agis-第2章

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but　rather　seemed　to　be　persuaded　in　it　by　his　son　Hippomedon；　whose
courage　and　signal　actions　in　war　had　gained　him　a　high　esteem　and
great　influence　among　the　young　men　of　Sparta；　though　indeed　the
true　motive　was；　that　he　had　many　debts；　and　hoped　by　this　means　to　be
freed　from　them。
　　As　soon　as　Agis　had　prevailed　with　his　uncle；　he　endeavoured　by
his　mediation　to　gain　his　mother　also；　who　had　many　friends　and
followers；　and　a　number　of　persons　in　her　debt　in　the　city；　and　took　a
considerable　part　in　public　affairs。　At　the　first　proposal　she　was
very　averse；　and　strongly　advised　her　son　not　to　engage　in　so
difficult　and　so　unprofitable　an　enterprise。　But　Agesilaus　endeavoured
to　possess　her；　that　the　thing　was　not　so　difficult　as　she　imagined；
and　that　it　might；　in　all　likelihood；　redound　to　the　advantage　of
her　family；　while　the　king；　her　son；　besought　her　not　for　money's　sake
to　decline　assisting　his　hopes　of　glory。　He　told　her　he　could　not
pretend　to　equal　other　kings　in　riches；　the　very　followers　and　menials
of　the　satraps　and　stewards　of　Seleucus　or　Ptolemy　abounding　more　in
wealth　than　all　the　Spartan　kings　put　together；　but　if　by　contempt
of　wealth　and　pleasure；　by　simplicity　and　magnanimity；　he　could
surpass　their　luxury　and　abundance；　if　he　could　restore　their　former
equality　to　the　Spartans；　then　he　should　be　a　great　king　indeed。　In
conclusion；　the　mother　and　the　grandmother　also　were　so　taken；　so
carried　away　with　the　inspiration；　as　it　were；　of　the　young　man's
noble　and　generous　ambition；　that　they　not　only　consented；　but　were
ready　on　all　occasions　to　spur　him　on　to　a　perseverance；　and　not
only　sent　to　speak　on　his　behalf　with　the　men　with　whom　they　had　an
interest；　but　addressed　the　other　women　also；　knowing　well　that　the
Lacedaemonian　wives　had　always　a　great　power　with　their　husbands；
who　used　to　impart　to　them　their　state　affairs　with　greater　freedom
than　the　women　would　communicate　with　the　men　in　the　private
business　of　their　families。　Which　was　indeed　one　of　the　greatest
obstacles　to　this　design；　for　the　money　of　Sparta　being　most　of　it
in　the　women's　hands；　it　was　their　interest　to　oppose　it；　not　only
as　depriving　them　of　those　superfluous　trifles；　in　which；　through　want
of　better　knowledge　and　experience；　they　placed　their　chief
felicity；　but　also　because　they　knew　their　riches　were　the　main
support　of　their　power　and　credit。
　　Those；　therefore；　who　were　of　this　faction　had　recourse　to
Leonidas　representing　to　him　how　it　was　his　part；　as　the　elder　and
more　experienced；　to　put　a　stop　to　the　ill…advised　projects　of　a
rash　young　man。　Leonidas；　though　of　himself　sufficiently　inclined　to
oppose　Agis；　durst　not　openly；　for　fear　of　the　people；　who　were
manifestly　desirous　of　this　change；　but　underhand　he　did　all　he
could　to　discredit　and　thwart　the　project；　and　to　prejudice　the
chief　magistrates　against　him；　and　on　all　occasions　craftily
insinuated　that　it　was　at　the　price　of　letting　him　usurp　arbitrary
power　that　Agis　thus　proposed　to　divide　the　property　of　the　rich　among
the　poor；　and　that　the　object　of　these　measures　for　cancelling　debts
and　dividing　the　lands；　was　not　to　furnish　Sparta　with　citizens；　but
purchase　him　a　tyrant's　body　guard。
　　Agis；　nevertheless；　little　regarding　these　rumours；　procured
Lysander's　election　as　ephor；　and　then　took　the　first　occasion　of
proposing　through　him　his　Rhetra　to　the　council；　the　chief　articles　of
which　were　these：　That　every　one　should　be　free　from　their　debts：
all　the　lands　to　be　divided　into　equal　portions；　those　that　lay
betwixt　the　watercourse　near　Pellene　and　Mount　Taygetus；　and　as　far　as
the　cities　of　Malea　and　Sellasia；　into　four　thousand　five　hundred
