Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/368

346 HISTORY OF GREECE. The mortal wound of Epaminondas, with a spear in the breatt, is the only part of the case which we really know. The handle of the spear broke, and the point was left sticking in his breast. He immediately fell, and as the enemy were at that moment in retreat, fell into the arms of his own comrades. There was no dispute for the possession of his body, as there had been for Kleom- brotus at Leuktra. The news of his mortal wound spread like wild-fire through his army ; and the effect produced is among the most extraordinary phenomena in all Grecian military history. I give it in the words of the contemporary historian. " It was thus (says Xenophon) that Epaminondas arranged his order of attack ; and he was not disappointed in his expectation. For having been victorious, on the point where he himself charged, he caused the whole army of the enemy to take flight. But so soon as he fell, those whc remained had no longer any power even of rightly using the vie tory. Though the phalanx of the enemy's infantry was in fuL flight, the Theban hoplites neither killed a single man more, noi advanced a step beyond the actual ground of conflict. Though the enemy's cavalry was also in full flight, yet neither did the Theban horsemen continue their pursuit, nor kill any more either of horsemen or of hoplites, but fell back through the receding enemies with the timidity of beaten men. The light troops and peltasts, who had been mingled with the Theban cavalry and had aided in their victory, spread themselves over towards the enemy's left with the security of conquerors ; but there (being unsupported by their own horsemen) they were mostly cut to pieces by the Athenians." l Astonishing as this recital is, we cannot doubt that it is literally 1 Xen. Hellen. vii, 5, 25. Tqv [j.ev drj crvfipohijv OVTUC EKOifiaaro, KOI OVK h[>eva&r] TTJG E^mdof KparTjaag yap, TJ it poa efiahev , o/lov ETTOI- ij a e <j>vyiv TO TUV EVO.VTLUV. 'ETrei ye fi^v inelvoc enecrsv, oi homol ovde TTJ VLK.1) 6/3t9wf ETI idvvaa'&jjaav xpyaacr&ai, u/l/lu ^vyovar/f fiev avTotf Tijf ivavTiaf ^aAayyof, ovdiva. UTTEKTEIVO.V ol dirhtTat, ovde Trporj'kdov EK TOV x u ~ oiov Iv&a 7; avfipohr) eyeveTO tyvyovruv J' avroi.f /ca2 ruv imreuv, uireKTEivav uev ov6s oi imrelf diuKovrsf OVTE InTriaf oW (TrTiiraf, uairep 6s yTTu/iEvoi ire(j>of3i][ivuc dia TUV QsvyovTuv iro^Efiluv diEirewv. Kat [JLTJV oi afinnroi nal oi ireTiTaaTal, avvvfviKrjKOTEf Tolf iiriTEvaiv, U(J>'KOVTO /J.EV Eirl TOV s if KWTOVVTEG EKEI SE fao TUV h.^rjvaluv ol n'.EiaroL CLVTUV une&avov.