The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-18

sunities for doing so even - early AZ the ara
eentury. By (attendlng the lectures Of tbs
sophIsts We should add that instruction ID
the elements Of geometry was coupled with the
| teaching Of arithn etic ne early a. the time o.
Socrates, and Plato even suggested teaching
boys the flrst principles Of astronomy.
Passing to gymnastic training. Prof Blnm'
| ner points out that the buildings In which thi,
was received we're not as was formerly SUD
posed. the gymnasIa. butt wrestling schools
| n name given to these establishments because
| wrestling and running were regarded rs the
| most important exercises. although others nc
doubt we're practised. The wrestling school was
not q public institute. but private Undertaking
conducted by a teacher Of gymnastics who was
paid by fees. The Gymnastic course had a
double purpose. in the first place 10 teach boys
a modest and digni1ed bearing. and in the
second to train them In the principal exercises.
Besides wrestling and running. these ilcluded
jumping. for which purpose dumb bells were
commonly used. throwing the quolt and the
spear. Boxing was not included in the In
struction given to boys. That and tho pancra-
tium. q com bination OF wrestling and boxing.
were reserved for the gymnasium. which was
not entered until later. In his eighteenth or
nineteenth year the boy had to take hia oath as
a citizen: hts name was entered In the book OF
the deme. and he received n warriors shield
and spear. It was between this cerem ony and
hts leaving school (which took place In his
sixteenth year. that he was trained in the Q ym-
nasium. which was a State institution.
Nv.
What apparatus had the Greeks for m easur-
ing the time. a thing which we deem indis-
pensable for our daily occupations7 Such
mensurem ent does not seem to have been re-
Garded rs Of so much consequence In Greek
antiquity: at all events for long period. the
means for exact division were wanting. The
Greeks had no exact arrangement Of days ex-
tending from midnight to midnight. with TWEEN
ty-four hours OF equal length. but. instead. they
distinguished between dhv time and night
time. calculating from sunrise to sunset. and
naturally. the length Of q day or night would
differ according to the time OF year. The day
they divided into twelve equal parts. but
the length OF these. Of course, would vary
according to the length OF the day. For
this purpose they made use OF the shadow
cast by the sun. the most primitive apparatus
being the shadow pointer. which was simply
stick fixed in the earth. or n column. the length
OF whose shadow supplied the standard for cal
culatinR the hours The length OF the shadow
WOulu ODNIOusp W
evening but the change would vary according
to the time Of year. so that the succession Of
the seasons had 10 be taken into account. Such
shadow pointers aeem to have stood In public
places. where every one could make use OF
them. with the help OF the lines drawn on the
ground: they could only be SGT w In private
dwellings when these had large open spaces
to which the sun could have access all day
long. Sun disls were not Invented until q
much later period. probably about 30 IL O.;
water clocks. however. are said to have been
made by Plato and the instrument was Of
great value because It enabled one to cal
culate the hours Of the night a. well as OF the
day. These water clocks. like our hour glasses.
marked q definite period OF time by the flow
ing away OF a certain quantity OF water
Let us now glance at the manner in which
an Athsnian spent his day. II seems probable
that early rising was the rule at Athens.
and that not only the artisans began their
work directly after sunrise. but that the
schools. too. opened very early. The morning
toilet did not occupy much time In washing.
. slave poured water over his master from q
ever. aud some substitute for soap. such as
fuller's earth. or I've. was used. Breakfast
was q scanty m cal. consisting generally OF un-
mixed wine and bread. After that. artisans.
or others who had de nnite trade. went to their
daily occupations; but the citizens who had
no regular profession would. unless atira cted
by some such pursuit as hunting. spend the
morning hours In visiting their friends. prac-
Using gymnastics. or visiting the barber to
have their hair arranged. or tholr boards cut
or shaved. The barber shops were meeting
places for all who desired to hear the news. q
custom which still prevails in that part OF
Italy which used to be known as Magma
Griecia 1t is well known that the news q
tefaat Albanian aynaditIon 70
Sicily was first made known In q barber shop
in the Pirnua Thus far. we have followed q
citizen through the first quarter Of q day
The second part was devoted to visiting the
market, which was not only market proper
but bazaar and exchange. Marketing at
Athens was not undertaken by the women or
their servants. but by the masters OF the
household. who were accompanied by slaves
and themselves purchased the food. and In
particular the fish. which they desired IL was
not until tho third century that It was consId-
cred unseemly for the master OF the house to
make his own purchases. At midday the
market was usually over; then the men went
home and took a slight repast. not by any
means the chief meal. but rather something
like our luncheon. Many people contented
themselves with the remains OF the previous
days dinner. but others had fresh warm
dishes served. The afternoon was spent In
various ways; some took little midday nap.
but this was not very general Men OF serious
disposition devoted these hours to intellectual
pursuits. while those who were inclined to
idlepess would go. even in the afternoon, to
houses devoted to dice throwing and drinking
The club rooms. which were specially devoted
to social intercourse. were doubtless very full
at this time. Between the third and fourth
divisions OF the day the Athenians generally
took n warm bath as preparation for dinner.
II has not boon ascertained to what extent the
State owned the bathing establishments 1t
is certain that many OF them were IN maintained
by private persons. Those bRthers who had
plenty OF slaves used to bring one with them to
carry the necessary utensils. such as towels.
oil TASKS, and striGils or scrapers. and TO
watch over his masters clothes. The scene In
the bath houses an hour before dinner was
extremely animated Talking and Joking
went on. and sometimes even singing. though
that was regarded as unseemly; In the rooms
Aawn faA 20 al A..