All was not well in the court of Dionysius the Younger. The young tyrant showed himself to be fond of Plato and eager to learn from him. This worried the other advisors of the tyrant who, used to having influence with Dionysius’ father, were afraid of being replaced by the illustrious foreigner from Athens. They coalesced around Philistus and began to challenge and criticize Plato and his advocate, Dion.
The party of Philistus managed to intercept a letter Dion had written to the king of Carthage, the sworn enemy of Syracuse, in relation to peace negotiations between the warring nations. Dion asked that the Carthaginians include Dion in the negotiations along with the tyrant. Dion was eager to bring peace to Sicily so as to better pursue his project of reforming the tyranny. His enemies, however, brought a copy of the letter to Dionysius. They were able to portray Dion as meddling in matters of state and seeking to undermine Dionysius’ authority.[11]
Dionysius led Dion down to the waterfront, where he put Dion in a small boat and ordered the crew to take him to the Italian mainland. Dion was exiled from Syracuse—although Dionysius later said he was not being exiled, but just sent away temporarily as a precaution. As a member of the royal family, Dion had considerable wealth. Dionysius would have his ministers send Dion his income, but he would not allow his brother-in-law to participate in government or conspire with Plato to dictate to Dionysius how he should rule.[12]
Plato, meanwhile, was housed in the citadel, where Dionysius could keep an eye on him. Dionysius sought to cultivate Plato as an ornament to his regime. What other ruler could claim to have sat at Plato’s feet and learned statecraft from the leading political theorist of the Greek world?
Plato, for his part, tried to use his influence on behalf of his real disciple, Dion. For Dion alone had a long acquaintance with the tyrant, and close family ties. Without Dion, Plato could not hope to put his plans into effect, nor did he have any friends in the foreign city whom he could call on for support. Dionysius could see how Plato was devoted to his brother-in-law, but this only made him more jealous to have Plato’s friendship for himself. Plato was forced to bear with Dionysius’ mood swings and neediness.[13]
War broke out about this time, though it is not clear with whom the Syracusans were fighting. But Syracuse had possessions and subject states throughout Magna Graecia which where threatened by their (often non-Greek) neighbors, and sometimes the subject states themselves revolted. So Dionysius sent Plato home, no doubt much to the latter’s relief, promising to be reconciled with Dion in the summer (of 367)—which promise he failed to keep.[14]
[11] Plutarch Dion 14.4-6.
[12] Plutarch Dion 14.7; 15.1-5.
[13] Plutarch Dion 16.1-3.
[14] Plutarch Dion 16.4-6.