that the greatest and most illustrious persons made | voyage; the assembly only laughed, and made a jest of their court to him, and paid homage to his power and it. But what offended them more, was the Thebans good fortune. But after having admitted him to audi- having obtained all they demanded. In which, says ence, and heard his discourse, in his opinion more Plutarch, they did not duly consider the great reputanervous than that of the Athenian ambassadors, and tion of Pelopidas, nor comprehend how much stronger more simple than that of the Lacedæmonians, which and more efficacious that was in persuading, than all was saying a great deal, he esteemed him more than the harangues and the rhetorical flourishes of the other ever; and as it is common with kings, who are but ambassadors; especially with a prince accustomed to little accustomed to constraint, he did not dissemble caress and comply with the strongest, as the Thebans his extreme regard for him, and his preference of him undoubtedly were at that time, and who besides was to all the rest of the Grecian deputies. not sorry to humble Sparta and Athens, the ancient and mortal enemies of his throne. The esteem and regard of the Thebans for Pelopidas were not a little augmented by the good success of this embassy, which had procured the freedom of Greece, and the re-establishment of Messene; and he was extremely applauded for his conduct at his return. But Thessalia was the theatre where the valour of Pelopidas made the greatest figure, in the expedition with which he was commissioned by the Thebans against Alexander, tyrant of Phere. I shall relate it entire, and unite under one point of view all which relates to that great event, without any other interruption than the journey of Pelopidas into Macedonia, to appease the troubles of that court. SECTION VI.-PELOPIDAS MARCHES AGAINST ALEX ANDER, TYRANT OF PHERE, AND REDUCES HIM TO A. M. 3634. the people of that province; and it was to his merit, which was generally acknowledged, that he owed that dignity. He was at the head of an army of above 8000 horse and 20,000 heavy-armed foot, without reckoning the light-armed soldiers, and might have undertaken any thing with such a body of disciplined and intrepid troops, who had an entire confidence in the valour and conduct of their general. But death prevented his designs. He was assassinated by persons who had conspired his destruction. THE reduced condition of Sparta and Athens, which for many years Pelopidas, having obtained all he desired, left the had dominion over all Greece, either Ant. J. C. 370. court, without accepting any more of the king's many in conjunction or separately, had inpresents, than what was necessary to carry home as a spired some of their neighbours with the desire of suptoken of his favour and good will; and this aggrava- planting those cities, and given birth to the hope of ted the complaints which were made against the other succeeding them in the pre-eminence. A power had Grecian ambassadors, who were not so reserved and isen up in Thessaly, which began to grow formidadelicate in point of interest. One of them, the envoy dable. Jason, tyrant of Phera, had been declared gefrom the Arcadians, said, on his return home, that heneralissimo of the Thessalians by the consent of all had seen many slaves at the king's court but no men. He added, that all his magnificence was no more than vain ostentation, and that the so-much-boasted planee of gold, which was valued at so high a price, not shade enough under it for a grasshopper. fall the deputies, Timagoras had received the most ents. He did not only accept of gold and silver, of a magnificent bed, and slaves to make it, the eks not seeming to him expert enough in that. ce; which shows that sloth and luxury were little in fashion at Athens. He received also twenty-four cows, with slaves to take care of them; as it was necessary for him to drink milk for some indisposition. Lastly, at his departure, he was carried in a chair to the sea-side at the king's expense, who gave four talents for that service. His colleague, Leon, on their arrival at Athens, accused him of not having held any communication with him, and of having joined with Pelopidas in every thing. He was brought to trial in consequence, and condemned to suffer death. It does not appear that the acceptance of presents was what most incensed the Athenians against Timagoras. For Epicrates, a simple porter, who had been at the Persian court, and had also received presents, having said, in a full assembly, that he was of opinion a decree ought to pass, by which, instead of the nine archons annually elected, nine ambassadors should be chosen out of the poorest of the people, to be sent to the king, in order to their being enriched by the 1 Πάθος βασιλικὸν παθών. 