that they might begin the fight. He was assured that his foot, which were only 300, and were called the sacred battalion, wherever they charged, would break through the enemy, though superior in number, as they were by at least two-thirds. The assault began where the generals of each party were posted, and was very fierce. The two generals of the Lacedæmonians, who had charged Pelopidas, were presently killed; all that were with them being either slain or dispersed. The rest of the Lacedæmonian troops were so daunted, that they opened a passage for the Thebans, who might have marched on and saved themselves if they had thought fit: but Pelopidas, disdaining to make use of that opening for his retreat, advanced against those who were still drawn up in battle, and made so great a slaughter of them, that the rest were all dismayed, and fled in disorder. The Thebans did not pursue them far, lest they should be surprised. They contented themselves with having broken them, and with making a glorious retreat, not inferior to a victory, because it was made through an enemy dispersed and defeated. This little encounter, for it can be called no more, was in a manner the source of the great actions and events we shall soon relate. It had never happened till then in any war, either against the Barbarians or Greeks, that the Lacedæmonians had been defeated with the superiority of number on their side, nor even with equal forces in a pitched battle. For which reason they were insupportably proud, and their reputation alone kept their enemies in awe, who never durst show themselves in the field before them, unless superior in number. They now lost that glory; and the Thebans in their turn are to become the terror and dread even of those who had hitherto rendered themselves so universally formidable. A. M. 3627. Ant. J. C. 377. A. M. 3630. Ant. J. C. 374. The enterprise of Artaxerxes Mnemon against Egypt, and the death of Evagoras king of Cyprus, should naturally come in here. But I shall defer those articles, to avoid breaking in upon the Theban affairs. SECTION IV.-NEW TROUBLES IN GREECE. THE LACEDEMONIANS DECLARE WAR AGAINST THEBES. THEY ARE DEFEATED AND PUT TO FLIGHT IN THE BATTLE OF LEUCTRA. EPAMINONDAS RAVAGES LA CONIA, AND MARCHES TO THE GATES OF SPARTA. WHILST the Persians were engaged in the Egyptian war, great troubles arose in Greece. In that interval the Thebans, having taken Plateæ, and afterwards Thespiæ, entirely demolished those two cities, and expelled the inhabitants. The Plateans retired to Athens with their wives and children, where they were received with the utmost kindness, and adopted into the number of the citizens. Artaxerxes, being informed of the A. M. 3633. state of the Grecian affairs, sent a Ant. J. C. 371. new embassy thither, to persuade the several cities and republics at war, to lay down their arms, and accommodate their differences upon the plan of the treaty of Antalcidas. By that peace, as has been observed in its place, it was concluded, that all the cities of Greece should enjoy their liberty, and be governed by their own laws. In virtue of this article, the Lacedæmonians pressed the Thebans to restore liberty to all the cities of Boeotia, to rebuild Platææ and Thespia which they had demolished, and to restore them with the territories dependent on them to their ancient inhabitants. The Thebans on their side insisted also, that the Lacedæmonians should give liberty to all those of Laconia, and that the city of Messene should be restored to its ancient possessors. This was what equity required; but the Lacedæmonians, believing themselves much 1 Diod. l. ii. p. 361, 362. 3 366. Platææ, a city of Boeotia; Thespia of Achala. Xenoph. Hist. Græc. 1. 6. p. 590-593. Diod. p. 365, superior to the Thebans, were for in posing a law upon them, to which they would not submit themselves. All Greece being weary of a war which had already lasted several campaigns, and had no other origin than the ambition and injustice of Sparta, nor any other end than the aggrandizing of that state, was seriously intent upon effecting a general peace, and with that view had sent deputies to Lacedæmon, to concert together the means of attaining so desirable an event. Amongst those deputies, Epaminondas was of the first rank. He was at that time celebrated for his great erudition and profound knowledge in philosophy; but he had not yet had an opportunity of giving any very distinguished proofs of his great capacity for the command of armies and the administration of public affairs. Seeing that all the deputies, out of respect for Agesilaus, who declared openly for the war, were afraid to contradict him, or to differ from his opinion in any thing, a very common effect of too imperious a power on one side, and too servile a submission on the other; he was