lycurgus-第6部分

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professions　of　it　to　young　girls；　yet　rivalry　did　not　exist；　and　if
several　men's　fancies　met　in　one　person；　it　was　rather　the　beginning
of　an　intimate　friendship；　whilst　they　all　jointly　conspired　to　render
the　object　of　their　effection　as　accomplished　as　possible。
　　They　taught　them；　also；　to　speak　with　a　natural　and　graceful
raillery；　and　to　comprehend　much　matter　of　thought　in　few　words。　For
Lycurgus；　who　ordered；　as　we　saw；　that　a　great　piece　of　money　should
be　but　of　an　inconsiderable　value；　on　the　contrary　would　allow　no
discourse　to　be　current　which　did　not　contain　in　few　words　a　great
deal　of　useful　and　curious　sense；　children　in　Sparta；　by　a　habit　of
long　silence；　came　to　give　just　and　sententious　answers；　for；
indeed；　as　loose　and　incontinent　livers　are　seldom　fathers　of　many
children；　so　loose　and　incontinent　talkers　seldom　originate　many
sensible　words。　King　Agis；　when　some　Athenian　laughed　at　their　short
swords；　and　said　that　the　jugglers　on　the　stage　swallowed　them　with
ease；　answered　him；　〃We　find　them　long　enough　to　reach　our　enemies
with；〃　and　as　their　swords　were　short　and　sharp；　so；　it　seems　to　me；
were　their　sayings。　They　reach　the　point　and　arrest　the　attention　of
the　hearers　better　than　any。　Lycurgus　himself　seems　to　have　been　short
and　sententious；　if　we　may　trust　the　anecdotes　of　him；　as　appears　by
his　answer　to　one　who　by　all　means　would　set　up　a　democracy　in
Lacedaemon。　〃Begin；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃and　set　it　up　in　your
family。〃　Another　asked　him　why　he　allowed　of　such　mean　and　trivial
sacrifices　to　the　gods。　He　replied；　〃That　we　may　always　have　something
to　offer　to　them。〃　Being　asked　what　sort　of　martial　exercises　or
combats　he　approved　of；　he　answered；　〃All　sorts；　except　that　in
which　you　stretch　out　your　hands。〃　Similar　answers；　addressed　to　his
countrymen　by　letter；　are　ascribed　to　him；　as；　being　consulted　how
they　might　best　oppose　an　invasion　of　their　enemies；　he　returned
this　answer；　〃By　continuing　poor；　and　not　coveting　each　man　to　be
greater　than　his　fellow。〃　Being　consulted　again　whether　it　were
requisite　to　enclose　the　city　with　a　wall；　he　sent　them　word；　〃The
city　is　well　fortified　which　hath　a　wall　of　men　instead　of　brick。〃　But
whether　these　letters　are　counterfeit　or　not　is　not　easy　to　determine。
　　Of　their　dislike　to　talkativeness；　the　following　apophthegms　are
evidence。　King　Leonidas　said　to　one　who　held　him　in　discourse　upon
some　useful　matter；　but　not　in　due　time　and　place；　〃Much　to　the
purpose；　Sir；　elsewhere。〃　King　Charilaus；　the　nephew　of　Lycurgus；
being　asked　why　his　uncle　had　made　so　few　laws；　answered；　〃Men　of
few　words　require　but　few　laws。〃　When　one；　named　Hecataeus　the
sophist；　because　that；　being　invited　to　the　public　table；　he　had　not
spoken　one　word　all　supper…time；　Archidamidas　answered　in　his
vindication；　〃He　who　knows　how　to　speak；　knows　also　when。〃
　　The　sharp　and　yet　not　ungraceful　retorts　which　I　mentioned　may　be
instanced　as　follows。　Demaratus；　being　asked　in　a　troublesome　manner
by　an　importunate　fellow；　Who　was　the　best　man　in　Lacedaemon？　answered
at　last；　〃He；　Sir；　that　is　the　least　like　you。〃　Some；　in　company　where
Agis　was；　much　extolled　the　Eleans　for　their　just　and　honourable
management　of　the　Olympic　games；　〃Indeed；〃　said　Agis；　〃they　are　highly
to　be　commended　if　they　can　do　justice　one　day　in　five　years。〃
Theopompus　answered　a　stranger　who　talked　much　of　his　affection　to　the
Lacedaemonians；　and　said　that　his　countrymen　called　him　Philolacon
（a　lover　of　the　Lacedaemonians）；　that　it　had　been　more　for　his
honour　if　they　had　called　him　Philopolites　（a　lover　of　his　own
countrymen）。　And　Plistoanax；　the　son　of　Pausanias；　when　an　orator　of
Athens　said　the　Lacedaemonians　had　no　learning；　told　him；　〃You　say
true；　Sir；　we　alone　of　all　the　Greeks　have　learned　none　of　your　bad
qualities。〃　One　asked　Archidamidas　what　number　there　might　be　of　the
Spartans；　he　answered：　〃Enough；　Sir；　to　keep　out　wicked　men。〃
　　We　may　see　their　character；　too；　in　their　very　jests。　For　they　did
not　throw　them　out　at　random；　but　the　very　wit　of　them　was　grounded
upon　something　or　other　worth　thinking　about。　For　instance；　one；　being
asked　to　go　hear　a　man　who　exactly　counterfeited　the　voice　of　a
nightingale；　answered；　〃Sir；　I　have　heard　the　nightingale　itself。〃
Another；　having　read　the　following　inscription　upon　a　tomb…

　　　　　　　　〃Seeking　to　quench　a　cruel　tyranny；
　　　　　　　　They；　at　Selinus；　did　in　battle　die；〃

said；　it　served　them　right；　for　instead　of　trying　to　quench　the
tyranny；　they　should　have　let　it　burn　out。　A　lad；　being　offered　some
game…cocks　that　would　die　upon　the　spot；　said　that　he　cared　not　for
cocks　that　would　die；　but　for　such　that　would　live　and　kill　others。
Another；　seeing　people　easing　themselves　on　seats；　said；　〃God　forbid　I
should　sit　where　I　could　not　get　up　to　salute　my　elders。〃　In　short；
their　answers　were　so　sententious　and　pertinent；　that　one　said　well
that　intellectual　much　more　truly　than　athletic　exercise　was　the
Spartan　characteristic。
　　Nor　was　their　instruction　in　music　and　verse　less　carefully　attended
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。　Notwith