lycurgus-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　than　their　habits　of　grace　and　good…breeding　in　conversation。　And
their　very　songs　had　a　life　and　spirit　in　them　that　inflamed　and
possessed　men's　minds　with　an　enthusiasm　and　ardour　for　action；　the
style　of　them　was　plain　and　without　affectation；　the　subject　always
serious　and　moral；　most　usually；　it　was　in　praise　of　such　men　as　had
died　in　defence　of　their　country；　or　in　derision　of　those　that　had
been　cowards；　the　former　they　declared　happy　and　glorified；　the　life
of　the　latter　they　described　as　most　miserable　and　abject。　There
were　also　vaunts　of　what　they　would　do；　and　boasts　of　what　they　had
done；　varying　with　the　various　ages；　as；　for　example；　they　had　three
choirs　in　their　solemn　festivals；　the　first　of　the　old　men；　the　second
of　the　young　men；　and　the　last　of　the　children；　the　old　men　began
thus：…

　　　　　　　　〃We　once　were　young；　and　brave；　and　strong；〃

the　young　men　answered　them；　singing：…

　　　　　　　　〃And　we're　so　now；　come　on　and　try；〃

the　children　came　last　and　said：…

　　　　　　　　〃But　we'll　be　strongest　by　and　by。〃

　　Indeed；　if　we　will　take　the　pains　to　consider　their　compositions；
some　of　which　were　still　extant　in　our　days；　and　the　airs　on　the　flute
to　which　they　marched　when　going　to　battle；　we　shall　find　that
Terpander　and　Pindar　had　reason　to　say　that　musing　and　valour　were
allied。　The　first　says　of　Lacedaemon…

　　　　　　　　〃The　spear　and　song　in　her　do　meet；
　　　　　　　　And　justice　walks　about　her　street；

And　Pindar…

　　　　　　　　〃Councils　of　wise　elders　here；
　　　　　　　　And　the　young　men's　conquering　spear；
　　　　　　　　And　dance；　and　song；　and　joy　appear；

both　describing　the　Spartans　as　no　less　musical　than　warlike；　in　the
words　of　one　of　their　own　poets…

