THEBES, the name of a celebrated city of ancient Greece. It is supposed to have been built by Cadmus, about the year of the world 2355. This Cadmus, according to the Greeks, was the son of Agenor king of Sidon or of Tyre; but the Sidonians allow him to have been of no higher quality than his cook, and tell us that his wife was a musician at court, with whom he ran away into Greece. The Greek writers aver, that being commanded by his father to go in search of his daughter Europa, whom Jupiter in the shape of bull had carried off, and being forbidden to return [7:21:195]without her, he built, or rebuilt, the city of Thebes, after having long sought her in vain. He was at first opposed by the Hyantes and Aones; the former of whom he defeated in battle, and forced to retire into Locris; the latter submitted, and were incorporated among his subjects.

Those who endeavour to extract some truth from the multitude of fables in which the early part of the Grecian history is obscured, are of opinion that Cadmus was one of the Canaanites expelled by Joshua; and that he was of the family of the Cadmonites mentioned by Moses and Joshua. He is allowed to have introduced the Phoenician letters into Greece, established the first schools, and introduced brass, which, from him, had the name of Cadmean given to it. The government of Thebes continued for a long time monarchical; and the names of a number of its kings have been transmitted to us, with some account of their transactions, though much obscured by fable.

Although the Thebans had been famed in the early period of their history for their martial achievements, yet in process of time they seem to have degenerated. At the time of the invasion of Xerxes, they were the first people in Greece who were gained over to the Persian interest. On account of this conduct, they became very obnoxious to the other states, especially to the Athenians, whose power and renown increased every day. The Thebans being in no condition to oppose such a formidable power, placed themselves under the protection of the Spartans, who, out of jealousy of the Athenians, readily forgave them; and so grateful were the Thebans for the kindness shown them at this time, that during the whole of the Peloponnesian war Sparta had not a more faithful ally. By these means they not only recovered the government of Boeotia, of which they had formerly been in possession, till deprived of it on account of their siding with the Persians, but their city became one of the first in Greece. By this prosperity the Thebans were so much elated, that, when the peace of Antalcidas came to be signed, they refused to agree to it, as they were thus once more deprived of the government of Boeotia; so that it was not without the utmost difficulty that they were overawed by the other states. Not content with forcing them to give up this point, however, the Spartans undertook to change the form of the Theban government, which at this time was a democracy, and accomplished their purpose, through the treachery of those who had the care of the citadel.

The Thebans continued under the power of the Spartans for four years; at the expiration of which, a conspiracy being formed against them by some of the principal people in the city, among whom was a young nobleman named Pelopidas, the Spartans were all massacred or driven out, and the citadel was regained. During the tumult Epaminondas, afterwards the celebrated general, with a number of the best citizens, joined the party of Pelopidas; and the latter having called a general assembly of the Thebans, proclaimed liberty to them, and exhorted them in the strongest manner to fight for their country. This speech was received with the greatest acclamations; Pelopidas was unanimously declared the preserver of Thebes, and was charged with the management of the war which was then to be undertaken against Sparta.

These transactions so much exasperated the Spartans, that they immediately sent their king Cleombrotus against them, though it was then the depth of winter. The Athenians, in the mean time, who had hitherto assisted the Thebans, declined any further connection, lest they should draw upon themselves the resentment of the Spartans. But they were soon afterwards determined to act again on the same side, by an attempt which the Spartan general, Sphodnas, had rashly made on the Pyraeus, or harbour of Athens. Thus, by means of the Athenians, a powerful diversion was made in favour of the Thebans, who gradually recovered all the towns of Boeotia, and at length began to act offensively against their enemies, and made a powerful invasion in Phocis. They had now many sharp encounters, which, though they did not amount to decisive battles, yet did not fail to raise their courage, and depress that of the Spartans. In these encounters Pelopidas always signalized himself; and in the battle of Tanagra, where the Lacedaemonians were entirely defeated by the Athenians and their allies, Pelopidas had a principal share in the victory, and killed the Spartan general with his own hand. Soon after this, with a body of only 300 Thebans, he entirely routed and dispersed nearly 1000 Spartans, which was the greatest disgrace that the latter had ever known; for till that crisis, whether in war with the Greeks or barbarians, they had never been overcome by an equal, much less by such an inferior number of troops.

