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LYCURGUS¹

[1] Lycurgus, the lawgiver, wishing to recall the citizens from the mode of living then existent, and to lead them to a more sober and temperate order of life, and to render them good and honourable men (for they were living a soft life), reared two puppies of the same litter; and one he accustomed to dainty food, and allowed it to stay in the house; the other he took afield and trained in hunting. Later he brought them into the public assembly and put down some bones and dainty food and let loose a hare. Each of the dogs made for that to which it was accustomed, and, when the one of them had overpowered the hare, he said, You see, fellow-citizens, that these dogs belong to the same stock, but by virtue of the discipline to which they have been subjected they have turned out utterly different from each other, and you also see that training is more effective than Nature for good.²

But some say that he did not bring in dogs which were of the same stock, but that one was of the breed of house dogs and the other of hunting dogs; then he trained the one of inferior stock for hunting, and the one of better stock he accustomed to dainty food. And afterwards, as each made for that to which it had become accustomed, he made it clear how much instruction contributes for better or worse, saying, So also in our case, fellow-citizens, noble birth, so admired of the multitude, and our being descended from Heracles does not bestow any advantage, unless we do the sort of things for which he was manifestly the most glorious and most noble of all mankind, and unless we practise and learn what is good our whole life long.

[2] He made a redistribution of the land, and assigned an equal share to all the citizens; and it is said that a while later, on returning from abroad, as he passed through the country, where the harvesting had just been finished, and saw the cocks of grain standing near together in even lines, he was much pleased, and said with a smile to those who were with him that it looked as if all the Spartan land belonged to many brothers who had recently divided it.³

[3] Having introduced the abolition of debts, he next undertook to divide equally all household furnishings, so as to do away completely with all inequality and disparity. But when he saw that the people were likely to demur about assenting to this outright spoliation, he decreed that gold and silver coin should in future have no value, and ordained that the people should use iron money only. He also limited the time within which it was lawful to exchange their present holdings for this money. When this had been done, all wrongdoing was banished from Sparta. For nobody was able to steal or to accept a bribe or to defraud or rob any more, when the result was something of which concealment was not possible, nor was its acquisition envied, nor its use without risk, nor its exportation or importation safe. As an added measure, he brought about the banishment from Sparta of everything not absolutely necessary. And, by reason of this, no merchant, no public lecturer, no soothsayer or mendicant priest, no maker of fancy articles ever made his way into Sparta. The reason was that he permitted no handy coinage to circulate among them, but instituted the iron coinage exclusively, which in weight was over a pound and a quarter, and in value not quite a penny.⁴

[4] Having determined to make an attack upon the prevailing luxury, and to do away with the rivalry for riches, he instituted the common meals. And in answer to those who sought to know why he had established these, and had divided the citizens, when under arms, into small companies, he said, So that they may get their orders promptly, and, in case they cherish any radical designs, the offence may be confined to a small number; also that there may be for all an equal portion of food and drink, and so that not only in drink or food, but in bedding or furniture or anything else whatsoever, the rich man may have no advantage at all over the poor man.⁵

[5] Having made wealth unenviable, since nobody could make any use or show of it, he said to his intimate friends, What a good thing it is, my friends, to show in actual practice the true characteristic of wealth, that it is blind!⁶

[6] He took good care that none should be allowed to dine at home and then come to the common meal stuffed with other kinds of food and drink. The rest of the company used to berate the man who did not drink or eat with them, because they felt that he was lacking in self-control, and was too soft for the common way of living. war, wished to dine at home with his wife on this one day, and sent for his allowance of food; but the military commanders would not send it; and the following day, when the matter was disclosed to the Ephors, he was fined by them.⁷

[7] The well-to-do citizens resented legislation of this type, and, banding together, they denounced him and pelted him, wishing to stone him to death. As he was being pursued, he rushed through the market-place; and he out-distanced almost all his pursuers, and gained refuge in the shrine of Athena of the Brazen House; only, as he turned around, Alcander, who was pursuing him, put out one of his eyes by a stroke of his staff. But when, later, Lycurgus received Alcander, who was handed over to him for punishment by vote of the people, he did not treat him ill nor blame him, but, by compelling him to live under the same roof with him, he brought it to pass that Alcander had only commendation for Lycurgus and for the manner of living which he had found there, and was altogether enamoured of this discipline. Lycurgus dedicated a memorial of his unhappy experience in the shrine of Athena of the Brazen House, and gave to her the added epithet of Optilletis; for the Dorians in this part of the world call the eyes optics ( optilloi).⁸

[8] Being asked why he had not made any use of written laws, he said, Because those who are trained and disciplined in the proper discipline can determine what will best serve the occasion.⁹

[9] At another time when some sought to know why he had ordained that the people should use only an axe in putting a roof on their houses, and make a door with a saw only and none of the other tools, he said, So that the citizens may be moderate in regard to all the things which they bring into the house, and may possess none of the things which are the cause of rivalry among other peoples.¹⁰

[10] It was because of this custom also that their first king Leotychidas, dining at somebody’s house¹¹ and observing the construction of the ceiling, which was expensive and embellished with panels, asked his host if timbers grew square in their country!

[11] Being asked why he had prohibited frequent campaigns against the same foes, he said, So that they may not, by becoming accustomed to defending themselves frequently, become skilled in war. It was for this reason also that there appeared to be no slight ground for complaint against Agesilaus, who by his almost continual inroads and campaigns into Boeotia had rendered the Thebans a match for the Spartans. At any rate Antalcidas, when he saw him wounded, exclaimed, You have got a handsome reward as you deserve for your fostering care in teaching them to fight when they did not wish to fight and did not even know how.¹²

[12] When someone else desired to know why he instituted strenuous exercise for the bodies of the maidens in races and wrestling and throwing the discus and javelin, he said, So that the implanted stock of their offspring, by getting a strong start in strong bodies, may attain a noble growth, and that they themselves may with vigour abide the birth of their children and readily and nobly resist the pains of travail; and moreover, if the need arise, that they may be able to fight for themselves, their children, and their country.¹³

[13] When some persons expressed disapproval of the nudity of the maidens in the processions, and sought to know the reason for it, he said, So that they, by following the same practices as the men, may not be inferior to them either in bodily strength and health or in mental aspirations and qualities, and that they may despise the opinion of the crowd. Wherefore is recorded also in regard to Gorgo, the wife of Leonidas, a saying to this effect: when some woman, a foreigner presumably, remarked to her, You Spartan women are the only women that lord it over your’men, she replied, Yes, for we are the only women that are mothers of men!¹⁴

[14] By excluding the unmarried from looking on at the festival of the naked youth, and by laying upon them other additional disgrace, he created much concern about having children. He also deprived them of the honour and attention which the young bestowed on their elders. And nobody said a word against the remark which was made to Dercylidas, although he was a general and in high repute; for one of the younger men, as Dercylidas approached, did not rise to offer his seat, saying, No, for you are not the father of any son who will rise and offer his seat to me.¹⁵

[15] When someone inquired why he had made a law that girls should be given in marriage without any dowry, he said, So that some of them shall not be left unwedded because of lack of means, and some shall not be eagerly sought because of abundant wealth, but that each man, with an eye to the ways¹⁶ of the maid, shall make virtue the basis of his choice. For this reason he also banished from the State all artificial enhancement of beauty.¹⁷

[16] He set limits to the time of marriage for both men and women, and, in answer to the man who inquired about this, he said, So that the offspring may be sturdy by being sprung from mature parents.¹⁸

[17] In answer to a man who expressed surprise because he debarred the husband from spending the nights with his wife, but ordained that he should be with his comrades most of the day and pass the whole night in their company, and visit his bride secretly and with great circumspection, he said, So that they may be strong of body and never become sated, and that they may be ever fresh in affection, and that the children which they bring into the world may be more sturdy.¹⁹

[18] He banished perfume on the ground that it spoiled and ruined the olive oil,²⁰ and also the dyer’s art on the ground that it was a flattery of the senses.

