Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-22
Hlisesllaueous Rsaaing
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.
Examples of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.

IUnder this heading from time to
time will be published series Of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
torical examples of the good and bad
in human nature, mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart Of con-
duct to be emulated or avoided1:
DIsINTERESTEDNESs.
Sentiments.
Nothing Is q greater argument Of
a brave soul and impregnable virtue
than for q man to be so much master
of himself that he can either take or
leave those conveniences OF lie with
respect to which most are either un-
easy without them, or intemperate
The Government Of Sparta and the
Laws OF lyeursus.
Lacedaemon was in the beginning
governed by kings Of whom thirteen
in succession held the reins Of power,
Of the race Of the Pelopidae. Under
the Heraclidae, who succeeded them,
instead of one king, the people ad-
mitted two, who governed with equal
authority. ...
This change is said to have been
Aristodemus dying, left two sons,
Eurysthnes and Procles, who were
twins, and so very much alike that It
was hardly possible to distinguish
the one from the other: the mother
equally attached to both, and desir-
GUS of advancing both to the throne,
pretended that she really could not tell
which one of them was born first, or
which had the best claim; the people
therefore invested both with the SOW
ereign power, and this form Of gov
ernment, however strange, continued
to subsist for several centuries.
It was during this latter period that
Helots. or peasants Of Sparta, We're
enslaved; for these people. having
taken up arms in order to vindicate
their right to the same privileges as
the citizens enjoyed, which the first
two kings had bestowed upon them.
but for which Agis, the son OF Eury-
sthenes, had deprived them, they
were, after violent struggle, sub
dued.
To punish them for their rebellion
they ana their posterity were con-
demned 10 perpetual slavery; and, to
render their condition as disgraceful
as it was remarkable, all other slaves
were called by the general name OF
Helots.
10 prevent the repetition Of these
and the like disorders, to which this
little state was subject, Lycurgus in
stituted his celebrated body Of laws
which made so considerable figure
in the history Of Greece and which
continued for q long time to render
Lacedaemon at once the terror and
the umpire Of the neighboring king
doms. ......
But before he thus displayed his
patriotism and his abilities as q legis-
lator, he gave, II possible, a still
more striking proof of his disinterest-
edness and love Of justice. For, hay-
ing succeeded to the throne by the
death Of his elder brother, Polydectes,
without issue, the queen-dowager. his
sister-in-law, offered to destroy the
posthumous child, provided he would
marry her, and admit her into a share
| of power.
Lycurgus dissembled his resent
ment at so unnatural a proposal, and
fearing that she might use means to
put her design in execution, he assur-
ed her that he would take care to re-
move her SON out Of the way.
But Lycurgus commanded the boy
to be brought to him, and presenting
him to the people as their lawful
sovereign, by the name Of Charilaus,
he continued thenceforth to act, not
as king, but as regent.-Goldsmith 8
Greece.
Never man showed more generous
disinterestedness with regard to him
self nor a more sincere and unshaken
zeal for the public good, than the
Theban general Epaminondas. He
was one Of the greatest and most
opulent families In Thebes; and Polm-
nus, his father, had been so liberal
n mis- education, furnishing him with
the best masters Greece could pro-
duce, not only in philosophy, rhetoric
and other liberal sciences, but for all
| sorts Of exercises and accomplish
ments suitable to his rank, and the
hopes he conceived Of him as we'll
as in the magnificent manner in which
he rewarded them, that he greatly in
jured his estate, and had hardly any
other fortune to leave him than what
he had bestowed upon him In this
manner. Epaminondas trod 80 close
ly in his fathers steps and showed
such a noble contempt Of riches, that
when Pelopidas, his intimate friend,
and who was possessed at that time Of
q large fortune, would have made him
many considerable presents, he could
never prevail on him to accept Of
them. AS a more striking instance Of
his generous virtue, we are told that
the Persians, knowing Of what conse-
Quence II was to bring him over to
their interest, spared neither promises
nor bribes to effect It; but were SO far
from succeeding In corrupting his in
tegrity, that they received a very
mortifying repulse from him. Diome-
don Of Cyzicus, in particular, had been
sent to corrupt him, II possible. by a
large sum Of money; and before he
ventured to attempt him, had, by the
help of five talents, gained over a
favorite of his, named Micythus, to
rejected the offer with scorn and in
dignation; telling him, THAT he would
never set the wealth Of the whole
world in competition with the
interest Of his country. 1t is plain" "
continued he, speaking to the Persian
agent, that you Go not know me: and
am not surprised that you should
form a judgmen Of me from your
self. and therefore am ready to for
give you; but I advise you, at the
same time, to make the best Of your
way home before you get further
opportunity Of corrupting another
Micythus, IF you do not immediate
ly return the five talents, 1 will in
fallibly deliver you up to the magis-
tracy"
His behavior to Jason was still
more noble and singular. He was
lately come to Thebes to negotiate an
alliance with the Thebans. AS he did
not doubt but Epaminondas's narrow
circumstances wc I'D easily induce him
to accept Of som present form him,
so he tried to gain his friendship by
such inconsiderable gifts as he
thought would not meet with re-
fusal from so INDECENT a parson; but.
to his great surprise, he found them
not only rejected with the utmost
scorn and indignation, but himself
severely reproved for Offering them.
This attempt to corrupt me-" said
that noble patriot, II resent as the
greatest indignity that can be offered
me- and shall look upon 1t in no other
view than as a declaration Of war;
and as I am born a member Of this
free state, I shall be so far from SELL
ing the freedom Of voting Of my fell
low citizens, that 1 will maintain 1t
with all my might" This inflexibility
was so much the more to be admired
because it was dangerous to exasperate