82 HISTORY OF GREECE. dertook to execute. Many of their friends in Thebes came in as auxiliaries to them, who would not have embarked in the design as primary actors. Of all auxiliaries, the most effective and in- dispensable was Phyllidas, the secretary of the polemarchs ; next to him, Charon, an eminent and earnest patriot. Phyllidas, hav- ing been despatched to Athens on official business, entered into secret conference with the conspirators, concerted with them the day for their coming to Thebes, and even engaged to provide lor them access to the persons of the polemarchs. Charon not only promsied them concealment in his house, from their first coming within the gates until the moment of striking their blow should have arrived, but also entered his name to share in the armed attack. Nevertheless, in spite of such partial encouragements, the plan still appeared desperate to many who wished heartily for its success. Epaminondas, for example, who now for the first time comes before us, resident at Thebes, and not merely sym- pathizing with the political views of Pelopidas, but also bound to him by intimate friendship, dissuaded others from the attempt, and declined participating in it. He announced distinctly that he would not become an accomplice in civil bloodshed. It appears that there were men among the exiles whose violence made him fear that they would not, like Pelopidas, draw the sword exclu- sively against Leontiades and his colleagues, but would avail themselves of success to perpetrate unmeasured violence against other political enemies. 1 The day for the enterprise was determined by Phyllidas the secretary, who had prepared an evening banquet for Archias and Philippus, in celebration of the period when they were going out of office as polemarchs, and who had promised on that occasion to bring into their company some women remarkable for beauty, as well as of the best families in Thebes. 2 In concert with the general body of Theban exiles at Athens, who held themselves ready on the borders of Attica, together with some Athenian sym- pathizers, to march to Thebes the instant that they should receive 1 Plutarch, De Gen. Socr. c. 3, p. 576 E. ; p. 577 A.
- Xcn. Hellen. v, 4, 4. rdf cre/ivoTdrae Kal saZOtiataf TLJV kv Qf/flais. Plu
tarch, De Gen. Socr. c. 4, p. 577 C. ; Plutarch, Pelopid. c. 9. The Theban women were distinguished for majestic figure a.id beauty (Dikaearchus, Vit. Graec. p. 144, ed Fuhr.).