[19] To all whose business was the enhancement of personal beauty he made Sparta forbidden ground, for the reason that they outraged the arts through the vileness of their art.²¹

[20] So strict in those times was the virtue of the women, and so far removed from the laxity of morals which later affected them,²² that in the earlier days the idea of adultery among them was an incredible thing. There is still recalled a saying of a certain Geradatas, a Spartan of the very early times, who, on being asked by a foreigner what was done to adulterers in their country, since he saw that there had been no legislation by Lycurgus on that subject, said, Sir, there is never an adulterer in our country. But when the other retorted with, Yes, but if there should be? Geradatas said, His penalty is to provide an enormous bull which by stretching his neck over Mount Taygetus can drink from the river Eurotas. And when the other in amazement said, But how could there ever be a bull of that size? Geradatas laughed and said, But how could there ever be an adulterer in Sparta, in which wealth and luxury and adventitious aids to beauty are held in disesteem, and respect and good order and obedience to authority are given the highest place?²³

[21] In answer to the man who was insistent that he establish a democracy in the State Lycurgus said, Do you first create a democracy in your own house.²⁴

[22] When someone inquired why he ordained such small and inexpensive sacrifices to the gods, he said, So that we may honour the Divine powers without ceasing.²⁵

[23] As he permitted the citizens to engage only in that kind of athletic contests in which the arm is not held up,²⁶ somebody inquired what was the reason. He replied, So that no one of the citizens shall get the habit of crying quits in the midst of a hard struggle.²⁷

[24] When someone asked why he ordered a frequent change of camping-place, he said, So that we may inflict greater injury upon our enemies.²⁸

[25] When someone sought to know why he forbade assaults on walled places, he said, So that valiant men may not suffer death at the hands of a woman or a child or some such person.²⁹

[26] When some of the Thebans advised with him in regard to the sacrifice and the lamentation which they perform in honour of Leucothea, he advised them that if they regarded her as a goddess they should not bewail her, but if they looked upon her as a woman they should not offer sacrifice to her as to a goddess.³⁰

[27] In answer to some of the citizens who desired to know, How can we keep off any invasion by enemies, he said, If you remain poor, and no one of you desires to be more important than another.³¹

[28] And at another time, when they raised a question about fortifications, he said that a city is not unfortified whose crowning glory is men and not bricks and stones.³²

[29] The Spartans gave particular attention to their hair, recalling a saying of Lycurgus in reference to it, that it made the handsome more comely and the ugly more frightful.³³

[30] He gave instructions that in war, when they had put the enemy to flight and had gained a victory, they should continue the pursuit only far enough to make their success assured, and then return immediately; for he said that it was neither a noble trait nor a Greek trait to slay those who had yielded, and this policy was not only honourable and magnanimous, but useful as well; for the opposing army, knowing that they customarily spared those who surrendered, but made away with those who resisted, would regard it as more profitable to flee than to stay.³⁴

[31] When somebody inquired why he forbade spoiling the enemy’s dead, he said, So that the soldiers may not, by looking about covertly for spoil, neglect their fighting, but also that they may keep to their poverty as well as to their post.³⁵

Apophthegmata Laconica. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1931.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Sayings of Spartans (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).)

Editions (2)

Ἀποφθέγματα Λακωνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).) — 53 focus

Λυκούργου

[1] Λυκοῦργος ὁ νομοθέτης βουλόμενος ἐκ τῆς προϋπαρχούσης διαίτης τοὺς πολίτας εἰς σωφρονεστέραν βίου τάξιν μετάγειν καὶ καλοκαγαθικοὺς ἀπεργάζεσθαι ἁβροδίαιτοι γὰρ ἦσαν δύο σκύλακας ἀνέθρεψε ταὐτοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς γενομένους καὶ τὸν μὲν εἴθισε περὶ λιχνείας οἴκοι ἐάσας· τὸν δὲ ἑπαγόμενος ἤσκησε περὶ κυνηγέσια. ἔπειτα ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἔθηκεν ἀκάνθας καὶ λιχνείας τινάς, ἀφῆκε δὲ καὶ λαγών· ἑκατέρου δʼ ἐπὶ τὰ συνήθη ὁρμήσαντος καὶ θατέρου τὸν λαγὼν χειρωσαμένου, εἶπεν, ὁρᾶτε, ὦ πολῖται, ὅτι ταὐτοῦ 226a γένους ὑπάρχοντες ἐν τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀγωγῇ παρὰ πολὺ ἀλλήλων διάφοροι ἀπέβησαν, καὶ ποιητικωτέρα τῆς φύσεως ἡ ἄσκησις πρὸς τὰ καλὰ τυγχάνει;

τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὡς¹ οὐ παρῆγε σκύλακας, οἳ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν γεγονότες ἐτύγχανον, ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐξ οἰκουρῶν, ἕτερος δʼ ἐκ κυνηγετικῶν κἄπειτα τὸν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ χείρονος γένους πρὸς τὰ κυνηγέσια ἤσκησε, τὸν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἀμείνονος περὶ λιχνείας μόνον εἴθισεν εἶθʼ ἑκατέρου ἐφʼ ἃ εἴθιστο ὁρμήσαντος, φανερὸν ποιήσας ὅσον ἡ ἀγωγὴ πρὸς τὰ ἀμείνω καὶ χείρω συλλαμβάνεται, εἶπεν, οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς, ὦ πολῖται, οὐδὲν ἡ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς θαυμαζομένη εὐγένεια καὶ τὸ ἀφʼ Ἡρακλέους εἶναι 226b ὀνίνησιν, εἰ μὴ πράττομεν διʼ ἃ ἐκεῖνος ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπιδοξότερος καὶ εὐγενέστερος ἐφάνη, ἀσκούμενοι καὶ μανθάνοντες καλὰ διʼ ὅλου τοῦ βίου.

[2] ἀναδασμὸν δὲ τῆς γῆς ποιήσας καὶ ἅπασιν ἴσον κλῆρον τοῖς πολίταις νείμας, λέγεται ὕστερόν ποτε χρόνῳ τὴν χώραν διερχόμενον² ἐξ ἀποδημίας ἄρτι τεθερισμένην, ἰδόντα τοὺς σωροὺς κειμένους παρʼ ἀλλήλους καὶ ὁμαλοὺς ἡσθῆναι, καὶ μειδιάσαντα εἰπεῖν πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ὡς ἡ Λακωνικὴ φαίνεται πᾶσα πολλῶν ἀδελφῶν εἶναι νεωστὶ νενεμημένων.

[3] καὶ τῶν χρεῶν δὲ ἀποκοπὰς εἰσηγησάμενος 226c ἐπεχείρησε καὶ τὰ κατʼ οἶκον ὄντα πάντα ἐξ ἴσου διαιρεῖν, ὅπως παντάπασιν ἐξέλοι τὸ ἄνισον καὶ ἀνώμαλον. ἐπεὶ δὲ χαλεπῶς ἑώρα προσδεξομένους τὴν ἄντικρυς ἀφαίρεσιν, τό τε χρυσοῦν καὶ ἀργυροῦν νόμισμα ἠκύρωσε, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ σιδηρῷ προσέταξε χρῆσθαι· καὶ μέχρις οὗ δεῖ ἔχειν τὴν ὅλην 226d ὕπαρξιν πρὸς ἀμοιβὴν τούτου, περιώρισε. τούτου δὲ γενομένου, ἐξέπεσε τῆς Λακεδαίμονος ἀδικία πᾶσα· οὔτε γὰρ κλέπτειν οὔτε δωροδοκεῖν οὔτε ἀποστερεῖν ἢ ἁρπάζειν ἔτι ἐδύνατό τις, ὃ μήτε κατακρύψαι δυνατὸν ἦν μήτε κτήσασθαι³ ζηλωτὸν μήτε χρήσασθαι ἀκίνδυνον, μήτε ἐξάγειν ἢ ἐπάγειν ἀσφαλές, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἁπάντων τῶν περιττῶν ξενηλασίαν ἐποιήσατο διὸ οὔτε ἔμπορος οὔτε σοφιστὴς οὔτε μάντις ἢ⁴ ἀγύρτης οὔτε τῶν κατασκευασμάτων δημιουργὸς εἰσῄει εἰς τὴν Σπάρτην. οὐδὲ γὰρ νόμισμα παρʼ αὐτοῖς εὔχρηστον εἴασε, μόνον δὲ τὸ σιδηροῦν εἰσηγήσατο, ὅ ἐστι μνᾶ ὁλκῇ Αἰγιναία, δυνάμει δὲ χαλκοῖ τέσσαρες.

