The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-03-02
of hieroglyphics, seemingly record Of
their names and es.-London Netrs.


in the Trarclle1 j
Extravaganza in building houses grad
ually increased, though one circumstance
which hindered this was the fact that
outdoor life was more attractive to the
men than indoor life, they being great !
takers and argufers, and loving to fire.
quent the odeon, the school Of philoso-
ply. the gymnasium and not being great
stayers at home had not such induce
ments to render homo luxurious as we
who live in colder climate. The doors
were generally of wood and sometimes
of brass or marble, and swung on hinges
fitting into socket at top and bottom.
In Athens they were built close togeth
er with party walls. The rooms were
lighted by openings in the roofs of the
arcade, and by windows The roofs
were mostly Fat, and afforded an agreea-
BILE resort in the cool of the evening.
The houses we're warmed sometimes by
FIRE in places, and others by braziers
and chatting dishes Until late period
the floor and walls were only plastered
and whitewashed Mosaic floors and
painted walls came in later times of
wealth and luxury
The principal rooms were furnished
with rugs and mats running along the
walls, covered sometimes with skins,
sometimes with purple carpets, and heaps
of cushions. Tables were made of the
most costly woods and chairs, ottomans,
couches Of every variety we're on hand
Bedsteads of all the present patterns
we're used, the bed resting on Stats, cords
or thongs as nowadays. They were Of
Il splendid make in many cases Plato
speaks of bedsteads Of soli6 silver
Atheneus Of ivory with beautifully
wrought figures Lucian speaks of them
veneered with Indian tortoise shell, and
inlaid with gold. In Thessaly beds
were stuffed with fine grass. Fashiona-
Bile people in Athens had coverlcts made
of peacock skins with the feathers On.
Cleantius describes the bed Of o Paphi-
an prince thus
IOn the soft mattresses, supported
by a silver-footed bedstcad was flung a
short grained Sandman carpet Of the
most expensive kind. A coverlot Of
downy texture succeeded, and upon this
was cast costly counterpane of Amorg-
inian purple. Cushions variegated with
the richest purple supported his head.
while two soft Dorian pillows Of pale
pink gently raised his feet" One of
the greatest improvements introduced
by the Greeks into the art of sleeping,
was the practice of undressing before
going to bed--a thing unheard of until
hit upon by their inventive genius. Bod
coverings were often perfumed with fra
grant essences from the East, and coun-
tcrpanes embroidered with animals and
men.
They had the greatest variety Of earth
Ell and metallic plates, cups, and goblefs.
In Athens, the kitchen was furnished
with sinks, kneading troughs, pots, pans,
cutlery, &c, threc.leggcd table, and an
earthen pot for soup often very large,
with ladle made of wood of fg-treo to
give pleasant flavor to the soup. Also,
with mortar, cauldron, mug, oil flask,
rush basket, cleaver, platter, bowls, tin
, der boxes, stew-pans, chopping-block,
spits, andirons, colanders, ovens, roasters
bellows, &c. The fuel commonly used
was wood and charcoal, and sometimes
hard coal
, The toilette of the ladies had its black
paint for eyebrows, essence bottle hair
powder hair oils, curling irons, fillets
T golden pins, SC, &c-Ear-rings, brace
let's, jewelled aud signet rings, amulets
&C., were freely worn. So that. on the
; whole, it will be seen, that Greek house
of the better class was not deficient in
] any Of the means and appliances Of a
tolerably comfortable existence.
Monogamy, or the marriage Of one
man to one woman, was early establish
ed as the basis of Hellenic society
Having found and furnished his house
as we have seen. the young man was next
to get wife, Tbs education Of girls ii
Athens was for the most part secluded
one. Whatever accomplishments they
acquired were acquired in the presence
and under the superintendent of the
mother but there were many celebra
tions, connected with the religion of the
: country, in which the women participa
|, ted. They walked in procession through
the streets Of the city, to the temple o.
the gods they were present at funerals
and marriages they were present a
the theatre, at least at some of the rep
> resentations, and they took part in thu
Eleusinian mysteries so that numer
GUS occasions were not wanting for mel
and women to become acquainted Will
| zach othar II was not at nil unusual
for euamored young gentlemen to covel
walls, churches, trees, with the names o
the maidens who had inspired them Will
: the tender passion. Says LuciaE, " ev
cry wall was carved, and all the bark o
: the sap tree proclaimed the beautiful
| Aphrodite,p and even the leaves of tree!
y were written on with the beloved namo
n Sometimes verses were sent to tho
/ beloved object sometimes garlands o
. flowers were hung before her door; some
times the loye.sick swain wore a wreatl
| all awry on his head to signify the agi
: tated state of his feelings With the
!. best minds of antiquity, certainly the
D relation of the sexcs in the family was
! as Justly estimated as it is in the pres
4 ent day and they have left US admira
r BILE pictures Of the influence Of the affec
f tions on life and conduct Even the sa
tirical Lucian calls the union Of husband
|. aud wife divine and holy law. To tho
god of love, affairs we're built, sacrifices
\ offered, and festivals instituted. Love
i breathed the breath of life into theiI
, poetry !" 'to love, in the imagination