The wrath of the assembly was changed into admiration, and Epaminondas returned from the tribunal with as much glory as from the field of Leuctra. B.C. 21. The violent death of a Thessalian prince a 370. little before this event prevented the exploits of Alexander in the East from being anticipated. Ja'son of Phe'ræ, a small state in Thessaly, had raised himself from the government of a petty town to the rank of captaingeneral of Thessaly, under which title he enjoyed the full extent of royal power. By a long course of judicious discipline, he formed an army, such as no nation of antiquity could match, and whose attachment to himself bordered on devotion. He enlarged the boundaries of Thessaly, by the subjugation of the Ep'irotes and other barbarous tribes on the southern and western frontiers. 22. He compelled the Macedonians to become his tributary auxiliaries, and invaded Pho'cis, in order to obtain the guardianship of the Delphic oracle. He endeavoured, but in vain, to mediate a peace between the Thebans and Spartans, a necessary preliminary to his great object, which was an invasion of Persia by the united forces of all the Grecian states, under his command. 23. But just at the moment when his projects seemed most to promise a favourable issue, he was stabbed at the head of his troops by seven young men, who had come into his presence under pretence of demanding justice. Two of the assassins were killed by the guards, the remainder escaped to the Grecian republics, where they were honourably received as the destroyers of a tyrant. Questions for Examination. 1. What effect had the victories of the Thebans on the Athenians? 2. To whom did the Spartans intrust the command of their armies ? 3. What conditions were offered to the Thebans? 4. How did Epaminondas prepare to meet the enemy ? 5. Why were both armies inclined to come to an immediate engagement? 6. By whom was the casting vote for battle given ? 7. What was the relative strength of the hostile armies ? 8. In what advantageous position were the Thebans posted? 9. How was the Spartan line formed? 10. In what manner did Epaminondas draw out his forces? 11. What was the advantage of the Theban arrangement? 12. Of what opportunity did Epaminondas avail himself to make a decisive charge? 3. Did this decide the fate of the day ใ 14. What was the loss of the Spartans in this battle? 15. How did the Ephori behave when they heard of the defeat at Leuctra ? 16. What was the conduct of the parents of those who had fallen in the action? 17. According to the institutions of Lycurgus how should the defeated soldiers have been treated? 18. How did Agesilaus preserve the authority of the law, and yet spare the guilty? 19. What use did Epaminondas make of his victory ? 20. Did Pelopidas and Epaminondas exhibit equal courage when brought to trial? 21. What was the character of Jason of Pheræ ? 22. Did Jason meditate any great design? 23. How were his intentions frustrated? SECTION III. THE INVASION OF THE PELOPONNESUS BY THE THEBANS. 1. In the mean time the Spartans, struck with consternation at their late defeat, applied to the Athenians for succour; and that people, notwithstanding their jealousy of their old rivals, engaged to assist them with all their forces. They likewise had recourse to the Persian king for the same purpose: but Pelop'idas, undertaking an embassy to the court of that prince, prevailed upon him to remain neuter. 2. Thes'saly became a prey to disorders of every kind after the death of Ja'son. Alexander, his successor at Pheræ, was one of the most detestable tyrants recorded in history; he was a robber by land, a pirate by sea, and an oppressor at home. At length his subjects took up arms against him, and applied to the Thebans for assistance. Pelop'idas was sent with a numerous army against the tyrant, but on his submission, peace was granted on favourable terms. 3. From Thes'saly Pelop'idas advanced into Macedon, which was distracted by the fury of contending factions He established the just claims of Per'diccas to the crown, and took hostages from the different parties for their future tranquillity. 4. Among these was Philip the younger, brother of king Per'diccas, who being thus sent to Thebes at an early age, learned from Epami non'das that skill in the art of war which he afterwards exerted for the destruction of Grecian liberty. B.C. 5. On his return from Macedon, Pelop'idas, while 367. passing through Thessaly, was seized by the tyrant Alexander, and thrown into prison. An army was sent to deliver him, but through the incompetence of the generals, it was defeated. 6. Epaminon'das, who had been stripped of his office by the malice of his enemies, was at this time actually serving as a private in the ranks; to him the soldiers applied in their distress; at their request he assumed the command, and soon compelled the tyrant to submission. B.C. 7. Pelop'idas was scarcely set at liberty, when 364. She resolved to punish the tyrant for his perfidy and breach of faith. He led a body of troops against him to a place called Cynos-ceph'alæ,* where a bloody battle ensued, in which the Thebans were victorious; but Pelop'idas was unfortunately slain. His countrymen considered those successes as very dearly earned which were purchased at the expense of his life. His death was equally lamented by the Thebans and Thessalians; the latter begged and obtained the honour of performing his funeral rites, which were very grand and magnificent. 8. Alexan'der himself was soon after killed by his wife Thebé, and her three brothers, who, long disgusted with his cruelties, had resolved to rid the world of such a monster. It is said that his whole palace was every night filled with guards, except his bedchamber, which was an upper room, guarded by a dog, and ascended by a ladder. Thebé allured away the dog, and covered the steps of the ladder with wool, to prevent noise; then her three brothers ascending, one of them seized him by the feet, and another by the hair, and the third stab bed him to the heart. 