The Comparison of Numa with Lycurgus   

Having thus finished the lives of Lycurgus and Numa, we shall now,
though the work be difficult, put together their points of difference
as they lie here before our view. Their points of likeness are obvious;
their moderation, their religion, their capacity of government and
discipline, their both deriving their laws and constitutions from
the gods. Yet in their common glories there are circumstances of diversity;
for first Numa accepted and Lycurgus resigned a kingdom; Numa received
without desiring it, Lycurgus had it and gave it up; the one from
a private person and a stranger was raised by others to be their king;
the other from the condition of a prince voluntarily descended to
the state of privacy. It was glorious to acquire a throne by justice,
yet more glorious to prefer justice before a throne; the same virtue
which made the one appear worthy of regal power exalted the other
to the disregard of it. Lastly, as the musicians tune their harps,
so the one let down the high-flown spirits of the people at Rome to
a lower key, as the other screwed them up at Sparta to a higher note,
when they were sunken low by dissoluteness and riot. The harder task
was that of Lycurgus; for it was not so much his business to persuade
his citizens to put off their armour or ungird their swords, as to
cast away their gold or silver, and abandon costly furniture and rich
tables; nor was it necessary to preach to them, that, laying aside
their arms, they should observe the festivals, and sacrifice to the
gods, but rather, that, giving up feasting and drinking, they should
employ their time in laborious and martial exercises; so that while
the one effected all by persuasions and his people's love for him,
the other, with danger and hazard of his person, scarcely in the end
succeeded. Numa's muse was a gentle and loving inspiration, fitting
him well to turn and soothe his people into peace and justice out
of their violent and fiery tempers; whereas, if we must admit the
treatment of the Helots to be a part of Lycurgus's legislation, a
most cruel and iniquitous proceeding, we must own that Numa was by
a great deal the more humane and Greek-like legislator, granting even
to actual slaves a licence to sit at meat with their masters at the
feast of Saturn, that they also might have some taste and relish of
the sweets of liberty. For this custom, too, is ascribed to Numa,
whose wish was, they conceive, to give a place in the enjoyment of
the yearly fruits of the soil to those who had helped to produce them.
Others will have it to be in remembrance of the age of Saturn, when
there was no distinction between master and slave, but all lived as
brothers and as equals in a condition of equality.
In general, it seems that both aimed at the same design and intent,
which was to bring their people to moderation and frugality; but of
other virtues, the one set his affection most on fortitude, and the
other on justice; unless we will attribute their different ways to
the different habits and temperaments which they had to work upon
by their enactments; for Numa did not out of cowardice or fear affect
peace, but because he would not be guilty of injustice; nor did Lycurgus
promote a spirit of war in his people that they might do injustice
to others, but that they might protect themselves by it.
In bringing the habits they formed in their people to a just and happy
mean, mitigating them where they exceeded, and strengthening them
where they were deficient, both were compelled to make great innovations.
The frame of government which Numa formed was democratic and popular
to the last extreme, goldsmiths and flute-players and shoemakers constituting
his promiscuous, many-coloured commonalty. Lycurgus was rigid and
aristocratical, banishing all the base and mechanic arts to the company
of servants and strangers, and allowing the true citizens no implements
but the spear and shield, the trade of war only, and the service of
Mars, and no other knowledge or study, but that of obedience to their
commanding officers, and victory over their enemies. Every sort of
money-making was forbid them as freemen; and to make them thoroughly
so and keep them so through their whole lives, every conceivable concern
with money was handed over, with the cooking and the waiting at table,