The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-18
Hon. Life or tn. Ans,sa. Greeks.

| We are indebted to the Messrs. Cassell for
| publishing q translation from the German OF
| . work unique within its province. The Home
LIE Of the Ancient Greeks. by Prof. H. Blum
| SER. 1t would be difficult to exaggerate the
| amount Of research. not only In the byways OF
Hellenic literature. but amid inscriptions and
tho remnants of Hellenic art. which was requi-
| site to enable one to discuss tho present sub
| ject in q Trustworthy and exhaustive way. The
various aspects oftho authors theme have been
examined by modern hist orians OF Greece only
| In an incidental fashion. and the result has
been that most OF those who are tolerAbly
| familiar with the events Of Hellenic history
have had but . faint concep tion OF the ordinary
daily life OF the Greeks- An attempt. indeed.
| was made on small scale. and under the Ruise
| OF q novel. to supply the Information In Char
| icles." but those who have not seen that tour
de force. that mosaic OF relevant quotations
would be at q loss. IL suddenly requested. to
rece unit how young man at Athens. let US say
In the time OF Pericles. would be brought up In
respect of his domestic and social surround
ings. Prot Blnmners work represents I'M
doubtedly the most satisfactory effort to Ill
the gap loft by tho historians. After q pre-
liminary chapter on costume. he car
ries a Greek child from birth and In
fancy through the process OF education.
through marriage and household life
ly. through sickness TO death and burial
There are supplemental chapters on Rymnas-
tics. music. and dancing. on religious worship
and public festivals. among which the theatre
was included, on war and seafaring. Agricul-
ture. trade and handicrait, and finally. on the
fundamental Institution OF the Greek world
| slavery. The sources from which the author
has collected his information are. as We have
indicated. o:three kinds. literary. artistic. and
TA.I a..
supply a large amount Of detail. seldom give
complete pictures OF social conditions. The
ancient comedy may be regarded rs the most
fertile literary source Of our knowledge
OF private life. The comedies OF Aris-
tophanes. for instance. deal with the imme-
diate present. and thus supply mine Of wealth
for the student OF Attic existence. The So
called New Comedy Of Menandsr would be even
more useful II We possessed more than few
fragments OF It The limitations OF It In Plau-
tus and Terence have to be used with caution.
since the Roman poets often introduced traits
from Roman lie. Historians. whether ancient
or modern. seldom. as We have said. 60 out OF
their way to supply the desired material 1t
Is otherwise with the orators. whose private
oratlons in particular throw side lights on
many incidents OF daily life. and give an
insight into private affairs such as is
seldom gained elsewhere. The value OF the
VIKINGS oil llutaIch and d Iuclan. considered
from the present point of view. is diminished
by the fact that. after Greece came under
Roman dominion, new manners and customs
took root For those. therefore. who desire
to delinsAte home life as II existed In the
classic period Of Greek antiquity the short
eomings Of literature must be made good
by the vsstiges Of art The vase paint
ings. OF which many have been pre-
served Supply great quantity and
variety Of pictures Of Greek life Prof
Bllmner has drawn largely on this source OF
information. not only in his text. but in tho
pictures chosen for illustration SsTYieeable.
also have been the small terra Gotta figures.
which often represent with vigorous truth sub
ieets from real life Itremains to point out that
inscriptions not only exc out our knowledge Of
political aud legal conditions. but supply in
tsrestinK details Of private life. As. in most
eases. the period of an inscription can be as
eeEtainsd b. the character Of the writing. or b.
other EOeullaritiss. one Il not here liable to
make chronological mistakes. and refer the
customs Of q later period to earlier timsL