Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-08-17
Ancient Greeks.

There were four daily meals taken by the early
Greeks: l, the morning meal or breakfast; 2, din
ner; 3, an afternoon meal and 4, supper. The
Greeks of a 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 reclined touches
that they might drink at greater ease. Two guests
usually recned on couch, but sometimes greater
number who we're placed according to rank.
In dress the sncents used no covering for the
head but afterwards they wore hats The inner
garment of man as well as woman was Il tunio,
bat women of wealth wore kind Of rooe. The ex.
terror garments were cloak, thicker garment for
cold weather, round garment without sleeves, a
great coat, threadbare coat usually svorn by phil
osophers and the )or, long Carmen: rec ng to
the heels and military cloak. o. ,.y.s 1t were
worn shoes bound with tho" - .. sH @ ,rs Buskins
or boots were worn by llageG:tuS.
The Greeks attached great importance to the
burial of the aoal, as they believed their souls
could not enter the E.ysan 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 as any one expired, the eyes were closed
BY the nearest relative present. the mouth Shut the
f.ce covered the body stretched out and washed,
and anointed with oil, then wrapped in handsome
g:rment aud decaed Wilhelm pivts and flowers; it
Was then laid on couch with the feet toward the
door. small coin placed over the mouth as Charons
fire for erriage over the internal river, and small
cake laid beside the corpse to appcase the fury of
Csrberus. Before the door vessel was placed that
those about the corpse might parity themselves
with washing.
On the third day after death, the corpse was car
ried out for burial, attended by the friends and
neghbors of the deceased and either buried or
burnt on piles of wood. When these were burnt
down the remains of the fire were qaenched with
wine and the relatives and friends collected the
unconsumed bones, which were placed together
with the ashes in urns OF gold silver, wood stone
or clay. -
The corpses not burned were buried in eoffins
usually outside the city. After funeral a feast
was usually spread in the house of the nearest
relative of the departed, and on the third day a
sacrifice was made for the dead. Libations were
also made for the deceased AMI relatives expressed
their sorrows in various ways, either by cutting off
their hair or shaving the head, sprinkling them.
selves with ashes beating their breasts or tearing
their flesh, &c.
The monuments erected the graves 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 cular; and the rows of benches for
ed in front Of tine stage which was divided into the
pulpitinn in front, where the actors spoke, the
proscenium behind at the back Of which was wall,
the sceq usually with three doors fer the entrance
Of the actors In front Of the sceaa the back ground
scenes were placed and concealed by curtain till
the play commenced, when it was drawn. The
orchestra or pit was a 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
proHpter and flute player were usually placed
Ths ancient theatres being of vast size were capa
Bile of containing thousands of spectators, who sa
according to rank the senators, priests, &C., occu
pying the front seats. The buildings were open t.
the sky, (the Romans sometimes used an awning
and owing to their vast size the actors wore mask
adapted to their characters with mouth pieces t.
aid their voices. Tragedians wore tbicksoed bus
kins to elevate the figure. The ancients used il
their theatres various stage machinery to give Ell
feet to scenic representations.