Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/226

 204 HISTORY OF GREECE. meeting alternately at Delphi and at Thermopylae, and composed ot twelve ancient races, principally belonging to Northern Greece, as well as most of them inconsiderable in power, presented itself as a convenient instrument for her purposes. There was a certain show of reason for considering the seizure of the Kadmeia by Phoebidas as a religious offence ; since it was not only executed during the Pyth- ian festival, but was in itself a glaring violation of the public law and interpolitical obligations recognized between Grecian cities ; which, like other obligations, were believed to be under the sanction of the gods ; though probably, if the Athenians and Platreans had pre- ferred a similar complaint to the Amphiktyons against Thebes for her equally unjust attempt to surprise Platasa under full peace in the spring of 431 B. c., both Spartans and Thebans would have resisted it. In the present case, however, the Thebans had a case against Sparta sufficiently plausible, when combined with their over- ruling ascendency, to carry a majority in the Amphiktyonic assem- bly, and to procure the imposition of this enormous fine. In itself the sentence produced no direct effect, which will explain the silence of Xenophon. But it is the first of a series of proceedings, connected with the Amphiktyons, which will be found hereafter pregnant with serious results for Grecian stability and inde- pendence. Among all the inhabitants of Peloponnesus, none were more powerfully affected, by the recent Spartan overthrow at Leuktrn, than the Arcadians. Tegea, their most important city, situated on the border of Laconia, was governed by an oligarchy wholly in the interest of Sparta : Orchomenus was of like sentiment ; and Man- tinea had been broken up into separate villages (about fifteen years before) by the Lacedaemonians themselves an act of high-handed injustice committed at the zenith of their power after the peace of Antalkidas. The remaining Arcadian population were in great proportion villagers ; rude men, but excellent soldiers, and always ready to follow the Lacedaemonian banners, as well from old habit and military deference, as from the love of plunder. 1 The defeat of Leuktra effaced this ancient sentiment. The Ar- cadians not only ceased to count upon victory and plunder in the service of Sparta, but began to fancy that their own military prow- 1 Xcn Hcllen. v, 2. 19.