l their valor, they
found themselves defeated, and heard that their leader, Cleombrotus, was
dead.

The Thebans, of course, gloried in their triumph; but Epaminondas
remained as modest and unassuming as ever, merely remarking that he was
glad for his country's and parents' sake that he had been successful. To
commemorate their good fortune, the Thebans erected a trophy on the
battlefield of Leuctra, where their troops had covered themselves with
glory.

The inhabitants of Sparta, who had counted confidently upon victory,
were dismayed when they saw only a few of their soldiers return from the
battle, and heard that the Thebans were pursuing them closely. Before
they could collect new troops, the enemy marched boldly down into
Laconia; and the women of Sparta now beheld the smoke of the enemy's
camp for the first time in many years. As there were neither walls nor
fortifications of any kind, you can easily imagine that the inhabitants
were in despair, and thought that their last hour had come.

If Epaminondas had been of a revengeful temper, he could easily have
destroyed the city; but he was gentle and humane, and, remaining at a
short distance from the place, he said that he would go away without
doing the Spartans any harm, provided they would promise not to attack
Thebes again, and to set the Messenians free.

These conditions were eagerly agreed to by the Spartans, who found
themselves forced to take a secondary place once more. Athens had ruled
Greece, and had been forced to yield to Sparta; but now Sparta was
compelled in her turn to recognize the supremacy of Thebes.

LXXIX. DEATH OF PELOPIDAS.

Thebes was the main power in Greece after the brilliant victory at
Leuctra, and for a short time the city managed to maintain its
supremacy. By virtue of its position, it decided the destiny of less
powerful cities; and when Al-ex-an'der, tyrant of Thessaly, became very
cruel, the Thebans sent Pelopidas to remonstrate with him.

Instead of treating the ambassador of the Thebans with courtesy,
however, the Thessalian tyrant loaded him with heavy chains, put him in
prison, and vowed he would keep him there as long as he lived.

When the news of this outrage reached the Thebans, they set out at once,
under the guidance of two new Boeotarchs, to deliver their beloved
fellow-citizen. Epaminondas, too, marched in the ranks; for, now that
his term of office was ended, he had contentedly returned to his former
o