in an inferior body, can be recognised by their having lost their kinship for these godlike qualities, and by settling down contentedly to a sensual or bestial existence. According to Plato, their chances of returning to spiritual life are poor, for unless they exert themselves and struggle to love the abstract and invisible instead of allowing it to recede into oblivion, they will go on from worse to worse, until at last the poor soul may be found in the body of an animal.

This doctrine must have been a salutary spur to the ardour of the pupils, who, when they felt themselves somewhat weary of the perpetual round of philosophical study, may have thought with dismay that this weariness was possibly a proof of their souls being in the dreaded state of retrogression. Upon which they must have shaken off their mental languor and redoubled their efforts.

For the ideas as Plato expressed them in writing, and the same ideas as he taught them to his followers, were different. His very establishing the retirement of community life was a proof that, like Pythagoras, he taught in two ways—exoterically (publicly and openly) and esoterically (with privacy and secrecy).

He could unveil to disciples who depended upon him for their mental life-whose minds, so to say, were nourished by his opinions which would have been far too "strong meat" for the babes in philosophy-the general public.

Even Aristotle, whose mind was so different from his master's, was an unquestioning pupil, and doubtless thought, with Cicero, that his "language was the language of Jupiter, if indeed Jupiter spoke Greek."

CHAPTER XI.

PLATO—continued.

DURING the twenty-two or twenty-three years that succeeded Plato's visit to the court of Dionysius, his calm life as philosophical teacher appears to have remained unbroken.

The tyrant, who had hoped to have nipped in the bud the genius which had dared to oppose him by degrading a philosopher to the level of a slave, baulked of his mean revenge, made efforts to regain his prey. He had sent invitations to Plato to pay his court a second visit. Plato's reply was that his philosophical occupations did not allow him "leisure to think of Dionysius."

But one day, when he was perhaps pacing his gardenwalks discoursing on some knotty point to his attentive pupils, the blue sky his lecturer's canopy, a stone gardenseat his philosopher's chair,-with the chirping of the cicalas in the rustling branches, and the distant noises of rustic life the pastoral accompaniment to his words,—an interruption came.

A royal messenger from Syracuse was at the gate—a messenger from Dion of Syracuse.

Dion was the brother-in-law of the king, Dionysius. He was, at the time of Plato's visit, an interesting youth, with an apt mind and a gentle face. He had been Plato's constant companion during his stay at court, and a great attachment had sprung up between them; indeed, Plato, alluding to Dion, had said of him that for "virtue, quickness of apprehension, and application, he surpassed all the young men he had ever met."

And Dion wrote that Dionysius was dead.

The tyrant gone, a general feeling had naturally arisen as to who would be the next. Would the young son of such a father, who was now to be king in that father's stead, succeed to his vices as well as to his throne? Dion, the young king's uncle, must have sent a passionate appeal to Plato to come to use his influence over the mind of the prince, and thereby to save the country from a continuance of the ills from which it had hitherto suffered; for Plato left his beloved Academy, his pupils, Athens, all— and went.

Everything that could be done to make matters smooth for Plato's visit had been done. Dion, now a man of middle age, had temporarily assumed an authority which he neither wished to, nor felt that he possibly could, maintain. On the arrival of the ship, Plato was greeted with shouts of joy from the assembled crowd, and handed on shore by the young king himself, in whose chariot he proceeded to the palace.

Here he found himself in a very different position to that in which he was placed during his first visit. Not only was he now the honoured guest, but the revered sage.

Dionysius the Second, doubtless persuaded by his uncle Dion that Plato would be the means of assuring his throne to him, laid his very power at his feet, entreating him merely to command.

For a time the court was a model court. The young king accepted Plato's rule for the division of his time, and gave promise of future benignity and moderation. The behaviour of the courtiers was perfect. Either suppressing or concealing the loose conduct which had been the rule under the late king's government, they began to study philosophy, which in a few weeks became the fashion.

But there were some few too debauched to be won over to the temperance beloved of Plato. These began to plot to get rid of this model man, who seemed bent on

turning a licentious palace into a sort of monastery. Either anonymously or personally, they told Dionysius that Dion and Plato were conniving to overthrow him and to declare Dion king.

To a weak mind, depraved by bad example and therefore suspicious of evil, the suggestion was a plausible one. Scared and enraged, the young monarch at once gave orders for the imprisonment of Dion. He was afraid of interfering with Plato, now popular with his subjects in general. So Plato continued to occupy his apartments in the palace, and Dionysius veiled his fear and dislike with the same deceitful deference which would have been shown under similar circumstances by his father.

But he took care to surround Plato with spies, and a little later on Dion was banished.

Perhaps fortunately for all parties, war broke out; and only too thankful for a valid excuse to get rid of Plato without offending his admirers, Dionysius sent him back to Athens.

Once more the placid life of the Academy was resumed, and now Plato numbered among his pupils his favourite Dion. It may be supposed that Dion found the life of constant intercourse with the great mind of his master an agreeable change from the restless cavils of the Syracusan court. But Plato's sense of justice led him to have other views for his royal friend than that he should settle down to the simple life of a Platonic philosopher; and when Dionysius, who was constantly worried on all sides by suggestions to send for Plato, wrote and entreated him to return, Plato, after giving his advancing age as a reason for declining the invitation, requested the king to fulfil a promise he had made him, and to recall Dion.

The reply containing Plato's refusal was a surprise to Dionysius, and a most unwelcome one to his subjects. All, and especially the learned men, had set their hearts on having Plato among them; and suspecting that the stumbling block to their wishes was the king's own con

duct, ominous murmurings arose, which forced the timid tyrant to take active measures. He sent a splendid galley for Plato, with, most likely, a signed petition to him.

Once more Plato gave way and went to Syracuse. His was a forgiving spirit; in fact, the loftiness of mind and extreme gentleness which are attributed to him by most of his biographers (particularly Themistius) prevented his feeling resentment. He acted constantly from the highest principle, therefore his again visiting Syracuse is a proof of his entire disinterestedness. His impulses would undoubtedly have kept him, feeble and ageing as he was, at Athens; but to Syracuse he was called by duty.

The third and last visit was a failure, although Plato was received with enthusiasm. There was nothing but general rejoicing and festivity, and Dionysius was amiability itself; his gifts to Plato were to the amount of eighty talents. But on some points he was obstinate. He refused to recall Dion.

When Plato saw that he had no real influence with the king, he considered his farther residence at the court was unnecessary. He was there to do good, and if this were indeed out of his power, his mission was elsewhere. He requested Dionysius' permission to return to Athens. It was refused, and upon his speaking his mind to the king, Dionysius, enraged, put him under guard. At this Plato's friends, the Pythagorean philosophers, interposed, and obtained the king's consent to his return to Athens.

At the last moment Dionysius appeared to soften, and sped his parting guest with a magnificent banquet.

This must have been late in the summer-time, for on his return journey Plato touched at Elis to be present at the Olympian games, which were held every fifth year in July (Apollonius) or August (Parthenius).

It is easily to be understood why Plato chose to break through the cordon of exclusive reserve he had thrown around himself to mix in a heterogeneous Greek crowd.

The Olympic games, reputedly instituted by Hercules,