People From Sparta

"When asked what good the laws of Lycurgus had brought to Sparta, he replied, “Contempt of pleasure;” and in answer to the question how he acquired his great reputation for bravery, “By contemning death.” Agis II made the same answer when asked how a man could be always free."

"When a well-contrived but difficult plan to free Greece was proposed to Agis II, he replied, “Friend, thy words need an army and a treasure.”"

"Ἐπεὶ δὲ κατέπλευσεν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, εὐθὺς οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν βασιλικῶν ἡγεμόνων καὶ διοικητῶν ἐβάδιζον ἐπὶ ναῦν θεραπεύοντες αὐτόν. ἦν δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Αἰγυπτίων σπουδή τε μεγάλη καὶ προσδοκία διὰ τοὔνομα καὶ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Ἀγησιλάου, καὶ συνετρόχαζον ἅπαντες ἐπὶ τὴν θέαν. ὡς δὲ ἑώρων λαμπρότητα μὲν καὶ κατασκευὴν οὐδεμίαν, ἄνθρωπον δὲ πρεσβύτην κατακείμενον ἔν τινι πόᾳ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν, εὐτελῆ καὶ μικρὸν τὸ σῶμα, τραχὺ καὶ φαῦλον ἱμάτιον ἀμπεχόμενον, σκώπτειν αὐτοῖς καὶ γελωτοποιεῖν ἐπῄει, καὶ λέγειν ὅτι τοῦτο ἦν τὸ μυθολογούμενον "ὠδίνειν ὄρος, εἶτα μῦν ἀποτεκεῖν"."

"On his death-bed, charging his friends that no fiction or counterfeit (so he called statues) should be made of him, Agesilaus said, “If I have done any honorable exploit, that is my monument; but if I have done none, all your statues will signify nothing.”"

"To one commending the skill of a certain orator in magnifying petty matters, the king replied, “I do not think that shoemaker a good workman who makes a great shoe for a little foot.”"

"Accepting an inferior seat at a public dancing, Agesilaus said, “It is not the places which grace men, but men the places.”"

"Youth, thy words need an army."

"Παρακαλούμενος δὲ πάλιν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ τὴν ἀηδόνα μιμουμένου, παρῃτήσατο φήσας, “Αὐτᾶς ἄκουκα.”"

"Καίτοι τῷ λόγῳ πανταχοῦ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀπέφαινε πρωτεύειν τῶν ἀρετῶν· ἀνδρείας μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ὄφελος εἶναι, μὴ παρούσης δικαιοσύνης, εἰ δὲ δίκαιοι πάντες γένοιντο, μηδὲν ἀνδρείας δεήσεσθαι."

"Τοῦ δὲ ἰατροῦ Μενεκράτους, ἐπεὶ κατατυχὼν ἔν τισιν ἀπεγνωσμέναις θεραπείαις Ζεὺς ἐπεκλήθη, φορτικῶς ταύτῃ χρωμένου τῇ προσωνυμίᾳ καὶ δὴ καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐπιστεῖλαι τολμήσαντος οὕτως· “Μενεκράτης Ζεὺς βασιλεῖ Ἀγησιλάῳ χαίρειν,” ἀντέγραψε· “Βασιλεὺς Ἀγησίλαος Μενεκράτει ὑγιαίνειν.”"

"Observing that a certain malefactor bore torture with remarkable firmness, he said, “What a great rogue he must be, whose courage and constancy are bestowed on crime alone!”"

"When asked what boys should learn, he replied, “That which they will use when men.”"

"From this course of life, we reap liberty."

"When asked why they wore their hair long, he replied, “Because of all personal ornaments it costs the least.”"

"Having kept at a distance the enemies of Sparta, he could say, “No Spartan woman has ever seen the smoke of the enemy’s camp.”"

"He showed the citizens in arms to one who asked why Sparta had no walls, with the words, “These are the walls of Sparta.” He used to say that “cities should be walled with the courage of the inhabitants.”"

"When asked where the boundaries of Sparta were, he replied, “On the points of our spears.”"

"Being shown a well-walled city, and asked if it were not a fine thing; “For women,” he answered, “not men, to live in.” Thus Agis II, observing the high and strong walls of Corinth, asked, “What women live there?”"

"Τεθνάμεναι γὰρ καλὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι πεσόντα ἄνδρ᾿ ἀγαθὸν περὶ ᾗ πατρίδι μαρνάμενον."

"To obey the laws."

"a sole governor is in a slippery position at home; and I consider that tyrant a fortunate man who dies a natural death in his own house."

"The reason is because I know how to bear injustice, but you do not."

"In good hopes."

"To be silent about secrets; to make good use of one’s leisure, and to be able to submit to injustice."

"To rule one’s tongue, especially at a banquet, and not to speak ill of one’s neighbors; for if one does so one is sure to hear what one will not like."

"To love quiet."

"Seek no excess —all timely things are good."

"Suretyship, and then destruction."

"To threaten no one; for that is a womanly trick."

"To be more prompt to go to one’s friends in adversity than in prosperity."

"To make but a moderate display at one’s marriage."

"Not to speak evil of the dead."

"To honor old age."

"To keep a watch upon oneself."

"To prefer punishment to disgraceful gain; for the one is painful but once, but the other for one’s whole life."

"Not to laugh at a person in misfortune."

"If one is strong to be also merciful, so that one’s neighbors may respect one rather than fear one."

"To learn how to regulate one’s own house well."

"Not to let one’s tongue outrun one’s sense."

"To restrain anger."

"Not to dislike divination."

"Not to desire what is impossible."

"Not to make too much haste on one’s road."

"When speaking not to gesticulate with the hand; for that is like a madman."

"ἀγαθὸν γαμεῖν καὶ ἀγαθὰ τίκτειν"

"This is the mound of Leonidas, with its dust and rank grass, its flowers and lizards, its stones, scruffy laurels and hot gusts of wind. I knew now that something real happened here. It is not just that the human spirit reacts directly and beyond all argument to a story of sacrifice and courage, as a wine glass must vibrate to the sound of the violin. It is also because, way back and at the hundredth remove, that company stood in the right line of history. A little of Leonidas lies in the fact that I can go where I like and write what I like. He contributed to set us free."

"It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that, when they fired their volleys the mass of arrows blocked out the sun. Dienekes, however, quite undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh, "Good. Then we'll have our battle in the shade.""

"Ō xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tēide keimetha tois keinōn rhēmasi peithomenoi."

"Ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι."

"Μολὼν λαβέ [Molōn labe!]"