Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/289

EPAMINONDAS IN ACHAIA. 267 the dependent allies of Sparta, governed by local oligarchies ir. her interest. Since that event, they had broken off from her, but were still under oligarchical governments (though doubtless not the same men), and had remained neutral without placing them- selves in connection either with Arcadians or Thebans. 1 Not being in a condition to resist so formidable an invading force, they opened negotiations with Epaminondas, and solicited to be enrol- led as allies of Thebes ; engaging to follow her lead whenever summoned, and to do their duty as members of her synod. They tendered securities which Epaminondas deemed sufficient for the fulfilment of their promise. Accordingly, by virtue of his own personal ascendency, he agreed to accept them as they stood, with- out requiring either the banishment of the existing rulers or sub- stitution of democratical forms in place of the oligarchical. 2 Such a proceeding was not only suitable to the moderation of dealing so remarkable in Epaminondas, but also calculated to B.C. Besides, if we place the expedition in 366 B. c., there will hardly be time left for the whole career of Euphron at Sikyon, which intervened be- fore the peace of 366 B. c. between Thebes and Corinth (see Xen. Hellen. vii, 1, 44 seq.). The relation of coteraporaneousness between the embassy of Pelopidas to Persia, and the expedition of Epaminondas, seems indicated when we compare vii, 1,33 with vii, 1,48 2i)ve^w? 6e fiovhevofievoi ol Qrjftaloi, OTruf uv TTJV r/yspoviav Tidfioiev TJJC 'E/^./laeJof, kv6fj.t.aav el Keppeiav -irpbt; rbv Ilt-pauv ySaai/le'a, etc. Then Xenophon proceeds to recount the whole em- bassy, together with its unfavorable reception on returning, which takes up the entire space until vii, 2, 41, when he says Avdif d' 'ETra^ewtwdaf, roijf 'A%aioi)<; TrpoavTrayaye'crdat, oTrwf fiuAhov a<f>iat teal ol ' GVfj.jj.axoi irpoaexotev rbv vovv, eyvuKe crpaTevreov dvai This fresh expedition of Epaminondas is one of the modes adopted by the Thebans of manifesting their general purpose expressed in the former words, avvextif (3ovfev6/j.evoi, etc. 1 Xen. Hellen. vii, 1, 42-44. The neutrality before observer!, is implied in the phrase whereby Xeno- phon describes their conduct afterwards; kirel 6s /careMwre? oiiKeri tfieaevov, etc. 8 Xen. Hellen. vii, 1, 42. His expression marks how completely these terms were granted by the personal determination of Epaminondas, overruling opposition, tvdv- 6 'Etrafiivuvdaf, &are pri <f>vyadsvffaL TOI> KpaTiarovt;, (ii/de rdn i, etc.