Lycurgus

And even from their jests it is possible to judge of their character. For it was their wont never to talk at random, and to Jet slip no speech which did not have some thought or other worth serious attention. For instance, when one of them was invited to hear a man imitate the nightingale, he said: I have heard the bird herself. And another, on reading the epitaph:—

1. Tyranny’s fires they were trying to quench when panoplied Ares
2. Slew them; Selinus looked down from her gates on their death,

And a youth, when some one promised to give him game-cocks that would die fighting, said, Don’t do that, but give me some of the kind that kill fighting. Another, seeing men seated on stools in a privy, said: May I never sit where I cannot give place to an elder. The character of their apophthegms, then, was such as to justify the remark that love of wisdom rather than love of bodily exercise was the special characteristic of a Spartan.

Nor was their training in music and poetry any less serious a concern than the emulous purity of their speech, nay, their very songs had a stimulus that roused the spirit and awoke enthusiastic and effectual effort; the style of them was simple and unaffected, and their themes were serious and edifying. They were for the most part praises of men who had died for Sparta, calling them blessed and happy; censure of men who had played the coward, picturing their grievous and ill-starred life; and such promises and boasts of valour as befitted the different ages.

Of the last, it may not be amiss to cite one, by way of illustration. They had three choirs at their festivals, corresponding to the three ages, and the choir of old men would sing first:—

1. We once did deeds of prowess and were strong young men.

1. We are so now, and if you wish, behold and see.

1. We shall be sometime mightier men by far than both.