Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/356

 334 HISTORY OF GREECE. made their appearance, having advanced even to the temple of Po- seidon, within less than a mile of the gates. 1 The Mantineans were terror-struck at this event. Their military citizens were absent on the march to Sparta, while the remainder were dispersed about the fields. In this helpless condition, they implored aid from the newly-arrived Athenian cavalry ; who, though hungry and tired, immediately went forth, and indeed were obliged to do so, since their own safety depended upon it. The assailants were excellent cavlary, Thebans and Thessulinns, and more numerous than the Athenians. Yet such was the gal- lantry with which the latter fought, in a close and bloody action, that on the whole they gained the advantage, forced the assailants to retire, and had the satisfaction to preserve Mantinea with all its citizens and property. Xenophon extols 2 (and doubtless with good reason) the generous energy of the Athenians, in going forth hungry and fatigued. But we must recollect that the Theban cavalry had undergone yet more severe hunger and fatigue, that Epaminondas would never have sent them forward in such condition, had he expected any serious resistance ; and that they probably dispersed to some extent, for the purpose of plundering and seizing subsistence in the fields through which they passed, so that they were found in disorder when the Athenians sallied out upon them. The Athenian cavalry-commander Kephisodorus, 3 1 Polybius, ix, 8. 2 Xcn. Hellcn. vii, 5, 15, 16, 17. Plutarch (De Gloria Athcn. p. 346 D. E.) recounts the general fact of this battle and the rescue of Mantinea; yet with several inaccuracies which we refute by means of Xenophon. Diodor. (xv, 84) mentions the rescue of Mantinea by the unexpected ar- rival of the Athenians ; but he states them as being six thousand soldiers, that is hoplites, under Hegelochus ; and he says nothing about the cavalry battle. Hegesilaus is named by Ephorus (ap. Diog. Laert. ii, 54, com- pare Xenoph. De Vectigal. iii, 7) as the general of the entire force sent out by Athens on this occasion, consisting of infantry as well as cavalry The infantry must have come up somewhat later. Polybius also (ix, 8), though concurring in the main with Xenophon, dif fers in several details. I follow the narrative of Xenophon. 3 Harpokration v, K^tcrodwpof, Ephorus ap. Diogen. Laert. ii, 53 ; Pai Ban. 1, 3, 4; viii, 9, 8 ; viii, 11, 5. There is a confusion, on several points, between this cavalry battle nsar Mantinea, and the great or general battle, which speedily followed it,