Public Tables in Sparta
Spartan men ate at public tables, sharing simple food like black broth. Rich and poor sat together and ate the same food. Boys joined the tables once they learned obedience and were warned never to repeat what they heard. To teach temperance, elders made Helots drunk to show how shameful drunkenness was. When boys left for war, mothers said "Come back with it or on it" - meaning return victorious with your shield or dead upon it.
The Text
What You'll Learn
Comprehension
Describes the public tables where Spartan men ate together
Cause & Consequence
Explains why men ate together: to make all equally strong and united
Significance
Explains how Spartan mothers expected their sons to be brave in battle
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