for it, and proof conceived in
few words. He whose account of the matter was wrong, by way of
punishment had his thumb bit by the Iren. The old men and magistrates
often attended these little trials, to see whether the Iren exercised
his authority in a rational and proper manner. He was permitted, indeed,
to inflict the penalties; but when the boys were gone, he was to be
chastised himself, if he had punished them either with too much severity
or remissness.

The adopters of favourites also shared both in the honour and disgrace
of their boys: and one of them is said to have been mulcted by the
magistrates, because the boy whom he had taken into his affections let
some ungenerous word or cry escape him as he was fighting. This love was
so honourable and in so much esteem, that the virgins too had their
lovers amongst the most virtuous matrons. A competition of affection
caused no misunderstanding, but rather a mutual friendship between those
that had fixed their regards upon the same youth, and an united
endeavour to make him as accomplished as possible.

The boys were also taught to use sharp repartee, seasoned with humour,
and whatever they said was to be concise and pithy. For Lycurgus, as we
have observed, fixed but a small value on a considerable quantity of his
iron money; but, on the contrary, the worth of speech was to consist in
its being comprised in a few plain words, pregnant with a great deal of
sense: and he contrived that by long silence they might learn to be
sententious and acute in their replies. As debauchery often causes
weakness and sterility in the body, so the intemperance of the tongue
makes conversation empty and insipid. King Agis, therefore, when a
certain Athenian laughed at the Lacedaemonian short swords, and said,
"The jugglers would swallow them with ease upon the stage," answered in
his laconic way, "And yet we can reach our enemies' hearts with them."
Indeed, to me there seems to be something in this concise manner of
speaking which immediately reaches the object aimed at, and forcibly
strikes the mind of the hearer. Lycurgus himself was short and
sententious in his discourse, if we may judge by some of his answers
which are recorded; that, for instance, concerning the constitution.
When one advised him to establish a popular government in Lacedaemon,
"Go," said he, "and first make a trial of it in thy own family." That
again, concerning sacrifices to the Deity, when he was asked why he