THE HUMILIATION OF SPARTA. 269

death for their homes. To attack them in their
stronghold might be to lose all that had been gained.
Repulse here would be ruin. Content with having
faced the lion in his den, Epaminondas turned and
marched down the Eurotas, his army wasting, plun-
dering, and burning as it went, while the Spartans,
though in an agony of shame and wounded honor,
were held back by their king from the peril of
meeting their enemy in the field.

In the end, his supplies growing scarce, his soldiers
loaded with plunder, Epaminondas led his army
back to Arcadia, having accomplished far more than
any foe of Sparta had ever done before, and destroyed
the warlike reputation of Sparta throughout Greece,

But the great Theban did not end here. He had
two other important objects in view. One was to
consolidate the Arcadians by building them a great
central city, to be called Megalopolis (Great City),
and inhabited by people from all parts of the state.
This was done, thick and lofty walls, more than five
miles and a half in circumference, being built round
the new stronghold.

His other purpose was to restore the country of
Messenia. We have already told how this country
had been conquered by the Spartans centuries before,
and its people exiled or enslaved. Their descendants
were now to regain their liberty and their homes.
A new city, to be named Messenia, was ordered by
Epaminondas to be built, and this, at the request of
the Messenians, was erected on Mount Ithome, where
the gallant hero Aristomenes had made his last stand
against his country’s invaders.

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