<w lemma="%2A%29epi%5C">Ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Akrhtaiw%3Dn">Κρηταιῶν</w> <w lemma="metaba%2Fntas">μεταβάντας</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fcion">ἄξιον</w> <w lemma="e%29pisth%3Dsai">ἐπιστῆσαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpous">τρόπους</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="logiw%2Ftatoi">λογιώτατοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxai%2Fwn">ἀρχαίων</w> <w lemma="suggrafe%2Fwn">συγγραφέων</w>, <w lemma="%2A%29%2Feforos">Ἔφορος</w>, <w lemma="%2Acenofw%3Dn">Ξενοφῶν</w>, <w lemma="%2Akallisqe%2Fnhs">Καλλισθένης</w>, <w lemma="%2Apla%2Ftwn">Πλάτων</w>, <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="o%28moi%2Fan">ὁμοίαν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="fasi">φασι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w>, <w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29paineth%5Cn">ἐπαινετὴν</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxousan">ὑπάρχουσαν</w> <w lemma="a%29pofai%2Fnousin:">ἀποφαίνουσιν·</w>
<w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fteron">οὐδέτερον</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqe%5Cs">ἀληθὲς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="moi">μοι</w> <w lemma="dokei%3D">δοκεῖ</w>.
<w lemma="skopei%3Dn">σκοπεῖν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fresti">πάρεστι</w>. <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29nomoio%2Fthtos">ἀνομοιότητος</w> <w lemma="die%2Fcimen">διέξιμεν</w>. <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fwn">Λακεδαιμονίων</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai%2F">εἶναί</w> <w lemma="fasi">φασι</w> <w lemma="prw%3Dton">πρῶτον</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29ggai%2Fous">ἐγγαίους</w> <w lemma="kth%2Fseis">κτήσεις</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ou%29deni%5C">οὐδενὶ</w> <w lemma="me%2Ftesti">μέτεστι</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="poli%2Ftas">πολίτας</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fson">ἴσον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxein">ἔχειν</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politikh%3Ds">πολιτικῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w>,
<w lemma="deu%2Fteron">δεύτερον</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="diafo%2Frou">διαφόρου</w> <w lemma="kth%3Dsin">κτῆσιν</w>, <w lemma="h%28%3Ds">ἧς</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="a%29doki%2Fmou">ἀδοκίμου</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frdhn">ἄρδην</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%7Crh%3Dsqai">ἀνῃρῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="sumbai%2Fnei">συμβαίνει</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plei%3Don">πλεῖον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%29%2Flatton">τοὔλαττον</w> <w lemma="filotimi%2Fan">φιλοτιμίαν</w>.
<w lemma="tri%2Fton">τρίτον</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fois">Λακεδαιμονίοις</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29i+%2Fdion">ἀΐδιον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxousi">ἔχουσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%2Fn">ἀρχήν</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="prosagoreuo%2Fmenoi">προσαγορευόμενοι</w> <w lemma="ge%2Frontes">γέροντες</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fou">βίου</w>, <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meq%27">μεθ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w>
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<head>The Cretan Constitution Compared to the Spartan</head>Passing to the Cretan polity there are two points<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note64">The Spartan polity unlike that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Crete&groupId=505&placeId=949">Crete</a>.</note>which deserve our consideration. The first is how such writers as Ephorus, Xenophon, Callisthenes and Plato<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note65">For what remains of the account of Ephorus see<bibl n="Strab. 10.4.8" default="NO" valid="yes">Strabo, 10.4.8-9</bibl>. The reference to Plato is to the "Laws," especially Book I. See also<bibl n="Aristot. Pol. 2.10" default="NO" valid="yes">Aristotle,<title>Pol.</title>2, 10</bibl>, who points out the likeness and unlikeness between the Cretan and Lacedaemonian constitutions.</note>—who are the most learned of the ancients—could assert that it was like that of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>; and secondly how they came to assert that it was at all admirable. I can agree with neither assertion; and I will explain why I say so. And first as to its dissimilarity with the Spartan constitution. The peculiar merit of the latter is said to be its land laws, by which no one possesses more than another, but all citizens have an equal share in the public land.<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note66">This equality of land had gradually disappeared by the time of King Agis IV. (B.C. 243-239): so that, according to Plutarch<bibl n="Plut. Agis 5" default="NO" valid="yes">[<title>Agis</title>5]</bibl>, the number of landowners was reduced to 100. This process had been accelerated by the Rhetra of Epitadeus, allowing free bequest of land, Plutarch,<foreign lang="la">ib.</foreign>See Thirlwall, vol. viii. p. 132.</note>The next distinctive feature regards the possession of money: for as it is utterly discredited among them, the jealous competition which arises from inequality of wealth is entirely removed from the city. A third peculiarity of the Lacedaemonian polity is that, of the officials by whose hands and with whose advice the whole government is conducted, the kings hold an hereditary office, while the members of the Gerusia are elected for life.
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Walbank Commentary