men wore the short Dorian chiton, which resembled a woollen shirt without sleeves. The ladies, on the other hand, were modestly attired in the long Ionian chiton, which fell down to the ground in ample folds, and was girdled to their waist by a zone. The latter, however, had by this time discarded the old-fashioned Ionian sleeves, and by fastening the chiton to their shoulders with a simple clasp, were enabled to exhibit their fair white arms as in the olden time.* Both men and women also wore an outer garment, either the himation, or cloak, or else the chlamys, or scarf. Both the himation and the chlamys were made of woollen. The himation was only a large square cloth, which hung down to the knee, being first thrown over the left shoulder, then round the back to the right side, then above the right arm or below it, and then again brought back on the left shoulder or arm. The chlamys was an oblong piece of cloth, much smaller and finer, and generally more ornamented than the himation; it had tassels at the four corners, and was worn more like a shawl or scarf, being fastened by a button or clasp either to the right shoulder or across the breast. The slaves were merely clothed in a chiton of coarse cloth, and the field labourers in one made of rough skins. Shoes and sandals were only worn out of doors, and men wore no covering on * The fashion of wearing clasps had existed at Athens at a more ancient period, but had entirely gone out during the Persian war, though, as we have seen above, it was again revived at the present epoch. These changes were connected with the following historical event :- Some time before the Persian war, an Athenian expedition against the island of Ægina was utterly destroyed, and only one man returned alive to Athens; but such was the anger of the wives of those who had fallen, that they attacked the survivor in the open streets, and killed him with their clasps. In punishment for this outrage the Athenians passed a law, obliging their women to leave off the short Dorian chiton with the elegant clasp, and to wear the long, full-sleeved Ionian chiton. In the time of Pericles, however, and a little before the date mentioned in the text, the memory of the outrage had passed away, the ladies had returned to the old fashion of wearing clasps, and beautiful arms regained their ancient privileges. COMMENCEMENT OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR. 7 their heads, excepting when engaged in certain businesses or undertaking a long journey. The ladies, however, dressed their hair in a variety of elegant and graceful styles, and frequently confined it in a network, or by an ornamented bandeau. This brief view of the appearance of a Greek colony in B. C. 427,- when Nehemiah was * governor at Jerusalem, and Artaxerxes Longimanus wast sovereign of Persia,-may, perhaps, prepare the reader for an entrance into those different classes of ancient society to which we shall soon find occasion to introduce him. The year B. C. 427 was the fifth year of the great Peloponnesian war. The austere aristocracy of Sparta, the masters of the Peloponnesus and generals of the finest land force in Hellas, were arrayed against the rich and ambitious democracy of Athens, whose fleets had made her the mistress of the sea. The contest was convulsing every state in Greece. The aristocracy of every city were eagerly applying for assistance from Sparta, whilst the democracy were imploring the interference of Athens. * I may here remark, that I have only attempted to convey a general picture of the houses and costume of the Greeks during the historic period. More detailed accounts may be found in Becker's Charicles, Müller's Dorians, and Dr. Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities; and in those learned works the reader may find a full investigation of that important question which has agitated all the archæologists of modern times, namely, whether the Greek ladies really wore a chitonion, or under-shift, and the gentlemen a chitoniscos, or under-shirt. Thanks to the laborious researches of Böttiger and Becker, the first point may be triumphantly maintained; and Tischbein has also preserved a representation of a lady in a bath-room, wearing a scanty under-garment, which in every respect answers to the supposed chitonion. When, however, Böttiger assumes that the chitoniscos was a corresponding under-shirt, he is guilty of an unwarrantable inference; and Becker distinctly proves that the chitoniscos was by no means an under-shirt, but only a very short shirt. We shall not, however, attempt to inoculate our readers with the fever of controversy. Let us hope that those eminent scholars who now feel the lack of knowledge upon this interesting subject, will compile such new and still more comprehensive volumes, that future generations may not thirst in vain for similar information concerning the corresponding garments worn in the present era. The fury of party spirit, aggravated by the horrors of the war, was rapidly filling Greece with every kind of treachery and violence. The simple honest-heartedness of her generous citizens was fast disappearing, for no person could be believed, and no oath relied on. The leaders of the factions, whilst speciously crying on one side for a moderate aristocracy, and on the other for equal rights and privileges, were in reality only actuated by an ambitious and reckless