Mention is made of some poor philosophers of this sect, who used to chew the plant called ἄλιμα to allay hunger, and might be seen wandering about torrent beds, collecting this and similar herbs in their wallets. Athen. iv. 52. According to the comic poets, the Pythagorean sect allowed its disciples a loaf of pure bread and a cup of water per diem, which constituted the ordinary prison allowance. Id. ibid. Footnote 381: Aristoph. Equit. 420. Footnote 382: Schol. Aristoph. Acharn. 445. Footnote 383: Athen. xiii. 22. Footnote 384: Id. ii. 44. Footnote 385: Lucian. Amor. § 33. Footnote 386: Athen. x. 17. Footnote 387: Aristophanes, Vesp. 1260, enumerates apples and pomegranates among the ordinary articles of food used by the poor. Footnote 388: Cf. Schol. Aristoph. Ach. 1081. Athen. iv. 7. 10. Phot. Bib. 453. a. 32. Herod. iv. 172. ----- CHAPTER II. INDUSTRY: MILLERS, BAKERS, VINTNERS, MARKETS, ETC. We have examined the condition of the poor at Athens, and shall now consider how far the laws of the state interfered to better their circumstances by promoting industry, and rendering it honourable. Among the Spartans, idleness, the vice of soldiers,[389] was regarded as a proof of rank; whence the remark of that disciple of Lycurgus, who, being present at Athens during a trial for this offence, fatal to a democracy, observed, that they punished the man for being a gentleman.[390] Solon, however, entertained little respect for this mark of gentility. According to his laws, of which the whole design was to create and preserve that feeling of manliness bestowed by the consciousness of independence, the individual, who, possessing no property, refused to labour, was a bad citizen, against whom any one might bring an action of idleness.[391] Draco, the most Utopian and savage of legislators, punished vagabondage with death, or, according to some, with infamy only. But Solon, who would not require too much of human nature, reserved this latter penalty for those who should be thrice convicted.[392] ----- Footnote 389: Lord Bacon, whose opinions were chiefly based on the study of antiquity, observes, after Plato and Aristotle, that military nations will always be somewhat inclined to idleness, and should rather be indulged in it than otherwise. Essays, p. 79. But both the Athenians and Romans were a hardworking people, and better soldiers have never been known. The best soldiers in the English army are drawn from the central provinces, where industry most abounds, and the laborious Normans are the best troops in France. Cf. Plut. Ages. § 26. Footnote 390: Plut. Lycurg. § 24. Footnote 391: Diog. Laert. i. ii. § 53. Plut. Sol. §§ 22. 31. Herod. ii. 177. Pollux. viii. 40. Ælian. Var. Hist. iv. 1. Footnote 392: Poll. viii. 40. Plut. Sol. § 17. -----