a smaller history of greece-第34章

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eavy　masses　on　a　given　point　of　the　enemy's　array。　　Having　formed　his　left　wing　into　a　dense　column　of　50　deep；　so　that　its　depth　was　greater　than　its　front；　he　directed　it　against　the　Lacedaemonian　right；　containing　the　best　troops　in　their　army；　drawn　up　12　deep；　and　led　by　Cleombrotus　in　person。　　The　shock　was　terrible。　Cleombrotus　himself　was　mortally　wounded　in　the　onset；　and　with　difficulty　carried　off　by　his　comrades。　　Numbers　of　his　officers；　as　well　as　of　his　men；　were　slain；　and　the　whole　wing　was　broken　and　driven　back　to　their　camp。　　The　loss　of　the　Thebans　was　small　compared　with　that　of　the　Lacedaemonians。　　Out　of　700　Spartans　in　the　army　of　the　latter；　400　had　fallen；　and　their　king　also　had　been　slain；　an　event　which　had　not　occurred　since　the　fatal　day　of　Thermopylae。

The　victory　of　Leuctra　was　gained　within　three　weeks　after　the　exclusion　of　the　Thebans　from　the　peace　of　Callias。　　The　effect　of　it　throughout　Greece　was　electrical。　　It　was　everywhere　felt　that　a　new　military　power　had　arisenthat　the　prestige　of　the　old　Spartan　discipline　and　tactics　had　departed。　　Yet　at　Sparta　itself　though　the　reverse　was　the　greatest　that　her　arms　had　ever　sustained；　the　news　of　it　was　received　with　an　assumption　of　indifference　characteristic　of　the　people。　　The　Ephors　forbade　the　chorus　of　men；　who　were　celebrating　in　the　theatre　the　festival　of　the　Gymnopaedia；　to　be　interrupted。　　They　contented　themselves　with　directing　the　names　of　the　slain　to　be　communicated　to　their　relatives；　and　with　issuing　an　order　forbidding　the　women　to　wail　and　mourn。　　Those　whose　friends　had　fallen　appeared　abroad　on　the　morrow　with　joyful　countenances；　whilst　the　relatives　of　the　survivors　seemed　overwhelmed　with　grief　and　shame。

Immediately　after　the　battle　the　Thebans　had　sent　to　Jason　of　Pherae　in　Thessaly　to　solicit　his　aid　against　the　Lacedaemonians。　This　despot　was　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　of　the　period。　　He　was　Tagus；　or　Generalissimo；　of　all　Thessaly；　and　Macedonia　was　partially　dependent　on　him。　　He　was　a　man　of　boundless　ambition；　and　meditated　nothing　less　than　extending　his　dominion　over　the　whole　of　Greece；　for　which　his　central　situation　seemed　to　offer　many　facilities。　　Upon　receiving　the　invitation　of　the　Thebans；　Jason　immediately　resolved　to　join　them。　　When　he　arrived　the　Thebans　were　anxious　that　he　should　unite　with　them　in　an　attack　upon　the　Lacedaemonian　camp；　but　Jason　dissuaded　them　from　the　enterprise；　advising　them　not　to　drive　the　Lacedaemonians　to　despair；　and　offering　his　mediation。　　He　accordingly　succeeded　in　effecting　a　truce；　by　which　the　Lacedaemonians　were　allowed　to　depart　from　Boeotia　unmolested。

According　to　Spartan　custom；　the　survivors　of　a　defeat　were　looked　upon　as　degraded　men；　and　subjected　to　the　penalties　of　civil　infamy。　　No　allowance　was　made　for　circumstances。　　But　those　who　had　fled　at　Leuctra　were　three　hundred　in　number；　all　attempt　to　enforce　against　them　the　usual　penalties　might　prove　not　only　inconvenient；　but　even　dangerous；　and　on　the　proposal　of　Agesilaus；　they　were；　for　this　occasion　only；　suspended。　　The　loss　of　material　power　which　Sparta　sustained　by　the　defeat　was　great。　　The　ascendency　she　had　hitherto　enjoyed　in　parts　north　of　the　Corinthian　gulf　fell　from　her　at　once；　and　was　divided　between　Jason　of　Pherae　and　the　Thebans。　　Jason　was　shortly　afterwards　assassinated。　　His　death　was　felt　as　a　relief　by　Greece；　and　especially　by　Thebes。　　He　was　succeeded　by　his　two　brothers；　Polyphron　and　Polydorus；　but　they　possessed　neither　his　ability　nor　his　power。

