Dionyaius settled the disbanded mercenaries as colonists at Leontiui and Messana, which latter city he caused to be rebuilt. Mago, with a new Carthaginian army, having landed in Sicily, B.C. 392, was com pelled to re-embark on condition of paying the expenses of the war. Dionyalus now proceeded against Rhegium, with which the other towns of Magna Grwcia had formed an alliance, while he gained over to his side the Lucauiana, and both together defeated the allies, devas tated the territories of Thurii, Croton, Caulon, Hipponium, and Locri, and obliged the Greeks to sue for peace. About this time he is said by Juatinus, xx. 5, to have received an embassy from the Gauls, who had just burnt Rome, offering him their alliance. In B.C. 387 he again attacked Rhegium, and teak it after a long and obstivate siege. He sold the surviving inhabitants as slaves, and put their commander to a cruel death.
Dionysius was now feared both in Italy and Sicily, and he seems to have aspired at one time to the dominion of both countries. In order to raise money be allied himself with the Illyrians, and proposed to them the joint plunder of the temple of Delphi : the enterprise how ever failed. lie then plundered several temples, such as that of Proserpina, at Locri, and as he sailed back with the plunder with a fair wild, he, who was a humorist in his way, observed to hie friends, "You see how the immortal Gods favour sacrilege." With these resources he was preparing himself for a new expedition to Italy, when a fresh Carthaginian armament landed in Sicily, B.C. 383, and defeated Dionysius, whose brother, Leptines, fell in the battle. A peace followed, of Carthage dictated the conditions. The boundary of the two states was fixed at the river Halycus, and Dimly sins had to pay 1000 talents for the expenses of the war. This peace lasted fourteen years, during which Dionysius remained the undis turbed ruler of Syracuse and one-half of Sicily, with part of Southern Italy. He sent colonies to the coasts of the Adriatio, and his fleets navigated both seas. Twice he sent assistance to his old ally, Sparta, once against the Athenians, B.C. 374, and again in 369, after the battle of Leuctra, when the Spartans were hard pressed by Epaminondas. Meantime the court of Dionysius was frequented by many distinguished men, philosophers and poets. Plato is said to have been among the former, being invited by Dion, the brother-in-law of Dionysius; but the philosopher's declamations against tyranny led to his being sent away from Syracuse. The poets fared little better, as Dionysius him
self aspired to poetical glory, for which however be was not so well qualified as for political success. Those who did not praise his verses were in danger of being sent to prison. Dionysius twice sent some of his poems to be recited at the Olympic games, but they were hissed by the assembly. He was more successful at Athens. A tragedy of his obtained the prize, and the news of his success almost turned his brain. He had just concluded a fresh truce with the Carthaginiana, after having made an unsuccessful attack upon Lilybceurn at the expiration of the fourteen years' peace; and Le now gave himself up to rejoicings and feasting fur his poetical triumph. In a debauch with his friends he ate and drank so intemperately that he fell sense less, and soon after died; some say he was poisoned, B.C. 367, in the sixty-third year of his age, having been tyrant of Syracuse thirty eight years. After the death of his first wife he married two wives at once, namely, Doris of Locri, and Ariatteneta, daughter of Hippa rinus, of Syracuse : by these women he had seven children, of whom Dionysius, his elder son by Doris, succeeded him in the sovereignty.
Dionysius was a clever statesman, and generally successful in his undertakings; be did much to strengthen and extend tho power of Syracuse, and it was probably owing to him that all Sicily did not fall into the hands of the Carthaginians after the taking of Agrigentum. He was unscrupulous, rapacious, and vindictive, but several of the stories stated of his cruelty and suspicious temper appear improbable, or at least exaggerated. The work., of Philistus, who had written his life, and who is praised by Cicero, are lost. Diodorus, who is our principal remaining authority concerning Dionyaius, lived nearly three centuries after, and was not a critical writer. The government of Dionysius, like that of many others who are styled tyrants in ancient history, was not a despotism ; it resembled rather that of the first Medici and other leaders of the Italian republics in the middle ages, or that of the Stadtholders in Holland. The popular forms still remained, and we find Dionysiue repeatedly convoking the assembly of the people on important occasions, when full freedom of speech seem, to have been allowed.