ys to beg the
assistance of the Athenians. This request was acceded to; and shortly
afterwards an alliance was formed between the two states, in which
Sparta waived all her claims to superiority and headship. During the
next two years the Thebans continued steadily to increase their power
and influence in Greece, though no great battle was fought. In B.C.
368 Pelopidas conducted a Theban force into Thessaly and Macedonia. In
Thessaly he compelled Alexander, who, by the murder of his two
brothers, had become despot of Pherae and Tagus of Thessaly, to
relinquish his designs against the independence of Larissa and other
Thessalian cities, and to solicit peace. In Macedonia he formed an
alliance with the regent Ptolemy: and amongst the hostages given for
the observance of this treaty was the youthful Philip, son of Amyntas,
afterwards the celebrated king of Macedon, who remained for some years
at Thebes.

In the following year Pelopidas and Ismenias proceeded on an embassy to
Persia. Ever since the peace of Antalcidas the Great King had become
the recognised mediator between the states of Greece; and his fiat
seemed indispensable to stamp the claims of that city which pretended
to the headship. The recent achievements of Thebes might entitle her
to aspire to that position: and at all events the alterations which
she had produced in the internal state, of Greece, by the establishment
of Megalopolis and Messene, seemed to require for their stability the
sanction of a Persian rescript. This was obtained without difficulty,
as Thebes was now the strongest state in Greece; and it was evidently
easier to exercise Persian ascendency there by her means, than through
a weaker power. The Persian rescript pronounced the independence of
Messene and Amphipolis; the Athenians were directed to lay up their
ships of war in ordinary; and Thebes was declared the head of Greece.

It was, in all probability, during a mission undertaken by Pelopidas
and Ismonias, for the purpose of procuring the acknowledgment of the
rescript in Thessaly and the northern parts of Greece, that they were
seized and imprisoned by Alexander of Pherae. The Thebans immediately
despatched an army of 8000 hoplites and 600 cavalry to recover or
avenge their favourite citizen. Unfortunately, however, they were no
longer commanded by Epaminondas. Their present commanders were utterly
incompetent. They were beaten and forced to retreat, and the army was
in