[4] ἐπιθέσθαι δὲ τῇ τρυφῇ καὶ τὸν ζῆλον ἀφελέσθαι τοῦ πλούτου διανοηθεὶς τὰ συσσίτια εἰσηγήσατο 226e . πρὸς γοῦν τοὺς ἐπιζητοῦντας διὰ τί ταῦτα συνεστήσατο καὶ μεθʼ ὅπλων κατʼ ὀλίγους τοὺς πολίτας διῄρηκεν, ὅπως, εἶπεν, ἐξ ἑτοίμου τὰ παραγγελλόμενα δέχωνται, καὶ ἐάν τι νεωτερίζωσιν, ἐν ὀλίγοις ᾖ τὸ ἀμπλάκημα, ἰσομοιρία τε τῆς τροφῆς καὶ πόσεως ᾖ καὶ μήτε πόσει τινὶ ἢ βρώσει ἀλλὰ μηδὲ στρωμνῇ ἢ σκεύεσιν ἢ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὸ σύνολον πλέον ἔχῃ ὁ πλούσιος τοῦ πένητος.

[5] ἄζηλον δὲ ποιήσας τὸν πλοῦτον, οὐδενὸς οὐδὲ χρῆσθαι οὐδὲ ἐπιδεῖξαι δυναμένου, ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς συνήθεις, ὡς καλόν ἐστιν, ὦ ἑταῖροι, διὰ 226f τῶν ἔργων ἐπιδεῖξαι τὸν πλοῦτον ὁποῖός ἐστι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ὅτι τυφλός.

[6] παρεφύλαξε δὲ ὥστε μηδὲ οἴκοι προδειπνήσαντας ἐξεῖναι βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τὰ συσσίτια πεπληρωμένους ἑτέρων ἐδεσμάτων ἢ πωμάτων⁵· ἐκάκιζον δὲ οἱ λοιποὶ τὸν μὴ πιόντα ἢ φαγόντα μετʼ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἀκρατῆ καὶ πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν ἀπομαλακιζόμενον δίαιταν ἐζημιοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ φανερὸς γενόμενος. Ἄγιδος γοῦν μετὰ πολὺν χρόνον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπανελθόντος ἀπὸ στρατείας ʽκαταπεπολεμήκει δὲ 227a Ἀθηναίους, βουλομένου παρὰ τῇ γυναικὶ μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ δειπνῆσαι καὶ μεταπεμπομένου τὰς μερίδας, οὐκ ἔπεμψαν οἱ πολέμαρχοι· μεθʼ ἡμέραν δὲ φανεροῦ γενομένου τοῖς ἐφόροις, ἐζημιώθη ὑπʼ αὐτῶν.

[7] πρὸς οὖν τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν νομοθετημάτων χαλεπήναντες οἱ εὔποροι ἐπισυνέστησαν καὶ ἐβλασφήμουν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔβαλλον, καταλεῦσαι βουλόμενοι· διωκόμενος δὲ διέπεσε διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἔφθασεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς χαλκιοίκου Ἀθηνᾶς καταφυγών Ἄλκανδρος δὲ ἐπιστραφέντος αὐτοῦ διώκων τῇ βακτηρίᾳ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐξέκοψεν αὐτοῦ. τοῦτον δὲ κοινῷ δόγματι παραλαβὼν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ οὔτε κακῶς διέθηκεν 227b οὔτε ἐμέμψατο, συνδιαιτώμενον δὲ ἔχων ἀπέδειξεν ἐπαινέτην αὑτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς διαίτης ἣν εἶχε σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ καθόλου τῆς ἀγωγῆς ἐραστήν. τοῦ δὲ πάθους ὑπόμνημα ἱδρύσατο ἐν τῷ τῆς Χαλκιοίκου τεμένει ἱερὸν Ἀθηνᾶς, Ὀπτιλλέτιν προσαγορεύσας· τοὺς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀπτίλλους οἱ τῇδε Δωριεῖς λέγουσιν.

[8] ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ διὰ τί οὐκ ἐχρήσατο νόμοις ἐγγράφοις, ὅτι, ἔφη, οἱ πεπαιδευμένοι καὶ ἀχθέντες τῇ προσηκούσῃ ἀγωγῇ τὸ τοῦ καιροῦ χρήσιμον δοκιμάζουσι.

[9] πάλιν δʼ ἐπιζητούντων τινῶν, διὰ τί ὀροφὴν 227c ἀπὸ πελέκεως ταῖς οἰκίαις ἐπιτιθέναι προσέταξε, θύραν δὲ ἀπὸ πρίονος μόνου καὶ μηδενὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἐργαλείων, ὅπως ἄν, ἔφη, μετριάζοιεν οἱ πολῖται περὶ πάντα, ὅσα εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἰσάγουσι, καὶ μηδὲν τῶν παρʼ ἄλλοις ζηλουμένων ἔχωσιν.

[10] ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τῆς συνηθείας φασὶ καὶ Λεωτυχίδην τὸν πρῶτον βασιλέα δειπνοῦντα παρά τινι, καὶ θεασάμενον τῆς στέγης τοῦ οἴκου τὴν παρασκευὴν πολυτελῆ καὶ φατνωματικήν, ἐρωτῆσαι τὸν ξένον εἰ τετράγωνα παρʼ αὐτοῖς ξύλα φύεται.

[11] ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ διὰ τί ἐκώλυσεν ἐπὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς πολεμίους πολλάκις στρατεύεσθαι, ἔφη, ἵνα μὴ πολλάκις ἀμύνεσθαι συνεθιζόμενοι ἔμπειροι πολέμου γένωνται. διὸ καὶ Ἀγησιλάου⁶ ἔγκλημα οὐ βραχὺ ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ταῖς εἰς τὴν 227d Βοιωτίαν συνεχέσιν εἰσβολαῖς καὶ στρατείαις τοὺς Θηβαίους ἀντιπάλους Λακεδαιμονίοις κατασκευάσαντος.⁷ τετρωμένον γοῦν ἰδὼν αὐτὸν Ἀνταλκίδας, καλά, εἶπε, τροφεῖα ἀπέχεις, μὴ βουλομένους αὐτοὺς μηδὲ⁸ εἰδότας μάχεσθαι διδάξας.

[12] ἄλλου δὲ ἐπιζητοῦντος, διὰ τί τὰ σώματα τῶν παρθένων δρόμοις καὶ πάλαις καὶ βολαῖς δίσκων καὶ ἀκοντίων διεπόνησεν, ἵνʼ, ἔφη, ἡ τῶν γεννωμένων ῥίζωσις ἰσχυρὰν ἐν ἰσχυροῖς σώμασιν ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα καλῶς βλαστάνῃ, αὐταὶ τε μετὰ ῥώμης τοὺς τόκους ὑπομένουσαι ῥᾳδίως τε ἅμα καὶ καλῶς ἀγωνίζωνται πρὸς τὰς ὠδῖνας, καὶ, εἴ τις ἀνάγκη γένοιτο, δύνωνται ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν καὶ τέκνων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος μάχεσθαι.

[13] 227e μεμφομένων δέ τινων τὴν γύμνωσιν τῶν παρθένων ἐν ταῖς πομπαῖς καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ζητούντων, ἵνʼ, ἔφη, τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐπιτηδεύουσαι μηδὲν μεῖον ἔχωσι μήτε κατὰ σώματος ἰσχὺν καὶ ὑγίειαν μήτε κατὰ ψυχῆς φιλοτιμίαν καὶ ἀρετήν, δόξης δὲ τῆς παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑπερφρονῶσιν. ὅθεν καὶ περὶ Γοργοῦς ἱστορεῖται τῆς Λεωνίδου γυναικὸς τοιοῦτον εἰπούσης γάρ τινος, ὡς ἔοικε ξένης, πρὸς αὐτὴν ὡς μόναι τῶν ἀνδρῶν 227f ἄρχετε ὑμεῖς αἱ Λάκαιναι, ἀπεκρίνατο, μόναι γάρ ἡμεῖς ἄνδρας τίκτομεν.

[14] Εἴρξας δὲ τοὺς ἀγάμους τῆς ἐν ταῖς γυμνοπαιδίαις θέας καὶ ἀτιμίαν προσθείς, πολλὴν πρόνοιαν ἐποιήσατο τῆς παιδοποιίας τιμῆς δὲ καὶ θεραπείας, ἣν νέοι πρεσβυτέροις παρεῖχον, ἐστέρησε, καὶ τὸ πρὸς Δερκυλίδαν ῥηθὲν οὐδεὶς ἐμέμψατο, καίπερ εὐδόκιμον ὄντα στρατηγὸν ἐπιόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ τῶν νεωτέρων τις ἕδρας οὐχ ὑπεῖξεν εἰπών, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ σὺ τὸν ὑπείξοντα ἐγέννησας.

