صفحة 214 من 1391

Cowards and deserters shall be degraded to the class of

husbandmen; gentlemen who allow themselves to be taken prisoners,

may be presented to the enemy. But what shall be done to the

hero? First of all he shall be crowned by all the youths in the

army; secondly, he shall receive the right hand of fellowship;

and thirdly, do you think that there is any harm in his being

kissed? We have already determined that he shall have more wives

than others, in order that he may have as many children as

possible. And at a feast he shall have more to eat; we have the

authority of Homer for honouring brave men with 'long chines,'

which is an appropriate compliment, because meat is a very

strengthening thing. Fill the bowl then, and give the best seats

and meats to the brave-may they do them good! And he who dies in

battle will be at once declared to be of the golden race, and

will, as we believe, become one of Hesiod's guardian angels.