undred
cavalry, under Malkitus and Diogeiton, against Alexander. Finding that
he was weakened and shorn of much of his power, they compelled him to
restore to the Thessalians their cities, which he held, to liberate
the Achaeans in Magnesia and Phthiotis, to withdraw his garrisons from
those countries, and to swear to the Thebans, that he would attack,
and assist them to attack, any enemy they might choose.

The Thebans were satisfied with these terms; but I will now recount
how, shortly afterwards, Heaven exacted retribution from him for the
death of Pelopidas. Thebe his wife, as we have said before, had been
taught by Pelopidas not to fear the outward pomp and body-guard of the
tyrant, since she was within all his defences. She, dreading his
suspicious nature, and hating his cruelty, made a plot with her three
brothers, Tisiphonus, Pytholaus, and Lykophron, which she carried out
in the following manner. The night patrol of the guard watched in the
house, but their bedchamber was upstairs, and before the door there
was a dog chained as a guard, very savage with every one except
themselves and one of their servants who fed it. Now when Thebe
determined to make the attempt, she got her brothers concealed near at
hand during the day in one of the rooms, and when she came, as usual,
alone to Alexander's chamber, she found him asleep. In a little time
she came out again, and ordered the servant to take away the dog, as
the despot wished to sleep undisturbed. Fearing that the stairs would
make a noise when the young men mounted, she covered them with wool,
and then brought up her brothers, with their swords drawn. Leaving
them outside she herself went in, and taking down the sword that hung
over his head, showed it to them as a proof that he was in their power
and asleep. The young men now were terrified, and hesitated to act;
but she reproached them bitterly, and swore that she would herself
awaken Alexander and tell him the whole plot. Between shame and terror
she got them in and placed them round the bed, herself holding the
light. One of them seized his feet, another held his head back by the
hair, and the third despatched him with a stab of his sword, a death,
perhaps, easier than he deserved. He was the first, or perhaps the
only despot ever assassinated by his own wife. His body after death
was dragged about and trodden under foot by the people of Pherae, a
recompense which his villanies deserved.

FOOTNOTES:

[Fo