where he was in greater security that he
would have been if entrenched outside, and where his future movements
were more completely concealed from the enemy. Again, the means to
collect material and furnish himself with other necessaries were readier
to his hand inside the city; while, thirdly, he was able to keep an eye
on the movements of his opponents marching outside, and to watch their
successful dispositions as well as their mistakes. More than this: in
spite of his sense of superiority to his antagonists, over and over
again, when he saw them gaining some advantage in position, he refused
to be drawn out to attack them. It was only when he saw plainly that no
city was going to give him its adhesion, and that time was slipping by,
that he made up his mind that a blow must be struck, failing which, he
had nothing to expect save a vast ingloriousness, in place of his former
fame. (3) He had ascertained that his antagonists held a strong position
round Mantinea, and that they had sent to fetch Agesilaus and the whole
Lacedaemonian army. He was further aware that Agesilaus had commenced
his advance and was already at Pellene. (4) Accordingly he passed
the word of command (5) to his troops to take their evening meal, put
himself at their head and advanced straight upon Sparta. Had it not been
for the arrival (by some providential chance) of a Cretan, who brought
the news to Agesilaus of the enemy's advance, he would have captured
the city of Sparta like a nest of young birds absolutely bereft of its
natural defenders. As it was, Agesilaus, being forewarned, had time to
return to the city before the Thebans came, and here the Spartans made
distribution of their scanty force and maintained watch and ward, albeit
few enough in numbers, since the whole of their cavalry were away in
Arcadia, and so was their foreign brigade, and so were three out of
their twelve regiments. (6)

(3) Or, "dull obscurity in place of renown."

(4) Pellene (or Pellana), a town of Laconia on the Eurotas, and on the
road from Sparta to Arcadia; in fact the frontier fortress on the
Eurotas, as Sellasia on the Oenus; "Dict. of Anct. Geog." s.v.;
see Paus. iii. 20, S. 2; Strab. viii. 386; Polyb. iv. 81, xvi. 37;
Plut. "Agis," 8; Leake, "Morea," iii. 14 foll.

(5) Cf. "Hipparch." iv. 9.

(6) Lit. "lochi." See above, VII. iv. 20; "Pol. Lac." xi. 4.

Arrived within the city of Sparta, (7) Epaminondas abstained from
gaining an en