Dionysios；　〃I　have　decided　to　remain。　But；〃　I　continued；　〃I　must　ask
  that　you　will　not　regard　me　as　empowered　to　act　for　Dion；　but　will
  along　with　me　write　a　letter　to　him；　stating　what　has　now　been
  decided；　and　enquire　whether　this　course　satisfies　him。　If　it　does
  not；　and　if　he　has　other　wishes　and　demands；　he　must　write　particulars
  of　them　as　soon　as　possible；　and　you　must　not　as　yet　take　any　hasty
  step　with　regard　to　his　interests。〃
  This　was　what　was　said　and　this　was　the　agreement　which　was　made；
  almost　in　these　words。　Well；　after　this　the　trading…ships　took　their
  departure；　and　it　was　no　longer　possible　for　me　to　take　mine；　when
  Dionysios；　if　you　please；　addressed　me　with　the　remark　that　half　the
  property　must　be　regarded　as　belonging　to　Dion　and　half　to　his　son。
  Therefore；　he　said；　he　would　sell　it；　and　when　it　was　sold　would
  give　half　to　me　to　take　away；　and　would　leave　half　on　the　spot　for　the
  son。　This　course；　he　said；　was　the　most　just。　This　proposal　was　a　blow
  to　me；　and　I　thought　it　absurd　to　argue　any　longer　with　him；
  however；　I　said　that　we　must　wait　for　Dion's　letter；　and　then　once
  more　write　to　tell　him　of　this　new　proposal。　His　next　step　was　the
  brilliant　one　of　selling　the　whole　of　Dion's　property；　using　his　own
  discretion　with　regard　to　the　manner　and　terms　of　the　sale　and　of
  the　purchasers。　He　spoke　not　a　word　to　me　about　the　matter　from
  beginning　to　end；　and　I　followed　his　example　and　never　talked　to　him
  again　about　Dion's　affairs；　for　I　did　not　think　that　I　could　do　any
  good　by　doing　so。　This　is　the　history　so　far　of　my　efforts　to　come
  to　the　rescue　of　philosophy　and　of　my　friends。
  After　this　Dionysios　and　I　went　on　with　our　daily　life；　I　with　my
  eyes　turned　abroad　like　a　bird　yearning　to　fly　from　its　perch；　and
  he　always　devising　some　new　way　of　scaring　me　back　and　of　keeping　a
  tight　hold　on　Dion's　property。　However；　we　gave　out　to　all　Sicily　that
  we　were　friends。　Dionysios；　now　deserting　the　policy　of　his　father；
  attempted　to　lower　the　pay　of　the　older　members　of　his　body　guard。　The
  soldiers　were　furious；　and；　assembling　in　great　numbers；　declared　that
  they　would　not　submit。　He　attempted　to　use　force　to　them；　shutting　the
  gates　of　the　acropolis；　but　they　charged　straight　for　the　walls；
  yelling　out　an　unintelligible　and　ferocious　war　cry。　Dionysios　took
  fright　and　conceded　all　their　demands　and　more　to　the　peltasts　then
  assembled。
  A　rumour　soon　spread　that　Heracleides　had　been　the　cause　of　all
  the　trouble。　Hearing　this；　Heracleides　kept　out　of　the　way。
  Dionysios　was　trying　to　get　hold　of　him；　and　being　unable　to　do　so；
  sent　for　Theodotes　to　come　to　him　in　his　garden。　It　happened　that　I
  was　walking　in　the　garden　at　the　same　time。　I　neither　know　nor　did　I
  hear　the　rest　of　what　passed　between　them；　but　what　Theodotes　said
  to　Dionysios　in　my　presence　I　know　and　remember。　〃Plato；〃　he　said；
  〃I　am　trying　to　convince　our　friend　Dionysios　that；　if　I　am　able　to
  bring　Heracleides　before　us　to　defend　himself　on　the　charges　which
