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. 311-383