---
title: "Anacharsis, or Athletics · Ἀνάχαρσις ἢ Περὶ Γυμνασίων"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Austin Morris Harmon"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-anacharsis/2/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon, Anacharsis, or Athletics · Ἀνάχαρσις ἢ Περὶ Γυμνασίων, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-anacharsis/2/"
---

# Anacharsis, or Athletics · Ἀνάχαρσις ἢ Περὶ Γυμνασίων

*Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon*

Solon explains to the puzzled Scythian Anacharsis why Greek young men wrestle in the mud.

> Greek: ed. Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg034, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg034.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Sections 23–40

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-anacharsis/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-anacharsis/2/#p-N

[¶0] 23. ANACHARSIS I have seen the tragedians and comedians that you are speaking of, Solon, if I am not mistaken; they had on heavy, high footgear, clothing that was gay with gold stripes, and very ludicrous head- pieces with great, gaping mouths; they shouted loudly from out of these, and strode about in the footgear, managing somehow or other to do it safely. The city was then holding a feast, in honour, I think, of Dionysus. The comedians were shorter, nearer to the common level, more human, and less given to shouting, but their headpieces were far more ludicrous. In fact the whole audience laughed at them; but they all wore long faces while they listened to the tall fellows, pitying them, I suppose, because they were dragging such clogs about! SOLON It was not the actors that they pitied, my dear fellow. No doubt the poet was presenting some calamity of old to the spectators and declaiming mournful passages to the audience by which his hearers were moved to tears. Probably you also saw flute-players at that time, and others who sang in concert, standing in a circle. Even singing and flute-playing is not without value, Anacharsis. By all these means, then, and others like them, we whet their souls and make them better.

> Greek: 23. Ἀνάχαρσις: εἶδον, ὦ Σόλων, οὓς φὴς τοὺς τραγῳδοὺς καὶ κωμῳδούς, εἴ γε ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν, ὑποδήματα μὲν βαρέα καὶ ὑψηλὰ ὑποδεδεμένοι, χρυσαῖς δὲ ταινίαις τὴν ἐσθῆτα πεποικιλμένοι, κράνη δὲ ἐπικείμενοι παγγέλοια κεχηνότα παμμέγεθες· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔνδοθεν μεγάλα τε ἐκεκράγεσαν καὶ διέβαινον οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ἀσφαλῶς ἐν τοῖς ὑποδήμασιν. Διονύσῳ δὲ οἶμαι τότε ἡ πόλις ἑώρταζεν. οἱ δὲ κωμῳδοὶ βραχύτεροι μὲν ἐκείνων καὶ πεζοὶ καὶ ἀνθρωπινώτεροι καὶ ἧττον ἐβόων, κράνη δὲ πολὺ γελοιότερα. καὶ τὸ θέατρον γοῦν ἅπαν ἐγέλα ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς· ἐκείνων δὲ τῶν ὑψηλῶν σκυθρωποὶ ἅπαντες ἤκουον, οἰκτείροντες, οἶμαι, αὐτοὺς πέδας τηλικαύτας ἐπισυρομένους. Σόλων: οὐκ ἐκείνους, ὦγαθέ, ᾤκτειρον, ἀλλὰ ποιητὴς ἴσως ἀρχαίαν τινὰ συμφορὰν ἐπεδείκνυτο τοῖς θεαταῖς καὶ ῥήσεις οἰκτρὰς ἐτραγῴδει πρὸς τὸ θέατρον ὑφʼ ὧν εἰς δάκρυα κατεσπῶντο οἱ ἀκούοντες. εἰκὸς δέ σε καὶ αὐλοῦντας ἑωρακέναι τινὰς τότε καὶ ἄλλους συνᾴδοντας ἐν κύκλῳ συνεστῶτας. οὐδʼ αὐτά, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, ἀχρεῖα ᾄσματα καὶ αὐλήματα. τούτοις δʼ οὖν ἅπασι καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις παραθηγόμενοι τὰς ψυχὰς ἀμείνους ἡμῖν γίγνονται.

[¶1] 24. As to their bodies—for that is what you were especially eager to hear about—we train them as follows. When, as I said, they are no longer soft and wholly strengthless, we strip them, and think it best to begin by habituating them to the weather, making them used to the several seasons, so as not to be distressed by the heat or give in to the cold. Then we rub them with olive-oil and supple them in order that they may be more elastic, for since we believe that leather, when softened by oil, is harder to break and far more durable, lifeless as it is, it would be extraordinary if we should not think that the living body would be put in better condition by the oil. After that, having invented many forms of athletics and appointed teachers for each, we teach one, for instance, boxing, and another the pancratium, in order that they may become accustomed to endure hardships and to meet blows, and not recoil for fear of injuries. This helps us by creating in them two effects that are most useful, since it makes them not only spirited in facing dangers and unmindful of their bodies, but healthy and strong into the bargain. Those of them who put their bent heads together and wrestle learn to fall safely and get up easily, to push, grip and twist in various ways, to stand being choked, and to lift their opponent high in the air. They too are not engaging in useless exercises; on the contrary, they indisputably acquire one thing, which is first and greatest: their bodies become less susceptible and more vigorous through being exercised thoroughly. There is something else, too, which itself is not trivial: they become expert as a result of it, in case they should ever come to need what they have learned in battle. Clearly such a man, when he closes with an enemy, will trip and throw him more quickly, and when he is down, will know how to get up again most easily. For we make all these preparations, Anacharsis, with a view to that contest, the contest under arms, and we expect to find men thus disciplined far superior, after we have suppled and trained their bodes naked, and so have made them healthier and stronger, light and elastic, and at the same time too heavy for their opponents.

> Greek: 24. Σόλων: τὰ δὲ δὴ σώματα, ὅπερ μάλιστα ἐπόθεις ἀκοῦσαι, ὧδε καταγυμνάζομεν. ἀποδύσαντες αὐτά, ὡς ἔφην, οὐκέτι ἁπαλὰ καὶ τέλεον ἀσυμπαγῆ ὄντα, πρῶτον μὲν ἐθίζειν ἀξιοῦμεν πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα, συνοικειοῦντες αὐτὰ ταῖς ὥραις ἑκάσταις, ὡς μήτε θάλπος δυσχεραίνειν μήτε πρὸς κρύος ἀπαγορεύειν, ἔπειτα δὲ χρίομεν ἐλαίῳ καὶ καταμαλάττομεν, ὡς εὐτονώτερα γίγνοιτο· ἄτοπον γάρ, εἰ τὰ μὲν σκύτη νομίζομεν ὑπὸ τῷ ἐλαίῳ μαλαττόμενα δυσραγέστερα καὶ πολλῷ διαρκέστερα γίγνεσθαι νεκρά γε ἤδη ὄντα, τὸ δʼ ἔτι ζωῆς μετέχον σῶμα μὴ ἂν ἄμεινον ἡγοίμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐλαίου διατεθήσεσθαι. τοὐντεῦθεν ποικίλα τὰ γυμνάσια ἐπινοήσαντες καὶ διδασκάλους ἑκάστων ἐπιστήσαντες τὸν μέν τινα πυκτεύειν, τὸν δὲ παγκρατιάζειν διδάσκομεν, ὡς τούς τε πόνους καρτερεῖν ἐθίζοιντο καὶ ὁμόσε χωρεῖν ταῖς πληγαῖς μηδὲ ἀποτρέποιντο δέει τῶν τραυμάτων. τοῦτο δὲ ἡμῖν δύο τὰ ὠφελιμώτατα ἐξεργάζεται ἐν αὐτοῖς, θυμοειδεῖς τε παρασκευάζον εἰς τοὺς κινδύνους καὶ τῶν σωμάτων ἀφειδεῖν καὶ προσέτι ἐρρῶσθαι καὶ καρτεροὺς εἶναι. ὅσοι δὲ αὐτῶν κάτω συννενευκότες παλαίουσιν, καταπίπτειν τε ἀσφαλῶς μανθάνουσι καὶ ἀνίστασθαι εὐμαρῶς καὶ ὠθισμοὺς καὶ περιπλοκὰς καὶ λυγισμοὺς καὶ ἄγχεσθαι δύνασθαι καὶ εἰς ὕψος ἀναβαστάσαι τὸν ἀντίπαλον, οὐκ ἀχρεῖα οὐδὲ οὗτοι ἐκμελετῶντες, ἀλλὰ ἓν μὲν τὸ πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον ἀναμφιβόλως κτώμενοι· δυσπαθέστερα γὰρ καὶ καρτερώτερα τὰ σώματα γίγνονται αὐτοῖς διαπονούμενα. ἕτερον δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτὸ μικρόν· ἔμπειροι γὰρ δὴ ἐκ τούτου καθίστανται, εἴ ποτε ἀφίκοιντο εἰς χρείαν τῶν μαθημάτων τούτων ἐν ὅπλοις· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι καὶ πολεμίῳ ἀνδρὶ ὁ τοιοῦτος συμπλακεὶς καταρρίψει τε θᾶττον ὑποσκελίσας καὶ καταπεσὼν εἴσεται ὡς ῥᾷστα ἐξανίστασθαι. πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, ἐπʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἀγῶνα ποριζόμεθα τὸν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις καὶ ἡγούμεθα πολὺ ἀμείνοσι χρήσασθαι τοῖς οὕτως ἀσκηθεῖσιν, ἐπειδὰν πρότερον αὐτῶν γυμνὰ τὰ σώματα καταμαλάξαντες καὶ διαπονήσαντες ἐρρωμενέστερα καὶ ἀλκιμώτερα ἐξεργασώμεθα καὶ κοῦφα καὶ εὔτονα καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ βαρέα τοῖς ἀνταγωνισταῖς.