　　　　　　　　〃With　the　iron　stern　and　sharp；
　　　　　　　　Comes　the　playing　on　the　harp。〃

For；　indeed；　before　they　engaged　in　battle；　the　king　first　did
sacrifice　to　the　Muses；　in　all　likelihood　to　put　them　in　mind　of　the
manner　of　their　education；　and　of　the　judgment　that　would　be　passed
upon　their　actions；　and　thereby　to　animate　them　to　the　performance
of　exploits　that　should　deserve　a　record。　At　such　times；　too；　the
Lacedaemonians　abated　a　little　the　severity　of　their　manners　in　favour
of　their　young　men；　suffering　them　to　curl　and　adorn　their　hair；　and
to　have　costly　arms　and　fine　clothes；　and　were　well　pleased　to　see
them；　like　proud　horses；　neighing　and　pressing　to　the　course。　And；
therefore；　as　soon　as　they　came　to　be　well…grown；　they　took　a　great
deal　of　care　of　their　hair；　to　have　it　parted　and　trimmed；
especially　against　a　day　of　battle；　pursuant　to　a　saying　recorded　of
their　lawgiver；　that　a　large　head　of　hair　added　beauty　to　a　good　face；
and　terror　to　an　ugly　one。
　　When　they　were　in　the　field；　their　exercises　were　generally　more
moderate；　their　fare　not　so　hard；　nor　so　strict　a　hand　held　over
them　by　their　officers；　so　that　they　were　the　only　people　in　the　world
to　whom　war　gave　repose。　When　their　army　was　drawn　up　in　battle　array；
and　the　enemy　near；　the　king　sacrificed　a　goat；　commanded　the　soldiers
to　set　their　garlands　upon　their　heads；　and　the　pipers　to　play　the
tune　of　the　hymn　to　Castor；　and　himself　began　the　paean　of　advance。　It
was　at　once　a　magnificent　and　a　terrible　sight　to　see　them　march　on　to
the　tune　of　their　flutes；　without　any　disorder　in　their　ranks；　any
discomposure　in　their　minds；　or　change　in　their　countenances；　calmly
and　cheerfully　moving　with　the　music　to　the　deadly　fight。　Men；　in　this
temper；　were　not　likely　to　be　possessed　with　fear　or　any　transport
of　fury；　but　with　the　deliberate　valour　of　hope　and　assurance；　as　if
some　divinity　were　attending　and　conducting　them。　The　king　had
always　about　his　person　some　one　who　had　been　crowned　in　the　Olympic
games；　and　upon　this　account　a　Lacedaemonian　is　said　to　have　refused　a
considerable　present；　which　was　offered　to　him　upon　condition　that
he　would　not　come　into　the　lists；　and　when　he　had　with　much　to…do
thrown　his　antagonist；　some　of　the　spectators　saying　to　him；　〃And　now；
Sir　Lacedaemonian；　what　are　you　the　better　for　your　victory？〃　he
answered；　smiling；　〃I　shall　fight　next　the　king。〃　After　they　had
routed　an　enemy；　they　pursued　him　till　they　were　well　assured　of　the
victory；　and　then　they　sounded　a　retreat；　thinking　it　base　and
unworthy　of　a　Grecian　people　to　cut　men　in　pieces；　who　had　given　up
and　abandoned　all　resistance。　This　manner　of　dealing　with　their
enemies　did　not　only　show　magnanimity；　but　was　politic　too；　for；
knowing　that　they　killed　only　those　who　made　resistance；　and　gave
quarter　to　the　rest；　men　generally　thought　it　their　best　way　to
consult　their　safety　by　flight。
　　Hippius　the　sophist　says　that　Lycurgus　himself　was　a　great　soldier
and　an　experienced　commander。　Philostephanus　attributes　to　him　the
first　division　of　the　cavalry　into　troops　of　fifties　in　a　square　body；
but　Demetrius　the　Phalerian　says　quite　the　contrary；　and　that　he
made　all　his　laws　in　a　continued　peace。　And；　indeed；　the　Olympic
holy　truce；　or　cessation　of　arms；　that　was　procured　by　his　means　and
management；　inclines　me　to　think　him　a　kind…natured　man；　and　one
that　loved　quietness　and　peace。　Notwithstanding　all　this；　Hermippus
tells　us　that　he　had　no　hand　in　the　ordinance；　that　Iphitus　made　it；
and　Lycurgus　came　only　as　a　spectator；　and　that　by　mere　accident
too。　Being　there；　he　heard　as　it　were　a　man's　voice　behind　him；
blaming　and　wondering　at　him　that　he　did　not　encourage　his
countrymen　to　resort　to　the　assembly；　and；　turning　about　and　seeing　no
man；　concluded　that　it　was　a　voice　from　heaven；　and　upon　this
immediately　went　to　Iphitus　and　assisted　him　in　ordering　the
ceremonies　of　that　feast；　which；　by　his　means；　were　better
established；　and　with　more　repute　than　before。
　　To　return　to　the　Lacedaemonians。　Their　discipline　continued　still
after　they　were　full…grown　men。　No　one　was　allowed　to　live　after　his
own　fancy；　but　the　city　was　a　sort　of　camp；　in　which　every　man　had　his
share　of　provisions　and　business　set　out；　and　looked　upon　himself
not　so　much　born　to　serve　his　own　ends　as　the　interest　of　his　country。
Therefore　if　they　were　commanded　nothing　else；　they　went　to　see　the
boys　perform　their　exercises；　to　teach　them　something　useful　or　to
learn　it　themselves　of　those　who　knew　better。　And　indeed　one　of　the
greatest　and　highest　blessings　Lycurgus　procured　his　people　was　the
abundance　of　leisure　which　proceeded　from　his　forbidding　to　them　the
exercise　of　any　mean　and　mechanical　trade。　Of　the　money…making　that