These successes of the Thebans greatly alarmed the Athenians, who continually sought to oppose their growing power. In this opposition they were joined by the Plataeans, who on that account became extremely obnoxious to the Thebans, so that they at last came to a resolution to surprise their city. This they accomplished, and entirely destroyed it, together with Thespia, another city extremely well affected to Athens. Encouraged by their success, the Thebans soon afterwards began to think of enlarging their territories, and of making encroachments on their neighbours, as they saw other states had done before them. This spirit of conquest is said to have been raised by their general Pelopidas. He was seconded by Epaminondas, a person who, though like him endowed with all the necessary qualities to make a complete captain or patriot, had till then preferred a private life, and lived in a constant course of virtue and the study of philosophy. He had as yet seldom appeared in public, except to get himself excused from those state employments which were so eagerly courted by others. This, however, had not hindered him from contracting an intimate friendship with Pelopidas, which had been daily improved by the correspondence of their tempers and principles, as well as by that zeal which both displayed for the good of their country. Before this period, they had often appeared together in action, and to such advantage, that Epaminondas’s merit could no longer be concealed, nor indeed suffer him to continue longer in his beloved retirement. He at length found himself placed at the head of the Theban troops; where he gave such early proofs of his future prowess and abilities as justly secured him the next rank to Pelopidas. Both came now to be considered in the same light, as generals in the field, as governors at home, and as complete statesmen in the council. When the general treaty for restoring peace to Greece came to be proposed by the Athenians, and was upon the point of being executed by the rest of the states, the Thebans refused to agree to it, unless they were comprehended in it under the name of Boeotians. This demand was as strenuously opposed by the other contracting powers as insisted on by Epaminondas, who was there as ambassador on the part of the Thebans. Agesilaus, in particular, told him in plain terms that the Thebans ought to evacuate Boeotia, and leave the cities of it free and independent. He replied, that the Lacedaemonians would do well to set them the example, by restoring Messenia to its ancient proprietors, and Laconia to its ancient freedom; and that the pretensions of the city of Thebes to Boeotia were at least as well founded as those of Sparta to those two countries. He then proceeded to shew how far Sparta had aggrandized herself at the expense of her neighbours; that peace might be indeed obtained, and upon a solid and lasting footing; but that this could pot be otherwise than by admitting the principle of equality. His bold though just remonstrance, in which not only Thebes, but Greece in general, was concerned, failed not to exasperate the haughty Spartan monarch; and the Athenians, who had till now looked upon the Thebans as dependants either on [7:21:196] them or on the Macedonians, were not a little offended to hear their ambassador talk in such a high strain. The result of the conference was, that Agesilaus struck the name of Thebes out of the treaty, and declared war against them, about the year 371 b. c.

The Thebans were in no small consternation to see themselves engaged in a war with the powerful Spartans, without any ally to assist them; and the rest of the Grecian states having made peace with the latter, began to look upon the ruin of the former as unavoidable. They however resolved to make the best defence they could; and placed their army under the command of Epaminondas, assigning him, at his own request, six individuals to act as counsellors or assistants. The Theban army consisted at most of 6000 men, whereas that of the enemy was at least thrice that number; but Epaminondas chiefly trusted to his horse, in which he had much the advantage both in quality and good management. The rest he endeavoured to supply by the disposition of his men, and the vigour of his attack. He even refused to suffer any to serve under him in the engagement, but such as he knew to be fully resolved to conquer or die. The two armies met at Leuctra, where the Spartans were defeated with great slaughter, as related under that article.

