From the Stupid Ancients department. The technique of Leonides, here, might inspire a gifted statesman to find a way to save New Orleans.
“The inhabitants of Byzantium, who are formidable tipplers, are reported to live in bars, moving out of their own houses and dwellings, which they let to foreigners visiting the city. They abandon to the visitors not simply their homes, but also their wives; and so the Byzantines by this one act lay themselves open to the double charge of drunkenness and prostitution. As wine and drunkenness lead them into extravagance, they enjoy listening to the aulos, and it is their daily business to be serenaded; but they cannot endure the trumpet. One can infer that the Byzantines find war and military matters utterly uncongenial. That is why their general Leonides, during a severe siege, when the enemy were attacking the walls, and the garrison abandoned their posts to pass the day in their usual haunts, gave instructions to have bars set up for them on the walls. This device gradually and after some long time persuaded them not to abandon their posts of duty, as their pretext had been removed.” – Aelian 3.14 [Loeb translation]
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