How does pythias advance the plot of this story? when pythias criticizes dionysius's cruelty, pythias is arrested, leading to the falling action of the story. pythias is allowed to return home to take care of personal business before being executed, creating the resolution of the story. pythias arrives in time to save damon from being executed, showing his loyalty to damon and creating the climax of the story. pythias pleads with dionysius to be released so he can go home and tend to his affairs, leading to the inciting incident of the story.