NOTES, BOOK 11. 9. 87
8' ;rfp Kn'r rcpi rrjr nXXqv mXi~dav 6 uopoB&p #mivrrac roc&' 8. 28.
+~~~i~~us yhp xamcrKfud~wu 706s mXlrar roiroip rti~p?ia~ rpbr n)u,kccording to the view of Aristotle and of Plato nobody should
seek to rule, but everybody if he is wanted should be compelled to
Yet this is rather a counsel of perfection than a principle of
practical politics. And it seems hardly fair to condemn the work
nf I,ycurgus, because like every other Greek state, Spnrta had
elections and candidatures.,;,,,1v rSv y€pdvrov.SL&E~ ;[Cmpmv UU~T~EUPELIT~S ~06s +Bpobs.
mpnpfcr,3rv+hs does not refer to the kings, but is an illustration
of the same jealousy which made the Spartans consider the dis-
zcnsions of the kings to be the salvation of their state. 8&rp=
- by reason of a like suspicion.'
It has been argued that Aristotle in this section is criticising the
kings only. And we might translate (with Bernays and others)
' they sent enemies as colleagues of the king,' e.g. in such cases as
that of Agis (Thuc. v. 63). But these could hardly be described
as nupnpru@rurai, any more than the Ephors who, according to
Senophon (de Rep. Lac. c. 13. $ 5), were the companions of the
king-not his active counsellors, but spectators or controllers of his
actions.
Ancient historians are apt to invent causes for the facts which
tradition has handed down. 11 supra; also
v. 11. z ; Herod. v. 69; Thuc. i. 11, &c. It may be easily
helievcd that there were frequent xapn?ipw$cini among Spartans,
but that these were the result of a deeply-laid policy is the fancy of
hcr witers. Still less can we suppose the double royalty which
clearly originated in the ancient history of Sparta to be the work of
the legislator. Compare the Laws (iii. 691 D) of Plato (who pro-
bably first suggested the notion of a special design), ' A god who
watched over Sparta gave you two families of kings instead of
one and thus brought you within the limits of moderation.'
CF. note on c. 9.riv ULVObOV. 0. 31.
zither I) the gathering for meals ; or 2) the contribution, as in
Hdt. i. 64.