lots；　the　remainder　into　fifteen　thousand；　these　last　to　be　shared　out
among　those　of　the　country　people　who　were　fit　for　service　as
heavy…armed　soldiers；　the　first　among　the　natural…born　Spartans；　and
their　number　also　should　be　supplied　from　any　among　the　country　people
or　strangers　who　had　received　the　proper　breeding　of　freemen；　and　were
of　vigorous　body　and　of　age　for　military　service。　All　these　were　to　be
divided　into　fifteen　companies；　some　of　four　hundred；　and　some　of　two；
with　a　diet　and　discipline　agreeable　to　the　laws　of　Lycurgus。
　　This　decree　being　proposed　in　the　council　of　Elders；　met　there
with　opposition；　so　that　Lysander　immediately　convoked　the　great
assembly　of　the　people；　to　whom　he；　Mandroclidas；　and　Agesilaus　made
orations　exhorting　them　that　they　would　not　suffer　the　majesty　of
Sparta　to　remain　abandoned　to　contempt；　to　gratify　a　few　rich　men；　who
lorded　it　over　them；　but　that　they　should　call　to　mind　the　oracles
in　old　times　which　had　forewarned　them　to　beware　of　the　love　of　money；
as　the　great　danger　and　probable　ruin　of　Sparta；　and；　moreover；
those　recently　brought　from　the　temple　of　Pasiphae。　This　was　a
famous　temple　and　oracle　at　Thalamae；　and　this　Pasiphae；　some　say；　was
one　of　the　daughters　of　Atlas；　who　had　by　Jupiter　a　son　called
Ammon；　others　are　of　opinion　it　was　Cassandra；　the　daughter　of　King
Priam；　who　dying　in　this　place；　was　called　Pasiphae；　as　the　revealer
of　oracles　to　all　men。　Phylarchus　says；　that　this　was　Daphne；　the
daughter　of　Amyclas；　who；　flying　from　Apollo；　was　transformed　into　a
laurel；　and　honoured　by　that　god　with　the　gift　of　prophecy。　But　be
it　as　will；　it　is　certain　the　people　were　made　to　apprehend　that
this　oracle　had　commanded　them　to　return　to　their　former　state　of
equality　settled　by　Lycurgus。　As　soon　as　these　had　done　speaking；　Agis
stood　up；　and　after　a　few　words；　told　them　he　would　make　the　best
contribution　in　his　power　to　the　new　legislation；　which　was　proposed
for　their　advantage。　In　the　first　place；　he　would　divide　among　them
all　his　patrimony；　which　was　of　large　extent　in　tillage　and　pasture；
he　would　also　give　six　hundred　talents　in　ready　money；　and　his　mother；
grandmother；　and　his　other　friends　and　relations；　who　were　the　richest
of　the　Lacedaemonians；　were　ready　to　follow　his　example。
　　The　people　were　transported　with　admiration　of　the　young　man's
generosity；　and　with　joy　that；　after　three　hundred　years'　interval；　at
last　there　had　appeared　a　king　worthy　of　Sparta。　But；　on　the　other
side；　Leonidas　was　now　more　than　ever　averse；　being　sensible　that　he
and　his　friends　would　be　obliged　to　contribute　with　their　riches；
and　yet　all　the　honour　and　obligation　would　redound　to　Agis。　He
asked　him　then　before　them　all；　whether　Lycurgus　were　not　in　his
opinion　a　wise　man；　and　a　lover　of　his　country。　Agis　answering　he　was；
〃And　when　did　Lycurgus；〃　replied　Leonidas；　〃cancel　debts；　or　admit
strangers　to　citizenship；…　he　who　thought　the　commonwealth　not
secure　unless　from　time　to　time　the　city　was　cleared　of　all
strangers？〃　To　this　Agis　replied；　〃It　is　no　wonder　that　Leonidas；
who　was　brought　up　and　married　abroad；　and　has　children　by　a　wife
taken　out　of　a　Persian　court；　should　know　little　of　Lycurgus　or　his
laws。　Lycurgus　took　away　both　debts　and　loans；　by　taking　away　money；
and　objected　indeed　to　the　presence　of　men　who　were　foreign　to　the
manners　and　customs　of　the　country；　not　in　any　case　from　an　ill…will
to　their　persons；　but　lest　the　example　of　their　lives　and　conduct
should　infect　the　city　with　the　love　of　riches；　and　of　delicate　and
luxurious　habits。　For　it　is　well　known　that　he　himself　gladly　kept
Terpander；　Thales；　and　Pherecydes　though　they　were　strangers；
because　he　perceived　they　were　in　their　poems　and　in　their
