a smaller history of greece-第44章

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＇　　who　had　been　first　organised　by　Conon　after　rebuilding　the　walls　of　Athens。　　For　this　force　Iphicrates　introduced　those　improved　arms　and　tactics　which　form　an　epoch　in　the　Grecian　art　of　war。　　His　object　was　to　combine　as　far　as　possible　the　peculiar　advantages　of　the　hoplites　and　light…armed　troops。　　He　substituted　a　linen　corslet　for　the　coat　of　mail　worn　by　the　hoplites；　and　lessened　the　shield；　while　he　rendered　the　light　javelin　and　short　sword　of　the　peltasts　more　effective　by　lengthening　them　both　one…half　These　troops　soon　proved　very　effective。　　After　gaining　several　victories　he　ventured　to　make　a　sally　from　Corinth；　and　attacked　a　Lacedaemonian　mora　in　flank　and　rear。　　So　many　fell　under　the　darts　and　arrows　of　the　peltasts　that　the　Lacedaemonian　captain　called　a　halt；　and　ordered　the　youngest　and　most　active　of　his　hoplites　to　rush　forward　and　drive　off　the　assailants。　　But　their　heavy　arms　rendered　them　quite　unequal　to　such　a　mode　of　fighting；　nor　did　the　Lacedaemonian　cavalry；　which　now　came　up；　but　which　acted　with　very　little　vigour　and　courage；　produce　any　better　effect。　At　length　the　Lacedaemonians　succeeded　in　reaching　an　eminence；　where　they　endeavoured　to　make　a　stand；　but　at　this　moment　Callias　arrived　with　some　Athenian　hoplites　from　Corinth；　whereupon　the　already　disheartened　Lacedaemonians　broke　and　fled　in　confusion；　pursued　by　the　peltasts；　who　committed　such　havoc；　chasing　and　killing　some　of　them　even　in　the　sea；　that　but　very　few　of　the　whole　body　succeeded　in　effecting　their　escape。

The　maritime　war　was　prosecuted　with　vigour。　　Thrasybulus；　and　after　his　death　Iphicrates；　were　successful　upon　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor；　and　made　the　Athenians　again　masters　of　the　Hellespont。　　Under　these　circumstances　the　Lacedaemonians　resolved　to　spare　no　efforts　to　regain　the　good　will　of　the　Persians。　　Antalcidas；　the　Lacedaemonian　commander　on　the　Asiatic　coast；　entered　into　negotiations　with　Tiribazus；　who　had　succeeded　Tithraustes　in　the　satrapy　of　Ionia；　in　order　to　bring　about　a　general　peace　under　the　mediation　of　Persia。　　Conducted　by　Tiribazus；　Antalcidas　repaired　to　the　Persian　court；　and　prevailed　an　the　Persian　monarch　both　to　adopt　the　peace；　and　to　declare　war　against　those　who　should　reject　it。　　Antalcidas　and　Tiribazus　returned　to　the　coasts　of　Asia　Minor；　not　only　armed　with　these　powers；　but　provided　with　an　ample　force　to　carry　them　into　execution。　　In　addition　to　the　entire　fleet　of　Persia；　Dionysius　of　Syracuse　had　placed　20　triremes　at　the　service　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　and　Antalcidas　now　sailed　with　a　large　fleet　to　the　Hellespont；　where　Iphicrates　and　the　Athenians　were　still　predominant。　　The　overwhelming　force　of　Antalcidas；　the　largest　that　had　been　seen　in　the　Hellespont　since　the　battle　of　AEgospotami；　rendered　all　resistance　hopeless。　　The　supplies　of　corn　from　the　Euxine　no　longer　found　their　way　to　Athens：　　and　the　Athenians；　depressed　at　once　both　by　what　they　felt　and　by　what　they　anticipated；　began　to　long　for　peace。　　As　without　the　assistance　of　Athens　it　seemed　hopeless　for　the　other　allies　to　struggle　against　Sparta；　all　Greece　was　inclined　to　listen　to　an　accommodation。

Under　these　circumstances　deputies　from　the　Grecian　states　were　summoned　to　meet　Tiribazus；　who；　after　exhibiting　to　them　the　royal　seal　of　Persia；　read　to　them　the　following　terms　of　a　peace：　　〃King　Artaxerxes　thinks　it　just　that　the　cities　in　Asia　and　the　islands　of　Clazomenae　and　Cyprus　should　belong　to　him。　He　also　thinks　it　just　to　leave　all　the　other　Grecian　cities；　both　small　and　great；　independentexcept　Lemnos；　Imbros；　and　Scyros；　which　are　to　belong　to　Athens；　as　of　old。　　should　any　parties　refuse　to　accept　this　peace；　I　will　make　war　upon　them；　along　with　those　who　are　of　the　same　mind；　both　by　land　and　sea；　with　ships　and　with　money。〃　　All　the　Grecian　states　accepted　these　terms。

