Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/237

ARCADIANS AGAINST SPARTA. 215 time of his march into Arcadia, in the late autumn of 370 ^. o., many of them had already joined him, burning with all their ancient hatred of Sparta, and contributing to aggravate the samp sentiment among Thebans and allies. With the scheme of restoring the Messenians, was combined in the mind of Epaminondas another, for the political consolidation of the Arcadians ; both being intended as parts of one strong and- self-supporting organization against Sparta on her own border Of course he could have accomplished nothing of the kind, if there had not been a powerful spontaneous movement towards consolida- tion among the Arcadians themselves. But without his guidance and protection, the movement would have proved abortive, througfr the force of local jealousies within the country, fomented and seconded by Spartan aid from without. Though the general vote for federative coalition had been passed with enthusiasm, yet to carry out such a vote to the satisfaction of all, without quarrelling on points of detail, would have required far more of public-minded sentiment, as well as of intelligence, than what could be reckoned upon among the Arcadians. It was necessary to establish a neM city ; since the standing jealousy between Mantinea and Tegea, now for the first time embarked in one common cause, would never have permitted that either should be preferred as the centre of the new consolidation. 1 Besides fixing upon the new site required, it was indispensable also to choose between conflicting exigencies, and to break up ancient habits, in a way such as could hardly have been enforced by any majority purely Arcadian. The authority here deficient was precisely supplied by Epaminondas ; who brought with him a victorious army and a splendid personal name, combined with impartiality as to the local politics of Arcadia, and single-minded hostility to Sparta. It was with a view to these two great foundations, as well as to expel Agesilaus, that Epaminondas now marched the Theban army into Arcadia ; the command being voluntarily intrusted to him by Pelopidas and the other Bosotarchs present. He ar- rived shortly after the retirement of Agesilaus, while the Arcadi- 1 To illustrate small things by great, At the first formation of the Federal Constitution of the United States of America, the rival pretensions c.f New York and Philadelphia were among the principal motive- for cn tiling the new federal city of Washington.