to be expected at his years. For he did not now fight with that
caution and cunning which he formerly made use of, but put all upon a
desperate push; which, though not his usual method, succeeded so well,
that he rescued the city out of the very hands of Epaminondas, and
forced him to retire, and, at the erection of a trophy, was able, in the
presence of their wives and children, to declare that the Lacedaemonians
had nobly paid their debt to their country, and particularly his son
Archidamus, who had that day made himself illustrious, both by his
courage and agility of body, rapidly passing about by the short lanes to
every endangered point, and everywhere maintaining the town against the
enemy with but few to help him. Isadas, too, the son of Phoebidas,
must have been, I think, the admiration of the enemy as well as of his
friends. He was a youth of remarkable beauty and stature, in the very
flower of the most attractive time of life, when the boy is just rising
into the man. He had no arms upon him, and scarcely clothes; he had just
anointed himself at home, when, upon the alarm, without further waiting,
in that undress, he snatched a spear in one hand, and a sword in the
other, and broke his way through the combatants to the enemies, striking
at all he met. He received no wound, whether it were that a special
divine care rewarded his valor with an extraordinary protection,
or whether his shape being so large and beautiful, and his dress
so unusual, they thought him more than a man. The Ephors gave him a
garland; but as soon as they had done so, they fined him a thousand
drachma, for going out to battle unarmed.

THE BROTHERS FROM THE LIFE OF TIMOLEON

Timoleon had an older brother, whose name was Timophanes, who was
every way unlike him, being indiscreet and rash and infected by the
suggestions of some friends and foreign soldiers, whom he kept always
about him, with a passion for absolute power. He seemed to have a
certain force and vehemence in all military service, and even to delight
in dangers, and thus he took much with the people, and was advanced
to the highest charges as a vigorous and effective warrior; in the
obtaining of which offices and promotions Timoleon much assisted him,
helping to conceal or at least to extenuate his errors, embellishing
by his praise whatever was commendable in him, and setting off his good
qualities to the best advantage.

It happened once in the battle fought by the Cor