Chapter LXXIX

FROM THE FOUNDATION OF MESSENE AND MEGALOPOLIS TO THE DEATH OF
PELOPIDAS.

Changes in Peloponnesus since the battle of Leuktra.—Changes
out of Peloponnesus.—Amyntas prince of Macedonia.—Ambitious
views of Athens after the battle of Leuktra.—Her aspirations to
maritime empire, and to the partial recovery of kleruchies.—She
wishes to recover Amphipolis—Amyntas recognizes her right to the
place.—Athens and Amphipolis.—Death of Jason and Amyntas—state
of Thessaly and Macedonia.—Alexander of Pheræ—he is opposed
by Pelopidas—influence of Thebes in Thessaly.—State of
Macedonia—Alexander son of Amyntas—Euridikê—Ptolemy.—Assistance
rendered by the Athenian Iphikrates to the family of
Amyntas.—Iphikrates and Timotheus.—The Spartan allied
army defends the line of Mount Oneium—Epaminondas breaks
through it, and marches into Peloponnesus.—Sikyon joins the
Thebans—Phlius remains faithful to Sparta.—Reinforcement from
Syracuse to Peloponnesus, in aid of Sparta.—Forbearance and
mildness of Epaminondas.—Energetic action and insolence of the
Arcadians—Lykomedes animates and leads them on.—Great influence
of Lykomedes.—Elis tries to recover her supremacy over the
Triphylian towns, which are admitted into the Arcadian union,
to the great offence of Elis.—Mission of Philiskus to Greece
by Ariobarzanes.—Political importance of the reconstitution
of Messênê, which now becomes the great subject of discord.
Messenian victor proclaimed at Olympia.—Expedition of Pelopidas
into Thessaly.—The Tearless Battle—victory of the Spartan
Archidamus over the Arcadians.—Third expedition of Epaminondas
into Peloponnesus—his treatment of the Achæan cities.—The Thebans
reverse the policy of Epaminondas, on complaint of the Arcadians
and others. They do not reëlect him Bœotarch.—Disturbed state of
Sikyon. Euphron makes himself despot—his rapacious and sanguinary
conduct.—Sufferings of the Phliasians—their steady adherence
to Sparta.—Assistance rendered to Phlius by the Athenian
Chares—surprise of the fort of Thyamia.—Euphron is expelled from
Sikyon by the Arcadians and Thebans—he retires to the harbor,
which he surrenders to the Spartans.—Euphron returns to Sikyon—he
goes to Thebes, and is there assassinated.—The assassins are put
upon their trial at Thebes—their defence.—They are acquitted by
the Theban Senate.—Sentiment among the Many of Sikyon, favorable
to Euphron—honors shown to his body and memory.—The Sikyonians
recapture their harbor from the Spartans.—Application of Thebes
for Persian countenance to her headship—mission of Pelopidas and
other envoys to Susa.—Pelopidas obtains from Persia a favorable
rescript.—Protest of the Athenians and Arcadians against the
rescript.—Pelopidas brings back the rescript. It is read publicly
before the Greek states convoked at Thebes.—The states convoked
at Thebes refuse to receive the rescript. The Arcadian deputies
protest against the headship of Thebes.—The Thebans send the
rescript to be received at Corinth; the Corinthians refuse:
failure of the Theban object.—Mission of Pelopidas to Thessaly.
He is seized and detained prisoner by Alexander of Pheræ.—The
Thebans despatch an army to rescue Pelopidas. The army, defeated
and retreating, is only saved by Epaminondas, then a private
man.—Triumph of Alexander in Thessaly and discredit of Thebes.
Harsh treatment of Pelopidas.—Second Theban army sent into
Thessaly, under Epaminondas, for the rescue of Pelopidas, who
is at length released by Alexander under a truce.—Oropus is
taken from Athens and placed in the hands of the Thebans. The
Athenians recall Chares from Corinth.—Athens discontented with
her Peloponnesian allies; she enters into alliance with Lykomedes
and the Arcadians. Death of Lykomedes.—Epaminondas is sent as
envoy into Arcadia; he speaks against Kallistratus.—Project of
the Athenians to seize Corinth; they are disappointed.—They
apply to Sparta.—Refusal of the Spartans to acknowledge the
independence of Messênê; they reproach their allies with
consenting.—Corinth, Epidaurus, Phlius, etc., conclude peace
with Thebes, but without Sparta—recognizing the independence of
Messênê.—Athens sends a fresh embassy to the Persian king—altered
rescript from him, pronouncing Amphipolis to be an Athenian
possession.—Timotheus sent with a fleet to Asia—Agesilaus—revolt
of Ariobarzanes.—Conquest of Samos by Timotheus.—Partial
readmission to the Chersonese obtained by Timotheus.—Athenian
kleruchs or settlers sent thither as proprietors.—Difficulties
of Athens in establishing kleruchs in the Chersonese.—Kotys
of Thrace.—Timotheus supersedes Iphikrates.—Timotheus acts
with success on the coast of Macedonia and Chalkidikê. He
fails at Amphipolis.—Timotheus acts against Kotys and near the
Chersonese.—Measures of the Thebans in Thessaly—Pelopidas is sent
with an army against Alexander of Pheræ.—Epaminondas exhorts the
Thebans to equip a fleet against Athens.—Discussion between him
and Menekleidas in the Theban assembly.—Menekleidas seemingly
right in dissuading naval preparations.—Epaminondas in command
of a Theban fleet in the Hellespont and Bosphorus. Pelopidas
attacks Alexander of Pheræ—his success in battle—his rashness—he
is slain.—Excessive grief of the Thebans and Thessalians for his
death.—The Thebans completely subdue Alexander of Pheræ. 242-310