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

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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　in　Sparta　they　deem　death　preferable　to　a　life　so　steeped　in　dishonour　and　reproach。

＇2＇　See　Lucian；　〃Anacharsis；〃　38；　Muller；　〃Dorians；〃　（vol。　ii。　309；　　　　　Eng。　tr。）

＇3＇　The　｛khoroi｝；　e。g。　of　the　Gymnopaedia。　See　Muller；　op。　cit。　iv。　6；　　　　　4　（vol。　ii。　334；　Eng。　tr。）

＇4＇　｛tes　anandrias｝；　cf。　Plut。　〃Ages。〃　30；　or；　｛tes　anandreias｝；　〃they　　　　　must　bear　the　reproach　of　his　cowardice。〃

＇5＇　Omitting　｛ou｝；　or　translate；　〃that　is　an　evil　not　to　be　　　　　disregarded。〃　See　Dindorf；　ad　loc。；　Sturz；　〃Lex。　Xen。〃　｛Estia｝。

＇6＇　See　Plut。　〃Ages。〃　30　（Clough；　iv。　36）；　〃Hell。〃　VI。　iv。　16。



X

That　too　was　a　happy　enactment；　in　my　opinion；　by　which　Lycurgus　provided　for　the　continual　cultivation　of　virtue；　even　to　old　age。　By　fixing＇1＇　the　election　to　the　council　of　elders＇2＇　as　a　last　ordeal　at　the　goal　of　life；　he　made　it　impossible　for　a　high　standard　of　virtuous　living　to　be　disregarded　even　in　old　age。　（So；　too；　it　is　worthy　of　admiration　in　him　that　he　lent　his　helping　hand　to　virtuous　old　age。＇3＇　Thus；　by　making　the　elders　sole　arbiters　in　the　trial　for　life；　he　contrived　to　charge　old　age　with　a　greater　weight　of　honour　than　that　which　is　accorded　to　the　strength　of　mature　manhood。）　And　assuredly　such　a　contest　as　this　must　appeal　to　the　zeal　of　mortal　man　beyond　all　others　in　a　supreme　degree。　Fair；　doubtless；　are　contests　of　gymnastic　skill；　yet　are　they　but　trials　of　bodily　excellence；　but　this　contest　for　the　seniority　is　of　a　higher　sortit　is　an　ordeal　of　the　soul　itself。　In　proportion；　therefore；　as　the　soul　is　worthier　than　the　body；　so　must　these　contests　of　the　soul　appeal　to　a　stronger　enthusiasm　than　their　bodily　antitypes。

＇1＇　Reading　｛protheis｝。　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　26　（Clough。　i。　118）；　　　　　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　9；　25。

＇2＇　Or；　〃seniory；〃　or　〃senate；〃　or　〃board　of　elders〃；　lit。　〃the　　　　　Gerontia。〃

＇3＇　Or；　〃the　old　age　of　the　good。　Yet　this　he　did　when　he　made　。　。　。　　　　　since　he　contrived；〃　etc。

And　yet　another　point　may　well　excite　our　admiration　for　Lycurgus　largely。　It　had　not　escaped　his　observation　that　communities　exist　where　those　who　are　willing　to　make　virtue　their　study　and　delight　fail　somehow　in　ability　to　add　to　the　glory　of　their　fatherland。＇4＇　That　lesson　the　legislator　laid　to　heart；　and　in　Sparta　he　enforced；　as　a　matter　of　public　duty；　the　practice　of　virtue　by　every　citizen。　And　so　it　is　that；　just　as　man　differs　from　man　in　some　excellence；　according　as　he　cultivates　or　neglects　to　cultivate　it；　this　city　of　Sparta；　with　good　reason；　outshines　all　other　states　in　virtue；　since　she；　and　she　alone；　as　made　the　attainment　of　a　high　standard　of　noble　living　a　public　duty。

＇4＇　Is　this　an　autobiographical　touch？

And　was　this　not　a　noble　enactment；　that　whereas　other　states　are　content　to　inflict　punishment　only　in　cases　where　a　man　does　wrong　against　his　neighbour；　Lycurgus　imposed　penalties　no　less　severe　on　him　who　openly　neglected　to　make　himself　as　good　as　possible？　For　this；　it　seems；　was　his　principle：　in　the　one　case；　where　a　man　is　robbed；　or　defrauded；　or　kidnapped；　and　made　a　slave　of；　the　injury　of　the　misdeed；　whatever　it　be；　is　personal　to　the　individual　so　maltreated；　but　in　the　other　case　whole　communities　suffer　foul　treason　at　the　hands　of　the　base　man　and　the　coward。　So　that　it　was　only　reasonable；　in　my　opinion；　that　he　should　visit　the　heaviest　penalty　upon　these　latter。