[15] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος, διὰ τί τὰς κόρας ἐνομοθέτησεν ἀπροίκους ἐκδίδοσθαι, ὅπως, ἔφη, μήτε διʼ ἔνδειαν ἄγαμοί τινες ἐαθῶσι μήτε διὰ περιουσίαν σπουδάζωνται, ἕκαστος δὲ εἰς τὸν τρόπον τῆς παιδὸς ἀφορῶν ἀρετῇ τὴν αἵρεσιν ποιῶνται.⁹ 228a διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὸν καλλωπισμὸν τῆς πόλεως ἀπήλασεν.

[16] ὁρίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν χρόνον τῶν τε γαμουμένων καὶ τῶν γαμούντων, πρὸς τὸν ζητοῦντα,¹⁰ ἵνʼ, ἔφη, τὰ γεννώμενα ἰσχυρὰ ᾖ ἐκ τελείων γεννώμενα.

[17] πρὸς δὲ τὸν θαυμάζοντα, διʼ ὅ τι τὸν γεγαμηκότα ἀπεῖρξε μὴ συγκοιμᾶσθαι τῇ γεγαμημένῃ, προσέταξε δὲ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς ἡμέρας συνεῖναι τοῖς ἡλικιώταις καὶ τὰς νύκτας ὅλας συναναπαύεσθαι, τῇ δὲ νύμφῃ κρύφα καὶ μετʼ εὐλαβείας συνεῖναι, ὅπως, ἔφη, καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἰσχυροὶ ὦσι διακορεῖς μὴ γενόμενοι, καὶ τῷ φιλεῖν ἀεὶ καινοὶ 228b ὑπάρχωσι καὶ τὰ ἔκγονα ἐρρωμενέστερα παρέχωσι.

[18] καὶ τὸ μὲν μύρον ἐξήλασεν ὡς τοῦ ἐλαίου φθορὰν καὶ ὄλεθρον, τὴν δὲ βαφικὴν ὡς κολακείαν αἰσθήσεως.

[19] πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὸν τοῦ σώματος καλλωπισμὸν δημιουργοῖς ἀνεπίβατον ἐποίησε τὴν Σπάρτην, ὡς διὰ τῆς κακοτεχνίας τὰς τέχνας λυμαινομένοις.

[20] τοσαύτη δʼ ἦν κατʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους σωφροσύνη τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τῆς ὕστερον περὶ αὐτὰς εὐχερείας, ὡς πρότερον ἄπιστον εἶναι τὸ τῆς μοιχείας παρʼ αὐταῖς.¹¹ καὶ 228c λόγος ἀπομνημονεύεται Γεραδάτα¹² τινὸς Σπαρτιάτου τῶν σφόδρα παλαιῶν, ὃς ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπὸ ξένου, τί πάσχουσιν οἱ μοιχοὶ παρʼ αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲν γὰρ ὁρᾶν περὶ τούτου νενομοθετημένον ὑπὸ Λυκούργου, εἶπεν, οὐδείς, ὦ ξένε, γίγνεται μοιχὸς παρʼ ἡμῖν. ἐκείνου δὲ ὑπολαβόντος, ἂν οὖν γένηται, ταῦρον, ἔφη ὁ Γεραδάτας ἐκτίνει μέγαν, ὃς ὑπερκύψας τὸ Ταΰγετον ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐρώτα πίεται. θαυμάσαντος δʼ ἐκείνου καὶ φήσαντος, πῶς δὲ ἂν γένοιτο βοῦς τηλικοῦτος; γελάσας¹³ ὁ Γεραδάτας¹⁴ πῶς γὰρ ἄν, ἔφη, μοιχὸς ἐν Σπάρτῃ γένοιτο ἐν ᾗ πλοῦτος μὲν καὶ τρυφὴ καὶ καλλωπισμὸς ἀτιμάζονται, αἰδὼς δὲ καὶ εὐκοσμία καὶ τῶν ἡγουμένων πειθὼ πρεσβεύονται;ν

[21] πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἀξιοῦντα δημοκρατίαν ἐν τῇ 228d πόλει καταστήσασθαι ὁ Λυκοῦργος εἶπε, σὺ πρῶτος ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου ποίησον δημοκρατίαν.

[22] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος διὰ τί μικρὰς οὕτω καὶ εὐτελεῖς ἔταξε τῶν θεῶν τὰς θυσίας, ὅπως, ἔφη, μηδέποτε τιμῶντες τὸ θεῖον διαλείπωμεν.

[23] μόνα δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἀθλημάτων ἐφέντος αὐτοῦ τοῖς πολίταις ἀγωνίζεσθαι, ὅπου ἡ χεὶρ οὐκ ἀνατείνεται, ἐπύθετό τις τὴν αἰτίαν· ὁ δέ, ὅπως, εἶπε, μηδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ πονεῖν ἀπαυδᾶν ἐθίζηται.

[24] ἐρωτῶντος δέ τινος, διὰ τί πυκνὰ μεταστρατοπεδεύειν κελεύει, ὅπως, εἶπε, πλείω τοὺς ἐχθροὺς βλάπτωμεν.¹⁵

[25] ἄλλου δʼ ἐπιζητοῦντος διὰ τί πυργομαχεῖν ἀπεῖπε, ἵνα, ἔφη, μὴ ὑπὸ γυναικὸς ἢ παιδὸς 228e ἤ τινος παραπλησίου ἀνθρώπου οἱ ἀμείνονες ἀποθνῄσκωσιν.

[26] τοῖς δὲ συμβουλευομένοις τῶν Θηβαίων περὶ τῆς ἱερουργίας καὶ τοῦ πένθους, ἣν ποιοῦνται τῇ Λευκοθέᾳ, συνεβούλευσεν εἰ μὲν θεὸν ἡγοῦνται, μὴ θρηνεῖν, εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπον, μὴ ἱερουργεῖν ὡς θεῷ.

[27] πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπιζητοῦντας τῶν πολιτῶν, πῶς ἂν πολεμίων ἔφοδον ἀλεξοίμεθα; ἐὰν πτωχοί, ἔφη, μένητε¹⁶ καὶ μὴ μείζων¹⁷ ἅτερος θατέρου ἐρᾶτε εἶναι.¹⁸

[28] καὶ πάλιν ἐπιζητούντων περὶ τειχῶν, οὐκ ἔφη πόλιν εἶναι ἀτείχιστον, ἥτις ἀνδράσι καὶ οὐ πλίνθοις ἐστεφάνωται.

[29] 228f ἐπεμέλοντο δὲ οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται καὶ τῆς κόμης, ἀπομνημονεύοντές τινα Λυκούργου λόγον περὶ τούτου, ὅτι τοὺς μὲν καλοὺς εὐπρεπεστέρους; ποιεῖ, τοὺς δὲ αἰσχροὺς φοβερωτέρους.

[30] παρήγγειλε δὲ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις τρεψαμένους καὶ νικήσαντας μέχρι τοῦ βεβαιώσασθαι τὸ νίκημα ἐπιδιώκειν, εἶτα εὐθὺς ἀναχωρεῖν· οὔτε γενναῖον¹⁹ οὔτε Ἑλληνικὸν φονεύειν τοὺς παρακεχωρηκότας φάσκων εἶναι²⁰ δʼ οὐ μόνον καλὸν τοῦτο καὶ μεγαλόψυχον²¹ ἀλλὰ καὶ χρήσιμον· εἰδότας γὰρ τοὺς μαχομένους πρὸς αὑτοὺς ὅτι φείδονται μὲν τῶν ἐνδιδόντων, ἀναιροῦσι δὲ τοὺς ὑφισταμένους, τοῦ μένειν τὸ φεύγειν ὠφελιμώτερον ἡγήσεσθαι.²²

[31] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος, διὰ τί τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων νεκροὺς ἀπηγόρευσε σκυλεύειν, ὅπως, 229a ἔφη, μὴ κυπτάζοντες περὶ τὰ σκῦλα τῆς μάχης ἀμελῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πενίαν ἅμα τῇ τάξει διασῴζωσι.

