COSTUME. 



417 



all the hair hanging down the back, by means of a 

 riband, into a single bunch, leaving only two or 

 three long slender ringlets hanging in front of the 

 ears. At a later period, this bunch of hair hanging 

 down behind, was gathered up and doubled into a 

 club, while the side locks were allowed to descend 

 as low as the breast. In the fourth era of Grecian 

 barbarism, these long ringlets gradually shrunk 

 away to a number of short curls about the ears, 

 leaving the neck quite free. The hair and beard 

 were arranged with extreme care, and were made 

 to resemble the cells of a beehive, or a network of 

 wire, the Greeks being very skilful in the use of 

 the hot tongs. 



The dress of Greek females was a tunic or gown, 

 reaching to the feet, and fitting round the neck, 

 with sleeves reaching to the elbows. Over this, 

 was a second garment, which was intended only as 

 an additional protection to the upper part of the 

 person. It was a square piece of stuff, folded 

 double, so as to show only half of the original 

 width, and was worn with the doubled part up- 

 wards, so as to display the embroidered edge more 

 fully, hanging down. This garment was suspended 

 round the back and chest, passing under both arms. 

 The centre was brought directly under the left arm, 

 so that the ends met and hung down under the 

 right; and it was kept in place by two clasps or 

 buttons which fastened together the front and back 

 part over the shoulders. The outer garment was 

 called the peplum, and was used more on occasions 

 of ceremony than for ordinary convenience, as it 

 was very long and ample, and from the manner of 

 putting it on must have been inconvenient to the 

 wearer. It was sometimes wound double round 

 the body, first under the arms, and then over the 

 shoulders, and was not fastened by any clasps or 

 buttons, but was kept on by the intricacy of the 

 folds. The peplum, and the pallium or men's outer 

 garment, gave occasion to a great display of taste 

 in the manner of wearing, as the various combina- 

 tions seern to be almost endless. Every variety 

 which human ingenuity or fancy could devise in the 

 manner of wearing this part of the dress, may be 

 seen in the pictures on ancient vases ; and it is sup- 

 posed that the different degrees of grace, in the 

 arrangement of this garment, indicated the degree 

 of refinement in the wearer. At times the mode 

 of wearing it was made to indicate the state of 

 mind of the individual. Thus, it was drawn over 

 the head by persons in deep affliction, or engaged 

 in any solemn religious ceremony. For both of 

 these reasons it was represented as drawn over the 

 head of Agamemnon in the celebrated classical 

 painting of the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia. 

 Finally, the peplum served as a protection to the 

 head iii stormy weather ; though travellers provided 

 themselves with a tiat-broad-brimmed hat, which 

 they called a pctasus, tied under the chin like a 

 bonnet. 



The dress of the Roman ladies was much like 

 that worn by the Greeks. It consisted of the 

 tunic, cr stola, reaching to the feet, with long 

 sleeves worn next the skin ; then the amiculum, 

 formed of two square pieces of stuff fastened on the 

 shoulders ; and, lastly, the palla, corresponding to 

 the Grecian peplum, and very similar to the men's 

 toga, except that it was more ample and was em- 

 broidered. The Roman ladies bestowed infinite 

 pains upon the dressing of their hair. Like the 

 Greeks, they used the curling tongs ; and a number 

 of antique busts, portraits of Roman ladies in the 



VOL. VII. 



Gallery at Florence, display a degree of care, in. 

 genuity and skill in the coiffure, that would baffle 

 the most accomplished hair-dresser of Paris at the 

 present day. The hair was plaited, twisted, or 

 woven, into the most elaborate and exquisite forms. 

 Coronets, wreaths, diadems, baskets of flowers, 

 clusters of grapes, were all represented by the cun- 

 ning hand of the Roman hair-dresser. When the 

 natural colour of the hair was not agreeable, it was 

 stained, by means of a pomatum made of the dregs 

 of vinegar and the oil of mastic. And when, after 

 the conquest of Great Britain, the light golden hair 

 of the Caledonian maidens gained the admiration 

 of their conquerors, the ladies of Rome aspired to 

 the same attraction by filling their hair with gold 

 dust. They also used white and red paint for the 

 face, besides a variety of washes and cosmetics. 



The Roman ladies were very fond of jewels, 

 and carried their passion for them to such an ex- 

 cess, as to become occasionally the subject of legis- 

 lation. The principal personal ornaments were 

 ear-rings, necklaces, and finger rings. The ear- 

 rings were of gold, pearls, and precious stones, and 

 were sometimes of immense value. Necklaces 

 were also set with gems, and very precious, and 

 were worn by men as well as women ; every school- 

 boy will recollect the story of Manlins Tor- 

 quatus. In the manufacture of ornamental chains, 

 the Roman or Greek jewellers displayed great 

 skill. There was one kind of chain, in particular, 

 wrought with such consummate art, that modern 

 jewellers have in vain attempted to imitate it. 

 The links are so cunningly shaped and knit toge- 

 ther, that, when the chain is extended, it resembles 

 a single bar of gold ; and yet it is perfectly flexible 

 in every possible direction, like a small cord. 

 Chains of this kind in the most perfect preserva- 

 tion have been found in Pompeii. Finger rings 

 were of various forms and devices, commonly set 

 with engraved gems, and used as seals. A remark- 

 able mention of these is in Cicero's Oration against 

 Catiline, in which he speaks of the impress of the 

 ring of Lentulus in his intercepted letter. Among 

 the ornaments discovered in Pompeii, is a breast- 

 pin, to which is attached a Bacchanalian figure 

 with a patera or goblet in one hand, and a glass in 

 the other ; having bat's wings attached to his 

 shoulders, and two belts of grapes passing across 

 his body. 



Indeed, if we may judge from the symbols of 

 ancient coquetry, which that living tomb, Pompeii, 

 has yielded up, the refinement of the toilet was as 

 great with the Romans, as at the present day ; and 

 Pope's lines are as descriptive of a morning scene 

 in the chamber of a Roman belle, as of a modern 

 fine lady: 



" Unnumbered treasures one at once, mid hern 

 The various offerings of the world appear; 

 From each she nicely culls with curious toil 

 Ami decks the goddess with the. glittrrin.' spoil. 

 'Jhig casket India's glowing gems unlocks, 

 Ai:il all Arabia breathes from yonder box ; 

 Tun tortoise here and elephant unite. 

 Transformed (> combs, tlie speckled and the white, 

 lii-re tiles of pins extend their shining rows, 

 1'urt's, powders, patches." 



How the poor things managed without the "Bibles'" 

 and " billets-doux," which should complete the line, 

 is more than we know; perhaps some of our fair 

 readers can suggest the substitute. 



The dress of the men consisted of the tunic, 



which reached nearly to the knees, and had no 



sleeves. It was fastened by a girdle above the 



! hips ; and a stripe of purple, on the right side of 



