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As time went on, and Periander came to be old, he found himself no
longer equal to the oversight and management of affairs. Seeing,
therefore, in his eldest son no manner of ability, but knowing him to
be dull and blockish, he sent to Corcyra and recalled Lycophron to
take the kingdom. Lycophron, however, did not even deign to ask the
bearer of this message a question. But Periander's heart was set
upon the youth, so he sent again to him, this time by his own
daughter, the sister of Lycophron, who would, he thought, have more
power to persuade him than any other person. Then she, when she
reached Corcyra, spoke thus with her brother: "Dost thou wish the
kingdom, brother, to pass into strange hands, and our father's
wealth to be made a prey, rather than thyself return to enjoy it?
Come back home with me, and cease to punish thyself. It is scant
gain, this obstinacy. Why seek to cure evil by evil? Mercy,
remember, is by many set above justice. Many, also, while pushing
their mother's claims have forfeited their father's fortune. Power
is a slippery thing - it has many suitors; and he is old and stricken
in years - let not thy own inheritance go to another." Thus did the
sister, who had been tutored by Periander what to say, urge all the
arguments most likely to have weight with her brother. He however made
answer, "That so long as he knew his father to be still alive, he
would never go back to Corinth." When the sister brought Periander
this reply, he sent his son a third time by a herald, and said he
would come himself to Corcyra, and let his son take his place at
Corinth as heir to his kingdom. To these terms Lycophron agreed;
and Periander was making ready to pass into Corcyra and his son to
return to Corinth, when the Corcyraeans, being informed of what was
taking place, to keep Periander away, put the young man to death.
For this reason it was that Periander took vengeance on the Corcyraeans.
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