Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/70

 •Jg HISTORY OF GREECE. spite of strong persuasion to the contrary,^ we see plainly that they had ah'eady felt the bitterness of Macedonian dominion, and that sooner than endure a renewal of it, sure to be yet worse, coupled with the dishonor of surrendering their leaders — they had made up their minds to perish with the freedom of their city. At a time when the sentiment of Hellas as an autonomous system was passing away, and •« hen Grecian courage was degen- erating into a mere instrument for the aggrandizement of Mace- donian chiefs, these countrymen of Epaminondas and Pelopidas set an example of devoted self-sacrifice in the cause of Grecian liberty, not less honorable than that of Leonidas at Thermopylie, and only less esteemed because it proved infructuous. In reply to the proclamation of Alexander, the Thebans made from their walls a counter-proclamation, demanding the surrender of his officers Antipater and Philotas, and inviting every one to join them, who desired, in concert with the Persian king and the Thebans, to liberate the Greeks and put down the despot of Hellas.^ Such a haughty defiance and retort incensed Alexan- der to the quick. He brought up his battering engines and pre- pared everything for storming the town. Of the murderous as- sault which folloAved, we find different accounts, not agreeing with each other, yet not wholly irreconcilable. It appears that the Thebans had erected, probably in connection with their ope- rations against the Kadmeia, an outwork defended by a double palisade. Their walls were guarded by the least effective sol- diers, metics and liberated slaves ; while their best troops were bold enough to go forth in front of the gates and give battle. Alexander divided his army into three divisions ; one under Perdikkas and Amyntas, against the outwork — a second, des- tined to combat the Thebans who sallied out — and a third, held in reserve. Between the second of these three divisions, and the Thebans in front of the gates, the battle was so obstinately contested, that success at one time seemed doubtful, and Alexan- der was forced to order up his reserve. The first Macedonian success was gained by Perdikkas,^ who, aided by the division of ' Diodor. xvii. 9. * Diodor. xvii. 9. ' The attack of Perdikkas was represented by Ptolemy, from wliom Arrian copies (i. 8, 1), not only as being the first and only attack rtade by tlia