In full view of them, in a blaze of light, he met them at his chamber
door, and with a blow of his dagger struck down Kephisodorus, the
first man who entered. As he fell dead Leontidas grappled with the
next, Pelopidas. The struggle was a fierce one and rendered difficult
by the narrow passage and the corpse of Kephisodorus lying in it, but
at length Pelopidas gained the upper hand, and having despatched him,
immediately went with his party to attack Hypates. And in the same way
they broke into his house, but he heard them sooner, and fled away to
the neighbours, but was pursued and slain.

XII. Having accomplished this, and joined Mellon's party, they sent
word to the remaining exiles in Attica, and called together the
citizens to complete their deliverance, and as they came, gave them
arms, taking down the trophies which hung in the public colonnades,
and breaking into the workshops of spear-makers and sword-cutlers. And
Epameinondas and Gorgidas, with their party, came to help them, armed;
for they had collected together no small number of the younger men and
the strongest of the elder ones. By this time the whole city was
roused, and there was great confusion, lights flitting about, and
people running to one another's houses, but the people had not yet
assembled, but being alarmed at what had happened, and knowing nothing
for certain, they waited for daylight. And here the generals of the
Lacedæmonian garrison seem to have missed an opportunity in not at
once sallying out and attacking them, for the garrison itself
consisted of 1500 men, and many people kept running to them for refuge
from the city; however, alarmed at the shouts and fires and mass of
people assembling from all parts, they remained quiet, holding the
Kadmeia only. At daybreak arrived the exiles from Attica, fully armed,
and the public assembly met. Epameinondas and Gorgidas led forward the
band of Pelopidas, surrounded by the priests, who crowned them with