Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

MARRIAGE AND THE LIFE OF WOMEN

explains “the exulting nuptial full chord of the festal song, which is struck up caressingly and banteringly at eventide by the maiden companions ,” as Pindar, who was certainly a poet, once so beautifully said (Pythza, i, 17).

But even the sweetest wedding night, or, as the Greeks so beautifully and sensibly put it, “ the night of secrets,” comes to an end, for that is not allowed to mortals which Zeus, the father of gods and men, allowed himself, when he lay with Aleméné. He had ordered the sun-god not to shine for three days, so that the bridal night lasted 72 hours ; it was in this night that Zeus begat Heracles (Lucian, Dialog. Deorum, 10).

The next morning the newly wedded pair were awakened by a serenade and gladdened with all kinds of presents from relatives. From now onwards the young wife showed herself without the bridal veil, which she dedicated to Hera, the goddess of marriage (Anth. Pal., vi, 133). On this day a meal (Ath., vi, 243, Plutarch, Sympos., iv, 3) took place in the house of the bridegroom’s father or of the bridegroom himself, in which it is significant that women, consequently the newly-married wife, did not take part (Is., Pyrrh. her., 14) ; but it certainly appears to have been the custom that the culinary enjoyments of this banquet were prepared by her, who, therefore, here for the first time had the opportunity of showing her knowledge of the art of cookery. The meaning is clear. In the wedding night the young husband had given his wife what was her due, now he belonged provisionally again to his friends and male relatives while the young wife had to perform her duties in the kitchen. That there appears to have been a good deal of joviality at this meal does not prevent its being the last and solemn authentication of the legally completed marriage ceremony, for which reason it was customary to invite as many guests as possible as witnesses.

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