the chief guilt rests upon Sparta, whose
designs were far deeper and more hypocritical than they appeared.
Under the specious pretext of securing the independence of the Grecian
cities, her only object was to break up the confederacies under Athens
and Thebes, and, with the assistance of Persia, to pave the way for her
own absolute dominion in Greece.

No sooner was the peace of Antalcidas concluded than Sparta, directed
by Agesilaus, the ever-active enemy of Thebes, exerted all her power to
weaken that city. She began by proclaiming the independence of the
various Boeotian cities, and by organizing in each a local oligarchy,
adverse to Thebes and favourable to herself. Lacedaemonian garrisons
were placed in Orchomenus and Thespiae, and Plataea was restored in
order to annoy and weaken Thebes. Shortly afterwards the
Lacedaemonians obtained possession of Thebes itself by an act of
shameful treachery. They had declared war against Olynthus, a town
situated at the head of the Toronaic gulf, in the peninsula of the
Macedonian Chalcidice, the head of a powerful confederation which
included several of the adjacent Grecian cities. The Thebans had
entered into an alliance with Olynthus, and had forbidden any of their
citizens to join the Lacedaemonian army destined to act against it; but
they were not strong enough to prevent its marching through their
territory. Phoebidas, who was conducting a Lacedaemonian force against
Olynthus, halted on his way through Boeotia not far from Thebes; where
he was visited by Leontiades, one of the polemarchs of the city, and
two or three other leaders of the Lacedaemonian party in Thebes. It
happened that the festival of the Thesmophoria was on the point of
being celebrated, during which the Cadmea, or Theban Acropolis, was
given up for the exclusive use of the women. The opportunity seemed
favourable for a surprise; and Leontiades and Phoebidas concerted a
plot to seize it. Whilst the festival was celebrating, Phoebidas
pretended to resume his march, but only made a circuit round the city
walls; whilst Leontiades, stealing out of the senate, mounted his
horse, and, joining the Lacedaemonian troops, conducted them towards
the Cadmea. It was a sultry summer's afternoon, so that the very
streets were deserted; and Phoebidas, without encountering any
opposition, seized the citadel and all the women in it, to serve as
hostages for the quiet submission of the Thebans (B.C. 382). This
tr