The victorious general, desirous to improve this great victory, sent a herald, crowned with garlands, to communicate it in form to the Athenians, in hopes that this would be an effectual means to reunite them to the Theban interest. But the Athenians, who now looked upon them with a jealous eye, and had in view the sovereignty of Greece, w<ndd not even grant their herald an audience. The Thebans took care to strengthen themselves by alliances; and, besides the Arcadians and EleAns, had brought the Phocians, Locrians, Acarnanians, Euboeans, and other states, under their dependence; so that they were now in a condition to act offensively against the Spartans. Accordingly, under pretence of assisting the Arcadians, they entered Peloponnesus with a gallant army, with Epaminondas and Pelopidas at its head. Here they were joined by the Arcadian and other confederate forces; so that the whole amounted to 40,000, or, according to some accounts, 50,000 men, besides great numbers of those who followed the camp, rather for plunder than fighting, and were computed at about 20,000 more. The army was divided into four columns, and moved towards Sellasia, the place of rendezvous, from which they pursued their march with fire and sword towards Sparta. But here they were repulsed by Agesilaus, who was then returned to that metropolis.

To repair, in some measure, this disgrace, and at the same time to leave some lasting monument which should redound as much to his glory as to the mortification of the Spartans, Epaminondas left not their territories till he had restored the posterity of the Messenians to their ancient dominions, from which they had been banished nearly 300 years; rebuilt their capital, and left a strong garrison for its defence. He was, however, nearly cut off in his return by Iphicrates, whom the Athenians had sent with 12,000 men to intercept him; but this general loitered so long at Corinth, that the Thebans had passed the defiles of Cenchreae, the chief place where he could have obstructed their retreat had he taken possession of it in proper time. Epaminondas continued his march till he came in full view of the city of Corinth. He found the roads choked up with trees, rocks, stones, and every thing that could render them impassable; and the Corinthians well fortified, and resolute on a stout defence. But he advanced so furiously upon them, notwithstanding all these difficulties, that they abandoned all their intrenchments and outworks to the Thebans, and fled into the city. Thither these pursued them sword in band, and made a horrid slaughter; insomuch that Corinth must inevitably have fallen into their hands had their generals thought fit to pursue these advantages; but whether they were afraid of the Athenians falling upon them, or apprehended some dangerous ambush in a country with which they were but indifferently acquainted, or whether the army was too much weakened through so many fatigues, or, lastly, whether the coldness of the season, it being then the depth of winter, would not permit them to proceed farther, they immediately marched towards Boeotia. This gave such an advantage to their enemies, that they met with a very mortifying reception on their return to Thebes, where they were both arrested, and seized as state-prisoners, for having presumed to prolong their command four months longer than the time limited by law, which time included almost the whole of their expedition from their first entrance into Peloponnesus. At last, however, the judges being ashamed to proceed any further, they were both honourably acquitted. This prosecution had been chiefly carried on and encouraged by Meneclides, a discontented Theban, and a bold and able speaker, who by his artful calumnies at the trial, had so far prevailed with the judges as to get Epaminondas deprived of the government of Boeotia for a whole year, though he could not gain the same advantage against Pelopidas, who was a greater favourite of the people, as being his senior.

By this delay the Spartans, with much difficulty, had recovered themselves from their great defeat at Leuctra, and settled their affairs in as good a posture as they could; but though they had repulsed the Thebans in Peloponnesus, yet from the exploits which they had performed there, especially in dismembering the whole kingdom of Messenia from them, they had still cause to fear what their forces might accomplish under two such generals, and had accordingly taken due care to strengthen themselves against them, and to provide a great number of auxiliaries from other states, especially from that of Athens, with whom they had renewed their old treaty, and had agreed that each should have the command five days alternately. Soon after this treaty the Arcadians renewed the war, and took Palene in Laconia by storm, put the garrison to the sword, and were presently assisted by the Argives and Eleans, and especially by the Thebans, who sent to them 7000 foot, and 500 horse under the command of Epaminondas. This measure so alarmed the Athenians that they immediately sent Gobrias with some forces to oppose his passage; and he so behaved himself against the Thebans that they were a second time forced to abandon Peloponnesus. This ill success gave fresh occasion to the enemies of Epaminondas to blame his conduct in the highest terms, notwithstanding the singular bravery with which he and his troops had forced the pass. Even his friends could not but suspect him of partiality for the Spartans, in not pursuing his advantage over them, and making a greater slaughter of them when he had it in his power; while his enemies made it amount to no less than treachery to his country; so that their brave general was once more deprived of the government of Boeotia, and reduced to the condition of a private man. He did not continue long under this disgrace before an occasion offered to make his services again of such necessity to the state, as to give him an opportunity to retrieve his fame, and wipe off the stain which his enemies had thrown upon him.

