第 6 节
作者:
寻找山吹 更新:2021-02-20 15:47 字数:9322
gorous。
And so again after marriage。 In view of the fact that immoderate intercourse is elsewhere permitted during the earlier period of matrimony; he adopted a principle directly opposite。 He laid it down as an ordinance that a man should be ashamed to be seen visiting the chamber of his wife; whether going in or coming out。 When they did meet under such restraint the mutual longing of these lovers could not but be increased; and the fruit which might spring from such intercourse would tend to be more robust than theirs whose affections are cloyed by satiety。 By a farther step in the same direction he refused to allow marriages to be contracted'6' at any period of life according to the fancy of the parties concerned。 Marriage; as he ordained it; must only take place in the prime of bodily vigour;'7' this too being; as he believed; a condition conducive to the production of healthy offspring。 Or again; to meet the case which might occur of an old man'8' wedded to a young wife。 Considering the jealous watch which such husbands are apt to keep over their wives; he introduced a directly opposite custom; that is to say; he made it incumbent on the aged husband to introduce some one whose qualities; physical and moral; he admired; to play the husband's part and to beget him children。 Or again; in the case of a man who might not desire to live with a wife permanently; but yet might still be anxious to have children of his own worthy the name; the lawgiver laid down a law'9' in his behalf。 Such a one might select some woman; the wife of some man; well born herself and blest with fair offspring; and; the saction and consent of her husband first obtained; raise up children for himself through her。
'6' 〃The bride to be wooed and won。〃 The phrase {agesthai} perhaps points to some primitive custom of capturing and carrying off the bride; but it had probably become conventional。
'7' Cf。 Plut。 〃Lycurg;〃 15 (Clough; i。 101)。 〃In their marriages the husband carried off his bride by a sort of force; nor were their brides ever small and of tender years; but in their full bloom and ripeness。〃
'8' Cf。 Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 15 (Clough; i。 103)。
'9' Or; 〃established a custom to suit the case。〃
These and many other adaptations of a like sort the lawgiver sanctioned。 As; for instance; at Sparta a wife will not object to bear the burden of a double establishment;'10' or a husband to adopt sons as foster…brothers of his own children; with a full share in his family and position; but possessing no claim to his wealth and property。
'10' Cf。 Plut。 〃Comp。 of Numa with Lycurgus;〃 4; 〃Cato mi。〃 25 (Clough; i。 163; iv。 395)。
So opposed to those of the rest of the world are the principles which Lycurgus devissed in reference to the production of children。 Whether they enabled him to provide Sparta with a race of men superior to all in size and strength I leave to the judgment of whomsoever it may concern。
II
With this exposition of the customs in connection with the birth of children; I wish now to explain the systems of education in fashion here and elsewhere。 Throughout the rest of Hellas the custom on the part of those who claim to educate their sons in the best way is as follows。 As soon as the children are of an age to understand what is said to them they are immediately placed under the charge of Paidagogoi'1' (or tutors); who are also attendants; and sent off to the school of some teacher to be taught 〃grammar;〃 〃music;〃 and the concerns of the palestra。'2' Besides this they are given shoes'3' to wear which tend to make their feet tender; and their bodies are enervated by various changes of clothing。 And as for food; the only measure recognised is that which is fixed by appetite。
'1' = 〃boy…leaders。〃 Cf。 St。 Paul; 〃Ep。 Gal。〃 iii。 24; The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ。
'2' Cf。 Plato; 〃Alc。 maj。〃 106 E; 〃Theages;〃 122 E; Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 viii。 3。
'3' Or; 〃sandals。〃
But when we turn to Lycurgus; instead of leaving it to each member of the state privately to appoint a slave to be his son's tutor; he set over the young Spartans a public guardian; the Paidonomos'4' or 〃pastor;〃 to give them his proper title;'5' with complete authority over them。 This guardian was selected from those who filled the highest magistracies。 He had authority to hold musters of the boys;'6' and as their overseer; in case of any misbehaviour; to chastise severely。 The legislator further provided his pastor with a body of youths in the prime of life; and bearing whips;'7' to inflict punishment when necessary; with this happy result that in Sparta modesty and obedience ever go hand in hand; nor is there lack of either。
