space of ground where the roads to
Eutresia and Medea converge, drew up his troops and offered battle. When
happened then is thus told:--He passed in front of the regiments and
addressed them in terms of encouragement thus: "Fellow-citizens, the day
has come which calls upon us to prove ourselves brave men and look the
world in the face with level eyes. (34) Now are we to deliver to those
who come after us our fatherland intact as we received it from our
fathers; now will we cease hanging our heads in shame before our
children and wives, our old men and our foreign friends, in sight
of whom in days of old we shone forth conspicuous beyond all other
Hellenes."

(34) See Plut. "Ages." 53 (Clough, vol. iv. p. 41).

The words were scarcely uttered (so runs the tale), when out of
the clear sky came lightnings and thunderings, (35) with propitious
manifestation to him; and it so happened that on his right wing there
stood a sacred enclosure and a statue of Heracles, his great ancestor.
As the result of all these things, so deep a strength and courage came
into the hearts of his soldiers, as they tell, that the generals had
hard work to restrain their men as they pushed forward to the front.
Presently, when Archidamus led the advance, a few only of the enemy
cared to await them at the spear's point, and were slain; the mass of
them fled, and fleeing fell. Many were cut down by the cavalry, many
by the Celts. When the battle ceased and a trophy had been erected, the
Spartan at once despatched home Demoteles, the herald, with the news. He
had to announce not only the greatness of the victory, but the startling
fact that, while the enemy's dead were numerous, not one single
Lacedaemonian had been slain. (36) Those in Sparta to whom the news was
brought, as says the story, when they heard it, one and all, beginning
with Agesilaus, and, after him, the elders and the ephors, wept for
joy--so close akin are tears to joy and pain alike. There were others
hardly less pleased than the Lacedaemonians themselves at the
misfortune which had overtaken the Arcadians: these were the Thebans and
Eleians--so offensive to them had the boastful behaviour of these men
become.

(35) See Xen. "Apolog." 12; Homer, "Il." ii. 353; "Od." xx. 113 foll.

(36) According to Diod. xv. 72, ten thousand of the enemy fell.

The problem perpetually working in the minds of the Thebans was how they
were to compass the headship of Hellas; and they persuaded