  have　been　made　against　him；　and　if　he　decides　that　Heracleides　must　no
  longer　live　in　Sicily；　he　should　be　allowed　（this　is　my　point）　to　take
  his　son　and　wife　and　sail　to　the　Peloponnese　and　reside　there；
  taking　no　action　there　against　Dionysios　and　enjoying　the　income　of
  his　property。　I　have　already　sent　for　him　and　will　send　for　him　again；
  and　if　he　comes　in　obedience　either　to　my　former　message　or　to　this
  one…well　and　good。　But　I　beg　and　entreat　Dionysios　that；　if　anyone
  finds　Heracleides　either　in　the　country　or　here；　no　harm　shall　come　to
  him；　but　that　he　may　retire　from　the　country　till　Dionysios　comes　to
  some　other　decision。　Do　you　agree　to　this？〃　he　added；　addressing
  Dionysios。　〃I　agree；〃　he　replied；　〃that　even　if　he　is　found　at　your
  house；　no　harm　shall　be　done　to　him　beyond　what　has　now　been　said。〃
  On　the　following　day　Eurybios　and　Theodotes　came　to　me　in　the
  evening；　both　greatly　disturbed。　Theodotes　said；　〃Plato；　you　were
  present　yesterday　during　the　promises　made　by　Dionysios　to　me　and　to
  you　about　Heracleides？〃　〃Certainly；〃　I　replied。　〃Well；〃　he
  continued；　〃at　this　moment　peltasts　are　scouring　the　country　seeking
  to　arrest　Heracleides；　and　he　must　be　somewhere　in　this　neighbourhood。
  For　Heaven's　sake　come　with　us　to　Dionysios。〃　So　we　went　and　stood
  in　the　presence　of　Dionysios；　and　those　two　stood　shedding　silent
  tears；　while　I　said：　〃These　men　are　afraid　that　you　may　take　strong
  measures　with　regard　to　Heracleides　contrary　to　what　was　agreed
  yesterday。　For　it　seems　that　he　has　returned　and　has　been　seen
  somewhere　about　here。〃　On　hearing　this　he　blazed　up　and　turned　all
  colours；　as　a　man　would　in　a　rage。　Theodotes；　falling　before　him　in
  tears；　took　his　hand　and　entreated　him　to　do　nothing　of　the　sort。
  But　I　broke　in　and　tried　to　encourage　him；　saying：　〃Be　of　good
  cheer；　Theodotes；　Dionysios　will　not　have　the　heart　to　take　any
  fresh　step　contrary　to　his　promises　of　yesterday。〃　Fixing　his　eye　on
  me；　and　assuming　his　most　autocratic　air　he　said；　〃To　you　I　promised
  nothing　small　or　great。〃　〃By　the　gods；〃　I　said；　〃you　did　promise
  that　forbearance　for　which　our　friend　here　now　appeals。〃　With　these
  words　I　turned　away　and　went　out。　After　this　he　continued　the　hunt　for
  Heracleides；　and　Theodotes；　sending　messages；　urged　Heracleides　to
  take　flight。　Dionysios　sent　out　Teisias　and　some　peltasts　with
  orders　to　pursue　him。　But　Heracleides；　as　it　was　said；　was　just　in
  time；　by　a　small　fraction　of　a　day；　in　making　his　escape　into
  Carthaginian　territory。
  After　this　Dionysios　thought　that　his　long　cherished　scheme　not　to
  restore　Dion's　property　would　give　him　a　plausible　excuse　for
  hostility　towards　me；　and　first　of　all　he　sent　me　out　of　the
  acropolis；　finding　a　pretext　that　the　women　were　obliged　to　hold　a
  sacrificial　service　for　ten　days　in　the　garden　in　which　I　had　my
  lodging。　He　therefore　ordered　me　to　stay　outside　in　the　house　of
  Archedemos　during　this　period。　While　I　was　there；　Theodotes　sent　for
