asure under the form of surprise, that Sparta, as the chief of
Greece, should permit the Persians, under Artaxerxes, and the Syracusans,
under Dionysius, to enslave Greece. The orator Isocrates spoke still more
plainly, and denounced the Lacedaemonians as "traitors to the general
security and freedom of Greece, and seconding foreign kings to aggrandize
themselves at the cost of autonomous Grecian cities--all in the interest of
their own selfish ambition." Even Xenophon, with all his partiality for
Sparta, was still more emphatic, and accused the Lacedaemonians with the
violation of their oaths.

(M623) In Thebes the discontent was most apparent, for their leading
citizens were exiled, and the oligarchal party, headed by Leontiades and
the Spartan garrison, was oppressive and tyrannical. The Theban exiles
found at Athens sympathy and shelter. Among these was Pelopidas, who
resolved to free his country from the Spartan yoke. Holding intimate
correspondence with his friends in Thebes, he looked forward patiently for
the means of effecting deliverance, which could only be effected by the
destruction of Leontiades and his colleagues, who ruled the city.
Philidas, secretary of the polemarchs, entered into the conspiracy, and,
being sent in an embassy to Athens, concocted the way for Pelopidas and
his friends to return to Thebes and effect a revolution. Charon, an
eminent patriot, agreed to shelter the conspirators in his house until
they struck the blow. Epaminondas, then living at Thebes, dissuaded the
enterprise as too hazardous, although all his sympathies were with the
conspirators.

(M624) When all was ready, Philidas gave a banquet at his house to the
polemarchs, agreeing to introduce into the company some women of the first
families of Thebes, distinguished for their beauty. In concert with the
Theban exiles at Athens, Pelopidas, with six companions, crossed Cithaeron
and arrived at Thebes, in December, B.C. 379, disguised as hunters, with
no other arms than concealed daggers. By a fortunate accident they entered
the gates and sought shelter in the house of Charon until the night of the
banquet. They were introduced into the banqueting chamber when the
polemarchs were full of wine, disguised in female attire, and, with the
aid of their Theban conspirators, dispatched three of the polemarchs with
their daggers. Leontiades was not present, but the conspirators were
conducted secretly to his house, and effected their purp