lycurgus-第7部分

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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
favour　of　which　candidate　each　of　them　was　made；　but　merely　that
they　came　first；　second；　third；　and　so　forth。　He　who　was　found　to　have
the　most　and　loudest　acclamations　was　declared　senator　duly　elected。
Upon　this　he　had　a　garland　set　upon　his　head；　and　went　in　procession
to　all　the　temples　to　give　thanks　to　the　gods；　a　great　number　of　young
men　followed　him　with　applauses；　and　women；　also；　singing　verses　in
his　honour；　and　extolling　the　virtue　and　happiness　of　his　life。　As
he　went　round　the　city　in　this　manner；　each　of　his　relations　and
friends　set　a　table　before　him；　saying　〃The　city　honours　you　with　this
banquet；〃　but　he；　instead　of　accepting；　passed　round　to　the　common
table　where　he　formerly　used　to　eat；　and　was　served　as　before；
excepting　that　now　he　had　a　second　allowance；　which　he　took　and　put
by。　By　the　time　supper　was　ended；　the　women　who　were　of　kin　to　him　had
come　about　the　door；　and　he；　beckoning　to　her　whom　he　most　esteemed；
presented　to　her　the　portion　he　had　saved；　saying；　that　it　had　been
a　mark　of　esteem　to　him；　and　was　so　now　to　her；　upon　which　she　was
triumphantly　waited　upon　home　by　the　women。
　　Touching　burials；　Lycurgus　made　very　wise　regulations；　for；　first　of
all；　to　cut　off　all　superstition；　he　allowed　them　to　bury　their　dead
within　the　city；　and　even　round　about　their　temples；　to　the　end　that
their　youth　might　be　accustomed　to　such　spectacles；　and　not　be
afraid　to　see　a　dead　body；　or　imagine　that　to　touch　a　corpse　or　to
tread　upon　a　grave　would　defile　a　man。　In　the　next　place；　he　commanded
them　to　put　nothing　into　the　ground　with　them；　except；　if　they
pleased；　a　few　olive　leaves；　and　the　scarlet　cloth　that　they　were
wrapped　in。　He　would　not　suffer　the　names　to　be　inscribed；　except　only
of　men　who　fell　in　the　wars；　or　women　who　died　in　a　sacred　office。　The
time；　too；　appointed　for　mourning；　was　very　short；　eleven　days；　on　the
twelfth；　they　were　to　do　sacrifice　to　Ceres；　and　leave　it　off；　so　that
we　may　see；　that　as　he　cut　off　all　superfluity；　so　in　things　necessary
there　was　nothing　so　small　and　trivial　which　did　not　express　some
homage　of　virtue　or　scorn　of　vice。　He　filled　Lacedaemon　all　through
with　proofs　and　examples　of　good　conduct；　with　the　constant　sight　of
which　from　their　youth　up　the　people　would　hardly　fail　to　be　gradually
formed　and　advanced　in　virtue。
　　And　this　was　the　reason　why　he　forbade　them　to　travel　abroad；　and　go
about　acquainting　themselves　with　foreign　rules　of　morality；　the
habits　of　ill…educated　people；　and　different　views　of　government。
Withal　he　banished　from　Lacedaemon　all　strangers　who　would　not　give
a　very　good　reason　for　their　coming　thither；　not　because　he　was　afraid
lest　they　should　inform　themselves　of　and　imitate　his　manner　of
government　（as　Thucydides　says）；　or　learn　anything　to　their　good；
but　rather　lest　they　should　introduce　something　contrary　to　good
manners。　With　strange　people；　strange　words　must　be　admitted；　these
novelties　produce　novelties　in　thought；　and　on　these　follow　views
and　feelings　whose　discordant　character　destroys　the　harmony　of　the
state。　He　was　as　careful　to　save　his　city　from　the　infection　of
foreign　bad　habits；　as　men　usually　are　to　prevent　the　introduction
of　a　pestilence。
　　Hitherto　I；　for　my　part；　see　no　sign　of　injustice　or　want　of
equity　in　the　laws　of　Lycurgus；　though　some　who　admit　them　to　be
well　contrived　to　make　good　soldiers；　pronounce　them　defective　in
point　of　justice。　The　Cryptia；　perhaps　（if　it　were　one　of　Lycurgus's
ordinances；　as　Aristotle　says　it　was）；　gave　both　him　and　Plato；　too；
this　opinion　alike　of　the　lawgiver　and　his　government。　By　this
ordinance；　the　magistrates　despatched　privately　some　of　the　ablest
of　the　young　men　into　the　country；　from　time　to　time；　armed　only
with　their　daggers；　and　taking　a　little　necessary　provision　with　them；
in　the　daytime；　they　hid　themselves　in　out…of…the…way　places；　and
there　lay　close；　but　in　the　night　issued　out　into　the　highways；　and
killed　all　the　Helots　they　could　light　upon；　sometimes　th