the only one that spoke with a wise and noble boldness, as became a statesman who had no other view than the public good. He made a speech, not for the Thebans alone, but for Greece in general; in which he proved, that the war augmented only the power of Sparta, whilst the rest of Greece was reduced and ruined by it. He insisted principally upon the necessity of establishing the peace upon the basis of equality and justice; because no peace could be solid and of long duration, but that wherein all parties should find an equal advantage. A discourse like this, founded evidently upon reason and justice, and pronounced with a grave and serious tone, never fails of making an impression. Agesilaus plainly perceived, from the attention and silence with which it was heard, that the deputies were extremely affected with it, and would not fail to act conformably to his opinion. To prevent that effect, he demanded of Epaminondas, "Whether he thought it just and reasonable that Bootia should be free and independent ?" that is to say, Whether he agreed that the cites of Boeotia should depend no longer upon Thebes? Epaminondas immediately asked in his turn, with great vivacity, "Whether he thought it just and reasonable that Laconia should enjoy the same independence and liberty?" Upon which, Agesilaus, rising from his seat in great rage, insisted upon his declaring plainly, "Whether he would consent that Boeotia should be free?" Epaminondas retorted his question again, and asked, "Whether on his side, he would consent that Laconia should be free?" Agesilaus, who wanted only a pretext for breaking with the Thebans, struck their name directly out of the treaty of alliance which they were about to conclude. The rest of the allies signed it, less out of inclination, than not to offend the Lacedæmonians, whose power they dreaded. In consequence of this treaty, all the troops in the field were to be disbanded. Čĺeombrotus, one of the kings of Sparta, was then in Phocis, at the head of the army. He wrote to the Ephori to know the republic's resolutions. Prothous, one of the principal senators, represented that there was no room for deliberation, for that Sparta, by the late agreement, had made the recall of the troops indispensable. Agesilaus was of a different opinion. Angry with the Thebans, and particularly with Epaminondas, he was absolutely bent on war for an opportunity of revenge, and the present seemed particularly favourable, when all Greece was free and united, and only the Thebans excluded from the treaty of peace. The advice of Prothous was therefore rejected by the whole council, who treated him as an honest well-meaning dotard, that knew nothing of the matter; the Divinity, from thenceforth, The ability of the generals on either side supplied the place of numerous armies, especially the Theban, who was the most accomplished captam of his time, He was supported by Pelopidas at the head of the sacred battalion, composed of 300 young Thebans, united in a strict friendship and affection, and engaged under a particular oath never to fly, but to defend each other to the last drop of their blood. as Xenophon observes, promoting their downfall. | of it, and were besides dissatisfied with the LacedæThe Ephori wrote immediately to Cleombrotus to monians. march against the Thebans with his troops, and sent orders at the same time to all their allies, to assemble their forces, who were very averse to this war, and did not join in it but with great reluctance, and out of fear of contradicting the Lacedæmonians, whom they did not yet dare to disobey. Though no happy consequences could be expected from a war, visibly undertaken contrary to all reason and justice, and from the sole motive of resentment and revenge; the Lacedæmonians, however, from the superiority of their numbers, assured themselves of success, and imagined that the Thebans, abandoned by their allies, were in no condition to oppose them. The Thebans were much alarmed A. M. 3634. at first. They saw themselves alone, Ant. J. C. 370. without allies or support, whilst all Greece looked upon them as utterly lost, not knowing that in a single man they had more than an army. This man was Epaminondas. He was appointed general, and had several colleagues joined in commission with him. He immediately raised all the troops he could, and began his march. His army did not amount to 6000 men, and the enemy had above four times that number. As several bad omens were told him to prevent his setting out, he replied only by a verse of Homer's, of which the sense is, "There is but one good omen, which is, to fight for one's country.". However, to reassure the soldiers, by nature superstitious, and whom he observed to be discouraged, he instructed several persons to come from different places, and report auguries and omens in his favour, which revived the spirit and hopes of the troops. 