There was once two best friends named Damon
and Phinitias. They lived in Syracuse, Sicily in the 4th century BC. They were Philosophers of
Pythagorean School.
One day, phinitias was sentence to death by
Dionysius the younger, the ruler of the city, for plotting against his rule.
Phinitias then begged for permission to go home to finish his private affairs
before he is executed. Dionysius of course refused his request. Phinitias felt
very sad and hopeless. But then, Damon came to Dionysius and begged to grant
phinitias’s request. Damon loyalty offer to replace phinitias while he is gone.
Hi is willing to take phinitias place in place prison. Dionysius then agreed and
greeted their request.
Phinitias was very happy and thankful for
his friend’s sacrifice. He promised Damon that he will returned as soon as
possible. He started home as fast as he can. Days gone by and Damon waited very
patiently in jail. But until the day before his execution, phinitias had not
returned. And on his execution day phinitias still had not returned. Damon knew
that he had to take phinitias’s place and get executed if phinitias did not
show up.
It turned out that phinitias had tried to keep
his promise to his best friend, but he cannot. He got delayed on his way back.
Phinitias heart beat fast. He felt very uneasy. He feared that he would too
late, and Damon, his faithful friend will get executed because of him.
Dionysius told Damon that it’s the
execution day and since phinitias had not returned to take his place.
Incredibly, just as Damon was about to die, phinitias arrived. He shouted to
stop the execution. He felt so relief that his friend is still alive. He
apologized to Damon for his delay. Damn said that it’s alright and he told
phinitias that he trusted him. Dionysius was impressed this situation that
pardoned phinitias.
Taken
from: interlanguage English for senior high school students XI
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