The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

1178

Title

The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Xenophon contrasts Athenian democracy with Spartan oligarchy, analyzing the laws of Lycurgus that shaped Spartan citizens from birth. The text explores unique educational practices, military discipline, and the specific privileges of the Spartan kings, offering a critical yet appreciative look at how these institutions fostered a distinct societal character.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians,' Xenophon offers a comparative analysis of the constitutions of Athens and Sparta, arguing that while Athens prioritizes the welfare of the common people to sustain its naval power and freedom, Sparta focuses on cultivating a disciplined, modest, and reverential citizenry under the laws of Lycurgus. Xenophon praises the Athenian democracy not for its ideal nature, but for its pragmatic preservation of liberty. He contends that the Athenian state correctly prioritizes the interests of the poorer classes, who man the fleet and provide the city's defense, over the wealthy elite. By granting political rights and the right of speech to the masses, Athens ensures that the state remains free and that the wealthy do not dominate the poor. This system even extends to treating slaves and resident aliens with a degree of equality to prevent the wealthy citizens from being mistaken for them or from becoming dependent on their own slaves' wealth. In stark contrast, Xenophon details the rigorous Spartan system designed to produce superior men in size, strength, and self-restraint. Lycurgus's laws dictate a life of austerity: Spartans walk barefoot to harden their feet, wear a single garment to withstand weather, and eat a moderate diet to maintain agility. A unique feature of this education is the practice of stealing, intended to foster cunning and warlike instincts; boys are punished severely for being caught, teaching them that pain endured briefly earns lasting glory. The state appoints a public guardian, the Paidonomos, to oversee these youths, ensuring they are never without a ruler. Furthermore, Xenophon describes the regulated relationships between lovers in Sparta, which are intended to be purely platonic, resembling the bond between parent and child rather than a carnal attachment. The text also outlines the military organization and the specific rituals performed by the kings before campaigns, including sacrifices to Zeus and Athena. Xenophon notes that while the original Spartan laws have been corrupted by wealth and foreign influence in later times, leading citizens to seek power abroad, the historical Spartan system produced a race of men superior to the rest of Greece. Ultimately, Xenophon presents the Spartan constitution as a model of discipline and the Athenian constitution as a practical mechanism for maintaining democratic freedom, each serving the specific needs of their respective societies.

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4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Politics