1 Pelopidas was not then in office, but commanded the sacred battalion. When he left his house to go to the army, his wife, in taking her last adieu, conjured him with a flood of tears, to take care of himself: That," said he, "should be recommended to young people; but for generals, they have no occasion for such advice; they should only be exhorted to take care of others." Epaminondas had had the wise precaution to secure a pass, by which Cleombrotus might have shortened his march considerably. The latter, after having taken a large compass, arrived at Leuctra, a small town of Boeotia, between Platææ and Thespiæ. Both parties consulted whether they should give battle; which Cleombrotus resolved by the advice of all his officers, who represented to him, that if, with such a superiority of troops, he declined fighting, it would confirm the report which was secretly spread, that he covertly favoured the Thebans. The latter had an essential reason for hastening a battle, to anticipate the arrival of the troops which the enemy daily expected. However, the six generals, who formed the council of war, differed in their sentiments. A seventh, who came up very seasonably, joined the three that were for fighting; and his opinion, which coincided also with that of Epaminondas, carrying the question, the battle was resolved upon. This was in the second year of the 102d Olympiad. The two armies were very unequal in number. That of the Lacedæmonians, as has been said, consisted of 24,000 foot and 1600 horse. The Thebans had only 6000 foot and 400 horse; but all of them choice troops, animated by their success in former campaigns, and determined to conquer or die. The Lacedæmonian cavalry, composed of men picked up by chance, without valour, and ill-disciplined, was as much inferior to that of their enemies in courage as it was superior in number. The infantry could not be depended on, except the Lacedæmonians; the allies, as it has been said, having engaged in the war with reluctance, because they did not approve the motive Upon the day of battle the two armies drew up on a plain. Cleombrotus was upon the right, consisting of Lacedæmonians, on whom he confided most, and whose files were twelve deep. To take advantage of the superiority of his horse in an open country, he posted them in the front of his Lacedæmonians. Archidamus, Agesilaus's son was at the head of the allies, who formed the left wing. Epaminondas, who resolved to charge with his left, which he commanded in person, strengthened it with the choice of his heavy-armed troops, whom he drew up fifty deep. The sacred battalion was upon his left, and closed the wing. The rest of his infantry were posted upon his right in an oblique line, which, the farther it extended, was the more distant from the enemy. By this uncommon disposition, his design was to cover his right flank, to refuse his right wing and keep it as a kind of reserve, that he might not hazard the event of the battle upon the weakest part of his army; and to begin the action with his left wing, where his best troops were posted, to turn the whole weight of the battle upon king Cleombrotus and the Spartans. He was assured, that if he could penetrate the Lacedæmonian phalanx, the rest of the army would soon be put to the rout. As for his horse, he disposed them (after the enemy's example) in the front of his left. The action began by the cavalry. As that of the Thebans were better mounted and braver troops than the Lacedæmonian horse, the latter were not long before they were broken, and driven upon the infantry, which they put into some confusion. Epaminondas following his horse close, marched swiftly up to Cleombrotus, and fell upon his phalanx with all the weight of his heavy battalion. The latter, to make a diver sion, detached a body of troops with orders to take Epaminondas in flank, and to surround him. Pelopi das, upon the sight of that movement advanced with incredible speed and boldness at the head of the sacred battalion to prevent the enemy's design, and flanked Cleombrotus bimself, who, by that sudden and unexpected attack, was put into disorder. The battle was very fierce and obstinate; and whilst Cleombrotus could act, the victory continued in suspense, and declared for neither party. When he fell dead with his wounds, the Thebans, to complete the victory, and the Lacedæmonians, to avoid the shame of abandoning the body of their king, redoubled their efforts, and a great slaughter ensued on both sides. The Spartans fought with so much fury about the body, that at length they gained their point, and carried it off. Animated by so glorious an advantage, they prepared to return to the charge, which would perhaps have proved successful, had the allies