2 It was a tree of gold, of exquisite workmanship, and great value, which people went to see out of curiosity. Four thousand crowns. His two brothers, Polydorus and Polyphron, were substituted in his place, the latter of whom killed the other for the sake of reigning alone, and was soon after killed himself by Alexander of Pheræ, who seized the tyranny under the pretence of avenging the death of Polydorus his father. Against him Pelopidas Ant. J. C. 369. was sent. A. M. 3635. of Thessaly, and was secretly intriguing to subject As the tyrant made open war against several states them all, the cities sent ambassadors to Thebes to demand troops and a general. Epaminondas being employed in Peloponnesus, Pelopidas took upon himself the conduct of this expedition. He set out for Thessaly with an army, made himself master of Larissa, and obliged Alexander to make his submission to him. He there endeavoured, by mild usage and friendship, to change his disposition, and from a tyrant to make him become a just and humane prince; but finding him incorrigible, and of unexampled bru 4 Xenoph. 1. vi. p. 579-583, et 598-601. Diod. l. xx. p. 371-378. tality, and hearing new complaints every day of his cruelty, debauched life, and insatiable avarice, he began to employ warm reproofs and severe menaces. The tyrant, alarmed at such usage, withdrew secretly with his guard; and Pelopidas, leaving the Thessalians in security from any attempts of the tyrant, and in good understanding with each other, set out for Macedonia, where his presence had been desired. Amyntas II. was lately dead, and had left three legitimate children, Alexander, Perdiccas, and Philip, and one natural son, called Ptolemy. Alexander reigned but one year, and was succeeded by Perdiccas, with whom his brother Ptolemy disputed the crown. The two brothers invited Pelopidas either to be the arbitrator and judge of their quarrel, or to espouse the side on which he should see the most right. Pelopidas was no sooner arrived, than he put an end to all their disputes, and recalled those who had been banished by either party. Having taken Philip, the brother of Perdiccas, and thirty other children of the noblest families of Macedonia for hostages, he carried them to Thebes, to show the Greeks how far the authority of the Thebans extended from the reputation of their arms, and the entire confidence that was placed in their justice and fidelity. It was this Philip who was father of Alexander the Great, and afterwards made war against the Greeks, to subject them to his power. The troubles and factions arose again in Macedonia some years after, occasioned by the death of Perdiccas, who was killed in a battle. The friends of the deceased called in Pelopidas. Being desirous to arrive before Ptolemy, who was making new efforts to establish himself upon the throne, had time to execute his projects; and not having an army, he raised some mercenary troops in haste, with whom he marched | against Ptolemy. When they were near each other, Ptolemy found means to corrupt those mercenary soldiers by presents of money, and to bring them over to his side. At the same time, awed by the reputation and name of Pelopidas, he went to meet him as his superior and master, had recourse to caresses and entreaties, and promised in the most solemn manner to hold the crown only as guardian to the son of the deceased, to acknowledge as friends and enemies all those who were so to the Thebans; and as security for his engagements, he gave his son Philoxenus and fifty other children, who were educated with him, as hostages. These Pelopidas sent to Thebes. in the intercourse of society, certain assurances, and, as it were, ties of sincerity, upon which one may reasonably rely: such are the sanctity of oaths, the pledge of wives and children, delivered as hostages, and above all, the consistency of the past conduct of those with whom one treats; when, notwithstanding those motives for our confidence, we are deceived, it is a misfortune, but not a fault: but to trust one's self to a notorious traitor and villain, is certainly an instance of temerity for which there is no excuse. This heinous perfidy of Alexander filled the minds of all his subjects with terror and distrust, who very much suspected, that, after so flagrant an injustice and so daring a crime, the tyrant would spare nobody, and would behave upon all occasions, and towards all sorts of people, as a man in despair, that needed no farther regard to his conduct and actions. When the news was brought to Thebes, the Thebans, incensed at so base a deed, immediately sent an army into Thessaly; and as they were displeased with Epaminondas, whom they suspected, though without any good reason, of having been too favourable to the Lacedæmonians upon a certain occasion, they nominated other generals; so that he served in this expedition only as a private man. The love of his country and of the public good extinguished all resentment in the heart of that great man, and would not permit him, as is but too common, to abandon its service through any pique of honour or personal discontent. The tyrant in the mean time carried Pelopidas to Pheræ, and made a show of him to all the world at first, imagining that such a treatment would humble his pride and abate his courage. But Pelopidas, seeing the inhabitants of Pheræ in great consternation, perpetually consoled them, advising them not to de spair, and assuring them that it would not