Greeks not know? 8. What of the poetry of the ancient Greeks?

9.

What use did the Grecian poets make of their mythology? What effect had the poems of the ancient Greeks? Are the poems of the ancient Greeks still remembered? 10. Are the places mentioned in those poems rendered more interesting to travellers of the present time who visit them?

CHAP. LXI.-EUROPE continued.

ABOUT THE MODE OF LIFE AMONG THE ANCIENT GREEKS.

1. But we must now leave poets and philosophers, and take a view of the private life of the ancient Greeks. The men wore an inner garment, called a tunic, over which they threw a mantle; their shoes or sandals were bound under their feet with thongs or ropes. In ancient times the Greeks went with their heads uncovered, but afterwards they used hats, which were tied under the chin.

2. The women always covered their heads with a veil, which came down upon the shoulders. They wore in their hair golden grasshoppers, and ear-rings were suspended from their ears. The rest of their dress consisted of a white tunic fastened with a broad sash, and descending in folds down to their heels.

3. The Greeks usually made four meals a day; the morning meal, which was taken at the rising of the sun; the next at mid-day; the afternoon repast; and the supper, which was the principal meal, as it was taken after the business of the day.

4. In the early ages, the food of the Greeks was the fruits of the earth, and their drink, water; the flesh of animals was introduced at a later period. This brought on the luxuries of the table, and some of the cities of Greece became renowned for producing excellent cooks. The Spartans, as we have before mentioned, ate at public tables. Their chief food consisted of black broth.

5. The poor sometimes fed on grasshoppers, and the extremities of leaves. In general, the Greeks were very fond of flesh. Their usual drink was water, either hot or cold, but most commonly the latter, which was sometimes cooled with ice. Wines were very generally used, and even perfumed wines were introduced at the tables of the rich.

6. Before the Greeks went to an entertainment, they washed and anointed themselves; when they arrived, the entertainer took them by the hand, or kissed their lips, hands, knees, or feet, as they deserved more or less respect. It must be observed concerning the guests, that men and women were never invited together.

7. They sat at meat either quite upright, or leaning a little backward; but in more degenerate ages, they adopted the eastern custom of reclining on beds or couches. As soon as the provisions were set on the table, and before the guests began to eat, a part was offered as a sort of first-fruits to the gods.

8. They had a custom similar to ours, of drinking healths,

L

not only to those present, but to their absent friends; and at every name they poured a little wine on the ground, which was called a libation.

9. The entertainment being ended, a hymn was sung to the gods. After this, the company was amused with music, dancing, and mimicry, or whatever could tend to excite mirth, or cheerfulness.

10. The houses of the rich were built of stone, and many of them were highly ornamented. A large part of the people, however, lived in huts made of rough stone laid in clay.

11. In war, the Greeks fought with various weapons. Some of the soldiers had bows and arrows; some had javelins or spears which they hurled with great force and precision of aim, and some had slings with which they threw stones. They usually carried shields for warding off the weapons of their enemies.

12. You must recollect that, in these ancient times, gunpowder was not known, and muskets and cannon were therefore not in use. In battle the warriors always engaged in close conflict, foot to foot, and breast to breast. The strife was therefore very exciting, and the men usually fought with furious courage.

13. As mankind were very much given to making war upon one another, it was the custom in all countries to surround the cities with high walls, for defence. This practice, indeed, continued for many ages; and, if you travel, you will

see that the principal cities of France, Germany, and many other countries, are still secured in this way.

14. In modern times, when an army attacks a city, it batters down the walls with cannon shot, or, by undermining them, placing gunpowder beneath, and then setting it on fire. But in the olden times of Greece, the warriors used battering-rams, consisting of heavy beams with ponderous stones at one end. These were driven by main strength against the walls, and thus, after many efforts, they were demolished.

QUESTIONS.-1. What did the men wear among the ancient Greeks? Their shoes? Head-dress? 2. Head-dress of the women? What ornaments did they wear? The rest of their dress? 3. The meals of the Greeks? 4. What was the food of the Greeks in early ages? What of flesh? Luxuries of the table? What of the Spartans? 5. What of the poor? Were the Greeks fond of meat for food? What of their drink? Wine? 6. What of entertainments? Men and women? 7. How did they sit at table? How do the people of Asia sit at table? Did the Greeks adopt this Asiatic custom? What was done before beginning to eat? 8. Drinking healths? Libation? 9. What followed the eating?

10. What of the habitations of the rich?

Of the poor? 11. What 12. What of gunpowder? 13. What was

weapons were used by the Greeks in war?
How did the warriors engage one another in conflict?

the custom regarding the cities? What are to be seen in Europe? 14. How did the moderns attack a walled city? How did the ancients destroy the walls of a city?

CHAP. LXII.-EUROPE continued.

PHILIP OF MACEDON CONQUERS GREECE.

1. I SHALL now resume the history of Greece, at the point where I left off. The reader will recollect that I had just

finished speaking of the Theban war.

2. Not long after the close of that war, the states of Greece became involved in another, which was generally called the Sacred war. The people of Phocis had been sentenced, by the Amphictyonic council, to pay a heavy fine for ploughing a field which belonged to the temple of Apollo, at Delphos.

3. Rather than pay the fine, the Phocians resolved to go to war. The people of Athens, Sparta, and Achaia assisted the Phocians. The Thebans, Locrians, and Thessalians, took the part of the Amphictyonic council, and Philip, king of Macedon, was solicited to fight on the same side.

4. The kingdom of Macedon is numbered by some historians among the states of Greece; but others consider it a separate country. Although it was founded about five hundred years before this period, it had never been very powerful till Philip mounted the throne.

5. Philip was ambitious and warlike. No sooner had he marched his army into Greece, than he determined to make himself ruler of the whole country. The Greeks were not now so valiant as they had been; and there was no such man