LYCURGUS AND THE SPARTAN LAWS. 57

was designed to make them cunning and skilful,
and if detected in the act they were severely pun-
ished. The story is told that one boy who had
stolen a fox and hidden it under his garment, per-
mitted the animal to tear him open with claws and
teeth, and died rather than reveal his theft,

One might say that he would rather have been
born a girl than a boy in Sparta; but the girls were
trained almost as severely as the boys. They were
forced to contend with each other in running, wrest-
ling, and boxing, and to go through other gymnastic
exercises calculated to make them strong and healthy.
They marched in the religious processions, sung and
danced at festivals, and were present at the exercises
of the youths. Thus boys and girls were continually
mingled, and the praise or reproach of the latter did
much to stimulate their brothers and friends to the
utmost exertion.

As a result of all this the Spartans became strong,
vigorous, and handsome in form and face. The
beauty of their women was everywhere celebrated.
The men became unequalled for soldierly qualities,
able to bear the greatest fatigue and privation, and
to march great distances in a brief time, while on
the field of battle they were taught to conquer or to
die, a display of cowardice or flight from the field
being a lifelong disgrace. |

Such were the main features of the most singular
set of laws any nation ever had, the best fitted to
make a nation of soldiers, and also to prevent in-
tellectual progress in any other direction than the
single one of war-making. Even eloquence in speech