Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-08-16
Ancient Greeks.

There were four daily meals taken by the early
Greeks: l, the morning meal or breakfast; 3, din
Rer; 8, an afternoon meal and 4, supper. The
Greeks Of q later age partook Of three meals cor
responding to breakfast luncheon and dinner. 1t
was customary among them at first to sit at meat,
but after luxury prevailed they recned on conches
that they might drink at greater ease. Two guests
usually recned on a couch, but sometimes greater
number who were placed according to rank.
In dress the ancients used no covering for the
head but afterwards they wore hats. The inner
garment of a man as well as a woman, was a tunic,
but women of wealth wore kind Of robe. The ex.
terror garments were a cloak, thicker garment for
cold weather, a round garment without sleeves, d
great coat a threadbare coat usually worn by phil
osophers and the poor, a long garment reaching to
the heels and military cloak. On their feet were
shoes bound with thongs, or slippers. Buskins
or boots were worn by tragedians.
The Greeks attached great importance to the
burial of the dead, as they believed their souls
could not enter the Eysian fields unless their bodies
were buried and it was therefore grave charge
on the character of man to have neglected the
burial Of his relations. The following customs
were connected with the Greek funeral:
AS soon Is ans one expired, the eyes were closed
by the nearest relative present the mouth shut the
tIcs covered, the body stretched out and washed
.lrd anointed with oil, then wrapped in handsome
garment and decked with chaplets and flowers it
was then laid on couch with the feet toward the
door, small coin placed over the mouth as Charon's
fare for ferriage the Internal river and small
cake laid beside the corpse TO appease the fury Of
Cerbef3st Before the door vessel was placed that
those Rbout the corpse might purify themselves
with washing.
On the third day after death, the corpse was car
ried out for burial attended by the friends and
neighbors of the deceased and either buried or
burnt on piles Of wood. When these were burnt
down the remains of the fire we're quenched with
IL !
uuconsumed bones which were placed together
with the ashes in of gold silver, wood, stone
or clay.
The corpses not burned were buried in cofins,
usually outside the city. After funeral feast
was usually spread in the house of the nearest
relative of the departed, and on the third day q
sacrifice was made for the dead Libations were
also made for the deceased and relatives expressed
their sorrows in various ways either by cutting off
their hair or shaving the head sprinkling them
selves with ashes beSrng their breasts or tearing
their flesh, &c.
The monuments erected over the graTes were
either pillars or stone tablets, columns, or small
buildings in the shape of temples and square stones
On these were inscribed the epitaph
Their most ancient theatres were of wood but
afterwards built of stone or cut in rock The form
was semi circular; and the rows of benches for
spectators, rising one above the other were arrang-
ed in front Of the stage which was divided into the
pu[pittH1 in front, where the actors spoke, the
ProscsaiHn behind at the back Of which was wall,
the Seen, usually with three doors for the entrance
q the actors In front Of the the back ground
scenes were placed and concealed by curtain till
the play commenced, when il was drawn. The
orchestra or pit was circular space between the
row of front seats and the stage, which was occu-
pied by the Chorus, and in the centre of it stood
the altar Of Bacchus, the top Of which the leader
of the Chorus sometimes stood and behind it the
II
The ancient theatres being of vast size were capa-
BILE of containing thousands of spectators who sat
according TO rank, the senator's priests, &C., occu.
plying the front seats. The buildings were open to
the sky, (the Romans sometimes used an awning, }
and owing to their vast size the actors wore masks
adapted to their characters with month pieces to
aid their voices Trsge'ilans wore thicksoed bus
kins to elevate the figure. The ancients used in
their theatres various stage machinery to give eff.
feet to scenic representations.