[¶2] 25. You can imagine, I suppose, the consequence— what they are likely to be with arms in hand when even unarmed they would implant fear in the enemy. They show no white and ineffective corpulence or pallid leanness, as if they were women’s bodies bleached out in the shade, quivering and streaming with profuse sweat at once and panting beneath the helmet, especially if the sun, as at present, blazes with the heat of noon. What use could one make of men like that, who get thirsty, who cannot stand dust, who break ranks the moment they catch sight of blood, who lie down and die before they get within a spear’s cast and come to grips with the enemy? But these young men of ours have a ruddy skin, coloured darker by the sun, and manly faces; they reveal great vitality, fire, and courage; they are aglow with such splendid condition; they are neither lean and emaciated nor so full-bodied as to be heavy, but symmetrical in their lines; they have sweated away the useless and superfluous part of their tissues, but what made for strength and elasticity is left upon them uncontaminated by what is worthless, and they maintain it vigorously. In fact, athletics do in our bodies just what winnowers do to wheat: they blow away the husks and the chaff, but separate the grain out cleanly and accumulate it for future use.

> Greek: 25. Σόλων: ἐννοεῖς γάρ, οἶμαι, τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο, οἵους εἰκὸς σὺν ὅπλοις ἔσεσθαι τοὺς καὶ γυμνοὺς ἂν φόβον τοῖς δυσμενέσιν ἐμποιήσαντας, οὐ πολυσαρκίαν ἀργὸν καὶ λευκὴν ἢ ἀσαρκίαν μετὰ ὠχρότητος ἐπιδεικνυμένους οἷα γυναικῶν σώματα ὑπὸ σκιᾷ μεμαρασμένα, τρέμοντα ἱδρῶτί τε πολλῷ εὐθὺς ῥεόμενα καὶ ἀσθμαίνοντα ὑπὸ τῷ κράνει, καὶ μάλιστα ἢν καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ὥσπερ νῦν τὸ μεσημβρινὸν ἐπιφλέγῃ. οἷς τί ἄν τις χρήσαιτο διψῶσι καὶ τὸν κονιορτὸν οὐκ ἀνεχομένοις καὶ εἰ αἷμα ἴδοιεν, εὐθὺς ταραττομένοις καὶ προαποθνήσκουσι πρὶν ἐντὸς βέλους γενέσθαι καὶ εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τοῖς πολεμίοις; οὗτοι δὲ ἡμῖν ὑπέρυθροι εἰς τὸ μελάντερον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου κεχρωσμένοι καὶ ἀρρενωποί, πολὺ τὸ ἔμψυχον καὶ θερμὸν καὶ ἀνδρῶδες ἐπιφαίνοντες, τοσαύτης εὐεξίας ἀπολάμποντες, οὔτε ῥικνοὶ καὶ κατεσκληκότες οὔτε περιπληθεῖς εἰς βάρος, ἀλλὰ εἰς τὸ σύμμετρον περιγεγραμμένοι, τὸ μὲν ἀχρεῖον τῶν σαρκῶν καὶ περιττὸν τοῖς ἱδρῶσιν ἐξαναλωκότες, ὃ δὲ ἰσχὺν καὶ τόνον παρεῖχεν ἀμιγὲς τοῦ φαύλου περιλελειμμένον ἐρρωμένως φυλάττοντες. ὅπερ γὰρ δὴ οἱ λικμῶντες τὸν πυρόν, τοῦτο ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ γυμνάσια ἐργάζεται ἐν τοῖς σώμασι, τὴν μὲν ἄχνην καὶ τοὺς ἀθέρας ἀποφυσῶντα, καθαρὸν δὲ τὸν καρπὸν διευκρινοῦντα καὶ προσωρεύοντα.

[¶3] 26. Consequently a man like that cannot help keeping well and holding out protractedly under exhausting labours; it would be long before he would begin to sweat, and he would rarely be found ill. It is as if you should take firebrands and throw them simultaneously into the wheat itself and into its straw and chaff—for I am going back again to the winnower. The straw, I take it, would blaze up far more quickly, while the wheat would burn slowly, not with a great blaze springing up nor at a single burst, but smouldering gradually, until in course of time it too was totally consumed. Neither illness nor fatigue, then, could easily invade and rack such a body, or readily overmaster it; for it has been well stocked within and very strongly fortified against them without, so as not to admit them, nor yet to receive either sun itself or frost to the detriment of the body. To prevent giving way under hardships, abundant energy that gushes up from within, since it has been made ready long beforehand and stored away for the emergency, fills them at once, watering them with vigour, and makes them unwearying for a very long period, for their great preliminary hardships and fatigues do not squander their strength but increase it; the more you fan its flame, the greater it becomes.

> Greek: 26. Σόλων: καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὑγιαίνειν τε ἀνάγκη καὶ ἐπὶ μήκιστον διαρκεῖν ἐν τοῖς καμάτοις· ὀψέ τε ἂν ἰδίειν ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄρξαιτο καὶ ὀλιγάκις ἂν ἀσθενῶν φανείη. ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ πῦρ τις φέρων ἅμα ἐμβάλοι εἰς πυρὸν αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν καλάμην αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τὴν ἄχνην — αὖθις γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸν λικμῶντα ἐπάνειμι — θᾶττον ἄν, οἶμαι, παρὰ πολὺ ἡ καλάμη ἀναφλεγείη, ὁ δὲ πυρὸς κατʼ ὀλίγον οὔτε φλογὸς μεγάλης ἀνισταμένης οὔτε ὑπὸ μιᾷ τῇ ὁρμῇ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μικρὸν ὑποτυφόμενος χρόνῳ ὕστερον καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν κατακαυθείη. οὐ τοίνυν οὐδὲ νόσος οὐδὲ κάματος εἰς τοιοῦτο σῶμα ἐμπεσόντα ῥᾳδίως ἐλέγξειεν ἂν οὐδʼ ἐπικρατήσειεν εὐμαρῶς· ἔνδοθέν τε γὰρ εὖ παρεσκεύασται αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ ἔξω μάλα καρτερῶς πέφρακται πρὸς αὐτά, ὡς μὴ παριέναι εἰς τὸ εἴσω, μηδὲ παραδέχεσθαι μήτε ἥλιον αὐτὸν μήτε κρύος ἐπὶ λύμῃ τοῦ σώματος. πρός τε τὸ ἐνδιδὸν ἐν τοῖς πόνοις πολὺ τὸ θερμὸν τὸ ἔνδοθεν ἐπιρρέον, ἅτε ἐκ πολλοῦ προπαρεσκευασμένον καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν χρείαν ἀποκείμενον, ἀναπληροῖ εὐθὺς ἐπάρδον τῇ ἀκμῇ καὶ ἀκαμάτους ἐπὶ πλεῖστον παρέχεται· τὸ γὰρ προπονῆσαι πολλὰ καὶ προκαμεῖν οὐκ ἀνάλωσιν τῆς ἰσχύος, ἀλλʼ ἐπίδοσιν ἐργάζεται, καὶ ἀναρριπιζομένη πλείων γίγνεται.

