BATTLE OF LEUKTRA AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
Measures for executing the stipulations made at the congress of Sparta. — Violent impulse of the Spartans against Thebes. — King Kleombrotus is ordered to march into Bœotia, and encamps at Leuktra. — New order of battle adopted by Epaminondas. — Confidence of the Spartans and of Kleombrotus. — Battle of Leuktra. — Defeat of the Spartans and death of Kleombrotus. — Faint adherence of the Spartan allies. — Spartan camp after the defeat — confession of defeat by sending to solicit the burial-truce. — Great surprise, and immense alteration of feeling, produced throughout Greece by the Theban victory. — Effect of the news at Sparta — heroic self-command. — Reinforcements sent from Sparta. — Proceedings in Bœotia after the battle of Leuktra. The Theban victory not well received at Athens. — Jason of Pheræ arrives at Leuktra — the Spartan army retires from Bœotia under capitulation. — Treatment of the defeated citizens on reaching Sparta — suspension of the law. — Lowered estimation of Sparta in Greece — prestige of military superiority lost. — Extension of the power of Thebes. Treatment of Orchomenus and Thespiæ. — Power and ambition of Jason. — Plans of Jason — Pythian festival. — Assassination of Jason at Pheræ. — Relief to Thebes by the death of Jason — satisfaction in Greece. — Proceedings in Peloponnesus after the defeat of Leuktra. Expulsion of the Spartan harmosts and dekarchies. — Skytalism at Argos — violent intestine feud. — Discouragement and helplessness of Sparta. — Athens places herself at the head of a new Peloponnesian land-confederacy. — Accusation preferred in the Amphyctionic assembly, by Thebes against Sparta. — The Spartans are condemned to a fine — importance of this fact as an indication. — Proceedings in Arcadia. — Reëstablishment of the city of Mantinea by its own citizens. — Humiliating refusal experienced by Agesilaus from the Mantineans — keenly painful to a Spartan. — Feeling against Agesilaus at Sparta. — Impulse among the Arcadians towards Pan-Arcadian union. Opposition from Orchomenus and Tegea. — Revolution at Tegea — the philo-Spartan party are put down or expelled. — Tegea becomes anti-Spartan, and favorable to the Pan-Arcadian union. — Pan-Arcadian union is formed. — March of Agesilaus against Mantinea. Evidence of lowered sentiment in Sparta. — Application by the Arcadians to Athens for aid against Sparta; it is refused: they then apply to the Thebans. — Proceedings and views of Epaminondas since the battle of Leuktra. — Plans of Epaminondas for restoring the Messenians in Peloponnesus. — Also, for consolidating the Arcadians against Sparta. — Epaminondas and the Theban army arrive in Arcadia. Great allied force assembled there. The allies entreat him to invade Laconia. — Reluctance of Epaminondas to invade Laconia — reasonable grounds for it. — He marches into Laconia — four lines of invasion. — He crosses the Eurotas and approaches close to Sparta. — Alarm at Sparta — arrival of various allies to her aid by sea. — Discontent in Laconia among the Periœki and Helots — danger to Sparta from that cause. — Vigilant defence of Sparta by Agesilaus. — Violent emotion of the Spartans, especially the women. Partial attack upon Sparta by Epaminondas. — He retires without attempting to storm Sparta: ravages Laconia down to Gythium. He returns into Arcadia. — Great effect of this invasion upon Grecian opinion — Epaminondas is exalted, and Sparta farther lowered. — Foundation of the Arcadian Megalopolis. — Foundation of Messênê. — Abstraction of Western Laconia from Sparta. — Periœki and Helots established as freemen along with the Messenians on the Lacedæmonian border. — The details of this reorganizing process unhappily unknown. — Megalopolis — the Pan-Arcadian Ten Thousand. — Epaminondas and his army evacuate Peloponnesus. — The Spartans solicit aid from Athens — language of their envoys, as well as those from Corinth and Phlius, at Athens. — Reception of the envoys — the Athenians grant the prayer. — Vote passed to aid Sparta — Iphikrates is named general. — March of Iphikrates and his army to the Isthmus. — Trial of Epaminondas at Thebes for retaining his command beyond the legal time — his honorable and easy acquittal.
CHAPTER LXXIX.
FROM THE FOUNDATION OF MESSENE AND MEGALOPOLIS TO THE DEATH OF PELOPIDAS.
