§7.8.1τῷ παντὶ χρησιμώτερος.
by far more useful.
Ἱέρων μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον μὲν διʼ αὑτοῦ κατεκτήσατο τὴν Συρακοσίων καὶ τῶν συμμάχων ἀρχήν, οὐ πλοῦτον, οὐ δόξαν, οὐχ ἕτερον οὐδὲν ἐκ τῆς τύχης ἕτοιμον παραλαβών.
For Hiero, in the first place, acquired by his own efforts the sovereignty over the Syracusans and their allies, without receiving wealth, or reputation, or anything else ready-to-hand from fortune.
§7.8.2καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀποκτείνας, οὐ φυγαδεύσας, οὐ λυπήσας οὐδένα τῶν πολιτῶν, διʼ αὑτοῦ βασιλεὺς κατέστη τῶν Συρακοσίων, §7.8.3ὃ πάντων ἐστὶ παραδοξότατον, ἔτι δὲ τὸ μὴ μόνον κτήσασθαι τὴν ἀρχὴν οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαφυλάξαι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον.
Moreover, without killing, banishing, or injuring any of the citizens, he established himself by his own efforts as king of the Syracusans, which is the most wonderful thing of all; and furthermore, that he not only acquired his power in this manner, but also preserved it in the same way.
§7.8.4ἔτη γὰρ πεντήκοντα καὶ τέτταρα βασιλεύσας διετήρησε μὲν τῇ πατρίδι τὴν εἰρήνην, διεφύλαξε δʼ αὑτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀνεπιβούλευτον, διέφυγε δὲ τὸν ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς παρεπόμενον φθόνον· §7.8.5ὅς γε πολλάκις ἐπιβαλόμενος ἀποθέσθαι τὴν δυναστείαν ἐκωλύθη κατὰ κοινὸν ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν.
For having ruled as king for fifty-four years, he maintained peace for his country, preserved his own power free from conspiracy, and escaped the envy that usually attends pre-eminence; indeed, though he often attempted to lay down his sovereignty, he was prevented from doing so by the common consent of the citizens.
§7.8.6εὐεργετικώτατος δὲ καὶ φιλοδοξότατος γενόμενος εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας μεγάλην μὲν αὑτῷ δόξαν, οὐ μικρὰν δὲ Συρακοσίοις εὔνοιαν παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀπέλιπε.
And having shown himself most beneficent and most eager for honor towards the Greeks, he left a great reputation for himself, and no small goodwill among all men for the Syracusans.
§7.8.7καὶ μὴν ἐν περιουσίᾳ καὶ τρυφῇ καὶ δαψιλείᾳ πλείστῃ διαγενόμενος ἔτη μὲν ἐβίωσε πλείω τῶν ἐνενήκοντα, διεφύλαξε δὲ τὰς αἰσθήσεις ἁπάσας, διετήρησε δὲ πάντα καὶ τὰ μέρη τοῦ σώματος ἀβλαβῆ.
Moreover, though he passed his life in the midst of great wealth, luxury, and abundance, he lived to be over ninety years of age, preserved all his senses unimpaired, and kept all the parts of his body free from injury.
§7.8.8τοῦτο δέ μοι δοκεῖ σημεῖον οὐ μικρόν, ἀλλὰ παμμέγεθες εἶναι βίου σώφρονος.
And this seems to me to be no small, but a very great sign of a temperate life.
[εχξ. πειρ. π. 9. ] §7.8.9ὅτι Γέλων πλείω τῶν πεντήκοντα βιώσας ἐτῶν σκοπὸν προέθηκε κάλλιστον ἐν τῷ ζῆν, τὸ πειθαρχεῖν τῷ γεννήσαντι, καὶ μήτε πλοῦτον μήτε βασιλείας μέγεθος μήτʼ ἄλλο περὶ πλείονος ποιήσασθαι μηδὲν τῆς πρὸς τοὺς γονεῖς εὐνοίας καὶ πίστεως.
That Gelo, having lived more than fifty years, set before himself the finest goal in life: to obey his father, and to value neither wealth nor the greatness of his kingship nor anything else more than goodwill and loyalty towards his parents.
[εχξ. πειρ. π. 13. ]