Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/84

 62 HISTORY OF GREECE. worse than the surprise of Platsea by the Thebans before the Pelo- ponnesian war, which admitted of the partial excuse that war was at any rate impending ; whereas in this case, the Thebans had neither done nor threatened anything to violate the peace of An- talkidas. It stood condemned by the indignant sentiment of all Greece, unwillingly testified even by the philo-Laconian Xenophon 1 himself. But it was at the same time an immense accession to Spartan power. It had been achieved with preeminent skill and success ; and Phoebidas might well claim to have struck for Sparta the most important blow since JEgospotami, relieving her from one of her two really formidable enemies. 2 Nevertheless, far from receiving thanks at Sparta, he became the object of wrath and condemnation, both with the ephors and che citizens generally. Every one was glad to throw upon him the odium of the proceeding, and to denounce him as having acted without orders. Even the ephors, who had secretly authorized him beforehand to cooperate generally with the faction at Thebes, having doubtless never given any specific instructions, now indig- nantly disavowed him. Agesilaus alone stood forward in his de- fence, contending that the only question was, whether his proceed- big at Thebes had been injurious or beneficial to Sparta. If the former, he merited punishment ; if the latter, it was always lawful to render service, even impromptu and without previous orders. Tried by this standard, the verdict was not doubtful. For every man at Sparta felt how advantageous the act was in itself; and felt it still more, when Leontiades reached the city, humble in solicitation as well as profuse in promise. In his speech addressed 1 Xen. Hellen. v, 4, 1. 2 It is curious that Xenophon, treating Phoebidas as a man more warm- hearted than wise, speaks of him as if he had rendered no real service to Sparta by the capture of the Kadmeia (v, 2, 28). The explanation of this is, that Xenophon wrote his history at a later period, after the defeat at Leuktra and the downfall of Sparta ; which downfall was brought about by the reaction against her overweening and oppressive dominion, especially after the capture of the Kadmeia, or (in the pious creed of Xenophon) by the displeasure of the gods, which such iniquity drew down upon her (v, 4, 1 ). In this way, therefore, it is made out that Phojbidas had not acted with true wisdom, and that he had done his country more harm than good a criticism, which we may be sure that no man advanced, at the time af the capture itself, or during the three years after it.