hostages of
their own to the Mantineans, and giving up those lodged with them by the
Lacedaemonians. Orchomenos thus secured, the allies now consulted as to
which of the remaining places they should attack next. The Eleans
were urgent for Lepreum; the Mantineans for Tegea; and the Argives and
Athenians giving their support to the Mantineans, the Eleans went home
in a rage at their not having voted for Lepreum; while the rest of the
allies made ready at Mantinea for going against Tegea, which a party
inside had arranged to put into their hands.

Meanwhile the Lacedaemonians, upon their return from Argos after
concluding the four months' truce, vehemently blamed Agis for not having
subdued Argos, after an opportunity such as they thought they had never
had before; for it was no easy matter to bring so many and so good
allies together. But when the news arrived of the capture of Orchomenos,
they became more angry than ever, and, departing from all precedent, in
the heat of the moment had almost decided to raze his house, and to fine
him ten thousand drachmae. Agis however entreated them to do none of
these things, promising to atone for his fault by good service in the
field, failing which they might then do to him whatever they pleased;
and they accordingly abstained from razing his house or fining him
as they had threatened to do, and now made a law, hitherto unknown at
Lacedaemon, attaching to him ten Spartans as counsellors, without whose
consent he should have no power to lead an army out of the city.

At this juncture arrived word from their friends in Tegea that, unless
they speedily appeared, Tegea would go over from them to the Argives and
their allies, if it had not gone over already. Upon this news a force
marched out from Lacedaemon, of the Spartans and Helots and all their
people, and that instantly and upon a scale never before witnessed.
Advancing to Orestheum in Maenalia, they directed the Arcadians in their
league to follow close after them to Tegea, and, going on themselves as
far as Orestheum, from thence sent back the sixth part of the Spartans,
consisting of the oldest and youngest men, to guard their homes, and
with the rest of their army arrived at Tegea; where their Arcadian
allies soon after joined them. Meanwhile they sent to Corinth, to the
Boeotians, the Phocians, and Locrians, with orders to come up as quickly
as possible to Mantinea. These had but short notice; and it was not easy
except all