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Timoleon

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Corinthian general who liberated Syracuse from tyranny and restored democracy

Detailed Definition
Timoleon defeated Carthaginians and despots, then retired honorably. He represents selfless leadership. Poets reference him as a symbol of disinterested virtue, the liberator who refuses power after victory, and the rare hero who exits before becoming a tyrant.
Example
Example in poetry:
Timoleon appears in poetry as the Corinthian general who liberated Sicily from tyranny and restored democracy; Poets invoke his selfless leadership and refusal of personal power as a model of civic virtue; His exile and return inspire verses on redemption, sacrifice, and the public good; Modern poets contrast Timoleon’s humility with the ambition of other conquerors; His blindness in old age is used to symbolize wisdom gained through suffering; Timoleon represents the rare leader who uses power only to abolish it.
Additional Notes
Timoleon (c. 411–337 BCE), Corinthian general who liberated Syracuse from tyranny and restored democracy; in poetry, Timoleon symbolizes selfless leadership, the rejection of personal power, or the restoration of liberty—Plutarch’s biography made him a model for Enlightenment republicans; useful for analyzing poems on civic virtue, exile, and the ethics of intervention in Greek and neoclassical contexts.
Also Known As
Timoleon of Corinth
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