such danger from the active pursuit of the Thessalians and
Athenians, that its destruction seemed inevitable. Luckily, however,
Epaminondas was serving as a hoplite in the ranks. By the unanimous
voice of the troops he was now called to the command, and succeeded in
conducting the army safely back to Thebes. Here the unsuccessful
Boeotarchs were disgraced; Epaminondas was restored to the command, and
placed at the head of a second Theban army destined to attempt the
release of Pelopidas. Directed by his superior skill the enterprise
proved successful, and Pelopidas (B.C. 367) returned in safety to
Thebes.

In B.C. 364 Pelopidas again marched into Thessaly against Alexander of
Pherae. Strong complaints of the tyranny of that despot arrived at
Thebes, and Pelopidas, who probably also burned to avenge his private
wrongs, prevailed upon the Thebans to send him into Thessaly to punish
the tyrant. The battle was fought on the hills of Cynoscephalae; the
troops of Alexander were routed: and Pelopidas, observing his hated
enemy endeavouring to rally them, was seized with such a transport of
rage that, regardless of his duties as a general, he rushed impetuously
forwards and challenged him to single combat. Alexander shrunk back
within the ranks of his guards, followed impetuously by Pelopidas, who
was soon slain, fighting with desperate bravery. Although the army of
Alexander was defeated with severe loss, the news of the death of
Pelopidas deprived the Thebans and their Thessalian allies of all the
joy which they would otherwise have felt at their victory.

Meantime a war had been carried on between Elis and Arcadia which had
led to disunion among the Arcadians themselves. The Mantineans
supported the Eleans, who were also assisted by the Spartans; whilst
the rest of the Arcadians, and especially the Tegeans, favoured Thebes.
In B.C. 362 Epaminondas marched into Peloponnesus to support the Theban
party in Arcadia, The Spartans sent a powerful force to the assistance
of the Mantineans in whose territory the hostile armies met. In the
battle which ensued Epaminondas formed his Boeotian troops into a
column of extraordinary depth, with which he bore down all before them.
The Mantineans and Lacedaemonians turned and fled, and the rest
followed their example. The day was won; but Epaminondas, who fought
in the foremost ranks, fell pierced with a mortal wound. His fall
occasioned such consternation among his troops, tha