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24. And having made acquaintance with their principal men, he resolved to make use in Sparta of those of their laws he admired, though much he rejected as useless.

25. Among the persons there renowned for learning and wisdom in state matters was one Thales,

26. Who though by outward profession a poet, was one of the ablest lawgivers in the world.

27. Lycurgus persuaded Thales to go to Sparta, where the songs he composed, which were exhortations to discipline and concord,

28. And the measure and cadence of the verse conveying order and tranquillity,

29. Had so great an influence on the listeners, that they were insensibly softened and civilised,

30. Insomuch that they renounced their private feuds and animosities, and were reunited in common virtue.

31. So that it may truly be said that Thales prepared the way for Lycurgus’ later reforms.

32. From Crete Lycurgus sailed to Asia, with design, as is said, to examine the difference between the societies of the Cretans, which were sober and temperate, and those of the Ionians, a people of luxurious habits.

33. Here he first read Homer’s works, in the library of the family of Creophylus;

34. And having observed that they contained serious lessons of state and morality, set himself eagerly to transcribe and order them, thinking they would be of good use in his own country.

35. They had, indeed, already obtained some slight repute among the Greeks, and scattered portions, as chance conveyed them, were in the hands of individuals;

36. But Lycurgus first made Homer’s works really known.

37. The Egyptians say that he visited them, and some Greek writers also record this.

38. But as for his voyages into Spain, Africa and the Indies, and his conferences there with the Gymnosophists, there is slender evidence only.

39. Lycurgus was much missed at Sparta, and often sent for, ‘for we have kings’, they said, ‘with the name of royalty, but as for the qualities of their minds, they are no different from their subjects’;

40. Adding, that in him alone was the true foundation of sovereignty: a nature made to rule, and a genius to gain obedience.

41. The kings too wished him home, for they looked on his presence as a bulwark against the people.

Chapter 3

1. So Lycurgus returned, and finding matters in bad posture, applied himself to a thorough reformation,

2. Resolving to change the whole face of the commonwealth; for what could a few new laws only, and a partial alteration, avail?

3. He resolved to act as physicians do in the case of a patient suffering a complication of diseases:

4. By force of medicine reducing and exhausting him, to change his whole temperament, and put him on a totally new regimen.

5. Having resolved that his laws should be the best, and the resulting commonwealth the most famous in the world,

6. He set himself to make allies of the leading Spartans, exhorting their help in his great undertaking.

7. He described the plan first to his particular friends, and then, by degrees, gained others, and animated them all to his designs.

8. When all was ripe for action, he gave orders to thirty of his principal allies to be ready armed at the marketplace at dawn, in order to quell the opposite party.

9. Things growing to a tumult, King Charilaus, thinking this a conspiracy against his person, took sanctuary;

10. But, being soon after undeceived, and having the promise of their loyalty, quitted his refuge and joined them.

11. Among the many changes Lycurgus now made, the first and greatest in importance was the establishment of a senate,

12. Which having a power equal to the king’s, and, as Plato expresses it, allaying and qualifying the fiery strength of the royal office, gave steadiness and safety to the commonwealth.

13. For the state, which before had no firm basis, but leaned sometimes towards absolute monarchy and sometimes towards mob rule, found in the senate a central weight, like ballast in a ship;

14. The twenty-eight senators supporting the kings against the people, but supporting the people against royal absolutism.

15. The senate