The Thessalians, who had groaned some time under the tyranny of the usurper Alexander, surnamed the Pheraean, sent an embassy to Thebes to implore their aid and protection; upon which Pelopidas was immediately sent as ambassador to expostulate with him on their behalf. He was then in Macedon, from whence he took the young prince Philip, afterwards the celebrated monarch, in order to protect and educate him; and upon his return marched directly to Pharsalus in Thessaly, in order to punish the treachery of some mercenaries who had deserted the The [7:21:197]bans in that expedition; but when he came thither he was surprised to be met by the tyrant nt the head of a numerous army before that city, while he himself was only accompanied by a very small band. Acting as if he had supposed that Alexander came hither to justify himself, and answer to the complaints alleged against him, he advanced, with Ismenias his colleague, unarmed and unattended, not doubting but his character as ambassador from so powerful a republic, joined to his own character and authority, would protect them from insult or violence; but he found himself mistaken, for Alexander had no sooner got them into his hands, than he caused them to be seized and sent prisoners to Pheraea.

The Thebans highly resenting the indignity offered to their ambassadors, sent immediately an army into Thessaly; but the generals were repulsed with great loss by the usurper; and it was owing to Epaminondas, who was among them only as a private centinel, that they were not totally cut off. For the Thebans, finding themselves in such imminent danger, which they attributed to the incapacity of their generals, had immediately recourse to him, whose valour and experience had been so often tried; and, partly by persuasions and entreaties, and partly by threats, obliged him to take the command. This soon gave a different turn to their affairs, and converted their flight into a safe and regular retreat; for he took the horse and light-armed foot, and placed himself at their head in the rear, and charged the enemy with such vigour and bravery, that he obliged them to desist from their pursuit.

As the army had suffered such loss as not to be able to pursue them in their turn, he was obliged to march for Thebes, accompanied by the pusillanimous generals. They were fined 12,000 drachms each, and Epaminondas was reinstated in the command, and sent with a new reinforcement to repair the late dishonour, and prosecute their revenge. The news of his being in full march greatly alarmed Alexander; but the general, preferring the safety of his imprisoned colleague to all other considerations, forbore pushing hostilities to extremes, for fear of provoking the enemy to wreak all his fury on him. He contented himself for a while hovering about with his army, and now and then with such slight skirmishes as should intimidate the tyrant, and bring him the sooner to make some satisfactory offers. Alexander being fully convinced of the superiority of the Theban general, was glad to accept of a truce of thirty days, and to release Pelopidas and Ismenias; upon which Epaminondas immediately withdrew his forces, and returned with them to Thebes.

