the state.—Historic fancy of Lykurgus as an equal partitioner of lands grew out of this feeling.—Partition proposed by Agis.—Opinion that Lykurgus proposed some agrarian interference, but not an entire repartition, gratuitous and improbable.—The statement of Plutarch is best explained by supposing it a fiction of the time of Agis.—Acknowledged difficulty of understanding by what means the fixed number and integrity of the lots was maintained.—Plutarch’s story about the ephor Epitadeus.—Landed property was always unequally divided at Sparta.—Nor were there any laws which tended to equalize it.—Opinions of Aristotle.—Erroneous suppositions with regard to the Spartan law and practice of succession.—Lykurgean system—originally applied only to Sparta—introduced equal severity of discipline, not equality of property.—Original Dorian allotment of land in Sparta unknown—probably not equal.—Gradual conquest of Laconia, the result of the new force imparted by the Lykurgean discipline.—Conquest of Amyklæ, Pharis, and Geronthræ, by king Têleklus.—Helus conquered by Alkamenês.—Progressive increase of Sparta. 337-421 CHAPTER VII. FIRST AND SECOND MESSENIAN WARS. Authorities for the history of the Messenian wars.—Chiefly belong to the time after the foundation of Messênê by Epameinondas.—Absence of real or ancient traditions concerning these wars: contradictions about the Messenian hero Aristomenês.—Dates of the first wars—B. C. 743-724.—Causes alleged by the Spartans.—Spartan king Têleklus slain by the Messenians at the temple of Artemis Limnatis.—First Messenian war.—Messenian kings, Euphaês and Aristodêmus.—Messenians concentrate themselves on Mount Ithôme—after a long siege they are completely conquered.—Harsh treatment and Helotism of the conquered Messenians under Sparta.—Revolt of the Messenians against Sparta—second Messenian war—Aristomenês.—His chivalrous exploits and narrow escapes—end of the second war.—The Messenians again conquered.—Narrative of Pausanias, borrowed from the poet Rhianus, is undeserving of credit.—The poet Tyrtæus, the ally of Sparta—his great efficiency and influence over the Spartan mind.—Musical susceptibilities of the Spartans.—Powerful ethical effect of the old Grecian music.—Sufferings of the Spartans in the second Messenian war.—Date of the second war, B. C. 648-631.—Punishment of the traitor Aristokratês, king of the Arcadian Orchomenus.—Spartans acquire the country west of Taygetus.—The Messenian Dorians had no considerable fortified places—lived in small townships and villages.—Relations of Pisa and Elis.—Struggles of the Pisatæ and Triphylians for autonomy—the latter in after times sustained by the political interests of Sparta. 421-440 CHAPTER VIII. CONQUESTS OF SPARTA TOWARDS ARCADIA AND ARGOLIS.