Ἀποφθέγματα Λακωνικά Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol II. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 53 focus

Λυκούργου

[1] Λυκοῦργος ὁ νομοθέτης βουλόμενος ἐκ τῆς προϋπαρχούσης διαίτης τοὺς πολίτας εἰς σωφρονεστέραν βίου τάξιν μετάγειν καὶ καλοκαγαθικοὺς 20 ἀπεργάζεσθαι ἁβροδίαιτοι γὰρ ἦσαν δύο σκύλακας ἀνέθρεψε ταὐτοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς γενομένους· καὶ τὸν μὲν εἴθισε περὶ λιχνείας οἴκοι ἐάσας· τὸν δὲ ἐπαγόμενος ἤσκησε περὶ κυνηγέσια. ἔπειτα ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἔθηκεν ἀκάνθας ¹ καὶ λιχνείας τινάς, ἀφῆκε δὲ καὶ λαγών· ἑκατέρου δʼ ἐπὶ τὰ συνήθη ὁρμήσαντος καὶ θατέρου τὸν λαγὼν χειρωσαμένου, εἶπεν ὁρᾶτε, ὦ πολῖται, ὅτι ταὐτοῦ γένους 226a ὑπάρχοντες ἐν τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀγωγῇ παρὰ πολὺ ἀλλήλων διάφοροι ἀπέβησαν, καὶ ποιητικωτέρα ² τῆς φύσεως ἡ ἄσκησις πρὸς τὰ καλὰ τυγχάνει; τινὲς δέ φασιν, 5 ὡς ³ οὐ παρῆγε σκύλακας, οἳ ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν γεγονότες ἐτύγχανον, ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐξ οἰκουρῶν, ἕτερος δʼ ἐκ κυνηγετικῶν κἄπειτα τὸν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ χείρονος γένους 10 πρὸς τὰ κυνηγέσια ἤσκησε, τὸν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἀμείνονος περὶ λιχνείας μόνον εἴθισεν· εἶθʼ ἑκατέρου ἐφʼ ἃ εἴθιστο ὁρμήσαντος, φανερὸν ποιήσας ὅσον ἡ ἀγωγὴ πρὸς τὰ ἀμείνω καὶ χείρω συλλαμβάνεται, εἶπεν οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς, ὦ πολῖται, οὐδὲν παρὰ τοῖς 15 πολλοῖς θαυμαζομένη εὐγένεια καὶ τὸ ἀφʼ Ἡρακλέους 226b εἶναι ὀνίνησιν, εἰ μὴ πράττομεν διʼ ἃ ἐκεῖνος ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπιδοξότερος καὶ εὐγενέστερος ἐφάνη, ἀσκούμενοι καὶ μανθάνοντες καλὰ διʼ ὅλου τοῦ βίου.

[2] ἀναδασμὸν δὲ τῆς γῆς ποιήσας καὶ ἅπασιν ἴσον 20 κλῆρον τοῖς πολίταις νείμας, λέγεται ὕστερόν ποτε χρόνῳ τὴν χώραν διερχόμενος ἐξ ἀποδημίας ἄρτι τεθερισμένην, ἰδὼν τοὺς σωροὺς κειμένους παρʼ ἀλλήλους καὶ ὁμαλοὺς ἡσθῆναι, καὶ μειδιάσαντα εἰπεῖν πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ὡς ἡ Λακωνικὴ φαίνεται πᾶσα πολλῶν ἀδελφῶν εἶναι νεωστὶ νενεμημένων.

[3] 25 καὶ τῶν χρεῶν δὲ ἀποκοπὰς εἰσηγησάμενος 226c ἐπεχείρησε καὶ τὰ κατʼ οἶκον ὄντα πάντα ἐξ ἴσου διαιρεῖν, ὅπως παντάπασιν ἐξέλοι τὸ ἄνισον καὶ ἀνώμαλον. ἐπεὶ δὲ χαλεπῶς ἑώρα προσδεξομένους τὴν ἄντικρυς ἀφαίρεσιν, τὸ τὸ χρυσοῦν καὶ ἀργυροῦν νόμισμα ἠκύρωσε, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ σιδηρῷ προσέταξε 5 χρῆσθαι· καὶ μέχρις οὗ δεῖ ἔχειν τὴν ὅλην 226d ὕπαρξιν πρὸς ἀμοιβὴν τούτου, περιώρισε. τούτου δὲ γενομένου, ἐξέπεσε τῆς Λακεδαίμονος ἀδικία πᾶσα οὔτε γὰρ κλέπτειν οὔτε δωροδοκεῖν οὔτε ἀποστερεῖν ἢ ἁρπάζειν ἔτι ἐδύνατό τις, ὃ μήτε κατακρύψαι δυνατὸν 10 ἦν μήτε κτήσασθαι ζηλωτὸν μήτε χρήσασθαι ἀκίνδυνον, μήτε ἐξάγειν ἢ ἐπάγειν ἀσφαλές. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἁπάντων τῶν περισσῶν ξενηλασίαν ἐποιήσατο· διὸ οὔτε ἔμπορος οὔτε σοφιστὴς οὔτε μάντις ἢ ἀγύρτης οὔτε τῶν κατασκευασμάτων δημιουργὸς 15 εἰσῄει εἰς τὴν Σπάρτην. οὐδὲ γὰρ νόμισμα παρʼ αὐτοῖς εὔχρηστον εἴασε, μόνον δὲ τὸ σιδηροῦν εἰσηγήσατο, ὅ ἐστι. μνᾶ ὁλκῇ Αἰγιναία, δυνάμει δὲ χαλκοῖ τέσσαρες

[4] ἐπιθέσθαι δὲ τῇ τρυφῇ καὶ τὸν ζῆλον ἀφελέσθαι 20 τοῦ πλούτου διανοηθεὶς τὰ συσσίτια εἰσηγήσατο. 226e πρὸς γοῦν τοὺς ἐπιζητοῦντας, διά τί ταῦτα συνεστήσατο καὶ μεθʼ ὅπλων κατʼ ὀλίγους τοὺς πολίτας διῄρηκεν, ὅπως εἶπεν ἐξ ἑτοίμου τὰ παραγγελλόμενα δέχωνται, καὶ ἐάν τι νεωτερίζωσιν, ἐν 25 ὀλίγοις ᾖ τὸ ἀμπλάκημα, ἰσομοιρία τε τῆς τροφῆς καὶ πόσεως ᾖ, καὶ μήτε πόσει τινὶ ἢ βρώσει ἀλλὰ μηδὲ στρωμνῇ ἢ σκεύεσιν ἢ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὸ σύνολον πλέον ἔχῃ ὁ πλούσιος τοῦ πένητος.

[5] ἄζηλον δὲ ποιήσας τὸν πλοῦτον, οὐδενὸς οὐδὲ χρῆσθαι οὐδὲ ἐπιδεῖξαι δυναμένου, ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς συνήθεις ὡς καλόν ἐστιν, ὦ ἑταῖροι, διὰ τῶν 226f ἔργων ἐπιδεῖξαι τὸν πλοῦτον ὁποῖός ἐστι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ὅτι τυφλός.

[6] 5 παρεφύλαξε δὲ ὥστε μηδὲ οἴκοι προδειπνήσαντας ἐξεῖναι βαδίζειν ἐπὶ τὰ συσσίτια, πεπληρωμένους ἑτέρων ἐδεσμάτων ἢ πωμάτων· ⁴ ἐκάκιζον δὲ οἱ λοιποὶ τὸν μὴ πιόντα ἢ φαγόντα μετʼ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἀκρατῆ καὶ πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν ἀπομαλακιζόμενον δίαιταν 10 ἐζημιοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ φανερὸς γενόμενος. Ἄγιδος γοῦν μετὰ πολὺν χρόνον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπανελθόντος ἀπὸ στρατείας καταπεπολεμήκει δὲ Ἀθηναίους , βουλομένου 227a παρὰ τῇ γυναικὶ μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ δειπνῆσαι καὶ μεταπεμπομένου τὰς μερίδας, οὐκ ἔπεμψαν οἱ πολέμαρχοι· 15 μεθʼ ἡμέραν δὲ φανεροῦ γενομένου τοῖς ἐφόροις, ἐζημιώθη ὑπʼ αὐτῶν.

[7] πρὸς οὖν τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν νομοθετημάτων χαλεπήναντες οἱ εὔποροι ἐπισυνέστησαν καὶ ἐβλασφήμουν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔβαλλον, καταλεῦσαι βουλόμενοι· 20 διωκόμενος δὲ διέπεσε διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἔφθασεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς χαλκιοίκου Ἀθηνᾶς καταφυγών Ἄλκανδρος δὲ ἐπιστραφέντος αὐτοῦ διώκων τῇ βακτηρίᾳ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐξέκοψεν αὐτοῦ. τοῦτον δὲ κοινῷ δόγματι παραλαβὼν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ 25 227b οὔτε κακῶς διέθηκεν οὔτε ἐμέμψατο, συνδιαιτώμενον δὲ ἔχων ἀπέδειξεν ἐπαινέτην αὑτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς διαίτης ἣν εἶχε σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ καθόλου τῆς ἀγωγῆς ἐραστήν. τοῦ δὲ πάθους ὑπόμνημα ἱδρύσατο ἐν τῷ τῆς Χαλκιοίκου τεμένει ἱερὸν Ἀθηνᾶς, Ὀπτιλλέτιν προσαγορεύσας· τοὺς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀπτίλλους οἱ τῇδε Δωριεῖς λέγουσιν.

