allies to her aid by sea.—Discontent in Laconia among the Periœki and Helots—danger to Sparta from that cause.—Vigilant defence of Sparta by Agesilaus.—Violent emotion of the Spartans, especially the women. Partial attack upon Sparta by Epaminondas.—He retires without attempting to storm Sparta: ravages Laconia down to Gythium. He returns into Arcadia.—Great effect of this invasion upon Grecian opinion—Epaminondas is exalted, and Sparta farther lowered.—Foundation of the Arcadian Megalopolis.—Foundation of Messênê.—Abstraction of Western Laconia from Sparta.—Periœki and Helots established as freemen along with the Messenians on the Lacedæmonian border.—The details of this reorganizing process unhappily unknown.—Megalopolis—the Pan-Arcadian Ten Thousand.—Epaminondas and his army evacuate Peloponnesus.—The Spartans solicit aid from Athens—language of their envoys, as well as those from Corinth and Phlius, at Athens.—Reception of the envoys—the Athenians grant the prayer.—Vote passed to aid Sparta—Iphikrates is named general.—March of Iphikrates and his army to the Isthmus.—Trial of Epaminondas at Thebes for retaining his command beyond the legal time—his honorable and easy acquittal. 174-241 CHAPTER LXXIX. FROM THE FOUNDATION OF MESSENE AND MEGALOPOLIS TO THE DEATH OF PELOPIDAS. Changes in Peloponnesus since the battle of Leuktra.—Changes out of Peloponnesus.—Amyntas prince of Macedonia.—Ambitious views of Athens after the battle of Leuktra.—Her aspirations to maritime empire, and to the partial recovery of kleruchies.—She wishes to recover Amphipolis—Amyntas recognizes her right to the place.—Athens and Amphipolis.—Death of Jason and Amyntas—state of Thessaly and Macedonia.—Alexander of Pheræ—he is opposed by Pelopidas—influence of Thebes in Thessaly.—State of Macedonia—Alexander son of Amyntas—Euridikê—Ptolemy.—Assistance rendered by the Athenian Iphikrates to the family of Amyntas.—Iphikrates and Timotheus.—The Spartan allied army defends the line of Mount Oneium—Epaminondas breaks through it, and marches into Peloponnesus.—Sikyon joins the Thebans—Phlius remains faithful to Sparta.—Reinforcement from Syracuse to Peloponnesus, in aid of Sparta.—Forbearance and mildness of Epaminondas.—Energetic action and insolence of the Arcadians—Lykomedes animates and leads them on.—Great influence of Lykomedes.—Elis tries to recover her supremacy over the Triphylian towns, which are admitted into the Arcadian union, to the great offence of Elis.—Mission of Philiskus to Greece by Ariobarzanes.—Political importance of the reconstitution of Messênê, which now becomes the great subject of discord. Messenian victor proclaimed at Olympia.—Expedition of Pelopidas into Thessaly.—The Tearless Battle—victory of the Spartan Archidamus over the Arcadians.—Third expedition of Epaminondas