seconded their ardour. But the left wing, seeing the Lacedæmonian phalanx had been broken, and believing all lost, especially when they heard that the king was dead, took to flight, and drew off the rest of the army along with them. Epaminondas followed them vigorously, and killed a great number in the pursuit. The Thebans remained masters of the field of battle, but erected a trophy, and permitted the enemy to bury their dead. The Lacedæmonians had never received such a blow. The most bloody defeats till then had scarce ever cost them more than 4 or 500 of their citizens. They had been seen, however, animated, or rather violently incensed, against Athens, to ransom by a truce of thirty years, 800 of their citizens, who had suffered themselves to be shut up in the little island of Sphacteria. Here they lost 4000 men, of whom 1000 | some joy, and they began to take courage from believing were Lacedæmonians, and 400 Spartans, out of 700 their condition not entirely desperate. who were in the battle. The Thebans had only 300 men killed, among whom were but few of their citizens. The city of Sparta was at that time celebrating the gymnastic games, and was full of strangers whom curiosity had brought thither, when the couriers arrived from Leuctra with the terrible news of their defeat. The Ephori, though perfectly sensible of all the consequences, and that the Spartan empire had received a mortal wound, would not permit the representations of the theatre to be suspended, nor any change to take place in the celebration of the festival. They sent to every family the names of their relations who were killed, and stayed in the theatre to see that the dances and games were continued without interruption, to the end. The Thebans, immediately after their victory, had sent an account of it to Athens, and to demand aid at the same time against the common enemy. The senate was then sitting, and received the courier with great coldness, did not make him the usual presents, and dismissed him without taking any notice of aid. The Athenians, alarmed at the considerable advantage which the Thebans had gained over the Lacedæmo nians, could not dissemble the umbrage and dissatisfaction which so sudden and unexpected an increase of a neighbouring power gave them, which might soon render itself formidable to all Greece. At Thebes, Epaminondas and Pelopidas had been elected joint governors of Baotia. Having assembled all the troops of the Boeotians and their allies, whose number daily increased, they entered Peloponnesus, and made abundance of places and states revolt from the Lacedæmonians; Elis, Argos, all Arcadia, and the greatest part of Laconia itself. It was then about the winter solstice, and towards the end of the last month of the year, so that in a few days they were to quit their offices; the first day of the next month being assigned by law, for their resigning them to the persons appointed to succeed them, upon pain of death, if they held them beyond that term. Their colleagues, apprehending the badness of the seasons, and still more, the dreadful consequences of infringing that law, were for marching back the army immediately to Thebes. Pelopidas was the first who, entering into the opinion of Epaminondas, animated the citizens, and engaged them to take advantage of the enemy's alarm, and to pursue their enterprize without regard to a formality, from the observance of which they might justly believe themselves dispensed by the state itself, as the service of the state, when founded in justice, is the sovereign law and rule of the people's obedience. The next day in the morning, the loss of each family being known, the fathers and relations of those who had died in the battle met in the public square, and saluted and embraced each other with great joy and serenity in their looks; whilst the others kept themselves close in their house, or, if necessity obliged them to go abroad, it was with a sadness and dejection of aspect which sensibly expressed their profound anguish and affliction. That difference was still more remarkable in the women. Grief, silence, tears, distinguished those who expected the return of their sons; but such as had lost their sons were seen hurrying to the temples to thank the gods, and congratulating each other upon their glory and good fortune. It cannot be denied but such sentiments evince great courage and resolution; but I would not have them entirely extinguish natural tenderness, and should have been better pleased had there been less of ferocity in them. Sparta was under no small difficulty to know how to act in regard to those who had fled from the battle. As they were numerous, and of the most powerful families in the city, it was not safe to inflict upon them the punishments assigned by the laws, lest their despair should