[¶4] 27. Furthermore, we train them to be good runners, habituating them to hold out for a long distance, and also making them light-footed for extreme speed in a short distance. And the running is not done on hard, resisting ground but in deep sand, where it is not easy to plant one’s foot solidly or to get a purchase with it, since it slips from under one as the sand gives way beneath it. We also train them to jump a ditch, if need be, or any other obstacle, even carrying lead weights as large as they can grasp. Then too they compete in throwing the javelin for distance. And you saw another implement in the gymnasium, made of bronze, circular, resembling a little shield without handle or straps; in fact, you tested it as it lay there, and thought it heavy and hard to hold on account of its smoothness. Well, they throw that high into the air and also to a distance, vying to see who can go the farthest and throw beyond the rest. This exercise strengthens their shoulders and puts muscle into their arms and legs.

> Greek: 27. Σόλων: καὶ μὴν καὶ δρομικοὺς εἶναι ἀσκοῦμεν αὐτοὺς εἰς μῆκός τε διαρκεῖν ἐθίζοντες καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐν βραχεῖ ὠκύτατον ἐπικουφίζοντες· καὶ ὁ δρόμος οὐ πρὸς τὸ στερρὸν καὶ ἀντίτυπον, ἀλλὰ ἐν ψάμμῳ βαθείᾳ, ἔνθα οὔτε βεβαίως ἀπερεῖσαι τὴν βάσιν οὔτε ἐπιστηρίξαι ῥᾴδιον ὑποσυρομένου πρὸς τὸ ὑπεῖκον τοῦ ποδός. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπεράλλεσθαι τάφρον, εἰ δέοι, ἢ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἐμπόδιον, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ἀσκοῦνται ἡμῖν, ἔτι καὶ μολυβδίδας χειροπληθεῖς ἐν ταῖν χεροῖν ἔχοντες. εἶτα περὶ ἀκοντίου βολῆς εἰς μῆκος ἁμιλλῶνται. εἶδες δὲ καὶ ἄλλο τι ἐν τῷ γυμνασίῳ χαλκοῦν περιφερές, ἀσπίδι μικρᾷ ἐοικὸς ὄχανον οὐκ ἐχούσῃ οὐδὲ τελαμῶνας, καὶ ἐπειράθης γε αὐτοῦ κειμένου ἐν τῷ μέσῳ καὶ ἐδόκει σοι βαρὺ καὶ δύσληπτον ὑπὸ λειότητος. ἐκεῖνο τοίνυν ἄνω τε ἀναρριπτοῦσιν εἰς τὸν ἀέρα καὶ εἰς τὸ πόρρω, φιλοτιμούμενοι ὅστις ἐπὶ μήκιστον ἐξέλθοι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὑπερβάλοιτο· καὶ ὁ πόνος οὗτος ὤμους τε αὐτῶν κρατύνει καὶ τόνον τοῖς ἄκροις ἐντίθησιν.

[¶5] 28. As for the mud and the dust, which you thought rather ludicrous in the beginning, you amazing person, let me tell you why it is put down. In the first place, so that instead of taking their tumbles on a hard surface they may fall with impunity on a soft one; secondly, their slipperiness is necessarily greater when they are sweaty and muddy. This feature, in which you compared them to eels, is not useless or ludicrous; it contributes not a little to strength and muscle when both are in this condition and each has to grip the other firmly and hold him fast while he tries to slip away. And as for picking up a. man who is muddy, sweaty, and oily while he does his best to break away and squirm out of your hands, do not think it a trifle! All this, as I said before, is of use in war, in case one should need to pick up a wounded friend and carry him out of the fight with ease, or to snatch up an enemy and come back with him in one’s arms, So we train them beyond measure, setting them hard tasks that: they may manage smaller ones with far greater ease.

> Greek: 28. Σόλων: ὁ πηλὸς δὲ καὶ ἡ κόνις, ἅπερ σοι γελοιότερα ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔδοξεν, ἄκουσον, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὅτου ἕνεκα ὑποβέβληται. πρῶτον μέν, ὡς μὴ ἐπὶ τὸ κραταιὸν ἡ πτῶσις αὐτοῖς γίγνοιτο, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὸ μαλακὸν ἀσφαλῶς πίπτοιεν· ἔπειτα καὶ τὸν ὄλισθον ἀνάγκη πλείω γίγνεσθαι, ἱδρούντων ἐν τῷ πηλῷ, ὃ σὺ ταῖς ἐγχέλεσιν εἴκαζες, οὐκ ἀχρεῖον οὐδὲ γελοῖον ὄν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο εἰς ἰσχὺν καὶ τόνον οὐκ ὀλίγα συντελεῖ, ὁπόταν οὕτως ἐχόντων ἀλλήλων ἀναγκάζωνται ἐγκρατῶς ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ συνέχειν διολισθάνοντας· αἴρεσθαί τε ἐν πηλῷ ἱδρωκότα μετʼ ἐλαίου, ἐκπεσεῖν καὶ διαρρυῆναι τῶν χειρῶν σπουδάζοντα, μὴ μικρὸν εἶναι νόμιζε. καὶ ταῦτα πάντα, ὥσπερ ἔφην ἔμπροσθεν, εἰς τοὺς πολέμους καὶ χρήσιμα, εἰ δέοι φίλον τρωθέντα ῥᾳδίως ἀράμενον ὑπεξενεγκεῖν ἢ καὶ πολέμιον συναρπάσαντα ἥκειν μετέωρον κομίζοντα. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς ὑπερβολὴν ἀσκοῦμεν, τὰ χαλεπώτερα προτιθέντες ὡς τὰ μικρότερα μακρῷ εὐκολώτερον φέροιεν.

[¶6] 29. The dust we think to be of use for the opposite purpose, to prevent them from slipping away when they are grasped. After they have been trained in the mud to hold fast what eludes them because of its oiliness, they are given practice in escaping out of their opponent’s hands when they themselves are caught, even though they are held in a sure grip. Moreover, the dust, sprinkled on when the sweat is pouring out in profusion, is thought to check it; it makes their strength endure long, and hinders them from being harmed by the wind blowing upon their bodies, which are then unresisting and have the pores open. Besides, it rubs off the dirt and makes the man cleaner. I should like to put side by side one of those white-skinned fellows who have lived in the shade and any one you might select of the athletes in the Lyceum, after I had washed off the mud and the dust, and to ask you which of the two you would pray to be like. I know that even without testing each to see what he could do, you would immediately choose on first sight to be firm and hard rather than delicate and mushy and white because your blood is scanty and withdraws to the interior of the body.

