The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-11-10
Greclan Wives.

y" Greclan Wives.
The wives of the Greeks lived
in almost absolute scclusion.-
They were USUALLY married when
very young. Their occupations
wcre to weave, to spin, to embroi-
der, to supcrintend tho household,
to caro- for thoir sick slaves. They
lived in u special and retired part
Of the house. Tho moro wealthy
seldom went abroad, and never
except when accompanied by fc-
malo slave; never attended the
public spcctaclos received no male
visitors except in tho presence Of
their husbands, and had not cvcn
seat ut their own tables when
male guests were there. Their
pro eminent virtue was fidelity,
and it is probable that this was
very strictly and very gcnorally
observed. Their remarkable free
dom from temptations, tho public
opinion which strongly discour-
aged any attempt to seduco them,
and tho ample sphere for illicit
pleasures that was accorded to
tho other scX, ali contributed to
protect it. On tho other land,
living rs they did, almost oxclu-
sivcly among their female slaves,
deprived Of all tho educating in
flucncc Of male society, and hav-
ing no place at those public spec
taclcs which were the chief means
Of Athchian culture, their minds
must necessarily have been cx-
cccdingty contracted. Thucydidcs
doubtless expressed the prevailing
sentiment Of his countrymcn whom
he said that the highest merit Of
woman is not to be spoken Of
other for good or for evil, and
Phidias illustrated tho samo thco-
ry when lie represented tho hca-
vcnly Aphrodite standing on Il
tortoise, typiiying thereby tho Sc
cluded life Of Il virtuons woman.
In their own restricted sphere
their lives wcrc propcrIy y not un-
happy. Education and custom
rendered the purely domestic life
that was assigned to thom II sec
ond nature, and it must, in most
instances, have rcconciled them to
tho extra matrimonial connections
in which their husbands too fro
quontly indulgcd. The prevailing
manners wcro very gentle. Do
mcstic oppression is hardly ever
spoken Of; the husband lived
chiefly in tho public pIucc; causes
Of jealousy and of disscnsion could
seldom occur, and n feeling Of
warm affection, though not IL feel
ing Of equality, must doubtless
havc in most cases spontaneously
arisen. In tho writings Of Keno
phon We have charming picture
Of Il husband who had received in
to his arms his young wife of fif:
teen, absolutely ignorant of the
world and it's ways. IIc speaks
to hcr with extreme kindness,
but in tho language that would be
used to n little child. Hcr task,
ho tells her, is to bo like a queen
bee, dwelling continually at home
and experimenting tho work Of
her slaves. Sho must distribute
to each their tasks, must econo-
mizc tho family income, and must
takc especial caro- that the honso
is strictly orderly-tho shoes, the
pots and tho clothes, always in
their places. 1t is also, ho tells
her, u part Of her duty to tend
her sick slaves but here his wife
interrupted him, ,cxclaiming, may,
but that will indeed be tho most
agreeable of my Offices, if such rs
/ treat with kindness arc lsoly
to bo grateful, and to love me
moro than before" With q very
tender and delicate caro- to AVOID
everything resembling reproach,
the husband persuades his wife
to give up the habit Of wearing
high .heolod boots, in order to mp
pear tall, and Of coloring her face
with vormilion and white lead. lie
promises bor that, if she faithfully
performs her duties, he Will him
self be the first and most devoted
of her slaves. IIe assured Socrates
that, when any domestic dispute
arose, no could extricato himself
admirably, if he was in tho right
but that, whencvor ho was in tho
wrong, he found it impossible to
convince his wife that it was 9TH
crwise.-APpleton's Journal.
A Sunday school teacher was
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