5 
‘ ftophanes. For inftance, when the people 
afiembled te difcufs any public concern, 
although. of the highef impcrtance, the 
falling of a drop of rain would caufe the 
meeting to break up, without coming to 
aconclufion. 
. Tite oracles of the Sibyls were held 
in-great Tevérence, and the priefts pro- 
fitted’ fo far of' the weaknefs of the peo- 
ple in this particular, as to lead them 
frequently by the nefe. 
« Amearthquake, an zguis fatuus, a cat 
erofling the road, were confidered as 
unfortunate prefages, capable of inter- 
rupting the moft’ ferious enterprife. ' 
The facred feftoons with which they 
adorned their doors, for the fake of de- 
votion, was ancther inflance of the fuper- 
ftitious fearof the people, who hoped, by 
this means, to turn afide the evils with 
which they were threatened. Thefe fef- 
toons: were called errcfioxes, and confitted 
of branches of olive, tied round with 
wool, with’ flowers‘and' fruits appended 
to them. | 
- The: Athenians’ believed that the fight 
of the: loriot\(a bird) would’ oscafion the 
jaundice, for which reafon they’ always 
fold: it under cover. As the owl was 
eonfecrated’ to Minerva, this bird ved 
unmolefted at’ Athens; and was, confe- 
quently,. found there in prodigious num-= 
bers. 
- The above was not meant to be a 
learned differtation.on the re/igion of the 
Athenians, nothing being touched upon’ 
But what: is found in Ariftophanes: let 
us now. proceed after the fame plan to 
inveftigate: the manners, that is to fay, 
by confining ourfelves within the Greek 
author.. 
' MANNERS OF THE ATHENIANS. 
. The-city of Athens, fo famous in hif- 
tery; contained: about thirty thoufand 
men, according to the computation of Ari- 
fiophanes: The Athenian- republic was 
2 popular ftate, remarkably jealous of its 
liberty. ; 
- The: people of Athens were divided 
into four claffes. The firft confifted of 
the moft opulent, called the Pextaca/fome- 
dimnes, or the frvechundred bufbels. The 
fecond comprifed the equeftrian order, 
perfons of a fortune lefs: brilliant, but 
who lived in reputation. The third 
elafs confifted. of the sxpoites, or meh of 
the yoke, that is, peafants, labourers, and 
other perfons: lefs opulent, of whom it 
was necefiary, foto{peak, totiea num- — 
ber together-in. the fame yoke, in. order 
to fupport any. light burden impofed by 
the fiate. The fourth clafs wasthe:moit 
Manners of the Athenians accordive to Ariftephanes. 
- [Supe 
wretched, -confifting only of paupers arid 
efid mendicants, burthenfome to the pub- 
lic. Aithough the city didnot contain 
above’ thirty thoufand men, the ftate was 
{o powerful, that nearly a thoufand cities 
were cither the allies cof Athens, or 
paid: her tribute. Selon had divided 
fittica into three diftricts: the Paralians, 
or the inhabitants of the fea coaft; rhe 
Pedigans, or inhabitants of the plain 
ceuntry, whom he put under Lycurgus 3 
and the Dracrians. ‘The treafure of the’ 
Republic was kept in the citadel, im # 
place called Opifihodome, or the Rear 
' Houfe, and was under the protection of 
Minerva, the guardian of the Republic, 
and particularly of the city of Athens. 
At Athens very particular care; was 
taken of the education of the youth, to 
form their minds by the ftudy of polite 
learning, and their bodies’ by athletic 
exercifes, the palaftra, racing, dancing;. 
mufic. The ancient manner of bring- 
img up youth by the rules of frugality: 
and modefty, is admirably defcribed’ it 
the Clouds. _Aperfon unacquainted with 
mufic would have’ paked among the 
Greeks for one who had had no educa= 
tion. 
Children whom their friends were 
notinclined-to rear, were expofed in ear- 
then pots, that thofe who had a mind to” 
take charge of them might the more eafily” 
carry them away. This pot was called 
Canibarus ; and I only faall obferve here, 
in pailing, that of this Caztharusa Can- 
thara has been mades that is, a pot is 
changed into a woman, in the fourth 
fcene of the fourth aét of the Andria, iv 
Terence. 
- When young perfons had attained the 
age of fifteen years, they were’ brought 
to the temple, at the feaft of te Apa- 
turies, and prefented to the priefts with” 
this formula: I prefent youths child (male 
or female) a citizen of Athens. ‘Thofe 
venerable minifters had the right of 
handling them, to afcertain: the trath in’ 
regard’ of ‘their {ex. A’ public’ officer, 
called’! Méiagosue, was alfo appointed ta 
take the’ weight and meafure® of the _ 
young perfons ;. when they were under 
the prefcribed weight and meafure, he* 
pronounced, Meron, meion; that is° to” 
fay, Jef On the third day of the feat’ 
of the Apaturies, called Coureotis, that is, 
the day of trial of young perfons, thé pa- 
-rents prefented their children to over- 
feers appointed for the purpofe, and faid 
We prefent’ you a true cittxen of Athens, 
aged rs years, and Lorn of a female citizen. 
of Athens. The judges paffed their ee 
_  wnder- 
