At that time the river
Eurotas was in high flood, as much snow had fallen, and the excessive
cold of the water, as well as the strength of the stream, rendered it
hard for the Thebans to cross. Epameinondas marched first, in the
front rank of the phalanx; and some of those who were present pointed
him out to Agesilaus, who is said to have gazed long at him, saying
merely, "O thou man of great deeds."
Epameinondas was eager to assault the city itself, and to place a
trophy of victory in its streets; but as he could not draw Agesilaus
into a battle, he drew off his forces, and again laid waste the
country. Meanwhile, in Lacedaemon itself, a body of two hundred men, of
doubtful fidelity, seized the Issorium, where the temple of Artemis
stands, which is a strong and easily defensible post. The
Lacedaemonians at once wished to attack them, but Agesilaus, fearing
that some deep-laid conspiracy might break out, ordered them to remain
quiet. He himself, dressed simply in his cloak, unarmed, and attended
only by one slave, went up to the two hundred, and, in a loud voice,
told them that they had mistaken their orders; that they had not been
ordered to go thither, nor yet to go all together in a body, but that
some were to be posted _there_, pointing to some other place, and the
rest elsewhere in the city. They, hearing his commands, were
delighted, imagining that their treason was undiscovered, and
immediately marched to the places which he indicated.
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