the comparison of numa with lycurgus-第2章

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deficient　in　power　or　knowledge。　But　when　a　wise　man　like　Numa　had
received　the　sovereignty　over　a　new　and　docile　people；　was　there
anything　that　would　better　deserve　his　attention　than　the　education　of
children；　and　the　training　up　of　the　young；　not　to　contrariety　and
discordance　of　character；　but　to　the　unity　of　the　common　model　of
virtue；　to　which　from　their　cradle　they　should　have　been　formed　and
moulded？　One　benefit　among　many　that　Lycurgus　obtained　by　his　course
was　the　permanence　which　it　secured　to　his　laws。　The　obligation　of
oaths　to　preserve　them　would　have　availed　but　little；　if　he　had　not；
by　discipline　and　education；　infused　them　into　the　children's
characters；　and　imbued　their　whole　early　life　with　a　love　of　his
government。　The　result　was　that　the　main　points　and　fundamentals　of
his　legislation　continued　for　above　five　hundred　years；　like　some　deep
and　thoroughly　ingrained　tincture；　retaining　their　hold　upon　the
nation。　But　Numa's　whole　design　and　aim；　the　continuance　of　peace
and　goodwill；　on　his　death　vanished　with　him；　no　sooner　did　he
expire　his　last　breath　than　the　gates　of　Janus's　temple　flew　wide
open；　and；　as　if　war　had；　indeed；　been　kept　and　caged　up　within
those　walls；　it　rushed　forth　to　fill　all　Italy　with　blood　and
slaughter；　and　thus　that　best　and　justest　fabric　of　things　was　of　no
long　continuance；　because　it　wanted　that　cement　which　should　have　kept
all　together；　education。　What；　then；　some　may　say；　has　not　Rome　been
advanced　and　bettered　by　her　wars？　A　question　that　will　need　a　long
answer；　if　it　is　to　be　one　to　satisfy　men　who　take　the　better　to
consist　in　riches；　luxury；　and　dominion；　rather　than　in　security；
gentleness；　and　that　independence　which　is　accompanied　by　justice。
However；　it　makes　much　for　Lycurgus；　that；　after　the　Romans　had
deserted　the　doctrine　and　discipline　of　Numa；　their　empire　grew　and
their　power　increased　so　much；　whereas　so　soon　as　the　Lacedaemonians
fell　from　the　institutions　of　Lycurgus；　they　sank　from　the　highest
to　the　lowest　state；　and；　after　forfeiting　their　supremacy　over　the
rest　of　Greece；　were　themselves　in　danger　of　absolute　extirpation。
Thus　much；　meantime；　was　peculiarly　signal　and　almost　divine　in　the
circumstances　of　Numa；　that　he　was　an　alien；　and　yet　courted　to　come
and　accept　a　kingdom；　the　frame　of　which　though　he　entirely　altered；
yet　he　performed　it　by　mere　persuasion；　and　ruled　a　city　that　as　yet
had　scarce　become　one　city；　without　recurring　to　arms　or　any
violence　（such　as　Lycurgus　used；　supporting　himself　by　the　aid　of
the　nobler　citizens　against　the　commonalty）；　but；　by　mere　force　of
wisdom　and　justice；　established　union　and　harmony　amongst　all。





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