the comparison of numa with lycurgus-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COMPARISON　OF　NUMA　WITH　LYCURGUS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　HAVING　thus　finished　the　lives　of　Lycurgus　and　Numa；　we　shall　now；
though　the　work　be　difficult；　put　together　their　points　of
difference　as　they　lie　here　before　our　view。　Their　points　of
likeness　are　obvious；　their　moderation；　their　religion；　their　capacity
of　government　and　discipline；　their　both　deriving　their　laws　and
constitutions　from　the　gods。　Yet　in　their　common　glories　there　are
circumstances　of　diversity；　for　first　Numa　accepted　and　Lycurgus
resigned　a　kingdom；　Numa　received　without　desiring　it；　Lycurgus　had　it
and　gave　it　up；　the　one　from　a　private　person　and　a　stranger　was
raised　by　others　to　be　their　king；　the　other　from　the　condition　of　a
prince　voluntarily　descended　to　the　state　of　privacy。　It　was
glorious　to　acquire　a　throne　by　justice；　yet　more　glorious　to　prefer
justice　before　a　throne；　the　same　virtue　which　made　the　one　appear
worthy　of　regal　power　exalted　the　other　to　the　disregard　of　it。
Lastly；　as　the　musicians　tune　their　harps；　so　the　one　let　down　the
high…flown　spirits　of　the　people　at　Rome　to　a　lower　key；　as　the
other　screwed　them　up　at　Sparta　to　a　higher　note；　when　they　were
sunken　low　by　dissoluteness　and　riot。　The　harder　task　was　that　of
Lycurgus；　for　it　was　not　so　much　his　business　to　persuade　his　citizens
to　put　off　their　armour　or　ungird　their　swords；　as　to　cast　away
their　gold　or　silver；　and　abandon　costly　furniture　and　rich　tables；
nor　was　it　necessary　to　preach　to　them；　that；　laying　aside　their　arms；
they　should　observe　the　festivals；　and　sacrifice　to　the　gods；　but
rather；　that；　giving　up　feasting　and　drinking；　they　should　employ
their　time　in　laborious　and　martial　exercises；　so　that　while　the　one
effected　all　by　persuasions　and　his　people's　love　for　him；　the
other；　with　danger　and　hazard　of　his　person；　scarcely　in　the　end
succeeded。　Numa's　muse　was　a　gentle　and　loving　inspiration；　fitting
him　well　to　turn　and　soothe　his　people　into　peace　and　justice　out　of
their　violent　and　fiery　tempers；　whereas；　if　we　must　admit　the
treatment　of　the　Helots　to　be　a　part　of　Lycurgus's　legislation；　a　most
cruel　and　iniquitous　proceeding；　we　must　own　that　Numa　was　by　a
great　deal　the　more　humane　and　Greek…like　legislator；　granting　even　to
actual　slaves　a　licence　to　sit　at　meat　with　their　masters　at　the　feast
of　Saturn；　that　they　also　might　have　some　taste　and　relish　of　the
sweets　of　liberty。　For　this　custom；　too；　is　ascribed　to　Numa；　whose
wish　was；　they　conceive；　to　give　a　place　in　the　enjoyment　of　the
yearly　fruits　of　the　soil　to　those　who　had　helped　to　produce　them。
Others　will　have　it　to　be　in　remembrance　of　the　age　of　Saturn；　when
there　was　no　distinction　between　master　and　slave；　but　all　lived　as
brothers　and　as　equals　in　a　condition　of　equality。
　　In　general；　it　seems　that　both　aimed　at　the　same　design　and
intent；　which　was　to　bring　their　people　to　moderation　and　frugality；
but　of　other　virtues；　the　one　set　his　affection　most　on　fortitude；　and
the　other　on　justice；　unless　we　will　attribute　their　different　ways　to
the　different　habits　and　temperaments　which　they　had　to　work　upon　by
their　enactments；　for　Numa　did　not　out　of　cowardice　or　fear　affect
peace；　but　because　he　would　not　be　guilty　of　injustice；　nor　did
Lycurgus　promote　a　spirit　of　war　in　his　people　that　they　might　do
injustice　to　others；　but　that　they　might　protect　themselves　by　it。
　　In　bringing　the　habits　they　formed　in　their　people　to　a　just　and
happy　mean；　mitigating　them　where　they　exceeded；　and　strengthening
them　where　they　were　deficient；　both　were　compelled　to　make　great
innovations。　The　frame　of　government　which　Numa　formed　was
democratic　and　popular　to　the　last　extreme；　goldsmiths　and
flute…players　and　shoemakers　constituting　his　promiscuous；
many…coloured　commonalty。　Lycurgus　was　rigid　and　aristocratical；
banishing　all　the　base　and　mechanic　arts　to　the　company　of　servants
and　strangers；　and　allowing　the　true　citizens　no　implements　but　the
spear　and　shield；　the　trade　of　war　only；　and　the　service　of　Mars；
and　no　other　knowledge　or　study；　but　that　of　obedience　to　their
commanding　officers；　and　victory　over　their　enemies。　Every　sort　of
money…making　was　forbid　them　as　freemen；　and　to　make　them　thoroughly
so　and　keep　them　so　through　their　whole　lives；　every　conceivable
concern　with　money　was　handed　over；　with　the　cooking　and　the　waiting
at　table；　to　slaves　and　helots。　But　Numa　made　none　of　these
distinctions；　he　only　suppressed　military　rapacity；　allowing　free
scope　to　every　other　means　of　obtaining　wealth；　nor　did　he　endeavour
to　do　away　with　inequality　in　this　respect；　but　permitted　riches　to　be
amassed　to　any　extent；　and　paid　no　attention　to　the　gradual　and
continual　augmentation　and　influx　of　poverty；　which　it　was　his
business　at　the　outset；　whilst　there　was　no　great　disparity　in　the
estates　of　men；　and　whilst　people　still　lived　much　in　one　manner；　to
obviate；　as　Lycurgus　did；　and　take　measures　of　precaution　against
the　mischiefs　of　avarice；　mischiefs　not　of　small　importance；　but　the
real　seed　and　first　beginning　of　all　the　great　and　extensive　evils
of　after…times。　The　re…division　of　estates；　Lycurgus　is　not；　it
seems　to　me；　to　be　blamed　for　making；　nor　Numa　for　omitting；　this
equality　was　the　basis　and　foundation　of　the　one　commonwealth；　but
at　Rome；　where　the　lands　had　been　lately　divided；　there　was　nothing　to
urge　any　re…division　or　any　disturbance　of　the　first　arrangement；
which　was　probably　still　in　existence。
　　With　respect　to　wives　and　children；　and　that　community　which　both；
with　a　sound　policy；　appointed；　to　prevent　all　jealousy；　their
methods；　however　were　different。　For　when　a　Roman　thought　himself　to
have　a　sufficient　number　of　children；　in　case　his　neighbour　who　had
none　should　come　and　request　his　wife　of　him；　he　had　a　lawful　power　to
give　her　up　to　him　who　desired　her；　either　for　a　certain　time；　or
for　good。　The　Lacedaemonian　husband；　on　the　other　hand；　might　allow
the　use　of　his　wife　to　any　other　that　desired　to　have　children　by　her；
and　yet　still　keep　her　in　his　house；　the　original　marriage
obligation　still　subsisting　as　at　first。　Nay；　many　husbands；　as　we
have　said；　would　invite　men　whom　they　thought　likely　to　procure　them
fine　and　good…looking　children　into　their　houses。　What　is　the
difference；　then；　between　the　two　customs？　Shall　we　say　that　the
Lacedaemonian　system　is　one　of　an　extreme　and　entire　unconcern　about
their　wives；　and　would　cause　most　people　endless　disquiet　and
annoyance　with　pangs　and　jealousies？　the　Roman　course　wears　an　air
of　a　more　delicate　acquiescence；　draws　the　veil　of　a　new　contract　over
the　change；　and　concedes　the　general　insupportableness　of　mere
community？　Numa's　directions；　too；　for　the　care　of　young　women；　are
better　adapted　to　the　female　sex　and　to　propriety；　Lycurgus's　are
altogether　unreserved　and　unfeminine；　and　have　given　a　great　handle　to
the　poets；　who　call　them　（Ibycus；　for　example）　Phoenomerides；
bare…thighed；　and　give　them　the　character　（as　does　Euripides）　of　being
wild　after　husbands…

