[Illustration: FIG. 247.--THE WEDDED PAIR DRIVING TO THE BRIDEGROOM'S HOME (NO. 637).] (_c_) The actual progress of the bride to her husband's home is depicted on the black-figured vase No. =637=, of sixth-century date (fig. 247). The departure took place at nightfall by torch-light, and the bride and bridegroom usually (as in the present instance) made the journey in a mule-car, attended by a friend called the _parochos_. On the vase (fig. 247) the bride and bridegroom are seen in front of the mule-car, and the _parochos_ is seated behind. When the pair reached their home, they were welcomed by the father and mother of the bridegroom, and a procession was formed to the hearth-altar. This is a scene depicted on No. =638=, a reproduction of a painting on a toilet-box in the Third Vase Room (D 11, on Case F). The bridegroom leads the bride by the hand towards the hearth-altar, by the side of which stands the hearth-goddess Hestia, holding a sceptre and what is probably a fig, an allusion to the figs, dates and other fruits showered over the wedded pair as they reached the hearth, and thence called [Greek: katachysmata] (down-pourings). Before the pair go a boy playing on the double-flutes and two women holding torches, who probably move round the altar, as well as another woman, who perhaps leads the way to the bridal chamber (figs. 248 and 249). [Illustration: FIG. 248.--TOILET-BOX WITH WEDDING PROCESSION.] [Illustration: FIG. 249.--BRIDEGROOM LEADING BRIDE TO HEARTH-ALTAR. Design on the toilet-box (No. 638).] (_d_) Upon the day following the marriage the relations and friends brought presents to the house ([Greek: epaulia]).[91] The presents consisted chiefly in objects likely to be useful to the bride, such as vases, articles of toilet, spinning implements, etc. The subject was a favourite one with the Greek vase-painters, probable examples being the designs on E 188 in Case 47 and the toilet-box E 773 in Case H in the Third Vase Room. A still better instance occurs on the restored "marriage vase" E 810 in Case H in the same room. =Roman Marriage.=--Roman practice recognised various methods of lawful marriage. The illustrations and objects shown in this Case deal only with certain ceremonies which were common to all of them. They concern (_a_) the betrothal; (_b_) the actual wedding rites; and (_c_) the escorting (_deductio_) of the bride to the house of the bridegroom. [Illustration: FIG. 250.--ROMAN WEDDING CEREMONY (NO. 641).]