. Both sides fought bravely, hand to hand; but soon
Cleombrotus fell, mortally hurt, and was with difficulty carried off
alive. Around him fell others of the Spartan leaders. The resistance was
obstinate, the slaughter terrible; but at last the Spartan right wing,
overborne by the heavy Theban mass and utterly beaten, was driven back
to its camp on the hill-side above. Meanwhile the left wing, made up of
allies, did little fighting, and quickly followed the Spartans back to
the camp.

It was a crushing defeat. Of seven hundred Spartans who had marched in
confidence from the camp, only three hundred returned thither in dismay.
A thousand and more Lacedaemonians besides were left dead upon the field.
Not since the day of Thermopylae had Sparta lost a king in battle. The
loss of the Theban army was not more than three hundred men. Only twenty
days had elapsed since Epaminondas left Sparta, spurned by the scorn of
one of her kings; and now he stood victor over Sparta at Leuctra, with
her second king dead in his camp of refuge. It is not surprising that to
Greece, which had felt sure of the speedy overthrow of Thebes, these
tidings came like a thunderbolt. Sparta on land had been thought
irresistible. But here on equal ground, and with nearly double force,
she had been beaten by insignificant Thebes.

We must hasten to the end of this campaign. Sparta, wrought to
desperation by her defeat, sent all the men she could spare in
reinforcement. Thebes, too, sought allies, and found a powerful one in
Jason of Pherae, a city of Thessaly. The Theban leaders, flushed with
victory, were eager to attack the enemy in his camp, but Jason gave them
wiser advice.

"Be content," he said, "with the great victory you have gained. Do not
risk its loss by attacking the Lacedaemonians driven to despair in their
camp. You yourselves were in despair a few days ago. Remember that the
gods take pleasure in bringing about sudden changes of fortune."

This advice taken, Jason offered the enemy the opportunity to retreat in
safety from their dangerous position. This they gladly accepted, and
marched in haste away. On their journey home they met a second army
coming to their relief. This was no longer needed, and the whole baffled
force returned home.

The military prestige held by Sparta met with a serious blow from this
signal defeat. The prestige of Thebes suddenly rose into supremacy, and
her control of Boeotia became complete. But the humiliat