DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0646
^18 OF THE MISCELLANY CUSTOMS OF GREECL.
conversed with Aristotle tiil his death, and bore him a son called Nico-
machus ; lastly (to mention no more), Leontium, who frequented Epicu-
rus's gardens, there prostituting herself to the philosophers, especially
to Epicurusf 1).
CHAP. XII.
Ot THE CONFINEMENT AND EMPLOYMENTS OF THEIR WOMEN.
The barbarous nations, and amongst them the Persians especially,
saith Plutarch (2), were naturally jealous, clownish, and morose towards
their women, not only their wives, but their slaves and concubines, whom
they kept so strictly, that never any one saw them beside their own fami-
ly ; when at home, they were cloistered up ; when they took a journey,
they were carried in coaches or waggons, close covered at the top, and
on all sides ; such a carriage, my author tells us, was prepared for The-
mistocles, when he fled into Persia, to keep him secret; so that the men
who conveyed him told all they met and discoursed with upon the road,
that they were carrying a young Grecian lady out of Ionia to a nobleman
at court.
By the manner of Plutarch's relating this story, it may be perceived
that neither he, nor his countrymen the Greeks approved of the severity
used by barbarous nations towards their women ; yet themselves, though
remitting something of the Persian rigour, kept their women under strict
discipline, and were no less excelled by the Romans in their behaviour
to them, than themselves surpassed the barbarians ; for, whereas the
Roman women were allowed to be present at public entertainments, and
to converse with the guests, and were complimented by their husbands
with the best rooms in their houses, those of Greece rarely or never ap-
peared in strange company, but were confined to the most remote parts
of the house (3).
To this end the Grecian houses were usually divided into two parts,
in which the men and women had distinct mansions assigned. The part
wherein the men lodged was towards the gate, and called **v5£wv, or <ev-
6gwviVi£. The part assigned for the women was termed ywrnxav, yvmixu-
vfayg, or tymatigufitfg ; it was the farthest part of the house, and behind
the otoXfj, before which there were also other parts, called ifgoSopog, and
T^oau'Xiov. The sons of Priam in Homer were all placed by themselves,
and separated from his daughters, who lived in more remote places (4) ;
where it may be observed, that the women's chambers are called riyeoi
SctXafAoi,, as being placed at the top of the house ; for the women's lodg-
ings were usually in the uppermost rooms, as Eustathius remarks upon
this passage (5), which was another means to keep them from company ;
hence Helen is said to have bad her chamber in the loftiest part of the
house (6):
(!) Athenaeus, lib. xiii. cap. 5. sub finera. (4)Iliad. v. 242,
c2) Themistocle. (5) P. 409- ed. Basil.
(3) Cornel his % •po?.pra?fat. in vitas excellent. (6) Iliad. y\ v. 423.
Tmpf r atorum
conversed with Aristotle tiil his death, and bore him a son called Nico-
machus ; lastly (to mention no more), Leontium, who frequented Epicu-
rus's gardens, there prostituting herself to the philosophers, especially
to Epicurusf 1).
CHAP. XII.
Ot THE CONFINEMENT AND EMPLOYMENTS OF THEIR WOMEN.
The barbarous nations, and amongst them the Persians especially,
saith Plutarch (2), were naturally jealous, clownish, and morose towards
their women, not only their wives, but their slaves and concubines, whom
they kept so strictly, that never any one saw them beside their own fami-
ly ; when at home, they were cloistered up ; when they took a journey,
they were carried in coaches or waggons, close covered at the top, and
on all sides ; such a carriage, my author tells us, was prepared for The-
mistocles, when he fled into Persia, to keep him secret; so that the men
who conveyed him told all they met and discoursed with upon the road,
that they were carrying a young Grecian lady out of Ionia to a nobleman
at court.
By the manner of Plutarch's relating this story, it may be perceived
that neither he, nor his countrymen the Greeks approved of the severity
used by barbarous nations towards their women ; yet themselves, though
remitting something of the Persian rigour, kept their women under strict
discipline, and were no less excelled by the Romans in their behaviour
to them, than themselves surpassed the barbarians ; for, whereas the
Roman women were allowed to be present at public entertainments, and
to converse with the guests, and were complimented by their husbands
with the best rooms in their houses, those of Greece rarely or never ap-
peared in strange company, but were confined to the most remote parts
of the house (3).
To this end the Grecian houses were usually divided into two parts,
in which the men and women had distinct mansions assigned. The part
wherein the men lodged was towards the gate, and called **v5£wv, or <ev-
6gwviVi£. The part assigned for the women was termed ywrnxav, yvmixu-
vfayg, or tymatigufitfg ; it was the farthest part of the house, and behind
the otoXfj, before which there were also other parts, called ifgoSopog, and
T^oau'Xiov. The sons of Priam in Homer were all placed by themselves,
and separated from his daughters, who lived in more remote places (4) ;
where it may be observed, that the women's chambers are called riyeoi
SctXafAoi,, as being placed at the top of the house ; for the women's lodg-
ings were usually in the uppermost rooms, as Eustathius remarks upon
this passage (5), which was another means to keep them from company ;
hence Helen is said to have bad her chamber in the loftiest part of the
house (6):
(!) Athenaeus, lib. xiii. cap. 5. sub finera. (4)Iliad. v. 242,
c2) Themistocle. (5) P. 409- ed. Basil.
(3) Cornel his % •po?.pra?fat. in vitas excellent. (6) Iliad. y\ v. 423.
Tmpf r atorum