Chapter VI

LAWS AND DISCIPLINE OF LYKURGUS AT SPARTA.

Lykurgus—authorities of Plutarch respecting him.—Uncertainties
about his genealogy.—Probable date of Lykurgus.—Opinion of O.
Müller (that Sparta is the perfect type of Dorian character
and tendencies) is incorrect.—Peculiarity of Sparta.—Early
date of Lykurgus.—View taken of Lykurgus by Herodotus.—Little
said about Lykurgus in the earlier authors.—Copious details of
Plutarch.—Regency of Lykurgus—his long absence from Sparta.—He is
sent by the Delphian oracle to reform the state.—His institutions
ascribed to him—senate and popular assembly—ephors.—Constitution
ascribed to Lykurgus agrees with that which we find in
Homer.—Pair of kings at Sparta—their constant dissensions—a
security to the state against despotism.—Idea of Kleomenês the
Third respecting the first appointment of the ephors.—Popular
origin of the board of ephors—oath interchanged between them and
the kings.—Subordination of the kings, and supremacy of the
ephors, during the historical times.—Position and privileges
of the kings.—Power of the ephors.—Public assembly.—The
Senate.—Spartan constitution—a close oligarchy.—Long duration
of the constitution without formal change—one cause of the
respect in Greece and pride in the Spartans themselves.—Dorians
divided into three tribes,—Hylleis, Pamphyli, and Dymanes.—Local
distinctions known among the Spartans.—Population of Laconia—1.
Spartans.—2. Periœki.—Special meaning of the word Periœki
in Laconia.—Statement of Isokratês as to the origin of the
Periœki.—Statement of Ephorus—different from Isokratês,
yet not wholly irreconcilable.—Spartans and Periœki—no
distinction of race known between them in historical times.—3.
Helots—essentially villagers.—They were serfs—adscripti
glebæ—their condition and treatment.—Bravery and energy of
the Helots—fear and cruelty of the Spartans.—Evidence of the
character of the Spartan government.—The Krypteia.—Manumitted
Helots.—Economical and social regulations ascribed to
Lykurgus.—Partition of lands.—Syssitia, or public mess.—Public
training or discipline.—Manners and training of the Spartan
women—opinion of Aristotle.—Statement of Xenophon and
Plutarch.—Number of rich women in the time of Aristotle—they had
probably procured exemption from the general training.—Earnest
and lofty patriotism of the Spartan women.—Lykurgus is the
trainer of a military brotherhood, more than the framer of a
political constitution.—His end exclusively warlike—his means
exclusively severe.—Statements of Plutarch about Lykurgus—much
romance in them.—New partition of lands—no such measure ascribed
to Lykurgus by earlier authors down to Aristotle.—The idea of
Lykurgus as an equal partitioner of lands belongs to the century
of Agis and Kleomenês.—Circumstances of Sparta down to the reign
of Agis.—Diminished number of citizens and degradation of Sparta
in the reign of Agis.—His ardent wish to restore the dignity of
the state.—Historic fancy of Lykurgus as an equal partitioner
of lands grew out of this feeling.—Partition proposed by
Agis.—Opinion that Lykurgus proposed some agrarian interference,
but not an entire repartition, gratuitous and improbable.—The
statement of Plutarch is best explained by supposing it a fiction
of the time of Agis.—Acknowledged difficulty of understanding
by what means the fixed number and integrity of the lots was
maintained.—Plutarch’s story about the ephor Epitadeus.—Landed
property was always unequally divided at Sparta.—Nor were
there any laws which tended to equalize it.—Opinions of
Aristotle.—Erroneous suppositions with regard to the Spartan
law and practice of succession.—Lykurgean system—originally
applied only to Sparta—introduced equal severity of discipline,
not equality of property.—Original Dorian allotment of land
in Sparta unknown—probably not equal.—Gradual conquest of
Laconia, the result of the new force imparted by the Lykurgean
discipline.—Conquest of Amyklæ, Pharis, and Geronthræ, by king
Têleklus.—Helus conquered by Alkamenês.—Progressive increase of
Sparta. 337-421