On these occasions they relaxed the severity of their discipline,
permitting their men to be curious in dressing their hair, and elegant
in their arms and apparel, while they expressed their alacrity, like
horses full of fire and neighing for the race. They let their hair,
therefore, grow from their youth, but took more particular care, when
they expected an action, to have it well combed and shining; remembering
a saying of Lycurgus, that "a large head of hair made the handsome more
graceful, and the ugly more terrible." The exercises, too, of the young
men, during the campaigns, were more moderate, their diet not so hard,
and their whole treatment more indulgent: so that they were the only
people in the world with whom military discipline wore, in time of war,
a gentler face than usual. When the army was drawn up, and the enemy
near, the king sacrificed a goat, and commanded them all to set garlands
upon their heads, and the musicians to play Castro's march, while
himself began the pæan, which was the signal to advance. It was at once
a solemn and dreadful sight to see them measuring their steps to the
sound of music, and without the least disorder in their ranks or tumult
of spirits, moving forward cheerfully and composedly, with harmony, to
battle. Neither fear nor rashness was likely to approve men so disposed,
possessed as they were of a firm presence of mind, with courage and
confidence of success, as under the conduct of heaven. When the king
advanced against the enemy, he had always with him some one that had
been crowned in the public games of Greece. And they tell us, that a
Lacedæmonian, when large sums were offered him on condition that he
would not enter the Olympic lists, refused them, having with much
difficulty thrown his antagonist, one put this question to him,
"Spartan, what will you get by this victory?" He answered with a smile,
"I shall have the honour to fight foremost in the ranks before my
prince." When they had routed the enemy, they continued the pursuit till