Timoleon   

grow full, and find themselves oppressed and uneasy now by what they
before so greedily desired. For a succeeding dislike spoils the best
of actions, and repentance makes that which was never so well done
become base and faulty; whereas the choice that is founded upon knowledge
and wise reasoning does not change by disappointment, or suffer us
to repent, though it happen perchance to be less prosperous in the
issue. And thus, Phocion, of Athens, having always vigorously opposed
the measures of Leosthenes, when success appeared to attend them,
and he saw his countrymen rejoicing and offering sacrifice in honour
of their victory, "I should have been as glad," said he to them, "that
I myself had been the author of what Leosthenes has achieved for you,
as I am that I gave you my own counsel against it." A more vehement
reply is record to have been made by Aristides the Locrian, one of
Plato's companions, to Dionysius the elder, who demanded one of his
daughters in marriage: "I had rather," said he to him, "see the virgin
in her grave than in the palace of a tyrant." And when Dionysius,
enraged at the affront, made his sons be put to death a while after,
and then again insultingly asked, whether he were still in the same
mind as to the disposal of his daughters, his answer was, "I cannot
but grieve at the cruelty of your deeds, but am not sorry for the
freedom of my own words." Such expressions as these may belong perhaps
to a more sublime and accomplished virtue.
The grief, however, of Timoleon at what had been done, whether it
arose from commiseration of his brother's fate or the reverence he
bore his mother, so shattered and broke his spirits, that for the
space of almost twenty years he had not offered to concern himself
in any honourable or public action. When, therefore, he was pitched
upon for a general, and, joyfully accepted as such by the suffrages
of the people, Teleclides, who was at that time the most powerful
and distinguished man in Corinth, began to exhort him that he would
act now like a man of worth and gallantry: "For," said he, "if you
do bravely in this service we shall believe that you delivered us
from a tyrant; but if otherwise that you killed your brother." While
he was yet preparing to set sail, and enlisting soldiers to embark
with him, there came letters to the Corinthians from Hicetes, plainly
disclosing his revolt and treachery. For his ambassadors had no sooner
gone for Corinth, but he openly joined the Carthaginians, negotiating
that they might assist him to throw out Dionysius, and become master
of Syracuse in his room. And fearing he might be disappointed of his
aim if troops and a commander should come from Corinth before this
were effected, he sent a letter of advice thither, in all haste, to
prevent their setting out, telling them they need not be at any cost
and trouble upon his account, or run the hazard of a Sicilian voyage,
especially since the Carthaginians, alliance with whom against Dionysius
the slowness of their motions had compelled him to embrace, would
dispute their passage, and lay in wait to attack them with a numerous
fleet. This letter being publicly read, if any had been cold and indifferent
before as to the expedition in hand, the indignation they now conceived
against Hicetes so exasperated and inflamed them all that they willingly
contributed to supply Timoleon, and endeavoured with one accord to
hasten his departure.
When the vessels were equipped, and his soldiers every way provided
for, the female priest of Proserpina had a dream or vision wherein
she and her mother Ceres appeared to them in a travelling garb, and
were heard to say that they were going to sail with Timoleon into
Sicily; whereupon the Corinthians, having built a sacred galley, devoted
it to them, and called it the galley of the goddesses. Timoleon went
in person to Delphi, where he sacrificed to Apollo, and, descending
into the place of prophecy, was surprised with the following marvellous
occurrence. A riband, with crowns and figures of victory embroidered
upon it, slipped off from among the gifts that were there consecrated
and hung up in the temple, and fell directly down upon his head; so
that Apollo seemed already to crown him with success, and send him
thence to conquer and triumph. He put to sea only with seven ships