delivered a long speech, beginning with flattery, explaining his unhappy situation, begging some covering, and closing with prayers for her happiness in wedlock. She answered courteously, reproved her attendants, commanding them to conduct him to a sheltered place, and give him food, clothing, and oil. When they had done so, he requested them to remove to a distance, till he should wash and dress himself; for he could not do so in their presence, being ashamed to appear naked before such beautiful young women. After sometime, he came forth, by the help of Minerva, a perfect beauty, in so much, that Nausicaa began to wish for such a husband, who would be content to remain Phæacia, He appeared like a picture of gold, set in silver; "like apples of gold in pictures of silver."+ She then mounted the car, and ordered the company to follow. Ulysses was to halt at a grove near the town, till she had time to arrive at her father's, lest she should suffer any scandal by returning, accompanied by the beautiful stranger. Having informed him, how he should conduct himself in the city, she proceeded alone. Her brothers were in attendance to take the mules from the car; while she proceeded to her chamber, and ordered her nurse to kindle a fire, and prepare her supper.

The custom of washing linen at fountains and rivers still continues in the east:-"The bed of the

* Od. vi. 244. + Prov. xxv. 11. Aogov.

river was wide and strong, but had water in the cavities;* at which many women, with their faces muffled, were washing linen, and spreading it on the ground to dry."-(Dr. Chandler.) Of this kind were the pools, at the hot and cold springs of Troy, at which the Trojan women washed their clothes, before the city was besieged. It is also customary in some parts of Scotland and Ireland to trample linen in tubs.

Beside the general view of society, and the minute strokes of character, communicated by these episodes, we are led by the last to inquire into the laws of marriage, and the condition of women in those early ages.

Consanguinity was no obstacle to their union, except the relation of parent and child. There is one instance, but not among Homer's characters, of a woman murdering her husband, and marrying her son. This atrocious and unnatural act, however, was severely punished by the gods.+ There are frequent instances of the marriage of brothers and sisters, a nephew and aunt, and an uncle with a niece, as of Alcinous with Arete; but as this was unavoidable in the family of Adam, so it would, for the same reason, and from habit, continue long, till neighbourhoods grew more populous. Children were disposed of by their parents, and it was disreputable,

Bogos-Homer. + Od. xi. 270. ‡ Od. vii. 64.

if not unlawful, to marry without their consent. Achilles objects to Agamemnon's offer of his daughter, because his father had selected a wife for him.* Nausicaa censures any young woman, who should marry contrary to the will of her father and mother; and we have seen, that the suitors considered even Penelope as obliged to consult her father.

The father gave a portion to his daughter; and the bridegroom considerable presents to his spouse;+ and also, it would appear, to her father, as we make settlements. The same custom prevailed among the Hebrews in the time of Jacob. Polygamy perhaps made young women scarce, but it did not prevail among the Greeks. Andromache and Hecuba brought rich dowries; and Alcinous offered a portion to Ulysses with Nausicaa. In like manner, Agamemnon offered Achilles a large portion with his daughter. But Iphidamas purchased his wife at a high price. §

The wedding procession to the house of the bridegroom forms a department in the shield of Achilles. They led the bride from her chamber, as in the parable, with burning torches through the city, singing the Hymeneal song;¶ young dancers were wheeling in circles, with pipes and harps in the middle. As they passed, the matrons stood at their doors,

* II. ix. 394. † Od. xix. 529. ‡ Gen. xxxiv. 11, 12. § II. xi. 243. || Matt. xxv. ¶ Shield, 275.

admiring them.*

The female attendants went before, and the dancers followed.+ The men played on pipes, and the women on harps. On these occasions, they took care to be particularly well dressed, and sometimes had a wedding garment for the purpose, with which the bride furnished her attendants. The bride was often conveyed in a carriage.§ The young men frequently had to build houses, as must be the case in a new country. One who is killed in battle, is said to have left his house half finished.¶ By the Jewish law, this was humanely admitted as an excuse for declining the service. Hesiod thinks thirty the best age for a man to marry, and fifteen for a woman. Second marriages were allowed, but were disreputable on the part of the woman, particularly as they exposed their children by the first marriage to neglect.* Agreeably to this, Ulysses allowed Penelope to marry, in case he did not return; but not till Telemachus was grown up.† On dissolution of marriage by the husband, the wife's dowry was restored: but, if dissolved by death, or on the part of the woman, it remained. In case of adultery, the husband exacted a fine from the adulterer;§ and the father of the woman was obliged to

* Il. xviii. 490. + Shield, 278. Od. vi. 28: xxiii. 132. Matt. xxii. 12. § Aπŋŋ.—Shield, 273. || Od. xv. 241. ¶ II. ii. 701. * Od. xix. 530: xv. 21. † Od. xix. 524, &c. ii. 132. § Moraygıɑ.—Od. viii. 269—332.

Od.

*

restore the nuptial presents. The adulterer, and probably the adulteress, was also liable to be stoned, as by the Jewish law.+

Polygamy does not appear to have been practised by the Greeks; nor as far as I recollect, by the Trojans, except by Priam, who had other lawful wives, of royal rank, beside Hecuba. The principle, on which Achilles declined marrying a daughter of Agamemnon, implies, that he could not have more than one, and that his father had a right to choose for him. Their wives did not accompany them to Troy; but they kept their prisoners of war as concubines. These they seem to have treated with respect, as well as affection. Briseis, in particular, expected, through the friendship of Patroclus, to be married by Achilles. The sons of concubines were reared like legitimate children; and sometimes were treated as such by the lawful wife; and inherited a small portion of the father's property: but their mothers were often the occasion of confusion and crimes in families.§

As to the condition and character of women, female slaves were very numerous, and of course occupied in servile employments, particularly in grinding at the querns or small mills for family use. For the occupations of those, who served in the house,

* Od. viii. 318. † Il. iii. 57.-Deut. xxii. 22. ‡ II. xix. 297. § Od. xiv. 202.-II. viii. 284.