lycurgus-第4部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


was　wounded；　indeed；　but　did　not　lose　his　eye　with　the　blow；　but
that　he　built　the　temple　in　gratitude　for　the　cure。　Be　this　as　it
will；　certain　it　is；　that；　after　this　misadventure；　the　Lacedaemonians
made　it　a　rule　never　to　carry　so　much　as　a　staff　into　their　public
assemblies。
　　But　to　return　to　their　public　repast；…　these　had　several　names　in
Greek；　the　Cretans　called　them　andria；　because　the　men　only　came　to
them。　The　Lacedaemonians　called　them　phiditia；　that　is；　by　changing
l　into　d；　the　same　as　philitia；　love　feasts；　because　that；　by　eating
and　drinking　together；　they　had　opportunity　of　making　friends。　Or
perhaps　from　phido；　parsimony；　because　they　were　so　many　schools　of
sobriety；　or　perhaps　the　first　letter　is　an　addition；　and　the　word
at　first　was　editia；　from　edode；　eating。　They　met　by　companies　of
fifteen；　more　or　less；　and　each　of　them　stood　bound　to　bring　in
monthly　a　bushel　of　meal；　eight　gallons　of　wine；　five　pounds　of
cheese；　two　pounds　and　a　half　of　figs；　and　a　very　　small　sum　of
money　to　buy　flesh　or　fish　with。　Besides　this；　when　any　of　them　made
sacrifice　to　the　gods；　they　always　sent　a　dole　to　the　common　hall；
and；　likewise；　when　any　of　them　had　been　a　hunting；　he　sent　thither
a　part　of　the　venison　he　had　killed；　for　these　two　occasions　were
the　only　excuses　allowed　for　supping　at　home。　The　custom　of　eating
together　was　observed　strictly　for　a　great　while　afterwards；
insomuch　that　King　Agis　himself；　after　having　vanquished　the
Athenians；　sending　for　his　commons　at　his　return　home；　because　he
desired　to　eat　privately　with　his　queen；　was　refused　them　by　the
polemarchs；　which　refusal　when　he　resented　so　much　as　to　omit　next　day
the　sacrifice　due　for　a　war　happily　ended；　they　made　him　pay　a　fine。
　　They　used　to　send　their　children　to　these　tables　as　to　schools　of
temperance；　here　they　were　instructed　in　state　affairs　by　listening　to
experienced　statesmen；　here　they　learned　to　converse　with
pleasantry；　to　make　jests　without　scurrility　and　take　them　without　ill
humour。　In　this　point　of　good　breeding；　the　Lacedaemonians　excelled
particularly；　but　if　any　man　were　uneasy　under　it；　upon　the　least　hint
given；　there　was　no　more　to　be　said　to　him。　It　was　customary　also
for　the　eldest　man　in　the　company　to　say　to　each　of　them；　as　they　came
in；　〃Through　this〃　（pointing　to　the　door）；　〃no　words　go　out。〃　When　any
one　had　a　desire　to　be　admitted　into　any　of　these　little　societies；　he
was　to　go　through　the　following　probation：　each　man　in　the　company
took　a　little　ball　of　soft　bread；　which　they　were　to　throw　into　a　deep
basin；　which　a　waiter　carried　round　upon　his　head；　those　that　liked
the　person　to　be　chosen　dropped　their　ball　into　the　basin　without
altering　its　figure；　and　those　who　disliked　him　pressed　it　betwixt
their　fingers；　and　made　it　flat；　and　this　signified　as　much　as　a
negative　voice。　And　if　there　were　but　one　of　these　flattened　pieces　in
the　basin；　the　suitor　was　rejected；　so　desirous　were　they　that　all　the
members　of　the　company　should　be　agreeable　to　each　other。　The　basin
was　called　caddichus；　and　the　rejected　candidate　had　a　name　thence
derived。　Their　most　famous　dish　was　the　black　broth；　which　was　so　much
valued　that　the　elderly　men　fed　only　upon　that；　leaving　what　flesh
there　was　to　the　younger。
　　They　say　that　a　certain　king　of　Pontus；　having　heard　much　of　this
black　broth　of　theirs；　sent　for　a　Lacedaemonian　cook　on　purpose　to
make　him　some；　but　had　no　sooner　tasted　it　than　he　found　it
extremely　bad；　which　the　cook　observing；　told　him；　〃Sir；　to　make
this　broth　relish；　you　should　have　bathed　yourself　first　in　the
river　Eurotas。〃
　　After　drinking　moderately；　every　man　went　to　his　home　without
lights；　for　the　use　of　them　was；　on　all　occasions；　forbid　to　the　end
that　they　might　accustom　themselves　to　march　boldly　in　the　dark。
Such　was　the　common　fashion　of　their　meals。
　　Lycurgus　would　never　reduce　his　laws　into　writing；　nay　there　is　a
Rhetra　expressly　to　forbid　it。　For　he　thought　that　the　most　material
points；　and　such　as　most　directly　tended　to　the　public　welfare；
being　imprinted　on　the　hearts　of　their　youth　by　a　good　discipline；
would　be　sure　to　remain；　and　would　find　a　stronger　security；　than
any　compulsion　would　be　in　the　principles　of　action　formed　in　them
by　their　best　lawgiver；　education。　And　as　for　things　of　lesser
importance；　as　pecuniary　contracts；　and　such　like；　the　forms　of
which　have　to　be　changed　as　occasion　requires；　he　thought　it　the
best　way　to　prescribe　no　positive　rule　or　inviolable　usage　in　such
cases；　willing　that　their　manner　and　form　should　be　altered
