246 HISTORICAL TALES.

great and proud municipalities. But now a third
city, Thebes, was about to come forward, and assume
a leading place in the history of Greece. And of the
two men who were to guide it in this proud career,
one was among the seven who entered the gates of
the city in rustic garb that rainy December night.

Of the earlier history of Thebes little need be said.
It played its part in the legendary story of Greece,
as may be seen in our story of the “Seven against
Thebes.” During the Persian invasion Thebes
proved false to its country, assisted the invaders,
and after their repulse was punished for its treason-
able acts. Later on it came again into prominent
notice. During the Peloponnesian war it was a
strong ally of Sparta. Another city, only six miles
away, Platea, was as strong an ally of Athens.
And the inhabitants of these two cities hated each
other with the bitterest animosity. Itis a striking
example of the isolated character of Greek communi-
ties, and one that it is difficult to understand in mod-
ern times, that two cities of one small state, so near
together that an easy two hours’ walk would take a
traveller from the gates of one to those of the other,
could be the bitterest of enemies, sworn allies of
two hostile states, and the inhabitants ready to cut
each other’s throats at any opportunity. Certainly
the sentiment of human brotherhood has vastly
widened since then. There are no two cities in the
civilized world to-day that feel to each other as did
Platea and Thebes, only six miles apart, in that
famous era of Grecian enlightenment.

We have told how Platewa was taken and de-