> Greek: 29. Σόλων: τὴν μέντοι κόνιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἐναντίον χρησίμην οἰόμεθα εἶναι, ὡς μὴ διολισθάνοιεν συμπλεκόμενοι. ἐπειδὰν γὰρ ἐν τῷ πηλῷ ἀσκηθῶσιν συνέχειν τὸ διαδιδρᾶσκον ὑπὸ γλισχρότητος, ἐθίζονται ἐκφεύγειν αὐτοὶ ληφθέντες ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἀφύκτῳ ἐχόμενοι. καὶ μὴν καὶ τὸν ἱδρῶτα συνέχειν δοκεῖ ἡ κόνις ἀθρόον ἐκχεόμενον ἐπιπαττομένη, καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ διαρκεῖν ποιεῖ τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ κώλυμα γίγνεται μὴ βλάπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνέμων ἀραιοῖς τότε καὶ ἀνεῳγόσιν τοῖς σώμασιν ἐμπιπτόντων. ἄλλως τε καὶ τὸν ῥύπον ἀποσμᾷ καὶ στιλπνότερον ποιεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα. καὶ ἔγωγε ἡδέως ἂν παραστησάμενος πλησίον τῶν τε λευκῶν τινα ἐκείνων καὶ ὑπὸ σκιᾷ δεδιῃτημένων καὶ ὃν ἂν ἕλῃ τῶν ἐν τῷ Λυκείῳ γυμναζομένων, ἀποπλύνας τὴν κόνιν καὶ τὸν πηλόν, ἐροίμην ἄν σε ποτέρῳ ἂν ὅμοιος εὔξαιο γενέσθαι· οἶδα γὰρ ὡς αὐτίκα ἕλοιο ἂν ἐκ πρώτης προσόψεως, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων πειραθείης ἑκατέρου, συνεστηκὼς καὶ συγκεκροτημένος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ θρύπτεσθαι καὶ διαρρεῖν καὶ λευκὸς εἶναι ἀπορίᾳ καὶ φυγῇ εἰς τὰ εἴσω τοῦ αἵματος.

[¶7] 30. That, Anacharsis, is the training we give our young men, expecting them to become stout guardians of our city, and that we shall live in freedom through them, conquering our foes if they attack us and keeping our neighbours in dread of us, so that most of them will cower at our feet and pay tribute. In peace, too, we find them far better, for nothing that is base appeals to their ambitions and idleness does not incline them to arrogance, but exercises such as these give them diversion and keep them occupied. The chief good of the public and the supreme felicity of the state, which I mentioned before, are attained when our young men, striving at our behest for the fairest objects, have been most efficiently prepared both for peace and for war.

> Greek: 30. Σόλων: ταῦτʼ ἔστιν, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, ἃ τοὺς νέους ἡμεῖς ἀσκοῦμεν οἰόμενοι φύλακας ἡμῖν τῆς πόλεως ἀγαθοὺς γενέσθαι καὶ ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ βιώσεσθαι διʼ αὐτούς, κρατοῦντες μὲν τῶν δυσμενῶν εἰ ἐπίοιεν, φοβεροὶ δὲ τοῖς περιοίκοις ὄντες, ὡς ὑποπτήσσειν τε καὶ ὑποτελεῖν ἡμῖν τοὺς πλείστους αὐτῶν. ἐν εἰρήνῃ τε αὖ πολὺ ἀμείνοσιν αὐτοῖς χρώμεθα περὶ μηδὲν τῶν αἰσχρῶν φιλοτιμουμένοις μηδʼ ὑπʼ ἀργίας εἰς ὕβριν τρεπομένοις, ἀλλὰ περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα διατρίβουσιν καὶ ἀσχόλοις οὖσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ ὅπερ ἔφην τὸ κοινὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὴν ἄκραν πόλεως εὐδαιμονίαν, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν, ὁπότε εἰς τε εἰρήνην καὶ εἰς πόλεμον τὰ ἄριστα παρεσκευασμένη φαίνοιτο ἡ νεότης περὶ τὰ κάλλιστα ἡμῖν σπουδάζοντες.

[¶8] 31. ANACHARSIS Then if the enemy attack you, Solon, you yourselves will take the field rubbed with oil and covered with dust, shaking your fists at them, and they, of course, will cower at your feet and run away, fearing that while they are agape in stupefaction you may sprinkle sand in their mouths, or that after jumping behind them so as to get on their backs, you may wind your legs about their bellies and strangle them by putting an arm under their helmets. Yes, by Zeus, they will shoot their arrows, naturally, and throw their spears, but the missiles will not affect you any more than as if you were statues, tanned as you are by the sun and supplied in abundance with blood. You are not straw or chaff, so as to give in quickly under their blows; it would be only after Jong and strenuous effort, when you are all cut up with deep wounds, that you would show a few drops of blood. This is the gist of what you say, unless I have completely misunderstood your comparison.

> Greek: 31. Ἀνάχαρσις: οὐκοῦν, ὦ Σόλων, ἤν ποτε ὑμῖν ἐπίωσιν οἱ πολέμιοι, χρισάμενοι τῷ ἐλαίῳ καὶ κονισάμενοι πρόιτε καὶ αὐτοὶ πὺξ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς προβεβλημένοι, κἀκεῖνοι δηλαδὴ ὑποπτήσσουσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ φεύγουσιν δεδιότες μὴ σφίσι κεχηνόσι πάσσητε τὴν ψάμμον εἰς τὸ στόμα ἢ περιπηδήσαντες, ὡς κατὰ νώτου γένησθε, περιπλέξητε αὐτοῖς τὰ σκέλη περὶ τὴν γαστέρα καὶ διάγχητε ὑπὸ τὸ κράνος ὑποβαλόντες τὸν πῆχυν. καὶ μὴ Δίʼ οἱ μὲν τοξεύσουσι δῆλον ὅτι καὶ ἀκοντιοῦσιν, ὑμῶν δὲ ὥσπερ ἀνδριάντων οὐ καθίξεται τὰ βέλη κεχρωσμένων πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον καὶ πολὺ τὸ αἷμα πεπορισμένων. οὐ γὰρ καλάμη καὶ ἀθέρες ὑμεῖς ἐστε, ὡς τάχιστα ἐνδιδόναι πρὸς τὰς πληγάς, ἀλλὰ ὀψέ ποτε ἂν καὶ μόλις κατατεμνόμενοι βαθέσι τοῖς τραύμασιν αἷμα ὀλίγον ὑποδείξαιτε. τοιαῦτα γὰρ φής, εἰ μὴ πάνυ παρήκουσα τοῦ παραδείγματος.

[¶9] 32. Or else you will then assume those panoplies of the comedians and tragedians, and if a sally is proposed to you, you will put on those wide-mouthed headpieces in order that you may be more formidable to your opponents by playing bogey-man, and will of course wear those high shoes, for they will be light to run away in, if need be, and hard for the enemy to escape from, if you go in pursuit, when you take such great strides in chase of them. No, I am afraid that all these clever tricks of yours are silliness, nothing but child’s play, amusements for your young men who have nothing to do and want to lead an easy life. If you wish, whatever betides, to be free and happy, you will require other forms of athletics and real training, that is to say, under arms, and you will not compete against each other in sport, but against the enemy, learning courage in perilous conflict. So let them give up the dust and the oil; teach them to draw the bow and throw the spear; and do not give them light javelins that can be deflected by the wind, but let them have a heavy lance that whistles when it is hurled, a stone as large as they can grasp, a double axe, a target in their left hand, a breastplate, and a helmet.