By this time Thebes was raised to a sufficient height of reputation and glory to begin to aim in earnest at the sovereignty of Greece. The main obstacle to it was, that the other states grew so jealous of her present greatness, as to enter into the strongest alliances and confederacies to prevent its further growth; so that being now unable to procure many allies at home, they made no difficulty to seek for them abroad; and the Lacedaemonians, by setting the example, gave them a plausible pretence to follow their steps, and procure an alliance with Persia, which at that time they found was ready to accept of the offers on any terms; the only question was, which of the three states should be preferred, Sparta, Athens, or Thebes. At the same time the Thebans proposed to their new confederates to send proper deputies to the Persian court, in order to support their respective interests. These were the Arcadians, Eleans, and Argives, at the head of whose deputation Pelopidas was sent on behalf of the Thebans; and the Athenians being apprized of these proceedings, likewise sent two deputies. Being all arrived at the Persian court, they began to pursue each their respective interests; but Pelopidas had by that time gained such credit, both for his singular address and his extraordinary exploits, that he was distinguished in a particular manner from all the other deputies, and was received by the king with manifest marks of honour and esteem, who freely owned himself convinced that the Thebans were the people on whom he could most safely depend; and after having greatly applauded the equity of his demands, he ratified and confirmed them with great readiness, to the no small mortification of the other states. The substance of them was, that the liberties formerly granted to the other towns of Greece should be confirmed, that Messenia in particular should continue free and independent on the jurisdiction of Sparta; that the Athenians should lay up their fleet; and that the Thebans should be looked upon as the ancient and hereditary friends of Persia.

The Thebans took advantage of the dissensions which prevailed among the Greeks as a pretence for increasing their forces; and Epaminondas thought it a proper opportunity for his countrymen to make a bold effort to obtain the dominion at sea, as they had in a great measure obtained it at land. He proposed it to them in a public assembly, and encouraged their hopes from the experience of the Lacedaemonians, who in Xerxes’s time had, with ten ships only at sea, gained the superiority over the Athenians, who had no fewer than 200; and added, that it would now be a disgrace to Thebes to suffer two such republics to engross the command of so extensive an element. The people readily adopted his proposal, not without extraordinary applause, and immediately ordered 100 galleys to be equipped; and in the mean while sent him to Rhodes, Chios, and Byzantium, to secure those states in their interest, and procure what assistance he could from them. His negociations had all the success that could be wished for, notwithstanding the strenuous opposition of the Athenians, and of their admiral Laches, who was sent with a powerful squadron against him. But what more effectually thwarted all his measures, was the work which they found for him by land, and the obliging the Thebans to take part in the quarrels which then reigned among their neighbours; so that whatever projects they had concerted proved abortive for the present; and the death of Epaminondas, which happened not long after, put an effectual stop to them.

During the absence of that general, and of his colleague Pelopidas, the Orchomenians, being incited by some Theban fugitives, had formed a design to change the Theban government into an aristocracy; and 300 horsemen of the former had been actually despatched to carry it into execution. Their project, however, was seasonably discovered by the vigilance of the magistrates, who caused them to be seized and immediately put to death. They next sent a sufficient force against the city of Orchomenos, with orders to slay all the men, and to sell all the women and children for slaves, which was punctually done; after which they razed that noble city to the ground. Pelopidas was then on his way to Thessaly at the head of a powerful army, whither he had been sent to assist the Thessalians, who still· groaned under the tyranny of Alexander the Pheraean, and had made several brave efforts to recover their liberty, but had been still overpowered by that usurper. Being joined by the Thessalians, he encamped in the face of the enemy, though far superior in number, and consisting of above 20,000 men. A fierce engagement soon ensued, in which both sides fought with uncommon bravery. The place where the battle was fought was called Cynocephala, from several little hills on it, between which there ran a large plain. Both armies endeavoured at first to post themselves on these eminences with their foot, while Pelopidas ordered his cavalry to charge that of the enemy below; which they did with such success that they soon put them to the rout, and pursued them over the plain. This obliged the tyrant to gain the tops of the hills, where he greatly annoyed the Thessalians that endeavoured to force those ascents; so [7:21:198] that Pelopidas was obliged to give over his pursuit and come to their relief. This immediately inspired the Thessalians with fresh courage. They again began to charge the enemy at several onsets, and soon threw them into such disorder that they were forced to give way. Pelopidas no sooner perceived the advantage, than he began to look for Alexander, with a design of engaging him. Having descried him as he was commanding his right wing, and endeavouring to rally his men, he moved directly to him; and having approached so near as to be heard by him, challenged him to decide the battle by single combat. Alexander, instead of accepting the offer, turned about, and, with all the speed he could, ran to screen himself among his guards. Upon this Pelopidas charged him with such furious speed that he obliged him to retire farther, and shelter himself within the thickest ranks; the sight of which made him attack with fresh vigour, and fight more desperately against him. He tried in vain several times to break through their ranks to reach him, cutting down great numbers of those that came forward to oppose him. His eagerness at length exposed him so far to the darts that were discharged from a distance, that some of them penetrated his armour, and gave him one or two desperate wounds, when some of the enemy advanced, and stabbed him in the breast with their spears.

