PELOPIDAS, a celebrated Theban general, of noble descent, noted among his fellow citizens for his disinterested patriotism. The inviolable friendship between himself—one of the richest men in Thebes—and Epaminondas—one of the poorest—is among the most beautiful things recorded in Greek history. In 33,2 B.C. be was driven from Thebes by the oligarchic party, who were supported by the Spartans, and forced to seek refuge at Athens, whence he returned secretly with a few associates, 379 B.C., and recovered pos session of the Kadmeia, or citadel, slaying the Spartan leader, Leontindes, with his own hand. Plutarch gives us a vivid picture of the adventurous exiles gliding quietly, in disguise, into the city, on a winter afternoon, amid bitter wind and sleet. having been elected Bmotarch, in conjunction with Alelon and Charon, lie set about training and dis• eiplining his troops, so that they soon became as formidable as the Lacedmmomans, and were .sn•eessful in several small encounters with the latter. His "sacred band" of The ban youth largely contributed to the victory of Epaminoudas at Leuctra (371 me.), but
failed in a subsequent attack on Sparta itself. In the expedition of the Thebans against the Alexander of Pherre (368 »..c.), he was, after several important successes, treacherously taken prisoner, when in the character of an ambassador; but was rescued Epaminoudas in the expedition of the following year. He was then sent to Susa. as ambassador from Thebes, to counteract the Spartan and Athenian intrigues going on at the court of Persia, and behaved himself very nobly while there. His diplomacy was successful. In 364 B.C. a third expedition was planned against Alexander of Pherre, who, as usual, was threatening the Thessalian towns. The command was given to Pero pidas, and in the summer he marched into Thessaly, where he won the battle of Rynos kephalre, but was himself killed while too eagerly pursuing the foe. He was buried by the Thessalians with great pomp.