Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/87

RESISTANCE OF THE OLYNTHIANS. 65 Teleutias, brother of Agesilaus. The new general, a man of very popular manners, was soon on his march at the head of this large army, which comprised many Theban hoplites as well as horse- men, furnished by the new rulers in their unqualified devotion to Sparta. He sent forward envoys to Amyntas in Macedonia, urg- ing upon him the most strenuous efforts for the purpose of recov- ering the Macedonian cities which had joined the Olynthians, and also to Derdas, prince of the district of Upper Macedonia called Elimeia, inviting his cooperation against that insolent city, which would speedily extend her dominion (he contended) from ihe maritime region to the interior, unless she were put down.i Though the Lacedaemonians were masters everywhere and had their hands free, though Teleutias was a competent officer with powerful forces, and though Derdas joined with four hundred excellent Macedonian horse, yet the conquest of Olynthus was found no easy enterprise. 2 The Olynthian cavalry, in particular, was numerous and efficient. Unable as they were to make head against Teleutias in the field or repress his advance, nevertheless in a desultory engagement which took place near the city gates, they defeated the Lacedaemonian and Theban cavalry, threw even the infantry into confusion, and were on the point of gaining a complete victory, had not Derdas with his cavalry on the other wing, made a diversion which forced them to come back for the protection of the city. Teleutias, remaining master of the field, continued to ravage the Olynthian territory during the summer, for which, however, the Olynthians retaliated by frequent marau- ding expeditions against the cities in alliance with him. 3 In the ensuing spring, the Olynthians sustained various partial defeats, especially one near ApoLlonia, from Derdas. They were more and more confined to their walls ; insomuch that Teleutias became confident and began to despise them. Under these dispo 1 Xen. Hellen. v, 2, 38. 3 Demosthenes (De Fals. Leg. c. 75, p. 425) speaks with proper commen- dation of the brave resistance made by the Olynthians against the great force of Sparta. But his expressions are altogether misleading as to the tenor and result of the war. If we had no other information than his, we should be led to imagine that the Olynthians had been victorious, and tha Lacedcemonians baffled. 3 Xenoph. Hellen. v 2, 40-43. VOT,, x. 5oc.