the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第9节

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he　remainder；　and　leave　it。　Accordingly；　by　his　system　of　give…and…　take　even　those　with　next　to　nothing＇7＇　have　a　share　in　all　that　the　country　can　supply；　if　ever　they　stand　in　need　of　anything。

＇6＇　Reading　｛pepamenous｝；　or　if　｛pepasmenous｝；　〃who　have　already　　　　　finished　their　repasts。〃

＇7＇　See　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　9　（Jowett；　i。　pp。　xlii。　and　52）；　Muller；　　　　　〃Dorians；〃　iii。　10；　1　（vol。　ii。　197；　Eng。　tr。）



VII

There　are　yet　other　customs　in　Sparta　which　Lycurgus　instituted　in　opposition　to　those　of　the　rest　of　Hellas；　and　the　following　among　them。　We　all　know　that　in　the　generality　of　states　every　one　devotes　his　full　energy　to　the　business　of　making　money：　one　man　as　a　tiller　of　the　soil；　another　as　a　mariner；　a　third　as　a　merchant；　whilst　others　depend　on　various　arts　to　earn　a　living。　But　at　Sparta　Lycurgus　forbade　his　freeborn　citizens　to　have　anything　whatsoever　to　do　with　the　concerns　of　money…making。　As　freemen；　he　enjoined　upon　them　to　regard　as　their　concern　exclusively　those　activities　upon　which　the　foundations　of　civic　liberty　are　based。

And　indeed；　one　may　well　ask；　for　what　reason　should　wealth　be　regarded　as　a　matter　for　serious　pursuit＇1＇　in　a　community　where；　partly　by　a　system　of　equal　contributions　to　the　necessaries　of　life；　and　partly　by　the　maintenance　of　a　common　standard　of　living；　the　lawgiver　placed　so　effectual　a　check　upon　the　desire　of　riches　for　the　sake　of　luxury？　What　inducement；　for　instance；　would　there　be　to　make　money；　even　for　the　sake　of　wearing　apparel；　in　a　state　where　personal　adornment　is　held　to　lie　not　in　the　costliness　of　the　clothes　they　wear；　but　in　the　healthy　condition　of　the　body　to　be　clothed？　Nor　again　could　there　be　much　inducement　to　amass　wealth；　in　order　to　be　able　to　expend　it　on　the　members　of　a　common　mess；　where　the　legislator　had　made　it　seem　far　more　glorious　that　a　man　should　help　his　fellows　by　the　labour　of　his　body　than　by　costly　outlay。　The　latter　being；　as　he　finely　phrased　it；　the　function　of　wealth；　the　former　an　activity　of　the　soul。

＇1＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　10　（Clough；　i。　96）。

He　went　a　step　further；　and　set　up　a　strong　barrier　（even　in　a　society　such　as　I　have　described）　against　the　pursuance　of　money…making　by　wrongful　means。＇2＇　In　the　first　place；　he　established　a　coinage＇3＇　of　so　extraordinary　a　sort；　that　even　a　single　sum　of　ten　minas＇4＇　could　not　come　into　a　house　without　attracting　the　notice；　either　of　the　master　himself；　or　of　some　member　of　his　household。　In　fact；　it　would　occupy　a　considerable　space；　and　need　a　waggon　to　carry　it。　Gold　and　silver　themselves；　moreover；　are　liable　to　search；＇5＇　and　in　case　of　detection；　the　possessor　subjected　to　a　penalty。　In　fact；　to　repeat　the　question　asked　above；　for　what　reason　should　money…making　become　an　earnest　pursuit　in　a　community　where　the　possession　of　wealth　entails　more　pain　than　its　employment　brings　satisfaction？

＇2＇　Or；　〃against　illegitimate　commerce。〃

＇3＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　9　（Clough；　i。　94）。

＇4＇　=　40　pounds；　circa。

＇5＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　ix。　320；　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　9；　37。



