A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

EPAMINONDAS. EPAMI NONDAS. 23
Polit. ii. 9, ed. Bekk.; Plut. Pel. 24, Ages. 31- ~~ 4 —43; Diod. xv. 75.) In B. C. 36.3, when
34; Diod. xv. 62-67; Paus. iv. 26, 27, ix. 14; the oligarchical party in Arcadia had succeeded in
Polyb. iv. 33; C. Nep. Iph. 21.) On their return bringing about a treaty of peace with Elis, the
home Epaminondas and Pelopidas were impeached Theban officer in command at Tegea at first joined
by their enemies on a capital charge of having re- in the ratification of it; but afterwards, at the intained their command beyond the legal term. The stigation of the chiefs of the democratic party, he
fact itself was true enough, but they were both ordered the gates of Tegea to be closed, and arhonourably acquitted, Epaminondas having ex- rested many of the higher class. The Mantineians
pressed his willingness to die if the Thebanswould protested strongly against this act of violence, and
record that he had been put to death because he prepared to resent it, and the Theban then released
had humbled'Sparta and taught his countrymen to the prisoners, and apologized for his conduct. The
face and to conquer her armies. Against his ac- Mantineians, however, sent to Thebes to demand
cusers he was philosophical and magnanimous that he should be capitally punished; but Epamienough, unlike Pelopidas, to take no measures of nondas defended his conduct, saying, that he had
retaliation.- (Plut. Pelop. 25, De seips. cit. inv. acted more properly in arresting the prisoners than
laud. 4, Reg. et Imp. Apoph. p. 60, ed. Tauchn.; in releasing them, and expressed a determination
Paus. ix. 14; Ael. V. H. xiii. 42; C. Nep. Epaocm. of entering the Peloponnesus to carry on the war
7, 8.) [PELOPIDAS; MENECLEIDAS.] in conjunction with those Arcadians who still sided
In the spring of 368 he again led a Theban army with Thebes. (Xen. Hell. vii. 4. ~~ 12-40.) The
into the Peloponnesus, and having been vainly op- alarm caused by this answer as symptomatic of an
posed at the Isthmus by the forces of Sparta and overbearing spirit of aggression on the part of
her allies, including Athens, he advanced against Thebes, withdrew from her most of the PeloponSicyon and Pellene, and obliged them to relinquish nesians, though Argos, Messenia, Tegea, and Me.
their alliance with the Lacedaemonians; but on his galopolis still retained their connexion with her.
return, he was repulsed by Chabrias in an attack It was then against aformidable coalition of states,
which he made on Corinth. It seems doubtful including Athens and Sparta, that Epaminondas
whether his early departure home was owing to invaded the Peloponnesus, for the fourth time, in
the rising jealousy of the Arcadians towards Thebes, B. C. 362.' The difficulties of his situation were
or to the arrival of a force, chiefly of Celts and great, but his energy and genius were fully equal
Iberians, sent: by Dionysius I. to the aid of the to the crisis, and perhaps at no period of his life
Spartans. (Xen. Hell. vii. 1. ~~ 15-22; Diod. were they so remarkably displayed as at its glo-:xv. 68-70; Paus. ix. 15.) In the same year we rious close. Advancing to Tegea, he took up his
find him serving, but not as general, in the Theban quarters there; but the time for which he ~held his
army which was sent into Thessaly to rescue Pelo- command was drawing to an end, and it was necespidas from Alexander of Pherae, and which Diodo- sary for the credit and interest of Thebes that the
rus tells us was saved from utter destruction only expedition should not be ineffectual. When- then
by the ability of Epaminondas. According to the he ascertained that Agesilaus was on his march
same author, he held no command in the expedition against him, he set out from Tegea in the evening,
in question because the Thebans thought he had and marched straight on Sparta, hoping to find it
not pursued as vigorously as he might his advan- undefended; but Agesilaus received intelligence of
tage over the Spartans at the -Isthmus in the last his design, and hastened back before his arrival,
campaign. The disaster in Thessaly, however, and the attempt of the Thebans on the city was
proved to Thebes his value, and in the next year baffled. [ARCHIDAMUS III.] They returned ac(367) he was sent at the head of another force to cordingly to Tegea, and thence marched on to
release Pelopidas, and accomplished his object, ac- Mantineia, whither their cavalry had preceded
cording to Plutarch, without even striking a blow, them. In the battle which ensued at this place,
and by the mere prestige of his name. (Diod. xv. and in which the peculiar tactics of Epaminondas
71, 72, 75; Plut. Pelop. 28, 29.)'It would ap- were brilliantly and successfully displayed, he himpear-and if so, it is a noble testimony to his vir- self, in the full career of victory, received a mortal
tue-that the Thebans took advantage of his ab- wound, and was borne away from the throng. He
sence on this expedition to destroy their old rival was told that his death would follow directly on
Orchomenus,-a design which they had formed the javelin being extracted from the wound; but
immediately after their victory at Leuctra, and he would not allow this to be done till he had
which had been then prevented only by his remon- been assured that his shield was safe, and that the
strances. (Diod. xv. 57, 79; Paus ix. 15; Thirl- victory was with his countrymen. It was a diswall's Greece, vol. v. pp. 120, 121.). In the spring puted point by whose hand he fell: among others,
of 366 he invaded the Peloponnesus for the third the honour was assigned to Gryllus, the son of
time, with the view chiefly of strengthening the Xenophon. He was buried where he died, and
influence of Thebes in Achaia, and so indirectly his tomb was surmounted by a column, on which
with the Arcadians as well, who were now more a shield was suspended, emblazoned with the dethan half alienated from their former ally. Hav- vice of a dragon-symbolical (says Pausanias) of
ing obtained assurances of fidelity from the chief his descent from the blood of the:2rapvot, the,
men in the several states, he did not deem it ne- children of the dragon's teeth. (Xen. Hell. vii. 5;
cessary to put down the oligarchical governments Isocr. Ep. ad Arch. ~ 5; Diod. xv. 82-87; Plut.
which had been established under Spartan protec- Ages. 34, 35, Apoph. 24; Paus. viii. 11, ix. 15;
tion; but the Arcadians made this moderation a Just. vi. 7, 8; Cic. ad Fam. v. 12, de Fin. ii. 30;:
ground of complaint against him to the Thebans, Suid. s. v.'E7raewAvoJas; C. Nep. Epam. 9; Po-,
and the latter then sent, harmosts to the different lyb. iv. 33.) The circumstances of ancient Greece
Achaean cities, and set up democracy in all of suppliedlittle or no scope for any but:the narrowest
them, which; however, was soon overthrown every- patriotism, and this evil is perhaps-neer more ap.
where by a counter-revolution. (Xen. Hell. vii 1. parent than when we think of it in counexion with.