principle of taking the education from the hands of parents, and introducing boys in early youth to a wider society than their home could afford.(1414) Chapter V. § 1. Education of the youth at Sparta. Its early stages. § 2. Its continuation after the twelfth year. § 3. Education of the youth in Crete. § 4. Nature of the education: gymnastic and music. § 5. Influence of the Dorians upon the national games. § 6. The Spartan youth trained to hardships. § 7. Military games at Crete and Sparta. § 8. Athletic exercises of the women. 1. The education of the youth (νεολαία)(1415) in the ancient Doric states of Sparta and Crete, was conducted, as might be supposed, on a very artificial system: indeed, the great number of classes into which the boys and youths were distributed, would itself lead us to this conclusion. For since this separation could not have been made without some aim, each class, we may conjecture, was treated in some way different from the rest, the whole forming a complete scale of mental or bodily acquirements. Whether a new-born infant should be preserved or not, was decided in Lacedæmon by the state, _i.e._ a council composed of the elders of the house.(1416) This custom was not by any means more barbarous than that of the ancient world in general, which, in earlier times at least, gave the father full power over the lives of his children. Here we may perceive the great influence of the community over the education of its members, which should not, however, lead us to suppose that all connexion between parents and children was dissolved, or the dearest ties of nature torn asunder. Even Spartan mothers preserved a power over their sons when arrived at manhood, of which we find no trace in the rest of Greece. Agesilaus riding before his children on a stick(1417) presents a true picture of the education,(1418) which was entrusted entirely to the parents(1419) till the age of seven; at which period the public and regular education (ἀγωγὴ)(1420) commenced. This was in strictness enjoyed only by the sons of Spartans (πολιτικοὶ παῖδες),(1421) and the mothaces (slaves brought up in the family) selected to share their education: sometimes also Spartans of half-blood were admitted.(1422) This education was one chief requisite for a free citizen;(1423) whoever refused to submit to it,(1424) suffered a partial loss of his rights; the immediate heir to the throne was the only person excepted,(1425) whilst the younger sons of the kings were brought up in the herd (ἀγέλη). Leonidas and Agesilaus, two of the noblest princes of Sparta, submitted when boys to the correction of their masters.