86 ARISTOTLE 'S POLITICS.to have lost their character and to have fallen into every sort of
corruption and immorality. The love of money and the propensity
to secret luxury were kindred elements in the Spartan nature.
0, 25. rbv Tp&OV 8; TohW xcnaidcupivov 6mf ani rbv VOpooc'T?p ahbv &tu-
rciv &E oi dyaOois du8piarv, OGK du+a)lis.
' But when men are so educated that the legislator himself cannot
trust them, and implies that they are not good men, there is a
danger.' The remark is resumed and justified in 4 30 (GTL 8' 6
vopo8;rqr, K.T.~.), by the general suspicion of their citizens which
the Spartan government always showed, and also ($ 26) by the
circumstance that the Gerontes were placed under the control of
the Ephors.
O~K do$nXis, SC. sb KU~~OUS ah& clvuc. pydhov.
- 66EFlf 8' dv K.T.~.
The discussion about the Ephors and Gerontes is a sort of
dialogue, in which objections are stated and answers given, but
the two sides of the argument are not distinctly opposed.
- 66EFlf 8' dv K.T.~.
- &L 6; rai rrjv &pcuiv $v xoioCvrar ri)v ycpdvrov, rard re rr)v K~~ULV CUT;
For the mode of the election cp. Plut. Lycurg. c. 26 : 'The
election took place after this. fashion : When the assembly had
met, certain persons selected for the purpose were shut up in a
hilding near at hand, so that they could not see or be seen, but
could only hear the shouting of the assembly. For, as with other
matters (cp. Thuc. i. 87, K~~VOUUL ybp Bo; KU~ ob Jl+#y), the Lace-
daemonians decided by acclamation between the competitors.
One by one the candidates were brought in, according to an order
fixed by lot, and walked, without speaking, through the assembly.
The persons who were shut up marked on tablets the greatness of
the shout given in each case, not knowing for whom it was being
given, but only that this was the first or the second or the third in
order of the candidates. He was elected who was received vith
the loudest and longest acclamations.'rrodapr86qs K.T.~.'
- 2 7, 6fi yhp Kai 6OVh+fUOV Kai pi ~OVio'pfvOV &xcw rbu &$ov rijs ripxjr.
Cp. Plat. Rep. 345 E ff., 347 D.