But this was not the first time the natural slowness of the Lacedæmonians had occasioned the miscarriage of their enterprises. The three commanders who had capitulated were tried. Two of them were punished with death, and the third had so great a fine laid upon him, that, not being able to pay it, he banished himself from Peloponnesus.

Pelopidas had all the honour of this great exploit, the most memorable that ever was executed by surprise and stratagem. Plutarch, with reason, compares it to that of Thrasybulus. Both exiles, destitute in themselves of all resource, and reduced to implore a foreign support, form the bold design of attacking a formidable power with an handful of men, and overcoming all obstacles to their enterprise solely by their valour, had each of them the good fortune to deliver their country, and to change the face of its affairs entirely. For the Athenians were indebted to Thrasybulus for that sudden and happy change, which freeing them from the oppression they groaned under, not only restored their liberty, but with it their ancient splendour, and put them into a condition to humble, and make Sparta tremble in their turn. We shall see in like manner, that the war which reduced the pride of Sparta, and deprived it of the empire both by sea and land, was the work of this single night, in which Pelopidas, without taking either citadel or fortress, and entering only one of twelve into a private house, unloosed and broke the chains imposed by the Lacedæmonians on all the other states of Greece, though it appeared impracticable ever to produce such an effect.

SECTION III.

SPHODRIAS FORMS A DESIGN AGAINST THE PIRÆUS.

THE Lacedæmonians *, after the injury they pretended to have received by the enterprise of Pelopidas, did not continue quiet, but applied themselves in earnest to their revenge. Agesilaus, rightly judging an expedition of that kind, of which the end was to support tyrants, would not reflect much honour upon him, left it to Cleombrotus, who had lately succeeded king Agesipolis, under pretence that his great age dispensed with his undertaking it. Cleombrotus entered Boeotia with his army. The first campaign was not vigorous, and terminated in committing some ravages in the country; after which, the king retired, and detaching part of his troops to Sphodri as, who commanded at Thespiæ, returned to Sparta.

The Athenians, who did not think themselves in a condition to make head against the Lacedæmonians, and were afraid of

A. M. 3627. Ant. J. C. 877. Xenoph. 1. v. p. 568-572. Plut. in Ages. p. 609, 610. Id. in Pelop. p. 284, 235.

the consequences in which their league with the Thebans was likely to engage them, repented their having entered into it, and renounced it. Those who persisted to adhere to the Theban party were some imprisoned, some put to death, others banished, and the rich severely fined. The Theban affairs seemed almost desperate, not having any alliance to support them. Pelopidas and Gorgidas were then at the head of them, and were studious of finding means to embroil the Athenians with the Lacedæmonians; and this was the stratagem they contrived.

Sphodrias the Spartan had been left at Thespia with a body of troops to receive and protect such of the Boeotians as should revolt against Thebes. He had acquired some reputation amongst the soldiery, and wanted neither courage nor ambition; but he was rash, superficial, full of himself, and consequently apt to entertain vain hopes. Pelopidas and Gorgidas sent privately a merchant of his own acquaintance to him with the offer, as from himself, of a considerable sum of money, and with insinuations more agreeable to him than money, as they flattered his vanity. "After having represented to him, "that one of his merit and reputation ought to form some 66 great enterprise to immortalize his name, he proposed to "him the seizing of the Piræus by surprise, when the Athe66 nians had no expectation of such an attempt: he added, "that nothing could be more grateful to the Lacedæmonians "than to see themselves masters of Athens; and that the "Thebans, enraged at the Athenians, whom they considered "as traitors and deserters, would lend them no assistance."

Sphodrias, fond of acquiring a great name, and envying the glory of Phædibas, who, in this sense, had rendered himself renowned and illustrious by his unjust attempt upon Thebes, conceived it would be a much more shining and glorious exploit to seize the Piræus of his own accord, and deprive the Athenians of their great power at sea, by an unforeseen attack by land. He undertook the enterprise therefore with great joy; which was neither less unjust nor less horrid than that of the Cadmea, but not executed with the same boldness and success. For having set out in the night from Thespiæ, with the view of surprising the Piræus before light, the day-break overtook him in the plain of Thriasium near Eleusis, and finding himself discovered, he returned shamefully to Thespia with some booty which he had taken.

