The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-22

| experience at Iand.gr2bbiEg, which oc-
CURED seven hundred years before the
birth of Christ.
The material, / gather from Chas.
Rollis; consequently, / must draw large
ly upon the phrase, sentiment and style
Of that eminent historian.
Under the auspices Of Lycurgus there
was re-division of all the lands of
Laconia, so that every Spartan could
boast that he owned the homestead he
lived upon; aud this property was en-
tailed from one generation to another.
This ordinance lasted about five hun
dred years, during which period, histo-
rians WED with each other i'm extollinp
Spartan valOr. When the ordinance
was abrogated, Sparta rapidly sank. by
insensible progression, to the ignomini-
Gus level of a seryile people. Under
The Lycurgan regime, virtue was the
only true nobility. "The insolence of
pedigree, the pomp of titles, aud the
pride Of wealth, were reduced to nothing
when compared with the dignity of
genuine virtue" "The hard experience
of military training, made Spartans
capable of bearing up under all the
trials and vicissitudes of adyersitv
which alone can place true greatness Of
soul Ia its full light and render the real
merit of men conspicuous; wherein.
prosperity frequently casts a veil Of
false grandeur over real meanness and
imperfection. When asked to surren-
der, they replied in monysylables, Come
and take me" They never enuuired of
numbers, but, Where are they 2" The
women of Sparta boosted, that during
their lives, they "had never seen the
camp-fires Of an enemy" They had no
walls, but "the hearts of brave men.
Their plumed knights were strangers
to defeat; and grateful country made
ample provisions for her surviving
heroes who split their blood as a liba,
tion to the tree Of Liberty. Her dying
heroes lived in song, and mothers held
up their babes, that they might behold
the monuments dedicsted TO virtue. pa
triotism and valor
Here drops the curtain forever upon
the glory OF Sparta. Epitades, a mem
Der Of the Ephori, instigated by hatred
and malevolence to his family, caused
repeal Of the ancient land law The
lands of the many rapidly passed into
the hands Of the few. The wick got
shorter and the oil fell lower Poverty,
rank stranger, soon became visible.
Sparta sank into a disgraceful Incidence
that extinguished every spark of virtue
and glory, There arose wide spread
and implacable envy and aversion upon
the heads of those who had despoiled
them Of their ancestral homes In their
veruacular, the word poverty; became a
new term. This class was debarred
from participation in all hOnors and
dignities. They were reluctant in war,
as they were on footing with hired
mercenaries, believing that the rich
were to reap the fruits of toll and vic.
tory.
At this stage of degradation and igno-
miny, King Agis rose upon the stage of
action, and in his efforts to restore his
country to the enjoyment of her ancient
laws and usages, he lost his life through
the Vaccinations of his colleague, King
Leonidas Agis, in his usual walk between
the bath and the temple, fell a victim
TO a cabalistic intrigue. Soon after the
cords were fastened to his mother; and
a little later to his grandmother. 1.-The
iendishness and horror of this tragic
event, united the blackest of all crimes
in defiance of all law; ignoring every
principle of Justice and every sentiment
VI VII LuC- ADE NiuUA VI ARls WAS
forced to marry Cleomines, the young
son of Leonidas Here fortune played
tickle. Agiatus soon became reconciled
and lived happily with the young prince.
Eventually, Cleomines succeeded to the
throne and re-enacted the Lycurgan
laws, in all the glory and splendor of
their ancient renown, "tho' Satyrs and
imps sat agape below the foot-stool of
justice" But this happy turn of events
only lasted during the administration of
the King The source of Sparta's de-
cline was chronicled in her early tri-
umphs over Athens, which brought
riches, luxury, Incidence, voluptuous-
ness and effeminancy into the State.
The canker had taken a deep root. The
rich, who had longed to regain their
possessions, aud lost to every sentiment
of honor and the dictates of patriotism,
clandestinely gave aid to the enemy.
Much about this time, Sparta's power
had excited envy, jealousy and distrust
among the rival powers; besides, new
complications arose among her allies.
AT this critical juncture, the MacedO-
mans pressed forward, and, by the ad-
dress and sagacity of Philopemon, Cleo
mines was vanquisned a the battle of
Selssia where flickered and died the
last expiring hopes of liberty. Epami-
nondas had heightened their monysyla-
bles, aud the camp-fres of Antigonious
illuminated the city of Sparta.
Walnut Station, Tippah Co, Miss.