I have now sufficiently discussed the form of the polity as it was in those days and the
 length of time during which our people continued to enjoy it. But it remains for me to
 recount the actions which have resulted from the excellence of their government. For from
 these it will be possible to see still more clearly that our ancestors not only had a
 better and sounder polity than the rest of the world but also employed the kind of leaders
 and advisers which men of intelligence ought to select. Yet I must not go on speaking even on this point, without first prefacing it with a word
 of explanation. For if, disdaining to take notice of the criticisms of people who are able
 to do nothing but find fault, I were to review one after the other not only the other
 achievements of our ancestors but also the ways and practices in warfare by which they
 prevailed over the barbarians and attained to glory among the Hellenes, inevitably some
 will say that I am really speaking of the ordinances which Lycurgus laid down and the
 Spartans follow. I acknowledge that I am going to speak at length of the institutions of Sparta , not taking the view, however, that Lycurgus
 invented or conceived any of them, but that he imitated as well as he could the government
 of our ancestors, See Isoc.
 4.39 and note. establishing among the Spartans a democracy tempered with
 aristocracy—even such as existed in Athens —,
 enacting that the offices be filled, not by lot, but by election, ordaining that the election of the Elders, who were to supervise all public affairs,
 should be conducted with the very same care as, they say, our ancestors also exercised
 with regard to those who were to have seats in the Areopagus, and, furthermore, conferring
 upon the Elders For the Spartan Gerousia, Council of
 Elders, see Gilbert, Greek Constitutional Antiquities p. 47. the
 very same power which he knew that the Council of the Areopagus also had in Athens . Now that the institutions of Sparta were
 established after the manner of our own as they were in ancient times may be learned from
 many sources by those who desire to know the truth. But that skill in warfare is something
 which the Spartans did not practise earlier than our ancestors or employ to better
 advantage than they I think I can show so clearly from the struggles and the wars which
 are acknowledged to have taken place in those days that none will be able to contradict
 what I say—neither those who are blind worshippers of Sparta nor those who at once admire and envy and strive to imitate the ways
 of Athens.