DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0757
GENERAL HISTORY OF THE GRECIAN STATES,
21
country, and the wish to be the first state in Greece. He was certain that they would
aever cease to be great and virtuous, until they neglected his institutions or modified
them to suit the corruption of the age.
The Spartans had two kinds of assemblies ; the one called the general assembly
(jxxMttrtct) of the nation, at which all the free inhabitants of Laconia were invited to
be present, and to assist in the deliberations; the other was called nucp*. \x.x.k>i<tic>ls
and was attended by the Spartans only, or the inhabitants of the metropolis. At this
last the succession to the throne was settled, magistrates were elected or deposed,
cognizance was taken of public crimes, and every thing relating to religious ceremo-
nies and the government of the country was discussed. It was generally held every
month at the full moon, but might be summoned by the Ephori to meet when any
extraordinary occasion occurred. Every citizen above 30 years of age was entitled
to vote in this assembly, provi led ha had brought no stain upon his character by cow-
ardice in the field, or irregular conduct at home ; lor every deviation from the laws
or the established manners of the people was stigmatized in the virtuous days of the
state, with marks of infamy and disgrace. No capital punishment was inflicted upon
an offender of this kind, but a total seclusion from all communication with his coun-
trymen, and a badge of infamy which he was obliged to wear, was a more cruel pun-
ishment to a high-minded Spartan than death itself.
The general assembly was convened when the nation was threatened with a war.
or was about to form alliances ; to make peace, or consider of any measure in which
the ge jeral good was concerned. It was attended by deputies from the cities of La-
conia, from the states in alliance with Sparta, and from those who had any grievances
to prefer or needed assistance. Discussions of considerable length upon the business
brought before them often took place, in which the kings, the senators, the ephori,
the deputies and the people took a part. The claims and pretensions of their allies
and enemies were also heard ; and sometimes through the ability and eloquence of
their opponents the Spartans were obliged, to use the expression of Epaminondas on
a memorable occasion, to lengthen their monosyllables, and descendfrom their haugh-
ty silence to reason upon the business under discussion When all who chose to speak
had stated their opinions, one of the ephori called to the people to give their votes,
which was generally done by acclamation, unless the two parties seemed so equally
balanced as to require a division.
There was no need for a great number of laws in such a state as Lacedaemon, where
a complete uniformity of manners, occupations and pursuits, prevailed : and where
magistrates were appointed, to keep a watchful eye over the public and private con-
duct of every individual. The Spartans were so much employed in exercises under
the inspection of certain offices, that they neither had leisure,'opportunity, nor temp-
tation, to deviate from the strict line of their duty by injuring the person, property k
or character of any man. As the pursuit of wealth in every shape was discouraged,
all the numerous evils that flow from it were unknown, and all those enactments to
repress the cupidity and violence of the covetous, so ne cessary in other states, Ly-
curgus rendered totally useless in Sparta. The few laws which they had occasion
for, as the decisions of the magistrates were generally founded upon natural justice,
were simple and perspicuous, never committed to writing, but handed down from
one generation to another by oral report, and so great was the veneration entertained
for them, that they were never allowed to be scrutinized, altered, or amended, but
were always looked upon with religious awe and respect, as the institutes of a divine
original.
Upon a review of the great outlines of Lycurgus's policy, it might seem at fir3t
sight, without taking into account the extreme pliability of the human mind, and its
aptitude, when influenced by pride, vanity, or ambition, to suit itself to all circum-
stances, to have been a yoke of iron, such as no other people but the Spartans could
ever have borne. But, by keeping them constantly occupied, by making their man-
ners, passions, and pursuits, subservient to military discipline, he familiarized them
from their infancy to this yoke : and though he seemed careful to prevent them from
being a conquering people, yet ambition and the desire of power, were the natural
results of many of his institutions, and tempted the Spartans to c onquer other feelings,
that those passions might be gratified. In their laws, in their sports, in their families,
in their amours, in their festivals at home, and excursions abroad, the image of their
country was constantly before their eyes, exciting them to obedience, rousing them to
ambition, and inviting them by the hope of applause, and the dread of infamy, to the
performance of the most rigorous virtues, and the most heroic deeds. Though no
more thau a single citv, with no great extent of empire, and but a small population
92
21
country, and the wish to be the first state in Greece. He was certain that they would
aever cease to be great and virtuous, until they neglected his institutions or modified
them to suit the corruption of the age.