Changes in Peloponnesus since the battle of Leuktra. — Changes out of Peloponnesus. — Amyntas prince of Macedonia. — Ambitious views of Athens after the battle of Leuktra. — Her aspirations to maritime empire, and to the partial recovery of kleruchies. — She wishes to recover Amphipolis — Amyntas recognizes her right to the place. — Athens and Amphipolis. — Death of Jason and Amyntas — state of Thessaly and Macedonia. — Alexander of Pheræ — he is opposed by Pelopidas — influence of Thebes in Thessaly. — State of Macedonia — Alexander son of Amyntas — Euridikê — Ptolemy. — Assistance rendered by the Athenian Iphikrates to the family of Amyntas. — Iphikrates and Timotheus. — The Spartan allied army defends the line of Mount Oneium — Epaminondas breaks through it, and marches into Peloponnesus. — Sikyon joins the Thebans — Phlius remains faithful to Sparta. — Reinforcement from Syracuse to Peloponnesus, in aid of Sparta. — Forbearance and mildness of Epaminondas. — Energetic action and insolence of the Arcadians — Lykomedes animates and leads them on. — Great influence of Lykomedes. — Elis tries to recover her supremacy over the Triphylian towns, which are admitted into the Arcadian union, to the great offence of Elis. — Mission of Philiskus to Greece by Ariobarzanes. — Political importance of the reconstitution of Messênê, which now becomes the great subject of discord. Messenian victor proclaimed at Olympia. — Expedition of Pelopidas into Thessaly. — The Tearless Battle — victory of the Spartan Archidamus over the Arcadians. — Third expedition of Epaminondas into Peloponnesus — his treatment of the Achæan cities. — The Thebans reverse the policy of Epaminondas, on complaint of the Arcadians and others. They do not reëlect him Bœotarch. — Disturbed state of Sikyon. Euphron makes himself despot — his rapacious and sanguinary conduct. — Sufferings of the Phliasians — their steady adherence to Sparta. — Assistance rendered to Phlius by the Athenian Chares — surprise of the fort of Thyamia. — Euphron is expelled from Sikyon by the Arcadians and Thebans — he retires to the harbor, which he surrenders to the Spartans. — Euphron returns to Sikyon — he goes to Thebes, and is there assassinated. — The assassins are put upon their trial at Thebes — their defence. — They are acquitted by the Theban Senate. — Sentiment among the Many of Sikyon, favorable to Euphron — honors shown to his body and memory. — The Sikyonians recapture their harbor from the Spartans. — Application of Thebes for Persian countenance to her headship — mission of Pelopidas and other envoys to Susa. — Pelopidas obtains from Persia a favorable rescript. — Protest of the Athenians and Arcadians against the rescript. — Pelopidas brings back the rescript. It is read publicly before the Greek states convoked at Thebes. — The states convoked at Thebes refuse to receive the rescript. The Arcadian deputies protest against the headship of Thebes. — The Thebans send the rescript to be received at Corinth; the Corinthians refuse: failure of the Theban object. — Mission of Pelopidas to Thessaly. He is seized and detained prisoner by Alexander of Pheræ. — The Thebans despatch an army to rescue Pelopidas. The army, defeated and retreating, is only saved by Epaminondas, then a private man. — Triumph of Alexander in Thessaly and discredit of Thebes. Harsh treatment of Pelopidas. — Second Theban army sent into Thessaly, under Epaminondas, for the rescue of Pelopidas, who is at length released by Alexander under a truce. — Oropus is taken from Athens and placed in the hands of the Thebans. The Athenians recall Chares from Corinth. — Athens discontented with her Peloponnesian allies; she enters into alliance with Lykomedes and the Arcadians. Death of Lykomedes. — Epaminondas is sent as envoy into Arcadia; he speaks against Kallistratus. — Project of the Athenians to seize Corinth; they are disappointed. — They apply to Sparta. — Refusal of the Spartans to acknowledge the independence of Messênê; they reproach their allies with consenting. — Corinth, Epidaurus, Phlius, etc., conclude peace with Thebes, but without Sparta — recognizing the independence of Messênê. — Athens sends a fresh embassy to the Persian king — altered rescript from him, pronouncing Amphipolis to be an Athenian possession. — Timotheus sent with a fleet to Asia — Agesilaus — revolt of Ariobarzanes. — Conquest of Samos by Timotheus. — Partial readmission to the Chersonese obtained by Timotheus. — Athenian kleruchs or settlers sent thither as proprietors. — Difficulties of Athens in establishing kleruchs in the Chersonese. — Kotys of Thrace. — Timotheus supersedes Iphikrates. — Timotheus acts with success on the coast of Macedonia and Chalkidikê. He fails at Amphipolis. — Timotheus acts against Kotys and near the Chersonese. — Measures of the Thebans in Thessaly — Pelopidas is sent with an army against Alexander of Pheræ. — Epaminondas exhorts the Thebans to equip a fleet against Athens. — Discussion between him and Menekleidas in the Theban assembly. — Menekleidas seemingly right in dissuading naval preparations. — Epaminondas in command of a Theban fleet in the Hellespont and Bosphorus. Pelopidas attacks Alexander of Pheræ — his success in battle — his rashness — he is slain. — Excessive grief of the Thebans and Thessalians for his death. — The Thebans completely subdue Alexander of Pheræ.
CHAPTER LXXX.
FROM THE DEATH OF PELOPIDAS TO THE BATTLE OF MANTINEA.
