the polity of the athenians and the lacedaemonians-第7部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


gth　than　that　which　we　attribute　to　the　nature　of　women。　At　any　rate；　you　might　sooner　expect　a　stone　image　to　find　voice　than　one　of　those　Spartan　youths；　to　divert　the　eyes　of　some　bronze　stature　were　less　difficult。　And　as　to　quiet　bearing；　no　bride　ever　stepped　in　bridal　bower＇6＇　with　more　natural　modesty。　Note　them　when　they　have　reached　the　public　table。＇7＇　The　plainest　answer　to　the　question　askedthat　is　all　you　need　expect　to　hear　from　their　lips。

＇4＇　See　Cic。　〃pro　Coelio；〃　5。

＇5＇　See　Plat。　〃Charmid。〃　159　B；　Jowett；　〃Plato；〃　I。　15。

＇6＇　Longinus；　｛peri　ups｝；　iv。　4；　reading　｛ophthalmois｝　for　　　　　｛thalamois｝；　says：　〃Yet　why　speak　of　Timaeus；　when　even　men　like　　　　　Xenophon　and　Plato；　the　very　demigods　of　literature；　though　they　　　　　had　sat　at　the　feet　of　Socrates；　sometimes　forget　themselves　in　　　　　the　pursuit　of　such　pretty　conceits？　The　former　in　his　account　of　　　　　the　Spartan　Polity　has　these　words：　'Their　voice　you　would　no　more　　　　　hear；　than　if　they　were　of　marble；　their　gaze　is　as　immovable　as　　　　　if　they　were　cast　in　bronze。　You　would　deem　them　more　modest　than　　　　　the　very　maidens　in　their　eyes。'　To　speak　of　the　pupils　of　the　　　　　eyes　as　modest　maidens　was　a　piece　of　absurdity　becoming　　　　　Amphicrates　rather　than　Xenophon；　and　then　what　a　strange　notion　　　　　to　suppose　that　modesty　is　always　without　exception；　expressed　in　　　　　the　eye！〃H。　L。　Howell；　〃Longinus；〃　p。　8。　See　〃Spectator；〃　No。　　　　　354。

＇7＇　See　Paus。　VII。　i。　8；　the　｛phidition｝　or　｛philition｝；　〃Hell。〃　V。　　　　　iv。　28。



IV

But　if　he　was　thus　careful　in　the　education　of　the　stripling；＇1＇　the　Spartan　lawgiver　showed　a　still　greater　anxiety　in　dealing　with　those　who　had　reached　the　prime　of　opening　manhood；　considering　their　immense　importance　to　the　city　in　the　scale　of　good；　if　only　they　proved　themselves　the　men　they　should　be。　He　had　only　to　look　around　to　see　what　wherever　the　spirit　of　emulation＇2＇　is　most　deeply　seated；　there；　too；　their　choruses　and　gymnastic　contests　will　present　alike　a　far　higher　charm　to　eye　and　ear。　And　on　the　same　principle　he　persuaded　himself　that　he　needed　only　to　confront＇3＇　his　youthful　warriors　in　the　strife　of　valour；　and　with　like　result。　They　also；　in　their　degree；　might　be　expected　to　attain　to　some　unknown　height　of　manly　virtue。

＇1＇　See　〃Hell。〃　V。　iv。　32。

＇2＇　Cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　II。　i。　22。

＇3＇　Or；　〃pit　face　to　face。〃

What　method　he　adopted　to　engage　these　combatants　I　will　now　explain。　It　is　on　this　wise。　Their　ephors　select　three　men　out　of　the　whole　body　of　the　citizens　in　the　prime　of　life。　These　three　are　named　Hippagretai；　or　masters　of　the　horse。　Each　of　these　selects　one　hundred　others；　being　bound　to　explain　for　what　reason　he　prefers　in　honour　these　and　disapproves　of　those。　The　result　is　that　those　who　fail　to　obtain　the　distinction　are　now　at　open　war；　not　only　with　those　who　rejected　them；　but　with　those　who　were　chosen　in　their　stead；　and　they　keep　ever　a　jealous　eye　on　one　another　to　detect　some　slip　of　conduct　contrary　to　the　high　code　of　honour　there　held　customary。　And　so　is　set　on　foot　that　strife；　in　truest　sense　acceptable　to　heaven；　and　for　the　purposes　of　state　most　politic。　It　is　a　strife　in　which　not　only　is　the　pattern　of　a　brave　man's　conduct　fully　set　forth；　but　where；　too；　each　against　other　and　in　separate　camps；　the　rival　parties　train　for　victory。　One　day　the　superiority　shall　be　theirs；　or；　in　the　day　of　need；　one　and　all　to　the　last　man；　they　will　be　ready　to　aid　the　fatherland　with　all　their　strength。

