Page:The works of Plato, A new and literal version, (vol 6) (Burges, 1854).djvu/438

426 P. 106. Γράμματα και κιθαρίζειν.] The usual education of the Athenian children from seven years old to fifteen. See Æschines de Axioco, p. 94, ed. Le Clerc, and Aristoph. in Nubibus, vs. 961.

P. 122, §37. There is a care to not one of the Athenians.] Of old the court, of Areopagus were inspectors of the education of youth. The members of it divided that care among them, and each of them in his province took note of such fathers as gave not their children an education suitable to their fortune and way of life, as Isocrates shows at large in his beautiful Areopagitic oration. At what time their vigilance on this head began to decline, I cannot fix; but it was probably towards the beginning of the administration of Pericles, when the authority of that venerable body was lessened and restrained by Ephialtes, that is, before Ol. 80, 1; yet I find the form of the thing still continued, though not the force of it: for Æschines, in Axioch. p. 367, §8, speaking of the discipline young men were subject to, from about the age of eighteen to twenty, says that "The whole period of youth is under Moderators, and the selection of those who are placed over youths by the council of the Areopagus. The "Sophronistæ" here mentioned, are distinct from the Areopagites; being the name of a magistracy described in Etymolog. Magn. in Σωφρονισταί, as certain officers, chosen by votes, ten in number, one for each ward, who have the care over the temperate conduct of youths.

P. 122, §39. Already for many generations.] We are not told, I believe, by any other writer,that the use of money was so early introduced into Lacedæmon; but there is a passage of Posidonius in Athenæus, vi. 233, that throws light on the subject. Plutarch says, that money was not even allowed for the uses of the state, till after the siege of Athens and its surrender to Lysander, when that point was carried after a great struggle; although, at the same time, it was made capital to apply it to private occasions. This happened twenty-seven years after the date of this dialogue.