according　to　the　circumstances　of　time；　and　determinations　of　men　of
sound　judgment。　Every　end　and　object　of　law　and　enactment　it　was　his
design　education　should　effect。
　　One；　then；　of　the　Rhetras　was；　that　their　laws　should　not　be
written；　another　is　particularly　levelled　against　luxury　and
expensiveness；　for　by　it　was　ordained　that　the　ceilings　of　their
houses　should　only　be　wrought　by　the　axe；　and　their　gates　and　doors
smoothed　only　by　the　saw。　Epaminondas's　famous　dictum　about　his　own
table；　that　〃Treason　and　a　dinner　like　this　do　not　keep　company
together；〃　may　be　said　to　have　been　anticipated　by　Lycurgus。　Luxury
and　a　house　of　this　kind　could　not　well　be　companions。　For　a　man　might
have　a　less　than　ordinary　share　of　sense　that　would　furnish　such　plain
and　common　rooms　with　silver…footed　couches　and　purple　coverlets　and
gold　and　silver　plate。　Doubtless　he　had　good　reason　to　think　that　they
would　proportion　their　beds　to　their　houses；　and　their　coverlets　to
their　houses；　and　their　coverlets　to　their　beds；　and　the　rest　of　their
goods　and　furniture　to　these。　It　is　reported　that　king　Leotychides；
the　first　of　that　name；　was　so　little　used　to　the　sight　of　any　other
kind　of　work；　that；　being　entertained　at　Corinth　in　a　stately　room；　he
was　much　surprised　to　see　the　timber　and　ceiling　so　finely　carved
and　panelled；　and　asked　his　host　whether　the　trees　grew　so　in　his
country。
　　A　third　ordinance　of　Rhetra　was；　that　they　should　not　make　war
often；　or　long；　with　the　same　enemy；　lest　that　they　should　train　and
instruct　them　in　war；　by　habituating　them　to　defend　themselves。　And
this　is　what　Agesilaus　was　much　blamed　for；　a　long　time　after；　it
being　thought；　that；　by　his　continual　incursions　into　Boeotia；　he　made
the　Thebans　a　match　for　the　Lacedaemonians；　and　therefore
Antalcidas；　seeing　him　wounded　one　day；　said　to　him；　that　he　was
very　well　paid　for　taking　such　pains　to　make　the　Thebans　good
soldiers；　whether　they　would　or　no。　These　laws　were　called　the
Rhetras；　to　intimate　that　they　were　divine　sanctions　and　revelations。
　　In　order　to　the　good　education　of　their　youth　（which；　as　I　said
before；　he　thought　the　most　important　and　noblest　work　of　a　lawgiver）；
he　went　so　far　back　as　to　take　into　consideration　their　very
conception　and　birth；　by　regulating　their　marriages。　For　Aristotle
is　wrong　in　saying；　that；　after　he　had　tried　all　ways　to　reduce　the
women　to　more　modesty　and　sobriety；　he　was　at　last　forced　to　leave
them　as　they　were；　because　that　in　the　absence　of　their　husbands；
who　spent　the　best　part　of　their　lives　in　the　wars；　their　wives；
whom　they　were　obliged　to　leave　absolute　mistresses　at　home；　took
great　liberties　and　assumed　the　superiority；　and　were　treated　with
overmuch　respect　and　called　by　the　title　of　lady　or　queen。　The　truth
is；　he　took　in　their　case；　also；　all　the　care　that　was　possible；　he
ordered　the　maidens　to　exercise　themselves　with　wrestling；　running；
throwing；　the　quoit；　and　casting　the　dart；　to　the　end　that　the　fruit
they　conceived　might；　in　strong　and　healthy　bodies；　take　firmer　root
and　find　better　growth；　and　withal　that　they；　with　this　greater
vigour；　might　be　the　more　able　to　undergo　the　pains　of
child…bearing。　And　to　the　end　he　might　take　away　their　overgreat
tenderness　and　fear　of　exposure　to　the　air；　and　all　acquired
womanishness；　he　ordered　that　the　young　women　should　go　naked　in　the
processions；　as　well　as　the　young　men；　and　dance；　too；　in　that
condition；　at　certain　solemn　feasts；　singing　certain　songs；　whilst　the
young　men　stood　around；　seeing　and　hearing　them。　On　these　occasions
they　now　and　then　made；　by　jests；　a　befitting　reflection　upon　those
who　had　misbehaved　themselves　in　the　wars；　and　again　sang　encomiums
upon　those　who　had　done　any　gallant　action；　and　by　these　means
inspired　the　younger　sort　with　an　emulation　of　their　glory。　Those　that
were　thus　commended　went　away　proud；　elated；　and　gratified　with
their　honour　among　the　maidens；　and　those　who　were　rallied　were　as
sensibly　touched　with　it　as　if　they　had　been　formally　reprimanded；　and
so　much　the　more；　because　the　kings　and　the　elders；　as　well　as　the
rest　of　the　city；　saw　and　heard　all　that　passed。　Nor　was　there
anything　shameful　in　this　nakedness　of　the　young　women；　modesty
attended　them；　and　all　wantonness　was　excluded。　It　taught　them
simplicity　and　a　care　for　good　health；　and　gave　them　some　taste　of
higher　feelings；　admitted　as　they　thus　were　to　the　field　of　noble
action　and　glory。　Hence　it　was　natural　for　them　to　think　and　speak
as　Gorgo；　for　example；　the　wife　of　Leonidas；　is　said　to　have　done；
when　some　foreign　lady；　as