> Greek: 32. Ἀνάχαρσις: ἢ τὰς πανοπλίας ἐκείνας τότε ἀναλήψεσθε τὰς τῶν κωμῳδῶν τε καὶ τραγῳδῶν, καὶ ἢν προτεθῇ ὑμῖν ἔξοδος, ἐκεῖνα τὰ κράνη περιθήσεσθε τὰ κεχηνότα, ὡς φοβερώτεροι εἴητε τοῖς ἐναντίοις μορμολυττόμενοι αὐτούς, καὶ ὑποδήσεσθε τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἐκεῖνα δηλαδή· φεύγουσί τε γάρ, ἢν δέῃ, κοῦφα, καὶ ἢν διώκητε, ἄφυκτα τοῖς πολεμίοις ἔσται, ὑμῶν οὕτω μεγάλα διαβαινόντων ἐπʼ αὐτούς. ἀλλʼ ὅρα μὴ ταῦτα μὲν ὑμῖν τὰ κομψὰ λῆρος ᾖ καὶ παιδιὰ ἄλλως καὶ διατριβαὶ ἀργοῦσι καὶ ῥᾳθυμεῖν ἐθέλουσι τοῖς νεανίσκοις. εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε πάντως ἐλεύθεροι καὶ εὐδαίμονες εἶναι, ἄλλων ὑμῖν γυμνασίων δεήσει καὶ ἀσκήσεως ἀληθινῆς τῆς ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις, καὶ ἡ ἅμιλλα οὐ πρὸς ἀλλήλους μετὰ παιδιᾶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς δυσμενεῖς ἔσται μετὰ κινδύνων μελετῶσι τὴν ἀρετήν. ὥστε ἀφέντας τὴν κόνιν καὶ τὸ ἔλαιον δίδασκε αὐτοὺς τοξεύειν καὶ ἀκοντίζειν μὴ κοῦφα διδοὺς τὰ ἀκόντια καὶ οἷα διαφέρεσθαι πρὸς τὸν ἄνεμον, ἀλλʼ ἔστω λόγχη βαρεῖα μετὰ συριγμοῦ ἑλιττομένη καὶ λίθος χειροπληθὴς καὶ σάγαρις καὶ γέρρον ἐν τῇ ἀριστερᾷ καὶ θώραξ καὶ κράνος.

[¶10] 33. In your present condition, it seems to me that you are being saved by the grace of some god or other, seeing that you have not yet been wiped out by the onfall ef a handful of light-armed troops. Look here, if I should draw this little dirk at my belt and fall upon all your young men by myself, I should capture the gymnasium with a mere hurrah, for they would run away and not one would dare to face the steel; no, they would gather about the statues and hide behind the pillars, making me laugh while most of them cried and trembled. Then you would see that they were no longer ruddy-bodied as they are now; they would all turn pale on the instant, dyed to another hue by fright. Profound peace has brought you to such a pass that you could not easily endure to see a single plume of a hostile helmet.

> Greek: 33. Ἀνάχαρσις: ὡς δὲ νῦν ἔχετε, θεῶν τινος εὐμενείᾳ σώζεσθαί μοι δοκεῖτε, οἳ μηδέπω ἀπολώλατε ὑπό τινων ὀλίγων ψιλῶν ἐπιπεσόντων. ἰδού γέ τοι ἢν σπασάμενος τὸ μικρὸν τοῦτο ξιφίδιον τὸ παρὰ τὴν ζώνην μόνος ἐπεισπέσω τοῖς νέοις ὑμῶν ἅπασιν, αὐτοβοεὶ ἂν ἕλοιμι τὸ γυμνάσιον φυγόντων ἐκείνων καὶ οὐδενὸς ἀντιβλέπειν τῷ σιδήρῳ τολμῶντος, ἀλλὰ περὶ τοὺς ἀνδριάντας ἂν περιιστάμενοι καὶ περὶ τοὺς κίονας κατακρυπτόμενοι γέλωτα ἄν μοι παράσχοιεν δακρύοντες οἱ πολλοὶ καὶ τρέμοντες. καὶ τότʼ ἂν ἴδοις οὐκέτι ἐρυθριῶντας αὐτοὺς τὰ σώματα οἷοι νῦν εἰσιν, ἀλλὰ ὠχροὶ ἅπαντες αὐτίκα γένοιντʼ ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους μεταβαφέντες. οὕτως ὑμᾶς ἡ εἰρήνη διατέθεικε βαθεῖα οὖσα, ὡς μὴ ἂν ῥᾳδίως ἀνασχέσθαι λόφον ἕνα κράνους πολεμίου ἰδόντας.

[¶11] 34. SOLON The Thracians who campaigned against us with Eumolpus did not say so, Anacharsis, nor your women who marched against the. city with Hippolyta, nor any others who have tested us under arms. It does not follow, my unsophisticated friend, that because our young men’s bodies are thus naked while we are developing them, they are therefore undefended by armour when we lead them out into dangers. When they become efficient in themselves, they are then trained with arms and can make far better use of them because they are so well conditioned. ANACHARSIS Where do you do this training under arms? I have not seen anything of the sort in the city, though I have gone all about the whole of it. SOLON But you would see it, Anacharsis, if you should stop with us longer, and also arms for every man in great quantity, which we use when it is necessary, and crests and trappings and horses, and cavalrymen amounting to nearly a fourth of our citizens. But to bear arms always and carry a dirk at one’s belt is, we think, superfluous in time of peace; in fact, there is a penalty prescribed for anyone who carries weapons unnecessarily within the city limits or brings armour out into a public place. As for your people, you may be pardoned for always living under arms. Your dwelling in unfortified places makes it easy to attack you, and your wars are very numerous, and nobody knows when someone may come upon him asleep, drag him down from his wagon, and kill him. Besides, your distrust of one another, inasmuch as your relations with each other are adjusted by individual caprice and not by law, makes steel always necessary, so as to be at hand for defence if anyone should use violence.

> Greek: 34. Σόλων: οὐ ταῦτα ἔφασαν, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, Θρᾳκῶν τε ὅσοι μετʼ Εὐμόλπου ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἐστράτευσαν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμῶν αἱ μετὰ Ἱππολύτης ἐλάσασαι ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν οὐδὲ οἱ ἄλλοι ὅσοι ἡμῶν ἐν ὅπλοις ἐπειράθησαν. ἡμεῖς γάρ, ὦ μακάριε, οὐκ ἐπείπερ οὕτω γυμνὰ τὰ σώματα ἐκπονοῦμεν τῶν νέων, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἄνοπλα ἐξάγομεν ἐπὶ τοὺς κινδύνους, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὰν καθʼ αὑτοὺς ἄριστοι γένωνται, ἀσκοῦνται τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο σὺν τοῖς ὅπλοις, καὶ πολὺ ἄμεινον χρήσαιντʼ ἂν αὐτοῖς οὕτω διακείμενοι. Ἀνάχαρσις: καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο ὑμῖν ἐστι τὸ γυμνάσιον τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις; οὐ γὰρ εἶδον ἔγωγε ἐν τῇ πόλει τοιοῦτον οὐδέν, ἅπασαν αὐτὴν ἐν κύκλῳ περιελθών. Σόλων: ἀλλὰ ἴδοις ἄν, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, ἐπὶ πλέον ἡμῖν συνδιατρίψας, καὶ ὅπλα ἑκάστῳ μάλα πολλά, οἷς χρώμεθα ὁπόταν ἀναγκαῖον ᾖ, καὶ λόφους καὶ φάλαρα καὶ ἵππους, καὶ ἱππέας σχεδὸν τὸ τέταρτον τῶν πολιτῶν. τὸ μέντοι ὁπλοφορεῖν ἀεὶ καὶ ἀκινάκην παρεζῶσθαι περιττὸν ἐν εἰρήνῃ οἰόμεθα εἶναι, καὶ πρόστιμόν γʼ ἔστιν, ὅστις ἐν ἄστει σιδηροφοροίη μηδὲν δέον ἢ ὅπλα ἐξενέγκοι εἰς τὸ δημόσιον. ὑμεῖς δὲ συγγνωστοὶ ἐν ὅπλοις ἀεὶ βιοῦντες· τό τε γὰρ ἐν ἀφράκτῳ οἰκεῖν ῥᾴδιον εἰς ἐπιβουλήν, καὶ οἱ πόλεμοι μάλα πολλοί, καὶ ἄδηλον ὁπότε τις ἐπιστὰς κοιμώμενον κατασπάσας ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμάξης φονεύσειεν· ἥ τε πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀπιστία, αὐθαιρέτως καὶ μὴ ἐν νόμῳ συμπολιτευομένων, ἀναγκαῖον ἀεὶ τὸν σίδηρον ποιεῖ, ὡς πλησίον εἶναι ἀμυνοῦντα, εἴ τις βιάζοιτο.