It is scarcely possible for words to express the grief and despair which not only his brave Thebans, but likewise the Thessalians and other allies, showed at the sight of their slain general. Some of the latter who had perceived the danger to which he was exposed, descended from the hill with all possible speed to his relief; but when they perceived that they had come too late to save him, both they and the rest of the little army thought of nothing but how to avenge his death. They rallied accordingly both horse and foot, as quickly as possible, and began to charge the enemy afresh, and with such desperate fury that they at length gained a complete victory over them, and killed above 3000 in the pursuit, besides a much greater number which they had slain on the field of battle, though they still looked upon all these advantages as too small to compensate the loss of their brave general.

The news of his death had no sooner reached Thebes, than the whole city was seen in as deep mourning as his army. They however sent a reinforcement of 7000 foot and 700 horse, as well to revenge the death of that general, as to improve the victory which he had gained over the enemy. The Thebans then fell so furiously on them, that they quickly broke and totally defeated the shattered remains of Alexander’s army. He was forced to sue for peace, and to accept it on such conditions as the conquerors thought fit to impose. He was at length despatched in his bed by his wife Thebe, assisted by her brothers, about seven years after his defeat. His body was afterwards dragged along the streets, trodden under foot, and left a prey to the dogs.

All this while the Thebans were watching to improve every commotion that happened, every success they gained, to the forwarding of their reigning and favourite project of increasing their power above all the rest, and in their turn of giving laws to Greece. Their late success in Thessaly, and the rupture between the Arcadians and Mantineans at the same time, about some consecrated money which the former had taken out of the temple of Olympia to pay their troops employed against the Eleans, and which the latter called a downright sacrilege, besides other discords that reigned in the other states of Greece, gave fresh encouragement to Thebes to offer her arbitration in those disputes. Those who had embezzled the sacred money, and wanted rather to embroil matters than to have them brought to light, informed the Thebans that the Arcadians were on the point of revolting to the Spartans, and advised them to come and defeat their design. At the same time they despatched some private directions to a Theban officer at Tegea, to apprehend several of their own people as disturbers of the peace. This was accordingly done, and several eminent persons were confined as prisoners of state. They were soon after discharged, and loud complaints were made against such arbitrary and unjust proceedings. The officer was accused before the Theban senate of having intermeddled in their affairs, and endeavoured to interrupt the good correspondence between the two states. It was even urged by some of the Tegeans that he should be indicted; while the more moderate, who foresaw the consequences which were likely to attend such appeals, and that it would infallibly bring the Thebans upon them, loudly protested against their marching into their territories, and did all they could to prevent it. The Thebans, however, were become too powerful and ambitious to miss so fair an opportunity of once more obtaining a footing in Peloponnesus, as they had long ago premeditated; and Epaminondas was so far from making a secret of their design, that he told the Arcadian deputies in justification of it, that as it was on their account that the Thebans engaged in the war, they had acted treacherously with them in making peace with Athens without their consent; but that when he had joined his army on his march into Peloponnesus to assist his friends, he would soon see what proofs the Arcadians would give of their fidelity. This speech did not fail to occasion great alarm, especially as it was spoken in such a magisterial style and threatening tone. Even those who were best affected to the Thebans could not forbear expressing their dislike of it; and all those who had the welfare of Peloponnesus at heart readily agreed with the Mantineans, that no time was to be lost in using all proper means to prevent the impending storm.