The　Athenians　stood　aloof　from　the　contending　parties。　　They　had　not　received　the　news　of　the　battle　of　Leuctra　with　any　pleasure；　for　they　now　dreaded　Thebes　more　than　Sparta。　　But　instead　of　helping　the　latter；　they　endeavoured　to　prevent　either　from　obtaining　the　supremacy　in　Greece；　and　for　this　purpose　called　upon　the　other　states　to　form　a　new　alliance　upon　the　terms　of　the　peace　of　Antalcidas。　　Most　of　the　Peloponnesian　states　joined　this　new　league。　　Thus　even　the　Peloponnesian　cities　became　independent　of　Sparta。　　But　this　was　not　all。　　Never　did　any　state　fall　with　greater　rapidity。　　She　not　only　lost　the　dominion　over　states　which　she　had　exercised　for　centuries；　but　two　new　political　powers　sprang　up　in　the　peninsula；　which　threatened　her　own　independence。

In　the　following　year　（B。C。　370）　Epaminondas　marched　into　Laconia；　and　threatened　Sparta　itself。　　The　city；　which　was　wholly　unfortified；　was　filled　with　confusion　and　alarm。　　The　women；　who　had　never　yet　seen　the　face　of　an　enemy；　gave　vent　to　their　fears　in　wailing　and　lamentation。　　Agesilaus；　however；　was　undismayed；　and　saved　the　state　by　his　vigilance　and　energy。　　He　repulsed　the　cavalry　of　Epaminondas　as　they　advanced　towards　Sparta；　and　so　vigorous　were　his　measures　of　defence；　that　the　Theban　general　abandoned　all　further　attempt　upon　the　city；　and　proceeded　southwards　as　far　as　Helos　and　Gythium　on　the　coast；　the　latter　the　port　and　arsenal　of　Sparta　after　laying　waste　with　fire　and　sword　the　valley　of　the　Eurotas；　he　retraced　his　steps　to　the　frontiers　of　Arcadia。

Epaminondas　now　proceeded　to　carry　out　the　two　objects　for　which　his　march　had　been　undertaken；　namely；　the　consolidation　of　the　Arcadian　confederation；　and　the　establishment　of　the　Messenians　as　an　independent　community。　　In　the　prosecution　of　the　former　of　these　designs　the　mutual　jealousy　of　the　various　Arcadian　cities　rendered　it　necessary　that　a　new　one　should　be　founded；　which　should　be　regarded　as　the　capital　of　the　confederation。　Consequently；　a　new　city　was　built　on　the　banks　of　the　Helisson；　called　Megalopolis；　and　peopled　by　the　inhabitants　of　forty　distinct　Arcadian　townships。　　Here　a　synod　of　deputies　from　the　towns　composing　the　confederation；　called　〃The　Ten　Thousand〃　was　to　meet　periodically　for　the　despatch　of　business。　　Epaminondas　next　proceeded　to　re…establish　the　Messenian　state。　　The　Messenians　had　formerly　lived　under　a　dynasty　of　their　own　kings；　but　for　the　last　three　centuries　their　land　had　been　in　the　possession　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　and　they　had　been　fugitives　upon　the　face　of　the　earth。　　The　restoration　of　these　exiles；　dispersed　in　various　Hellenic　colonies；　to　their　former　rights；　would　plant　a　bitterly　hostile　neighbour　on　the　very　borders　of　Laconia。　　Epaminondas　accordingly　opened　communications　with　them；　and　numbers　of　them　flocked　to　his　standard　during　his　march　into　Peloponnesus。　　He　now　founded　the　town　of　Messene。　Its　citadel　was　placed　on　the　summit　of　Mount　Ithome；　which　had　three　centuries　before　been　so　bravely　defended　by　the　Messenians　against　the　Spartans。　　The　strength　of　its　fortifications　was　long　afterwards　a　subject　of　admiration。　　The　territory　attached　to　the　new　city　extended　southwards　to　the　Messenian　gulf；　and　northwards　to　the　borders　of　Arcadia；　comprising　some　of　the　most　fertile　land　in　Peloponnesus。

So　low　had　Sparta　sunk；　that　she　was　fain　to　send　envoys　to　beg　the　assistance　of　the　Athenians。　　This　request　was　acceded　to；　and　shortly　afterwards　an　alliance　was　formed　between　the　two　states；　in　which　Sparta　waived　all　her　claims　to　superiority　and　headship。　　During　the　next　two　years　the　Thebans　continued　steadily　to　increase　their　power　and　influence　in　Greece；　though　no　great　battle　was　fought。　　In　B。C。　368　Pelopidas　conducted　a　Theban　force　into　Thessaly　and　Macedonia。　　In　Thessaly　he　compelled　Alexander；　who；　by　the　murder　of　his　two　brothers；　had　become　despot　of　Pherae　and　Tagus　of　Thessaly；　to　relinquish　his　designs　against　the　independence　of　Larissa　and　other　Thessalian　cities；　and　to　solicit　peace。　　In　Macedonia　he　formed　an　alliance　with　the　regent　Ptolemy：　　and　amongst　the　hostages　given　for　the　observance　of　this　treaty　was　the　youthful　Philip；　son　of　Amyntas；　afterwards　the　celebrated　king　of　Macedon；　who　remained　for　some　years　at　Thebes。

