a smaller history of greece-第45章

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he　turning…point　of　her　fortunes；　and　her　successes；　which　had　been　earned　without　scruple；　were　soon　to　be　followed　by　misfortunes　and　disgrace。　　The　first　blow　came　from　Thebes；　where　she　had　perpetrated　her　most　signal　injustice。

That　city　had　been　for　three　years　in　the　hands　of　Leontiades　and　the　Spartan　party。　　During　this　time　great　discontent　had　grown　up　among　the　resident　citizens；　and　there　was　also　the　party　of　exasperated　exiles；　who　had　taken　refuge　at　Athens。　　Among　these　exiles　was　Pelopidas；　a　young　man　of　birth　and　fortune；　who　had　already　distinguished　himself　by　his　disinterested　patriotism　and　ardent　character。　　He　now　took　the　lead　in　the　plans　formed　the　the　liberation　of　his　country；　and　was　the　heart　and　soul　of　the　enterprise。　　His　warm　and　generous　heart　was　irresistibly　attracted　by　everything　great　and　noble；　and　hence　he　was　led　to　form　a　close　and　intimate　friendship　with　Epaminondas；　who　was　several　years　older　than　himself　and　of　a　still　loftier　character。　　Their　friendship　is　said　to　have　originated　in　a　campaign　in　which　they　served　together；　when；　Pelopidas　having　fallen　in　battle　apparently　dead；　Epaminondas　protected　his　body　at　the　imminent　risk　of　his　own　life。　　Pelopidas　afterwards　endeavoured　to　persuade　Epaminondas　to　share　his　riches　with　him；　and　when　he　did　not　succeed；　he　resolved　to　live　on　the　same　frugal　fare　as　his　great　friend。　　A　secret　correspondence　was　opened　with　his　friends　at　Thebes；　the　chief　of　whom　were　Phyllidas；　secretary　to　the　polemarchs；　and　Charon。　　The　dominant　faction；　besides　the　advantage　of　the　actual　possession　of　power；　was　supported　by　a　garrison　of　1500　Lacedaemonians。　　The　enterprise；　therefore；　was　one　of　considerable　difficulty　and　danger。　　In　the　execution　of　it　Phyllidas　took　a　leading　part。　It　was　arranged　that　he　should　give　a　supper　to　Archias　and　Philippus；　the　two　polemarchs；　and　after　they　had　partaken　freely　of　wine　the　conspirators　were　to　be　introduced；　disguised　as　women；　and　to　complete　their　work　by　the　assassination　of　the　polemarchs。　　On　the　day　before　the　banquet；　Pelopidas；　with　six　other　exiles；　arrived　at　Thebes　from　Athens；　and；　straggling　through　the　gates　towards　dusk　in　the　disguise　of　rustics　and　huntsmen；　arrived　safely　at　the　house　of　Charon；　where　they　remained　concealed　till　the　appointed　hour。　　While　the　polemarchs　were　at　table　a　messenger　arrived　from　Athens　with　a　letter　for　Archias；　in　which　the　whole　plot　was　accurately　detailed。　　The　messenger；　in　accordance　with　his　instructions；　informed　Archias　that　the　letter　related　to　matters　of　serious　importance。　　But　the　polemarch；　completely　engrossed　by　the　pleasures　of　the　table；　thrust　the　letter　under　the　pillow　of　his　couch；　exclaiming；　〃Serious　matters　to…morrow。〃

The　hour　of　their　fate　was　now　ripe。　　The　conspirators；　disguised　with　veils；　and　in　the　ample　folds　of　female　attire；　were　ushered　into　the　room。　　For　men　in　the　state　of　the　revelers　the　deception　was　complete；　but　when　they　attempted　to　lift　the　veils　from　the　women；　their　passion　was　rewarded　by　the　mortal　thrust　of　a　dagger。　　After　thus　slaying　the　two　polemarchs；　the　conspirators　went　to　the　house　of　Leontiades　whom　they　also　despatched。

The　news　of　the　revolution　soon　spread　abroad。　　Proclamations　were　issued　announcing　that　Thebes　was　free；　and　calling　upon　all　citizens　who　valued　their　liberty　to　muster　in　the　market…place。　As　soon　as　day　dawned；　and　the　citizens　became　aware　that　they　were　summoned　to　vindicate　their　liberty；　their　joy　and　enthusiasm　were　unbounded。　　For　the　first　time　since　the　seizure　of　their　citadel　they　met　in　public　assembly；　the　conspirators；　being　introduced；　were　crowned　by　the　priests　with　wreaths；　and　thanked　in　the　name　of　their　country's　gods；　whilst　the　assembly；　with　grateful　acclamation；　unanimously　nominated　Pelopidas；　Charon；　and　Mellon　as　the　first　restored　Boeotarchs。