This　disgraceful　peace；　called　the　PEACE　OF　ANTALCIDAS；　was　concluded　in　the　year　B。C。　387。　　By　it　Greece　seemed　prostrated　at　the　feet　of　the　barbarians；　for　its　very　terms；　engraven　on　stone　and　set　up　in　the　sanctuaries　of　Greece；　recognised　the　Persian　king　as　the　arbiter　of　her　destinies。　　Although　Athens　cannot　be　entirely　exonerated　from　the　blame　of　this　transaction；　the　chief　guilt　rests　upon　Sparta；　whose　designs　were　far　deeper　and　more　hypocritical　than　they　appeared。　　Under　the　specious　pretext　of　securing　the　independence　of　the　Grecian　cities；　her　only　object　was　to　break　up　the　confederacies　under　Athens　and　Thebes；　and；　with　the　assistance　of　Persia；　to　pave　the　way　for　her　own　absolute　dominion　in　Greece。

No　sooner　was　the　peace　of　Antalcidas　concluded　than　Sparta；　directed　by　Agesilaus；　the　ever…active　enemy　of　Thebes；　exerted　all　her　power　to　weaken　that　city。　　She　began　by　proclaiming　the　independence　of　the　various　Boeotian　cities；　and　by　organizing　in　each　a　local　oligarchy；　adverse　to　Thebes　and　favourable　to　herself。　　Lacedaemonian　garrisons　were　placed　in　Orchomenus　and　Thespiae；　and　Plataea　was　restored　in　order　to　annoy　and　weaken　Thebes。　　Shortly　afterwards　the　Lacedaemonians　obtained　possession　of　Thebes　itself　by　an　act　of　shameful　treachery。　They　had　declared　war　against　Olynthus；　a　town　situated　at　the　head　of　the　Toronaic　gulf；　in　the　peninsula　of　the　Macedonian　Chalcidice；　the　head　of　a　powerful　confederation　which　included　several　of　the　adjacent　Grecian　cities。　　The　Thebans　had　entered　into　an　alliance　with　Olynthus；　and　had　forbidden　any　of　their　citizens　to　join　the　Lacedaemonian　army　destined　to　act　against　it；　but　they　were　not　strong　enough　to　prevent　its　marching　through　their　territory。　　Phoebidas；　who　was　conducting　a　Lacedaemonian　force　against　Olynthus；　halted　on　his　way　through　Boeotia　not　far　from　Thebes；　where　he　was　visited　by　Leontiades；　one　of　the　polemarchs　of　the　city；　and　two　or　three　other　leaders　of　the　Lacedaemonian　party　in　Thebes。　　It　happened　that　the　festival　of　the　Thesmophoria　was　on　the　point　of　being　celebrated；　during　which　the　Cadmea；　or　Theban　Acropolis；　was　given　up　for　the　exclusive　use　of　the　women。　　The　opportunity　seemed　favourable　for　a　surprise；　and　Leontiades　and　Phoebidas　concerted　a　plot　to　seize　it。　　Whilst　the　festival　was　celebrating；　Phoebidas　pretended　to　resume　his　march；　but　only　made　a　circuit　round　the　city　walls；　whilst　Leontiades；　stealing　out　of　the　senate；　mounted　his　horse；　and；　joining　the　Lacedaemonian　troops；　conducted　them　towards　the　Cadmea。　　It　was　a　sultry　summer's　afternoon；　so　that　the　very　streets　were　deserted；　and　Phoebidas；　without　encountering　any　opposition；　seized　the　citadel　and　all　the　women　in　it；　to　serve　as　hostages　for　the　quiet　submission　of　the　Thebans　（B。C。　382）。　　This　treacherous　act　during　a　period　of　profound　peace　awakened　the　liveliest　indignation　throughout　Greece。　　Sparta　herself　could　not　venture　to　justify　it　openly；　and　Phoebidas　was　made　the　scape…goat　of　her　affected　displeasure。　　As　a　sort　of　atonement　to　the　violated　feeling　of　Greece；　he　was　censured；　fined；　and　dismissed。　　But　that　this　was　a　mere　farce　is　evident　from　the　fact；　of　his　subsequent　restoration　to　command；　and；　however　indignant　the　Lacedaemonians　affected　to　appear　at　the　act　of　Phoebidas；　they　took　care　to　reap　the　fruits　of　it　by　retaining　their　garrison　in　the　Cadmea。

The　once　haughty　Thebes　was　now　enrolled　a　member　of　the　Lacedaemonian　alliance；　and　furnished　her　contingentthe　grateful　offering　of　the　new　Theban　governmentfor　the　war　which　Sparta　was　prosecuting　with　redoubled　vigour　against　Olynthus。　This　city　was　taken　by　the　Lacedaemonians　in　B。C。　379；　the　Olynthian　confederacy　was　dissolved；　the　Grecian　cities　belonging　to　it　were　compelled　to　join　the　Lacedaemonian　alliance；　whilst　the　maritime　towns　of　Macedonia　were　reduced　under　the　dominion　of　Amyntas；　the　king　of　Macedon。

The　power　of　Sparta　on　land　had　now　attained　its　greatest　height。　Her　unpopularity　in　Greece　was　commensurate　with　the　extent　of　her　harshly　administered　dominion。　　She　was　leagued　on　all　slides　with　the　enemies　of　Grecian　freedomwith　the　Persians；　with　Amyntas　of　Macedon；　and　with　Dionysius　of　Syracuse。　　But　she　had　now　reached　the　turning…point　of　her　fortunes；　and　her　successes；　which　had　been　earned　without　scruple；　were　soo