"we shall bring an army into Arcadia,
and along with those who share our views carry on the war which we have
undertaken."

V

B.C. 362. This answer was duly reported to the general assembly of the
Arcadians, and throughout the several states of the league. Consequently
the Mantineans, along with those of the Arcadians who had the interests
of Peloponnesus at heart, as also the Eleians and the Achaeans, came
to the conclusion that the policy of the Thebans was plain. They wished
Peloponnesus to be reduced to such an extremity of weakness that it
might fall an easy prey into their hands who were minded to enslave it.
"Why else," they asked, "should they wish us to fight, except that we
may tear each other to pieces, and both sides be driven to look to them
for support? or why, when we tell them that we have no need of them at
present, do they insist on preparing for a foreign campaign? Is it not
plain that these preparations are for an expedition which will do us
some mischief?"

In this mood they sent to Athens, (1) calling on the Athenians for
military aid. Ambassadors also went to Lacedaemon on behalf of the
Eparitoi, summoning the Lacedaemonians, if they wished to give a helping
hand, to put a stop to the proceedings of any power approaching
to enslave Peloponnesus. As regards the headship, they came to an
arrangement at once, on the principle that each of the allied states
should exercise the generalship within its own territory.

(1) For a treaty of alliance between Athens, the Arkadians, Achaeans,
Eleians, and Phliasians, immediately before Mantinea, B.C. 362,
{epi Molonos arkhontos}, see Hicks, 94; Kohler, "C. I. A." ii. p.
405. It is preserved on a stele ("broken at bottom; but the top is
surmounted by a relief representing Zeus enthroned, with a
thunderbolt; a female figure (= the {Summakhia}?) approaches
lifting her veil, while Athena stands by") now standing among the
sculptures from the Asklepieion on the Acropolis at Athens. See
Milchhofer, p. 47, no. 7, "Die Museum," Athens, 1881. For the
date, see Demosth. "c. Polycl." 1207.

While these matters were in progress, Epaminondas was prosecuting his
march at the head of all the Boeotians, with the Euboeans, and a
large body of Thessalians, furnished both by Alexander (2) and by his
opponents. The Phocians were not represented. Their special agreement
only required them to render assistance in case of an attack o