270 HISTORICAL TALES.

The city was built, the walls rising to the music
of Argeian and Beotian flutes. The best architects
and masons of Greece were invited to lay out the
plans of streets and houses and of the sacred edifices.
The walls were made so strong and solid that they
became the admiration of after-ages. The surround-
ing people, who had been slaves of Sparta, were
made freemen and citizens of the reorganized state.
A wide area of land was taken from Laconia and
given to the new communities which Epaminondas
had formed. Then, in triumph, he marched back to
Thebes, having utterly destroyed the power and
prestige of Sparta in Greece.

Reaching home, he was put on trial by certain
enemies. He had broken the law by keeping com-
mand of the army four months beyond the allotted
time. He appealed to the people, with what result
we can readily understand. He was acquitted by
acclamation, and he and Pelopidas were immediately
re-elected Boeotarchs (or generals) for the coming
year