be long be fore the tyrant would be punished. He caused him to be told, that it was very imprudent and very unjust to torture and put to death every day so many innocent citizens, that have never done him any wrong, and to spare his life, who, he knew, would no sooner be out of his hands, than he would punish him as his crimes deserved. The tyrant, astonished at his greatness of soul, sent to ask him why he took so much pains to meet death? "It is," returned the illus trious prisoner, "that thou mayest perish the sooner, by becoming still more detestable to the gods and men." From that time the tyrant gave orders that nobody should see or speak to him. But Thebé, his wife, the daughter of Jason, who had also been tyrant of Phere, having heard of the constancy and courage of Pelopidas from those who guarded him, had a curiosity to see and converse with him; and Alexander could not refuse her his permission. He loved her tenderly (if indeed a tyrant may be said to love any body :) but notwithstanding that tenderness, he treated her very cruelly, and was in perpetual distrust even of her. He never went to her apartment without a slave before him with a naked sword in his hand, and having first sent some of his guard to search every coffer for concealed poniards. Wretched prince! cries Cicero, who could confide more in a slave and a barbarian, than in his own wife! The treachery of the mercenary soldiers ran very much in his thoughts. He was informed that they had sent the greatest part of their effects, with their wives and children, into the city of Pharsalus, and conceived that to be a fair opportunity for being revenged on them for their perfidy. He therefore drew together some Thessalian troops, and marched to Pharsalus, where he was scarce arrived before Alexander the tyrant came against him with a powerful army, Pelopidas, who had been appointed ambassador to him, believing that he came to justify himself, and to answer the complaints of the Thebans, went to him accompanied only by Ismenias, without any precaution. He was not ignorant of his being an impious wretch, as void of faith as of honour; but he imagined, that respect for Thebes, and regard to his Thebe therefore desiring to see Pelopidas, found dignity and reputation, would prevent him from at-him in a melancholy condition, dressed in a poor tempting any thing against his person. He was mis- habit, his hair and beard neglected, and void of every taken; for the tyrant, seeing them alone and unarm- thing that might console him in his distress. Not ed, made them both prisoners, and seized Pharsalus. being able to refrain from tears at such a sight, “Ah, Polybius exceedingly blames the imprudence of unfortunate Pelopidas," said she," how I pity your Pelopidas upon this occasion. There are, says he, poor wife !"-" No Thebé," replied he, "it is you who are to be pitied, who can endure such a monster as Alexander, without being his prisoner." Those words touched Thebé to the quick, for it was with extreme reluctance she bore the tyrant's cruelty, violence, and infamous excesses. Hence, by going often Plutarch makes this quarrel between Alexander and 2A city of Thessaly. Plut. in Pelop. p. 292, 293. Diod. l. xv. p. 392, 383. to see Pelopidas, and openly bewailing before him the injuries she suffered, she daily conceived new abhorrence for her husband, whilst hatred and the desire of revenge grew continually more strong in her heart. The Theban generals, who had entered Thessaly, did nothing there of any importance, and were obliged, by their incapacity and ill conduct, to abandon the country. The tyrant pursued them in their retreat, harassed them shamefully, and killed abundance of their troops. The whole army had been defeated, if the soldiers had not obliged Epaminondas, who served as a private man amongst them, to take upon him the command. Epaminondas, at the head of the cavalry and light-armed foot, posted himself in the rear; where, sometimes sustaining the enemy's attacks and sometimes charging them in his turn, he completed the retreat with success, and preserved the Bootians. The generals upon their return were each of them fined 10,000 drachmas,1 and Epaminondas substituted in their place. As the public good was his sole view, he overlooked the injurious treatment and kind of affront which he had received, and was amply recompensed by the glory that attended so generous and disinterested a conduct. Some days after, he marched at the head of the army into Thessaly; whither his reputation had preceded him. It had spread already both terror and joy through the whole country; terror amongst the tyrant's friends, whom the very name of Epaminondas dismayed, and joy amongst the people, from the assurance they entertained of being speedily delivered from the yoke of the tyranny, and the tyrant punished for all his crimes. But Epaminondas, preferring the safety of Pelopidas to his own glory, instead of carrying on the war with vigour, as he might have done, chose rather to protract it, from the apprehension that the tyrant, if reduced to despair, like a wild beast, would turn his whole rage upon his