[¶12] 35. ANACHARSIS Then is it possible, Solon, that while you think it superfluous to carry weapons without urgent reason, and are careful of your arms in order that they may not be spoiled by handling, keeping them in store with the intention of using them some day, when need arises; yet when no danger threatens you wear out the bodies of your young men by mauling them and wasting them away in sweat, not husbanding their strength until it is needed but expending it fruitlessly in the mud and dust? SOLON Apparently, Anacharsis, you think that strength is like wine or water or some other liquid. Anyhow, you are afraid that during exertions it may leak away unnoticed as if from an earthen jar, and then be gone, leaving our bodies empty and dry, since they are not filled up again with anything from within. As a matter of fact, this is not the case, my friend: the more one draws it out by exertions, the more it flows in, like the fable of the Hydra, if you have heard it, which says that when one head was cut off, two others always grew up in ‘its place. But if a man is undeveloped from the beginning, and untempered, and has an insufficient substratum of reserve material, then he may be injured and reduced in flesh by exertions. Something similar is the case with a fire and a lamp; for with one and the same breath you can start the fire afresh and speedily make it greater, stimulating it with your blowing, and you can put out the light of the lamp, which has not an adequate supply of fuel to maintain itself against the oppvsing blast: the root from which it sprang was not strong, I suppose.

> Greek: 35. Ἀνάχαρσις: εἶτα, ὦ Σόλων, σιδηροφορεῖν μὲν οὐδενὸς ἀναγκαίου ἕνεκα περιττὸν ὑμῖν δοκεῖ, καὶ τῶν ὅπλων φείδεσθε, ὡς μὴ διὰ χειρὸς ὄντα φθείροιτο, ἀλλὰ φυλάττετε ἀποκείμενα ὡς χρησόμενοι τότε, τῆς χρείας ἐπιστάσης· τὰ δὲ σώματα τῶν νέων οὐδενὸς δεινοῦ ἐπείγοντος καταπονεῖτε παίοντες καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἱδρώτων καταναλίσκοντες, οὐ ταμιευόμενοι πρὸς τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τὰς ἀλκὰς αὐτῶν, ἀλλʼ εἰκῆ ἐν τῷ πηλῷ καὶ τῇ κόνει ἐκχέοντες; Σόλων: ἔοικας, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, τοιόνδε τι δυνάμεως πέρι ἐννοεῖν, ὡς οἴνῳ ἢ ὕδατι ἢ ἄλλῳ τῶν ὑγρῶν ὁμοίαν αὐτὴν οὖσαν. δέδιας οὖν μὴ ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀγγείου κεραμεοῦ λάθῃ διαρρυεῖσα ἐν τοῖς πόνοις κᾆτα ἡμῖν κενὸν καὶ ξηρὸν οἴχηται τὸ σῶμα καταλιποῦσα ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἔνδοθεν ἀναπληρούμενον. τὸ δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχει σοι, ἀλλὰ ὅσῳ τις ἂν αὐτὴν ἐξαντλῇ τοῖς πόνοις, τοσῷδε μᾶλλον ἐπιρρεῖ κατὰ τὸν περὶ τῆς Ὕδρας μῦθον, εἴ τινα ἤκουσας, ὡς ἀντὶ μιᾶς κεφαλῆς τμηθείσης δύʼ ἀεὶ ἄλλαι ἀνεφύοντο. ἢν δὲ ἀγύμναστος ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἄτονος ᾖ μηδὲ διαρκῆ τὴν ὕλην ἔχῃ ὑποβεβλημένην, τότε ὑπὸ τῶν καμάτων βλάπτοιτο ἂν καὶ καταμαραίνοιτο, οἷόν τι ἐπὶ πυρὸς καὶ λύχνου γίγνεται. ὑπὸ γὰρ τῷ αὐτῷ φυσήματι τὸ μὲν πῦρ ἀνακαύσειας ἂν καὶ μεῖζον ἐν βραχεῖ ποιήσειας παραθήγων τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ τὸ τοῦ λύχνου φῶς ἀποσβέσειας οὐκ ἔχον ἀποχρῶσαν τῆς ὕλης τὴν χορηγίαν, ὡς διαρκῆ εἶναι πρὸς τὸ ἀντιπνέον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπʼ ἰσχυρᾶς, οἶμαι, τῆς ῥίζης ἀνεφύετο.

[¶13] 36. ANACHARSIS I do not understand this at all, Solon; what you have said is too subtle for me, requiring keen intellect and penetrating discernment. But do by all means tell me why it is that in the Olympic and Isthmian and Pythian and the other games, where many, you say, come together to see the young men competing, you never match them under arms but bring them out naked and show them receiving kicks and blows, and when they have won you give them apples and parsley. It is worth while to know why you do so
SOLON We think, Anacharsis, that their zeal for the athletic exercises will be increased if they see those who excel in them receiving honours and having their names proclaimed before the assembled Greeks. For this reason, expecting to appear unclothed before so many people, they try to attain good physical condition so that they may not be ashamed of themselves when they are stripped, and each makes himself as fit to win as he can. Furthermore, the prizes, as I said before, are not trivial—to be praised by the spectators, to become a man of mark, and to be pointed at with the finger as the best of one’s class. Therefore many of the spectators, who are still young enough for training, go away immoderately in love with manfulness and hard work as a result of all this. Really, Anacharsis, if the love of fame should be banished out of the world, what new blessing should we ever acquire, or who would want to do any glorious deed? But as things are, even from these contests they give you an opportunity to infer what they would be in war, defending country, children, wives, and fanes with weapons and armour, when contending naked for parsley and apples they bring into it so much zeal for victory.