Athens and Sparta were accordingly applied to, and were easily prevailed upon to assist the Mantineans, and to come into a strict confederacy against the Thebans; and in order to prevent all disputes about the command of the army, it was agreed that each state should have it in its own territories; which plainly shows how terrified they all were at the apprehension of a fresh invasion of the Thebans. This was a point which neither the Spartans nor Athenians would so readily have given up to the Arcadians, though these had formerly as strenuously insisted upon it, even when they were almost reduced to the last extremity, and had never been able to obtain it till now. But Epaminondas was then in full march at the head of his Boeotian troops, with some Euboean auxiliaries, and a body of stout Thessalian horse; and was moreover to be joined by the Messenians, Argives, and several other nations, as soon as he had entered Peloponnesus. The confederate army against him had ordered their rendezvous at Mantinea, the place which they naturally concluded would be first attacked, as being the chief scat of those who had revolted from the Thebans. But while they were securing themselves on that side, Epaminondas, who wisely considered how far this confederacy and expedition must have drained the city of Sparta of its main strength, broke up privately from Ne-maea, where he had lain for some time encamped, and marched all that night with a design to have surprised that important capital. His project being discovered, the vigilant king took care to disconcert it; so that, though the Theban general made several vigorous assaults on that city, he was so stoutly repulsed, and the Spartans behaved with such intrepid valour, that he was forced to retire and turn his thoughts against Mantinea, which he judged by this time to have been quite defenceless. He indeed judged rightly; for the place was not only drained of its troops, but likewise of its inhabitants, who took that opportunity, while the scene of war was in Lacedaemon, to gather in their harvest, and were scattered all over the country; so that he would not have met with any difficulty in gaining [7:21:199]the town, had not the Athenian auxiliaries come unexpectedly to its relief, and given him a fresh repulse.

These two last defeats greatly exasperated the Theban general, who had never before experienced such disasters, and could not but foresee that they would not only lessen his reputation with his allies, but, if not speedily retrieved, would sully the glory of all his former exploits. What added to his present difficulties was, that the time allotted him for his expedition was almost expired; so that he had but a short space left to undertake some brave achievement, which might recover his and his country’s honour, and keep up the spirits of his auxiliaries, and those under his protection. He was moreover in the midst of his enemy’s country, and saw plainly enough how narrowly they watched all his motions, and how well prepared they were to oppose him whatever attempt he resolved upon, whether to attack them or to retreat. Under all these difficulties, he rightly considered that he must immediately resolve upon a decisive battle; in which, if his pristine fortune followed him, he might at once retrieve his affairs, and make himself master of Peloponnesus; or, if that failed him, as it lately had done, fall honourably in the attempt. In this engagement Epaminondas made the wisest disposition of his troops, attacked and fought with the most intrepid courage and conduct, and had opened himself a way through the Spartan ranks, thrown them into the utmost confusion, and made a terrible slaughter of them, insomuch that the field of battle was covered with their wounded and slain, when, in the heat of the fight, having ventured himself too far in order to give them a total overthrow, the enemy rallied again, pouring with their whole fury three volleys of darts upon him, some of which he drew out and returned to them, till at length, being covered with wounds, and weakened with the loss of so much blood, he received a mortal wound from a javelin, and was with great difficulty rescued from the enemy by his brave Thebans, and brought alive, though speechless, into his tent. As soon as he had recovered himself, he asked his friends that were about him what was become of his shield; and being told that it was safe, he beckoned to have it brought to him, and kissed it. He next inquired which side had gained the victory; and being answered, the Thebans, he replied, then all is well: and upon observing some of his friends bewail his untimely death, and leaving no children behind him, he is said to have answered, “Yes; I have left two fair daughters, the victory of Leuctra, and this of Mantinea, to perpetuate my memory.” Soon afterwards, upon drawing the point of the javelin out of his body, he expired.