Conspiracy of the knights of Orchomenus against Thebes — destruction of Orchomenus by the Thebans. — Repugnance excited against the Thebans — regret and displeasure of Epaminondas. — Return of Epaminondas from his cruise — renewed complications in Peloponnesus. — State of Peloponnesus — Eleians and Achæans in alliance with Sparta. — The Eleians aim at recovering Triphylia — the Spartans, at recovering Messênê. — War between the Eleians and Arcadians; the latter occupy Olympia. — Second invasion of Elis by the Arcadians. Distress of the Eleians. Archidamus and the Spartans invade Arcadia. — Archidamus establishes a Spartan garrison at Kromnus. The Arcadians gain advantages over him — armistice. — The Arcadians blockade Kromnus, and capture the Spartan garrison. — The Arcadians celebrate the Olympic festival along with the Pisatans — excluding the Eleians. — The Eleians invade the festival by arms — conflict on the plain of Olympia — bravery of the Eleians. — Feelings of the spectators at Olympia. — The Arcadians take the treasures of Olympia to pay their militia. — Violent dissensions arising among the members of the Arcadian communion, in consequence of this appropriation. The Arcadian assembly pronounces against it. — Farther dissensions in Arcadia — invitation sent to the Thebans — peace concluded with Elis. — The peace generally popular — celebrated at Tegea — seizure of many oligarchical members at Tegea by the Theban harmost. — Conduct of the Theban harmost. — View taken by Epaminondas. — His view is more consistent with the facts recounted by Xenophon, than the view of Xenophon himself. — Policy of Epaminondas and the Thebans. — Epaminondas marches with a Theban army into Peloponnesus, to muster at Tegea. — Agesilaus and the Spartans are sent for. — Night-march of Epaminondas to surprise Sparta. Agesilaus is informed in time to prevent surprise. — Epaminondas comes up to Sparta, but finds it defended. — He marches back to Tegea — despatches his cavalry from thence to surprise Mantinea. — The surprise is baffled, by the accidental arrival of the Athenian cavalry — battle of cavalry near Mantinea, in which the Athenians have the advantage. — Epaminondas resolves to attack the enemy near Mantinea. — View of Xenophon — that this resolution was forced upon him by despair — examined. — Alacrity of the army of Epaminondas, when the order for fighting is given. — Mantinico-Tegeatic plain — position of the Lacedæmonians and Mantineans. — March of Epaminondas from Tegea. — False impression produced upon the enemy by his manœuvres. — Theban order of battle — plans of the commander. — Disposition of the cavalry on both sides. — Unprepared state of the Lacedæmonian army. — Battle of Mantinea — complete success of the dispositions of Epaminondas. — Victory of the Thebans — Epaminondas is mortally wounded. — Extreme discouragement caused by his death among the troops, even when in full victory and pursuit. — Victory claimed by both sides — nevertheless the Lacedæmonians are obliged to solicit the burial-truce. — Dying moments of Epaminondas. — The two other best Theban officers are slain also in the battle. — Who slew Epaminondas? Different persons honored for it. — Peace concluded — statu quo recognized, including the independence of Messênê — Sparta alone stands out — the Thebans return home. — Results of the battle of Mantinea, as appreciated by Xenophon — unfair to the Thebans. — Character of Epaminondas. — Disputes among the inhabitants of Megalopolis. The Thebans send thither a force under Pammenes, which maintains the incorporation. — Agesilaus and Archidamus. — State of Persia — revolted satraps and provinces — Datames. — Formidable revolt of the satraps in Asia Minor — it is suppressed by the Persian court, through treachery. — Agesilaus goes as commander to Egypt — Chabrias is there also. — Death and character of Agesilaus. — State of Egypt and Persia. — Death of Artaxerxes Mnemon. Murders in the royal family. — Athenian maritime operations — Timotheus makes war against Amphipolis and against Kotys. — Ergophilus succeeds Timotheus at the Chersonese — Kallisthenes succeeds him against Amphipolis — war at sea against Alexander of Pheræ. — Ergophilus and Kallisthenes both unsuccessful — both tried. — Autokles in the Hellespont and Bosphorus — convoy for the corn-ships out of the Euxine. — Miltokythes revolts from Kotys in Thrace — ill-success of the Athenians. — Menon — Timomachus — as commanders in the Chersonese. The Athenians lose Sestos. — Kephisodotus in the Chersonese. Charidemus crosses thither from Abydos. — Assassination of Kotys. — Kersobleptes succeeds Kotys. Berisades and Amadokus, his rivals — ill-success of Athens — Kephisodotus. — Improved prospects of Athens in the Chersonese — Athenodorus — Charidemus. — Charidemus is forced to accept the convention of Athenodorus — his evasions — the Chersonese with Sestos is restored to Athens. — The transmarine empire of Athens now at its maximum. Mischievous effects of her conquests made against Olynthus. — Maximum of second Athenian empire — accession of Philip of Macedon.