EPA 
ro The princi 
the Douro, the Lima, the Neiva, the Cavado, the Ave, 
&e. allof which run westward into the Atlantic. 
The province contains three cities, 25 towns, 223,495 
houses, and 900,000 inhabitants. of. 
ENYDRA, a genus of plants class 
sia, and order 
p- 312. : ; 
EPACRIS, a genus ref ko of the class Pentandria, 
and order M ia. Borany, p. 141, 170. 
EPACT. See Curonorocy, vol. vi. P- 411. 
EPAMINONDAS, acelebrated Grecian general, was 
born at Thebes in Baotia ; and was descended, by his 
father Polynmis, from the ancient sovereigns of his 
country. He was educated in his father’s house, along 
with Philip of Macedonia, under the Pythagorean phi- 
losopher Lysis ; and, from an early age, devoted him- 
self to the study of philosophy. Nor was he inatten- 
tive to the more ornamental accomplishments ; and par- 
ticularly applied himself to those athletic exercises, 
which at that time formed the chief amusement of the 
Grecian youth. While he was distinguished by the 
most amiable dispositions, and mingled pra F with 
persons of his own e, he was remarkably re- 
am in his manners. io dgake seldom, even to his 
intimate friends; but the few words which he occa» 
sionally uttered were so uniformly pertinent and judi- 
cious, that, when he was only 15 years of age, it was 
eaid of him by Spintarus of Tarentam ; « I never knew 
a man who understood so much, and spoke so little. 
Though thus accomplished and admired, he was one of 
the t citizens of Thebes ; and no solicitations of 
his friends could ever prevail upon him to accept of 
riches, or to alter his frugal mode of life. Anxious to 
correct the luxurious manners of his coun! en, and 
to inspire them with that virtuous spirit, which might 
enable them to maintain their public liberties, he omit- 
ted no opportunity of resisting their dissipated habits ; 
and, when once questioned, at a public festival, why he 
shad appeared in so plain a dress, and with so pensive 
an aspect, he sarcastically replied, “ because I wish, 
that one person may remain to watch over the safety of 
the city, when you are all drowned in wine and de- 
bauchery.” Having attracted the esteem and affection 
of Pelopidas, one of the wealthiest and most illustrious 
of the he inspired his friend with similar sen- 
timents ; and, by their united influence and example, 
they revived among their fellow citizens that love of 
sobriety and virtue, which laid the firm foundation of 
their — eminence. These two friends, having been 
appointed to join the troops, which were sent to the as- 
sistance of the Lacedemonians, in the war against the 
Arcadians, gave the first signal proof of their own mi- 
litary spirit, and raised the character of their country 
among the neighbouring states. At the battle of Man- 
tinea, they sustained with heroic e the hottest of 
the fight, and Pelopidas, having fallen covered with 
wounds upon heaps of slain, the desperate exertions of 
Epaminondas for his rescue, restored the victory to the 
routed Lacedemonians. When the Spartans, a few 
years afterwards, jealous of the rising power of the The- 
bans, had treacherously made themselves masters. of 
their city, and when Pelopidas, with the other exiles, 
had formed a sc e for the liberation of their country, 
Epaminondas, whose obscure station and love of study 
had saved him from banishment, privately seconded the 
with the utmost 
pe na ts ¥ 4° the exe- 
cution plot, openly a) am ie assertors 
of Vie independence of Thebes. Sacrificing his love of 
neipal rivers are, the Minho, : 
Ss 
ygamia Segregata. ied ceaes, tage 
mended a general resistance to the overgrown power of 
the Lacedemonians. The er ty ing excluded the 
Thebans from the league, war was declared against 
‘them as the enemies of Greece. Epaminondas was 
paar yr 104 coon to ae the affairs of Thebes mn 
and, having selected six of the principal citizens as hi 
associates, to whom he gave the ‘ation of Beotarchs; 
or governors of Beeotia, he aaemel with 6000 infantry 
ie 5 small body of cavalry, to op the Liacedemo- 
nian king, Cleombrotus, atthe heed of. 10,000 foot and 
1000 horse. The hostile armies met at Leuctra, a small 
town in Beeotia, B.C. 371. . Epaminondas, by the cou- 
rage with which he inspired his troops, and the new 
plan of attack which he adopted, gained a complete vic. 
tory over double his numbers; and cut off the Spartan 
commander with the flower of his. army. The victo- 
rious chief rejoiced in the exaltation of his country ; but 
declared that his highest personal gratification consisted 
in having ye. ired so great. while his parents - 
were alive. Two years after this memorable success; 
he entered the territories of the Lacedemonians, where, 
for the space of 600 years, an-enemy’s camp had never 
been pitched; and, at the head of 70,000 troops front 
different states, overran all Laconia with fire and sword; 
advanced to the very walls of Sparta, which on one oc- 
casion he had it in his power to destroy ; laid waste its 
suburbs in the sight of its kings, and, having te- 
ly humbled that formidable power in the sight of all 
reece, returned to Thebes with an army crowned 
with victory, and loaded with the spoils of the enemy, 
Entering his native city, which he had raised from the 
lowest humiliation to the height of political greatness, 
he found a factious party prepared to accuse him and 
his colleague of treason against the state, oe baring re: 
tained their office as Beotarchs four months beyond the 
term prescribed by law. An assembly of the ungrate- 
ful e was ready to condemn the two. friends to ca- 
pi ishment, when Epaminondas, anxious to save 
the iit e of 
Pelopidas, acknowledged the breach of the 
law which he had committed, and took upon himself 
the whole of the guilt in having advised the measure; 
« The law condemns me,” he exclaimed. before his 
jadges, “and I consent, if it must.be so, to suffer as 
an example ; but permit me to make this. single re- 
quest. I suffer for having led you into Laconia, where « 
no enemy before you had dared to penetrate ; [suffer 
for having carried into their towns and territories, the 
desolations which they first brought upon our misera~ 
ble country ; I suffer for gaining your victories and en- 
larging your power. Behold the crimes for which I 
am condemned ! let them be engraved upon my tomb, 
that, when posterity shall hear of my punishment; 
they may also be informed of the cause.” _ This speech 
