PLATO. 
630 
with coolnefs, and reminded the king of the violation of 
his promife, that on the return of peace Dion thould be 
reftored to his country. Upon this Dionyfius declared by 
letter, that, fliould Plato perfift in refulingto oblige him, 
Dion was not to expert any favour at his hands; but 
that, if he complied with his requelf, the exile fliould be 
immediately reftored. The king alfo made application to 
Archytas of Tarentum, and other Pythagorean philofo- 
phers, requefting that they would ufe their good offices 
in favour cf his fuir, and pledging himfelf to them for 
the performance of his promifes. The importunities of 
thefe friends, which were feconded by the entreaties of 
the wife and lifter of Dion, at length prevailed over Plato’s 
reluflance to truft himfelf anew to the mercy and fickle 
temper of the tyrant, and he fet out for Syracufe a third 
time. Upon his arrival, the king met him in a magnifi¬ 
cent chariot, and conduced him to his palace. To the 
Sicilians his prefence at court afforded real joy, fince they 
hoped that at length his wifdom would triumph over the 
tyrannic temper and vicious propenfities of their prince. 
For a time the conduct of the latter feemed to juftify their 
hopes. He curbed his headftrong paftions, fet an exam¬ 
ple of regularity and order, liftened with apparent plea- 
fure to the philofopher’s doftrine, and, among other ex- 
preffions of regard, made him a prefentof a confiderable 
fum of money, which was expended on the purchafe of 
Philolaus’s writings. Plato now poflefled the chief in¬ 
fluence and authority in the court of Syracufe; and he 
fupported the credit of philofophy with an air of dignity, 
which by his friends was regarded as an indication of fu- 
perior wifdom, but which his enemies imputed to pride. 
Yet the promifes which had been his principal induce¬ 
ment to return to Sicily remained unfulfilled. All his 
endeavours to prevail upon Dionyfius to adopt his fyftem 
of policy, or to recall Dion from his exile, proved un- 
fitccefsful; and, whenever he urged the tyrant on thefe 
topics, he met only with fubterfuge or procraftination. 
Hence,* after a fliort interval, mutual diftruft arofe be¬ 
tween Dionyfiusand Plato; each fufpeited the other of 
evil defigns, and each endeavoured to conceal his fufpi- 
cions under the difguife of refpeft. At length the phi¬ 
losopher became fo much diflatisfied with his Situation, 
that heearneftly requefted permiflion to return to Greece. 
After fome oppofition permiflion was granted, and Plato 
was preparing to embark on-board a vefle! which had 
been provided for his paffage ; when the fickle mind of 
Dionyfius changed, and he detained him in Syracufe 
againft his inclination. From this time the freedom of 
the philofopher’s complaints and reproofs became oft’en- 
five to the tyrant; in confequence of which, Plato was 
difmiffed from court, and placed under a guard of Soldiers 
who had been incenfed againft him by calumnious re¬ 
ports. His life being thus in danger, intelligence of his 
Situation was conveyed to Archytas, then chief magiftrate 
of Tarentum, who immediately Sent ambafladors to de¬ 
mand his releafe in Safety, conformably to the engage¬ 
ments of Dionyfius with himfelf and the other Pythago¬ 
reans, when he folicited them to perfuade the philofopher 
to return to Syracufe. Either not daring to refufe this 
demand, or awakenec^ by the remonftrances of the ambaf- 
fadors to a fenfe of (name, Dionyfius fet Plato at perfedl 
liberty, and at the fame time, that he might Save himfelf, 
as much as poflible, from the difgrace of having driven 
from his court the firft philofopher of the age, he gave him 
a magnificent entertainment, and fent him away loaded 
with rich prefents. 
On his journey home, Plato palled through the Pelo- 
ponnefus, and was at Elis during the celebration of the 
Olympic games, where he attended the general affembly 
of the Greeks, andattradled univerfal notice. At Athens, 
the citizens expreffed grea-t joy at his return amongft 
them, and would have confided to him the adminiftration 
of the government; but he declined taking any lhare in 
the management of public affairs, partly on account of 
the difficulties with which he fhould have to ftruggle, 
owing to the relaxed ftate of public manners, and partly 
from the refolution which he had formed to retire to the 
quiet employments of the Academy. He therefore 
refumed his School, devoted himfelf to Science, and Spent 
the laft years of a long life in the inftrudtion of youth. 