VIII

But　to　proceed。　We　are　all　aware　that　there　is　no　state＇1＇　in　the　world　in　which　greater　obedience　is　shown　to　magistrates；　and　to　the　laws　themselves；　than　Sparta。　But；　for　my　part；　I　am　disposed　to　think　that　Lycurgus　could　never　have　attempted　to　establish　this　healthy　condition；＇2＇　until　he　had　first　secured　the　unanimity　of　the　most　powerful　members　of　the　state。　I　infer　this　for　the　following　reasons。＇3＇　In　other　states　the　leaders　in　rank　and　influence　do　not　even　desire　to　be　thought　to　fear　the　magistrates。　Such　a　thing　they　would　regard　as　in　itself　a　symbol　of　servility。　In　Sparta；　on　the　contrary；　the　stronger　a　man　is　the　more　readily　does　he　bow　before　constituted　authority。　And　indeed；　they　magnify　themselves　on　their　humility；　and　on　a　prompt　obedience；　running；　or　at　any　rate　not　crawling　with　laggard　step；　at　the　word　of　command。　Such　an　example　of　eager　discipline；　they　are　persuaded；　set　by　themselves；　will　not　fail　to　be　followed　by　the　rest。　And　this　is　precisely　what　has　taken　place。　It＇4＇　is　reasonable　to　suppose　that　it　was　these　same　noblest　members　of　the　state　who　combined＇5＇　to　lay　the　foundation　of　the　ephorate；　after　they　had　come　to　the　conclusion　themselves；　that　of　all　the　blessings　which　a　state；　or　an　army；　or　a　household；　can　enjoy；　obedience　is　the　greatest。　Since；　as　they　could　not　but　reason；　the　greater　the　power　with　which　men　fence　about　authority；　the　greater　the　fascination　it　will　exercise　upon　the　mind　of　the　citizen；　to　the　enforcement　of　obedience。

＇1＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　v。　516；　〃Mem。〃　III。　v。　18。

＇2＇　Or；　reading　after　L。　Dindorf；　｛eutaxian｝；　〃this　world…renowned　　　　　orderliness。〃

＇3＇　Or；　〃from　these　facts。〃

＇4＇　Or；　〃It　was　only　natural　that　these　same　。　。　。〃

＇5＇　Or；　〃helped。〃　See　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　v。　11；　3；　ii。　9；　1　（Jowett；　ii。　　　　　224）；　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　7；　29；　Herod。　i。　65；　Muller；　〃Dorians；〃　iii。　　　　　7；　5　（vol。　ii。　p。　125；　Eng。　tr。）

Accordingly　the　ephors　are　competent　to　punish　whomsoever　they　choose；　they　have　power　to　exact　fines　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　they　have　power　to　depose　magistrates　in　mid　career＇6＇nay；　actually　to　imprison　them　and　bring　them　to　trial　on　the　capital　charge。　Entrusted　with　these　vast　powers；　they　do　not；　as　do　the　rest　of　states；　allow　the　magistrates　elected　to　exercise　authority　as　they　like；　right　through　the　year　of　office；　but；　in　the　style　rather　of　despotic　monarchs；　or　presidents　of　the　games；　at　the　first　symptom　of　an　offence　against　the　law　they　inflict　chastisement　without　warning　and　without　hesitation。

＇6＇　Or；　〃before　the　expiration　of　their　term　of　office。〃　See　Plut。　　　　　〃Agis；〃　18　（Clough；　iv。　464）；　Cic。　〃de　Leg。〃　iii。　7；　〃de　Rep。〃　ii。　　　　　33。

But　of　all　the　many　beautiful　contrivances　invented　by　Lycurgus　to　kindle　a　willing　obedience　to　the　laws　in　the　hearts　of　the　citizens；　none；　to　my　mind；　was　happier　or　more　excellent　than　his　unwillingness　to　deliver　his　code　to　the　people　at　large；　until；　attended　by　the　most　powerful　members　of　the　state；　he　had　betaken　himself　to　Delphi；＇7＇　and　there　made　inquiry　of　the　god　whether　it　were　better　for　Sparta；　and　conducive　to　her　interests；　to　obey　the　laws　which　he　had　framed。　And　not　until　the　divine　answer　came：　〃Better　will　it　be　in　every　way；〃　did　he　deliver　them；　laying　it　down　as　a　last　ordinance　that　to　refuse　obedience　to　a　code　which　had　the　sanction　of　the　Pythian　god　himself＇8＇　was　a　thing　not　illegal　only；　but　profane。

