Pelopidas   

the city, and chiefly hated the party of Ismenias and Androclides,
in which Pelopidas also was an associate, as tending to liberty and
the advancement of the commonalty. Therefore Archias, Leontidas, and
Philip, all rich men, and of oligarchical principles, and immoderately
ambitious, urged Phoebidas the Spartan, as he was on his way past
the city with a considerable force, to surprise the Cadmea, and, banishing
the contrary faction, to establish an oligarchy, and by that means
subject the city to the supremacy of the Spartans. He, accepting the
proposal, at the festival of Ceres unexpectedly fell on the Thebans,
and made himself master of the citadel. Ismenias was taken, carried
to Sparta, and in a short time murdered; but Pelopidas, Pherenicus,
Androclides, and many more that fled were publicly proclaimed outlaws.
Epaminondas stayed at home, being not much looked after, as one whom
philosophy had made inactive and poverty incapable.
The Lacedaemonians cashiered Phoebidas, and fined him one hundred
thousand drachmas, yet still kept a garrison in the Cadmea; which
made all Greece wonder at their inconsistency, since they punished
the doer, but approved the deed. And though the Thebans, having lost
their polity, and being enslaved by Archias and Leontidas, had no
hopes to get free from this tyranny, which they saw guarded by the
whole military power of the Spartans, and had no means to break the
yoke, unless these could be deposed from their command of sea and
land; yet Leontidas and his associates, understanding the exiles lived
at Athens in favour with the people, and with honour from all the
good and virtuous, formed secret designs against their lives, and,
suborning some unknown fellows, despatched Androclides, but were not
successful on the rest. Letters, besides, were sent from Sparta to
the Athenians, warning them neither to receive nor countenance the
exiles, but expel them as declared common enemies of the confederacy.
But the Athenians, from their natural hereditary inclination to be
kind, and also to make a grateful return to the Thebans, who had very
much assisted them in restoring their democracy, and had publicly
enacted, that if any Athenian would march armed through Boeotia against
the tyrants, that no Boeotian should either see or hear it, did the
Thebans no harm.
Pelopidas, though one of the youngest, was active in privately exciting
each single exile; and often told them at their meetings that it was
both dishonourable and impious to neglect their enslaved and engarrisoned
country, and, lazily contented with their own lives and safety, depend
on the decree of the Athenians, and through fear fawn on every smooth-tongued
orator that was able to work upon the people: no, they must venture
for this great prize, taking Thrasybulus's bold courage for example,
and as he advanced from Thebes and broke the power of the Athenian
tyrants, so they should march from Athens and free Thebes. When by
this method he had persuaded them, they privately despatched some
persons to those friends they had left at Thebes, and acquainted them
with their designs. Their plans being approved, Charon, a man of the
greatest distinction, offered his house for their reception; Phillidas
contrived to get himself made secretary to Archias and Philip, who
then held the office of polemarch or chief captain; and Epaminondas
had already inflamed the youth. For, in their exercises, he had encouraged
them to challenge and wrestle with the Spartans, and again, when he
saw them puffed up with victory and success, sharply told them, that
it was the greatest shame to be such cowards as to serve those whom
in strength they so much excelled.
The day of action being fixed, it was agreed upon by the exiles that
Pherenicus with the rest should stay at the Thriasian plain, while
some few of the younger men tried the first danger, by endeavouring
to get into the city; and, if they were surprised by their enemies,
the others should take care to provide for their children and parents.
Pelopidas first offered to undertake the business; then Melon, Damoclides,
and Theopompus, men of noble families, who, in other things loving
and faithful to one another, were rivals constant only in glory and
courageous exploits. They were twelve in all, and having taken leave