prisoner. For he knew the violence and brutality of his nature, which would hearken neither to reason nor justice; and that he took delight in burying men alive; that some he covered with the skins of bears and wild boars, and setting his dogs upon them, caused them to be torn in pieces, or shot them to death with arrows. These were his frequent sports and diversion. In the cities of Meliboa and Scotusa,' which were in alliance with him, he called an assembly of the citizens, and causing them to be surrounded by his guards, he ordered the throats of all their young men to be cut in his presence. Hearing one day a famous actor perform a part in the Troades of Euripedes, he suddenly went out of the theatre, and sent to the actor to tell him not to be under any apprehension upon that account, for that his leaving the place was not from being displeased with him, but because he was ashamed to let the citizens see him weep at the misfortunes of Hecuba and Andromache, who had never felt any compassion for those whom he had murdered. Though he was little susceptible of pity, he was much so of fear at this time. Amazed at the sudden arrival of Epaminondas, and dazzled with the majesty that surrounded him, he made haste to despatch persons to him with apologies for his conduct. Epaminondas could not endure that the Thebans should make either peace or alliance with so wicked a man. He only granted him a truce for thirty days: and after having got Pelopidas and Ismenias out of his hands, he retired with his troops. Fear is not a master whose lessons make any deep and lasting impression upon the mind. The tyrant of Phere soon returned to his natural disposition. He ruined several cities of Thessaly, and put garrisons into those of Pythia, Achæa, and Magnesia. Those cities sent deputies to Thebes to demand a succour of troops, praying that the command of them might be given to Pelopidas; which was granted. He was upon the point of setting out, when there happened a sudden eclipse of the sun, by which the city of Thebes was darkened at noon-day. The dread and consternation were general. Pelopidas knew very well what to think of this accident, which was no more than was natural; but he did not think it proper for him to expose 7000 Thebans against their will, nor to compel them to march in the terror and apprehension with which he perceived they were seized. He therefore gave himself alone to the Thessalians; and taking with him 300 horse of such Thebans and strangers as would follow him, he departed, contrary to the prohibition of the soothsayers, and the opinion of the most wise and judicious. He was personally incensed against Alexander, through resentment of the injuries he had received from him. What Thebé his wife had said, and he himself knew, of the general discontent in regard to the tyrant, gave him hopes of finding great divisions in his court, and a universal disposition to revolt. But his strongest motive was the beauty and grandeur of the action in itself. For his sole desire and ambition was to show all Greece, that at the same time that the Lacedæmonians were sending generals and officers to Dionysius the tyrant, and the Athenians on their part were in a manner in the pay of Alexander, to whom they had erected a statue of brass, as to their benefactor, the Thebans were the only people that declared open war against tyranny, and endeavoured to exterminate from amongst the Greeks all unjust and violent government. After having assembled his army at Pharsalus, he marched against the tyrant; who, being apprised that Pelopidas had but few Thebans, and knowing that his own infantry was twice as strong as that of the Thessalians, advanced to meet him. Pelopidas being told by somebody that Alexander was approaching with a great army; so much the better," replied he, "we shall beat the greater number." Near a place called Cynoscephalæ, there were very high and steep hills, which lay in the midst of the plain. Both armies were in motion to seize that post with their foot, when Pelopidas ordered his cavalry to charge that of the enemy. The horse of Pelopidas broke Alexander's; and whilst they pursued them upon the plain, Alexander appeared suddenly upon the top of the hills, having outstripped the Thessalian infantry; and charging fiercely such as endeavoured to force those heights and intrenchments, he killed the foremost, and repulsed the others, obliging them to give way. Pelopidas, seeing this, recalled his horse, and giving them orders to attack the enemy's foot, he took his buckler, and ran to those who were fighting upon the hills. He presently made way through his infantry, and passing in a moment from the rear to the front, revived his soldiers' vigour and courage in such a manner as made the enemies believe themselves attacked by fresh troops. They supported two or three charges with great resolution; but finding Pelopidas's infantry continually gaining ground, and that his cavalry, who were now returned from the pursuit, came to support them, they began to give way, and retired slowly, still making head in their retreat. Pelopidas, seeing from the top of the