Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/109

 CONSPIRATORS SUCCESSFUL. 87 The four great rulers of the philo-Laconian party in Thebes hav- ing been now put to death, Phyllidas proceeded with the conspir- ators to the prison. Here the gaoler, a confidential agent in the oppressions of the deceased governors, hesitated to admit him ; but was slain by a sudden thrust with his spear, so as to ensur6 free admission to all. To liberate the prisoners, probably, for the most part men of kindred politics with the conspirators, to furnish them with arms taken from the battle-spoils hanging up in the neighboring porticos, and to range them in battle order near the temple of.Amphion, were the next proceedings ; after which they began to feel some assurance of safety and triumph. 1 Epami- nondas and Gorgidas, apprised of what had occurred, were the first who appeared in arms with a few friends to sustain the cause ; while proclamation was everywhere made aloud, through heralds, that the despots were slain, that Thebes was free, and that all Thebans who valued freedom should muster in arms in the market-place. There were at that moment in Thebes many trum- peters who had come to contend for the prize at the approaching festival of the Herakleia. Hipposthenidas engaged these men to blow their trumpets in different parts of the city, and thus every- where to excite the citizens to arms. 2 Although during the darkness surprise was the prevalent feel- ing, and no one knew what to do, yet so soon as day dawned, and the truth became known, there was but one feeling of joy and patriotic enthusiasm among the majority of the citizens. 3 Both appears to me altogether improbable. On the other hand, Xenophon men- tions nothing about the defence ofLeontiades and his personal conflict with Pelopidas, which I copy from Plutarch. So brave a man as Leontiades, a- wake and sober, would not let himself be slain without a defence dangerous to assailants. Plutarch, in another place, singles out the death of Leontia- des as the marking circumstance of the whole glorious enterprise, and the most impressive to Pelopidas (Plutarch Non pose suaviter vivi secundum Epicurum p. 1099 A-E.). l. Xenoph. Hell, v, 4, 8 ; Plutarch, Pel op. c. 12 ; De Gen. Socr. p. 598 B. 2 This is a curious piece of detail, which we learn from Plutarch (De Gen. Socr. c. 34. p. 598 D.). The Orchomcninn Inscriptions in Boeckh's Collection record the prizes given to these Sa/lTrty/crat or trumpeters (see Boeckh, Corp. Inscr. No. 1584, '585. etc.).
 * Tho unanimous joy with which the consummation of the revolution was