A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca
A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca
40 The Tigris-Euphrates Valley Strength, prosperity, and health. Spirit of heaven remember, spirit of earth remember. XII. Babylonian Customs Dress. Herodotus i. 195- Marriage. lb. 196. The following is the manner of dress which they use, namely a linen tunic reaching to the feet, and over this they put on another of wool, and then a white mantle thrown around, while they have shoes of native fashion rather like the Boeotian slippers. They wear their hair long and bind their heads around with fillets, and they are anointed over the whole of their bodies with perfumes. Each man has a seal and staff carved by hand, and on each staff is carved either an apple or a rose or a lily or an eagle or some other device, for it is not their custom to have a staff without a device upon it. Such is the equipment of their bodies: and the customs which are established among them are as follows, the wisest in our opinion being this, which I am informed that the Enetoi in Illyria also have. In every village once in each year it was done as follows:—when the maidens grew to the age for marriage, they gathered these all together and brought them in a body to one place, and round them stood a company of men: and the crier caused each one severally to stand up, and proceeded to sell them, first the most comely of all, and afterwards, when she had been sold and had fetched a large sum of money, he would put up another who was the most comely after her: and they were sold for marriage. Now all the wealthy men of the Babylonians who were ready to marry vied with one another in bidding for the most beautiful maidens; those however of the common sort who were ready to marry did not require a fine form, but they would accept money together with less comely maidens. For when the crier
Babylonian Marriage 41 had made an end of selling the most comely of the maidens, then he would cause to stand up the one who was least shapely, or any one of them who might be crippled in any way, and he would make proclamation of her, asking who was willing for least gold to have her in marriage, until she was assigned to him who was willing to accept least; and the gold would be got from the sale of the comely maidens, and so those of beautiful form provided dowries for those who were unshapely or crippled; but to give in marriage one's own daughter to whomsoever each man would, was not allowed, nor to carry off the maiden after buying her without a surety; for it was necessary for the man to provide sureties that he would marry her, before he took her away; and if they did not agree well together, the law was laid down that he should pay back the money. STUDIES 1. Describe in simple language the achievements of Sargon. What does the writer suppose to have been the cause of the famine? 2. Of what especial achievements does Hammurabi boast? 3. How were crimes punished under his code? What legal rights were enjoyed by women? by children? 4. What had the Assyrian gods to do with conquest? What are How were all the motives to conquest mentioned in this selection? the conquered treated? 5. Describe Nebuchadnezzar's palace. 6. Describe the two greatest "Wonders" of Babylon. 7. Where in the Bible is the account of the flood? Compare it in detail with the Chaldean account. 8. What view of the future Ufe do we find in this selection? 9. Compare this view of the future world with that in the selection above. 10. Explain the meaning of this selection. 11. What light does this selection throw on Babylonian character-? 12. What is your opinion of the marriage custom of the Babylonians here described by Herodotus?
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Babylonian Marriage 41<br />
had made an end <strong>of</strong> selling the most comely <strong>of</strong> the maidens,<br />
then he would cause to stand up the one who was least<br />
shapely, or any one <strong>of</strong> them who might be crippled in any<br />
way, and he would make proclamation <strong>of</strong> her, asking who<br />
was willing for<br />
least gold to have her in marriage, until<br />
she was assigned to him who was willing to accept least;<br />
and the gold would be got from the sale<br />
<strong>of</strong> the comely<br />
maidens, and so those <strong>of</strong> beautiful form provided dowries<br />
for those who were unshapely or crippled; but to give in<br />
marriage one's own daughter to whomsoever each man<br />
would, was not allowed, nor to carry <strong>of</strong>f the maiden after<br />
buying her without a surety; for it was necessary for the<br />
man to provide sureties that he would marry her, before<br />
he took her away; and if they did not agree well together,<br />
the law was laid down that he should pay back the money.<br />
STUDIES<br />
1. Describe in simple language the achievements <strong>of</strong> Sargon. What<br />
does the writer suppose to have been the cause <strong>of</strong> the famine?<br />
2. Of what especial achievements does Hammurabi boast?<br />
3. How were crimes punished under his code? What legal rights<br />
were enjoyed by women? by children?<br />
4. What had the Assyrian gods to do with conquest? What are<br />
How were<br />
all the motives to conquest mentioned in this selection?<br />
the conquered treated?<br />
5. Describe Nebuchadnezzar's palace.<br />
6. Describe the two greatest "Wonders" <strong>of</strong> Babylon.<br />
7. Where in the Bible is the account <strong>of</strong> the flood? Compare it<br />
in detail with the Chaldean account.<br />
8. What view <strong>of</strong> the future Ufe do we find in this selection?<br />
9. Compare this view <strong>of</strong> the future world with that in the selection<br />
above.<br />
10. Explain the meaning <strong>of</strong> this selection.<br />
11. What light does this selection throw on Babylonian character-?<br />
12. What is your opinion <strong>of</strong> the marriage custom <strong>of</strong> the Babylonians<br />
here described by Herodotus?
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