induce them to take some violent resolution that might be fatal to the state. For such as fled were not only excluded from all offices and employments, but it was a disgrace to contract any alliance with them by marriage. Any body that met them in the streets might buffet them, which they were obliged to suffer. They were besides to wear dirty and ragged habits, full of patches of different colours; and, lastly, they were to shave half their beards, and to let the other half grow. It would be a great loss to the Spartans to be deprived of so many of their soldiery, at a time when they had such pressing occasion for them. To remove this difficulty, they chose Agesilaus legislator, with absolute power to make such alterations in the laws as he should think fit. Agesilaus, Parties had been posted to defend some important without adding, retrenching, or changing, any thing, passes. Ischolas the Spartan, who commanded one of found means to save the fugitives without prejudice to these detachments, distinguished himself in a peculiar the state. In a full assembly of the Lacedæmonians, manner. Finding it impossible, with his small body of he decreed, "That for the present day, the laws should troops, to support the enemy's attack, and thinking it be suspended, and of no effect; but ever after to re- disgraceful for a Spartan to abandon his post, he sent main in full force and authority." By those few words back the young men who were of an age and condition he preserved the Spartan laws entire, and at the sam to serve their country effectually, and kept none with time restored to the state that great number of its mem-him but such as were advanced in years. These, bers, by preventing their being for ever degraded, and consequently useless to the republic. After the battle of Leuctra the two parties were industriously employed, the one in retrieving their loss, and the other in improving their victory. Agesilaus, to revive the courage of his troops, marched them into Arcadia; but with a full resolution carefully to avoid a battle. He confined himself to attacking some small towns of the Mantinæans, which he took, and laid the country waste. This gave Sparta Those were properly called Spartans, who inhabited Sparta: the Lacedæmonians were those settled in the They entered Laconia therefore at the head of an army of 70,000 good soldiers, of which the Thebans did not form a twelfth part. But the great reputation of the two generals was the cause, that all the allies, even without orders, or a public decree, obeyed them with respectful silence, and marched with entire confi dence and courage under their command. It was 600 years since the Dorians had established themselves at Lacedæmon, and in all that time they had never seen, til now, an enemy upon their lands; none having hitherto dared to set foot in them, and much less to attack their city, though without walls. The The bans and their allies, finding a country hitherto touched by an enemy, ran through it with fire and sword, destroying and plundering as far as the river Eurotas, without any opposition whatsoever. unanimously devoting themselves, after the example of Leonidas, to the public good, sold their lives very dear; and after having defended themselves a long time, and made great slaughter of their enemies, they all perished to a man. Agesilaus acted upon this occasion with great address and wisdom. He looked upon this irruption of the enemy as an impetuous torrent, which it was not only in vain, but dangerous to oppose, whose rapid course would be but of short duration, and after some ravages subside of itself. He contented himself with distributing his best troops into the middle and all the most important parts of the city, and with strongly securing all the posts. He was determined not to quit the town, nor to hazard a battle, and persisted in that resolution, without regard to all the raillery, insults, and menaces, of the Thebans, who defied him by name, and called upon him to come out and defend his country, him who had alone been the cause of all its sufferings, by kindling the war. But a subject of far greater affliction to Agesilaus were the commotions and disorders excited within the city, the murmurs and complaints of the old men in the highest affliction and despair from being witnesses of what they saw, as well as of the women, who seemed quite distracted with hearing the threatening cries of the enemy, and seeing the neighbouring country all on fire, whilst the flames and smoke, which drove almost upon them, seemed to denounce a like misfortune to themselves. Whatever courage Agesilaus might express in his outward behaviour, he could not fail of being sensibly affected with so mournful an object, to which was added the grief of sullying his reputation; who, having found the city