As his fame was now widely dift’ufed. Several dates fent 
ambafladors to him, requefting that he would come and 
eftablifli Schools of philofophy among them, or fupply 
them with laws and rules of government. In this num¬ 
ber were the Arcadians, Thebans, Cyrenians, Cretans, 
Eleans, and Syracufans after they had expelled their 
tyrant. No perfuafions or offers, however, could induce 
him to quit his peaceful retirement at Athens ; though 
he freely communicated his advice and affiltance to molt 
of them, on the fubjeft of government. * Having enjoyed 
the advantages of a robuft conftitution, and obferved 
great temperance in his manner of living, he arrived at 
the eighty-firft, or, according to fome writers, the 
Seventy-ninth, year of his age ; and died, through the 
mere decay of nature, in the firlt year of the hundred and 
eighth Olympiad, or 34-8 B.C. He pafled his whole life 
in a ftate of celibacy ; and the grove and garden, which 
had been the fcene of his philofophical labours, at laft 
afforded him a Sepulchre. Statues and altars were erefted 
to his memory ; the day of his birth long continued to 
be obferved as a feftival by his followers; and his por¬ 
trait was engraved on gems, fome of which have reached 
modern times. 
Not to detail the fables relating to Plato, which are to 
be met with in the writings of the'ancients, and muft be 
allowed to exprefs the very high refpetSf entertained by 
them for his memory, he was certainly a very extraordi¬ 
nary man, who was diftinguifhed by a comprehenlive 
mind, a fertile imagination, vaft ftores of knowledge, and 
a copious and molt impreffive eloquence. It will here¬ 
after be feen, however, that he poflefled more brilliancy 
of fancy than ftrength of judgment; and that the value 
of the Speculations which were the employment of hi3 
life, and will remain lafting monuments of his genius, is 
greatly diminifhed by the fubtlety and refinement which 
frequently involve them in impenetrable obfcurity. 
With refpefl: to his perfonal charatfter, after making 
allowance for the frailties inseparable from human beings, 
and of which his encomiafts lofe fight when they adorn 
him with every excellence, there is Sufficient evidence 
that he was highly efteemed for the illuftrious example 
which he difplayed of moral worth and virtue, and that 
he was as amiable as he was eftimable. His enemies, 
indeed, have not Scrupled to reproach him for practices 
unbecoming the dignity of the philofophical charadler, 
and even to charge him with the commiflion of the molt 
infamous vices. There are no fafts, however, on record, 
which can juftify their criminations, or ferve to vindicate 
themfelves from the cenfure of having propagated wicked 
and malignant calumnies. Several anecdotes are pre¬ 
served which reflect honour on the principles and conduct 
of Plato. Such was his command of temper, that once, 
when he was lifting up his hand to correct his Servant for 
fome ofFence, perceiving himfelf angry, he kept his arm 
fixed in that pofture, and faichto a friend who, coming in 
at that inftant, afked him what he was doing, “ I am pu~ 
nifhing a paffionate man.” At another time, he Said to 
one of his Haves, “ I would chaftife you if I were uot 
angry." At the Olympic games, he happened to Spend a 
day in company with fome ftrangers, who were delighted 
with his eafy and affable conversation, but were no further 
informed concerning him than that his name was Plato, 
At parting, he invited them to his houfe when they 
fliould vifit Athens. Not long afterwards they accepted 
his invitation, and he entertained them courteoully. In 
the courfe of their conversation, they requefted that he 
would introduce them to his namefake, the famous philc- 
fopher, and fhow them his academy. Plato, Smiling, Said, 
“ I am the perfon whom you with to fee." At this decla- 
. ration they were exceedingly furprifed; for they could 
Scarcely 
