end　to　his　perplexity　with　his　life；　by　abstaining　from　all
manner　of　sustenance。　But　through　the　care　and　diligence　of　his
friends；　who　were　very　instant　with　him；　and　added　force　to　their
entreaties；　he　came　to　resolve　and　promise　at　last；　that　he　would
endure　living；　provided　it　might　be　in　solitude；　and　remote　from
company；　so　that；　quitting　all　civil　transactions　and　commerce　with
the　world　for　a　long　while　after　his　first　retirement；　he　never　came
into　Corinth；　but　wandered　up　and　down　the　fields；　full　of　anxious　and
tormenting　thoughts；　and　spent　his　time　in　desert　places；　at　the
farthest　distance　from　society　and　human　intercourse。　So　true　it　is
that　the　minds　of　men　are　easily　shaken　and　carried　off　from　their　own
sentiments　through　the　casual　commendation　or　reproof　of　others；
unless　the　judgments　that　we　make；　and　the　purposes　we　conceive；　be
confirmed　by　reason　and　philosophy；　and　thus　obtain　strength　and
steadiness。　An　action　must　not　only　be　just　and　laudable　in　its　own
nature；　but　it　must　proceed　likewise　from　motives　and　a　lasting
principle；　that　so　we　may　fully　and　constantly　approve　the　thing；
and　be　perfectly　satisfied　in　what　we　do；　for　otherwise；　after
having　put　our　resolution　into　practice；　we　shall　out　of　pure　weakness
come　to　be　troubled　at　the　performance；　when　the　grace　and
godliness；　which　rendered　it　before　so　amiable　and　pleasing　to　us；
begin　to　decay　and　wear　out　of　our　fancy；　like　greedy　people；　who；
seizing　on　the　more　delicious　morsels　of　any　dish　with　a　keen
appetite；　are　presently　disgusted　when　they　grow　full；　and　find
themselves　oppressed　and　uneasy　now　by　what　they　before　so　greedily
desired。　For　a　succeeding　dislike　spoils　the　best　of　actions；　and
repentance　makes　that　which　was　never　so　well　done　become　base　and
faulty；　whereas　the　choice　that　is　founded　upon　knowledge　and　wise
reasoning　does　not　change　by　disappointment；　or　suffer　us　to　repent；
though　it　happen　perchance　to　be　less　prosperous　in　the　issue。　And
thus；　Phocion；　of　Athens；　having　always　vigorously　opposed　the
measures　of　Leosthenes；　when　success　appeared　to　attend　them；　and　he
saw　his　countrymen　rejoicing　and　offering　sacrifice　in　honour　of　their
victory；　〃I　should　have　been　as　glad；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃that　I　myself
had　been　the　author　of　what　Leosthenes　has　achieved　for　you；　as　I　am
that　I　gave　you　my　own　counsel　against　it。〃　A　more　vehement　reply　is
record　to　have　been　made　by　Aristides　the　Locrian；　one　of　Plato's
companions；　to　Dionysius　the　elder；　who　demanded　one　of　his
daughters　in　marriage：　〃I　had　rather；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃see　the　virgin
in　her　grave　than　in　the　palace　of　a　tyrant。〃　And　when　Dionysius；
enraged　at　the　affront；　made　his　sons　be　put　to　death　a　while　after；
and　then　again　insultingly　asked；　whether　he　were　still　in　the　same
mind　as　to　the　disposal　of　his　daughters；　his　answer　was；　〃I　cannot
but　grieve　at　the　cruelty　of　your　deeds；　but　am　not　sorry　for　the
freedom　of　my　own　words。〃　Such　expressions　as　these　may　belong　perhaps
to　a　more　sublime　and　accomplished　virtue。
　　The　grief；　however；　of　Timoleon　at　what　had　been　done；　whether　it
arose　from　commiseration　of　his　brother's　fate　or　the　reverence　he
bore　his　mother；　so　shattered　and　broke　his　spirits；　that　for　the
