The Complete Aristotle (eng.)

misfortunes they are always lying in wait. Nothing,
however, of this kind has as yet happened to the Cretans; the
reason probably is that the neighboring cities, even when at war
with one another, never form an alliance with rebellious serfs,
rebellions not being for their interest, since they themselves have
a dependent population. Whereas all the neighbors of the
Lacedaemonians, whether Argives, Messenians, or Arcadians, were
their enemies. In Thessaly, again, the original revolt of the
slaves occurred because the Thessalians were still at war with the
neighboring Achaeans, Perrhaebians, and Magnesians. Besides, if
there were no other difficulty, the treatment or management of
slaves is a troublesome affair; for, if not kept in hand, they are
insolent, and think that they are as good as their masters, and, if
harshly treated, they hate and conspire against them. Now it is
clear that when these are the results the citizens of a state have
not found out the secret of managing their subject population.
    Again, the license of the Lacedaemonian women defeats the
intention of the Spartan constitution, and is adverse to the
happiness of the state. For, a husband and wife being each a part
of every family, the state may be considered as about equally
divided into men and women; and, therefore, in those states in
which the condition of the women is bad, half the city may be
regarded as having no laws. And this is what has actually happened
at Sparta; the legislator wanted to make the whole state hardy and
temperate, and he has carried out his intention in the case of the
men, but he has neglected the women, who live in every sort of
intemperance and luxury. The consequence is that in such a state
wealth is too highly valued, especially if the citizen fall under
the dominion of their wives, after the manner of most warlike
races, except the Celts and a few others who openly approve of male
loves. The old mythologer would seem to have been right in uniting
Ares and Aphrodite, for all warlike races are prone to the love
either of men or of women. This was exemplified among the Spartans
in the days of their greatness; many things were managed by their
women. But what difference does it make whether women rule, or the
rulers are ruled by women? The result is the same. Even in regard
to courage, which is of no use in daily life, and is needed only in
war, the influence of the Lacedaemonian women has been most
mischievous. The evil showed itself in the Theban invasion, when,
unlike the women other cities, they were utterly useless and caused
more confusion than the enemy. This license of the Lacedaemonian
women existed from the earliest times, and was only what might be
expected. For, during the wars of the Lacedaemonians, first against
the Argives, and afterwards against the Arcadians and Messenians,
the men were long away from home, and, on the return of peace, they
gave themselves into the legislator’s hand, already prepared by the
discipline of a soldier’s life (in which there are many elements of
virtue), to receive his enactments. But, when Lycurgus, as
tradition says, wanted to bring the women under his laws, they
resisted, and he gave up the attempt. These then are the causes of
what then happened, and this defect in the constitution is clearly
to be attributed to them. We are not, however, considering what is
or is not to be excused, but what is right or wrong, and the
disorder of the women, as I have already said, not only gives an
air of indecorum to the constitution considered in itself, but
tends in a measure to foster avarice.
    The mention of avarice naturally suggests a criticism on the
inequality of property. While some of the Spartan citizen have
quite small properties, others have very large ones; hence the land
has passed into the hands of a few. And this is due also to faulty
laws; for, although the legislator rightly holds up to shame the
sale or purchase of an inheritance, he allows anybody who likes to
give or bequeath it. Yet both practices lead to the same result.
And nearly two-fifths of the whole country are held by women; this
is owing to the number of heiresses and to the large dowries which
are customary. It would surely have been better to have given no
dowries at all, or, if any, but small or moderate ones. As the law
now stands, a man may bestow his heiress on any one whom he
pleases, and, if he die intestate, the privilege of giving her away
descends to his heir. Hence, although the country is