ilaus repudiated: unless they chose to take the oaths in precise
conformity with the words of the king's edict, which insisted on "the
future autonomy of each state, small or great," he would not admit them.
To this the Theban ambassadors made no other reply, except that
the instructions they had received were different. "Pray go, then,"
Agesilaus retorted, "and ask the question; and you may inform your
countrymen that if they will not comply, they will be excluded from the
treaty." The Theban ambassadors departed, but Agesilaus, out of hatred
to the Thebans, took active measures at once. Having got the consent of
the ephors he forthwith offered sacrifice. The offerings for crossing
the frontier were propitious, and he pushed on to Tegea. From Tegea he
despatched some of the knights right and left to visit the perioeci
and hasten their mobilisation, and at the same time sent commanders of
foreign brigades to the allied cities on a similar errand. But before
he had started from Tegea the answer from Thebes arrived; the point was
yielded, they would suffer the states to be independent. Under these
circumstances the Lacedaemonians returned home, and the Thebans were
forced to accept the truce unconditionally, and to recognise the
autonomy of the Boeotian cities. (21) But now the Corinthians were by
no means disposed to part with the garrison of the Argives. Accordingly
Agesilaus had a word of warning for both. To the former he said, "if
they did not forthwith dismiss the Argives," and to the latter, "if
they did not instantly quit Corinth," he would march an army into their
territories. The terror of both was so great that the Argives marched
out of Corinth, and Corinth was once again left to herself; (22)
whereupon the "butchers" (23) and their accomplices in the deed of blood
determined to retire from Corinth, and the rest of the citizens welcomed
back their late exiles voluntarily.

(20) At Sparta, doubtless.

(21) See Freeman, op. cit. pp. 168, 169.

(22) See "Ages." ii. 21; Grote, "H. G." ix. 537.

(23) {oi sphageis}, a party catchword (in reference to the incidents
narrated above, "Hell." IV. iv. 2). See below, {ton bareon
demagogon}, "Hell." V. ii. 7; {oi kedomenoi tes Peloponnesou},
"Hell." VII. v. 1; above, {oi sphageis}, "Hell." III. ii. 27, of
the philo-Laconian oligarchs in Elis. See Dem. "c. Lept." 473.

Now that the transactions were complete, and the states were bound by
their oaths