172 On ike Use and Abuse of 



victory. 1\\ the distracted state of the first 

 settlers In Greece^ wlien the bodily energies 

 \vere constantly in action, courage and personal 

 strengtli decided the day in most of their mi- 

 litary conflicts. Hence courage became asso- 

 ciated witli every idea of patriotism, honour, 

 and 'virtue. It is the opinion af Aristotle, 

 " That the nations, most atteniijve to the 

 formation of the body, strive to give it^ tod 

 athletic a habit, which iiijiires the beauty of 

 the shape, and stints the growth of the person. 

 The Lacedemonians avoid this error; yet, by 

 imposing ..excessive labour on the body, they 

 engender ferocity in the mind, thinking this 

 conducive to martial spirit. But mere warlike 

 courage, taken "separately by itself, is a doubtful 

 and defective quality, and, cultivated loo as- 

 siduously by the hardening discipline of toil's 

 and struggles, Vv 111 degrade and debase the 

 man, blunt his faculties, narrow his soul, and 

 render him as bad a soldier as he is a con- 

 temptible citizen."* Tliis necessity of rendering 

 the gymnastic art subservient to nobler pur- 

 suits, was felt and acted upon by the Athe- 

 nians, and other polished states of Greece. 



The cultivation of poetry and music was 

 encouraged by bcstowiiig the highest honours 



* Giilies's Arislot, pollt. p. Qb(\ 



