the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第8节

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nd　so　is　set　on　foot　that　strife；　in　truest　sense　acceptable　to　heaven；　and　for　the　purposes　of　state　most　politic。　It　is　a　strife　in　which　not　only　is　the　pattern　of　a　brave　man's　conduct　fully　set　forth；　but　where；　too；　each　against　other　and　in　separate　camps；　the　rival　parties　train　for　victory。　One　day　the　superiority　shall　be　theirs；　or；　in　the　day　of　need；　one　and　all　to　the　last　man；　they　will　be　ready　to　aid　the　fatherland　with　all　their　strength。

Necessity；　moreover；　is　laid　upon　them　to　study　a　good　habit　of　the　body；　coming　as　they　do　to　blows　with　their　fists　for　very　strife's　sake　whenever　they　meet。　Albeit；　any　one　present　has　a　right　to　separate　the　combatants；　and；　if　obedience　is　not　shown　to　the　peacemaker；　the　Pastor　of　youth＇4＇　hales　the　delinquent　before　the　ephors；　and　the　ephors　inflict　heavy　damages；　since　they　will　have　it　plainly　understood　that　rage　must　never　override　obedience　to　law。

＇4＇　Lit。　〃the　Paidonomos。〃

With　regard　to　those　who　have　already　passed＇5＇　the　vigour　of　early　manhood；　and　on　whom　the　highest　magistracies　henceforth　devolve；　there　is　a　like　contrast。　In　Hellas　generally　we　find　that　at　this　age　the　need　of　further　attention　to　physical　strength　is　removed；　although　the　imposition　of　military　service　continues。　But　Lycurgus　made　it　customary　for　that　section　of　his　citizens　to　regard　hunting　as　the　highest　honour　suited　to　their　age；　albeit；　not　to　the　exclusion　of　any　public　duty。＇6＇　And　his　aim　was　that　they　might　be　equally　able　to　undergo　the　fatigues　of　war　with　those　in　the　prime　of　early　manhood。

＇5＇　Probably　the　｛agathoergoi｝；　technically　so　called。　See　Herod。　i。　　　　　67；　Schneider；　ap。　Dindorf。

＇6＇　Lit。　〃save　only　if　some　public　duty　intervened。〃　See　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　　　　　ii。



V

The　above　is　a　fairly　exhaustive　statement　of　the　institutions　traceable　to　the　legislation　of　Lycurgus　in　connection　with　the　successive　stages＇1＇　of　a　citizen's　life。　It　remains　that　I　should　endeavour　to　describe　the　style　of　living　which　he　established　for　the　whole　body；　irrespective　of　age。　It　will　be　understood　that；　when　Lycurgus　first　came　to　deal　with　the　question；　the　Spartans　like　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes；　used　to　mess　privately　at　home。　Tracing　more　than　half　the　current　misdemeanours　to　this　custom；＇2＇　he　was　determined　to　drag　his　people　out　of　holes　and　corners　into　the　broad　daylight；　and　so　he　invented　the　public　mess…rooms。　Whereby　he　expected　at　any　rate　to　minimise　the　transgression　of　orders。

＇1＇　Lit。　〃with　each　age。〃；　see　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　25；　Hesychius；　｛s。　u。　　　　　irinies｝；　〃Hell。〃　VI。　iv。　17；　V。　iv。　13。

＇2＇　Reading　after　Cobet；　｛en　touto｝。

As　to　food；＇3＇　his　ordinance　allowed　them　so　much　as；　while　not　inducing　repletion；　should　guard　them　from　actual　want。　And；　in　fact；　there　are　many　exceptional＇4＇　dishes　in　the　shape　of　game　supplied　from　the　hunting　field。　Or；　as　a　substitute　for　these；　rich　men　will　occasionally　garnish　the　feast　with　wheaten　loaves。　So　that　from　beginning　to　end；　till　the　mess　breaks　up；　the　common　board　is　never　stinted　for　viands；　nor　yet　extravagantly　furnished。

