Comparison of Pelopidas and Marcellus

Pelopidas, however, was somewhat excusable, because, excited as he always was by an opportunity for battle, he was now carried away by a generous anger to seek revenge. For the best thing is that a general should be victorious and keep his life,

but if he must die,

he should

conclude his life with valour,

as Euripides says; for then he does not suffer death, but rather achieves it.