hills the whole army of the enemy, which, though it was not yet actually put to flight, began to break, and was in great disorder, he stopped for some time, looking about every where for Alexander. As soon as he perceived him upon his right wing, rallying and encouraging his mercenary soldiers, he could contain himself no longer, but, fired with the sight, and abandoning to his sole resentment the care of his life and the conduct of the battle, he got a great way before his battalions, and ran forwards with all his force, calling upon and defying Alexander. The tyrant made no answer to his defiance, and not daring to wait his coming up, withdrew to hide himself amongst his guards. The battalion standing firm for some time, Pelopidas broke the first ranks, and killed the greatest part of the guards upon the spot. The rest, continuing the fight at a distance, pierced his arms and breast at length with their javelins. The Thessalians, alarmed at the danger in which they saw him, made all the haste they could from the tops of the hills to his assistance; but he was fallen dead when they arrived. The infantry and the Theban horse, return ing to fight against the enemy's main body, put them to flight, and pursued them a great way. The plain was covered with the dead; for more than 3000 of the tyrant's troops were killed." paid but to virtue. Such were the obsequies of Pesopidas, and, in my opinion, nothing more great and magnificent could be imagined. Thebes was not contented with lamenting Pelopi das, but resolved to avenge him. A smal. army of 7000 foot and 700 horse were immediately sent against Alexander. The tyrant, who had not yet recovered the terror of his defeat, was in no condition to defend himself. He was obliged to restore to the Thessalians the cities he had taken from them, and to give the Magnesians, Pythiots, and Achæans, their Aberty; to withdraw his garrisons from their country; and to swear that he would always obey the Thebans, and march at their orders against all their enemies. This action of Pelopidas, though it appears the effect of a consummate valour, is inexcusable, and has been Such a punishment was very gentle. Nor, says generally condemned, because there is no true valour Plutarch, did it appear sufficient to the gods, or pro without wisdom and prudence. The greatest courage portioned to his crimes: they had reserved one for him is cool and sedate. It spares itself where it ought, and worthy of a tyrant. Thebé, his wife, who saw with exposes itself when occasion makes it necessary. A horror and detestation the cruelty and perfidy of her general ought to see every thing, and to have every husband, and had not forgotten the lessons and advice thing in his thoughts. To be in a condition to apply which Pelopidas had given her whilst in prison, enterthe proper remedy on all occasions, he must not preci- ed into a conspiracy with her three brothers to kill pitate himself where there is the danger of his being him. The tyrant's whole palace was full of guards, cut off, and of causing the loss of his army by his death. who kept watch through the whole night; but he Euripides, after having said in one of his pieces, that placed little confidence in them, and as his life was it is highly glorious for the general of an army to ob- in some sort in their hands, he feared them the most of tain the victory while he preserves his own life, adds, all men. He lay in a high chamber, to which he "that if it be necessary for him to die, he ought to do ascended by a ladder that was drawn up after his enso by resigning his life into the hands of virtue;" as trance. Near this chamber a great dog was chained if he wished to imply, that virtue alone, not passion, to guard it. He was exceeding fierce, and knew noanger, or revenge, has a right over the life of a gene- body but his master, Thebé, and the slave who fed ral, and that the first duty of valour is to preserve him him. who preserves others. 1 The time pitched upon for the execution of the plot being arrived, Thebé shut up her brothers during the day-time, in an apartment near the tyrant's. When he entered his own chamber at night, as he was overcharged with meat and wine, he fell into a deep sleep immediately. Thebé went out presently after, and ordered the slave to take away the dog, that he might not disturb her husband's repose; and lest the ladder should make a noise when her brothers came up by it, she covered the steps of it with wool. All things be ing thus prepared, she made her brothers ascend soft It is in this sense that the saying of Timotheus is so just and amiable. When Chares was one day showing to the Athenians the wounds he had received whilst he was their general, and his shield pierced through with a pike: "For my part," said Timotheus, "when I was besieging Samos, and a dart happened to fall very near me, I was much ashamed, as having exposed myself like a young man without necessity, and more than was consistent for the general of so great an army." Hannibal certainly cannot be suspected of fear, and yet it has been observed, that in the greatly, armed with daggers: when they came