Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/324

302 HISTORY OF OT^ECE Lykopliron the despot was their ally ; while Larissa, with Medius the despot, was their principal enemy. By the aid of the Boeo- tians, Medius was now enabled to capture Pharsalus ; Lurissa, with Krannon and Skotusa, was received into the Theban alliance,' and Ismenias obtained also the more important advantage of expel- ling the Lacedaemonians from Herakleia. Some malcontents, left after the violent interference of the Spartan Herippidas two years before, opened the gates of Herakleia by night to the Boeotians and Argeians. The Lacedcemonians in the town were put to the sword, but the other Peloponnesian colonists were permitted to retire in safety ; while the old Trachinian inhabitants, whom the Lacedaemonians had expelled to make room for their new settlers, together with the CEtaeans, whom they had driven out of the districts in the neighborhood, were now called back to repossess their original homes. 2 The loss of Herakleia was a serious blow to the Spartans in those regions, protecting Euboea in its recent revolt from them, and enabling Ismenias to draw into his alliance the neighboring Malians, JEnianes, and Athamanes, tribes stretching along the valley of the Spercheius westward to the vicinity of Pindus. Assembling additional troops from these districts (which, only a few months before, had supplied an army to Ly sander 3 ), Ismenias marched against the Phokians, among whom the Spartan Lakisthenes had been left as harmost in com- mand. After a severe battle, this officer with his Phokians was defeated near the Lokrian town of Naryx ; and Ismenias came back victorious to the synod at Corinth. 4 By such important advantages, accomplished during the winter of 395-394 B. c., the prospects of Grecian affairs as they stood in the ensuing spring became materially altered. The allies assembled at Corinth, full of hope, and resolved to levy a large combined force to act against Sparta ; who on her side seemed to be threatened with the loss of all her extra-Peloponnesian land-empire. Accordingly, the ephors determined to recall without delay Agesilaus with hia army from Asia, and sent Epikydidas with orders to that effect But even before this reinforcement could arrive, they thought it expe 1 Diodor. xiv, 82; Xen. Hellen. iv, 3, 3; Xen. Agesil. ii, 2. 1 Diodor. xiv, 38-82. 3 Xenoph. Hell en. iii, 5, 6 4 Diodor. xiv. 82.