Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/290

268 HISTORY OF GREECE. strengthen the interests of Thebes in Peloponnesus, in the present jealous and unsatisfactory temper of the Arcadians, by attaching to her on peculiar grounds Achaeans as well as Eleians ; the lat- ter being themselves half-alienated from the Arcadians. Epami- nondas farther liberated Naupaktus and Kalydon, 1 which were held by Achaean garrisons, and which he enrolled as separate allies of Thebes ; whither he then returned, without any other achieve- ments (so far as we are informed) in Peloponnesus. But the generous calculations of this eminent man found little favor with his countrymen. Both the Arcadians, and the opposi- tion-party in the Achaean cities, preferred accusations against him, alleging that he had discouraged and humiliated all the real friends of Thebes ; leaving power in the hands of men who would join Sparta on the first opportunity. The accusation was farther pressed by Menekleidas, a Theban speaker of ability, strongly adverse to Epaminondas, as well as to Pelopidas. So pronounced was the displeasure of the Thebans, partly perhaps from reluc- tance to offend the Arcadians, that they not only reversed the policy of Epaminondas in Achaia, but also refrained from reelect- ing him as Boeotarch during the ensuing year. 2 They sent har- mosts of their own to each of the Achaean cities, put down the existing oligarchies, sent the chief oligarchical members and partisans into exile, and established democratical governments in each. Hence a great body of exiles soon became accumulated ; who, watching for a favorable opportunity and combining their 1 Diodor. xv, 75. 2 Xenoph. Hellen. vii, 1, 43 ; Plutarch, Pelopid. c. 25. Diodorus (xv, 72) refers the displeasure of the Thebans against Epami- nondas to the events of the preceding year. They believed (according to Diodorus) that Epaminondas had improperly spared the Spartans, and not pushed his victory so far as might have been done, when he forced the lines of Mount Oneium in 369 B. c. But it is scarcely credible that the Thebana should have been displeased on this account ; for the forcing of the lines was a capital exploit, and we may see from Xenophon that Epaminondas achieved much more than the Spartans and their friends believed to be pos- sible. Xenophon tells us that the Thebans were displeased with Epaminocvlas, on complaint from the Arcadians and others, for his conduct i'l Achaia two years after the action at Oneium ; that is, in 367 B. c. This is much more probable in itself, and much more consistent with the general series of facts, than the cause assigned by Diodorus.