Timoleon

, a celebrated Corinthian, son of Timodemus and Demariste. He was such an enemy to tyranny, that he did not hesitate to murder his own brother Timophanes, when he attempted, against his representations, to make himself absolute in Corinth. This was viewed with pleasure by the friends of liberty; but the mother of Timoleon conceived the most inveterate aversion for her son, and for ever banished him from her sight. This proved painful to Timoleon; a settled melancholy dwelt upon his mind, and he refused to accept of any offices in the state. When the Syracusans, oppre ed with the tyranny of Dionysius the younger, and of the Cart hag in i ans, had solicited the a istance of the Corinthians, all looked upon Timoleon as a proper deliverer, but all applications would have been disregarded, if one of the magistrates had not awakened in him the sense of natural liberty. “Timoleon,” says he, “if you accept of the command of this expedition, we will believe that you have killed a tyrant; but if not, we cannot but call you your brother’s murderer.” This had due effect, and Timoleon sailed for Syracuse in 10 ships, accompanied by about 1000 men. The Cart hag in i ans attempted to oppose him, but Timoleon eluded their vigilance. Icetas, who had the po e ion of the city, was defeated, and Dionysius, who despaired of succe , gave himself up into the hands of the Corinthian general. This succe gained Timoleon adherents in Sicily; many cities which hitherto had looked upon him as an impostor, claimed his protection; and when he was at last master of Syracuse by the total overthrow of Icetas and of the Cart hag in i ans, he razed the citadel which had been the seat of tyranny, and erected on the spot a common hall. Syracuse was almost destitute of inhabitants, and at the solicitation of Timoleon, a Corinthian colony was sent to Sicily; the lands were equally divided among the citizens, and the houses were sold for 1000 talents, which were appropriated to the use of the state, and deposited in the treasury. When Syracuse was thus delivered from tyranny, the conqueror extended his benevolence to the other states of Sicily, and all the petty tyrants were reduced and banished from the island. A code of salutary laws was framed for the Syracusans; and the armies of Carthage, which had attempted again to raise commotions in Sicily, were defeated, and peace was at last re-established. The gratitude of the Sicilians was shown everywhere to their deliverer. Timoleon was received with repeated applause in the public a emblies, and though a private man, unconnected with the government, he continued to enjoy his former influence at Syracuse: his advice was consulted on matters of importance, and his authority respected. He ridiculed the accusations of malevolence, and when some informers had charged him with oppre ion, he rebuked the Syracusans who were going to put the accusers to immediate death. A remarkable instance of his providential escape from the dagger of an a a in, has been recorded by one of his biographers. As he was going to offer a sacrifice to the gods after a victory, two a a ins, sent by the enemies, approached his person in disguise. The arm of one of the a a ins was already lifted up, when he was suddenly stabbed by an unknown person, who made his escape from the camp. The other a a in, struck at the fall of his companion, fell before Timoleon, and confe ed, in the presence of the army, the conspiracy that had been formed against his life. The unknown a a in was in the mean time pursued, and when he was found, he declared that he had committed no crime in avenging the death of a beloved father, whom the man he had stabbed had murdered in the town of Leontini. Inquiries were made, and his confe ions were found to be true. Timoleon died at Syracuse, about 337 years before the christian era. His body received an honourable burial, in a public place called from him Timoleonteum ; but the tears of a grateful nation were more convincing proofs of the public regret, than the institution of festivals and games yearly to be observed on the day of his death. Cornel i us Nepos & Plutarch , Lives .— Polyænus , bk. 5 , ch. 3 .— Diodorus , bk. 16 .