＇7＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　5；　6；　29　（Clough；　i。　89；　122）；　Polyb。　x。　2；　9。

＇8＇　Or；　〃a　code　delivered　in　Pytho；　spoken　by　the　god　himself。〃



IX

The　following　too　may　well　excite　our　admiration　for　Lycurgus。　I　speak　of　the　consummate　skill　with　which　he　induced　the　whole　state　of　Sparta　to　regard　an　honourable　death　as　preferable　to　an　ignoble　life。　And　indeed　if　any　one　will　investigate　the　matter；　he　will　find　that　by　comparison　with　those　who　make　it　a　principle　to　retreat　in　face　of　danger；　actually　fewer　of　these　Spartans　die　in　battle；　since；　to　speak　truth；　salvation；　it　would　seem；　attends　on　virtue　far　more　frequently　than　on　cowardicevirtue；　which　is　at　once　easier　and　sweeter；　richer　in　resource　and　stronger　of　arm；＇1＇　than　her　opposite。　And　that　virtue　has　another　familiar　attendantto　wit；　gloryneeds　no　showing；　since　the　whole　world　would　fain　ally　themselves　after　some　sort　in　battle　with　the　good。

＇1＇　See　Homer；　〃Il。〃　v。　532；　Tyrtaeus；　11；　14；　｛tressanton　d'　andron　　　　　pas'　apolol　arete｝。

Yet　the　actual　means　by　which　he　gave　currency　to　these　principles　is　a　point　which　it　were　well　not　to　overlook。　It　is　clear　that　the　lawgiver　set　himself　deliberately　to　provide　all　the　blessings　of　heaven　for　the　good　man；　and　a　sorry　and　ill…starred　existence　for　the　coward。

In　other　states　the　man　who　shows　himself　base　and　cowardly　wins　to　himself　an　evil　reputation　and　the　nickname　of　a　coward；　but　that　is　all。　For　the　rest　he　buys　and　sells　in　the　same　market…place　as　the　good　man；　he　sits　beside　him　at　play；　he　exercises　with　him　in　the　same　gymnasium；　and　all　as　suits　his　humour。　But　at　Lacedaemon　there　is　not　one　man　who　would　not　feel　ashamed　to　welcome　the　coward　at　the　common　mess…tabe；　or　to　try　conclusions　with　such　an　antagonist　in　a　wrestling　bout。　Consider　the　day's　round　of　his　existence。　The　sides　are　being　picked　up　in　a　football　match；＇2＇　but　he　is　left　out　as　the　odd　man：　there　is　no　place　for　him。　During　the　choric　dance＇3＇　he　is　driven　away　into　ignominious　quarters。　Nay；　in　the　very　streets　it　is　he　who　must　step　aside　for　others　to　pass；　or；　being　seated；　he　must　rise　and　make　room；　even　for　a　younger　man。　At　home　he　will　have　his　maiden　relatives　to　support　in　isolation　（and　they　will　hold　him　to　blame　for　their　unwedded　lives）。＇4＇　A　hearth　with　no　wife　to　bless　it　that　is　a　condition　he　must　face；＇5＇　and　yet　he　will　have　to　pay　damages　to　the　last　farthing　for　incurring　it。　Let　him　not　roam　abroad　with　a　smooth　and　smiling　countenance；＇6＇　let　him　not　imitate　men　whose　fame　is　irreproachable；　or　he　shall　feel　on　his　back　the　blows　of　his　superiors。　Such　being　the　weight　of　infamy　which　is　laid　upon　all　cowards；　I；　for　my　part；　am　not　surprised　if　i