since nature had not given it at first any strength or goodness of
constitution. For the same reason the women did not wash their new-born
infants with water, but with wine, thus making some trial of their habit
of body; imagining that sickly and epileptic children sink and die under
the experiment, while healthy became more vigorous and hardy. Great care
and art was also exerted by the nurses; for, as they never swathed the
infants, their limbs had a freer turn, and their countenances a more
liberal air; besides, they used them to any sort of meat, to have no
terrors in the dark, nor to be afraid of being alone, and to leave all
ill humour and unmanly crying. Hence people of other countries purchased
Lacedæmonian nurses for their children; and Alcibiades the Athenian is
said to have been nursed by Amicla, a Spartan. But if he was fortunate
in a nurse, he was not so in a preceptor: for Zopyrus, appointed to that
office by Pericles, was, as Plato tells us, no better qualified than a
common slave. The Spartan children were not in that manner, under tutors
purchased or hired with money, nor were the parents at liberty to
educate them as they pleased: but as soon as they were seven years old,
Lycurgus ordered them to be enrolled in companies, where they were all
kept under the same order and discipline, and had their exercises and
recreations in common. He who showed the most conduct and courage
amongst them, was made captain of the company. The rest kept their eyes
upon him, obeyed his orders, and bore with patience the punishment he
inflicted: so that their whole education was an exercise of obedience.
The old men were present at their diversions, and often suggested some
occasion of dispute or quarrel, that they might observe with exactness
the spirit of each, and their firmness in battle.

As for learning, they had just what was absolutely necessary. All the
rest of their education was calculated to make them subject to command,
to endure labour, to fight and conquer. They added, therefore, to their