The consequence of this great general’s fall, and of the bloody fight in which neither party could boast any great advantage over the other, after a great loss of men on both sides, insomuch that Xenophon makes it a drawn battle, was, that both parties agreed on a cessation of arms, and parted, as it were by consent, to take care of their wounded and slain. The Thebans indeed thus far gained the greater share of glory, that they renewed the fight, and after a most desperate contest, obtained a victory over those Spartans that opposed them, and rescued the body of their dying general out of their hands. But an effectual end was put to this bloody war, and a general peace agreed on by all but the Spartans, who refused it only because the Messenians were included in it. As to the Thebans, they had no great reason to boast of this dear-bought victory, since their power and glory began to decline from that very time; so that it may be truly said, that it had risen and set with their great general.

On the death of Epaminondas, the Thebans relapsed into their former state of inactivity and indolence; and at last having ventured to oppose Alexander the Great, their city was taken, and the inhabitants slaughtered for several hours, after which the buildings were destroyed. It was rebuilt by Cassander, but never afterwards made any considerable figure among the states of Greece. About the year 146 b. c. it fell under the power of the Romans, under which it continued till the extinction of their empire by the Turks. It is now called Thive, and, according to Dr Clarke, is about two and a half English miles in circumference. It contains about 300 houses, and many interesting antiquities. The present inhabitants live chiefly within what was anciently the citadel. The circuit of the walls can yet be traced, and many parts of them are still standing. There were two mosques in Thebes, and a great many Greek churches. It is seated between two small rivers, at the south-west side of a large plain, in long. 23. 40. E. and lat. 38. 17. N.

Thebes, in Egypt, one of the most renowned cities of the ancient world. It was also called Diospolis, or the city of Jupiter, and was built, according to some by Osiris, according to others by Busiris. Its length, in Strabo’s time, was 80 furlongs, or ten miles; but this was nothing in comparison of its ancient extent, before it was ruined by Cambyses, which, we are told, was no less than 420 stadia, or 52 miles and an half. The wealth of this city was so great, that, after it had been plundered by the Persians, what was found on burning the remains of the pillage, amounted to above 300 talents of gold and 2300 of silver.

Mr Bruce visited the ruins of this celebrated city; but informs us that nothing now remains except four temples, and these neither so entire nor magnificent as others at Dendera. Thebes has been celebrated by Homer for its hundred gates; but Mr Bruce informs us, that no vestiges of these are now remaining, neither can we discover the foundation of any wall it ever had; “and as for the horsemen and chariots it is said to have sent out, all the Thebaid sown with wheat would not have maintained one half of them. Thebes, at least the ruins of the temples called Medinct Tabu, are built in a long stretch of about a mile broad, most parsimoniously chosen at the sandy foot of the mountains. The Horti Pensiles, or hanging gardens, were surely formed upon the sides of these hills, then supplied with water by mechanical devices. The utmost is done to spare the plain, and with great reason; for all the space of ground this ancient city has had to maintain its myriads of horses and men, is a plain of three quarters of a mile broad between the town and the river, upon which plain the water rises to the height of four and five feet. All this pretended populousness of ancient Thebes I therefore believe to be fabulous.” After examining the ground on which Thebes is supposed to have stood, he concluded that it had no walls, and that consequently Homer’s story of its having an hundred gates is misunderstood. The mountains of the Thebaid stand close behind the town, not in a ridge, but standing single, so that you can go round each of them. A hundred of these are said to be hollowed out for sepulchres and other purposes. These, he thinks, were the hundred gates of Homer; in proof of this they are still called by the natives Beeban el Meluhe, the ports or gates of the kings. All that is said of Thebes by poets or historians after the days of Homer is meant of Diospolis, which, as its name testifies, was built by the Greeks, long after Thebes was destroyed; though Diodorus says it was built by Busiris. It was on the east side of the Nile, whereas ancient Thebes was on the west, though both are considered as one city. See Egypt.