desire to rule, and ventured upon the most horrible outrages to gratify their party and crush their opponents. During this particular year, the most unparalleled atrocities had been committed. Only nine days' voyage from Thurium, the streets of Corcyra were running with blood, and the mob were maddened by their wholesale butcheries. The democrats had attempted to slaughter every aristocrat on the island, and had included their creditors and private enemies in the general massacre. Sons were slain by fathers; suppliants were dragged from temples, or murdered within the sacred precincts; and many of the horror-stricken citizens hung themselves upon the trees in the insanity of despair. At the city of Platæa a similar massacre had taken place; not however, so much in consequence of faction, but in connection with the ravening war, which was desolating the country. The city had been taken by Sparta, and delivered up to the Thebans. The latter, who had been the rivals and deadly enemies of the Plateans, butchered every man in cold blood, sold the women into slavery, and subsequently razed every house to the ground. The news of these terrible deeds had already reached Thurium. She, too, had suffered from internal commotions. First the Sybarites, who had so warmly welcomed the settlers from Athens, and had profited by their assistance in defying the ancient enemy of Sybaris, had soon begun to treat the strangers as an inferior race, had claimed all the higher offices in the state, and had at length fallen a ARRIVAL OF AN ATHENIAN WAR-GALLEY. 9 sacrifice to the popular vengeance on their ill-timed arrogance. Secondly, another band of emigrants had arrived, and the population had become so miscellaneous, that a contention arose as to whether the colony belonged to Athens or to Sparta. The Athenian institutions still prevailed, but yet the Spartan Thurians were constantly asserting, with that dogged obstinacy which is so intensely irritating, that Sparta was in reality the parent of Thurium. The leading men used their utmost endeavours to allay these dissensions. They appealed to the oracle at Delphi for a decision, and the Pythia wisely declared that the colony belonged neither to Athens nor Sparta, but to Apollo- an answer which for awhile turned away the wrath of the rival parties. Still, however, the progress of the Peloponnesian war kept alive the smouldering fires of faction. Rumour declared that the Athenians were projecting the conquest of the neighbouring island of Sicily, and that an Athenian fleet would soon pass the Thurian coast in full sail for the island. At this critical juncture, and when some weeks had passed without any trustworthy intelligence from the theatre of war, tidings were brought to the magistrates in the prytaneum that two ships were in the offing, and that one of them was most undoubtedly an Athenian wargalley. * The news at once flashed through the whole colony. The eagerness and excitement were universal. The streets were emptied of citizens; the hum of traffic ceased in the agora. All classes thronged to the beach like a swarm of bees. There, in the clear horizon, were the two vessels approaching from different quarters. The Athenian trireme, with her three benches of rowers at full play, was riding over the waters as swiftly and proudly as a warsteamer of modern times. The other vessel, apparently a *Diodorus Siculus, xii. 11, 12. Samian merchantman driven in by stress of weather, excited but little attention, excepting from a few traders whose storehouses were well stocked with flour and provisions, and who hoped for a little profitable barter with a hungry crew. The Athenian pilot evidently knew the coast, and soon brought his vessel to in the creek formed by the mouth of the river Crathis; and there the trireme was safely anchored. It was speedily known on shore. that envoys from Athens were on board, bearing messages of the utmost importance to the Thurian people; and that a proclamation would be quickly made, convening for the morrow a general assembly of all the citizens. For the remainder of the day all business was apparently suspended; and none but the women and slaves continued their usual labours. The Athenian envoys were hospitably entertained in the prytaneum, amidst the scowls and laconic grumblings of the amiable members of the Spartan faction. Smart Athenian officers, in richly worked cuirasses, imposing helmets, glittering crests, and elegantly shaped greaves, were wandering through the streets, looking about them with gay curiosity, and rapidly finding hospitable hosts amongst the wealthier citizens of Thurium. The ennui of the voyage was soon forgotten in the pleasures of the symposium. Simple-minded Thurians heard tales of the camp, the theatre, and the gymnasium, embellished with accounts of beautiful flute-players and exciting cock-fights, with the same perplexed astonishment that maiden aunts hear of some wild nephew's exploits on the banks of the Isis or Cam. Of course the ladies of every household were carefully locked from such undoubted gallants, and not permitted to leave the gynæconitis to mingle in their dangerous society. An Athenian, it is true, was the soul of honour, and would sooner have shed his blood than have called up a blush on the cheek of a free maiden; but husbands and fathers felt that the noble forms and graceful bearing of their guests might |