58 HISTORY OF GREECE keep those who had refused to join Olynthus, steady to their refu- sal, but also induce others, who had joined reluctantly, to revolt. Accordingly the ephors appointed Eudamidas at once, assigning to him two thousand hoplites, Neodamodes (or enfranchised Helots), Perioeki, and Skiritae or Arcadian borderers. Such was the anxiety of the Akanthians for haste, that they would not let him delay even to get together the whole of this moderate force, He was put in march immediately, with such as were ready ; M'hile his brother Phoebidas was left behind to collect the remainder and follow him. And it seems that the Akanthians judged cor- rectly. For Eudamidas, arriving in Thrace after a rapid march, though he was unable to contend against the Olynthians in the field, yet induced Potidaea to revolt from them, and was able to defend those cities, such as Akanthus and Apollonia, which reso- lutely stood aloof. 1 Amyntas brought a force to cooperate with him. The delay in the march of Phoebidas was productive of conse- quences no less momentous than unexpected. The direct line from Peloponnesus to Olynthus lay through the Theban territory ; a passage which the Thebans, whatever might have been their wishes, were not powerful enough to refuse, though they had con- tracted an alh'ance with Olynthus, 3 and though proclamation was made that no Theban citizens should join the Lacedaemonian force. Eudamidas, having departed at a moment's notice, passed through Bceotia without a halt, in his way to Thrace. But it was known that his brother Phoebidas was presently to follow ; and upon this fact the philo-Laconian party in Thebes organized a conspiracy. They obtained from the ephors, and from the miso-Theban feelings of Agesilaus, secret orders to Phoebidas, that he should cooperate with them in any party movement which they might find opportunity of executing ; 3 and when he halted with hia 1 Xen. Hellen. v, 2, 24 ; Diodor. XT, 21.
- Xen. Hellen. v, 2, 27-34.
- This is the statement of Diodorus (XT, 20), and substantially that of Plu-
tarch (Agesil. c. 24), who intimates that it was the general belief of the time. And it appears to me much more probable than tr.e representation of Xeno- phon that the first idea arose when Phoebidas wss under the walls of Thebes, and that the Spartan leader was persuaded by Leontiades to act on his own responsibility. The behaTior of Agesilaua and of the ephors after the fact.
