23.3
Moreover, by threatening with war the Greeks who were unwilling to accept the peace, he forced them all to abide by the terms which the Persian dictated,The peace of Antalcidas was ratified by all the Greek states except Thebes in 387 B.C. (Xenophon, Hell. v. 1, 29 ff.). more especially on account of the Thebans, his object being to make them weaker by leaving Boeotia independent of Thebes. This he made clear by his subsequent behaviour. For when Phoebidas committed the foul deed of seizing the CadmeiaThe citadel of Thebes. It was seized by Phoebidas in 383 B.C. (Xenophon, Hell. v. 2, 26 ff.). in a time of perfect peace, and all the Greeks were indignant and the Spartans displeased at the act,
23.4
and when especially those who were at variance with Agesilaüs angrily asked Phoebidas by whose command he had done this thing, thereby turning suspicion upon Agesilaüs, he did not scruple to come to the help of Phoebidas, and to say openly that they must consider whether the act itself was serviceable or not; for that which was advantageous to Sparta might well be done independently, even if no one ordered it.