In　the　following　year　Pelopidas　and　Ismenias　proceeded　on　an　embassy　to　Persia。　　Ever　since　the　peace　of　Antalcidas　the　Great　King　had　become　the　recognised　mediator　between　the　states　of　Greece；　and　his　fiat　seemed　indispensable　to　stamp　the　claims　of　that　city　which　pretended　to　the　headship。　　The　recent　achievements　of　Thebes　might　entitle　her　to　aspire　to　that　position：　　and　at　all　events　the　alterations　which　she　had　produced　in　the　internal　state；　of　Greece；　by　the　establishment　of　Megalopolis　and　Messene；　seemed　to　require　for　their　stability　the　sanction　of　a　Persian　rescript。　　This　was　obtained　without　difficulty；　as　Thebes　was　now　the　strongest　state　in　Greece；　and　it　was　evidently　easier　to　exercise　Persian　ascendency　there　by　her　means；　than　through　a　weaker　power。　　The　Persian　rescript　pronounced　the　independence　of　Messene　and　Amphipolis；　the　Athenians　were　directed　to　lay　up　their　ships　of　war　in　ordinary；　and　Thebes　was　declared　the　head　of　Greece。

It　was；　in　all　probability；　during　a　mission　undertaken　by　Pelopidas　and　Ismonias；　for　the　purpose　of　procuring　the　acknowledgment　of　the　rescript　in　Thessaly　and　the　northern　parts　of　Greece；　that　they　were　seized　and　imprisoned　by　Alexander　of　Pherae。　　The　Thebans　immediately　despatched　an　army　of　8000　hoplites　and　600　cavalry　to　recover　or　avenge　their　favourite　citizen。　　Unfortunately；　however；　they　were　no　longer　commanded　by　Epaminondas。　　Their　present　commanders　were　utterly　incompetent。　　They　were　beaten　and　forced　to　retreat；　and　the　army　was　in　such　danger　from　the　active　pursuit　of　the　Thessalians　and　Athenians；　that　its　destruction　seemed　inevitable。　　Luckily；　however；　Epaminondas　was　serving　as　a　hoplite　in　the　ranks。　　By　the　unanimous　voice　of　the　troops　he　was　now　called　to　the　command；　and　succeeded　in　conducting　the　army　safely　back　to　Thebes。　　Here　the　unsuccessful　Boeotarchs　were　disgraced；　Epaminondas　was　restored　to　the　command；　and　placed　at　the　head　of　a　second　Theban　army　destined　to　attempt　the　release　of　Pelopidas。　　Directed　by　his　superior　skill　the　enterprise　proved　successful；　and　Pelopidas　（B。C。　367）　returned　in　safety　to　Thebes。

In　B。C。　364　Pelopidas　again　marched　into　Thessaly　against　Alexander　of　Pherae。　　Strong　complaints　of　the　tyranny　of　that　despot　arrived　at　Thebes；　and　Pelopidas；　who　probably　also　burned　to　avenge　his　private　wrongs；　prevailed　upon　the　Thebans　to　send　him　into　Thessaly　to　punish　the　tyrant。　　The　battle　was　fought　on　the　hills　of　Cynoscephalae；　the　troops　of　Alexander　were　routed：　and　Pelopidas；　observing　his　hated　enemy　endeavouring　to　rally　them；　was　seized　with　such　a　transport　of　rage　that；　regardless　of　his　duties　as　a　general；　he　rushed　impetuously　forwards　and　challenged　him　to　single　combat。　　Alexander　shrunk　back　within　the　ranks　of　his　guards；　followed　impetuously　by　Pelopidas；　who　was　soon　slain；　fighting　with　desperate　bravery。　　Although　the　army　of　Alexander　was　defeated　with　severe　loss；　the　news　of　the　death　of　Pelopidas　deprived　the　Thebans　and　their　Thessalian　allies　of　all　the　joy　which　they　would　otherwise　have　felt　at　their　victory。

Meantime　a　war　had　been　carried　on　between　Elis　and　Arcadia　which　had　led　to　disunion　among　the　Arcadians　themselves。　　The　Mantineans　supported　the　Eleans；　who　were　also　assisted　by　the　Spartans；　whilst　the　rest　of　the　Arcadians；　and　especially　the　Tegeans；　favoured　Thebes。　　In　B。C。　362　Epaminondas