ole life is passed in finding out
and practising the arts which give them an advantage over other nations
in war, would have discovered this one. And even if they had not, still
these professors of the art would certainly not have failed to discover
that of all the Hellenes the Lacedaemonians have the greatest interest
in such matters, and that a master of the art who was honoured among
them would be sure to make his fortune among other nations, just as a
tragic poet would who is honoured among ourselves; which is the reason
why he who fancies that he can write a tragedy does not go about
itinerating in the neighbouring states, but rushes hither straight, and
exhibits at Athens; and this is natural. Whereas I perceive that these
fighters in armour regard Lacedaemon as a sacred inviolable territory,
which they do not touch with the point of their foot; but they make
a circuit of the neighbouring states, and would rather exhibit to
any others than to the Spartans; and particularly to those who would
themselves acknowledge that they are by no means first-rate in the arts
of war. Further, Lysimachus, I have encountered a good many of these
gentlemen in actual service, and have taken their measure, which I can
give you at once; for none of these masters of fence have ever been
distinguished in war,--there has been a sort of fatality about them;
while in all other arts the men of note have been always those who have
practised the art, they appear to be a most unfortunate exception.
For example, this very Stesilaus, whom you and I have just witnessed
exhibiting in all that crowd and making such great professions of
his powers, I have seen at another time making, in sober truth, an
involuntary exhibition of himself, which was a far better spectacle. He
was a marine on board a ship which struck a transport vessel, and was
armed with a weapon, half spear, half scythe; the singularity of this
weapon was worthy of the singularity of the man. To make a long story
short, I will only tell you what happened to this notable invention
of the scythe spear. He was fighting, and the scythe was caught in the
rigging of the other ship, and stuck fast; and he tugged, but was unable
to get his weapon free. The two ships were passing one another. He first
ran along his own ship holding on to the spear; but as the other ship
passed by and drew him after as he was holding on, he let the spear
slip through his hand until he retained only the end of t