842 
GREECE. 
On tliis fangiiinary occafion Euphaes, who had fuc- 
ceeded to tlie throne of his father Antiochus, fummoned 
a general affeinbly of his countrymen to the plain of 
StenVclara; where it was refolved to abandon the open 
coiii-.try, and fettle in fiich of their towns as were bed 
fortified by art or nature, leaving the remainder to the 
invafion of an enemy, with whofe bravery and numbers 
they were not able to contend. But while they kept 
within tile walls, they continued to exercife themfelves 
in arms, and to acquire fuch vigour and difeipline, as 
might eventually enable them to oppofe the Spartans 
in the field. Four years elapfed from the taking of Am- 
pheia before they ventured to embrace this dangerous 
meafure. During all that time, the Spartans made an¬ 
nual iiKurfions into their country, deftroying their har- 
vefts, and carrying into captivity fuch draggling parties 
as they happened to furprife. The Mefienians, on the 
other hand, as their courage increafed, were not con¬ 
tented with defending their own walls, but detached, 
in /mall parties, the bolded of their warriors to ravage 
the fea-coad of Laconia. Encouraged by the fuccefs 
of thefe predatory expeditions, Euphaes determined to 
take the field with the flower of the MefTenian nation. 
The liodile armies approached w ith a celerity propor¬ 
tioned to the fury of their refentment, and arrived, with 
high expectations, at the intermediate plain which over- 
fpread the confines of the two kingdoms. But there, 
the martial ardour of the troops received a clieck, which 
had not been forefeen by their commanders. The rivu¬ 
let, interfeif ing the plain, was fwelled by the rains into 
a torrent. This circumdance prevented a general engage¬ 
ment. The cavalry alone (amounting on either dde to 
about five hundred horfe) pa/Ted near the head of the 
ravine, and contended in an indecilive (kirmifli; while 
the fury of the infantry evaporated in unavailing infults. 
Night came on, during which the Meflenians fortified 
their camp'with fo much flcill, that the enemy, rather 
than venture to dorm it, preferred to return home, after 
an expedition, w'hich, confidering tlieir fuperiority in 
numbers, appeared no lefs inglorious than ineffectual. 
, The pufillanimous behaviour of the Spartan army de- 
ferved not the approbation of the fenate. The fathers 
of the republic upbraided the degeneracy of the youth, 
wl'.o no longer paid regard to the fanCtity of the oath 
winch they had taken, never to lay down their arms un¬ 
til tliey had fubdued the Meffeinans. The fpirit of the 
fenate was foon diffufed tlirough the community ; and 
it was determined to renew the war with an army which 
amounted to about twenty thoufand men. The ma¬ 
nagement of the expedition was entruded to Theo- 
poinpus and Polydorus ; the former of whom com. 
inanded tlie riglu, and the latter the left, wing, while 
the central divilion was committed to the diferetion of 
Kuryleon, ''f the royal race of the Theban Cadmus. 
'Die Melieniuns were inferior both in numbers and in 
difeipline, but ardent in the caufe of every thing mod 
dear to them. Euphaes headed their left vving, which 
oppofed the divifion of Theopompus; Fytharatus led 
the right; and Cleonnis'commanded the centre. When 
the fjgnal was given for the charge, the Mellcnians ra¬ 
ther ran tliaii marched to the battle. As they advanced 
upon the enemy, tiiey reproached tliem with an infatia- 
ble avidity for vveahh and power, an unnatural difre- 
gard to the ties of blood, and an impious contempt for 
the revered name of tiercules, the acknowledged foun¬ 
der and, patron of both kingdoms. From words of re¬ 
proach they proceeded to deeds of violence. Many 
quitted their ranks, and all'ailed the embattled phalanx 
of the Spartans. Tlie wounded /pent the lall e.xertions 
of their firength in fign,‘.i atts of vengeance,, or employed 
their la/i breath in conjuring their companions to imi- 
tat* the example of their bravery, do the generous 
ttrdour of the MefFenians, Sparta oppofed the intrepi- - 
dity of dilcipliiied valour. Her citizens, enured to tJie 
ufe of arms, doled their ranks, and remained firm in 
their refpeClive pofis. Where the enemy in any part 
gave v/ay, tliey followed them with fatal progrefs ; and 
endeavoured, by the continuance of regular exertion, 
to overcome the defultory efforts of rage, fury, and 
defpair. 