[8] ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ διὰ τί οὐκ ἐχρήσατο νόμοις 5 ἐγγράφοις, ὅτι ἔφη οἱ πεπαιδευμένοι καὶ ἀχθέντες τῇ προσηκούσῃ ἀγωγῇ τὸ τοῦ καιροῦ χρήσιμον δοκιμάζουσι.

[9] πάλιν δʼ ἐπιζητούντων τινῶν, διὰ τί ὀροφὴν 227c ἀπὸ πελέκεως ταῖς οἰκίαις ἐπιτιθέναι προσέταξε, 10 θύραν δὲ ἀπὸ πρίονος μόνου καὶ μηδενὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἐργαλείων, ὅπως ἄν ἔφη μετριάζοιεν οἱ πολῖται περὶ πάντα, ὅσα εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἰσάγουσι, καὶ μηδὲν τῶν παρʼ ἄλλοις ζηλουμένων ἔχωσιν.

[10] ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τῆς συνηθείας φασὶ καὶ Λεωτυχίδην 15 τὸν πρῶτον βασιλέα δειπνοῦντα παρά τινι καὶ θεασάμενον τῆς στέγης τοῦ οἴκου τὴν παρασκευὴν πολυτελῆ καὶ φατνωματικήν, ἐρωτῆσαι τὸν ξένον εἰ τετράγωνα παρʼ αὐτοῖς ξύλα φύεται.

[11] ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ διὰ τί ἐκώλυσεν ἐπὶ τοὺς 20 αὐτοὺς πολεμίους πολλάκις στρατεύεσθαι, ἔφη ἵνα μὴ πολλάκις ἀμύνεσθαι συνεθιζόμενοι ἔμπειροι πολέμου γένωνται διὸ καὶ Ἀγησιλάῳ ἔγκλημα οὐ βραχὺ 227d ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ταῖς εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν συνεχέσιν εἰσβολαῖς καὶ στρατείαις τοὺς Θηβαίους ἀντιπάλους Λακεδαιμονίοις 25 κατασκευάσαντος. τετρωμένον γοῦν ἰδὼν αὐτὸν Ἀνταλκίδας καλά εἶπε τροφεῖα ἀπέχεις, μὴ βουλομένους αὐτοὺς μηδὲ ⁵ εἰδότας μάχεσθαι διδάξας.

[12] ἄλλου δὲ ἐπιζητοῦντος, διὰ τί τὰ σώματα τῶν παρθένων δρόμοις καὶ πάλαις καὶ βολαῖς δίσκων καὶ ἀκοντίων διεπόνησεν, ἵνʼ ἔφη ἡ τῶν γεννωμένων ῥίζωσις ἰσχυρὰν ἐν ἰσχυροῖς σώμασιν ἀρχὴν λαβοῦσα καλῶς βλαστάνῃ· αὐταί τε μετὰ ῥώμης τοὺς 5 τόκους ὑπομένουσαι ῥᾳδίως τε ἅμα καὶ καλῶς ἀγωνίζωνται πρὸς τὰς ὠδῖνας· καὶ εἴ τις ἀνάγκη γένοιτο, δύνωνται ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν καί τέκνων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος μάχεσθαι. 227e

[13] μεμφομένων δέ τινων τὴν γύμνωσιν τῶν 10 παρθένων ἐν ταῖς πομπαῖς καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ζητούντων, ἵνʼ ἔφη τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐπιτηδεύουσαι μηδὲν μεῖον ἔχωσι μήτε κατὰ σώματος ἰσχὺν καὶ ὑγίειαν μήτε κατὰ ψυχῆς φιλοτιμίαν καὶ ἀρετήν· δόξης δὲ τῆς παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑπερφρονῶσιν. ὅθεν 15 καὶ περὶ Γοργοῦς ἱστορεῖται τῆς Λεωνίδου γυναικὸς τοιοῦτον· εἰπούσης γάρ τινος, ὡς ἔοικε, ξένης πρὸς αὐτὴν ὡς μόναι τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἄρχετε ὑμεῖς αἱ Λάκαιναι 227f ἀπεκρίνατο μόναι γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἄνδρας τίκτομεν.

[14] 20 εἴρξας δὲ τοὺς ἀγάμους τῆς ἐν ταῖς γυμνοπαιδίαις θέας καὶ ἀτιμίαν προσθείς, πολλὴν πρόνοιαν ἐποιήσατο τῆς παιδοποιίας· τιμῆς δὲ καὶ θεραπείας, ἣν νέοι πρεσβυτέροις παρεῖχον, ἐστέρησε. καὶ τὸ πρὸς Δερκυλλίδαν ῥηθὲν οὐδεὶς ἐμέμψατο, 25 καίπερ εὐδόκιμον ὄντα στρατηγόν· ἐπιόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ τῶν νεωτέρων τις ἕδρας οὐχ ὑπεῖξεν εἰπών οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ σὺ τὸν ὑπείξοντα ἐγέννησας.

[15] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος, διὰ τί τὰς κόρας ἐνομοθέτησεν ἀπροίκους ἐκδίδοσθαι, ὅπως ἔφη μήτε διʼ ἔνδειαν ἄγαμοί τινες ἐαθῶσι μήτε διὰ περιουσίαν σπουδάζωνται, ἕκαστος δὲ εἰς τὸν τρόπον τῆς παιδὸς ἀφορῶν ἀρετῇ τὴν αἵρεσιν ποιῆται. ⁶ 228a διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὸν καλλωπισμὸν τῆς πόλεως 5 ἀπήλασεν.

[16] ὁρίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν χρόνον τῶν τε γαμουμένων καὶ τῶν γαμούντων, πρὸς τὸν ζητοῦντα, ⁷ ἵνʼ ἔφη τὰ γεννώμενα ἰσχυρὰ ᾖ ἐκ τελείων γεννώμενα. 10

[17] πρὸς δὲ τὸν θαυμάζοντα, διότι τὸν γεγαμηκότα ἀπεῖρξε μὴ συγκοιμᾶσθαι τῇ γεγαμημένῃ, προσέταξε δὲ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς ἡμέρας συνεῖναι τοῖς ἡλικιώταις καὶ τὰς νύκτας ὅλας συναναπαύεσθαι, τῇ δὲ νύμφῃ κρύφα καὶ μετʼ εὐλαβείας συνεῖναι, ὅπως 15 ἔφη καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἰσχυροὶ ὦσι διακορεῖς μὴ 228b γινόμενοι, καὶ τῷ φιλεῖν ἀεὶ καινοὶ ὑπάρχωσι καὶ τὰ ἔκγονα ἐρρωμενέστερα παρέχωσι.

[18] καὶ τὸ μὲν μύρον ἐξήλασεν ὡς τοῦ ἐλαίου φθορὰν καὶ ὄλεθρον, τὴν δὲ βαφικὴν ὡς κολακείαν 20 αἰσθήσεως.

[19] πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὸν τοῦ σώματος καλλωπισμὸν δημιουργοῖς ἀνεπίβατον ἐποίησε τὴν Σπάρτην, ὡς διὰ τῆς κακοτεχνίας τὰς τέχνας λυμαινομένοις. 25

[20] τοσαύτη δʼ ἦν κατʼ ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους σωφροσύνη τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τῆς ὕστερον περὶ αὐτὰς εὐχερείας, ὡς πρότερον ἄπιστον εἶναι τὸ τῆς μοιχείας παρʼ αὐταῖς. καὶ λόγος ἀπομνημονεύεται 228c Γεραδάτα ⁸ τινὸς Σπαρτιάτου τῶν σφόδρα παλαιῶν, ὃς ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπὸ ξένου, τί πάσχουσιν οἱ μοιχοὶ παρʼ αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲν γὰρ ὁρᾶν περὶ τούτου νενομοθετημένον ὑπὸ Λυκούργου· εἶπεν οὐδείς, ὦ 5 ξένε, γίνεται μοιχὸς παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐκείνου δὲ ὑπολαβόντος ἂν οὖν γένηται , ταῦρον⁹ ἔφη ὁ Γεραδάτας ἐκτίνει μέγαν, ¹⁰ ὃς ὑπερκύψας τὸ Ταΰγετον ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐρώτα πίεται θαυμάσαντος δʼ ἐκείνου καὶ φήσαντος πῶς δὲ ἂν γένοιτο βοῦς τηλικοῦτος; γελάσας 10 ὁ Γεραδάτας πῶς γὰρ ἄν ἔφη μοιχὸς ἐν Σπάρτῃ γένοιτο, ἐν ᾗ πλοῦτος μὲν καὶ τρυφὴ καὶ καλλωπισμὸς ἀτιμάζονται, αἰδὼς δὲ καὶ εὐκοσμία καὶ τῶν ἡγουμένων πειθὼ πρεσβεύονται;

[21] πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἀξιοῦντα δημοκρατίαν ἐν τῇ 15 228d πόλει καταστήσασθαι ὁ Λυκοῦργος εἶπε σὺ πρῶτος ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου ποίησον δημοκρατίαν.