The Athenians immediately sent ambassadors with their complaints to Sparta. These ambassadors found, that the Lacedæmonians had not waited their arrival to accuse Sphodrias, but had already cited him before the council to answer for his conduct. He was afraid to obey that summons, having just reason to apprehend the issue of a trial, and the resentment of

his country. He had a son, who had contracted a strict and tender friendship with the son of Agesilaus. The latter solieited his father so earnestly, or rather tormented him with such extreme importunity and perseverance, that he could not refuse Sphodrias his protection, and got him fully absolved, Agesilaus was little delicate, as we have seen already, in point of justice, when the service of his friends was in question. He was besides, of all mankind, the most tender and indulgent father to his children. It is reported of him, that when they were little, he would play with them, and divert himself with riding upon a stick amongst them; and that having been surprised by a friend in that action, he desired him not to tell any body of it till bimself was a father.

*The unjust sentence passed in favour of Sphrodias by the Spartans, exceedingly incensed the Athenians, and determined them to renew their alliance with Thebes immediately, and to assist them with all their power. They fitted out a fleet, and gave the command of it to Timotheus, son of the illustrious Conon, whose reputation he well sustained by his own valour and exploits. It was he whom his enemies, in envy of the glory he had acquired by his great actions, painted sleeping, with the goddess fortune at his feet, taking towns in nets for him but upon this occasion he proved that he was not asleep. After having ravaged the coast of Laconia, he attacked the isle of Corcyra ‡, which he took. He treated the inhabitants with great humanity, and made no alteration in their liberty or laws, which very much inclined the neighbouring cities in favour of Athens. The Spartans on their 'side made powerful preparations for the war, and were principally intent upon retaking Corcyra. Its happy situation between Sicily and Greece rendered that island very important. They therefore engaged Dionysius the tyrant in the expedition, and demanded aid of him. In the mean time they dispatched their fleet under Mnasippus. The Athenians sent 60 sail against them to. the relief of Corcyra, under Timotheus at first; but soon after, upon his seeming to act too slowly, Iphicrates was substituted in his place. Mnasippus having made himself odious to his troops by his haughtiness, rigour, and avarice, was very ill obeyed by them, and lost his life in an engagement. Iphicrates did not arrive till after his death, when he received advice, that the Syracusan squadron of ten galleys approached, which he attacked so successfully, that not one of them escaped. He demanded, that the orator Callistratus, and Chabrias, one of the most renowned captains of his time, should be joined in commission with him. Xenophon admires his wisdom

* Xenoph. I. v. 584-589. Plut. in Ages. p. 610, 611. Id. in Pelop. p. 285-288. † Plut, in Syl. p. 454

Corfu

and greatness of soul upon that account, in being satisfied with appearing to have occasion for council, and not apprehending to share the glories of his victories with others.

Agesilaus had been prevailed upon to take upon him the command of the troops against Thebes. He entered Boeotia, where he did abundance of damage to the Thebars, not without considerable loss on his own side. The two armics came every day to blows, and were perpetually engaged, though not in formed battle, yet in skirmishes which served to instruct the Thebans in the trade of war, and to inspire them with valour, boldness, and experience. It is reported that the Spartan Antalcides told Agesilaus very justly upon this head, when he was brought back from Boeotia much wounded, "my lord "Agesilaus, you have a fine reward for the lessons you have "given the Thebans in the art of war, which, before you. "taught it them, they neither would nor could learn." It was to prevent this inconvenience, that Lycurgus, in one of the three laws which he calls rhetræ, forbade the Lacedæmonians to make war often upon the same enemy, lest they should make them too good soldiers, by obliging them to the frequent defence of themselves.

Several campaigns passed in this manner without any thing decisive on either side. It was prudent in the Theban generals not to hazard a battle hitherto, and to give their soldiers time to inure and embolden themselves. When the occasion was favourable, they let them loose like generous hounds, and after having given them a taste of victory by way of reward, they called them off, contented with their courage and alacrity. The principal glory of their success and this wise conduct was due to Pelopidas..

The engagement at Tegyra, which was a kind of prelude to the battle of Leuctra, added much to his reputation. Having failed in his enterprize against Orchomenos, which had joined the Lacedæmonians, at his return he found the enemy posted to intercept him 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 300, 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 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 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 Lacedæmonians 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.

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 LACEDEMONIANO 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 Platæa †, and afterwards Thespiæ, entirely de molished those cities, and expelled the inhabitants. The Pla tæans retired to Athens with their wives and children, where they were received with the utmost favour, and adopted into the number of the citizens.

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 accommo

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

A. M. 3633. Ant. J. C. 371. Diod. 1. li. p. 361, 362.

† Platea, a city of Boeotia. Thespiæ of Achaia.

Xenoph. Hist. Græc. l. vi. p. 590–593. Dion. p. 365, 36