Moreover；　he　laid　upon　them；　like　some　irresistible　necessity；　the　obligation　to　cultivate　the　whole　virtue　of　a　citizen。　Provided　they　duly　performed　the　injunctions　of　the　law；　the　city　belonged　to　them；　each　and　all；　in　absolute　possession　and　on　an　equal　footing。　Weakness　of　limb　or　want　of　wealth＇5＇　was　no　drawback　in　his　eyes。　But　as　for　him　who；　out　of　the　cowardice　of　his　heart；　shrank　from　the　painful　performance　of　the　law's　injunction；　the　finger　of　the　legistlator　pointed　him　out　as　there　and　then　disqualified　to　be　regarded　longer　as　a　member　of　the　brotherhood　of　peers。＇6＇

＇5＇　But　see　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　ii。　9；　32。

＇6＇　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　viii。　81；　〃Hell。〃　III。　iii。　5。

It　may　be　added；　that　there　was　no　doubt　as　to　the　great　antiquity　of　this　code　of　laws。　The　point　is　clear　so　far；　that　Lycurgus　himself　is　said　to　have　lived　in　the　days　of　the　Heraclidae。＇7＇　But　being　of　so　long　standing；　these　laws；　even　at　this　day；　still　are　stamped　in　the　eyes　of　other　men　with　all　the　novelty　of　youth。　And　the　most　marvellous　thing　of　all　is　that；　while　everybody　is　agreed　to　praise　these　remarkable　institutions；　there　is　not　a　single　state　which　cares　to　imitate　them。

＇7＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　1。



XI

The　above　form　a　common　stock　of　blessings；　open　to　every　Spartan　to　enjoy；　alike　in　peace　and　in　war。　But　if　any　one　desires　to　be　informed　in　what　way　the　legislator　improved　upon　the　ordinary　machinery　of　warfare　and　in　reference　to　an　army　in　the　field；　it　is　easy　to　satisfy　his　curiosity。

In　the　first　instance；　the　ephors　announce　by　proclamation　the　limit　of　age　to　which　the　service　applies＇1＇　for　cavalry　and　heavy　infantry；　and　in　the　next　place；　for　the　various　handicraftsmen。　So　that；　even　on　active　service；　the　Lacedaemonians　are　well　supplied　with　all　the　conveniences　enjoyed　by　people　living　as　citizens　at　home。＇2＇　All　implements　and　instruments　whatsoever；　which　an　army　may　need　in　common；　are　ordered　to　be　in　readiness；＇3＇　some　on　waggons　and　others　on　baggage　animals。　In　this　way　anything　omitted　can　hardly　escape　detection。

＇1＇　I。e。　〃in　the　particular　case。〃　See　〃Hell。〃　VI。　iv。　17；　Muller；　　　　　〃Dorians；〃　iii。　12　（vol。　ii。　242　foll。；　Eng。　tr。）

＇2＇　Or；　〃the　conveniences　of　civil　life　at　home。〃

＇3＇　Reading　｛parekhein｝；　or　if　｛paragein｝；　〃to　be　conveyed。〃　Cf。　　　　　Pausan。　I。　xix。　1。　See　〃Cyrop。〃　VI。　ii。　34。

For　the　actual　encounter　under　arms；　the　following　inventions　are　attributed　to　him。　The　soldier　has　a　crimson…coloured　uniform　and　a　heavy　shield　of　bronze；　his　theory　being　that　such　an　equipment　has　no　sort　of　feminine　association；　and　is　altogether　most　warrior…like。＇4＇　It　is　most　quickly　burnished；　it　is　least　readily　soiled。＇5＇

＇4＇　Cf。　Aristoph。　〃Acharn。〃　320；　and　the　note　of　the　scholiast。

＇5＇　See　Ps。　Plut。　〃Moral。〃　238　F。

He　futher　permitted　those　who　were　above　the　age　of　early　manhood　to　wear　their　hair　long。＇6＇　For　so；　he　conceived；　they　would　appear　of　larger　stature；　more　free　and　indomitable；　and　of　a　more　terrible　aspect。

＇6＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　22　（Clough；　i。　114）。

So　furnished　and　accoutred；　he　divided　his　citizen　soldiers　into　six　morai＇7＇　（or　regimental　divisions）　of　cavalry＇8＇　and　heavy　infantry。　Each　of　these　citizen　regiments　（political　divisions）　has　one　polemarch＇9＇　（or　colonel）；　four　lochagoi　（or　captains　of　companies）；　eight　penteconters　（or　lieutenants；　each　in　command　of　half　a　company）；　and　sixteen　enomotarchs　（or　commanders　of　sections）。　At　the　word　of　command　any　such　regimental　division　can　be　formed　readily　either　into　enomoties　（i。e。　single　file）　or　into　threes　（i。e。　three　files　abreast）；　or　into　sixes　（i。e。　six　files　abreast）。＇10＇

＇7