a smaller history of greece-第47章

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teps　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　marched　into　Peloponnesus　to　support　the　Theban　party　in　Arcadia；　The　Spartans　sent　a　powerful　force　to　the　assistance　of　the　Mantineans　in　whose　territory　the　hostile　armies　met。　　In　the　battle　which　ensued　Epaminondas　formed　his　Boeotian　troops　into　a　column　of　extraordinary　depth；　with　which　he　bore　down　all　before　them。　The　Mantineans　and　Lacedaemonians　turned　and　fled；　and　the　rest　followed　their　example。　　The　day　was　won；　but　Epaminondas；　who　fought　in　the　foremost　ranks；　fell　pierced　with　a　mortal　wound。　His　fall　occasioned　such　consternation　among　his　troops；　that；　although　the　enemy　were　in　full　flight；　they　did　not　know　how　to　use　their　advantage；　and　remained　rooted　to　the　spot。　Epaminondas　was　carried　off　the　field　with　the　spear…head　still　fixed　in　his　breast。　　Having　satisfied　himself　that　his　shield　was　safe；　and　that　the　victory　was　gained；　he　inquired　for　Iolaidas　and　Daiphantus；　whom　he　intended　to　succeed　him　in　the　command。　　Being　informed　that　both　were　slain：　　〃Then〃　he　observed　〃you　must　make　peace。〃　　After　this　he　ordered　the　spear…　head　to　be　withdrawn；　when　the　gush　of　blood　which　followed　soon　terminated　his　life。　　Thus　died　this　truly　great　man；　and　never　was　there　one　whose　title　to　that　epithet　has　been　less　disputed。　Antiquity　is　unanimous　in　his　praise；　and　some　of　the　first　men　of　Greece　subsequently　took　him　for　their　model。　　With　him　the　commanding　influence　of　Thebes　began　and　ended。　　His　last　advice　was　adopted；　and　peace　was　concluded　probably　before　the　Theban　army　quitted　Peloponnesus。　　Its　basis　was　a　recognition　of　the　STATUS　QUOto　leave　everything　as　it　was；　to　acknowledge　the　Arcadian　constitution　and　the　independence　of　Messene。　　Sparta　alone　refused　to　join　it　on　account　of　the　last　article；　but　she　was　not　supported　by　her　allies。

Agesilaus　had　lived　to　see　the　empire　of　Sparta　extinguished　by　her　hated　rival。　　Thus　curiously　had　the　prophecy　been　fulfilled　which　warned　Sparta　of　the　evils　awaiting　her　under　a　〃lame　sovereignty。〃　　But　Agesilaus　had　not　yet　abandon