hy with the speaker, enquired whether he thought it right
and just that the cities of Boeotia[188] should be left independent.

Epameinondas quickly and boldly enquired in answer, whether he
thought it right to leave each of the towns in Laconia independent. At
this Agesilaus leaped to his feet in a rage, and asked him to state
clearly whether he meant to leave Boeotia independent. As Epameinondas
in reply merely repeated his question, as to whether Agesilaus meant
to leave Laconia independent, Agesilaus became furious, eagerly seized
the opportunity to strike the name of Thebes out of the roll of cities
with whom peace was being made, and declared war against it. He
ratified a treaty of peace with the other Greek cities, and bade their
representatives begone, with the remark, that such of their disputes
as admitted of settlement must be arranged by peaceful negotiation,
and such as could not must be decided by war; but that it was too much
trouble for him to act as arbitrator between them in their manifold
quarrels and disagreements.

Kleombrotus, the other Spartan king, was at this time in the Phokian
territory at the head of an army. The Ephors now at once sent orders
to him to cross the Theban frontier, while they assembled a force from
all the allied cities, who were most reluctant to serve, and objected
strongly to the war, yet dared not express their discontent or disobey
the Lacedaemonians. Many sinister omens were observed, which we have
spoken of in the life of Epameinondas, and Prothous the Laconian
openly opposed the whole campaign; yet Agesilaus would not desist, but
urged on the war against Thebes, imagining that now, when all the
other states were standing aloof, and Thebes was entirely isolated, he
had a more favourable opportunity than might ever occur again for
destroying that city. The dates of this war seem to prove that it was
begun more out of ill-temper than as a consequent of any definite
plan; for the peace was ratified in Lacedaemon with the other cities on
the fourteenth of the month Skirophorion; and on the fifth of the next
month, Hekatombaeon, only twenty days afterwards, the Spartans were
defeated at Leuktra. A thousand Lacedaemonians perished, among them
Kleombrotus the king, and with him the flower of the best families in
Sparta. There fell also the handsome son of Sphodrias, Kleonymus, who
fought before the king, and was thrice struck to the ground and rose
again before he was slain by