The next year king Agesipolis had the command of the army. The campaign passed in skirmishing, without any thing decisive. Agesipolis died soon after of a disease, and was succeeded by his brother Cleombrotus, who reigned nine years. About that time began the hundredth Olympiad. Sparta made fresh efforts to terminate the war with the Olynthians. Polybidas their general pressed the siege with vigor. The place being in want of provisions, was at last obliged to surrender, and was received by the Spartans into the number of their allies. SECTION II. SPARTA'S PROSPERITY. CHARACTER OF TWO ILLUSTRIOUS THEBANS, EPAMINONDAS AND PELOPIDAS. THE fortune of the Lacedemonians never appeared with greater splendour, nor their power more strongly established, All Greece was subjected to them either by force or alliance. They were in possession of Thebes, a most powerful city, and with that, of all Beotia. They had found means to humble Argos, and to hold it in dependence. Corinth was entirely at their devotion, and obeyed their orders in every thing. The Athenians, abandoned by their allies, and reduced almost to their own strength, were in no condition to make head against them. If any city, or people in their alliance, attempted to abstract themselves from their power, an immediate punishment reduced them to their former obedience, and terrified all others A. M. 3624. Ant. J. C. 380. from following their example. Thus, masters by sea and land, all trembled before them; and the most formidable princes, as the king of Persia and the tyrant of Sicily, seemed to emulate each other in courting their friendship and alliance. A prosperity, founded in injustice, can be of no long duration. The greatest blows that were given the Spartan power, came from the quarter where they had acted the highest injuries, and from whence they did not seem to have any thing to fear, that is to say, from Thebes. Two illustrious citizens of that state will make a glorious appearance upon the theatre of Greece, and for that reason deserve cur notice in this place. These are Pelopidas and Epaminondas, both descended from the noblest families of Thebes. Pelopidas, nurtured in the greatest affluence, and whilst young, sole heir of a very rich and flourishing family, employed his wealth from the first possession of it, in the relief of such as had occasion for it, and merited his favour; showing, in that wise use of his riches, that he was really their master, and not their slave : for, according to Aristotle's remark, repeated by Plutarch,' most men either make no use at all of their fortunes, out of avarice, or abuse them in bad or trifling expenses. As for Epaminondas, poverty was all his inheritance, in which his honour, and one might almost say, his joy and delight, consisted. He was born of poor parents, and consequently familiarized from his ४ Plut. in Pelop. p. 279. 1 Των πολλών, οι μεν ο χρώνται τα πλέτω δία μικρολογίαν, οι δε παρεχρωνται δε ασαλιας. infancy with poverty, which he made more grateful and easy to him by his taste for philosophy. Pelopidas, who supported a great number of citizens, never being able to prevail on him to accept his offers, and to make use of his fortune, resolved to share in the poverty of his friend, by making him his example, and became the model as well as admiration of the whole city, from the modesty of his dress, and the frugality of his table. m If Epaminondas was poor as to the goods of fortune, those of the head and heart made him a most ample amends. Modest, prudent, grave, happy in improving occasions, possessing in a supreme degree the science of war, equally valiant and wise, easy and complaisant in the commerce of the world, suffering with incredible patience the people's, and even his friends' ill treatment, uniting with the ardour for mili tary exercises, a wonderful taste for study and the sciences, piquing himself especially so much upon truth and sincerity, that he made a scruple of telling a lie even in jest, or for diversion. Adeo veritatis diligens, ut ne joco quidem mentiretur. n They were both equally inclined to virtue. But Pelopidas was best pleased with the exercises of the body, and Epaminondas with the cultivation of the mind. For which reason, they employed their leisure, the one in the palestra and the chace, the other in conversation and the study of philosophy. But what persons of sense and judgment must principally admire in them, and which is rarely found in their high rank, is the perfect union and friendship, Cor. Nep. in Epam. c. iii. Plut. in Pelop. p. 279. that always subsisted between them during the whole time they were employed together in the administration of the public affairs, whether in war or peace. If we examine the government of Aristides and Themistocles, that of Cimon and Pericles, of Nicias and Alcibiades, we shall find them full of trouble, dissention, and debate. The two friends we speak of held the first offices in the state; all great affairs passed through their hands; every thing was confided to their care and authority. In such delicate conjunctures what occasions of pique and jealousy generally arise! But neither difference of sentiment, diversity of interest, nor the least emotion of envy, ever altered their union and good understanding. The reason of which was, their being founded upon an unalterable principle, that is, upon virtue; which in all their actions, says Plutarch, occasioned their having neither glory nor riches, the fatal sources of strife and division in view, but solely the public good, and made them desire not the advancement or honour of their own families, but to render their country more powerful and flourishing. Such were the two illustrious men who are about to make their appearance, and to give a new face to the affairs of Greece, by the great events, in which they have a principal share. • Leontides, being apprized that the exiles had retired to Athens, where they had been well received by the people, and were in great esteem with all people of worth and honour, sent thither certain unknown • A. M. 3626. Ant. J. C. 378. Xenoph. Hist. Græc. 1. v. p. 566–568.. Plut. in Polop. 280-284. Id. de Socrat. gen. p. 586—588, et 594–598. Diod. l. xv. p. 344-346. Cor. Nep. in Pelop. c. i.—iv. persons to assassinate the most considerable of them. Only Androclides was killed, all the rest escaping the contrivances of Leontides. At the same time, the Athenians received letters from Sparta, to prohibit their receiving or assisting the exiles, and with orders to expel them their city, as they were declared common enemies by all the allies. The humanity and virtue, peculiar and natural to the Athenians, made them reject so infamous a proposal with horror. They were transported with the occasion of expressing their gratitude to the Thebans for a previous obligation of the same nature. For the Thebans had contributed most to the reestablishment of the popular government at Athens, having declar. ed in their favour by a public decree, contrary to the prohibition of Sparta; and it was from Thebes, Thra sybulus set out to deliver Athens from the tyranny of the Thirty. Pelopidas, though at that time very young, went to all the exiles one after another, of whom Melon was the most considerable. He represented to them, "That it was unworthy of honest men, to content themselves with having saved their own lives, and to look with indifference upon their country, enslaved and miserable: That whatever good will the people of Athens might express for them, it was not fit that they should suffer their fate to depend upon the decrees of a people, which their natural inconstancy, and the malignity of orators that turned them any way at will, might soon alter: That it was necessary to hazard every thing, after the example of Thrasybulus, and to set before them his intrepid valor and generous forti |