The Spartans were in high anger against Agis for his unsoldier-like
conduct in the recent campaign, and when they heard of the
capitulation of Orchomenus their resentment rose to such a pitch that
it was proposed to inflict on him a heavy fine, and raze his house to
the ground. At his earnest entreaty they consented to reserve the
sentence, and give him an opportunity of wiping out the stain on his
honour; but as a mark of diminished confidence they appointed ten
commissioners, without whose consent he was not allowed to lead an
army out of the city.
They had just come to this decision when an urgent message arrived
from Tegea, bidding them to bring help with all speed, or the town
would be lost. The imminent peril startled the Spartans from their
wonted apathy, and they set out at once in full force to the relief of
Tegea. On reaching the borders of Arcadia they sent back the elder and
younger men, amounting to a sixth part of the army, to serve as a
garrison in Sparta; and at the same time couriers were despatched to
summon their allies in Arcadia and central Greece. The Arcadians
arrived in time to take part in the battle, but the Boeotians,
Corinthians, and others, though they hastened to obey the order, were
delayed by a long and difficult march, through the hostile territory
of Argos.
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