Necessity；　moreover；　is　laid　upon　them　to　study　a　good　habit　of　the　body；　coming　as　they　do　to　blows　with　their　fists　for　very　strife's　sake　whenever　they　meet。　Albeit；　any　one　present　has　a　right　to　separate　the　combatants；　and；　if　obedience　is　not　shown　to　the　peacemaker；　the　Pastor　of　youth＇4＇　hales　the　delinquent　before　the　ephors；　and　the　ephors　inflict　heavy　damages；　since　they　will　have　it　plainly　understood　that　rage　must　never　override　obedience　to　law。

＇4＇　Lit。　〃the　Paidonomos。〃

With　regard　to　those　who　have　already　passed＇5＇　the　vigour　of　early　manhood；　and　on　whom　the　highest　magistracies　henceforth　devolve；　there　is　a　like　contrast。　In　Hellas　generally　we　find　that　at　this　age　the　need　of　further　attention　to　physical　strength　is　removed；　although　the　imposition　of　military　service　continues。　But　Lycurgus　made　it　customary　for　that　section　of　his　citizens　to　regard　hunting　as　the　highest　honour　suited　to　their　age；　albeit；　not　to　the　exclusion　of　any　public　duty。＇6＇　And　his　aim　was　that　they　might　be　equally　able　to　undergo　the　fatigues　of　war　with　those　in　the　prime　of　early　manhood。

＇5＇　Probably　the　｛agathoergoi｝；　technically　so　called。　See　Herod。　i。　　　　　67；　Schneider；　ap。　Dindorf。

＇6＇　Lit。　〃save　only　if　some　public　duty　intervened。〃　See　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　　　　　ii。



V

The　above　is　a　fairly　exhaustive　statement　of　the　institutions　traceable　to　the　legislation　of　Lycurgus　in　connection　with　the　successive　stages＇1＇　of　a　citizen's　life。　It　remains　that　I　should　endeavour　to　describe　the　style　of　living　which　he　established　for　the　whole　body；　irrespective　of　age。　It　will　be　understood　that；　when　Lycurgus　first　came　to　deal　with　the　question；　the　Spartans　like　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes；　used　to　mess　privately　at　home。　Tracing　more　than　half　the　current　misdemeanours　to　this　custom；＇2＇　he　was　determined　to　drag　his　people　out　of　holes　and　corners　into　the　broad　daylight；　and　so　he　invented　the　public　mess…rooms。　Whereby　he　expected　at　any　rate　to　minimise　the　transgression　of　orders。

＇1＇　Lit。　〃with　each　age。〃；　see　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　25；　Hesychius；　｛s。　u。　　　　　irinies｝；　〃Hell。〃　VI。　iv。　17；　V。　iv。　13。

＇2＇　Reading　after　Cobet；　｛en　touto｝。

As　to　food；＇3＇　his　ordinance　allowed　them　so　much　as；　while　not　inducing　repletion；　should　guard　them　from　actual　want。　And；　in　fact；　there　are　many　exceptional＇4＇　dishes　in　the　shape　of　game　supplied　from　the　hunting　field。　Or；　as　a　substitute　for　these；　rich　men　will　occasionally　garnish　the　feast　with　wheaten　loaves。　So　that　from　beginning　to　end；　till　the　mess　breaks　up；　the　common　board　is　never　stinted　for　viands；　nor　yet　extravagantly　furnished。

＇3＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　97）。

＇4＇　｛paraloga｝；　i。e。　unexpected　dishes；　technically　named　｛epaikla｝　　　　　（hors　d'oeuvres）；　as　we　learn　from　Athenaeus；　iv。　140；　141。

So　also　in　the　matter　of　drink。　Whilst　putting　a　stop　to　all　unnecessary　potations；　detrimental　alike　to　a　firm　brain　and　a　steady　gait；＇5＇　he　left　them　free　to　quench　thirst　when　nature　dictated＇6＇；　a　method　which　would　at　once　add　to　the　pleasure　whilst　it　diminished　the　danger　of　drinking。　And　indeed　one　may　fairly　ask　how；　on　such　a　system　of　common　meals；　it　would　be　possible　for　any　one　to　ruin　either　himself　or　his　family　either　through　gluttony　or　wine…bibbing。