  me　and　made　a　great　outpouring　of　indignation　at　these　occurrences；
  throwing　the　blame　on　Dionysios。　Hearing　that　I　had　been　to　see
  Theodotes　he　regarded　this；　as　another　excuse；　sister　to　the
  previous　one；　for　quarrelling　with　me。　Sending　a　messenger　he　enquired
  if　I　had　really　been　conferring　with　Theodotes　on　his　invitation
  〃Certainly；〃　I　replied；　〃Well；〃　continued　the　messenger；　〃he　ordered
  me　to　tell　you　that　you　are　not　acting　at　all　well　in　preferring
  always　Dion　and　Dion's　friends　to　him。〃　And　he　did　not　send　for　me
  to　return　to　his　house；　as　though　it　were　now　clear　that　Theodotes　and
  Heracleides　were　my　friends；　and　he　my　enemy。　He　also　thought　that　I
  had　no　kind　feelings　towards　him　because　the　property　of　Dion　was
  now　entirely　done　for。
  After　this　I　resided　outside　the　acropolis　among　the　mercenaries。
  Various　people　then　came　to　me；　among　them　those　of　the　ships'　crews
  who　came　from　Athens；　my　own　fellow　citizens；　and　reported　that　I
  was　evil　spoken　of　among　the　peltasts；　and　that　some　of　them　were
  threatening　to　make　an　end　of　me；　if　they　could　ket　hold　of　me
  Accordingly　I　devised　the　following　plan　for　my　safety。
  I　sent　to　Archytes　and　my　other　friends　in　Taras；　telling　them　the
  plight　I　was　in。　Finding　some　excuse　for　an　embassy　from　their　city；
  they　sent　a　thirty…oared　galley　with　Lamiscos；　one　of　themselves；
  who　came　and　entreated　Dionysios　about　me；　saying　that　I　wanted　to　go；
  and　that　he　should　on　no　account　stand　in　my　way。　He　consented　and
  allowed　me　to　go；　giving　me　money　for　the　journey。　But　for　Dion's
  property　I　made　no　further　request；　nor　was　any　of　it　restored。
  I　made　my　way　to　the　Peloponnese　to　Olympia；　where　I　found　Dion　a
  spectator　at　the　Games；　and　told　him　what　had　occurred。　Calling　Zeus
  to　be　his　witness；　he　at　once　urged　me　with　my　relatives　and　friends
  to　make　preparations　for　taking　vengeance　on　Dionysios…our　ground
  for　action　being　the　breach　of　faith　to　a　guest…so　he　put　it　and
  regarded　it；　while　his　own　was　his　unjust　expulsion　and　banishment。
  Hearing　this；　I　told　him　that　he　might　call　my　friends　to　his　aid；
  if　they　wished　to　go；　〃But　for　myself；〃　I　continued；　〃you　and　others
  in　a　way　forced　me　to　be　the　sharer　of　Dionysios'　table　and　hearth　and
  his　associate　in　the　acts　of　religion。　He　probably　believed　the
  current　slanders；　that　I　was　plotting　with　you　against　him　and　his
  despotic　rule；　yet　feelings　of　scruple　prevailed　with　him；　and　he
  spared　my　life。　Again；　I　am　hardly　of　the　age　for　being　comrade　in
  arms　to　anyone；　also　I　stand　as　a　neutral　between　you；　if　ever　you
  desire　friendship　and　wish　to　benefit　one　another；　so　long　as　you
  aim　at　injuring　one　another；　call　others　to　your　aid。〃　This　I　said；
  because　I　was　disgusted　with　my　misguided　journeyings　to　Sicily　and　my
  ill…fortune　there。　But　they　disobeyed　me　and　would　not　listen　to　my
  attempts　at　reconciliation；　and　so　brought　on　their　own　heads　all
  the　evils　which　have　since　taken　place。　For　if　Diony