ALEXANDER BEFORE THEBES. &V hardly doubt that both Athenians and Thebans had communica- tions at Pella — that they looked upon any Macedonian invasion as likely to come from thence — and that they expected Alexan- der himself (assuming him to be still living, contrary to their belief) back in his capital before he began any new enterprise. Upon this hypothesis — in itself probable, and such as would have been realized if Alexander had not already advanced so far southward at the moment when he received the news^ — they would at least have known beforehand of his approach, and would have had the option of a defensive combination open. As it happened, his unexpected appearance in the heart of Greece precluded all combinations, and checked all idea of resistance. Two days after his arrival in Boeotia, he marched his army round Thebes, so as to encamp on the south side of the city ; whereby he both intercepted the communication of the Thebans with Athens, and exhibited his force more visibly to the garrison in the Kadmeia. The Thebans, though alone and without hope of succor, maintained their courage unshaken. Alexander de- ferred the attack for a day or two, in hopes that they would sub- mit ; he wished to avoid an assault which might cost the lives of many of his soldiers, whom he required for his Asiatic schemes. He even made public proclamation,^ demanding the surrender of the anti-Macedonian leaders Phoenix and Prochytes, but offer- ing to any other Theban who chose to quit the city, permission to come and join him on the terms of the convention sworn in the preceding autumn. A general assembly being convened, the raacedonizing Thebans enforced the prudence of submission to an irresistible force. But the leaders recently returned from exile, who had headed the rising, warmly opposed this proposi- tion, contending for resistance to the death. In them, such reso- lution may not be wonderful, since (as Arrian^ remarks) they had gone too far to hope for lenity. As it appears however that the mass of citizens deliberately adopted the same resolution, in ' Diodorus (xvii. 9^ incorrectly says that Alexander came back unex- pectedly from Thrace. Had this been the ffct, he would have come hj Pella.
- Diodoi. xvii. 9; Plutarch Alexand. 11.
•• Anian, i. 7, IG. VOf,. XII. 4