in a most flourishing and potent condition when he came to the government, now saw it fallen to such a degree, and all its ancient glory lost under him! He was, besides, secretly mortified at so mournful a contradiction of a boast he had often made, “that no woman of Sparta had ever seen the smoke of an enemy's camp." Whilst he was giving different orders in the city, he was informed, that a certain number of mutineers had seized an important post, with a resolution to defend themselves in it. Agesilaus ran immediately thither; and, as if he had been entirely unacquainted with their bad design, he said to them, "Comrades, it is not there I sent you." At the same time he pointed to different posts to divide them; to which they went, believing their enterprise had not been discovered. This order, which he gave without emotion, evinces a great presence of mind in Agesilaus, and shows, that In times of trouble it is not proper to see too much, that the culpable may not want time to reflect and repent. He thought it more advisable to suppose that small troop innocent, than to urge them to a declared revolt by a too rigorous inquiry. The Eurotas was at that time very much swollen by the melting of the snows, and the Thebans found more difficulty in passing it than they expected, as well from the extreme coldness of the water, as its rapidity. As Epaminondas passed at the head of his infantry, some of the Spartans pointed him out to Agesilaus: who, after having attentively considered and followed him with his eyes a long time, said only, "Wonderful man!" in admiration of the valour that induced him to undertake such great things. Epaminondas would have been glad to have given battle in Sparta itself, and to have erected a trophy in the midst of it. He did not however dare to attempt the forcing of the city; and not being able to induce Agesilaus to quit it, chose to retire. It would have been difficult for Sparta, without aid, and unfortified, to have defended itself long against a victorious army. But the prudent captain who commanded it was apprehensive of drawing upon his hands the whole force of Peloponnesus, and still more, of exciting the jealousy of the Greeks, who would never have pardoned his destroying so potent a republic, and pulling out, as Leptius says, one of the eyes of Greece, as a proof of his skill. He confined himself therefore to the glory of having humbled the proud, whose laconic language added new haughtiness to their commands, and of having reduced them to the necessity, as he boasted himself, of lengthening their monosyllables. On his return he again wasted the country. In this expedition the Thebans reinstated Arcadia into one body, and took Messenia from the Spartans, who had been in possession of it very long, after having expelled all its inhabitants. It was a country equal in extent to Laconia, and as fertile as the best soil in Greece. Its ancient inhabitants, who were dispersed in different regions of Greece, Italy, and Sicily, on the first notice given them, returned with incredible joy; animated by the love of their country, natural to all men, and almost as much by their hatred of the Spartans, which length of time had only increased. They built themselves a city, which, from the name of the old one, was called Messene. Amongst the unhappy events of this war, none gave the Lacedæmonians more sensible displeasure, or rather more lively grief, than this; because from time immemorial an irreconcilable enmity had subsisted between Sparta and Messene, which seemed incapable of being extinguished but by the final ruin of the one or the other. 6 Polybius points out an ancient error in the conduct of the Messenians with regard to Sparta, which was the cause of all their misfortunes. This was their too great solicitude for present tranquillity, and through an excessive love of peace, their neglecting the means of making it sure and lasting. Two of the most powerful states of Greece were their neighbours, the Arcadians and Lacedæmonians. The latter, from their first settlement, in the country, had declared open war against them: the others, on the contrary, always joined with them, and entered into all their interests. But the Messenians had neither the courage to oppose their violent and irreconcilable enemies with valour and constancy, nor the prudence to treat with due regard their faithful and affectionate allies. When the two states were either at war with each other, or carried their arms elsewhere, the Messenians, with little foresight for the future, and regarding only their present repose, made it a rule never to engage in the quarrel on either side, and to observe an extract neutrality. On such conjunctures they congratulated themselves upon their wisdom and success in preserving their tranquillity, whilst their