e off their
armour and lay aside their swords, but to leave off using gold and
silver, and to lay aside costly hangings and furniture; he had not to
make them exchange wars for sacrifices and gay festivals, but to cease
from feasts and drinking-parties, and work hard both in the field and in
the palaestra to train themselves for war.

For this reason, Numa was able to effect his purpose without difficulty,
and without any loss of popularity and respect; while Lykurgus was
struck and pelted, and in danger of his life, and even so could scarcely
carry out his reforms. Yet the genius of Numa was kindly and gentle,
and so softened and changed the reckless fiery Romans that they became
peaceful, law-abiding citizens; and if we must reckon Lykurgus'
treatment of the Helots as part of his system, it cannot be denied that
Numa was a far more civilised lawgiver, seeing that he allowed even to
actual slaves some taste of liberty, by his institution of feasting them
together with their masters at the festival of Saturn.

For this custom of allowing the labourers to share in the harvest-feast
is traced to Numa. Some say that this is in remembrance of the equality
which existed in the time of Saturn, when there was neither master nor
slave, but all were kinsmen and had equal rights.

II. Both evidently encouraged the spirit of independence and
self-control among their people, while of other virtues, Lykurgus loved
bravery, and Numa loved justice best; unless indeed we should say that,
from the very different temper and habits of the two states, they
required to be treated in a different manner. It was not from cowardice,
but because he scorned to do an injustice, that Numa did not make war;
while Lykurgus made his countrymen warlike, not in order that they might
do wrong, but that they might not be wronged. Each found that the
existing system required very important alterations to check its
excesses and supply its defects. Numa's reforms were all in favour of
the people, whom he classified into a mixed and motley multitude of
goldsmiths and musicians and cobblers; while the constitution introduced
by Lykurgus was severely aristocratic, driving all handicrafts into the
hands of slaves and foreigners, and confining the citizens to the use of
the spear and shield, as men whose trade was war alone, and who knew
nothing but how to obey their leaders and to conquer their enemies. In
Sparta a free man was not permitted to make money in b