'4' = 〃boyherd。〃
'5' Cf。 Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 17 (Clough; i。 107); Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 iv。 15; 13; vii。 17; 5。
'6' Or; 〃assemble the boys in flocks。〃
'7' {mastigophoroi} = 〃flagellants。〃
Instead of softening their feet with shoe or sandal; his rule was to make them hardy through going barefoot。'8' This habit; if practised; would; as he believed; enable them to scale heights more easily and clamber down precipices with less danger。 In fact; with his feet so trained the young Spartan would leap and spring and run faster unshod than another shod in the ordinary way。
'8' Cf。 Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 16 (Clough; i。 106)。
Instead of making them effeminate with a variety of clothes; his rule was to habituate them to a single garment the whole year through; thinking that so they would be better prepared to withstand the variations of heat and cold。
Again; as regards food; according to his regulation the Eiren;'9' or head of the flock; must see that his messmates gathered to the club meal;'10' with such moderate food as to avoid that heaviness'11' which is engendered by repletion; and yet not to remain altogether unacquainted with the pains of penurious living。 His belief was that by such training in boyood they would be better able when occasion demanded to continue toiling on an empty stomach。 They would be all the fitter; if the word of command were given; to remain on the stretch for a long time without extra dieting。 The craving for luxuries'12' would be less; the readiness to take any victual set before them greater; and; in general; the regime would be found more healthy。'13' Under it he thought the lads would increase in stature and shape into finer men; since; as he maintained; a dietary which gave suppleness to the limbs must be more conducive to both ends than one which added thickness to the bodily parts by feeding。'14'
'9' For the Eiren; see Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 (Clough; i。 107)。
'10' Reading {sumboleuein} (for the vulg。 {sumbouleuein})。 The emendation is now commonly adopted。 For the word itself; see L。 Dindorf; n。 ad loc。; and Schneider。 {sumbolon} = {eranos} or club meal。 Perhaps we ought to read {ekhontas} instead of {ekhonta}。
'11' See Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 17 (Clough; i。 108)。
'12' Lit。 〃condiments;〃 such as 〃meat;〃 〃fish;〃 etc。 See 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 ii。 8。
'13' Or; 〃and in general they would live more healthily and increase in stature。〃
'14' See L。 Dindorf's emendation of this corrupt passage; n。 ad loc。 (based upon Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 17 and Ps。 Plut。 〃Moral。〃 237); {kai eis mekos d' an auxanesthai oeto kai eueidesterous} vel {kallious gignesthai; pros amphotera ton radina ta somata poiousan trophen mallon sullambanein egesamenos e ten diaplatunousan}。 Otherwise I would suggest to read {kai eis mekos an auxanesthai ten 'gar' radina 。 。 。 egesato k。t。l。}; which is closer to the vulgate; and gives nearly the same sense。
On the other hand; in order to guard against a too great pinch of starvation; though he did not actually allow the boys to help themselves without further trouble to what they needed more; he did give them permission to steal'15' this thing or that in the effort to alleviate their hunger。 It was not of course from any real difficulty how else to supply them with nutriment that he left it to them to provide themselves by this crafty method。 Nor can I conceieve that any one will so misinterpret the custom。 Clearly its explanation lies in the fact that he who would live the life of a robber must forgo sleep by night; and in the daytime he must employ shifts and lie in ambuscade; he must prepare and make ready his scouts; and so forth; if he is to succeed in capturing the quarry。'16'
'15' See 〃Anab。〃 IV。 vi。 14。
'16' For the institution named the {krupteia}; see Plut。 〃Lycurg。〃 28 (Clough; i。 120); Plato; 〃Laws;〃 i。 633 B; for the {klopeia}; ib。 vii。 823 E; Isocr。 〃Panathen。〃 277 B。
It is obvious; I say; that the whole of this education tended; and was intended; to make the boys craftier and more inventive in getting in supplies; whilst at the same time it cultivated their warlike instincts。 An objector may retort: 〃But if he thought it so fine a feat to steal; why did he inflict all those blows on the unfortunate who was caught?〃 My answer is: for the self…same reason which induces people; in other matters which are taught; to punish the mal… performance of a service。 So they; the Lacedaemonians; visit penalties on the boy who is detected thieving as being but a sorry bungler in the art。 So to stea