Dion   

engaged several of the soldiers in a conspiracy against him, taking
this cunning and wicked occasion for his plot. He daily informed
Dion of what he heard or what he feigned the soldiers said against
him; whereby he gained that credit and confidence, that he was allowed
by Dion to consort privately with whom he would, and talk freely
against him in any company, that he might discover who were his secret
and factious maligners. By this means, Callippus in a short time got
together a cabal of all the seditious malcontents in the city; and
if any one who would be drawn in advised Dion that he was tampered
with, he was not troubled or concerned at it, believing Callippus
did it in compliance with his directions.
While this conspiracy was afoot, a strange and dreadful apparition
was seen by Dion. As he sat one evening in a gallery in his house,
alone and thoughtful, hearing a sudden noise he turned about, and
saw at the end of the colonnade, by clear daylight, a tall woman, in
her countenance and garb like one of the tragical Furies, with a broom
in her hand, sweeping the floor. Being amazed and extremely
affrighted, he sent for some of his friends, and told them what he had
seen, entreating them to stay with him and keep him company all night;
for he was excessively discomposed and alarmed, fearing that if he
were left alone the spectre would again appear to him. He saw it no
more. But a few days after, his only son, being almost grown up to
man's estate, upon some displeasure and pet he had taken upon a
childish and frivolous occasion, threw himself headlong from the top
of the house and broke his neck.
While Dion was under this affliction, Callippus drove on his
conspiracy, and spread a rumour among the Syracusans that Dion,
being now childless, was resolved to send for Dionysius's son,
Apollocrates, who was his wife's nephew and sister's grandson, and
make him his heir and successor. By this time, Dion and his wife and
sister began to suspect what was doing, and from all hands information
came to them of the plot. Dion being troubled, it is probable, for
Heraclides's murder, which was like to be a blot and stain upon his
life and actions, in continual weariness and vexation, he had rather
die a thousand times, and open his breast himself to the assassin,
than live not only in fear of his enemies but suspicion of his
friends. But Callippus, seeing the women very inquisitive to search to
the bottom of the business, took alarm, and came to them, utterly
denying it with tears in his eyes, and offering to give them
whatever assurances of his fidelity they desired. They required that
he should take the Great Oath, which was after this manner. The
juror went into the sanctuary of Ceres and Proserpine, where, after
the performance of some ceremonies, he was clad in the purple vestment
of the goddess, and, holding a lighted torch in his hand, took his
oath. Callippus did as they required, and forswore the fact. And
indeed he so little valued the goddesses that he stayed but till the
very festival of Proserpine, by whom he had sworn, and on that very
day committed his intended murder; as truly he might well enough
disregard the day, since he must at any other time as impiously offend
her, when he who had acted as her initiating priest should shed the
blood of her worshipper.
There were a great many in the conspiracy; and as Dion was at home
with several of his friends in a room with tables for entertainment in
it, some of the conspirators beset the house around, others secured
the doors and windows. The actual intended murderers were some
Zacynthians, who went inside in their under-dresses without swords.
Those outside shut the doors upon them and kept them fast. The
murderers fell on Dion, endeavouring to stifle and crush him; then,
finding they were doing nothing, they called for a sword, but none
durst open the door. There were a great many within with Dion, but
every one was for securing himself, supposing that by letting him lose
his life he should save his own, and therefore no man ventured to
assist him. When they had waited a good while, at length Lycon the
Syracusan reached a short sword in at the window to one of the