Volume 9

Plato : with an English translation.

  • Plato.
Date:
1914-1935
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Plato : with an English translation. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    561/660 (page 549)
    much perturbed. And in my deliberation the first and foremost reflexion was this—“ Come now, sup- pose that Dionysius has no intention of performing any of his promises, and suppose that on my departure he sends a plausible note to Dion—both writing himself and charging many of his friends also to do so—stating the proposal he is now making to me, and how in spite of his wish I had refused to do what he had invited me to do, and had taken no interest at all in Dion’s affairs ; and beyond all this, suppose that he is no longer willing to send me away by giving his own personal order to one of the ship- masters, but makes it plain to them all that he has no wish for me to sail away in comfort—in this case would any of them consent to convey me as a passenger,1 starting off from the residence.of Diony- sius ? ” For, in addition to my other misfortunes, I was lodging in the garden adjoining his residence, and out of this not even the doorkeeper would have allowed me to pass without a permit sent him from Dionysius. “ On the other hand, if I stay on for the year I shall be able to write and tell Dion the position in which I am placed and what I am doing ; and if Dionysius should actually perform any of his promises, I shall have accomplished something not altogether contemptible—for Dion’s property, if it is rightly valued, amounts probably to as much as a hundred talents ; whereas if the events now dimly threatening come to pass in the way that seems likely, I am at a loss to know what I shall do with myself. Notwith- standing, I am obliged, it appears, to endure another year of toil and endeavour to test by actual experi- ence the devices of Dionysius.” When I had come to this decision, I said to