e than forty
years' service, (8) and that the exemption from foreign duty applicable
to others at that age was applicable on the same principle to the king.
Such were the ostensible grounds on which he excused himself from the
present expedition, but his real objections lay deeper. He felt certain
that if he led the expedition his fellow-citizens would say: "Agesilaus
caused all this trouble to the state in order to aid and abet tyrants."
Therefore he preferred to leave his countrymen to settle the matter
themselves as they liked. Accordingly the ephors, instructed by
the Theban exiles who had escaped the late massacres, despatched
Cleombrotus. He had not commanded before, and it was the depth of
winter.

(8) And was therefore more than fifty-eight years old at this date.
See "Ages." i. 6.

Now while Chabrias, with a body of Athenian peltasts, kept watch and
ward over the road through Eleutherae, Cleombrotus made his way up by
the direct route to Plataeae. His column of light infantry, pushing
forward in advance, fell upon the men who had been released from the
Theban prison, guarding the summit, to the number of about one hundred
and fifty. These, with the exception of one or two who escaped, were cut
down by the peltasts, and Cleombrotus descended in person upon Plataeae,
which was still friendly to Sparta. Presently he reached Thespiae, and
that was the base for an advance upon Cynoscephalae, where he encamped
on Theban territory. Here he halted sixteen days, and then again fell
back upon Thespiae. At this latter place he now left Sphodrias as
governor, with a third portion of each of the contingents of the allies,
handing over to him all the moneys he had brought with him from
home, with directions to supplement his force with a contingent of
mercenaries.

While Sphodrias was so employed, Cleombrotus himself commenced his
homeward march, following the road through Creusis at the head of his
own moiety of the troops, who indeed were in considerable perplexity to
discover whether they were at war with the Thebans or at peace, seeing
that the general had led his army into Theban territory, had inflicted
the minimum of mischief, and again retired. No sooner, however, was his
back turned than a violent wind storm assailed him in his rear, which
some construed as an omen clearly significant of what was about to take
place. Many a blow this assailant dealt them, and as the general and his
army, crossing from Creus