Now, therefore, with respect to those cities which seem to pay the greatest attention to [the education of] children, some, indeed, endeavour to procure for boys an athletic habit, thus injuring the form, and preventing the increase of the body. The Lacedæmonians, however, have not fallen into this error; but they render boys fierce by labours; this being especially useful to the acquisition of fortitude; though, as we have frequently said, it is proper to pay attention neither to one thing only, nor to this especially, [in the education of youth]. And those who pay attention to this principally, do not obtain their end. For neither in other animals, nor in other nations, do we see that fortitude is an attendant on the most savage, but rather on the more mild and lion-like manners. But there are many nations who are readily disposed to kill men and eat human flesh, as the Achæans and Heniochi in Pontus, and other nations on the continent; some of whom are similar to these, but others are more savage, who live by plunder indeed, but have no portion of fortitude. Farther still, we know that the Lacedæmonians themselves, as long as they continued such great lovers of labour, were superior to other nations, but now both in gymnastic exercises and warlike contests, they are inferior to others. For they did not acquire their superiority by exercising their youth, but because those who were disciplined opposed those who were not; so that the principal attention ought to be paid to the beautiful in conduct, but not to ferocity. For neither a wolf, nor any other wild beast, will encounter any beautiful danger, but this is rather the province of a good man. Those, however, who permit boys to engage too earnestly in these exercises, and neglect to instruct them in things that are necessary, render them in reality sordid mechanics; making them useful to the community in one work only, and, as reason evinces, worse for other things. It is necessary, however, to decide, not from former works, but from those which exist at present. For now there are antagonists in education, but formerly there were not. It is acknowledged, therefore, that gymnastic exercises are to be used, and in what manner they are to be used. For to the time of puberty, lighter exercises should be employed, refraining from violent nutriment, and labours which are engaged in as necessary, in order that there may be no impediment to the growth of the body. But it is no small indication that they are able to produce this effect, that among those who have conquered in the Olympic games, two or three only can be found who have been victorious, both when boys and men, because the necessary exercises, which they used when young, deprived them of their strength. When, however, from the time of puberty, they have applied for three years to other disciplines, they are then of a proper age to submit to labour, and a regulated diet. For it is not requisite to labour at one and the same time, both with the mind and the body. For each of the labours is naturally adapted to produce contrary effects; the labour of the body, indeed, being an impediment to the reasoning power, and that of the reasoning power to the body.
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