＇3＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　97）。

＇4＇　｛paraloga｝；　i。e。　unexpected　dishes；　technically　named　｛epaikla｝　　　　　（hors　d'oeuvres）；　as　we　learn　from　Athenaeus；　iv。　140；　141。

So　also　in　the　matter　of　drink。　Whilst　putting　a　stop　to　all　unnecessary　potations；　detrimental　alike　to　a　firm　brain　and　a　steady　gait；＇5＇　he　left　them　free　to　quench　thirst　when　nature　dictated＇6＇；　a　method　which　would　at　once　add　to　the　pleasure　whilst　it　diminished　the　danger　of　drinking。　And　indeed　one　may　fairly　ask　how；　on　such　a　system　of　common　meals；　it　would　be　possible　for　any　one　to　ruin　either　himself　or　his　family　either　through　gluttony　or　wine…bibbing。

＇5＇　Or；　〃apt　to　render　brain　and　body　alike　unsteady。〃

＇6＇　See　〃Agesilaus〃；　also　〃Mem。〃　and　〃Cyrop。〃

This　too　must　be　borne　in　mind；　that　in　other　states　equals　in　age；＇7＇　for　the　most　part；　associate　together；　and　such　an　atmosphere　is　little　conducive　to　modesty。＇8＇　Whereas　in　Sparta　Lycurgus　was　careful　so　to　blend　the　ages＇9＇　that　the　younger　men　must　benefit　largely　by　the　experience　of　the　elderan　education　in　itself；　and　the　more　so　since　by　custom　of　the　country　conversation　at　the　common　meal　has　reference　to　the　honourable　acts　which　this　man　or　that　man　may　have　performed　in　relation　to　the　state。　The　scene；　in　fact；　but　little　lends　itself　to　the　intrusion　of　violence　or　drunken　riot；　ugly　speech　and　ugly　deeds　alike　are　out　of　place。　Amongst　other　good　results　obtained　through　this　out…door　system　of　meals　may　be　mentioned　these：　There　is　the　necessity　of　walking　home　when　the　meal　is　over；　and　a　consequent　anxiety　not　to　be　caught　tripping　under　the　influence　of　wine；　since　they　all　know　of　course　that　the　supper…table　must　be　presently　abandoned；＇10＇　and　that　they　must　move　as　freely　in　the　dark　as　in　the　day；　even　the　help　of　a　torch＇11＇　to　guide　the　steps　being　forbidden　to　all　on　active　service。

＇7＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Phaedr。〃　240　C；　｛elix　eklika　terpei｝；　〃Equals　delight　　　　　in　equals。〃

＇8＇　Or；　〃these　gatherings　for　the　most　part　consist　of　equals　in　age　　　　　（young　fellows）；　in　whose　society　the　virtue　of　modesty　is　least　　　　　likely　to　display　itself。〃

＇9＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　98）。

＇10＇　Or；　〃that　they　are　not　going　to　stay　all　night　where　they　have　　　　　supped。〃

＇11＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　99）。

In　connection　with　this　matter；　Lycurgus　had　not　failed　to　observe　the　effect　of　equal　amounts　of　food　on　different　persons。　The　hardworking　man　has　a　good　complexion；　his　muscles　are　well　fed；　he　is　robust　and　strong。　The　man　who　abstains　from　work；　on　the　other　hand；　may　be　detected　by　his　miserable　appearance；　he　is　blotched　and　puffy；　and　devoid　of　strength。　This　observation；　I　say；　was　not　wasted　on　him。　On　the　contrary；　turning　it　over　in　his　mind　that　any　one　who　chooses；　as　a　matter　of　private　judgment；　to　devote　himself　to　toil　may　hope　to　present　a　very　creditable　appearance　physically；　he　enjoined　upon　the　eldest　for　the　time　being　in　every　gymnasium　to　see　to　it　that　the　labours　of　the　class　were　proportional　to　the　meats。＇12＇　And　to　my　mind　he　was　not　out　of　his　reckoning　in　this　matter　more　than　elsehwere。　At　any　rate；　it　would　be　hard　to　discover　a　healthier　or　more　completely　developed　human　being；　physically　speaking；　than　the　Spartan。　Their　gymnastic　training；　in　fact；　makes　demands　alike　on　the　legs　and　arms　and　neck；＇13＇　etc。；　simultaneously。

