124 HISTORY OF GREECE. Nor did such reserve proceed from any want of ready powers of expression. On the contrary, the eloquence of Epaminondas, when he entered upon his public career, was shown to be not merely preeminent among Thebans, but effective even against the best Athenian opponents. 1 But his disposition was essentially modest and unambitious, combined with a strong intellectual curi- osity and a great capacity ; a rare combination amidst a race usually erring on the side of forwardness and self-esteem. Little moved by personal ambition, and never cultivating popularity by unworthy means, Epaminondas was still more indifferent on the score of money. He remained in contented poverty to the end of his life, not leaving enough to pay his funeral expenses, yet repu- diating not merely the corrupting propositions of foreigners, but also the solicitous tenders of personal friends ; 2 though we are told that, when once serving the costly office of choregus, he permitted his friend Pelopidas to bear a portion of the expense. 3 As he thus stood exempt from two of the besetting infirmities which most frequently misguided eminent Greek statesmen, so there was a third characteristic not less estimable in his moral character ; the gentleness of his political antipathies, his repugnance to harsh treatment of conquered enemies, and his refusal to min- gle in intestine bloodshed. If ever there were men whose con- duct seemed to justify unmeasured retaliation, it was Leontiades and his fellow-traitors. They had opened the doors of the Kad- meia to the Spartan Phoebidas, and had put to death the Theban leader Ismenias. Yet Epaminondas disapproved of the scheme of Pelopidas and the other exiles to assassinate them, and declined to take part in it ; partly on prudential grounds, but partly, also, some pains to collect materials for the purpose, which materials would natu- rally be employed in his dramatic dialogue, " De Genio Socratis." This strengthens our confidence in the interesting statements which that dia- logue furnishes respecting the character of Epaminondas ; as well as in the incidental allusions interspersed among Plutarch's other writings. 1 Cornel. Nepos, Epaminond. c. 5; Plutarch, Praecept. Reip. Gercnd. p. 819 C. Cicero notices him as the only maa with any pretensions to ora- torical talents, whom Thebes, Corinth, or Aigos had ever produced (Bru- tus, c. 13, 50).
- Plutarch (De Gen. Socr. p. 583, 584 ; Pelopid. c. 3 ; Fab. Max. c. 27
Compar. Alcibiad. and Coriol. c. 4) ; Cornel. Nepos. Epamin. c. 4. 3 Plutarch, Aristeides, c. 1 ; Justin, vi, 8.