> Greek: 36. Ἀνάχαρσις: ταυτὶ μέν, ὦ Σόλων, οὐ πάνυ συνίημι· λεπτότερα γὰρ ἢ κατʼ ἐμὲ εἴρηκας, ἀκριβοῦς τινος φροντίδος καὶ διανοίας ὀξὺ δεδορκυίας δεόμενα. ἐκεῖνο δέ μοι πάντως εἰπέ, τίνος ἕνεκα οὐχὶ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι τοῖς Ὀλυμπίασι καὶ Ἰσθμοῖ καὶ Πυθοῖ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ὁπότε πολλοί, ὡς φής, συνίασιν ὀψόμενοι τοὺς νέους ἀγωνιζομένους, οὐδέποτε ἐν ὅπλοις ποιεῖσθε τὴν ἅμιλλαν, ἀλλὰ γυμνοὺς εἰς τὸ μέσον παραγαγόντες λακτιζομένους καὶ παιομένους ἐπιδείκνυτε καὶ νικήσασι μῆλα καὶ κότινον δίδοτε; ἄξιον γὰρ εἰδέναι τοῦτό γε, οὗτινος ἕνεκα οὕτω ποιεῖτε. Σόλων: ἡγούμεθα γάρ, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, τὴν εἰς τὰ γυμνάσια προθυμίαν οὕτως ἂν πλείω ἐγγενέσθαι αὐτοῖς, εἰ τοὺς ἀριστεύοντας ἐν τούτοις ἴδοιεν τιμωμένους καὶ ἀνακηρυττομένους ἐν μέσοις τοῖς Ἕλλησι. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὡς εἰς τοσούτους ἀποδυσόμενοι εὐεξίας τε ἐπιμελοῦνται, ὡς μὴ αἰσχύνοιντο γυμνωθέντες, καὶ ἀξιονικότατον ἕκαστος αὑτὸν ἀπεργάζεται. καὶ τὰ ἆθλα, ὥσπερ ἔμπροσθεν εἶπον, οὐ μικρά, ὁ ἔπαινος ὁ παρὰ τῶν θεατῶν καὶ τὸ ἐπισημότατον γενέσθαι καὶ δείκνυσθαι τῷ δακτύλῳ ἄριστον εἶναι τῶν καθʼ αὑτὸν δοκοῦντα. τοιγάρτοι πολλοὶ τῶν θεατῶν, οἷς καθʼ ἡλικίαν ἔτι ἄσκησις, ἀπίασιν οὐ μετρίως ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων ἀρετῆς καὶ πόνων ἐρασθέντες. ὡς εἴ γέ τις, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, τὸν τῆς εὐκλείας ἔρωτα ἐκβάλοι ἐκ τοῦ βίου, τί ἂν ἔτι ἀγαθὸν ἡμῖν γένοιτο, ἢ τίς ἄν τι λαμπρὸν ἐργάσασθαι ἐπιθυμήσειεν; νῦν δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων εἰκάζειν παρέχοιεν ἄν σοι, ὁποῖοι ἐν πολέμοις ὑπὲρ πατρίδος καὶ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ ἱερῶν γένοιντʼ ἂν ὅπλα ἔχοντες οἱ κοτίνου πέρι καὶ μήλων γυμνοὶ τοσαύτην προθυμίαν εἰς τὸ νικᾶν εἰσφερόμενοι.

[¶14] 37. What would your feelings be if you should see quail-fights and cock-fights here among us, and no little interest taken in them? You would laugh, of course, particularly if you discovered that we do it in compliance with law, and that all those of military age are required to present themselves and watch the birds spar to the uttermost limit of exhaustion. Yet this is not laughable, either: their souls are gradually penetrated by an appetite for dangers, in order that they may not seem baser and more cowardly than the cocks, and may not show the white feather early on account of wounds or weariness or any other hardship.

> Greek: 37. Σόλων: καίτοι τί ἂν πάθοις, εἰ θεάσαιο καὶ ὀρτύγων καὶ ἀλεκτρυόνων ἀγῶνας παρʼ ἡμῖν καὶ σπουδὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐ μικράν; ἢ γελάσῃ δῆλον ὅτι, καὶ μάλιστα ἢν μάθῃς ὡς ὑπὸ νόμῳ αὐτὸ δρῶμεν καὶ προστέτακται πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ παρεῖναι καὶ ὁρᾶν τὰ ὄρνεα διαπυκτεύοντα μέχρι τῆς ἐσχάτης ἀπαγορεύσεως; ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τοῦτο γελοῖον· ὑποδύεται γάρ τις ἠρέμα ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὁρμὴ εἰς τοὺς κινδύνους, ὡς μὴ ἀγεννέστεροι καὶ ἀτολμότεροι φαίνοιντο τῶν ἀλεκτρυόνων μηδὲ προαπαγορεύοιεν ὑπὸ τραυμάτων ἢ καμάτου ἤ του ἄλλου δυσχεροῦς. τὸ δὲ δὴ ἐν ὅπλοις πειρᾶσθαι αὐτῶν καὶ ὁρᾶν τιτρωσκομένους — ἄπαγε· θηριῶδες γὰρ καὶ δεινῶς σκαιὸν καὶ προσέτι γε ἀλυσιτελὲς ἀποσφάττειν τοὺς ἀρίστους καὶ οἷς ἄν τις ἄμεινον χρήσαιτο κατὰ τῶν δυσμενῶν.

[¶15] 38. As for testing them under arms, and watching them get wounded—no! It is bestial and terribly cruel and, more than that, unprofitable to kill off the most efficient men who can be used to better advantage against the enemy. As you say that you intend to visit the rest of Greece, Anacharsis, bear it in mind if ever you go to Sparta not to laugh at them, either, and not to suppose that they are exerting themselves for nothing when they rush together and strike one another in the theatre over a ball, or when they go into a place surrounded by water, divide into companies and treat one another like enemies, naked as with us, until one company drives the other out of the enclosure, crowding them into the water—the Heraclids driving out the Lycurgids, or the reverse—after which there is peace in future and nobody would think of striking a blow. Above all, do not laugh if you see them getting flogged at the altar and dripping blood while their fathers and mothers stand by and are so far from being distressed by what is going on that they actually threaten to punish them if they should not bear up under the stripes, and beseech them to endure the pain as long as possible and be staunch under the torture. Asa matter of fact, many have died in the competition, not deigning to give in before the eyes of their kinsmen while they still had life in them, or even to move a muscle of their bodies; you will see honours paid to their statues, which have been set up at public cost by the state of Sparta. When you see all that, do not suppose them crazy, and do not say that they are undergoing misery without any stringent reason, since it is due neither to a tyrant’s violence nor to an enemy’s maltreatment. Lycurgus, their law-giver, could defend it by telling you many good reasons which he has discerned for punishing them; he is not unfriendly to them, and does not do it out of hatred, nor is he wantonly wasting the young blood of the city, but he desires that those who are destined to preserve their country should be tremendously staunch and superior to every fear. Yet, even if Lycurgus does not say so, you see for yourself, I suppose, that such aman, on being captured in war, would never betray any Spartan secret under torture inflicted by the enemy, but would laugh at them and take his whipping, matching himself against his flogger to see which would give in.

> Greek: 38. Σόλων: ἐπεὶ δὲ φής, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην Ἑλλάδα ἐπελεύσεσθαι, μέμνησο ἤν ποτε καὶ εἰς Λακεδαίμονα ἔλθῃς, μὴ καταγελάσαι μηδὲ ἐκείνων μηδὲ οἴεσθαι μάτην πονεῖν αὐτούς, ὁπόταν ἢ σφαίρας πέρι ἐν τῷ θεάτρῳ συμπεσόντες παίωσιν ἀλλήλους ἢ εἰς χωρίον εἰσελθόντες ὕδατι περιγεγραμμένον, εἰς φάλαγγα διαστάντες, τὰ πολεμίων ἀλλήλους ἐργάζωνται γυμνοὶ καὶ αὐτοί, ἄχρις ἂν ἐκβάλωσι τοῦ περιγράμματος τὸ ἕτερον σύνταγμα οἱ ἕτεροι, τοὺς κατὰ Λυκοῦργον οἱ καθʼ Ἡρακλέα ἢ ἔμπαλιν, συνωθοῦντες εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ· τὸ γὰρ ἀπὸ τούτου εἰρήνη λοιπὸν καὶ οὐδεὶς ἂν ἔτι παίσειε. μάλιστα δὲ ἢν ὁρᾷς μαστιγουμένους αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ καὶ αἵματι ῥεομένους, πατέρας δὲ καὶ μητέρας παρεστώσας οὐχ ὅπως ἀνιωμένας ἐπὶ τοῖς γιγνομένοις ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπειλούσας, εἰ μὴ ἀντέχοιεν πρὸς τὰς πληγάς, καὶ ἱκετευούσας ἐπὶ μήκιστον διαρκέσαι πρὸς τὸν πόνον καὶ ἐγκαρτερῆσαι τοῖς δεινοῖς. πολλοὶ γοῦν καὶ ἐναπέθανον τῷ ἀγῶνι μὴ ἀξιώσαντες ἀπαγορεῦσαι ζῶντες ἔτι ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τῶν οἰκείων μηδὲ εἶξαι τοῖς σώμασιν· ὧν καὶ τοὺς ἀνδριάντας ὄψει τιμωμένους δημοσίᾳ ὑπὸ τῆς Σπάρτης ἀνασταθέντας. Ὅταν τοίνυν ὁρᾷς κἀκεῖνα, μήτε μαίνεσθαι ὑπολάβῃς αὐτοὺς μήτε εἴπῃς, ὡς οὐδεμιᾶς ἕνεκα αἰτίας ἀναγκαίας ταλαιπωροῦσι, μήτε τυράννου βιαζομένου μήτε πολεμίων διατιθέντων. εἴποι γὰρ ἄν σοι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων Λυκοῦργος ὁ νομοθέτης αὐτῶν πολλὰ τὰ εὔλογα καὶ ἃ συνιδὼν κολάζει αὐτούς, οὐκ ἐχθρὸς ὢν οὐδὲ ὑπὸ μίσους αὐτὸ δρῶν οὐδὲ τὴν νεολαίαν τῆς πόλεως εἰκῆ παραναλίσκων, ἀλλὰ καρτερικωτάτους καὶ παντὸς δεινοῦ κρείττονας ἀξιῶν εἶναι τοὺς σώζειν μέλλοντας τὴν πατρίδα. καίτοι κἂν μὴ ὁ Λυκοῦργος εἴπῃ, ἐννοεῖς, οἶμαι, καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς οὐκ ἄν ποτε ληφθεὶς ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐν πολέμῳ ἀπόρρητόν τι ἐξείποι τῆς Σπάρτης αἰκιζομένων τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἀλλὰ καταγελῶν αὐτῶν μαστιγοῖτο ἂν ἁμιλλώμενος πρὸς τὸν παίοντα, ὁπότερος ἀπαγορεύσειεν.

