Lycurgus   

relaxed the rigour of the monarchy, seeking favour and popularity
with the many. They, after this first step, grew bolder; and the succeeding
kings partly incurred hatred with their people by trying to use force,
or, for popularity's sake and through weakness, gave way; and anarchy
and confusion long prevailed in Sparta, causing, moreover, the death
of the father of Lycurgus. For as he was endeavouring to quell a riot,
he was stabbed with a butcher's knife, and left the title of king
to his eldest son, Polydectes.
He, too, dying soon after, the right of succession (as every one thought)
rested in Lycurgus; and reign he did, until it was found that the
queen, his sister-in-law, was with child; upon which he immediately
declared that the kingdom belonged to her issue, provided it were
male, and that he himself exercised the regal jurisdiction only as
his guardian; the Spartan name for which office is prodicus. Soon
after, an overture was made to him by the queen, that she would herself
in some way destroy the infant, upon condition that he would marry
her when he came to the crown. Abhorring the woman's wickedness, he
nevertheless did not reject her proposal, but, making show of closing
with her, despatched the messenger with thanks and expressions of
joy, but dissuaded her earnestly from procuring herself to miscarry,
which would impair her health, if not endanger her life; he himself,
he said, would see to it, that the child, as soon as born, should
be taken out of the way. By such artifices having drawn on the woman
to the time of her lying-in, as soon as he heard that she was in labour,
he sent persons to be by and observe all that passed, with orders
that if it were a girl they should deliver it to the women, but if
a boy, should bring it to him wheresoever he were, and whatsoever
doing. It fell out that when he was at supper with the principal magistrates
the queen was brought to bed of a boy, who was soon after presented
to him as he was at the table; he, taking him into his arms, said
to those about him, "Men of Sparta, here is a king born unto us;"
this said, he laid him down in the king's place, and named him Charilaus,
that is, the joy of the people; because that all were transported
with joy and with wonder at his noble and just spirit. His reign had
lasted only eight months, but he was honoured on other accounts by
the citizens, and there were more who obeyed him because of his eminent
virtues, than because he was regent to the king and had the royal
power in his hands. Some, however, envied and sought to impede his
growing influence while he was still young; chiefly the kindred and
friends of the queen-mother, who pretended to have been dealt with
injuriously. Her brother Leonidas, in a warm debate which fell out
betwixt him and Lycurgus, went so far as to tell him to his face that
he was well assured that ere long he should see him king; suggesting
suspicions and preparing the way for an accusation of him, as though
he had made away with his nephew, if the child should chance to fail,
though by a natural death. Words of the like import were designedly
cast abroad by the queen-mother and her adherents.
Troubled at this, and not knowing what it might come to, he thought
it his wisest course to avoid their envy by a voluntary exile, and
to travel from place to place until his nephew came to marriageable
years, and, by having a son, had secured the succession; setting sail,
therefore, with this resolution, he first arrived at Crete, where,
having considered their several forms of government, and got an acquaintance
with the principal men among them, some of their laws he very much
approved of, and resolved to make use of them in his own country;
a good part he rejected as useless. Among the persons there the most
renowned for their learning and their wisdom in state matters was
one Thales, whom Lycurgus, by importunities and assurances of friendship,
persuaded to go over to Lacedaemon; where, though by his outward appearance
and his own profession he seemed to be no other than a lyric poet,
in reality he performed the part of one of the ablest lawgivers in
the world. The very songs which he composed were exhortations to obedience
and concord, and the very measure and cadence of the verse, conveying
impressions of order and tranquillity, had so great an influence on