14　Hard as Nails

Our story goes back again to Greece,the land of Homer and the fairytale gods,and to Sparta,where Helen once lived.

About nine hundred years before Christ was born,there lived in Sparta a man named Lycurgus. That is a hard name,and when you hear about this man you may think he was hard,too.Lycurgus wanted his city to be the greatest in the world.

First he had to find out what it was that made a city and a people great.

He started off and traveled for years and years,visiting all the chief countries of the world to see if he could learn what it was that made them great. And this is what he learned.

Wherever the people thought chiefly of fun and pleasure,of amusing themselves and having a good time—he found they were not good for much,not of much account—not great.

Wherever the people thought chiefly of hard work and did what they ought,whether it was pleasant or not,he found they were usually good for something—of some account—great.