(who refused to assist him in that enterprise,) meaning to join with Lysander, and make a speedy end of the war. The consideration of so great a danger, approaching so swiftly, caused the Thebans to seek what help they could abroad, forasmuch as their own strength was far too little to make resistance against such mighty preparations. It was not unknown to them, that many followers of the Lacedæmonians were otherwise affected in heart than they durst utter in countenance; but the good wishes of such people were little available, considering that the most which could be expected from them was, that they should do as little hurt as they could; by which manner of tergiversation the Corinthians did at that present cast themselves into the displeasure of the Spartans, to the no great benefit of Thebes. Wherefore it was thought the safest course to procure the assistance of some estate that might presently declare itself on their side, which would cause many others to follow the example, and make their party strong. To this end they sent ambassadors to Athens, excusing old offences, as either not committed by public allowance, or done in time of the general war, and recompensed with friendship lately shewn in their refusal of assisting Pausanias, when he came in behalf of the thirty tyrants, against the good citizens of Athens. In regard of which, and for their own honour's sake, they requested them of aid in the present war, offering to do the best that they could for the restoring of Athens to her former estate and dignity. Thrasybulus and his friends, who, persecuted by the thirty, had been well entertained at Thebes, procured now the city to make a large requital of the courtesy which they had received. For it was decreed, that the state of Athens should not only refuse to aid the Lacedæmonians in this war, but that it should assist the Thebans, and engage itself in their cause. Whilst Pausanias lay still, waiting the arrival of his confederates, Lysander, being desirous to do somewhat that might advance the business in hand, came to Haliartus, where, though Pausanias did not meet him, as had been appointed, yet he attempted the town, and was slain in

fight by the Thebans, who came hastily to the rescue. As this victory did encourage the Thebans, so the coming of Pausanias with his great army did again amaze them with presentation of extreme danger; but their spirits were soon revived by the strong succour which was brought from Athens, in consideration of which, and of the late battle, Pausanias durst not hazard a new fight with them, but receiving the bodies of those that were slain, by composition, departed out of their territory, for which, either cowardice or indiscretion, he was at his return to Sparta condemned as a traitor, and driven to fly into Tegea, where he ended his days in banishment.

SECT. VII.

How Agesilaus was called out of Asia to help his country. A victory of the Spartans. Conon the Athenian, assisted by Pharnabazus, overcomes the Lacedæmonian fleet, recovers the mastery of the seas, and rebuilds the walls of Athens.

THIS good success, and the confederacy made with Athens, gave such reputation to the Thebans, that the Argives, Corinthians, Euboeans, Locrians, and Acarnanes, did forthwith side with them, and raising a strong army, determined to give battle to the Lacedæmonians, as near as they might to their own doors, considering that the force of Sparta itself was not great, but grew more and more by the adjunction of their confederates. The magistrates of Sparta perceiving the danger, sent for Agesilaus, who readily obeyed them, and promising his friends in Asia to return speedily to their assistance, passed the straits of Hellespont into Europe. In the mean time the cities of the new league had given battle to the Lacedæmonians, and the remainder of their associates, but with ill success. For when the right wing of each part had gotten the better hand, the Argives and Thebans returning from the chase in some disorder, were broken and defeated by the Lacedæmonians, who meeting them in good order, won from them the honour which they had gotten by forcing the left wing of the Lacedæmonians, and made the victory of that day entirely

their own. The reports of this battle meeting Agesilaus at Amphipolis, were by him sent over into Asia, where it is not likely that they brought much comfort unto his friend, who had since his departure seen the Spartan fleet beaten, and Lysander the admiral slain. The same man, whose endeavour had brought the Athenians into order, by advancing the sea-forces of the Lacedæmonians with money, and all manner of supplies, was now the occasion that the power of Athens grew strong at sea, when the city was despoiled of her old reputation, and scarcely able to maintain an army by land for her own defence. Pharnabazus considering how much it imported the king his master to have the Greeks divided into such factions, as might utterly disable them from undertaking abroad, thought it the safest way for himself, during these broils, to take such order, that he should not need any more to seek peace by entreaty and commemoration of old benefits at their hands, who unprovoked had sold his love for thirty talents. To which purpose he furnished Conon the Athenian with eight ships, who had escaped when the fleet of Athens was surprised by Lysander at Egos-Potamos, giving him the command of a great navy, wherewith he requited the loss received at Egos-Potamos, by repaying the Lacedæmonians with the like destruction of their fleet at Cnidus. After this victory Conon sailed to Athens, bringing with him, partly as the liberality of Pharnabazus, partly as the fruit of his victory, so strong a navy, and so much gold, as encouraged the Athenians to rebuild their walls, and think more hopefully upon recovering the seigniory which they had lost.