　　　　　　　　〃These　with　the　young　men　from　the　house　go　out；
　　　　　　　　　With　thighs　that　show；　and　robes　that　fly　about。〃

For　in　fact　the　skirts　of　the　frock　worn　by　unmarried　girls　were　not
sewn　together　at　the　lower　part；　but　used　to　fly　back　and　show　the
whole　thigh　bare　as　they　walked。　The　thing　is　most　distinctly　given　by
Sophocles…

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃…She；　also；　the　young　maid；
　　　　　　　　Whose　frock；　no　robe　yet　o'er　it　laid；
　　　　　　　　Folding　back；　leaves　her　bare　thigh　free；
　　　　　　　　Hermione。〃

And　so　their　women；　it　is　said；　were　bold　and　masculine；　overbearing
to　their　husbands　in　the　first　place；　absolute　mistresses　in　their
houses；　giving　their　opinions　about　public　matters　freely；　and
speaking　openly　even　on　the　most　important　subjects。　But　the
matrons；　under　the　government　of　Numa；　still　indeed　received　from
their　husbands　all　that　high　respect　and　honour　which　had　been　paid
them　under　Romulus　as　a　sort　of　atonement　for　the　violence　done　to
them；　nevertheless；　great　modesty　was　enjoined　upon　them；　all　busy
intermeddling　forbidden；　sobriety　insisted　on；　and　silence　made
habitual。　Wine　they　were　not　to　touch　at　all；　nor　to　speak；　except
in　their　husband's　company；　even　on　the　most　ordinary　subjects。　So
that　once　when　a　woman　had　the　confidence　to　plead　her　own　cause　in
a　court　of　judicature；　the　senate；　it　is　said；　sent　to　inquire　of
the　oracle　what　the　prodigy　did　portend；　and；　indeed；　their　general
good　behaviour　and　submissiveness　is　justly　proved　by　the　record　of
those　that　were　otherwise；　for　as　the　Greek　historians　record　in　their
annals　the　names　of　those　who　first　unsheathed　the　sword　of　civil　war；
or　murdered　their　brothers；　or　were　parricides；　or　killed　their
mothers；　so　the　Roman　writers　report　it　as　the　first　example；　that
Spurius　Carvilius　divorced　his　wife；　being　a　case　that　never　before
happened；　in　the　space　of　two　hundred　and　thirty　years　from　the
foundation　of　the　city；　and　that　one　Thalaea；　the　wife　of　Pinarius；
had　a　quarrel　（the　first　instance　of　the　kind）　with　her　mother…in…law；
Geg