Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/288

 266 HISTORY OF GREECE. thousand men (if we are to believe Diodorus) were slain, withouf the loss of a single Lacedaemonian. Of this easy and important victory, or, as it came to be called, " the tearless battle," news was forthwith transmitted by the herald Demoteles to Sparta. So powerful was the emotion produced by his tale, that all the Spartans who heard it burst into tears ; Agesilaus, the Senators, and the ephors, setting the example; 1 a striking proof how humbled, and disaccustomed to the idea of victory, their minds had recently become ! a striking proof also, when we compare it with the inflexible self-control which marked their reception of the disastrous tidings from Leuktra, how much more irresistible is unexpected joy than unexpected grief, in working on these minds of iron temper ! So offensive had been the insolence of the Arcadians, that the news of their defeat was not unwelcome even to their allies the Thebans and Eleians. It made them feel that they were not independent of Theban aid, and determined Epaminondas again to show himself in Peloponnesus, with the special view of enrol- ling the Achaeans in his alliance. The defensive line of Oneium was still under occupation by the Lacedaemonians and Athenians, who had their head-quarters at Corinth. Yet having remained unattacked all the preceding year, it was now so negligently guarded, that Peisias, the general of Argos, instigated by a pri- vate request of Epaminondas, was enabled suddenly to seize the heights above Kenchreae, with a force of two thousand men and seven days' provision. The Theban commander, hastening his march, thus found the line of Oneium open near Kenchreas, and entered Peloponnesus without resistance; after which he pro- ceeded, joined by his Peloponnesian allies, against the cities in Achaia. 2 Until the battle of Leuktra, these cities had been among 1 Xen. Hellen. vii, 1, 26-.S2; Diodor. xv, 72 ; Plutarch, Agesil. c. 33. belongs to 367 u. c. ; being simultaneous with the embassy of Pelopidas to the Persian court. Many chronologers place it in 366 B. c., after the con- clusion of that embassy ; because the mention of it occurs in Xenophon after he has brought the embassy to a close. But I do not conceive that this proves the fact of subsequent date. For we must recollect that the em- bassy lasted several months; moreover the expedition was made while Epaminondas was Bceotarch ; and he ceased to be so during the year 36#
 * I think that this third expedition of Epaminondas into Peloponnesus