＇5＇　Or；　〃apt　to　render　brain　and　body　alike　unsteady。〃

＇6＇　See　〃Agesilaus〃；　also　〃Mem。〃　and　〃Cyrop。〃

This　too　must　be　borne　in　mind；　that　in　other　states　equals　in　age；＇7＇　for　the　most　part；　associate　together；　and　such　an　atmosphere　is　little　conducive　to　modesty。＇8＇　Whereas　in　Sparta　Lycurgus　was　careful　so　to　blend　the　ages＇9＇　that　the　younger　men　must　benefit　largely　by　the　experience　of　the　elderan　education　in　itself；　and　the　more　so　since　by　custom　of　the　country　conversation　at　the　common　meal　has　reference　to　the　honourable　acts　which　this　man　or　that　man　may　have　performed　in　relation　to　the　state。　The　scene；　in　fact；　but　little　lends　itself　to　the　intrusion　of　violence　or　drunken　riot；　ugly　speech　and　ugly　deeds　alike　are　out　of　place。　Amongst　other　good　results　obtained　through　this　out…door　system　of　meals　may　be　mentioned　these：　There　is　the　necessity　of　walking　home　when　the　meal　is　over；　and　a　consequent　anxiety　not　to　be　caught　tripping　under　the　influence　of　wine；　since　they　all　know　of　course　that　the　supper…table　must　be　presently　abandoned；＇10＇　and　that　they　must　move　as　freely　in　the　dark　as　in　the　day；　even　the　help　of　a　torch＇11＇　to　guide　the　steps　being　forbidden　to　all　on　active　service。

＇7＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Phaedr。〃　240　C；　｛elix　eklika　terpei｝；　〃Equals　delight　　　　　in　equals。〃

＇8＇　Or；　〃these　gatherings　for　the　most　part　consist　of　equals　in　age　　　　　（young　fellows）；　in　whose　society　the　virtue　of　modesty　is　least　　　　　likely　to　display　itself。〃

＇9＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　98）。

＇10＇　Or；　〃that　they　are　not　going　to　stay　all　night　where　they　have　　　　　supped。〃

＇11＇　See　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　12　（Clough；　i。　99）。

In　connection　with　this　matter；　Lycurgus　had　not　failed　to　observe　the　effect　of　equal　amounts　of　food　on　different　persons。　The　hardworking　man　has　a　good　complexion；　his　muscles　are　well　fed；　he　is　robust　and　strong。　The　man　who　abstains　from　work；　on　the　other　hand；　may　be　detected　by　his　miserable　appearance；　he　is　blotched　and　puffy；　and　devoid　of　strength。　This　observation；　I　say；　was　not　wasted　on　him。　On　the　contrary；　turning　it　over　in　his　mind　that　any　one　who　chooses；　as　a　matter　of　private　judgment；　to　devote　himself　to　toil　may　hope　to　present　a　very　creditable　appearance　physically；　he　enjoined　upon　the　eldest　for　the　time　being　in　every　gymnasium　to　see　to　it　that　the　labours　of　the　class　were　proportional　to　the　meats。＇12＇　And　to　my　mind　he　was　not　out　of　his　reckoning　in　this　matter　more　than　elsehwere。　At　any　rate；　it　would　be　hard　to　discover　a　healthier　or　more　completely　developed　human　being；　physically　speaking；　than　the　Spartan。　Their　gymnastic　training；　in　fact；　makes　demands　alike　on　the　legs　and　arms　and　neck；＇13＇　etc。；　simultaneously。

＇12＇　I。e。　〃not　inferior　in　excellence　to　the　diet　which　they　enjoyed。〃　　　　　The　reading　here　adopted　I　owe　to　Dr。　Arnold　Hug；　｛os　me　ponous　　　　　auton　elattous　ton　sition　gignesthai｝。

＇13＇　See　Plat。　〃Laws；〃　vii。　796　A；　Jowett；　〃Plato；〃　v。　p。　365；　Xen。　　　　　〃Symp。〃　ii。　7；　Plut。　〃Lycurg。〃　19。



VI

There　are　other　points　in　which　this　legislator's　views　run　counter　to　those　commonly　accepted。　Thus：　in　other　states　the　individual　citizen　is　master　over　his　own　children；　domestics；＇1＇　goods　and　chattels；　and　belongings　generally；　but　Lycurgus；　whose　aim　was　to　secure　to　all　the　citizens　a　considerable　share　in　one　another's　goods　without　mutual　injury；　enacted　that　each　one　should　have　an　equal　power　of　his　n