THE HUMILIATION OF SPARTA. 263

Thebes as president of all Beotia. He made a
vigorous speech, asking why Sparta was granted
rights from which other leading cities were de-
barred.

This was a new question. No Greek had ever
asked it openly before. To Sparta it seemed the
extreme of insolence and insult. What daring
stranger was this who presumed to question her

right to absolute control of Laconia? No speech
“was made in her defence. Spartans never made
speeches. They prided themselves on their few
words and quick deeds,—laconic utterances, as they
have since been called. The Spartan king sprang
indignantly from his seat.

“Speak plainly,” he scornfully demanded. “ Will
you, or will you not, leave to each of the Beotian
cities its separate autonomy ?”

“Will you leave each of the Laconian towns its
separate autonomy ?” demanded Epaminondas.

Not another word was said. Agesilaus, the Spar-
tan king, who was also president of the congress,
caused the name of Thebes to be stricken from the
roll, and proclaimed that city to be excluded from
the treaty of peace.

It was a bold move on the part of Epaminondas,
for it meant war with all the power of Sparta, re-
lieved of all other enemies by the peace. Sparta
had conquered and humbled Athens. It had con-
quered many other cities, forcing some of them to
throw down their walls and go back again to their
old state of villages. What upstart was this that
dared defy its wrath and power? Thebes could hope