338 HISTORICAL TALES,

enes, the Spartan king, one night attacked Mega-
lopolis, forced the guards, broke in, and seized the
market-place. The citizens sprang to arms, Philo-
peemen at their head, and a desperate conflict ensued
in the streets. But their efforts were in vain, the
enemy held their ground. Then Philopcemen set
himself to aid the escape of the citizens, making
head against the foe while his fellow-townsmen left
the city. At last, after losing his horse and receiving
several wounds, he fought his way out through the
gate, being the last man to retreat. Cleomenes,
finding that the citizens would not listen to his fair
offers for their return, and tired of guarding empty
houses, left the place after pillaging it and destroy-
ing all he readily could.

The next year Philopemen took part in a battle
between King Antigonus of Macedonia and the
Spartans, in which the victory was due to his charg-
ing the enemy at the head of the cavalry against
the king’s orders.

“How came it,” asked the king after the battle,
“that the horse charged without waiting for the
signal ?”

“We were forced into it against our wills by a
young man of Megalopolis,” was the reply.

“That young man,” said Antigonus, with a smile,
“ acted like an experienced commander.”

During this battle a javelin, flung by a strong
hand, passed through both his thighs, the head
coming out on the other side. “There he stood
awhile,” says Plutarch, “as if he had been shackled,
unable to move. The fastening which joined the