§1.1ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ τὸν Νομᾶ καὶ Λυκούργου διεληλύθαμεν βίον, ἐκκειμένων ἀμφοῖν, εἰ καὶ χαλεπὸν ἔργον, οὐκ ἀποκνητέον συναγαγεῖν τὰς διαφοράς, αἱ μὲν γὰρ κοινότητες ἐπιφαίνονται ταῖς πράξεσιν, οἷον ἡ σωφροσύνη τῶν ἀνδρῶν, ἡ εὐσέβεια, τὸ πολιτικόν, τὸ παιδευτικόν, τὸ μίαν ἀρχὴν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν ἀμφοτέρους λαβεῖν τῆς νομοθεσίας· τῶν δὲ ἰδίᾳ ἑκατέρου καλῶν πρῶτόν ἐστι Νομᾷ μὲν ἡ παράληψις τῆς βασιλείας, Λυκούργῳ δὲ ἡ παράδοσις.
But since we have completed the lives of Numa and Lycurgus, now that both are laid out before us, even if it is a difficult task, we must not shrink from bringing together their differences. For their common points are manifest in their deeds, such as the self-control of the men, their piety, their political capacity, their educational capacity, and the fact that both received the beginning of their lawgiving from the gods; but among the particular virtues of each, the first is Numa's acceptance of the royal power, and Lycurgus' surrender of it.
§1.2ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ αἰτῶν ἔλαβεν, ὁ δὲ ἔχων ἀπέδωκε.
For the one received it without asking, while the other gave it back when he possessed it.
καὶ τὸν μὲν ἕτεροι κύριον αὑτῶν κατέστησαν ἰδιώτην καὶ ξένον ὄντα, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς αὑτὸν ἰδιώτην ἐκ βασιλέως ἐποίησε.
And the one was established by others as their lord, though he was a private citizen and a stranger, while the other made himself a private citizen instead of a king.
καλὸν μὲν οὖν τὸ κτήσασθαι δικαιοσύνῃ τὴν βασιλείαν, καλὸν δὲ τὸ προτιμῆσαι τὴν δικαιοσύνην τῆς βασιλείας, ἡ γὰρ ἀρετὴ τὸν μὲν οὕτως ἔνδοξον κατέστησεν ὥστε βασιλείας ἀξιωθῆναι, τὸν δὲ οὕτω μέγαν ἐποίησεν ὥστε βασιλείας καταφρονῆσαι.
It is a fine thing, therefore, to acquire the kingship through justice, and it is a fine thing to prefer justice to the kingship; for virtue made the one so illustrious as to be deemed worthy of a kingdom, and made the other so great as to despise a kingdom.
§1.3δεύτερον τοίνυν, ἐπεὶ καθάπερ ἁρμονικοὶ λύρας, ὁ μὲν ἐκλελυμένην καὶ τρυφῶσαν ἐπέτεινε τὴν Σπάρτην, ὁ δὲ τῆς Ῥώμης τὸ σφοδρὸν ἀνῆκε καὶ σύντονον, ἡ μὲν χαλεπότης τοῦ ἔργου τῷ Λυκούργῳ πρόσεστιν.
Secondly, therefore, just as tuners of the lyre, the one tightened Sparta, which was relaxed and luxurious, while the other slackened the fierce and highly-strung character of Rome, but the difficulty of the task lies with Lycurgus.
οὐ γὰρ θώρακας ἐκδῦναι καὶ ξίφη τοὺς πολίτας καταθέσθαι ἔπειθεν, ἀλλὰ χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον ἀφεῖναι καὶ στρωμνὰς ἐκβαλεῖν πολυτελεῖς καὶ τραπέζας, οὐδὲ παυσαμένους πολέμων ἑορτάζειν καὶ θύειν, ἀλλὰ δεῖπνα καὶ πότους ἐάσαντας ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις καὶ ταῖς παλαίστραις διαπονεῖσθαι καὶ ἀσκεῖν.
For he did not persuade the citizens to take off their breastplates and lay down their swords, but to abandon gold and silver and cast out expensive couches and tables, nor to celebrate festivals and sacrifice after ceasing from wars, but to leave banquets and drinking and to labor and train in arms and the wrestling-schools.
§1.4ὅθεν ὁ μὲν διʼ εὐνοίας καὶ τιμῆς ἅπαντα πείθων ἔπραξεν, ὁ δε κινδυνεύων καὶ βαλλόμενος μόγις ἐπεκράτησεν· ἥμερος μέντοι καὶ φιλάνθρωπος ἡ τοῦ Νομᾶ μοῦσα πρὸς εἰρήνην καὶ δικαιοσύνην μεθαρμοσαμένου καὶ καταπραΰναντος ἐξ ἀκρατῶν καὶ διαπύρων ἠθῶν τοὺς πολίτας.
Hence the one accomplished everything by persuasion through goodwill and honor, while the other, at risk of his life and being pelted with stones, barely prevailed; yet Numa's Muse was gentle and humane, as he harmony-adjusted and softened his citizens to peace and justice out of unbridled and fiery characters.
εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ περὶ τοὺς Εἵλωτας ἀναγκάσει τις ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν Λυκούργου θέσθαι πολιτείαν, §1.5ὠμότατον ἔργον καὶ παρανομώτατον, μακρῷ τινι τὸν Νομᾶν ἑλληνικώτερον γεγονέναι νομοθέτην φήσομεν, ὅς γε καὶ τοὺς ὡμολογημένους δούλους ἔγευσε τιμῆς ἐλευθέρας, ἐν τοῖς Κρονίοις ἑστιᾶσθαι μετὰ τῶν δεσποτῶν ἀναμεμιγμένους ἐθίσας.
But if anyone should force us to assign also the matter of the Helots to the constitution of Lycurgus, a most cruel and lawless deed, we shall declare Numa to have been a far more Hellenic lawgiver, who allowed even recognized slaves to taste of free honor, by customing them to feast mixed together with their masters during the festival of Cronus.
καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο τῶν Νομᾶ πατρίων ἓν εἶναι λέγουσιν, ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ἐτησίων ἀπολαύσεις καρπῶν τοὺς συνεργοὺς παραλαμβάνοντος, ἔνιοι δὲ τοῦτο ὑπόμνημα τῆς Κρονικῆς ἐκείνης ἰσονομίας ἀποσώζεσθαι μυθολογοῦσιν, ὡς μηδενὸς δούλου μηδὲ δεσπότου, πάντων δὲ συγγενῶν καὶ ἰσοτίμων νομιζομένων.
For they say that this also was one of Numa's ancestral customs, that he admitted his fellow laborers to the enjoyment of the annual fruits, and some mythologize that this is preserved as a memorial of that famous equality of the golden age of Cronus, when there was neither slave nor master, but all were regarded as kinsmen and equals.