Pelopidas   

who was till then invincible; the other, in a set battle beating the
Lacedaemonians, then supreme both at sea and land; they ventured at
last too far, and were heedlessly prodigal of their lives, when there
was the greatest need of men and commanders such as they. And this
agreement in their characters and their deaths is the reason why I
compare their lives.
Pelopidas, the son of Hippoclus, was descended, as likewise Epaminondas
was, from an honourable family in Thebes; and, being brought up to
opulence, and having a fair estate left him whilst he was young, he
made it his business to relieve the good and deserving amongst the
poor, that he might show himself lord and not slave of his estate.
For amongst men, as Aristotle observes, some are too narrow-minded
to use their wealth, and some are loose and abuse it; and these live
perpetual slaves to their pleasures, as the others to their gain.
Others permitted themselves to be obliged by Pelopidas, and thankfully
made use of his liberality and kindness; but amongst all his friends
he could never persuade Epaminondas to be a sharer in his wealth.
He, however, stepped down into his poverty, and took pleasure in the
same poor attire, spare diet, unwearied endurance of hardships, and
unshrinking boldness in war; like Capaneus in Euripides, who had-
"Abundant wealth and in that wealth no pride," he was ashamed any
one should think that he spent more upon his person than the meanest
Theban. Epaminondas made his familiar and hereditary poverty more
light and easy by his philosophy and single life; but Pelopidas married
a woman of good family, and had children; yet still thinking little
of his private interests, and devoting all his time to the public,
he ruined his estate: and, when his friends admonished and told him
how necessary that money which he neglected was: "Yes," he replied,
"necessary to Nicodemus," pointing to a blind cripple.
Both seemed equally fitted by nature for all sorts of excellence;
but bodily exercises chiefly delighted Pelopidas, learning Epaminondas;
and the one spent his spare hours in hunting and the Palaestra, the
other in hearing lectures or philosophizing. And, amongst a thousand
points for praise in both, the judicious esteem nothing equal to that
constant benevolence and friendship, which they inviolably preserved
in all their expeditions, public actions, and administration of the
commonwealth. For if any one looks on the administrations of Aristides
and Themistocles, of Cimon and Pericles, of Nicias and Alcibiades,
what confusion, what envy, what mutual jealousy appears? And if he
then casts his eye on the kindness and reverence that Pelopidas showed
Epaminondas, he must needs confess that these are more truly and more
justly styled colleagues in government and command than the others,
who strove rather to overcome one another than their enemies. The
true cause of this was their virtue; whence it came that they did
not make their actions aim at wealth and glory, an endeavour sure
to lead to bitter and contentious jealousy; but both from the beginning
being inflamed with a divine desire of seeing their country glorious
by their exertions, they used to that end one another's excellences
as their own. Many, indeed, think this strict and entire affection
is to be dated from the battle at Mantinea, where they both fought,
being part of the succours that were sent from Thebes to the Lacedaemonians,
their then friends and allies. For, being placed together amongst
the infantry, and engaging the Arcadians, when the Lacedaemonian wing,
in which they fought, gave ground, and many fled, they closed their
shields together and resisted the assailants. Pelopidas, having received
seven wounds in the forepart of his body, fell upon an heap of slain
friends and enemies; but Epaminondas, though he thought him past recovery,
advanced to defend his arms and body, and singly fought a multitude,
resolving rather to die than forsake his helpless Pelopidas. And now,
he being much distressed, being wounded in the breast by a spear,
and in the arm by a sword, Agesipolis, the King of the Spartans, came
to his succour from the other wing, and beyond hope delivered both.
After this the Lacedaemonians pretended to be friends to Thebes, but
in truth looked with jealous suspicions on the designs and power of