Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/210

 202 STRABO CASAUB. 481. removed. Now where all live temperately and frugally, nei- ther envy, nor injuries, nor hatred have place among equals. Whence the young were enjoined to repair to the Agelas, and those of mature age to assemble at the Syssitia, or common meals, called Andreia, in order that the poorer sort, who were fed at the public charge, might partake of the same fare as the rich. With a view that courage, and not fear, should predominate, they were accustomed from childhood to the use of arms, and to endure fatigue. Hence they disregarded heat and cold, rugged and steep roads, blows received in gymnastic exer- cises and in set battles. They practised archery, and the dance in armour, which the Curetes first invented, and was afterwards perfected by Pyrrhichus, and called after him Pyrrhiche. Hence even their sports were not without their use in their training for war. With the same intention they used the Cretan measures in their songs ; the tones of these measures are extremely loud ; they were invented by Thales, to whom are ascribed the pagans and other native songs and many of their usages. They adopted a military dress also, and shoes, and considered armour as the most valuable of all presents. 17. Some, he says, alleged that many of the institutions supposed to be Cretan were of Lacedaemonian origin ; but the truth is, they were invented by the former, but perfected by the Spartans. The Cretans, when their cities, and particularly Cnossus, were ravaged, neglected military affairs, but some usages were more observed by the Lyttii and Gortynii, and some other small cities, than by the Cnossians. Those per- sons, who maintain the priority of the Laconian institutions, adduce as evidence of this those of the Lyttii, because as colon- ists they would retain the customs of the parent state. Other- wise, it would be absurd for those, who lived under a better form of constitution and government, to be imitators of a worse. But this is not correct. For we ought not to form conjectures respecting the ancient from the present state of things, for each has undergone contrary changes. The Cre- tans were formerly powerful at sea, so that it was a pro- verbial saying addressed to those who pretended to be ignor- ant of what they knew, " a Cretan, and not know the sea ;" but at present they have abandoned nautical affairs.