Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

and could hardly be called one, when his death involved the ruin of so many. The saying of old Antigonus was better, who, when he was to fight at Andros, and one told him, "The enemy's ships are more than ours;" replied, "For how many then wilt thou reckon me?" intimating how highly a brave and experienced commander is to be rated; one of the first duties of whose office it is to save the person on whose safety that of others depends. And therefore I applaud Timotheus, who, when Chares showed the scars on his body, and his shield driven through by a lance, remarked, "Yet how ashamed I was, at the siege of Samos, when a dart fell near me, for exposing myself, more like a boy than like a general in command of a large army." Indeed, where the general's hazarding himself will go far to decide the result, there he must fight and venture his person, and not mind their maxims, who would have a general die, if not of, at least in old age; but when the advantage will be but small if he prospers, and the loss fatal if he falls, who then would desire, at the risk of the commander's life, a piece of success which a common soldier might obtain? Thus much I thought fit to premise in reference to the lives of Pelopidas and Marcellus*, who were both great men, but who both fell by their own rashness. For, being gallant in action, and having gained their respective countries great glory and advantage in their conduct of war against the most formidable enemies (the one, as it is related, first defeating Hannibal, who was till then invincible; the other in a set battle beating the Lacedæmonians, then

* With whom Plutarch compares him among the Romans.

supreme both at sea and land), they ventured at last too far, and were heedlessly prodigal of their lives, when there was the greatest need of men and commanders such as they. And this agreement in their characters and their deaths is the reason why I compare their lives.

3 Pelopidas, the son of Hippoclus, was descended, as likewise Epaminondas was, from a distinguished family in Thebes; and, being brought up to opulence, and having a noble estate left him whilst he was young, he made it is business to relieve the good and deserving amongst the poor, that he might show himself lord and not slave of his estate: (For amongst men, as Aristotle observes, some are too petty-minded to use their wealth, and some are loose and abuse it; and these live perpetual slaves to their pleasures, as do the former to their gain.) Others permitted themselves to be obliged by Pelopidas, and thankfully made use of his liberality and kindness; but alone amongst all his friends, he could never persuade Epaminondas to be a sharer in his wealth. Pelopidas however, stepped down into his poverty, and took pleasure in the same poor attire, spare diet, unwearied endurance of hardships, and unshrinking boldness in war; and like Capaneus in Euripides, who had

Abundant wealth, and in that wealth no pride;

he was ashamed any one should think that he spent more upon his person than the meanest Theban. Epaminondas made his familiar and hereditary poverty more light and easy, by his philosophy and single life;

[blocks in formation]

but Pelopidas married a wife of distinction, and had children; yet still attending little to his private înterests, and devoting all his time to the public, he reduced his estate: and, when his friends admonished and told him, how necessary that money which he neglected was, "Yes," he replied, "necessary to Nicodemus," pointing to a blind cripple.

Both seemed equally fitted by nature for all sorts of 4 excellence; but bodily exercises chiefly delighted Pelopidas, learning Epaminondas; and the one spent his spare hours in hunting, and at the palæstra, the other in hearing lectures or philosophising. And, amongst a thousand points for praise in both, the judicious esteem nothing equal to that constant benevolence and friendship which they preserved from first to last without reproach in so long a course of public conflicts, commands in war, and administration of the commonwealth. For if any one looks on the administrations of Aristides and Themistocles, of Cimon and Pericles, of Nicias and Alcibiades, what confusion, what envy, what mutual jealousy appears? And if he then turns his eyes to the affection and reverence that Pelopidas showed Epaminondas, he must needs confess, that these are more truly and more justly styled colleagues in government and command than the others, who strove rather to overcome one another than their enemies. The true cause of this was their virtue; whence it came that they did not make their actions aim at wealth and glory, an endeavour sure to lead to bitter and contentious jealousy; but both from the beginning being inflamed with a divine desire of seeing their country become glorious and powerful by their ex

ertions, they used to that end one another's excellences as their own. Many indeed think this extreme and entire affection is to be dated from the battle at ManB.C. 418. tinea*, where they both fought, being part of the succours that were sent from Thebes to the Lacedæmonians, their then friends and allies. For, being placed together amongst the heavy infantry and engaging the Arcadians, when the Lacedæmonian wing, in which they fought, gave ground, and almost all fled, they closed their shields together and resisted the assailants. Pelopidas, having received seven wounds in the fore part of his body, fell upon a heap of slain friends and enemies; and Epaminondas, though he thought him past recovery, advanced to defend his arms and body, and singly fought a number, resolving rather to die than forsake Pelopidas. And now, he too being much distressed, being wounded in the breast by a spear, and in the arm by a sword, Agesipolis, the king of the Spartans, came to his succour from the other wing, and beyond hope delivered both.

After

the

Antalci

5 Afterwards the Lacedæmonians being in profession friends and allies to Thebes †, but in truth looking with peace of jealous suspicions on the designs and power of the das, city, and chiefly hating the party of Ismenias and Androclidas, to which Pelopidas belonged, as tending to liberty and the advancement of the commonalty,

B.C. 387.

The first and less famous battle, which Alcibiades brought about in the time of the Peloponnesian war. (See above, p. 134.)

In the years following the end of the first Boeotian war (in which Lysander fell) and the conclusion of the peace of Antalcidas, B.C. 387; generally, however, it may apply to the whole period after the end of the Peloponnesian war.

SEIZURE OF THE CADMEA.

233

prise of

mea,

Archias, Leontidas, and Philip, all rich men and of oligarchical principles and immoderately ambitious, urged Phoebidas the Spartan, as he was on his way past the city with a considerable force, to surprise the Cadmea, and, expelling the contrary faction, to establish Suran oligarchy, and by that means subject the city to the the Cad supremacy of the Spartans. He, accepting the proposal, B.C.382. at the festival of Ceres unexpectedly fell on the Thebans, and made himself master of the citadel. Ismenias was taken, carried to Sparta, and in a short time put to death; but Pelopidas, Pherenicus, Androclidas, and many more escaped and were publicly proclaimed outlaws. Epaminondas stayed at home, being not much looked after, as one whom philosophy had made inactive and poverty incapable.

The Lacedæmonians cashiered Phœbidas, and fined 6 him one hundred thousand drachmas, yet still kept a garrison in the Cadmea; which made all Greece wonder at their inconsistency, since they punished the doer, but approved the deed. And though the Thebans, having lost their ancient government, and living as slaves under Archias and Leontidas, had not so much as a hope remaining to get free from this tyranny, which they saw guarded by the whole military power of the Spartans, and beyond any chance of being overthrown, unless these could be deposed from their command of sea and land, yet Leontidas and his associates, understanding that the exiles lived at Athens in favour with the people, and with honour from all the noble citizens, formed secret designs against their lives, and suborning some unknown persons, despatched Androclidas, but were not successful on the rest. Letters, besides, were sent

« AnteriorContinuar »