and no man knew this so well as the Greeks. For Plato, who wished to strike out a new form of government, or rather a part of government; and that not by changing the customs relating to the gods, but merely by substituting one line of conduct for another; was cast out of Sicily, and went near to lose his life.21  This however did not ensue: so that he lost his liberty alone. And had not a certain Barbarian been more gentle than the tyrant of Sicily, nothing could have rescued the philosopher from slavery throughout life in a foreign land. And yet it is not all one to innovate in affairs of the kingdom, and in matters of religious worship. For the latter more than any thing else causes disturbance and troubles men. For to say, “let such and such an one marry such a woman, and let the guardians22 [of the commonwealth] exercise their guardianship so and so,” is not enough to cause any great disturbance: and especially when all this is lodged in a book, and no great anxiety on the part of the legislator to carry the proposals into practice. On the other hand, to say, “they be no gods which men worship, but demons; He who was crucified is God;” ye well know how great wrath it kindled, how severely men must have paid for it, what a flame of war it fanned. For Protagoras, who was one of them, having dared to say, “I know of no gods,” not going round the world and proclaiming it, but in a single city, was in the most imminent 21 Plutarch, in Dion. t. v. p. 162. ed. Bryan. “Plato having been introduced to Dionysius, they discoursed in general about human virtue; when Plato maintained that any thing might be credible rather than for tyrants to be truly brave. Then changing the subject, he argued concerning Justice, that the life of the just is blessed, of the unjust miserable. The tyrant was not well pleased with the discourse, understanding it as a reproof: and he was vexed with the bystanders, who mightily approved the man, and were taken with his remarks. At last, in anger and bitterness, he asked him what was his object in coming to Sicily. He said, To look for a good man. By heaven, he replied, it is clear you have not found him. Now Dion’s friends thought this had been the end of his anger, and as Plato was anxious to go, they provided him with a passage in a galley, in which Pollis the Spartan was sailing to Greece. But Dionysius secretly besought Pollis, if possible, to kill him at sea, but at any rate to sell him for a slave, for that he would never be the worse for it, but just as happy, in that Justice of his, though he became a slave. Upon which it is said that Pollis took Plato to Ægina and sold him there, the Æginetæ being at war with Athens, and having made a decree, that any Athenian coming there should be sold.” 22 φύλακες, Plato’s word in the Republic for citizens. 39 Homily IV