9. In the mean time, the war between the Thebans and Spartans was carried on with unabated vigour. The states of the Peloponne'sus, wearied of Spartan tyranny, had long since joined the Thebans, but had lately found their new allies as fond of domineering over the auxiliaries as the Lacedæmo'nians had been. The nobles took advantage * A town in Thessaly, named from the neighbouring hill, which was supposed to resemble a dog's head. Hitherto the Thebans had not attempted maritime warfare, but now, by the advice of Epaminondas, they built and fitted out a hundred galleys. of this to induce their countrymen again to seek the Spartan alliance, which of course included the restoration of aristocratic government. This was particularly the case in Arca'dia and Achai'a; thither both powers prepared to send their forces, and it became manifest that there the fate of the war would be decided. 10. The Theban troops were commanded by their favourite general Epaminon'das; Agesila'us, the only man in Greece then capable of opposing him, was at the head of the Spartans. The first attempt of Epaminon'das in this campaign showed his great abilities, and his skill in the art of war. Hearing that Agesila'us had begun his march for Mantinei'a, and had left but few citizens to defend Sparta, he marched directly thither by night, with a design to take the city by surprise, as it had neither walls nor troops to protect it. 11. Agesila'us, however, had an intimation of his design, and despatched one of his cavalry to apprize the city of its danger; soon after which he himself arrived with a powerful succour: and scarcely had entered the place, when the Thebans were seen crossing the Euro'tas, and advancing against the city. Epaminon'das, finding that his design was discovered, thought it below his character to retire without making some attempt. He, therefore, employed valour instead of stratagem, and attacking the city at several quarters, penetrated as far as the public place, and made himself master of that part of Sparta which lay upon the hither side of the river. 12. Agesila'us exerted himself with greater activity than could have been expected from one of his years. He saw well that it was not now a time to spare himself, and to act only upon the defensive; but that he had need of all his courage and intrepidity to repel such an assailant. His son, Archida'mus, at the head of the Spartan youth, behaved with incredible bravery wherever the danger was greatest; and with his small troop, stopped the enemy and made head against them on all sides.* * A Spartan youth, named Is'adas, filled not only his countrymen, but even the enemy, with admiration of his valour. He was of a beautiful countenance, an elegant shape, an advantageous stature, and just in the prime of youth; and had neither arms nor clothes upon his body, which shone with oil. Upon the first alarm he ran out of his house, with a spear in one hand and a sword in the other, and rushing into the thickest of the enemy, bore down all before him, laying numbers dead at his feet, without himself receiving the least wound. Whether the enemy were confounded at the sight, as thinking him something more 13. Epaminon'das, having failed in his design upon Sparta, was determined to strike some other blow that might compensate for his miscarriage. Hearing, therefore, that, in order to protect Sparta, all the troops had been withdrawn from Mantinei'a, he resolved to march thither without delay; but previously despatched a troop of horse to view its situation, and to clear the field of stragglers. 14. A little, however, before he reached Mantinei'a, an army of six thousand Athenian auxiliaries arrived by sea; who, without allowing either themselves or their horses any refreshment, rushed out of the city, and attacked and defeated the Theban horse. In the mean time, Epaminon'das was advancing with his whole army, with the enemy close upon his rear. Finding it impossible to accomplish his purpose before he was overtaken, he determined to halt and give them battle. 15. He had now got within a short way of the town, which has had the honour of giving its name to the conflict of that day: a conflict the most splendid, and the best contested, that is to be found in the history of Greece, or perhaps in that of any other country. The Greeks had never fought among themselves with more numerous armies: the Lacedæmo'nians amounted to above twenty thousand foot, and two thousand horse; the Thebans to thirty thousand foot, and three thousand horse. 16. Epaminon'das 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 disposing of his army, that precious time which cannot be recovered. He did not march directly, and with his front to the enemy, but in a column upon the hills, with his left wing foremost, as if he did not intend to fight that day. When he was over against them, at a quarter of a league's distance, he made the troops halt, and lay down their arms, as if he designed to encamp there. The enemy were deceived by this step; and no longer expecting a battle, they quitted their arms, dispersed themselves about the camp, and suffered that ardour to cool which the near approach of a combat is wont to kindle in the hearts of soldiers. than human, or whether, says Plutarch, the gods took pleasure in preserving him on account of his extraordinary valour, remains a question. His gallantry, however, was so much admired, that the Eph'ori decreed him a garland; but they afterwards fined him a thousand drachmas for having gone out to battle without armour. |