# Lycurgus — The Social Contract character guide

> Lycurgus in The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** the great Lycurgus, Lycurgus

**First appearance:** 0021-vii-the-legislator

## Who they are

Legendary lawgiver of Sparta, cited for his constitution.

## In the story

### [Whether the General Will Is Fallible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/iii-whether-the-general-will-is-fallible)

Cited as the founder of the sublime system of no partial societies within the state.

### [The Legislator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-the-legislator)

Mentioned as an example of a legislator who resigned the throne before giving laws.

### [The People](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-the-people)

Mentioned as the lawgiver of Sparta during its rejuvenation after a period of crisis.

### [V: The Tribunate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/v-the-tribunate)

Referenced implicitly through Spartan examples of Ephors.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/characters/lycurgus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/characters