The Spartans had two kinds of assemblies ; the one called the general assembly
(jxxMttrtct) of the nation, at which all the free inhabitants of Laconia were invited to
be present, and to assist in the deliberations; the other was called nucp*. \x.x.k>i<tic>ls
and was attended by the Spartans only, or the inhabitants of the metropolis. At this
last the succession to the throne was settled, magistrates were elected or deposed,
cognizance was taken of public crimes, and every thing relating to religious ceremo-
nies and the government of the country was discussed. It was generally held every
month at the full moon, but might be summoned by the Ephori to meet when any
extraordinary occasion occurred. Every citizen above 30 years of age was entitled
to vote in this assembly, provi led ha had brought no stain upon his character by cow-
ardice in the field, or irregular conduct at home ; lor every deviation from the laws
or the established manners of the people was stigmatized in the virtuous days of the
state, with marks of infamy and disgrace. No capital punishment was inflicted upon
an offender of this kind, but a total seclusion from all communication with his coun-
trymen, and a badge of infamy which he was obliged to wear, was a more cruel pun-
ishment to a high-minded Spartan than death itself.
The general assembly was convened when the nation was threatened with a war.
or was about to form alliances ; to make peace, or consider of any measure in which
the ge jeral good was concerned. It was attended by deputies from the cities of La-
conia, from the states in alliance with Sparta, and from those who had any grievances
to prefer or needed assistance. Discussions of considerable length upon the business
brought before them often took place, in which the kings, the senators, the ephori,
the deputies and the people took a part. The claims and pretensions of their allies
and enemies were also heard ; and sometimes through the ability and eloquence of
their opponents the Spartans were obliged, to use the expression of Epaminondas on
a memorable occasion, to lengthen their monosyllables, and descendfrom their haugh-
ty silence to reason upon the business under discussion When all who chose to speak
had stated their opinions, one of the ephori called to the people to give their votes,
which was generally done by acclamation, unless the two parties seemed so equally
balanced as to require a division.
There was no need for a great number of laws in such a state as Lacedaemon, where
a complete uniformity of manners, occupations and pursuits, prevailed : and where
magistrates were appointed, to keep a watchful eye over the public and private con-
duct of every individual. The Spartans were so much employed in exercises under
the inspection of certain offices, that they neither had leisure,'opportunity, nor temp-
tation, to deviate from the strict line of their duty by injuring the person, property k
or character of any man. As the pursuit of wealth in every shape was discouraged,
all the numerous evils that flow from it were unknown, and all those enactments to
repress the cupidity and violence of the covetous, so ne cessary in other states, Ly-
curgus rendered totally useless in Sparta. The few laws which they had occasion
for, as the decisions of the magistrates were generally founded upon natural justice,
were simple and perspicuous, never committed to writing, but handed down from
one generation to another by oral report, and so great was the veneration entertained
for them, that they were never allowed to be scrutinized, altered, or amended, but
were always looked upon with religious awe and respect, as the institutes of a divine
original.
Upon a review of the great outlines of Lycurgus's policy, it might seem at fir3t
sight, without taking into account the extreme pliability of the human mind, and its
aptitude, when influenced by pride, vanity, or ambition, to suit itself to all circum-
stances, to have been a yoke of iron, such as no other people but the Spartans could
ever have borne. But, by keeping them constantly occupied, by making their man-
ners, passions, and pursuits, subservient to military discipline, he familiarized them
from their infancy to this yoke : and though he seemed careful to prevent them from
being a conquering people, yet ambition and the desire of power, were the natural
results of many of his institutions, and tempted the Spartans to c onquer other feelings,
that those passions might be gratified. In their laws, in their sports, in their families,
in their amours, in their festivals at home, and excursions abroad, the image of their
country was constantly before their eyes, exciting them to obedience, rousing them to
ambition, and inviting them by the hope of applause, and the dread of infamy, to the
performance of the most rigorous virtues, and the most heroic deeds. Though no
more thau a single citv, with no great extent of empire, and but a small population
92