DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0379
FESTA ON MOUNT PENTELICUS. 361
scarlet cap, with a long gold tassel — the skirt covers a
due proportion of crinoline: it is a graceful and pretty
costume, especially the cap, which is arranged with im-
mense care and art.
As we were curious to see the very varied costumes of
the Greek peasants, we were pleased to hear of a great
annual fete to be held on Mount PenteKcus on the
4th of June, the Feast of the Holy Trinity, and gladly
agreed to accompany some friends thither. We started
at 8 a.m. in a covered carriage, leaving the town by the
north-east. The road crossed an apparently very long
subterranean aqueduct, with openings to the air, covered
with iron lids, at every few yards: and then lay over an
open, heathy country, for about an hour, after which we
passed through a grove of really noble old olives and
some vineyards, before we came to the pretty stream of
the Kephissus, and began to ascend the hill through
thick brushwood of agnus castus, lentisk, and prickly
oak, with arbutus, judas-tree, and abundance of yellow
broom; then we found ourselves on a grassy plateau,
shaded by a thick wood of lofty silver-poplars, and covered
with crowds of carriages, carts, unharnessed horses, and
parties of people, all busy upon wine, lemonade, coffee,
and more substantial viands. We went first, as in
duty bound, to the little chapel, which is ornamented
with Byzantine frescoes, representing all kinds of mar-
tyrdoms of a horrible and lugubrious nature: and then
sat down to watch the dancers, and to examine the end-
less variety of costume, which is really worth seeing. The
fair faces of the Greek peasant-women look very delicate
and refined after the coarse Syrian and the ugly Egyptian
women ; but we saw very little real beauty among them
— good eyes and eyebrows are their best feature, and
their figures are as beautiful as their movements are
scarlet cap, with a long gold tassel — the skirt covers a
due proportion of crinoline: it is a graceful and pretty
costume, especially the cap, which is arranged with im-
mense care and art.
As we were curious to see the very varied costumes of
the Greek peasants, we were pleased to hear of a great
annual fete to be held on Mount PenteKcus on the
4th of June, the Feast of the Holy Trinity, and gladly
agreed to accompany some friends thither. We started
at 8 a.m. in a covered carriage, leaving the town by the
north-east. The road crossed an apparently very long
subterranean aqueduct, with openings to the air, covered
with iron lids, at every few yards: and then lay over an
open, heathy country, for about an hour, after which we
passed through a grove of really noble old olives and
some vineyards, before we came to the pretty stream of
the Kephissus, and began to ascend the hill through
thick brushwood of agnus castus, lentisk, and prickly
oak, with arbutus, judas-tree, and abundance of yellow
broom; then we found ourselves on a grassy plateau,
shaded by a thick wood of lofty silver-poplars, and covered
with crowds of carriages, carts, unharnessed horses, and
parties of people, all busy upon wine, lemonade, coffee,
and more substantial viands. We went first, as in
duty bound, to the little chapel, which is ornamented
with Byzantine frescoes, representing all kinds of mar-
tyrdoms of a horrible and lugubrious nature: and then
sat down to watch the dancers, and to examine the end-
less variety of costume, which is really worth seeing. The
fair faces of the Greek peasant-women look very delicate
and refined after the coarse Syrian and the ugly Egyptian
women ; but we saw very little real beauty among them
— good eyes and eyebrows are their best feature, and
their figures are as beautiful as their movements are