<w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="panti%5C">παντὶ</w> <w lemma="xrhsimw%2Fteros">χρησιμώτερος</w>. <w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwn">Ἱέρων</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="katekth%2Fsato">κατεκτήσατο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="summa%2Fxwn">συμμάχων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%2Fn">ἀρχήν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dton">πλοῦτον</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fteron">ἕτερον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Ftoimon">ἕτοιμον</w> <w lemma="paralabw%2Fn">παραλαβών</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnas">ἀποκτείνας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="fugadeu%2Fsas">φυγαδεύσας</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="luph%2Fsas">λυπήσας</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsth">κατέστη</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w>,
<w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5C">ἐστὶ</w> <w lemma="paradoco%2Ftaton">παραδοξότατον</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="kth%2Fsasqai">κτήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diafula%2Fcai">διαφυλάξαι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w>.
<w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fttara">τέτταρα</w> <w lemma="basileu%2Fsas">βασιλεύσας</w> <w lemma="dieth%2Frhse">διετήρησε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="patri%2Fdi">πατρίδι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn">εἰρήνην</w>, <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%5Cn">ἀρχὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nepibou%2Fleuton">ἀνεπιβούλευτον</w>, <w lemma="die%2Ffuge">διέφυγε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28peroxai%3Ds">ὑπεροχαῖς</w> <w lemma="parepo%2Fmenon">παρεπόμενον</w> <w lemma="fqo%2Fnon:">φθόνον·</w>
<w lemma="o%28%2Fs">ὅς</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29pibalo%2Fmenos">ἐπιβαλόμενος</w> <w lemma="a%29poqe%2Fsqai">ἀποθέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fan">δυναστείαν</w> <w lemma="e%29kwlu%2Fqh">ἐκωλύθη</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="koino%5Cn">κοινὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politw%3Dn">πολιτῶν</w>.
<w lemma="eu%29ergetikw%2Ftatos">εὐεργετικώτατος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="filodoco%2Ftatos">φιλοδοξότατος</w> <w lemma="geno%2Fmenos">γενόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Fellhnas">Ἕλληνας</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flhn">μεγάλην</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="au%28tw%3D%7C">αὑτῷ</w> <w lemma="do%2Fcan">δόξαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mikra%5Cn">μικρὰν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fois">Συρακοσίοις</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%3Dsin">πᾶσιν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Flipe">ἀπέλιπε</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="periousi%2Fa%7C">περιουσίᾳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="trufh%3D%7C">τρυφῇ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dayilei%2Fa%7C">δαψιλείᾳ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fsth%7C">πλείστῃ</w> <w lemma="diageno%2Fmenos">διαγενόμενος</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29bi%2Fwse">ἐβίωσε</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nenh%2Fkonta">ἐνενήκοντα</w>, <w lemma="diefu%2Flace">διεφύλαξε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ai%29sqh%2Fseis">αἰσθήσεις</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fsas">ἁπάσας</w>, <w lemma="dieth%2Frhse">διετήρησε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmatos">σώματος</w> <w lemma="a%29blabh%3D">ἀβλαβῆ</w>.
<w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="de%2F">δέ</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w> <w lemma="shmei%3Don">σημεῖον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mikro%2Fn">μικρόν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pamme%2Fgeqes">παμμέγεθες</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w> <w lemma="sw%2Ffronos">σώφρονος</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 9.</foreign>]
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Age%2Flwn">Γέλων</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="penth%2Fkonta">πεντήκοντα</w> <w lemma="biw%2Fsas">βιώσας</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="skopo%5Cn">σκοπὸν</w> <w lemma="proe%2Fqhke">προέθηκε</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="zh%3Dn">ζῆν</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="peiqarxei%3Dn">πειθαρχεῖν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="gennh%2Fsanti">γεννήσαντι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dton">πλοῦτον</w> <w lemma="mh%2Fte">μήτε</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fas">βασιλείας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgeqos">μέγεθος</w> <w lemma="mh%2Ft%27">μήτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllo">ἄλλο</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fonos">πλείονος</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsasqai">ποιήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="mhde%5Cn">μηδὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="gonei%3Ds">γονεῖς</w> <w lemma="eu%29noi%2Fas">εὐνοίας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstews">πίστεως</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Exc. Peir. p. 13.</foreign>]
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<head>Character of Hiero II</head>For, in the first place, Hiero gained the sovereignty of<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note11">Character of Hiero II., King of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a>, from B. C. 269 to B. C. 215.</note><a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> and her allies by his own unaided abilities without inheriting wealth, or reputation, or any other advantage of fortune. And, in the second place, was established king of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a> without putting to death, banishing, or harassing any one of the citizens,—which is the most astonishing circumstance of all. And what is quite as surprising as the innocence of his acquisition of power is the fact that it did not change his character. For during a reign of fifty-four years he preserved peace for the country, maintained his own power free from all hostile plots, and entirely escaped the envy which generally follows greatness; for though he tried on several occasions to lay down his power, he was prevented by the common remonstrances of the citizens. And having shown himself most beneficent to the Greeks, and most anxious to earn their good opinion, he left behind him not merely a great personal reputation but also a universal feeling of goodwill towards the Syracusans. Again, though he passed his life in the midst of the greatest wealth, luxury, and abundance, he survived for more than ninety years, in full possession of his senses and with all parts of his body unimpaired; which, to my mind, is a decisive proof of a well-spent life. . . .Gelo, his son, in a life of more than fifty years<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note12">Gelo, son of Hiero II., associated with his father in the kingdom, B. C. 216. See<ref target="b5c88" targOrder="U">5, 88</ref>,<bibl n="Liv. 23.30" default="NO" valid="yes">Livy, 23, 30</bibl></note>regarded it as the most honourable object of ambition to obey his father, and to regard neither wealth, nor sovereign power, nor anything else as of higher value than love and loyalty to his parents. . . .<pb n="515" />
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Walbank Commentary