certain whether the married life was to be prosperous. Before the
bride retired for the night, she was bathed with water drawn from nine
different springs. The time of the year the Grecians deemed most lucky
for marriage was the first month of winter. This was contrary to the
views of the Persians, who considered spring the proper season for
entering into the matrimonial state. The Greeks thought it better to
get married in the first or second quarter of the moon rather than
when it was waning. General rules were at times departed from, for
occasionally astrologers were consulted as to the most auspicious day
and hour for the happy lovers being united.

Through magical influence, a husband could have been made to hate his
wife; but, to regain his affections, a spider caught in early morn was
confined in a box, protected by charms, prepared for its reception.
When a child came into the world, three men kept watch all night to
keep away evil spirits. One of those on guard was armed with an axe,
another with a pestle, and the third with a broom. Each protector kept
his implement swinging through the air, to prevent the approach of the
dreaded beings. As soon as a child was born it was washed in water or
wine, and wrapped in a cloth worn by the mother when she was a virgin.
In the cloth were wrought the image of the Gorgon and the snakes of
that monster's head, together with the likenesses of two dragons. When
the child was five days old, it was carried about the hearth to
introduce it to the Penates. Arrangements were then made for naming
the child. A feast was prepared, at which there were doves, thrushes,
coleworts, and toasted cheese, besides many other things. The feast
was kept up for seven days. The mother, in gratitude for her child,
sacrificed to Diana, and the father returned thanks to the nymphs for
giving him a fruitful wife.

If the little stranger died in infancy, it had only a cold funeral
without fire, or any burial service or mourning. Sons, as soon as they
were three years old, were registered in the tribe. A feast was then
prepared, called "the shearing feast," because at that time the
youngster's hair was cut, and consecrated to one of their gods.

The Athenians had a law, that if any one happened to discover a dead
body, whether of a friend or a stranger, he should cast earth on it
three times; and the Romans had a similar law. If a Greek omitted this
duty, he was bound to make satisfaction by sacrifi