Epa min on das

, a famous Theban descended from the ancient kings of Bœotia. His father’s name was Polymnus. He has been celebrated for his private virtues and military accomplishments. His love of truth was so great that he never disgraced himself by falsehood. He formed a most sacred and inviolable friendship with Pelopidas, whose life he saved in battle. By his advice Pelopidas delivered Thebes from the power of Lacedæmon. This was the signal of war. Epa min on das was set at the head of the Theban armies, and defeated the Spartans at the celebrated battle of Leuctra, about 371 years B.C. Epa min on das made a proper use of this victorious campaign, and entered the territories of Lacedæmon with 50,000 men. Here he gained many friends and partisans; but at his return to Thebes he was seized as a traitor for violating the laws of his country. While he was making the Theban arms victorious on every side, he neglected the law which forbade any citizen to retain in his hands the supreme power more than one month, and all his eminent services seemed unable to redeem him from death. He paid implicit obedience to the laws of his country, and only begged of his judges that it might be inscribed on his tomb that he had suffered death for saving his country from ruin. This animated reproach was felt; he was pardoned and invested again with the sovereign power. He was succe ful in a war in The aly, and a isted the Eleans against the Lacedæmonians. The hostile armies met near Mantinea, and while Epa min on das was bravely fighting in the thickest of the enemy, he received a fatal wound in the breast and expired, exclaiming that he died unconquered, when he heard that the Bœotians obtained the victory, in the 48th year of his age, 363 years before Christ. The The bans severely lamented his death; in him their power was extinguished, for only during his life they had enjoyed freedom and independence among the Grecian states. Epa min on das was frugal as well as virtuous, and he refused with indignation the rich presents which were offered to him by Artaxerxes the king of Persia. He is represented by his biographer as an elegant dancer and a skilful musician, accomplishments highly esteemed among his countrymen. Plutarch , Parallel a minor a .— Cornel i us Nepos , Epa min on das .— Xenophon , Hellenica .— Diodorus , bk. 15 .— Polybius , bk. 1 .