'The kings, who had hitherto been fatisfied with lead- 
ing their troops to adlion, and fharing the common dan. 
ger, longed, as the battle began to warin, to fignalize their 
valour in/ingle combat. With this defign, Theopompus 
fir/l marched towards Euphaes, who, feeing him ap¬ 
proach, cried out to his companions, “ Does not Theo¬ 
pompus well imitate the bloody-minded Polynices, who, 
at the head of an army of //rangers, levied war againfl his 
native country, and, with his own hand, /lew a brother, 
by whom, at the fame in/lant, he himfelf was /lain? In 
like manner does Theopompus, with unnatural hatred, 
per/ecute his kin/'men of the race of Hercules; but I 
truft he /hall meet the punifhment due to his impiety.’? 
At fight of this interefling fpeftacle, the troops were 
itifplred with new ardour, and the battle raged with 
redoubled fury. The chofen bands, who refpeclively 
watched the fafety of the contending princes, became 
infenfible to perfonal danger, and only felicitous to pre- 
ferve the facred perfons of their kings. The firength 
of Sparta, at length, began to yield to the activity of 
lier rivals. The troops of Theopompus were broken 
and thrown into diforder; and the relu6lant prince was 
himfelf compelled to retire. At tlie fame time the right 
wing of the Meflenians, having lofl their leader Pytha- 
ratus, yielded to the exertions of Polydorus and his 
Spartans: but neither this general, nor king Euphaes, 
thought proper to purfue the flying enemy. It feemed 
more expedient to ftrengthen, with their vidlorious 
troops, the central divifions of their refpedlive armies, 
which flill continued to fight with obftinate valour, and 
doubtful fuccefs. Night at length put an end to the 
■engagement, which had proved extremely humiliating 
to both parties; for next morning neither offered to re¬ 
new the battle, neither ventured to eredf a trophy of 
viftory; while both craved a fufpenfion of arms, for the 
purpofe of interring the dead. Although the imme¬ 
diate eftedts of the battle were alike injurious to the 
Spartans and to the Meffenians, its remote confequences 
were peculiarly ruinous to the latter. They were obliged 
to feek refuge among the almo/1 inaccellible mountains 
of Ithome; a place which, timugh fituated near the 
frontiers of Laconia, afforded them the fecure /1 retreat 
amidll their prel'ent calamities, being ftrongly fortified 
by nature, and furrounded by a wall, which bade defiance 
to the battering engines known in that early age. 
The Melfenians, tluis defended againfl external af- 
faults, found means to form a confederacy with the Ar. 
gives and Arcadians, who from proximity of lituation, 
as well as interference of intereff and ambition, held the 
Lacedaemonians in peculiar detellation. By the affill- 
ance of thefe powerful allies, the Mefienians gained 
conliderable advantages in two general engagements; 
in the former of which their king Eupltaes, betrayed by 
the ardour of /'uccefs into an unequal combat, was over¬ 
powered by numbers, and /lain in the action. Ari/lo- 
demus was called by the voice of the people to fill the 
vacant throne ; and his conduct in war juftified the 
high opinion entertained of him by his countrymen. 
For five years he baffled the alpiring hopes of the Spar¬ 
tans; defeated them in feveral defultory rencounters; 
and, in a pitched battle, fought near the walls of Ithome, 
overcame the principal firength of their republic, afli/ted 
by that of the Corinthiaus. This viftory threw the 
Spartan fenate into great perplexity; but their troop?, 
with revived hopes, again took tlie field; and their ar¬ 
dour was fuccefsful in feveral Ikirmilhes with tlie Mef¬ 
fenians. J thome was immediately inveffed, and, after 
a liege of five months, compelled to fubinit to the How 
but irrefiftible impreliions of famine. The greater part 
of the people difperfed themfelves through the interior 
towns 