＇12＇　I。e。　〃not　inferior　in　excellence　to　the　diet　which　they　enjoyed。〃　　　　　The　reading　here　adopted　I　owe　to　Dr。　Arnold　Hug；　｛os　me　ponous　　　　　auton　elattous　ton　sition　gignesthai｝。

＇13＇　See　Plat。　〃Laws；〃　vii。　796　A；　Jowett；　〃Plato；〃　v。　p。　365；　Xen。　　　　　〃Symp。〃　ii。　7；　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　19。



VI

There　are　other　points　in　which　this　legislator's　views　run　counter　to　those　commonly　accepted。　Thus：　in　other　states　the　individual　citizen　is　master　over　his　own　children；　domestics；＇1＇　goods　and　chattels；　and　belongings　generally；　but　Lycurgus；　whose　aim　was　to　secure　to　all　the　citizens　a　considerable　share　in　one　another's　goods　without　mutual　injury；　enacted　that　each　one　should　have　an　equal　power　of　his　neighbour's　children　as　over　his　own。＇2＇　The　principle　is　this。　When　a　man　knows　that　this；　that；　and　the　other　person　are　fathers　of　children　subject　to　his　authority；　he　must　perforce　deal　by　them　even　as　he　desires　his　own　child　to　be　dealt　by。　And；　if　a　boy　chance　to　have　received　a　whipping；　not　from　his　own　father　but　some　other；　and　goes　and　complains　to　his　own　father；　it　would　be　thought　wrong　on　the　part　of　that　father　if　he　did　not　inflict　a　second　whipping　on　his　son。　A　striking　proof；　in　its　way；　how　completely　they　trust　each　other　not　to　impose　dishonourable　commands　upon　their　children。＇3＇

＇1＇　Or　rather；　〃members　of　his　household。〃

＇2＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　15　（Clough；　i。　104）。

＇3＇　See　Plut。　〃Moral。〃　237　D。

In　the　same　way　he　empowered　them　to　use　their　neighbour's＇4＇　domestics　in　case　of　need。　This　communism　he　applied　also　to　dogs　used　for　the　chase；　in　so　far　that　a　party　in　need　of　dogs　will　invite　the　owner　to　the　chase；　and　if　he　is　not　at　leisure　to　attend　himself；　at　any　rate　he　is　happy　to　let　his　dogs　go。　The　same　applies　to　the　use　of　horses。　Some　one　has　fallen　sick　perhaps；　or　is　in　want　of　a　carriage；＇5＇　or　is　anxious　to　reach　some　point　or　other　quicklyin　any　case　he　has　a　right；　if　he　sees　a　horse　anywhere；　to　take　and　use　it；　and　restores　it　safe　and　sound　when　he　has　done　with　it。

＇4＇　See　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　5　（Jowett；　i。　pp。　xxxi。　and　34；　ii。　p。　　　　　53）；　Plat。　〃Laws；〃　viii。　845　A；　Newman；　〃Pol。　Aristot。〃　ii。　249　　　　　foll。

＇5＇　〃Has　not　a　carriage　of　his　own。〃

And　here　is　another　institution　attributed　to　Lycurgus　which　scarcely　coincides　with　the　customs　elsewhere　in　vogue。　A　hunting　party　returns　from　the　chase；　belated。　They　want　provisionsthey　have　nothing　prepared　themselves。　To　meet　this　contingency　he　made　it　a　rule　that　owners＇6＇　are　to　leave　behind　the　food　that　has　been　dressed；　and　the　party　in　need　will　open　the　seals；　take　out　what　they　want；　seal　up　the　remainder；　and　leave　it。　Accordingly；　by　his　system　of　give…and…　take　even　those　with　next　to　not