[22] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος διὰ τί μικρὰς οὕτω καὶ εὐτελεῖς ἔταξε τῶν θεῶν τὰς θυσίας, ὅπως ἔφη μηδέποτε τιμῶντες τὸ θεῖον διαλείπωμεν.

[23] 20 μόνα δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἀθλημάτων ἐφέντος αὐτοῦ τοῖς πολίταις ἀγωνίζεσθαι, ὅπου ἡ χεὶρ οὐκ ἀνατείνεται, ἐπύθετό τις τὴν αἰτίαν· ὁ δὲ ὅπως εἶπε μηδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ πονεῖν ἀπαυδᾶν ἐθίζηται.

[24] ἐρωτῶντος δέ τινος, διὰ τί πυκνὰ μεταστρατοπεδεύειν 25 κελεύει, ὅπως εἶπε πλείω τοὺς ἐχθροὺς βλάπτοιμεν.

[25] ἄλλου δʼ ἐπιζητοῦντος διὰ τί πυργομαχεῖν ἀπεῖπε, ἵνα ἔφη μὴ ὑπὸ γυναικὸς ἢ παιδὸς ἤ 228e τινος παραπλησίου ἀνθρώπου οἱ ἀμείνονες ἀποθνῄσκωσιν. 5

[26] τοῖς δὲ συμβουλευομένοις τῶν Θηβαίων περὶ τῆς ἱερουργίας καὶ τοῦ πένθους, ἣν ποιοῦνται τῇ Λευκοθέᾳ, συνεβούλευσεν εἰ μὲν θεὸν ἡγοῦνται, μὴ θρηνεῖν εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπον, μὴ ἱερουργεῖν ὡς θεῷ. 10

[27] πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπιζητοῦντας τῶν πολιτῶν πῶς ἂν πολεμίων ἔφοδον ἀλεξοίμεθα ἐὰν πτωχοί ἔφη ἦτε καὶ μὴ μείζων ¹¹ ἅτερος θατέρου ἐρέῃ εἶναι.¹²

[28] καὶ πάλιν ἐπιζητούντων περὶ τειχῶν, οὐκ ἔφη πόλιν εἶναι ἀτείχιστον, ἥτις ἀνδράσι καὶ οὐ 15 πλίνθοις ἐστεφάνωται.

[29] 228f ἐπεμέλοντο δὲ οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται καὶ τῆς κόμης, ἀπομνημονεύοντές τινα Λυκούργου λόγον περὶ τούτου, ὅτι τοὺς μὲν καλοὺς εὐπρεπεστέρους ποιεῖ, τοὺς δὲ αἰσχροὺς φοβερωτέρους. 20

[30] παρήγγειλε δὲ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις τρεψαμένους καὶ νικήσαντας μέχρι τοῦ βεβαιώσασθαι τὸ νίκημα ἐπιδιώκειν, εἶτα εὐθὺς ἀναχωρεῖν· οὔτε γενναῖον ¹³ οὔτε Ἑλληνικὸν φονεύειν τοὺς παρακεχωρηκότας φάσκων, ἀλλὰ φείδεσθαι. ἦν δʼ οὐ μόνον καλὸν 25 τοῦτο καὶ μεγαλόψυχον ¹⁴ ἀλλὰ καὶ χρήσιμον· εἰδότας γὰρ τοὺς μαχομένους πρὸς αὑτοὺς ὅτι φείδονται μὲν τῶν ἐνδιδόντων, ἀναιροῦσι δὲ τοὺς ὑφισταμένους, τοῦ μένειν τὸ φεύγειν ὠφελιμώτερον ἡγήσεσθαι.

[31] πυνθανομένου δέ τινος, διὰ τί τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων νεκροὺς ἀπηγόρευσε σκυλεύειν, ὅπως 5 229a ἔφη μὴ κυπτάζοντες περὶ τὰ σκῦλα τῆς μάχης ἀμελῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πενίαν ἅμα τῇ τάξει διασῴζωσι.

Translations (1)

Laconic Apophthegms; or Remarkable Sayings of the Spartans. Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. I. Goodwin, William W., editor; unknown, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 53 focus

Of Lycurgus the Lawgiver.

Lycurgus the lawgiver, designing to reclaim his citizens from their former luxury and bring them to a more sober course of life and make them brave men (for they were then loose and delicate), bred up two whelps of the same litter; one he kept at home, bred him tenderly, and fed him well; but the other he taught to hunt, and used him to the chase. Both these dogs he brought out into the public assembly, and setting down some scraps of meat and letting go a hare at the same time, each of the dogs ran greedily to what they had been accustomed. And the hunter catching the hare, Lycurgus said: See, countrymen, how these two, though of the same litter, by my breeding them are become very different; and that custom and exercise conduces more than Nature to make things brave and excellent. Some say that he did not bring out two whelps of the same kind, but one a house dog and the other a hunter; the former of which (though the baser kind) he had accustomed to the woods, and the other (though more noble) kept lazily at home; and when in public, each of them pursuing his usual delight, he had given a clear evidence that education is of considerable force in raising bad or good inclinations, he said: Therefore, countrymen, our honorable extraction, that idol of the crowd, though from Hercules himself, profits us little, unless we learn and exercise all our life in such famous exploits as made him accounted the most noble and the most glorious in the world.

When he made a division of the land, giving each man an equal portion, it is reported that some while after, in his return from a journey, as he past through the country in harvest time and saw the cocks of wheat all equal and lying promiscuously, he was extremely pleased, and with a smile said to his companions, All Sparta looks like the possession of many loving brothers who have lately divided their estate. Having discharged every man from his debts, he endeavored likewise to divide all movables equally amongst all, that he might have no inequality in his commonwealth. But seeing that the rich men would hardly endure this open and apparent spoil, he cried down all gold and silver coin, and ordered nothing but iron to be current; and rated every man’s estate and defined how much it was worth upon exchange for that money. By this means all injustice was banished Sparta; for none would steal, none take bribes, none cheat or rob any man of that which he could not conceal, which none would envy, which could not be used without discovery, or carried into other countries with advantage. Besides, this contrivance freed them from all superfluous arts; for no merchant, Sophist, fortune-teller, or mountebank would live amongst them; no carver, no contriver ever troubled Sparta; because he cried down all money that was advantageous to them, and permitted none but this iron coin, each piece of which was an Aegina pound in weight, and less than a penny in value.¹ Designing farther to check all luxury and greediness after wealth, he instituted public meals, where all the citizens were obliged to eat. And when some of his friends demanded what he designed by this institution and why he divided the citizens, when in arms, into small companies, he replied: That they may more easily hear the word of command; and if there are any designs against the state, the conspiracy may join but few; and besides, that there may be an equality in the provision, and that neither in meat nor drink, sets, tables, or any furniture, the rich may be better provided than the poor. When he had by this contrivance made wealth less desirable, it being unfit both for use and show, he said to his familiars, What a brave thing is it, my friends, by our actions to make Plutus appear (as he is indeed) blind! He took care that none should sup at home and afterwards, when they were full of other victuals, come to the public entertainments; for all the rest reproached him that did not feed with them as a glutton and of too delicate a palate for the public provision; and when he was discovered, he was severely punished. And therefore Agis the king, when after a long absence he returned from the camp (the Athenians were beaten in the expedition), willing to sup at home with his wife once, sent a servant for his allowance; the officers refused, and the next day the Ephors fined him for the fault.

