Page 246 that had routed the Lacedemonians, and were Masters of the dead, challeng'd the Victory. And for some time neither side sent any Trumpets to Treat for burying the Dead, lest they that were first should be thought to yield the day. Yet at last the Lacedemonians first sent a Trumpet to procure Liberty to bury their Men: Whereupon all were buried that were slain on both sides.
But Epaminondas (yet living) was brought back into the Camp; and when the Physitians that were sent for, told him that he would certainly Die as soon as the Dart was drawn out of his Body, he was not at all daunted: But first call'd for his Armour-bearer, and ask'd whether his Shield was safe? When he answer'd it was, and shew'd it to him; then he enquir'd whether side had got the day. The Youth making return that the Boeotians were Victors: Why then, saith he, Now is the time to die: And forthwith order'd the Dart to be drawn out. And when all his Friends round about him cry'd out, and one with great Lamentation express'd himself thus; And what, O Epaminondas, Dost thou die Childless? No, by Jupiter (said he,) But I leave behind me Two Daughters, whereof the one is Victory at Leuctra, and the other at Mantinea. And so upon drawing out the head of the Dart, he quietly breath'd out his last, without any shew of Trouble, or Disorder of Mind.
And because it was our usual Method to give an Honourable Testimony of Worthy and Deserving Men after their Deaths, we think we might be justly blam'd if we should omit so brave a Man, without a peculiar remark. For he seems to me to be not only the most skilful General, and of the most Just and Generous Disposition of any of his own time, (among whom the most famous were Pelopidas the Theban, Timotheus, Conon, Chabrias, Iphicrates, Athenians, and Agesilaus the Spartan (who was a little before him) but likewise of any that liv'd before him in the time of the Medes and Persians, as Solon, Themistocles, Miltiades, Cimon, Mironides, Pericles, and some other Athenians; and Gelo the Son of Dinomenes in Sicily, and some others, whose several Excellencies if any will compare with the Military Art, and the Glory of the Arms of Epaminondas, he shall soon find him to exceed them in many degrees. For among them some one peculiar Excellency was only remarkable in each particular Person; but in him a Constellation of Virtues were Hous'd together. For in Strength and Comliness of Body, Volubility of Tongue, Gallantness of Spirit, Contempt of Wealth, and impartial Justice (and that which was far before all the rest) in Valour and Skill in Martial Affairs (absolutely necessary for a General) he far excell'd 'em all. When alive, he gain'd the Sovereign Power for his Country; but by his Death they lost it again, and their Affairs declin'd to the worse ever afterwards; and at length by the Sloth and Ignorance of their Commanders they were utterly ruin'd, and reduc'd to perfect Slavery. And this was the end of Epaminondas, a Man honoured, and esteemed of all.
After this Battle, the Grecians being tir'd out with continual Wars, and contented now to draw stakes, put an end to the War, and entred into a general League Offensive and Defensive, in which the Messineans were included. But the Lacedemonians (by reason of the implacable Hatred they bore the Messineans) would not subscribe the Articles of Peace: And therefore they of all the Grecians were the only Men that swore not to the League. As to the Writers in this year; Xenophon the Athenian concludes his History of the Wars of Greece with the death of Epaminondas. Anaximenes likewise of Lampsacus writ the First Part of his History of the Grecian Affairs from the Origin of the Gods, and the First Being of Mankind to the Battle of Mantinea, and the death of Epaminondas, containing almost all the Affairs both of the Grecians and Barbarians in Twelve Volumes. Lastly Philistus, who writ the History of Dionysius the younger in Two Books, ends them here.