depends　on　troublesome　going　about　and　seeing　people　and　doing
business；　they　had　no　need　at　all　in　a　state　where　wealth　obtained
no　honour　or　respect。　The　Helots　tilled　their　ground　for　them；　and
paid　them　yearly　in　kind　the　appointed　quantity；　without　any　trouble
of　theirs。　To　this　purpose　there　goes　a　story　of　a　Lacedaemonian
who；　happening　to　be　at　Athens　when　the　courts　were　sitting；　was
told　of　a　citizen　that　had　been　fined　for　living　an　idle　life；　and　was
being　escorted　home　in　much　distress　of　mind　by　his　condoling　friends；
the　Lacedaemonian　was　much　surprised　at　it　and　desired　his　friend　to
show　him　the　man　who　was　condemned　for　living　like　a　freeman。　So
much　beneath　them　did　they　esteem　the　frivolous　devotion　of　time　and
attention　to　the　mechanical　arts　and　to　moneymaking。
　　It　need　not　be　said　that　upon　the　prohibition　of　gold　and　silver；
all　lawsuits　immediately　ceased；　for　there　was　now　neither　avarice　nor
poverty　amongst　them；　but　equality；　where　every　one's　wants　were
supplied；　and　independence；　because　those　wants　were　so　small。　All
their　time；　except　when　they　were　in　the　field；　was　taken　up　by　the
choral　dances　and　the　festivals；　in　hunting；　and　in　attendance　on
the　exercise…grounds　and　the　places　of　public　conversation。　Those
who　were　under　thirty　years　of　age　were　not　allowed　to　go　into　the
market…place；　but　had　the　necessaries　of　their　family　supplied　by
the　care　of　their　relations　and　lovers；　nor　was　it　for　the　credit　of
elderly　men　to　be　seen　too　often　in　the　market…place；　it　was
esteemed　more　suitable　for　them　to　frequent　the　exercise…grounds　and
places　of　conversation；　where　they　spent　their　leisure　rationally　in
conversation；　not　on　money…making　and　marketprices；　but　for　the　most
part　in　passing　judgment　on　some　action　worth　considering；　extolling
the　good；　and　censuring　those　who　were　otherwise；　and　that　in　a
light　and　sportive　manner；　conveying；　without　too　much　gravity；
lessons　of　advice　and　improvement。　Nor　was　Lycurgus　himself　unduly
austere；　it　was　he　who　dedicated；　says　Sosibius；　the　little　statue
of　Laughter。　Mirth；　introduced　seasonably　at　their　suppers　and
places　of　common　entertainment；　was　to　serve　as　a　sort　of　sweetmeat　to
accompany　their　strict　and　hard　life。　To　conclude；　he　bred　up　his
citizens　in　such　a　way　that　they　neither　would　nor　could　live　by
themselves；　they　were　to　make　themselves　one　with　the　public　good；
and；　clustering　like　bees　around　their　commander；　be　by　their　zeal　and
public　spirit　carried　all　but　out　of　themselves；　and　devoted　wholly　to
their　country。　What　their　sentiments　were　will　better　appear　by　a
few　of　their　sayings。　Paedaretus；　not　being　admitted　into　the　list
of　the　three　hundred；　returned　home　with　a　joyful　face；　well　pleased
to　find　that　there　were　in　Sparta　three　hundred　better　men　than
himself。　And　Polycratidas；　being　sent　with　some　others　ambassador　to
the　lieutenants　of　the　king　of　Persia；　being　asked　by　them　whether
they　came　in　a　private　or　in　a　public　character；　answered；　〃In　a
public；　if　we　succeed；　if　not；　in　a　private　character。〃　Argileonis；
asking　some　who　came　from　Amphipolis　if　her　son　Brasidas　died
courageously　and　as　became　a　Spartan；　on　their　beginning　to　praise　him
to　a　high　degree；　and　saying　there　was　not　such　another　left　in
Sparta；　answered；　〃Do　not　say　so；　Brasidas　was　a　good　and　brave　man；
but　there　are　in　Sparta　many　better　than　he。〃
　　The　senate；　as　I　said　before；　consisted　of　those　who　were　Lycurgus's
chief　aiders　and　assistants　in　his　plans。　The　vacancies　he　ordered
to　be　supplied　out　of　the　best　and　most　deserving　men　past　sixty　years
old；　and　we　need　not　wonder　if　there　was　much　striving　for　it；　for
what　more　glorious　competition　could　there　be　amongst　men；　than　one　in
which　it　was　not　contested　who　was　swiftest　among　the　swift　or
strongest　of　the　strong；　but　who　of　many　wise　and　good　was　wisest
and　best；　and　fittest　to　be　intrusted　for　ever　after；　as　the　reward　of
his　merits；　with　the　supreme　authority　of　the　commonwealth；　and　with
power　over　the　lives；　franchises；　and　highest　interests　of　all　his
countrymen？　The　manner　of　their　election　was　as　follows：　The　people
being　called　together；　some　selected　persons　were　locked　up　in　a
room　near　the　place　of　election；　so　contrived　that　they　could
neither　see　nor　be　seen；　but　could　only　hear　the　noise　of　the　assembly
without；　for　they　decided　this；　as　most　other　affairs　of　moment；　by
the　shouts　of　the　people。　This　done；　the　competitors　were　not
brought　in　and　presented　all　together；　but　one　after　another　by　lot；
and　passed　in　order　through　the　assembly　without　speaking　a　word。
Those　who　were　locked　up　had　writing…tables　with　them；　in　which　they
recorded　and　marked　each　shout　by　its　loudness；　without　knowing　in