space　of　almost　twenty　years　he　had　not　offered　to　concern　himself
in　any　honourable　or　public　action。　When；　therefore；　he　was　pitched
upon　for　a　general；　and；　joyfully　accepted　as　such　by　the　suffrages　of
the　people；　Teleclides；　who　was　at　that　time　the　most　powerful　and
distinguished　man　in　Corinth；　began　to　exhort　him　that　he　would　act
now　like　a　man　of　worth　and　gallantry：　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　do
bravely　in　this　service　we　shall　believe　that　you　delivered　us　from
a　tyrant；　but　if　otherwise　that　you　killed　your　brother。〃　While　he　was
yet　preparing　to　set　sail；　and　enlisting　soldiers　to　embark　with
him；　there　came　letters　to　the　Corinthians　from　Hicetes；　plainly
disclosing　his　revolt　and　treachery。　For　his　ambassadors　had　no　sooner
gone　for　Corinth；　but　he　openly　joined　the　Carthaginians；
negotiating　that　they　might　assist　him　to　throw　out　Dionysius；　and
become　master　of　Syracuse　in　his　room。　And　fearing　he　might　be
disappointed　of　his　aim　if　troops　and　a　commander　should　come　from
Corinth　before　this　were　effected；　he　sent　a　letter　of　advice　thither；
in　all　haste；　to　prevent　their　setting　out；　telling　them　they　need　not
be　at　any　cost　and　trouble　upon　his　account；　or　run　the　hazard　of　a
Sicilian　voyage；　especially　since　the　Carthaginians；　alliance　with
whom　against　Dionysius　the　slowness　of　their　motions　had　compelled　him
to　embrace；　would　dispute　their　passage；　and　lay　in　wait　to　attack
them　with　a　numerous　fleet。　This　letter　being　publicly　read；　if　any
had　been　cold　and　indifferent　before　as　to　the　expedition　in　hand；　the
indignation　they　now　conceived　against　Hicetes　so　exasperated　and
inflamed　them　all　that　they　willingly　contributed　to　supply
Timoleon；　and　endeavoured　with　one　accord　to　hasten　his　departure。
　　When　the　vessels　were　equipped；　and　his　soldiers　every　way
provided　for；　the　female　priest　of　Proserpina　had　a　dream　or　vision
wherein　she　and　her　mother　Ceres　appeared　to　them　in　a　travelling
garb；　and　were　heard　to　say　that　they　were　going　to　sail　with　Timoleon
into　Sicily；　whereupon　the　Corinthians；　having　built　a　sacred
galley；　devoted　it　to　them；　and　called　it　the　galley　of　the　goddesses。
Timoleon　went　in　person　to　Delphi；　where　he　sacrificed　to　Apollo；　and；
descending　into　the　place　of　prophecy；　was　surprised　with　the
following　marvellous　occurrence。　A　riband；　with　crowns　and　figures
of　victory　embroidered　upon　it；　slipped　off　from　among　the　gifts
that　were　there　consecrated　and　hung　up　in　the　temple；　and　fell
directly　down　upon　his　head；　so　that　Apollo　seemed　already　to　crown
him　with　success；　and　send　him　thence　to　conquer　and　triumph。　He　put
to　sea　only　with　seven　ships　of　Corinth；　two　of　Corcyra；　and　a　tenth
which　was　furnished　by　the　Leucadians；　and　when　he　was　now　entered
into　the　deep　by　night；　and　carried　with　a　prosperous　gale；　the　heaven
seemed　all　on　a　sudden　to　break　open；　and　a　bright　spreading　flame
to　issue　forth　from　it；　and　hover　over　the　ship　he　was　in；　and；　having
formed　itself　into　a　torch；　not　unlike　those　that　are　used　in　the
mysteries；　it　began　to　steer　the　same　course；　and　run　along　in　their
company；　guiding　them　by　its　light　to　that　quarter　of　Italy　where　they
designed　to　go　ashore。　The　soothsayers　affirmed　that　this　apparition
agreed　with　the　dream　of　the　holy　woman；　since　the　goddesses　were
now　visibly　joining　in　t