“Were I to go through all of these practices, I should greatly fatigue both myself and
 my hearers, but if I mention only a single one—one which they cherish most and by which
 they set most store—I think that I can put before you their whole manner of life. For
 every day they send out their boys, from the very cradle, as it were, with such companions
 as each may prefer, ostensibly to hunt, but in reality to steal For this feature of their training see Plut. Lyc.
 17-18 ; Xen. Const. Lac. 2.5 ff. ; Gilbert,
 GCA p. 64. the property of the people who live in the country.
 In this practice, those who are caught are punished with fines and blows, while those who
 have accomplished the greatest number of thefts and have been able to escape detection
 enjoy a higher esteem among their fellow-youths than the others, and when they attain to
 manhood, provided they remain true to the ways which they practised in youth, they are in
 line for the most important offices. “If anyone can point out an education which is more cherished by them or by which they
 set greater store than this, I am willing to grant that there is not a word of truth in
 what I have said about anything whatsoever. And yet what is there in such conduct that is
 good or admirable and not, on the contrary, shameful? How can we fail to condemn the folly
 of those who extol men who have so far departed from our common laws and are in no respect
 of the same way of thinking as either the Hellenes or the barbarians? For the rest of the world looks upon malefactors and thieves as more depraved than
 slaves, whereas the Lacedaemonians regard those who stand first in such crimes as the best
 among their youths and honor them the most. And yet who that is in his right mind would
 not prefer to die many times rather than be known as seeking through such practices to
 school himself in virtue?” When he heard this, he did not answer arrogantly any of the things which I had said,
 neither, on the other hand, was he altogether silent, but remarked as follows:
 “You”—meaning myself—“have spoken as if I applauded all of the ways of Sparta and considered them good. But in fact I think
 that you are right in condemning the Spartans for the licence practised by their youth and
 for many other things as well, but wrong in attacking me.