Power and foreign exploits of Syracuse. law similar to the Athenian ostracism, authorising the infliction of temporary preventive banishment'. Under this law several powerful citizens were actually and speedily banished; and such was the abuse of the new engine by the political parties in the city, that men of conspicuous position are said to have become afraid of meddling with public affairs. Thus put in practice, the institution is said to have given rise to new political contentions not less violent than those which it checked, insomuch that the Syracusans found themselves obliged to repeal the law not long after its introduction. We should have been glad to learn some particulars concerning this political experiment, beyond the meagre abstract given by Diodorus-and especially to know the precautionary securities by which the application of the ostracising sentence was restrained at Syracuse. Perhaps no care was taken to copy the checks and formalities provided by Kleisthenês at Athens. Yet under all circumstances, the institution, though tutelary if reserved for its proper emergences, was eminently open to abuse, so that we have no reason to wonder that abuse occurred, especially at a period of great violence and discord. The wonder rather is, that it was so little abused at Athens. Although the ostracism (or petalism) at Syracuse was speedily discontinued, it may probably have left a salutary impression behind, as far as we can 1 Diodor. xi. 86, 87. The institution at Syracuse was called the petalism, because in taking the votes, the name of the citizen intended to be banished was written upon a leaf of olive, instead of a shell or potsherd. judge from the fact that new pretenders to despotism are not hereafter mentioned. The republic increases in wealth and manifests an energetic action in foreign affairs. The Syracusan admiral Phaÿllus was despatched with a powerful fleet to repress the B.C. 453. piracies of the Tyrrhenian maritime towns, and after ravaging the island of Elba, returned home, under the suspicion of having been bought off by bribes from the enemy; on which accusation he was tried and banished-a second fleet of sixty triremes under Apellês being sent to the same regions. The new admiral not only plundered many parts of the Tyrrhenian coast, but also carried his ravages into the island of Corsica (at that time a Tyrrhenian possession), and reduced the island of Elba completely. His return was signalised by a large number of captives and a rich booty'. Sikels in the interior of Sicily— the Sikel prince Duketius he founds Sikel town the new of Palikê. Meanwhile the great antecedent revolutions, B.C. 452. among the Grecian cities in Sicily, had raised a new spirit among the Sikels of the interior, and inspired the Sikel prince Duketius, a man of spirit and ability, with large ideas of aggrandisement. Many exiled Greeks having probably sought service with him, it was either by their suggestion, or from having himself caught the spirit of Hellenic improvement, that he commenced the plan of bringing the petty Sikel communities into something like city-life and collective co-operation. Having acquired glory by the capture of the Grecian town of Morgantina, he induced all the Sikel communities (with the exception of Hybla) to enter into a sort of federative compact. Next, in order to obtain a 1 Diodor. xi. 87, 88. B.C. 451. central point for the new organization, he transferred his own little town from the hill top, called Menæ, down to a convenient spot of the neighbouring plain, near to the sacred precinct of the gods called Paliki'. As the veneration paid to these gods, determined in part by the striking volcanic manifestations in the neighbourhood, rendered this plain a suitable point of attraction for Sikels generally, Duketius was enabled to establish a considerable new city of Palikê, with walls of large circumference, and an ample range of adjacent land which he distributed among a numerous Sikel population, probably with some Greeks intermingled. The powerful position which Duketius had thus Duketius acquired is attested by the aggressive character of bis measures, intended gradually to recover a portion at least of that ground which the Greeks had of the Syra- appropriated at the expense of the indigenous population. The Sikel town of Ennesia had been seized by the Hieronian Greeks expelled from Corinth. Ætna, and had received from them the name of Etna: Duketius now found means to reconquer it, after ensnaring by stratagem the leading magistrate. He was next bold enough to invade the territory of the Agrigentines, and to besiege one of their country garrisons called Motyum. We are impressed with a high idea of his power when we Exploits of he is defeated and becomes the prisoner cusans, who spare him, and send him to Diodor. xi. 78, 88, 90. The proceeding of Duketius is illustrated by the description of Dardanus in the Iliad, xx. 216. Κτίσσε δὲ Δαρδανίην, ἐπεὶ οὔπω Ιλιος ἱρὴ Ἐν πεδίῳ πεπόλιστο, πόλις μερόπων ἀνθρώπων, Compare Plato, De Legg. iii. p. 681, 682. 2 Diodor. xi. 76. learn that the Agrigentines, while marching to relieve the place, thought it necessary to invoke aid from the Syracusans, who sent to them a force under Bolkon. Over this united force Duketius gained a victory-in consequence of the treason or cowardice of Bolkon, as the Syracusans believedinsomuch that they condemned him to death. In the succeeding year, however, the good fortune of the Sikel prince changed. The united army of these two powerful cities raised the blockade of Motyum, completely defeated him in the field, and dispersed all his forces. Finding himself deserted by his comrades and even on the point of being betrayed, he took the desperate resolution of casting himself upon the mercy of the Syracusans. He rode off by night to the gates of Syracuse, entered the city unknown, and sat down as a suppliant on the altar in the agora, surrendering himself together with all his territory. A spectacle thus unexpected brought together a crowd of Syracuse citizens, exciting in them the strongest emotions: and when the magistrates convened the assembly for the purpose of deciding his fate, the voice of mercy was found paramount, in spite of the contrary recommendations of some of the political leaders. The most respected among the elder citizens-earnestly recommending mild treatment towards a foe thus fallen and suppliant, coupled with scrupulous regard not to bring upon the city the avenging hand of Nemesis-found their appeal to the generous sentiment of the people welcomed by one unanimous cry of "Save the suppliant'." Duketius, withdrawn 1 Diodor. xi. 91, 92. Ὁ δὲ δῆμος ὥσπερ τινι μιᾷ φωνῇ σώζειν ἅπαντες ἐβόων τὸν ἱκέτην. Duketius breaks his returns to Sicily. from the altar, was sent off to Corinth under his engagement to live there quietly for the future; the Syracusans providing for his comfortable maintenance. Amidst the cruelty habitual in ancient warfare, parole and this remarkable incident excites mingled surprise and admiration. Doubtless the lenient impulse of the people mainly arose from their seeing Duketius actually before them in suppliant posture at their altar, instead of being called upon to determine his fate in his absence-just as the Athenian people were in like manner moved by the actual sight of the captive Dorieus, and induced to spare his life, on an occasion which will be hereafter recounted'. If in some instances the assembled people, obeying the usual vehemence of multitudinous sentiment, carried severities to excess,-so, in other cases, as well as in this, the appeal to their humane impulses will be found to have triumphed over prudential regard for future security. Such was the fruit which the Syracusans reaped for sparing Duketius, who, after residing a year or two at Corinth, violated his parole. Pretending to have received an order from the oracle, he assembled a number of colonists, whom he conducted into Sicily to found a city at Kalê Aktê on the northern coast belonging to the Sikels. We cannot doubt that when the Syracusans found in what manner their lenity was requited, the speakers who had recommended severe treatment would take great credit on the score of superior foresight2. 1 Xenophon, Hellen. i. 5, 19; Pausanias, vi. 7, 2. 2 Mr. Mitford recounts as follows the return of Duketius to Sicily"The Syracusan chiefs brought back Ducetius from Corinth, apparently to make him instrumental to their own views for advancing the power |