neighbours all around them were involved in trouble and confusion. But this tranquillity was of no long duration. The Lacedæmonians having subdued their enemies, fell upon them with all their forces; and finding them unsupported by allies, and incapable of defending themselves, they reduced them to submit, either to the yoke of a rigid slavery, or to banish themselves from their country. And this was several times their case. They ought to have reflected, says Polybius,' that as there is nothing more desirable or advantageous than peace, when founded on justice and honour; so there is nothing more shameful, and at the same time more pernicious, when attained by bad measures, and purchased at the price of liberty. SECTION V.-THE TWO THEBAN GENERALS, AT AND ACQUITTED. ACCUSED THEIR RETURN, ARE SPARTA IMPLORES AID OF THE ATHENIANS. THE GREEKS SEND AMBASSADORS TO ARTAXERXES. INFLUENCE OF PELOPIDAS AT THE COURT OF PERSIA. It might be expected, that the two Theban captains, on their return to their country after such memorable actions, should have been received with general applause, and all the honours that could be conferred upon them. Instead of which, they were both summoned to answer as criminals against the state; in having, contrary to the law, whereby they were obliged to resign their command to new officers, retained it four months beyond the appointed term; during which they had executed in Messenia, Arcadia, and Laconia, all those great exploits we have related. Paus. 1. iv. p. 267, 269. 6 The Messenians had been driven out of their country 287 years. Polyb. I. iv. p. 299, 300. Εἰρήνη γὰρ, μετὰ μὲν τοῦ δικαίου καὶ πρέποντος, κάλλιστόν ἐστι κτῆμα καὶ λυσιτελέστατον· μετὰ δὲ κακίας ἢ δουλείας ἐπου νειδίστου, πάντων αἴσχιστον καὶ βλαβερώτατον. Such conduct is surprising, and the relation of it | The Athenians could not deny all that the deputy cannot be read without a secret indignation: but it had a very plausible foundation. The zealous assertors of a liberty lately regained, were apprehensive that the example might prove very pernicious, in authorizing some future magistrate to maintain himself in command beyond the established term, and in consequence to turn his arms against his country. It is not to be doubted, but the Romans would have acted in the same manner; and if they were so severe as to put an officer to death, though victorious, for having fought without his general's orders, how would they have behaved to a general who should have continued four months in the supreme command, contrary to the laws? Pelopidas was the first cited before the tribunal. He defended himself with less force and greatness of mind than was expected from a man of his character, for he was naturally warm and fiery. That valour, haughty and intrepid in fight, forsook him before the judges. His air and discourse, which had something timid and grovelling in it, denoted a man who was afraid of death, and did not in the least incline the judges in his favour, and it was not without difficulty that they acquitted him. Epaminondas appeared, and spoke with a quite different air and tone. He seemed, if I may be allowed the expression, to charge danger in front without emotion. Instead of justifying himself, he made a panegyric upon his actions, and repeated in a lofty style, in what manner he had ravaged Laconia, re-established Messenia, and reunited Arcadia in one body. He concluded with saying, that he should die with pleasure, if the Thebans would concede the sole glory of those actions to him, and declare that he had done them by his own authority, and without their participation. All the voices were in his favour; and he returned from his trial, as he used to return from battle, with glory and universal applause. Such dignity has true valour, that it in a manner seizes the admiration of mankind by force. He was by nature designed for great actions, and gave an air of grandeur to every thing he did. His enemies, jealous of his glory, and with design to affront him, got him elected Telearch; an office very unworthy of a person of his merit. He however thought it no dishonour to him, and said, that he would demonstrate, that "the office did not only show what the man was, but also the man what the office was." He accordingly raised that employment to very great dignity, which before consisted in only taking care that the streets were kept clean, the dirt carried away, and the drains and common sewers in good order. The Lacedæmonians, having every thing to fear from an enemy, whom the late successes had rendered still more haughty and enterprising than ever, and seeing themselves exposed every moment to a new inroad, had recourse to the Athenians, and sent deputies to them to implore their aid. The person who spoke, began with describing in the most pathetic