Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/347

 CONDUCT OF THK THEBAN IIARJiOST. 3^5 prisoners there detained. They at the same time protested em- phatically against the arrest or the execution of any Arcadian, without previous trial before the Pan-Arcadian community ; and they pledged themselves in the name of Mantinea, to answer for the appearance of any Arcadian against whom charges might be preferred. 1 Upon receiving this requisition, the Theban harmost forthwith ^released all his prisoners. He then called together an assembly, seemingly attended by only a few persons, from feelings of mistrust, 2 wherein he explained that he had been misled, and that he had ordered the arrest upon a false report that a Lacedae- monian force was on the borders, prepared to seize the city in concert with treacherous correspondents within. A vote was passed accepting the explanation, though (according to Xenophon) no one believed it. Yet envoys were immediately sent to Thebes probably from the Mantineans and other Arcadians, complaining loudly of his conduct, and insisting that he should be punished with death. On a review of the circumstances, there seems reason for believ- ing that the Theban officer gave a true explanation of the motives under which he had acted. The fact of his releasing the prison- ers at the first summons, is more consistent with this supposition than with any other. Xenophon indeed says that his main object was to get possession of the Mantineans, and that, when he found but few of the latter among the persons seized, he was indifferent to the detention of the rest. But if such had been his purpose, he would hardly have set about it in so blind and clumsy a man ner. He would have done it while the Mantineans were still in the town, instead of waiting until after their departure. He would not have perpetrated an act offensive as well as iniquitous, without assuring himself that it was done at a time when the determining purpose was yet attainable. On the other hand, nothing can be more natural than the supposition that the more violent among the Arcadian epariti believed in the existence of a plot to betray Tegea to the Lacedaemonians, and impressed the Theban with a 1 Xen. Hellen. vii, 4, 37, 38. s Xen. Hellen. vii, 39. av/Ka7iiaag riw 'Apuicvv bnoaoi ye 6rj , uTTfAiyeZro, uf kt-