Meanwhile　the　remainder　of　the　Theban　exiles；　accompanied　by　a　body　of　Athenian　volunteers；　assembled　on　the　frontiers　of　Boeotia；　and；　at　the　first　news　of　the　success　of　the　conspiracy；　hastened　to　Thebes　to　complete　the　revolution。　　The　Thebans；　under　their　new　Boeotarchs；　were　already　mounting　to　the　assault　of　the　Cadmea；　when　the　Lacedaemonians　capitulated；　and　were　allowed　to　march　out　with　the　honours　of　war。　　The　Athenians　formed　an　alliance　with　the　Thebans；　and　declared　war　against　Sparta。

From　this　time　must　be　dated　the　era　of　a　new　political　combination　in　Greece。　　Athens　strained　every　nerve　to　organize　a　fresh　confederacy。　　Thebes　did　not　scruple　to　enrol　herself　as　one　of　its　earliest　members。　　The　basis　on　which　the　confederacy　was　formed　closely　resembled　that　of　Delos。　　The　cities　composing　it　were　to　be　independent；　and　to　send　deputies　to　a　congress　at　Athens；　for　the　purpose　of　raising　a　common　fund　for　the　support　of　a　naval　force。　　Care　was　taken　to　banish　all　recollections　connected　with　the　former　unpopularity　of　the　Athenian　empire。　The　name　of　the　tribute　was　no　longer　PHOROS；　but　SYNTAXIS；　or　〃contribution。〃　　The　confederacy；　which　ultimately　numbered　70　cities；　was　chiefly　organised　through　the　exertions　of　Chabrias；　and　of　Timotheus　the　son　of　Conon。　　Nor　were　the　Thebans　less　zealous；　amongst　whom　the　Spartan　government　had　left　a　lively　feeling　of　antipathy。　　The　military　force　was　put　in　the　best　training；　and　the　famous　〃Sacred　Band〃　was　now　for　the　first　time　instituted。　　This　band　was　a　regiment　of　300　hoplites。　　It　was　supported　at　the　public　expense　and　kept　constantly　under　arms。　It　was　composed　of　young　and　chosen　citizens　of　the　best　families；　and　organized　in　such　a　manner　that　each　man　had　at　his　side　a　dear　and　intimate　friend。　　Its　special　duty　was　the　defence　of　the　Cadmea。

The　Thebans　had　always　been　excellent　soldiers；　but　their　good　fortune　now　gave　them　the　greatest　general　that　Greece　had　hitherto　seen。　　Epaminondas；　who　now　appears　conspicuously　in　public　life；　deserves　the　reputation　not　merely　of　a　Theban　but　of　a　Grecian　hero。　　Sprung　from　a　poor　but　ancient　family；　Epaminondas　possessed　all　the　best　qualities　of　his　nation　without　that　heaviness；　either　of　body　or　of　mind；　which　characterized　and　deteriorated　the　Theban　people。　　By　the　study　of　philosophy　and　by　other　intellectual　pursuits　his　mind　was　enlarged　beyond　the　sphere　of　vulgar　superstition；　and　emancipated　from　that　timorous　interpretation　of　nature　which　caused　even　some　of　the　leading　men　of　those　days　to　behold　a　portent　in　the　most　ordinary　phenomenon。　　A　still　rarer　accomplishment　for　a　Theban　was　that　of　eloquence；　which　he　possessed　in　no　ordinary　degree。　　These　intellectual　qualities　were　matched　with　moral　virtues　worthy　to　consort　with　them。　Though　eloquent；　he　was　discreet；　though　poor；　he　was　neither　avaricious　nor　corrupt；　though　naturally　firm　and　courageous；　he　was　averse　to　cruelty；　violence；　and　bloodshed；　though　a　patriot；　he　was　a　stranger　to　personal　ambition；　and　scorned　the　little　arts　by　which　popularity　is　too　often　courted。　　Pelopidas；　as　we　have　already　said；　was　his　bosom　friend。　　It　was　natural　therefore；　that；　when　Pelopidas　was　named　Boeotarch；　Epaminondas　should　be　prominently　employed　in　organizing　the　means　of　war；　but　it　was　not　till　some　years　later　that　his　military　genius　shone　forth　in　its　full　lustre。

The　Spartans　were　resolved　to　avenge　the　repulse　they　had　received；　and　in　the　summer　of　B。C。　378　Agesilaus　marched　with　a　large　army　into　Boeotia。　　He　was　unable；　however；　to　effect　any　thing　decisive；　and　subsequent　invasions　were　attended　with　the　like　result。　　The　Athenians　created　a　diversion　in　their　favour　by　a　maritime　war；　and　thus　for　two　years　Boeotia　was　free　from　Spartan　invasion；　Thebes　employed　this　time　in　extending　her　dominion　over　the　neighbouring　cities。　　One　of　her　most　important　successes　during　this　period　was　the　victory　gained　by　Pelopidas　over　a　Lacedaemonian　force　near　Tegyra；　a　village　dependent　upon　Orchomenus　（B。C。　375）。　　Pelopidas　had　with　him　only　the　Sacred　Band　and　a　small　body　of　cavalry　when　he　fell　in　with　the　Lacedaemonians；　who　were　nearly　twice　as　numerous。　　He　did　not；　however；　shrink　from　the　conflict　on　this　account；　and　when　one　of　his　men；　running　up　to　him；　exclaimed；　〃We　are　fallen