[¶16] 39. ANACHARSIS But how about Lycurgus himself, Solon? Did he get flogged in his youth, or was he then over the agelimit for the competition, so that he could introduce such an innovation with impunity? SOLON He was an old man when he made the laws for them on his return from Crete. He had gone to visit the Cretans because he was told that they enjoyed the best laws, since Minos, a son of Zeus, had been their law-giver.
ANACHARSIS Then why is it, Solon, that you have not imitated Lycurgus and do not flog your young men? It isa splendid practice, and worthy of you Athenians! SOLON Because we are content, Anacharsis, with these exercises, which are our own; we do not much care to copy foreign fashions. ANACHARSIS No: you understand, I think, what it is like to be flogged naked, holding up one’s arms, for no advantage either to the individual himself or to the city in general. Oh, if ever I am at Sparta at the time when they are doing this, I expect I shall very soon be stoned to death by them publicly for laughing at them every time I see them getting beaten like robbers or sneak-thieves or similar malefactors. Really, it seems to me that the city stands in need of hellebore if it mishandles itself so ridiculously.

> Greek: 39. Ἀνάχαρσις: ὁ Λυκοῦργος δὲ καὶ αὐτός, ὦ Σόλων, ἐμαστιγοῦτο ἐφʼ ἡλικίας, ἢ ἐκπρόθεσμος ὢν ἤδη τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἀσφαλῶς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐνεανιεύσατο; Σόλων: πρεσβύτης ἤδη ὢν ἔγραψε τοὺς νόμους αὐτοῖς Κρήτηθεν ἀφικόμενος. ἀποδεδημήκει δὲ παρὰ τοὺς Κρῆτας, ὅτι ἤκουεν εὐνομωτάτους εἶναι, Μίνωος τοῦ Διὸς νομοθετήσαντος ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ἀνάχαρσις: τί οὖν, ὦ Σόλων, οὐχὶ καὶ σὺ ἐμιμήσω Λυκοῦργον καὶ μαστιγοῖς τοὺς νέους; καλὰ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ ἄξια ὑμῶν ἐστιν. Σόλων: ὅτι ἡμῖν ἱκανά, ὦ Ἀνάχαρσι, ταῦτα τὰ γυμνάσια οἰκεῖα ὄντα· ζηλοῦν δὲ τὰ ξενικὰ οὐ πάνυ ἀξιοῦμεν. Ἀνάχαρσις: οὔκ; ἀλλὰ συνίης, οἶμαι, οἷόν τί ἐστι μαστιγοῦσθαι γυμνὸν ἄνω τὰς χεῖρας ἐπαίροντα μηδενὸς ἕνεκα ὠφελίμου ἢ αὐτῷ ἑκάστῳ ἢ κοινῇ τῇ πόλει. ὡς ἔγωγε ἤν ποτε ἐπιδημήσω τῇ Σπάρτῃ καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν ταῦτα δρῶσι, δοκῶ μοι τάχιστα καταλευσθήσεσθαι δημοσίᾳ πρὸς αὐτῶν, ἐπιγελῶν ἑκάστοις, ὁπόταν ὁρῶ τυπτομένους καθάπερ κλέπτας ἢ λωποδύτας ἤ τι ἄλλο τοιοῦτον ἐργασαμένους. ἀτεχνῶς γὰρ ἐλλεβόρου δεῖσθαί μοι δοκεῖ ἡ πόλις αὐτῶν καταγέλαστα ὑφʼ αὑτῆς πάσχουσα.

[¶17] 40. SOLON Do not think, my worthy friend, that you are winning your case by default, or in the absence of your adversaries, as the only speaker. There will be someone or other in Sparta who will reply to you properly in defence of this. However, as I have told you about our ways and you do not seem to be much pleased with them, I do not think it will be unfair to ask you to tell me in your turn how you Scythians discipline your young men, what exercises you use in bringing them up, and how you make them good men. ANACHARSIS It is entirely fair, to be sure, Solon, and I shall tell you the Scythian customs, which are not imposing, perhaps, or on the same plane as yours, since we should not dare to receive a single blow in the face; we are cowards! They shall be told, however, no matter what they are. But let us put off the discussion, if you will, till to-morrow, so that I may quietly ponder a little longer over what you have said, and get together what I must say, going over it in my memory. At present, let us go away with this understanding, for it is now evening.

> Greek: 40. Σόλων: μὴ ἐρήμην, ὦ γενναῖε, μηδὲ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀπόντων μόνος αὐτὸς λέγων οἴου κρατεῖν· ἔσται γάρ τις ὁ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων σοι τὰ εἰκότα ἐν Σπάρτῃ ἀντερῶν. πλὴν ἀλλὰ ἐπείπερ ἐγὼ τὰ ἡμέτερά σοι διεξελήλυθα, σὺ δὲ οὐ πάνυ ἀρεσκομένῳ αὐτοῖς ἔοικας, οὐκ ἄδικα αἰτήσειν ἔοικα παρὰ σοῦ ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ μέρει διεξέλθῃς πρός με ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς οἱ Σκύθαι διασκεῖτε τοὺς νέους τοὺς παρʼ ὑμῖν καὶ οἷστισι γυμνασίοις ἀνατρέφετε καὶ ὅπως ὑμῖν ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ γίγνονται. Ἀνάχαρσις: δικαιότατα μὲν οὖν, ὦ Σόλων, καὶ ἔγωγε διηγήσομαι τὰ Σκυθῶν νόμιμα, οὐ σεμνὰ ἴσως οὐδὲ καθʼ ὑμᾶς, οἵ γε οὐδὲ κατὰ κόρρης παταχθῆναι τολμήσαιμεν ἂν μίαν πληγήν· δειλοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν· ἀλλὰ εἰρήσεταί γε ὁποῖα ἂν ᾖ. εἰς αὔριον μέντοι, εἰ δοκεῖ, ὑπερβαλώμεθα τὴν συνουσίαν, ὡς ἅ τε αὐτὸς ἔφης ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐννοήσαιμι καθʼ ἡσυχίαν ἅ τε χρὴ εἰπεῖν συναγάγοιμι τῇ μνήμῃ ἐπελθών. τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον ἀπίωμεν ἐπὶ τούτοις· ἑσπέρα γὰρ ἤδη.