The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-10-18
For the CARBON ADVOCATE.
Historical CuriOSitics.

kUTZTowN, Derks Co., Pa, Oct. ii, lSI9.
Ma. II. V. MoRTHIMER-MY DEAR SIR:
Enclosed you will find few gleanings
from Herodotus which I collected especially
for the purpose of communicating to the
ADVOCATE. l took a class over it in the
Greek course and hence it was no trouble
for me to take note of a few points which
| thought might be ofinterest to your readers.
Very truly yours. % 30
Greece had three great historians, Hero
dotus, Xenophon aud Thacydides. Herodo-
tus, called the father OF history, was the ear
liest. lie was born in the year Asa b. C. in
Asia Minor, Of wealthy parents and had all
the advantages of education and culture
which that age afforded. lie Travelled ex.
tensiyely in the countries east of Greece for
about II years, during which time he COM
menced to write a history of the world which
he completed after his return 10 Greece
This history is the only source of informa-
ton we have with reference to many ancient
tribes and people % the East. His history
he records what must have been his own
personal observation. He gives not only an
account of the wars and the SUGGESTIONS of
kings and princes of those ancient nations,
but also describes their customs, habits and
domestic life. In reading his history we can
see those people in their habltu they lived.
In sections l3l -l40, of the first book he de-
scrbcs the customs and manner of the Per
slams. The following is translation of the
latter half of section 1888 "Persians are
scrupulously careful with regard to some
things of minor Importance. But they are
accustomed to sit in council when drunk and
pass laws with reference to the most import
ant matters. But whatever laws they pass
while they are drunk, these they reconsider
when they are sober again, the man in whose
house they meet stating to them when sober,
the results ui thcrdeliberutiUns when ruuk.
II the lIws are then approved by them they
let them stand, ifuot, they repeal them. But
il they pass auy laws or make treatise first
when they are sober, these they reconsider
when they are drunk"
1t would be unjust to say that we have
made no progress towards reform in this res
pect since the age of Herolotus. Al
though we often make laws when we are
! drunk, we are at least, not such weaklug,
as tu expose our Inconsistency by recunsld
| ering them when we are sober, excepting
/ those few Instances when we make law,
| when sober, these we sometimes give the
benefit Of a subsequent delberation wher
we are drunk.
In section ISS we find the following
"Whatevcr il is not allowed among them I,
| do, this they are not allowed to say: To tel
a iulsehoud is regarded by them as a mos
digraceful thing; and next 10 that the mos
dlsSracetul thing they know OF is being i,
| debt. This they consider dsgracclul lur 9th
er reasons, but especially, because, as the'
say, man who has debts must also some
times tell lie
In section 1876 we have the following ac
count of the way "matches" were made b,
the Bsbylunians: Many laws are esta6
lished by them, but in our opinion the fol
lowing is the wisest. "Throughout all tn
villages once year all the young women O
marriageable age are brought together il
one place aud around them stands a Grove
o. young men. Then the auctioueer bring
ing them forward oGe after the other, sell
them at auction. First he sells the pretties
of all, when this one is sold for a large sun
Of money he puts up for sale the one that
next prettiest TO her, These are sold as wive
to the men, The young men of the wealth
ier class would often outbid one another il
buying tn prettiest young lady. But th
poor young men, 10 whom beauty was ofle.
account, took the homely ones and receive
besides a sum of money for taking then
When the auctiOnecr was done selling th
prettiest virgins, he would put up for sal
the homliest or the one that was most dc
formed or lame. This one was sold to IN
man who pledged himself to live with he
for the least sum ofmoney But the none
paid TO the men who took the homely on,
came from the sale Of those that were pre-
ty, so that in fact the pretty ones, procure
husbands COR the homely aud defurme,
4 But the father could not sell his daughter
, wholnsoeyer he pleased, nor could the ma
who bought her take her along as his wi
c without giving bail. But there was a la
F. that II they could not agree the money ha
, to be refunded"