Agoge - Lycurgus Part 2

The Plutarch Podcast

• The Agōgē (ἀγωγή) [16-19]
• Those Laconic Spartans [19-21]
• Military Maneuvers [22-24]
• Education never stops [24-25
  • Blessing of scholē
  • Freedom and restraint

Political Setup

• How someone elected to Gerousia [26]
  • Over 60
  • Group of candidates selected
  • Assembly called, and votes decided by length of shout and volume of shout
• Burying the dead [27]
• NO injustice or inequality in these laws [28]
  • Those who criticize (cough cough: ARISTOTLE + PLATO) for lack of Justice
  • Krypteia! And treatment of Helots
• Lycurgus leaves: Spartans are living the laws, established in their hearts and minds [29]
  • Makes Spartans promise never to deviate
  • Goes to Delphi, sacrifices to Apollo, starves himself to death
  • Leaves the Spartans to 500 years of supremacy and prosperity

The End of Perfection: Why Did Sparta fail?

• Until LYSANDER [30]
  • Money flowed in and corrupted the morals
  • Before then, Sparta relied on for generals
    • By other Greeks
    • By Sicilians
    • By Egyptians
    • By satraps and kings in Asia
• Lycurgus created a state not suited to rule others [31]
  • A state “in love with wisdom”
  • “free, self-reliant, self-regulated” citizens
  • Many philosophers agreed with him, but he was the only one who executed on his great ideas, leaving behind a polis rather than just writings.

Support the show