Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/353

SPARTA SAVED. 331 The march of Epuminondas had been undertaken only on the probability, well-nigh realized, of finding Sparta undefended. He was in no condition to assault the city, if tolerably occupied, still less to spend time before it ; for he knew that the enemy from Mantinea would immediately follow him into Laconia, within which ue did not choose to hazard a general action. He found it imprac- ticable to take this unfortified, yet unassailable city, Sparta, even at his former invasion of 370-369 B. c. ; when he had most part of Peloponnesus in active cooperation with him, and when the Lacedaemonians had no army in the field. Accordingly, though he crossed the Eurotas and actually entered into the city of Sparta 1 (which had no walls to keep him out), yet as soon as he perceived the roofs manned with soldiers and other preparations for resist- ance, he advanced with great caution, not adventuring into the streets and amidst the occupied houses. He only tried to get pos- session of various points of high ground commanding the city, from whence it might be possible to charge down upon the defend- ers with advantage. But even here, though inferior in number they prevented him from making any impression. And Archida- mus son of Agesilaus, sallying forth unexpectedly beyond the line Xenophon's authority appears to me better in itself, while his narrative is also more probable. He states distinctly that Agesilaus heard the iews of the Tlieban march while he was yet at Pellene (on the road to Mantinea, to which place a large portion of the Spartan troops had already gone for ward), that he turned back forthwith, and reached Sparta before Epami- nondas, with a division not numerous, yet sufficient to put the town in a state of defence. Whereas Polybius affirms, that Agesilaus heard the news when he was at Mantinea, that he marched from thence with the whole army to Sparta, but that Epaminondas reached Sparta before him, had already attacked the town and penetrated into the market-place, when Age- silaus arrived and drove him back. Diodorus relates that Agesilaus never left Sparta, but that the other king Agis, who had been sent with the army to Mantinea, divining the plans of Epaminondas, sent word by some swift Kretan runners to Agesilaus and put him upon his guard. Wesseling remarks justly, that the mention of Agis must be a mistake ; that the second king of Sparta at that time was named Kleomenes. Polyamus (ii, 3, 10) states correctly that Agesilaus reached Sparta before Epaminondas ; but he adds many other details which are too uncertain to copy. 1 Xen. Hellen. vii, 5, 11. 'Enei 6e e-yevero ^irafiivuvSaf tv ry rtiv "STraprtaTtiv, etc.