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near Tegyra. As soon as the Thebans perceived them from the defiles, somebody ran in all haste to Pelopidas, and told him, "we are fallen into the enemy's hands." "Ah!" replied he, "why should we not rather say, that they are fallen into ours!" At the same time he ordered his cavalry, which were his rear guard, to advance to the front, that they might begin the fight. He was assured, that his foot, which were only three hundred, and were called the sacred battalion, would break through the enemy wherever they charged, 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 rude. The two generals of the Lacedemonians, who had charged Pelopidas, were presently killed; all that were with them being either slain or dispersed. The rest of the Lacedemonian troops were so daunted, that they opened a passage for the Thebans, who might have marched on to save 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 they 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 through the 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 are about to treat of. It had never

happened till then in any war, either against the barbarians or Greeks, that the Lacedemonians had been defeated with the superiority of number on their side, nor even with equal forces in battle array. 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 became the terror and dread even of those who had rendered themselves so universally formidable.

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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.

WHILST the Persians were engaged in the Egyptian war, great troubles arose in Greece. In that interval the Thebans, having taken Platea," and afterwards Thespiæ, entirely demolised those cities, and expelled the inhabitants. The Plateans retired to Athens with their wives and children, where they were received with the utmost favour, and adopted into the number of the citizens.

* A. M. 3627. Ant. J. C. 377.

› A. M. 3633. Ant. J. C. 371. Diod. l. li. p. 361, 362.
Platæa, a city of Baotia. Thespix of Achaia.

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Artaxerxes, being informed of the state of the Grecian affairs, sent a 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 Antalcides. 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 Lacedemonians pressed the Thebans to restore their liberty to all the cities of Beotia, to rebuild Platea and Thespia which they had demol. ished, and to restore them with their dependences to their ancient inhabitants. The Thebans on their side insisted also, that the Lacedemonians should give liberty to all those of Laconia, and that the city of Messene should be restored to its ancient possessors. was what equity required; but the Lacedemonians, believing themselves much superior to the Thebans, were for imposing a law upon them, which they would not submit to themselves.

This

All Greece being weary of a war, which had already lasted several campaigns, and had no other end than the aggrandizing of that state, was seriously intent upon a general peace, and, with that view, had sent deputies to Lacedemon, to concert together the means of attaining so desirable an effect. b Among 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 given any very distinguished proofs of his great capac

⚫ Xenoph. Hist. Græc. 1, vi. p. 590-593. Dion. p. 365, 366.

Plut. in Ages. p. 611.

ity 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 but 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 and 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 impression. Agesilaus plainly distinguished, from the attention and silence with which it was heard, that the deputies were extremely affected with it, and would not fail to act conformable to his opinion. To prevent that effect, he demanded of Epaminondas," whether he thought it just and reasonable, that Beotia should be free and independent ?" that is to say, whether he agreed, that the cities of Beotia 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 Beotia 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 them 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 Lacedemonians, whose power they dreaded.

In consequence of this treaty, all troops in the field were to be disbanded. Cleombrotus, one of the kings of Sparta, was then at 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 deliberations, for that Sparta, by the late agreement, had made the recal of the troops indispensible. Agesilaus was of a different opinion. Angry with the Thebans, and particularly with Epaminondas, he was absolutely bent on the war for an opportunity of revenge; and the present seemed most favourable, when all Greece was free and united, and only the Thebans excluded the treaty of peace. The advice of Prothous was there. fore rejected by the whole council, who treated him as an honest well meaning dotard, that knew nothing of the matter; the Divinity, from thenceforth, as Xenophon observes, promoting their downfal. The Ephori wrote immediately to Cleombrotus to march against the Thebans with his troops, and sent orders at the

с

Xenoph. 1. vi. p. 593–597. Diod. 1. xv. p. 365-371. Plut. in Ages. p. 611, 612. Id. in Pelop. p. 288, 289.

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