to the door, number of battles which he fought, he never received any wound, except only at the siege of Saguntum. It is therefore not without reason, that Pelopidas is reproached with having sacrificed all his other virtues to his valour, by thus throwing away his life, and with having died rather for himself than his country. exposed to all sorts of outrages, trampled under foot by the people, and given for a prey to the dogs and vultures; a just reward for his violent oppressions and detestable cruelties. they were seized with terror, and would go no farther. Thebé, quite out of her wits, threatened to awake the tyrant if they did not proceed immediately, and to discover the plot to him. Shame and fear re-animated them: she made them enter, led them to the bed, and held the lamp herself, whilst they killed him with reNever was a captain more lamented than he. His peated wounds. The news of his death was immedeath changed the victory so lately gained into mourn-diately spread through the city. His dead body was ing. A profound silence and universal affliction reigned throughout the whole army, as if it had been entirely defeated, When his body was carried to Thebes, from every city through which it passed, the people of all ages and sexes, the magistrates and priests, came out to meet the bier, and to march in procession before it, carrying crowns, trophies, and armour, all of gold. The Thessalians, who were at the same time highly afflicted for his death, and equally sensible of their obligations to him, made it their request, that they might be permitted to celebrate at their sole expense the obsequies of a general, who had devoted himself for their preservation; and that honourable privilege could not be refused to their grateful zeal. His funeral was magnificent, especially in the sin cere affliction of the Thebans and Thessalians. For, says Plutarch, the external pomp of mourning, and those marks of sorrow, which may be imposed by the public authority upon the people, are not always certain proofs of their real sentiments. The tears which flow in private as well as public, the regret expressed equally by great and small, the praises given by the general and unanimous voice to a person who is no more, and from whom nothing farther is expected, are an evidence not to be questioned, and a homage never Plut. in Pelop. 317. 2 Plut. in Pelop. p. 278. SECTION VII.-EPAMINONDAS IS CHOSEN GENERAL OF THE THEBANS. HIS SECOND ATTEMPT AGAINST THE extraordinary prosperity of Xenoph. 1. vii. p. 642–644. Plut. in Agesil. p. 615. Diod. p. 391, 392. Being informed that Agesilaus had begun his march | tineans, Arcadians, and Lacedæmonians, were posted with his army, and was advancing towards Mantinea, in one line; the Eleans and Achæans, who were the he formed an enterprise, which, he believed, would weakest of their troops, had the centre; and the Atheimmortalize his name, and entirely reduce the power nians alone composed the left wing. In the other of the enemy. He left Tegea in the night with his army, the Thebans and Arcadians were on the left, army, unknown to the Mantineans, and marched di- the Argives on the right, and the other allies in the rectly to Sparta by a different route from that of Age- centre. The cavalry on each side were disposed in silaus. He would undoubtedly have taken the city by the wings. surprise, as it had neither walls, defence, nor troops: but happily for Sparta, a Cretan having made all possible haste to apprise Agesilaus of his design, he immediately despatched one of his horse to advise the city of the danger that threatened it, and arrived there soon after in person. He had scarce entered the town, when the Thebans were seen passing the Eurotas, and coming on against the city. Epaminondas, who perceived that his design was discovered, thought it incumbent on him not to retire without some attempt. He therefore made his troops advance, and making use of valour instead of stratagem, he attacked the city in several quarters, penetrated as far as the public square, and seized that part of Sparta which lay upon the side of the river. Agesilaus made head every where, and defended himself with much more valour than could be expected from his years. He saw well, that it was not now a time, as before, to spare himself, and to act only upon the defensive; but that he had need of all his courage and daring, and to fight with all the vigour of despair; means which he had never yet used, nor placed his confidence in before, but which he employed with great success in the present dangerous emergency. For by this happy despair and prudent audacity, he in a manner snatched the city out of the hands of Epaminondas. His son Archidamus, at the head of the Spartan youth, behaved with incredible valour wherever the danger was greatest, and with his small troop stopped the enemy, and made head against them on all sides. A young Spartan, named Isadas, distinguished himself particularly in this action. He was very handsome, perfectly well-shaped, of an advantageous stature, and in the flower of his youth. He had neither armour nor clothes, his body shone