terms, the deplorable condition and extreme danger to which Sparta was reduced. He enlarged upon the insolent haughtiness of the Thebans, and their ambitious views, which tended to nothing less than the making themselves masters of all Greece. He insinuated what Athens in particular had to fear from them, if they were suffered to extend their power by the increase of allies, who every day went over to their party, and augmented their forces. He called to mind the happy times in which the strict union betwixt Athens and Sparta had preserved Greece, and contributed to the equal glory of both states; and concluded with saying, how great an addition it would be to the Athenian name, to aid a city, its ancient friend and ally, which more than once had generously sacrificed itself for the common interest and safety. 1 Plut. de sui laude, p. 540. 2 Plut. de Præcept. reip. ger. p. 811. · Οὐ μόνον ἀρχὴ ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρχὴν ἀνήρ. Xenoph. 1. vi. p. 609-613. advanced in his discourse, but at the same time they had not forgotten the bad treatment which they had suffered from the Spartans on more than one occasion, and especially after the defeat in Sicily. However, their compassion of the present misfortunes of Sparta prevailed over their resentment of former injuries, and determined them to assist the Lacedæmonians with all their forces. A short time after, the deputies of several states being assembled at Athens, a league and confederacy was concluded against the Thebans, conformably to the late treaty of Antalcidas, and the intention of the king of Persia, who was continually urging its execution. A slight advantage gained by the Spartans over their enemies, raised them from that dejection of spirits in which they had hitherto remained; as it generally happens, that in a mortal distemper the least glimpse of a recovery enlivens hope and recalls joy. Archidamus, son of Agesilaus, having received considerable aid from Dionysius the Younger, tyrant of Sicily, put himself at the head of his troops, and defeated the Arcadians in a battle, called the battle with out tears," because he did not lose a man, and killeda great number of the enemy. The Spartans before had been so much accustomed to conquer, that they had become almost insensible to the pleasure of victory: but when the news of this battle arrived, and they saw Archidamus return victorious, they could not contain their joy, nor keep within the city. His father was the first that went out to meet him, weeping with joy and tenderness. He was followed by the officers and magistrates. The crowd of old men and women came down as far as the river, lifting up their hands to heaven, and returning thanks to the gods, as if this, action had obliterated the shame of Sparta, and they began to see those happy days again, in which the Spartan glory and reputation had risen so high. Philiscus, who had been sent by the king of Per sia to reconcile the Grecian states, was arrived at Delphi, whither he summoned their deputies to repair. The god was not at all consulted in the affair which was discussed in the assembly. The Spartans demanded, that Messene and its inhabitants should retura to their obedience to them. Upon the Thebans' refusal to comply with that demand, the assembly broke up, and Philiscus retired, after having left considerable sums of money with the Lacedæmonians for levying troops and carrying on the war. Sparta, reduced and humbled by its losses, was no longer the object of the Persians' fear or jealousy; but Thebes, victorious and triumphant, gave them just cause of inquietude. To form a league against Thebes with greater tainty," the allies had sent deputies to the great king The Thebans on their side deputed Pelopidas; an extremely wise choice, from the great reputation of the ambassadors, which is no indifferent circumstance in respect to the success of a negotiation. The battle of Leuctra had spread his fame into the remotest provinces of Asia. When he arrived at the court, and appeared amongst the princes and nobility, they cried out in admiration of him, "This is he who deprived the Lacedæmonians of their empire by sea and land, and reduced Sparta, to confine itself between the Eurotus and Taygetus; Sparta, that not long since, under its king Agesilaus, threatened no less to invade us in Susa and Ecbatana." Artaxerxes, extremely pleased with his arrival, paid him extraordinary honours, and piqued himself upon extolling him highly before the lords of his court; in esteem indeed of his great merit, but much more out of vanity and self-love, and to insinuate to his subjects, 5 Xenoph. 1. vii. 613-616. 620. 9 Plut. in Agesil. p. 614, 615. Xenoph. 1. vii. p. 619, Diod. 1. xv. p. 383 Xenoph. p. 619. Diod. p. 381. Xenoph. I. vii. n. 620-622. Plut. in Pelop. p. 294. |