So far, the Spartan Xeones showed the upmost humility in the presence of the King, and now will begin his story of Sparta. Xeones starts out by telling about his training, and the life of a Spartan, starting with the birth. All Spartan babies are taken away on the first night of birth by the Spiritual leader, and is taken the the mountain cliff. If the spiritual man doesnt think that the child is fit to be a Spartan Soldier(the best in the Medeterranain)then he tosses the child to the rocks below. this first act allows only the best to even start the path towards a Soldier, and makes the competition even stiffer. He speaks of the activities that both the boys and girls participated in, such as sports and play fighting, preparing the mind for battle. He talks about the days without water and food, where he would be beat up by soldiers, and made black with bruises. All of this for one cause, Sparta. this tradition is what made Sparta so great compared to the other Greek states. They didnt need a congress, because their skill on the battlefield determined the leader. The Spartans were the simple folk, the men of the sword. This gave them an edge that even Persia, the world superpower of the time, couldnt handle well.