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 their return, are accused and acquitted. Sparta implores aid of the Athenians. The Greeks send ambassadors to Artaxerxes. Influence of Pelopidas at the court of I ersia. 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. Such conduct is surprising, and the relation of it 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 these actions to him, and declared that he had done them by his own authority, and without their participation. All the voices were in his favour and he return Plut. de Bui laude, p. 540. ed 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 bad 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. The Athenians could not deny all that the deputy 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 a lvantage gained by the Spartans over their enemies,|| *Plut. de Præcept. reip ger. p. 811. † Οὐ μόνον ἀρχὴ ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρχὴν ἀνής. Ibid. 1. vii. p. 613-616. Xenoph. I. vi. p. 609-613. n 614, 615. Xenoph 1. vii. p. 619, 620. VOL. II. S Plut in Agesil raised them from that dejection of spirits in which they had hitherto remained; as it generally happens, that in a mortal distemper the 'east glimpse of a recovery enlivens hope and recalls joy. Archiaamus, son of Agesilaus, having received a 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 without tears, because he did not lose a man, and killed a 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 actior 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 Persia 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 return to their obedience to them. Upon the Theban's 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 certainty, 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 ambassador, which is no indifferent circumstance in respect to the success of a negotiation. The batt e 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 than 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, † Xenoph. p. 619. Diod. p. 381. Dd. l. xv. p. 383. + Xenoph. 1. vii. that the greatest and most illustrious persons made their court to him, and paid homage to his power and good fortune. But after having admitted him to audience, and heard his discourse, in his opinion more nervous than that of the Athenian ambassadors, and more simple than that of the Lacedæmonians, which was saying a great deal, he esteemed him more than ever; and as it is coinmon with kings, who are but little accustomed to constraint, he did not dissemble his extrcme regard for him, and his preference of him to all the rest of the Grecian deputies. Pelopidas, as an able politician, had apprised the king, how important it was to the interest of his crown to protect an infant power, which had never borne arms against the Persians, and which, in forming a kind of balance between Sparta and Athens, might be able to make a useful diversion against those republics, the perpetual and irreconciliable enemies of Persia, and which had lately caused it so many losses and inquietudes. Timagoras, the Athenian, was the best received after him; because being passionately desirous of humbling Sparta, and at the same time of pleasing the king, he did not appear averse to the views of Pelopidas. The king having pressed Pelopidas to explain what favours he had to ask of him, he demanded, That Messene should continue free and exempt from the yoke of Sparta; that the Athenian galleys, which had sailed to infest the coast of Baotia, should be recalled, or that war should be declared against Athens; that those who would not come into the league, or march against such as should oppose it, should be attacked first. All which was decreed, and the Thebans declared friends and allies of the king. When this decree was read to the ambassadors, Leon, Timagoras's colleague, said, loud enough to be heard by Artaxerxes, Athens has nothing now to do but to find some other ally than the king. Pelopidas, having obtained all he desired, left the court, without accepting any more of the king's many presents, than what was necessary to carry home as a token of his favour and good will; and this aggravated the complaints which were made against the other Grecian ambassadors, who were not so reserved and delicate in point of interest. One of them, the envoy from the Arcadians, said, on his return home, that he 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 plane-tree of gold, which was valued at so high a price, had not shade enough under it for a grasshopper. Of all the deputies, Timagoras had received the most presents. He did not only accept of gold and silver, but of a magnificent bed, and slaves to make it, the Greeks not seeming to him expert enough in that office; which shows that sloth and luxury were little in * Πάθος βασιλικὸν παθών. It was a tree of gol, of exquisite workmanship, and great value, which people went see out of curiosity 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 poor. est of the people, to be sent to the king, in order to their being enriched by the voyage; the assembly only laughed, and made a jest of it. But what offended them more, was the Thebans having obtained all they demanded. In which, says Plutarch, they did not duly consider the great reputation of Pelopidas, nor comprehend how much stronger and more efficacious that was in persuading, than all the harangues and the rhetorical flourishes of the other ambassadors; especially with a prince accustomed to caress and comply with the strongest, as the Thebans undoubtedly were at that time, and who besides was 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 Alexander, tyrant of Phere, and reduces him to reason. He goes to Macedonia, to appease the troubles of that court, and brings Philip to Thebes as a hostage. He returns into Thessaly, is seized by treachery, and made a prisoner. Epaminondas delivers him. Pelopidas gains a victory against the tyrant, and is killed in the battle. Extraordinary honours paid to his memory. Tragical end of Alexander. The reduced condition of Sparta and Athens,† which Ant. J. C. 370. for many years had domineered over all Greece, either in conjunction or separately, had inspired some of their neighbours A. M. 3634. *Four thousand crowns. 9. 371-373. † Xenoph. 1. vi. p. 579-583, & 598-601. Died. 1. zv |