Lycurgus also introduced the practice of banning all foreigners from the country, so that these should not filter in and serve to teach the citizens something bad.
Whosoever of the citizens would not submit to the discipline to which the boys were subjected had no participation in civic rights.
Some used to assert that whosoever among the foreigners would submit to such discipline as was enjoined by the constitution in accordance with the programme of Lycurgus might become a member of the division assigned to him at the beginning.
The selling of anything was not permitted;
but it was their custom to use the neighbours’ servants as their own if they needed them and also their dogs and horses, unless the owners required them for their own use. And in the country, if anyone found himself lacking anything and had need of it, he would open an owner’s storehouse and take away enough to meet his need, and then replace the seals and leave it.
In wars they used red garments for two reasons: first, the colour they thought was a manly colour, and second, the blood-red hue causes more terror in the minds of inexperienced. Also, if anyone of them receive a wound, it is advantageous that it be not easily discovered by the enemy, but be unperceived by reason of the identity of colour.
Whenever they overcome their enemies by
To their prayers they add the petition that they may be able to submit to injustice.
And their prayer is that the gods give them fair and honourable requital for their good deeds, and that is all.
They worship Aphrodite in her full armour, and the statues of all the gods, both female and male, they make with spear in hand to indicate that all the gods have the valour which war demands.
Those fond of proverbs are wont to quote this on occasion: Yer ain hand use when Fortune ye would call,
thus indicating that calling on the gods for aid ought to be accompanied by effort and action on one’s own part, or else they should not be invoked.God helps those who help themselves
; also Babrius,
They used to make the Helots drunk and exhibit them to the young as a deterrent from excessive drinking.
It was their custom not to knock on the outer doors but to call from outside.
The strigils which they used were not made of metal but of reeds.
They did not attend either comedy or tragedy, so that they might not hear anyone speak either in earnest or in jest against the laws.
Archilochus the poet, when he arrived in Sparta, they ordered to depart that very instant because they learned that he had written in his verses that it is better to throw away one’s arms than to be killed
The temples and religious services were open to maidens and youths alike.
The Ephors fined Sciraphidas because he was wronged by many.
They made away with a man who wore the very coarsest clothing, because he inserted a border in his garment.
They reprimanded the young man from the gymnasium because he knew well about the road to Pylaea.
Cephisophon, who asserted that he could speak the whole day long on any topic whatsoever, they expelled from the country, saying that the good orator must keep his discourse equal to the subject in hand.