ersians asked, and finally signed a shameful
treaty, by which all the Greek cities of Asia Minor and the Island of
Cy'prus were handed over to the Persian king. The other Greek cities
were declared independent, and thus Sparta was shorn of much of her
power. This treaty was a disgrace, and it has always been known in
history by the name of the man who signed it out of petty spite.

LXXVI. THE THEBAN FRIENDS.

Although all the Greek cities were to be free by the treaty of
Antalcidas, the Spartans kept the Messenians under their sway and, as
they were still the most powerful people in Greece, they saw that the
other cities did not infringe upon their rights in any way.

Under pretext of keeping all their neighbors in order, the Spartans were
always under arms, and on one occasion even forced their way into the
city of Thebes. The Thebans, who did not expect them, were not ready to
make war, and were in holiday dress.

They were all in the temple, celebrating the festival of Demeter, the
harvest goddess; and when the Spartans came thus upon them, they were
forced to yield without striking a single blow, as they had no weapons
at hand.

The Spartans were so afraid lest the best and richest citizens should
try to make the people revolt, that they exiled them all from Thebes,
allowing none but the poor and insignificant to remain.

To keep possession of the city which they had won by this trick, the
Spartans put three thousand of their best warriors in the citadel, with
orders to defend and hold it at any price.

Among the exiled Thebans there was a noble and wealthy man called
Pe-lop'i-das. He had been sorely wounded in a battle some time before,
and would have died had he not been saved by a fellow-citizen named
E-pam-i-non'das, who risked his own life in the rescue.

This man, too, was of noble birth, and was said to be a descendant of
the men who had sprung from the dragon teeth sown by Cadmus, the founder
of Thebes. Epaminondas, however, was very poor; and wealth had no charms
for him, for he was a disciple of Py-tha'o-ras, a philosopher who was
almost as celebrated as Socrates.

Now, although Epaminondas was poor, quiet, and studious, and Pelopidas
was particularly fond of noise and bustle, they became great friends and
almost inseparable companions. Pelopidas, seeing how good and generous a
man his friend was, did all he could to be like him, and even gave up
all his luxurious ways to live plainly too