for the People of Thebes, that some be left free, and blamelesse of these murthers, and guiltlesse of all that should be done in the fury of this action.
Notwithstanding all that was said, the enterprise was executed, and the Tyrants put to death, the City was restored to her ancient liberty, the Castle of Cadmaea was rendred up by composition, and Lysandrad••s, the Lacedemonian, and other Commanders that were in it, were suffered safely to depart, with their goods and Soul∣diers. This was the occasion of the long Wars which followed between the Lacedomonians and Thebans, with whom the Athenians joyned in League.
Epaminondas still applyed himself to his Book: yet at last he was put forwards by Pammenes, a chief man a∣mongst the Thebans, and he began to follow the Wars ve∣ry eagerly, and in divers encounters gave good proof of his prudence, hardinesse, and valour, insomuch as by degrees he attained to the highest charges of Government in the Commonwealth: and his Citizens, who before made small account of him till he was fourty years old, after, when they knew him better, they trusted him with their Armies, and he saved the City of Thebes, that was like to be undone, yea, and freed all Greece from the servitude of the Lacedemonians, making his virtue, as in a cleer light, to shine with Glory, shewing the ef∣fects when time served.
Upon a time Agesilaus, King of Lacaedemon entered into Boeotia with an Army of twenty thousand Foot, and five thousand Horse, wherewith he harrased and spoiled all the plain Country, and presented Battel to the The∣bans in the open Fields, which yet they would not accept of, finding themselves the weaker: Howbeit, they defend∣ed themselves so well by the assistance of the Athenians, and the wise conduct of Epaminondas and Pelopidas, that they caused Agesilaus to return home with his Army. But when he was gone, the Thebans went with their Companies before the City of Thespies, which they sur∣prized, and put to the Sword two hundred of the Gar∣rison,