Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/184

 166 HISTORY OF GREECE northern slope of the range of Kithssron, between that mountain and the river Asopus, on the road from Athens to Thebes; and it is upon this first occasion that we become acquainted with the Boeotians and their polities. In one of my preceding vol- umes, 1 the Boeotian federation has already been briefly described, as composed of some twelve or thirteen autonomous towns under the headship of Thebes, which was, or professed to have been, their mother-city. Platcea had been, so the Thebans affirmed, their latest foundation ;- it was ill-used by them, and discontented with the alliance. Accordingly, as Kleomenes was on his way back from Athens, the Plateeans took the opportunity of address- ing themselves to him, craved the protection of Sparta against Thebes, and surrendered their town and territory without reserve. The Spartan king, having no motive to undertake a trust which promised nothing but trouble, advised them to solicit the protec- tion of Athens, as nearer and more accessible for them in case of need. He foresaw that this would embroil the Athenians with Boeotia ; and such anticipation was in fact his chief motive for giving the advice, which the Plataeans followed. Selecting an occasion of public sacrifice at Athens, they dispatched thither envoys, who sat down as suppliants at the altar, surrendei-ed their town to Athens, and implored protection against Thebes. Such an appeal was not to be resisted, and protection was promised ; it was soon needed, for the Thebans invaded the Platrcan territory, and an Athenian force marched to defend it. Battle was about to be joined, when the Corinthians interposed with their mediation, which was accepted by both parties. They decided altogether in favor of Platoea, pronouncing that the Thebans had no right to employ force against any seceding member of the Boeotian feder- ation. 3 But the Thebans, finding the decision against them, refused to abide by it, and, attacking the Athenians on their re- turn, sustained a complete defeat : the latter avenged this breach of faith by joining to Platsea the portion of Theban territory south of the Asopus, and making that river the limit between 1 Sec vol. ii. p. 295, p^t ii, ch.3. * Thucyd. iii. 61. 3 Herodot. vi. 108. eav Qr/Jaiovf BOI'-ITUV 7">iV ftrj /?ov^o^evovf ff Bcturovt rehieiv. This is an important circunstanc f repa-d t.0 Grecian jolitical feeling : I shall advert