s way home, Plato stopped at Olympia to attend the games. As soon
as the people found out that he was there, they shouted for joy; and one
and all voted him a crown just like those won by the victors in the
games.

This was the highest honor the Greeks could bestow; and, although it was
nothing but a wreath of olive leaves, you may be sure that the
philosopher prized it more highly than if it had been of pure gold,
because it was a token of the love and respect of his countrymen.

LXXXV. CIVIL WAR IN SYRACUSE.

When Dion was exiled from Syracuse by Dionysius, he went to Greece,
where he was unhappy only because he could not see the wife and child he
loved so dearly.

When he heard that the tyrant had forced his wife to belong to another
husband, he vowed he would punish Dionysius for this crime. Plato vainly
tried to persuade Dion not to return to Syracuse. The young man refused
to listen to his advice, and, gathering together a small army, he set
sail without delay.

He landed boldly, although he was an exile, and was welcomed with great
joy by all the people, who were very weary of their ruler. When he told
them that he had come to punish the tyrant, they all joined him, and
marched with him up to the palace.

As Dionysius was out of town at the time, they had no trouble whatever
in getting into the royal dwelling. This was hastily deserted by the
tyrant's few friends, who took refuge in the citadel.

Some time after, when Dionysius came back to the city, he found the
harbor blocked by a great chain stretched across it to prevent the
entrance of any ship; and he was forced to retreat into the citadel,
where the angry Syr-a-cus'ans came to besiege him.

Now, Dion had a great many friends, and, as everybody knew that he was
truthful and well-meaning, the people all fought on his side. He was so
strict with himself, however, that he treated his subjects also with
great rigor, and exacted such obedience and virtue that they soon grew
weary of his reign.

Then, too, while he was always ready to reward the good, Dion punished
the wicked with such severity that he soon made many enemies. One of
these was the courtier Her-a-cli'des, who, instead of showing his
dislike openly, began to plot against him in secret.

Dionysius, besieged in the citadel, was in sore straits by this time,
and almost dying of hunger; for the Syracusans, afraid that he would
escape, had built a wall all around the citadel, and watc