with oil, and he held a spear in one hand, and a sword in the other. In this condition he rushed with impetuosity from his house, and breaking through the throng of the Spartans that were fighting, he threw himself upon the enemy, gave mortal wounds at every blow, and laid all at his feet who opposed him, without receiving any hurt himself, whether it were that the enemy were dismayed at so astonishing a sight, or whether, says Plutarch, the gods took pleasure in preserving him upon account of his extraordinary valour. It is said, the Ephori decreed him a crown after the battle, in honour of his exploits, but afterwards fined him a 1000 drachmas2 for having exposed himself to so great a danger without arms. Epaminondas, having failed in his aim, and foreseeing that the Arcadians would certainly hasten to the relief of Sparta, and not being willing to have them with all the Lacedæmonian forces upon his hands at the same time, returned with expedition to Tegæa. The Lacedæmonians and Athenians, with their allies, followed him close in the rear. That general, considering his command was upon the point of expiring, and that if he did not fight, his reputation might suffer extremely, and that immediately after his retreat, the enemy would fall upon the Theban allies, and entirely ruin them, gave orders to his troops to hold themselves in readiness for battle. The Greeks had never fought amongst themselves with more numerous armies. That of the Lacedæmonians consisted of more than 20,000 foot and 2000 horse; the Theban army of 30,000 foot and near 3000 horse. Upon the right wing of the former, the Man The Theban general marched in the same order of battle in which he intended to fight, that he might not be obliged, when he came up with the enemy, to lose, in the disposition of his army, a time which cannot be too much saved in great enterprises. He did not march directly, and with his front to the enemy, but in a column along the hills with his left wing foremost to make them imagine that he did not intend to fight that day. When he was over against them at a quarter of a league's distance, he made his troops halt and lay down their arms, as if he designed to encamp there. The enemy in fact were deceived by that stand, and reckoning no longer upon a battle, they quitted their arms, dispersed themselves about the camp, and suffered that ardour to extinguish which the near approach of a battle is wont to kindle in the hearts of the soldiers. Epaminondas, however, by suddenly wheeling his troops to the right, having changed his column into a line, and having drawn out the choice troops whom he had expressly posted in front upon his march, he made them double their files upon the front of his left wing, to add to its strength, and to put it into a condition to attack in a point the Lacedæmonian phalanx, which, by the movement he had made, faced it directly. He ordered the centre and right wing of his army to move very slow, and to halt before they came up with the enemy, that he might not hazard the event of the battle upon troops on whom he could not rely. He expected to decide the victory by that body of chosen troops which he commanded in person, and which he had formed in a column to attack the enemy in a point like a galley, says Xenophon. He assured himself, that if he could penetrate the Lacedæmonian phalanx, in which the enemy's principal force consisted, he should not find it difficult to rout the rest of their army, by charging upon the right and left with his victorious troops. But that he might prevent the Athenians in the left wing from coming to the support of their right against his intended attack, he made a detachment of his horse and foot advance out of the line, and posted them upon the rising ground in readiness to flank the Athenians, as well to cover his right, as to alarm them; and gave them reason to apprehend being taken in flank and rear themselves, if they advanced to sustain their right. After having disposed his whole army in this manner, he moved on to charge the enemy with the whole weight of his column. They were strangely surprised when they saw Epaminondas advance towards them in this order, and resumed their arms, bridled their horses, and made all the haste they could to their ranks. Whilst Epaminondas was marching against the enemy, the cavalry that covered his flank on the left, the best at that time in Greece, entirely composed of Thebans and Thessalians, had orders to attack the enemy's horse. The Theban general, whom nothing escaped, had judiciously planted bowmen, slingers, and lancers in the intervals of his horse, in order to begin the disorder of the enemy's cavalry, by a previous discharge of a shower of arrows, stones, and javelins upon them. The other army had neglected to take the same precautions, and had committed another fault not less considerable, in giving as much depth to the squadrons as if they had been a phalanx. By this means their horse were incapable of supporting long the charge of the Thebans. After having made several ineffectual attacks with great loss, they were obliged to retire behind their infantry. |