a celebrated Theban, the son of Polymnus, and one of the greatest captains of antiquity. He learned philosophy and music under Lyssis, a Pythagorean philosopher; and was from his infancy inured to all the exercises of body and mind. He was learned, generous, well-skilled in war, brave, modest, and prudent; and had such a regard for truth, that he would not tell a falsehood even in jest. He served first under the Lacedemonians; saved the life of Pelopidas their chief, who received in a battle seven or eight wounds; and contracted a strict friendship with that general, which lasted till his death. At his persuasions, Pelopidas delivered the city of Thebes from the yoke of the Spartans, who had rendered themselves masters of Cadmea, which occasioned a bloody war between the two nations. Epaminondas was made general of the Thebans; on which he gained the celebrated battle of Leuctra, in which Cleombrotus, the valiant king of Sparta, was killed. He then ravaged the enemy's country, and caused the city of Messene to be rebuilt and peopled. At length, the command of the army was given to another, because Epaminondas had kept his troops in the field four months longer than he had been ordered by the people; but, instead of retiring in disgust, he now served as a common soldier, and distinguished himself by so many brave actions, that the Thebans, ashamed of having deprived him of the command, restored him to his post, in order to carry the war into Thessaly, where his arms were always victorious. A war breaking out between the Elians and the inhabitants of Mantinea, the Thebans took the part of the former. Epaminondas then resolved to endeavour to surprise Sparta and Mantinea; but not succeeding, he gave the enemy battle, in which he received a mortal wound with a javelin, the bearded iron remaining in the wound. Knowing that it could not be drawn out without occasioning immediate death, he would not suffer it to be touched, but continued to give his orders; and on his being told, that the enemy were entirely defeated, "I have lived long enough (he cried),