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Plutarch · c. AD 46-after 119

Life of Dion

Δίων
Ancient Sources / Plutarch / Life of Dion

Plutarch's Life of Dion tells of the Syracusan Dion, a disciple of Plato and the brother of Aristomache, wife of the tyrant Dionysius the Elder, who was sent into exile by the younger Dionysius. It follows Plato's visits to Sicily, Dion's expedition from Zacynthus that overthrew the tyranny, his quarrels with Heracleides and his murder by Callippus. Omens, an eclipse of the moon and a ghostly Fury accompany the story. The Life is paired with the Life of Brutus.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 13 passages, about 17400 words in English.
Translator
Bernadotte Perrin (1918)
Edition
Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 6, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1918 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus)
Cite as
Plutarch, Life of Dion 1.1 (by chapter, section)

Contents · 13 passages

  1. 1.1–5.10Dion, Plato and the tyrant Dionysius the Elder1484 words
  2. 6.1–12.3The young Dionysius, his courtiers and the return of Philistus1968 words
  3. 13.1–16.6Plato in Syracuse and the exile of Dion1052 words
  4. 17.1–21.9Dion in Greece, Plato's third voyage and Arete's remarriage1600 words
  5. 22.1–24.10Dion's army at Zacynthus: the eclipse of the moon and other omens940 words
  6. 25.1–29.8Dion lands in Sicily and enters Syracuse1704 words
  7. 30.1–31.6Dionysius' feigned talks, the dawn sortie and the letter to Dion864 words
  8. 32.1–36.4Heracleides, the razor of Sosis and the death of Philistus1455 words
  9. 37.1–40.3Dionysius flees and Dion leaves Syracuse for Leontini900 words
  10. 41.1–46.7Nypsius burns Syracuse and Dion returns to save it1816 words
  11. 47.1–51.5Dion spares Heracleides and the tyranny of Dionysius ends1480 words
  12. 52.1–53.6Dion's rule and the killing of Heracleides665 words
  13. 54.1–58.10The Fury in the house and the murder of Dion by Callippus1442 words

More by Plutarch

English translation by Bernadotte Perrin (1918). Original text: Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 6, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1918 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.