Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/110

 S8 HISTORY OF GREECE. horsmen and hoplites hastened in arms to the agora. Here for the first time since the seizure of the Kadmeia by Phoebidas, a formal assembly of the Theban people was convened, before which Pelopidas and his fellow-conspirators presented themselves. The priests of the city crowned them with wreaths, and thanked them in the name of the local gods ; while the assembly hailed them with acclamations of delight and gratitude, nominating with one voice Pelopidas, Mellon, and Charon, &s the first renewed Boetarchs. 1 The revival of this title, which had been dropped since the peace of Antalkidas, was in itself an event of no mean significance ; implying not merely that Thebes had waked up again into freedom, but that the Boeotian confederacy also had been, or would be, restored. Messengers had been forthwith despatched by the conspirators to Attica to communicate their success ; upon which all the re- maining exiles, with the two Athenian generals privy to the plot, and a body of Athenian volunteers, or corps francs, all of whom were ready on the borders awaiting the summons, flocked to Thebes to complete the work. The Spartan generals, on their side also, sent to Platse and Thespias for aid. During the whole night, they had been distracted and alarmed by the disturbance in the city ; lights showing themselves here and there, with trumpets sounding and shouts for the recent success. 2 Apprised speedily of the slaughter of the polemarchs, from whom they had been accus- tomed to receive orders, they knew not whom to trust or to con- sult, while they were doubtless beset by affrighted fugitives of the now defeated party, who wocld hurry up the Kadmeia for safety. They reckoned at first on a diversion in their favor from the forces at Platae and Thespiae. But these forces were not permitted even to approach the city gate ; being vigorously charged, as soon as they came in sight, by the newly-mustered Theban cavalry, and forced to retreat with loss. The Lacedaemonians in the citadel were thus not only left without support, but saw their enemies in welcomed in Thebes, and the ardor with which the citizens turned out to support it by armed force, is attested by Xenophon, no very willing wit- ness, Hellen. v, 4, 9. Eirel (5' ?/fiepa qv Hal avepbv fyv riyeye^tevov, ra%i 3rj Kal ol bnTurai Kal ol Imrslf ovv rolf oTT/loff ^e l 8ojj'9ovv 1 Plutarch, Pelop. c. 12.
 * Plutarch, De Gen. Socr, p. 598 E. ; Pelop. c. 12.