[58] A stadium was nearly a furlong; to be exact, 202 yards.
[59] See Thucydides, VII. 71.
[60] A very small space yet remained to be erected when Gylippus and his Lacedaemonians broke through, relieved Syracuse, and practically decided the issue of the campaign.
[61] Coronea (447) and Delium (424) had been defeats inflicted by the Bœotians on the Athenian army at very critical periods when the victory of the latter must have had very far reaching results.
[62] The two were Selinus and Egesta.
[63] Commonly known by its Latinized name of Agrigentum.
[64] Tyranny, in its Greek sense, it may be explained, is the unconstitutional rule of a single person. It does not necessarily connote, as in English, cruelty or oppression. Except in Sparta, where the kings, indeed, were only hereditary commanders-in-chief, there was no king in any Greek state. Wherever an individual ruled, he was, of necessity, a tyrant.
[65] Hermocrates, resenting the decree of banishment that had been passed against him, attempted to make himself master of the city. He marched with the force that he had raised from Selinus, where he was encamped, and made such haste that he found himself with only a few companions far in advance, and close to the gates of Syracuse. While he halted to allow the army to come up, the leaders within the walls sallied out, overpowered the little party, and killed their leader. There is very little doubt but that he had resolved to seize absolute power.
[66] Dionysius did actually compete many times. He is said to have gained the second and third prizes more than once; and finally in the last year of his life won the first honors for a play entitled “The Ransoming of Hector.” One of the various accounts of his death attributes it to the excessive feasting in which he indulged on hearing of his victory.
[67] Athens capitulated in March, 404; Callias is supposed to have received the letter about August, 401.