d that while that lasted he
required no private bond of union with the king of Persia. However, in
his actions he was far from carrying out these professions, but was
frequently led into unjust acts by his ambition. In this instance he
not only shielded Phoebidas from punishment for what he had done at
Thebes, but persuaded Sparta to adopt his crime as its own, and
continue to hold the Kadmeia, appointing as the chiefs of the garrison
Archias and Leontidas,[187] by whose means Phoebidas made his way into
the citadel.

XXIV. This at once gave rise to a suspicion that Phoebidas was merely
an agent, and that the whole plot originated with Agesilaus himself,
and subsequent events confirmed this view; for as soon as the Thebans
drove out the garrison and set free their city, Agesilaus made war
upon them to avenge the murder of Archias and Leontidas, who had been
nominally polemarchs, but in reality despots of Thebes. At this period
Agesipolis was dead, and his successor Kleombrotus was despatched into
Boeotia with an army; for Agesilaus excused himself from serving in
that campaign on the ground of age, as it was forty years since he had
first borne arms, and he was consequently exempt by law. The real
reason was that he was ashamed, having so lately been engaged in a war
to restore the exiled popular party at Phlius, to be seen now
attacking the Thebans in the cause of despotism.

There was a Lacedaemonium named Sphodrias, one of the faction opposed
to Agesilaus, who was established as Spartan governor of the town of
Thespiae, a daring and ambitious man, but hot-headed, and prone to act
without due calculation. This man, who longed to achieve distinction,
and who perceived that Phoebidas had made a name throughout Greece by
his exploit at Thebes, persuaded himself that it would be a much more
glorious deed if he were to make himself master of the Peiraeus, and so
by a sudden attack cut off the Athenians from the sea. It is said that
this attempt originated with the Boeotarchs, Pelopidas and Mellon, who
sent emissaries to Sphodrias to praise and flatter him, and point out
that he alone was capable of conducting so bold an adventure. By this
language, and an affectation of sympathy with Lacedaemon, these men at
length prevailed on him to attempt a most unrighteous deed, and one
which required considerable boldness and good fortune to ensure its
success. Daylight, however, overtook Sphodrias before he had crossed
the Thriasi