an
earnest pursuit in a community where the possession of wealth entails
more pain than its employment brings satisfaction?

(2) Or, "against illegitimate commerce."

(3) See Plut. "Lycurg." 9 (Clough, i. 94).

(4) = 40 pounds, circa.

(5) See Grote, "H. G." ix. 320; Aristot. "Pol." ii. 9, 37.

VIII

But to proceed. We are all aware that there is no state (1) in the world
in which greater obedience is shown to magistrates, and to the laws
themselves, than Sparta. But, for my part, I am disposed to think that
Lycurgus could never have attempted to establish this healthy condition,
(2) until he had first secured the unanimity of the most powerful
members of the state. I infer this for the following reasons. (3) In
other states the leaders in rank and influence do not even desire to be
thought to fear the magistrates. Such a thing they would regard as in
itself a symbol of servility. In Sparta, on the contrary, the stronger
a man is the more readily does he bow before constituted authority.
And indeed, they magnify themselves on their humility, and on a prompt
obedience, running, or at any rate not crawling with laggard step,
at the word of command. Such an example of eager discipline, they are
persuaded, set by themselves, will not fail to be followed by the rest.
And this is precisely what has taken place. It (4) is reasonable to
suppose that it was these same noblest members of the state who combined
(5) to lay the foundation of the ephorate, after they had come to the
conclusion themselves, that of all the blessings which a state, or an
army, or a household, can enjoy, obedience is the greatest. Since, as
they could not but reason, the greater the power with which men fence
about authority, the greater the fascination it will exercise upon the
mind of the citizen, to the enforcement of obedience.

(1) See Grote, "H. G." v. 516; "Mem." III. v. 18.

(2) Or, reading after L. Dindorf, {eutaxian}, "this world-renowned
orderliness."

(3) Or, "from these facts."

(4) Or, "It was only natural that these same..."

(5) Or, "helped." See Aristot. "Pol." v. 11, 3; ii. 9, 1 (Jowett, ii.
224); Plut. "Lycurg." 7, 29; Herod. i. 65; Muller, "Dorians," iii.
7, 5 (vol. ii. p. 125, Eng. tr.)

Accordingly the ephors are competent to punish whomsoever they choose;
they have power to exact fines on the spur of the moment; they have
power to depose magistrates in mid career (6)--nay, actually to impriso