The wealthy citizens being offended at these constitutions made a mutiny against him, abused, threw stones, and designed to kill him, Thus pursued, he ran through the market-place towards the temple of Minerva of the Brazen House, and reached it before any of the others; only Alcander pursuing close struck him as he turned about, and beat out one eye. Afterward the commonwealth delivered up this Alcander to his mercy; but he neither inflicted any punishment nor gave him an ill word, but kindly entertained him at his own house, and brought him to be his friend, an admirer of his course of life and very well affected to all his laws. Yet he built a monument of this sad disaster in the temple of Minerva, naming it Optiletis, — for the Dorians in that country call eyes optiloi. Being asked why he used no written laws, he replied, Because those that are well instructed are able to suit matters to the present occasion. And another time, when some enquired why he had ordained that the timber which roofed the houses should be wrought with the axe only, and the doors with no other instrument but the saw, he answered: That my citizens might be moderate in every thing which they bring into their houses, and possess nothing which others so much prize and value. And hence it is reported that King Leotychides the First, supping with a friend and seeing the roof curiously arched and richly wrought, asked him whether in that country the trees grew square. And some demanding why he forbade them to war often with the same nation, he replied, Lest being often forced to stand on their defence, they should get experience and be masters of our art. And therefore it was a great fault in Agesilaus, that by his frequent incursions into Boeotia he made the Thebans a match for the Lacedaemonians. And another asking why he exercised the virgins’ bodies with racing, wrestling, throwing the bar, and the like, he answered: That the first rooting of the children being strong and firm, their growth might be proportionable; and that the women might have strength to bear and more easily undergo the pains of travail, or, if necessity should require, be able to fight for themselves, their country, and their children. Some being displeased that the virgins went about naked at certain solemnities, and demanding the reason of that custom, he replied: That using the same exercises with men, they might equal them in strength and health of body and in courage and bravery of mind, and be above that mean opinion which the vulgar had of them. And hence goes the story of Gorgo, wife of Leonidas, that when a stranger, a friend of hers, said, You Spartan women alone rule men, she replied, Good reason, for we alone bear men. By ordering that no bachelor should be admitted a spectator of these naked solemnities and fixing some other disgrace on them, he made them all eager to be married and get children; besides, he deprived them of that honor and observance which the young men were bound to pay their elders. And upon that account none can blame what was said to Dercyllidas, though a brave captain’; for as he approached, one of the young men refused to rise up and give him place, saying, You have not begotten any to give place to me.

When one asked him why he allowed no dowry to be given with a maid, he answered, that none might be slighted for their poverty or courted for their wealth, but that every one, considering the manners of the maid, might choose for the sake of virtue. And for the same reason he forbade all painting of the face and curiousness in dress and ornament. To one that asked him why he made a law that before such an age neither sex should marry, he answered, that the children might be lusty, being born of persons of full age. And to one wondering why he would not suffer the husband to lie all night with his wife, but commanded them to be most of the day and all the night with their fellows, and creep to their wives cautiously and by stealth, he said: I do it that they may be strong in body, having never been satiated and surfeited with pleasure; that they may be always fresh in love, and their children more strong and lusty. He forbade all perfumes, as nothing but good oil corrupted, and the dyer’s art, as a flatterer and enticer of the sense; and he ejected all skilled in ornament and dressing, as those who by their lewd devices corrupt the true arts of decency and living well. At that time the women were so chaste and such strangers to that lightness to which they were afterwards addicted, that adultery was incredible; and there goes a saying of Geradatas, one of the ancient Spartans, who being asked by a stranger what punishment the Spartans appointed for adulterers (for Lycurgus mentioned none), he said, Sir, we have no adulterers amongst us. And he replying, But suppose there should be? Geradatas made the same reply; For how (said he) could there be an adulterer in Sparta, where wealth, delicacy, and all ornaments are disesteemed, and modesty, neatness, and obedience to the governors only are in request? When one desired him to establish a democracy in Sparta, he said, Pray, sir, do you first set up that form in your own family. And to another demanding why he ordered such mean sacrifices he answered, That we may always be able to honor the Gods. He permitted the citizens those exercises only in which the hand is not stretched out; and one demanding his reason, he replied, That none in any labor may be accustomed to be weary. And another enquiring why he ordered that in a war the camp should be often changed, he answered, That we may damage our enemies the more. Another demanding why he forbade to storm a castle, he said, Lest my brave men should be killed by a woman, a boy, or some man of as mean courage.

When the Thebans asked his advice about the sacrifices and lamentation which they instituted in honor of Leucothea, he gave them this: If you think her a Goddess, do not lament; if a woman, do not sacrifice to her as a Goddess. To some of the citizens enquiring, How shall we avoid the invasions of enemies, he replied, If you are poor, and one covets no more than another. And to others demanding why he did not wall his city he said, That city is not unwalled which is encompassed with men and not brick. The Spartans are curious in their hair, and tell us that Lycurgus said, It makes the handsome more amiable, and the ugly more terrible. He ordered that in a war they should pursue the routed enemy so far as to secure the victory, and then retreat, saying, it was unbecoming the Grecian bravery to butcher those that fled; and beside, it was useful, for their enemies, knowing that they spared all that yielded and cut in pieces the opposers, would easily conclude that it was safer to fly than to stand stoutly to it and resist. When one asked him why he charged his soldiers not to meddle with the spoil of their slain enemies, he replied, Lest while they are eager on their prey they neglect their fighting, but also that they may keep their order and their poverty together.

Notes on the current edition

Sayings of Spartans

1. The reputed founder of the Spartan constitution. A brief account of his laws may be found also in Porphry, De abstinentia, iv. 3 ff.

2. As in Moralia, 3 A.

3. Related with more detail by Plutarch in his Life of Lycurgus, chap. viii. (44 A).

4. Plutarch tells all this, at somewhat greater length, in his Life of Lycurgus, chap. ix. (440). Cf. also Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta, 7. 5 and 6; Plato, Eryxias, 400 B; Pollux, Onomasticon, vii. 105, and ix. 79; Justin, Historiae Philippicae, iii. 2. 11-12.

5. Plutarch amplifies this account in his Life of Lycurgus, chap. x. (45 B).

6. Ibid. (45 C).

7. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xii. (46 C).

8. Plutarch tells the story more fully in his Life of Lycurgus, chap. xi. (45 D-46 A); Cf. also Aelian, Varia Historia, xiii. 23, and Stobaeus, Florilegium, xix. 13.

9. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiii. (47 A).

10. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiii. (47 C), and Moralia, 189 E (3), supra.

11. In Corinth, according to Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiii. (47 C); Cf. also Moralia, 189 E, supra, and the note.

12. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiii. (47 D), and Moralia, 189 D, supra, and the note.

13. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiv. (47 F); Suidas, Lexicon, under Lycurgus.

14. Cf. Moralia, 240 E (5) infra, and Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xiv. (47 E-48 B).

15. Ibid. chap. xv. (48 C); and Moralia, 223 A, supra.

16.

17. Cf. Aelian, Varia Historia, vi. 6.

18. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xv. (48 D), and Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta, 1. 6.

19. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xv. (48 E), and Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta, 1. 5.

20. Cf. Seneca, Quaestiones Naturales, iv. 13. 9. Perfumes in ancient times were made with a base of oil; Cf. Moralia, 127 B.

21. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. ix. (p. 44 F).

22. Athenaeus, 142 F, quotes Phylarchus at some length regarding the degeneration of the Spartans.

23. In part this is in close agreement with Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xv. (49 C), but the main point, which is lacking in the MSS., is usually inserted here by the editors from the Life, See the critical note 2.

24. Cf. the note on Moralia, 189 E (2), supra.

25. Cf. the note on Moralia, 172 B, supra.

26. As a sign of defeat; Cf. E. Norman Gardiner, Greek Athletic Sports and Festivals, (London, 1910), p. 415.

27. Cf. the note on 189 E (4), supra.

28. Cf. Xenophon, Constitution of Sparta, 12. 5.

29. Cf. Plutarch’s Comparison of Lysander and Sulla, 477 D. As a matter of fact, the Spartans were quite without ability to attack a walled town, as is clear from Herodotus, ix. 70, and Thucydides, i. 102.

30. This saying of Xenophanes seems to have been attributed by someone to Lycurgus. Cf. Moralia, 171 E, 379 B, and 763 C; also Aristotle, Rhetoric, ii. 23. 27.

31. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xix. (52 B).

32. Cf. the note on Moralia, 210 E (29), supra.

33. Cf. the note on Moralia, 189 E (1), supra.

34. Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xxii. (54 A); Thucydides, v. 73; Polyaenus, Strategemata, i. 16. 3.

35. Cf. Moralia, 224 B (16), supra.

Plutarch Apophthegmata Laconica 53

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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