§7.795ΑΘ. ἐν ὅσοις μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἔργων μὴ μέγα διαφέρει, λύρᾳ μὲν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ χρώμενον, πλήκτρῳ δὲ ἐν δεξιᾷ, πρᾶγμα οὐδέν, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· τούτοις δὲ παραδείγμασι χρώμενον καὶ εἰς ἄλλα μὴ δέον οὕτω χρῆσθαι σχεδὸν ἄνοια.
ATH.: For in those activities where it makes no great difference, such as using the lyre in the left hand and the plectrum in the right, it is of no consequence, and all such things; but using these as examples and applying them to other matters where one ought not to do so is almost foolishness.
ἔδειξεν δὲ ταῦτα ὁ τῶν Σκυθῶν νόμος, οὐκ ἐν ἀριστερᾷ μὲν τόξον ἀπάγων, ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ οἰστὸν προσαγόμενος μόνον, ἀλλʼ ὁμοίως ἑκατέροις ἐπʼ ἀμφότερα χρώμενος·
The custom of the Scythians has demonstrated this, as they do not merely draw the bow with the left hand and apply the arrow with the right, but use both hands equally for both actions.
πάμπολλα δʼ ἕτερα τοιαῦτα παραδείγματα ἐν ἡνιοχείαις τέ ἐστι καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις, ἐν οἷσιν μαθεῖν δυνατὸν ὅτι παρὰ φύσιν κατασκευάζουσιν οἱ ἀριστερὰ δεξιῶν ἀσθενέστερα κατασκευάζοντες.
And there are very many other such examples both in chariot-driving and in other things, in which it is possible to learn that those who make the left hand weaker than the right are fashioning them contrary to nature.
ταῦτα δʼ, ὅπερ εἴπομεν, ἐν μὲν κερατίνοις πλήκτροις καὶ ἐν ὀργάνοις τοιούτοις οὐδὲν μέγα· σιδηροῖς δʼ εἰς τὸν πόλεμον ὅταν δέῃ χρῆσθαι, μέγα διαφέρει, καὶ τόξοις καὶ ἀκοντίοις καὶ ἑκάστοις τούτων, πολὺ δὲ μέγιστον, ὅταν ὅπλοις δέῃ πρὸς ὅπλα χρῆσθαι.
And these things, as we said, in the case of horn plectrums and such instruments are of no great consequence; but when it is necessary to use iron weapons for war—both bows and javelins and each of these—it makes a great difference, and by far the greatest when it is necessary to use armor against armor.
διαφέρει δὲ πάμπολυ μαθὼν μὴ μαθόντος καὶ ὁ γυμνασάμενος τοῦ μὴ γεγυμνασμένου.
Indeed, the one who has learned differs vastly from the one who has not, and the trained from the untrained.
καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ τελέως παγκράτιον ἠσκηκὼς ἢ πυγμὴν ἢ πάλην οὐκ ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἀριστερῶν ἀδύνατός ἐστι μάχεσθαι, χωλαίνει δὲ καὶ ἐφέλκεται πλημμελῶν, ὁπόταν αὐτόν τις μεταβιβάζων ἐπὶ θάτερα ἀναγκάζῃ διαπονεῖν, ταὐτὸν δὴ τοῦτʼ, οἶμαι, καὶ ἐν ὅπλοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις πᾶσι χρὴ προσδοκᾶν ὀρθόν, ὅτι τὸν διττὰ δεῖ κεκτημένον, οἷς ἀμύνοιτό τʼ ἂν καὶ ἐπιτιθεῖτο ἄλλοις, μηδὲν ἀργὸν τούτων μηδὲ ἀνεπιστῆμον ἐᾶν εἶναι κατὰ δύναμιν·
For just as the one who has perfectly practiced the pankration, boxing, or wrestling is not incapable of fighting from his left side, nor does he limp and drag himself awkwardly whenever someone shifts him to the other side and forces him to exert himself, so this same thing, I think, we must expect to be correct both in weapons and in all other things: namely, that the one who possesses double means, with which he might defend himself and attack others, must not leave any of these idle or unskilled as far as possible.
Γηρυόνου δέ γε εἴ τις φύσιν ἔχων ἢ καὶ τὴν Βριάρεω φύοιτο, ταῖς ἑκατὸν χερσὶν ἑκατὸν δεῖ βέλη ῥίπτειν δυνατὸν εἶναι.
And if anyone were to be born possessing the nature of Geryon or even that of Briareus, he ought to be able to hurl a hundred missiles with his hundred hands.
τούτων δὴ πάντων τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀρχούσαις τε καὶ ἄρχουσι δεῖ γίγνεσθαι, ταῖς μὲν ἐν παιδιαῖς τε καὶ τροφαῖς ἐπισκόποις γιγνομέναις, τοῖς δὲ περὶ μαθήματα, ὅπως ἀρτίποδές τε καὶ ἀρτίχειρες πάντες τε καὶ πᾶσαι γιγνόμενοι, μηδὲν τοῖς ἔθεσιν ἀποβλάπτωσι τὰς φύσεις εἰς τὸ δυνατόν.
Over all these things indeed, the care must belong to the female and male rulers, the former being overseers in games and nurturings, and the latter in matters of studies, so that all boys and girls, becoming sound in foot and sound in hand, may not damage their natural capacities through habits, as far as possible.
τὰ δὲ μαθήματά που διττά, ὥς γʼ εἰπεῖν, χρήσασθαι συμβαίνοι ἄν, τὰ μὲν ὅσα περὶ τὸ σῶμα γυμναστικῆς, τὰ δʼ εὐψυχίας χάριν μουσικῆς.
And the subjects of study, so to speak, would happen to be twofold: those concerning the body belonging to gymnastics, and those for the sake of goodness of soul belonging to music.
τὰ δὲ γυμναστικῆς αὖ δύο, τὸ μὲν ὄρχησις, τὸ δὲ πάλη.
And of gymnastics, again, there are two parts: one is dancing, the other wrestling.
τῆς ὀρχήσεως δὲ ἄλλη μὲν Μούσης λέξιν μιμουμένων, τό τε μεγαλοπρεπὲς φυλάττοντας ἅμα καὶ ἐλεύθερον, ἄλλη δέ, εὐεξίας ἐλαφρότητός τε ἕνεκα καὶ κάλλους, τῶν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ μελῶν καὶ μερῶν τὸ προσῆκον καμπῆς τε καὶ ἐκτάσεως, καὶ ἀποδιδομένης ἑκάστοις αὐτοῖς αὑτῶν εὐρύθμου κινήσεως, διασπειρομένης ἅμα καὶ συνακολουθούσης εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ὄρχησιν ἱκανῶς.
Of dancing, one kind is of those imitating the diction of the Muse, preserving both what is magnificent and free, and another is, for the sake of vigor, agility, and beauty, for the fitting bending and stretching of the limbs and parts of the body itself, and the rhythmic movement rendered to each of them by themselves, which is at the same time dispersed and follows along adequately through the whole dance.