Dionysius

Dionysius the Younger, son of the preceding, succeeded his father in 367 B.C., and celebrated his accession by a splendid festival, which lasted ninety days. His political education had been designedly neglected by his father, and in consequence he grew up an indolent, pleasure-loving, and dissolute prince. Dion (q.v.), who was at once his father's son-in-law and brother-in-law, sought to improve him by the instructions of Plato, but his endeavours were frustrated by Philistus, the historian, who disgracefully encouraged the excesses of the youth. Dion was banished, but afterwards returning to Sicily, expelled Dionysius from Syracuse in 356. The latter fled to Locri, the birth-place of his mother, Doris, where he was hospitably received. He repaid the kindness of the Locrians by making himself master of their city, which he ruled despotically for several years. In 346 the internal dissensions of Syracuse enabled him to return thither, and here he ruled for three years until Timoleon came from Corinth to free Sicily. Dionysius soon had to surrender, and was allowed to spend the rest of his life at Corinth, where he haunted low company, spent his means, and had to keep a school for bread.