"Surely no one would think of comparing
Dionysius with Gelon
1 of old. For
Gelon, by reason of his own high character, together with the Syracusans and the rest of the
Sicilian Greeks, set free the whole of Sicily, whereas this man, who found the cities free, has
delivered all the rest of them over to the lordship of the enemy and has himself enslaved his
native state.
[
2]
Gelon fought so far forward in behalf of Sicily
that he never let his allies in the cities even catch sight of the enemy, whereas this man,
after fleeing from Motye through the entire length of the island, has cooped himself up within
our walls, full of confidence against his fellow citizens, but unable to bear even the sight of
the enemy.
[
3]
As a consequence Gelon, by reason both of his high
character and of his great deeds, received the leadership by the free will not only of the
Syracusans but also of the Sicilian Greeks, while, as for this man whose generalship has led to
the destruction of his allies and the enslavement of his fellow citizens, how can he escape the
just hatred of all? For not only is he unworthy of leadership but, if justice were done, would
die ten thousand deaths.
[
4]
Because of him Gela and Camarina were
subdued, Messene lies in total ruin, twenty thousand allies are perished in a sea-battle, and,
in a word, we have been enclosed in one city and all the other Greek cities throughout Sicily
have been destroyed. For in addition to his other malefactions he sold into slavery Naxos and
Catane; he has completely destroyed cities that were allies, cities whose existence was
opportune.
[
5]
With the Carthaginians he has fought two battles
and has come out vanquished in each. Yet when he was entrusted with a generalship by the
citizens but one time, he speedily robbed them of their freedom, slaying those who spoke openly
on behalf of the laws and exiling the more wealthy; he gave the wives of the banished in
marriage to slaves and to a motley throng; he put the weapons of citizens in the hands of
barbarians and foreigners. And these deeds, O Zeus and all the gods, were the work of a public
clerk, of a desperate man.