and their former contests, that they may be bold in danger,
and do deeds worthy of record in the fight.

XXI.--In time of war, too, they relaxed their strict rules and allowed
their young men to dress their hair and ornament their shields and
costumes, taking a pride in them such as one does in high-mettled
horses. For this reason, although they all let their hair grow long
after the age of puberty, yet it was especially in time of danger that
they took pains to have it smooth and evenly parted, remembering a
saying of Lykurgus about the hair, that it made a well-looking man look
handsomer, and an ugly man look more ferocious.

During a campaign they made the young men perform less severe gymnastic
exercises, and allowed them to live a freer life in other respects, so
that, for them alone of all mankind, war was felt as a relief from
preparation for war. When their array was formed and the enemy were in
sight, the king used to sacrifice a kid, and bid them all put on
garlands, and the pipers to play the hymn to Kastor; then he himself
began to sing the paean for the charge, so that it was a magnificent and
terrible spectacle to see the men marching in time to the flutes, making
no gap in their lines, with no thought of fear, but quietly and steadily
moving to the sound of the music against the enemy. Such men were not
likely to be either panic-stricken or over-confident, but had a cool and
cheerful confidence, believing that the gods were with them.

With the king used to march into battle a Spartan who had won a crown
in the public games of Greece. It is said that one of them was offered a
mighty bribe at Olympia, but refused to take it, and with great trouble
threw his adversary in the wrestling-match. Some one then asked him,
"Laconian, what have you gained by your victory?" The man, smiling with
delight, answered, "I shall fight in front of the king in the wars."
After they had routed their enemy and gained the victory, they were wont
to pursue so far as to render their success secure, and then to draw
off, as they did not think it manly or befitting a Greek to cut down and
butcher those who could fight no longer.

This was not merely magnanimous, but very useful to them, for their
enemies, knowing that they slew those who resisted, but spared those who
gave way, often judged it better for themselves to flee than to stand
their ground.

XXII. The sophist Hippias states that Lykurgus himself was a great
warrior