SECT. VIII.

Of sundry small victories gotten on each part. The Lacedæmonians lose all in Asia; the Athenians recover some part of their old dominion.

NEVERTHELESS the Lacedæmonians, by many victories at land, maintained for some years the honour of their estate, endangered very greatly by this loss at sea. For Agesilaus obtained the better with his horsemen from

the Thessalians, who were accounted the best riders in Greece: he wasted Boeotia, and fought a great battle at Coronea against the Thebans and their allies, whom he overthrew; and by his marshal Gylis foraged the country of Locris; which done, he returned home.

The gain of these victories was not great, and the reputation of them was by many losses much defaced. For the Thebans did in the battles of Coronea vanquish the Orchomenians, who stood opposite unto them, and retired unbroken to mount Helicon, opening way perforce when Agesilaus charged them in their return from the pursuit. Likewise Gylis was slain with a great part of his army by the Locrians; and some other exploits by the Lacedæmonians performed against the Corinthians were repaid with equal damage received in the parts adjoining, many towns being easily taken, and as easily recovered. The variety of which enter-feats was such, that the Thebans themselves were drawn, by the loss of the haven of Corinth, to sue for peace, but could not get audience till such time as the news came of a great victory obtained by Iphicrates, general of the Athenian forces at Lechæum; whereupon the Theban ambassadors being sent for, and willed to do their message, required only in scorn to have a safe conduct given them, that they might enter into Corinth. From this time forward the war was made for a while only by incursions, wherein the Achæans, confederates of Sparta, felt most loss, their whole state being endangered by the Acarnanians, who held with the contrary, side, until Agesilaus repaid these invaders with equal or greater calamities, brought upon their own lands, which did so afflict the Acarnanes, that they were driven to sue for peace. But the affairs at sea were of most conséquence, upon which the success of all depended. For when the towns of Asia perceived that the Lacedæmonians were not only entangled in an hard war at home, but almost disabled to pass the seas, having lost their fleet at Cnidus, they soon gave ear to Pharnabazus, who promised to allow that they should use their own laws, if they would expel the Spartan governors. Only the city of

Abidus did stand firm, wherein Dercyllidas lay, who did his best to contain all the towns about Hellespont in the alliance of the Lacedæmonians; which he could not do, because the Athenian fleet under Thrasybulus took in Byzantium, Chalcedon, and other places thereabout, reducing the isle of Lesbos to their ancient acknowledgment of Athens.

SECT. IX.

The base conditions offered unto the Persian by the Lacedæmonians. Of sundry fights and other passages in the war. The peace of Antalcidas.

ABOUT this time the Spartans began to perceive how uneasy a thing it would be to maintain the war against men as good as themselves, assisted with the treasures of Persia; wherefore they craved peace of Artaxerxes, most basely offering, not only to renounce the Greeks inhabiting Asia, and to leave them to the king's disposition, but withal to set the islanders, and every town in Greece, as well the little as the great, at full and absolute liberty, whereby they said that all the principal estates of their country would so be weakened, that no one, nor all of them, should be able to stir against the great king. And sure it was, that the power of the country being so broken, and rent into many small pieces, could neither have disquieted the Persian, by an offensive war, nor have made any good defence against him, but would have left it easy for him in continuance of time, to have taken the cities one after another, till he had made himself master of all. The Spartans were not ignorant of this, but were so carried with envy, that, perceiving how the dominion of the seas was like to return to Athens, they chose rather to give all from themselves and others, and make all alike weak, than to permit that any of their own nation should grow stronger than themselves, who so lately had commanded all. Yet this great offer was not at the first accepted, both in regard that the other estates of Greece, who had in the king's behalf joined together against the Lacedæmonians, did by their several ambassa