rity, heavy infantry and
cavalry under arms alike sallying forth. Horsemen were also despatched
by the now restored exiles to the two Athenian generals on the frontier;
and they, being aware of the object of the message (promptly responded).
(6)

(5) See plan of Thebes, "Dict. Geog."; Arrian, "Anab." i. 8; Aesch.
"Sept. c. Theb." 528.

(6) Supply {epeboethoun}. There is a lacuna in the MSS. at this point.

On the other hand, the Lacedaemonian governor in the citadel, as soon
as that night's proclamation reached his ears, was not slow to send
to Plataeae (7) and Thespiae for reinforcements. The approach of the
Plataeans was perceived by the Theban cavalry, who met them and killed a
score of them and more, and after that achievement returned to the
city, to find the Athenians from the frontier already arrived. Then they
assaulted the acropolis. The troops within recognised the paucity of
their own numbers, whilst the zeal of their opponents (one and all
advancing to the attack) was plainly visible, and loud were the
proclamations, promising rewards to those who should be first to scale
the walls. All this so worked upon their fears that they agreed to
evacuate the place if the citizens would allow them a safe-conduct to
retire with their arms. To this request the others gladly yielded, and
they made a truce. Oaths were taken on the terms aforesaid, and the
citizens dismissed their adversaries. For all that, as the garrison
retired, those of them who were recognised as personal foes were seized
and put to death. Some were rescued through the good offices of the
Athenian reinforcements from the frontier, who smuggled them across and
saved them. The Thebans were not content with putting the men to
death; if any of them had children, these also were sacrificed to their
vengeance.

(7) This city had been refounded in B.C. 386 (Isocr. "Plat." 20, 21).
See Freeman, op. cit. ch. iv. p. 170: "Its restoration implied not
only a loss of Theban supremacy, but the actual loss of that
portion of the existing Theban territory which had formerly formed
the Plataian district."

B.C. 378. When the news of these proceedings reached Sparta the first
thing the Lacedaemonians did was to put to death the governor, who had
abandoned the Cadmeia instead of awaiting reinforcements, and the next
was to call out the ban against Thebes. Agesilaus had little taste to
head the expedition; he pointed out that he had seen mor