ÆTOLO-DORIAN EMIGRATION INTO PELOPONNESUS. — ELIS, LACONIA, AND MESSENIA.
Ætolian emigration into Peloponnesus. — Dorians of Sparta and Stenyklêrus — accompanying or following them across the Corinthian gulf. — Settlement at Sparta made by marching along the valleys of the Alpheus and Eurotas. — Causes which favored the settlement — Settlements confined at first to Sparta and Stenyklêrus. — First view of historical Sparta. — Messenian kings. — Analogous representations in regard to the early proceedings both of Spartans and Messenians. — The kings of Stenyklêrus did not possess all Messenia. — Olympic festival — the early point of union of Spartans, Messenians, and Eleians. — Previous inhabitants of southern Peloponnesus — how far different from the Dorians. — Doric and Æolic dialect.
CHAPTER VI.
LAWS AND DISCIPLINE OF LYKURGUS AT SPARTA.
Lykurgus — authorities of Plutarch respecting him. — Uncertainties about his genealogy. — Probable date of Lykurgus. — Opinion of O. Müller (that Sparta is the perfect type of Dorian character and tendencies) is incorrect. — Peculiarity of Sparta. — Early date of Lykurgus. — View taken of Lykurgus by Herodotus. — Little said about Lykurgus in the earlier authors. — Copious details of Plutarch. — Regency of Lykurgus — his long absence from Sparta. — He is sent by the Delphian oracle to reform the state. — His institutions ascribed to him — senate and popular assembly — ephors. — Constitution ascribed to Lykurgus agrees with that which we find in Homer. — Pair of kings at Sparta — their constant dissensions — a security to the state against despotism. — Idea of Kleomenês the Third respecting the first appointment of the ephors. — Popular origin of the board of ephors — oath interchanged between them and the kings. — Subordination of the kings, and supremacy of the ephors, during the historical times. — Position and privileges of the kings. — Power of the ephors. — Public assembly. — The Senate. — Spartan constitution — a close oligarchy. — Long duration of the constitution without formal change — one cause of the respect in Greece and pride in the Spartans themselves. — Dorians divided into three tribes, — Hylleis, Pamphyli, and Dymanes. — Local distinctions known among the Spartans. — Population of Laconia — 1. Spartans. — 2. Periœki. — Special meaning of the word Periœki in Laconia. — Statement of Isokratês as to the origin of the Periœki. — Statement of Ephorus — different from Isokratês, yet not wholly irreconcilable. — Spartans and Periœki — no distinction of race known between them in historical times. — 3. Helots — essentially villagers. — They were serfs — adscripti glebæ — their condition and treatment. — Bravery and energy of the Helots — fear and cruelty of the Spartans. — Evidence of the character of the Spartan government. — The Krypteia. — Manumitted Helots. — Economical and social regulations ascribed to Lykurgus. — Partition of lands. — Syssitia, or public mess. — Public training or discipline. — Manners and training of the Spartan women — opinion of Aristotle. — Statement of Xenophon and Plutarch. — Number of rich women in the time of Aristotle — they had probably procured exemption from the general training. — Earnest and lofty patriotism of the Spartan women. — Lykurgus is the trainer of a military brotherhood, more than the framer of a political constitution. — His end exclusively warlike — his means exclusively severe. — Statements of Plutarch about Lykurgus — much romance in them. — New partition of lands — no such measure ascribed to Lykurgus by earlier authors down to Aristotle. — The idea of Lykurgus as an equal partitioner of lands belongs to the century of Agis and Kleomenês. — Circumstances of Sparta down to the reign of Agis. — Diminished number of citizens and degradation of Sparta in the reign of Agis. — His ardent wish to restore the dignity of the state. — Historic fancy of Lykurgus as an equal partitioner of lands grew out of this feeling. — Partition proposed by Agis. — Opinion that Lykurgus proposed some agrarian interference, but not an entire repartition, gratuitous and improbable. — The statement of Plutarch is best explained by supposing it a fiction of the time of Agis. — Acknowledged difficulty of understanding by what means the fixed number and integrity of the lots was maintained. — Plutarch’s story about the ephor Epitadeus. — Landed property was always unequally divided at Sparta. — Nor were there any laws which tended to equalize it. — Opinions of Aristotle. — Erroneous suppositions with regard to the Spartan law and practice of succession. — Lykurgean system — originally applied only to Sparta — introduced equal severity of discipline, not equality of property. — Original Dorian allotment of land in Sparta unknown — probably not equal. — Gradual conquest of Laconia, the result of the new force imparted by the Lykurgean discipline. — Conquest of Amyklæ, Pharis, and Geronthræ, by king Têleklus. — Helus conquered by Alkamenês. — Progressive increase of Sparta.
CHAPTER VII.
FIRST AND SECOND MESSENIAN WARS.
Authorities for the history of the Messenian wars. — Chiefly belong to the time after the foundation of Messênê by Epameinondas. — Absence of real or ancient traditions concerning these wars: contradictions about the Messenian hero Aristomenês. — Dates of the first wars — B. C. 743-724. — Causes alleged by the Spartans. — Spartan king Têleklus slain by the Messenians at the temple of Artemis Limnatis. — First Messenian war. — Messenian kings, Euphaês and Aristodêmus. — Messenians concentrate themselves on Mount Ithôme — after a long siege they are completely conquered. — Harsh treatment and Helotism of the conquered Messenians under Sparta. — Revolt of the Messenians against Sparta — second Messenian war — Aristomenês. — His chivalrous exploits and narrow escapes — end of the second war. — The Messenians again conquered. — Narrative of Pausanias, borrowed from the poet Rhianus, is undeserving of credit. — The poet Tyrtæus, the ally of Sparta — his great efficiency and influence over the Spartan mind. — Musical susceptibilities of the Spartans. — Powerful ethical effect of the old Grecian music. — Sufferings of the Spartans in the second Messenian war. — Date of the second war, B. C. 648-631. — Punishment of the traitor Aristokratês, king of the Arcadian Orchomenus. — Spartans acquire the country west of Taygetus. — The Messenian Dorians had no considerable fortified places — lived in small townships and villages. — Relations of Pisa and Elis. — Struggles of the Pisatæ and Triphylians for autonomy — the latter in after times sustained by the political interests of Sparta.