at table from his head, dipt it in perfumes, and fent it him. But though he did not treat Pelopidas with that familiarity, yet he made him the richeft and most magnificent prefents, and fully granted his demands; which were," that all the Greeks fhould be free and independent; that "Meffene fhould be repeopled; and that the The"bans fhould be reckoned the king's hereditary "friends."

With this answer he returned, but without accepting any of the king's prefents, except fome tokens of his favour and regard: a circumstance that reflected no fmall difhonour upon the other ambaffadors. The Athenians condemned and executed Timagoras, and justly too, if it was on account of the many prefents he received. For he accepted not only gold and filver, but a magnificent bed, and fervants to make it, as if that was an art which the Greeks were not skilled in. 'He received alfo fourfcore cows, and herdímen to take care of them, as if he wanted their milk for his health; and, at laft, he fuffered himself to be carried in a litter as far as the fea-coaft at the king's expence, who paid four talents for his conveyance: But his receiving of presents does not feem to have been the principal thing that incenfed the Athenians. For when Epicrates, the armourbearer acknowledged in full affembly, that he had received the king's prefents, and talked of propofing a decree, that, inftead of chufing nine Archons every year, nine of the poorest citizens fhould be fent ambaffadors to the king, that by his gifts they might be raised to affluence the people only laughed at the motion. What exafperated the Athenians moft, was, that the Thebans had obtained of the king all they afked; they did not confider how much the character of Pelopidas outweighed the address of their orators, with a

man

man who ever paid particular attention to military excellence.

This embaffy procured Pelopidas great applause, as well on account of the repeopling of Meffene, as to the restoring of liberty to the rest of Greece.

Alexander the Pheræan was now returned to his natural difpofition; he had deftroyed feveral cities of Theffaly, and put garrifons into the towns of the Phthiotæ, the Achæans and the Magnefians. As foon as these oppreffed people had learnt that Pelopidas was returned, they fent their deputies to Thebes, to beg the favour of fome forces, and that he might be their general. The Thebans willingly granted their requeft, and an army was foon got ready, but just as the general was on the point of marching, the fun began to be eclipfed, and the city was covered with darkness in the daytime.

Pelopidas, seeing the people in great confternation at this Phænomenon, did not think proper to force the army to move, while under fuch terror and difmay, nor to rifque the lives of feven thoufand of his fellow citizens. Inftead of that, he went himself into Theffaly, and taking with him only three hundred horse, confifting of Theban volunteers and strangers, he fet out, contrary to the warnings of the foothfayers and inclinations of the people. For they confidered the eclipfe as a fign from heaven, the object of which must be fome illuftrious perfonage. But, befides that Pelopidas was the more exafperated against Alexander by reafon of the ill treatment he had received, he hoped from the converfation he had with Thebe, to find the tyrant's family embroiled and in great diforder. The greatest incitement however was the honour of the thing. He had a generous ambition, to fhew the Greeks, at a time when the Lacedæmonians were fending generals and other officers to Dionyfius the

tyrant

tyrant of Sicily, and the Athenians were pensioners to Alexander, as their benefactor, to whom they had erected a statue in brass, that the Thebans were the only people who took the field in behalf of the oppreffed, and endeavoured to exterminate all arbitary and unjust government.

When he was arrived at Pharfalus, he affembled his forces, and then marched directly against Alexander; who, knowing that Pelopidas had but few Thebans about him, and that he himself had double his number of Theffalian infantry went to meet him as far as the temple of Thetis. When he was informed, that the tyrant was advancing towards him with a great army, So much the better, faid he, for we shall beat fo many the more.

Near the place called Cynofcephalæ, there are two fteep hills opposite each other, in the middle of the plain. Both fides endeavoured to get poffeffion of these hills with their infantry. In the mean time Pelopidas with his cavalry, which was numerous and excellent, charged the enemy's horse, and put them to the rout. But while he was purfuing them over the plain, Alexander had gained the hills, having got before the Theffalian foot, which he attacked as they were trying to force those ftrong heights, killing the foremost, and wounding many of those that followed, fo that they toiled without effecting any thing. Pelopidas feeing this, called back his cavalry, and ordered them to fall upon fuch of the enemy as ftill kept their ground on the plain; and taking his buckler in his hand, he ran to join thofe that were engaged on the hills. He foon made his way to the front, and by his presence infpired his foldiers with fuch vigour and alacrity, that the enemy thought they had quite different men to deal with. They ftood two or three charges; but when they found that the foot ftill preffed forward, and faw the horse return from the purfuit,

pursuit, they gave ground, and retreated, but* flowly and step by step. Pelopidas then taking a view, from an eminence, of the enemy's whole army, which did not yet take to flight, but was full of confufion and diforder, stopped a while to look round for Alexander. When he perceived him on the right encouraging and rallying the mercenaries, he was no longer mafter of himself; but facrificing both his fafety, and his duty as a general, to his paffion, he fprang forward a great way before his troops, loudly calling for and challenging the tyrant, who did not dare to meet him or to wait for him, but fell back and hid himfelf in the midst of his guards. The foremost ranks of the mercenaries, who came hand to hand, were broken by Pelopidas, and a number of them flain; but others fighting at a distance, pierced his armour with their javelins. The Theffalians, extremely anxious for him, ran down the hill to his affiftance, but when they came to the place, they found him dead upon the ground. Both horfe and foot then falling upon the enemy's main body, entirely routed them, and killed above three thoufand. The purfuit continued a long way, and the fields were covered with the carcafes of the flain.

Such of the Thebans as were prefent, were greatly afflicted at the death of Pelopidas, calling him their father, their faviour, and inftru&tor in every thing that was great and honourable. Nor is this to be wondered at; fince the Theffalians and allies, after exceeding, by their public acts in his favour, the greatest honours that are ufually paid to human virtue, teftified their regard for him still more fenfibly by the deepest forrow. For it is faid, that those who were in the action, neither put off their armour, nor unbridled their horfes, nor bound up their wounds, after they heard that he was dead,

VOL. II.

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but,

but, notwithstanding their heat and fatigue, repaired to the body, as if it ftill had life and sense, piled round it the spoils of the enemy, and cut off their horfes' manes and their own hair.† Many of them, when they retired to their tents, neither kindled a fire nor took any refreshment; but a melancholy filence reigned throughout the camp, as if, instead of gaining fo great and glorious a victory, they had been worfted and enflaved by the tyrant.

When the news was carried to the towns, the magiftrates, young men, children, and priests came out to meet the body, with trophies, crowns and golden armour: and when the time of his interrment was come, fome of the Theffalians who were venerable for their age, went and begged of the Thebans that they might have the honour of burying him. One of them expreffed himself in these terms. "What we requeft of you, our good "allies, will be an honour and confolation to ❝us under this great misfortune. It is not the "living Pelopidas, whom the Theffalians defire "to attend; it is not to Pelopidas fenfible of their "gratitude, that they would now pay the due "honours; all we ask is the permiffion to wash, "to adorn and interr his dead body. And if we obtain this favour, we fhall believe you are

perfuaded that we think our fhare in the com"mon calamity greater than yours. You have "loft only a good general, but we are so unhappy "as to be deprived both of him and of our li"berty. For how fhall we presume to ask you for another general, when we have not restored "to you Pelopidas?"

The Thebans granted their request. And furely there never was a more magnificent funeral, at leaft in the opinion of thofe who do not place magnificence in ivory, gold and purple; as Philiftus

↑ A cuftomary token of mourning among the ancients.

did,