philosophy　of　the　same　mind　with　him。　And　you　that　are　wont　to
praise　Ecprepes；　who；　being　ephor；　cut　with　his　hatchet　two　of　the
nine　strings　from　the　instrument　of　Phrynis　the　musician；　and　to
commend　those　who　afterwards　imitated　him；　in　cutting　the　strings　of
Timotheus's　harp；　with　what　face　can　you　blame　us　for　designing　to　cut
off　superfluity　and　luxury　and　display　from　the　commonwealth？　Do　you
think　those　men　were　so　concerned　only　about　a　lute…string；　or
intended　anything　else　than　to　check　in　music　that　same　excess　and
extravagance　which　rule　in　our　present　lives　and　manners；　and　have
disturbed　and　destroyed　all　the　harmony　and　order　of　our　city？〃
　　From　this　time　forward；　as　the　common　people　followed　Agis；　so　the
rich　men　adhered　to　Leonidas。　They　besought　him　not　to　forsake　their
cause；　and　with　persuasions　and　entreaties　so　far　prevailed　with　the
council　of　Elders；　whose　power　consisted　in　preparing　all　laws
before　they　were　proposed　to　the　people；　that　the　designed　Rhetra
was　rejected；　though　but　by　only　one　vote。　Whereupon　Lysander；　who　was
still　ephor；　resolving　to　be　revenged　on　Leonidas；　drew　up　an
information　against　him；　grounded　on　two　old　laws：　the　one　forbids　any
of　the　blood　of　Hercules　to　raise　up　children　by　a　foreign　woman；
and　the　other　makes　it　capital　for　a　Lacedaemonian　to　leave　his
country　to　settle　among　foreigners。　Whilst　he　set　others　on　to
manage　this　accusation；　he　with　his　colleagues　went　to　observe　the
sign；　which　was　a　custom　they　had；　and　performed　in　this　manner。　Every
ninth　year；　the　ephors；　choosing　a　starlight　night；　when　there　is
neither　cloud　nor　moon；　sit　down　together　in　quiet　and　silence；　and
watch　the　sky。　And　if　they　chance　to　see　the　shooting　of　a　star；
they　presently　pronounce　their　king　guilty　of　some　offence　against　the
gods；　and　thereupon　he　is　immediately　suspended　from　all　exercise　of
regal　power；　till　he　is　relieved　by　an　oracle　from　Delphi　or　Olympia。
　　Lysander；　therefore；　assured　the　people　he　had　seen　a　star　shoot；
and　at　the　same　time　Leonidas　was　cited　to　answer　for　himself。
Witnesses　were　produced　to　testify　he　had　married　an　Asian　woman；
bestowed　on　him　by　one　of　King　Seleucus's　lieutenants：　that　he　had　two
children　by　her；　but　she　so　disliked　and　hated　him；　that　against　his
wishes；　flying　from　her；　he　was　in　a　manner　forced　to　return　to
Sparta；　where　his　predecessor　dying　without　issue；　he　took　upon　him
the　government。　Lysander；　not　content　with　this；　persuaded　also
Cleombrotus　to　lay　claim　to　the　kingdom。　He　was　of　the　royal　family；
and　son…in…law　to　Leonidas；　who；　fearing　now　the　event　of　this
process；　fled　as　a　suppliant　to　the　temple　of　Minerva　of　the　Brazen
House；　together　with　his　daughter；　the　wife　of　Cleombrotus；　for　she　in
this　occasion　resolved　to　leave　her　husband；　and　to　follow　her　father。
Leonidas　being　again　cited；　and　not　appearing；　they　pronounced　a
sentence　of　deposition　against　him；　and　made　Cleombrotus　king　in　his
place。
　　Soon　after　this　revolution；　Lysander；　his　year　expiring；　went　out　of
his　office；　and　new　ephors　were　chosen；　who　gave　Leonidas　assurance　of
safety；　and　cited　Lysander　and　Mandroclidas　to　answer　for　having；
contrary　to　law；　cancelled　debts；　and　designed　a　new　division　of
lands。　They；　seeing　themselves　in　danger；　had　recourse　to　the　two
kings；　and　represented　to　them　how　necessary　it　was　for　their　interest
and　safety　to　act　with　united　authority；　and　bid　defiance　to　the
ephors。　For；　indeed；　the　power　of　the　ephors；　they　said；　was　only
grounded　on　the　dissensions　of　the　kings；　it　being　their　privilege；
when　the　kings　differed　in　opinion；　to　add　their　suffrage　to　whichever
they　judged　to　have　given　the　best　advice；　but　when　the　two　kings　were
unanimous；　none　ought　or　durst　resist　their