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considerable presents, and granted him his desires, — that the Grecians should be free, Messenia inhabited, and the Thebans accounted the king's hereditary friends. With these answers, but not accepting one of the presents, except what was a pledge of kindness and good-will, he returned. This behavior of Pelopidas ruined the other ambassadors : the Athenians condemned and executed their Timagoras, and, indeed, if they did it for receiving so many presents from the king, then* sentence was just and good; as he not only took gold and silver, but* rich bed, and slaves to make it, as if the Greeks were unskil- ful in that art ; besides eighty cows and herdsmen, pro- fessing he needed cow's milk for some distemper; and, lastly, he was carried in a litter to the seaside, with a present of four talents for his attendants. But the Athe- nians, perhaps, were not so much irritated at his greedi- ness for the presents. For Epicrates the baggage-car- rier not only confessed to the people that he had received gifts from the king, but made a motion, that instead of nine archons, they should yearly choose nine poor citi- zens to be sent ambassadors to the king, and enriched by his presents, and the people only laughed at the joke. But they were vexed that the Thebans obtained their desires, never considering that Pelojjidas's fame was more powerful than all their rhetorical discourse, with a man who still inclined to the victorious in arms. This embassy, having obtained the restitution of Messenia, and the free- dom of the other Greeks, got Pelopidas a great deal of good- will at his return. At this time, Alexander the Pheraean falling back to his old nature, and having seized many of the Thessalian cities, and put garrisons upon the Achjeans of Phthiotis, and the Magnesians, the cities, hearing that Pelopidas was returned, sent an embassy to Thebes, requesting succors, and him for their leader. The Thebans willingly granted