Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
_Solution._ What if the reason be that by mutual agreement she
enters presently upon participation of all things, even to share in
the government, and that this is the meaning of it, Where thou art
lord and master of the family, there am I also dame and mistress of
the family; while these common names they use promiscuously, as the
lawyers do Caius, Seius, Lucius, Titius, and the philosophers use the
names of Dion and Theon? Or is it from Caia Secilia, an honest and good
woman, married to one of Tarquinius’s sons, who had her statue of brass
erected in the temple of Sancus? On this statue were anciently hanged
sandals and spindles, as significant memorials of her housewifery and
industry.
_Question 31._ Why is that so much celebrated name Thalassius sung
at nuptials?
_Solution._ Is it not from wool-spinning? For the Romans call
the Greek τάλαρος (_wool-basket_) _talasus_. Moreover, when
they have introduced the bride, they spread a fleece under her; and
she, having brought in with her a distaff and a spindle, all behangs
her husband’s door with woollen yarn? Or it may be true, as historians
report, that there was a certain young man famous in military
achievements, and also an honest man, whose name was Thalassius; now
when the Romans seized by force on the Sabine daughters coming to
see the theatric shows, a comely virgin for beauty was brought to
Thalassius by some of the common sort of people and retainers to him,
crying out aloud (that they might go the more securely, and that none
might stop them or take the wench from them) that she was carried
as a wife to Thalassius; upon which the rest of the rabble, greatly
honoring Thalassius, followed on and accompanied them with their loud
acclamations, praying for and praising Thalassius; that proving a
fortunate match, it became a custom to others at nuptials to call over
Thalassius, as the Greeks do Hymenaeus.[158]
_Question 32._ Why do they that throw the effigies of men from a
wooden bridge into the river, in the month of May, about the full moon,
call those images Argives?
_Solution._ Was it that the barbarians that of old inhabited about
that place did in this manner destroy the Grecians which they took? Or
did their so much admired Hercules reform their practice of killing
strangers, and teach them this custom of representing their devilish
practice by casting in of images? The ancients have usually called all
Grecians Argives. Or else it may be that, since the Arcadians esteemed
the Argives open enemies by reason of neighborhood, they that belonged
to Evander, flying from Greece and taking up their situation in Italy,
kept up that malignity and enmity.
_Question 33._ Why would they not in ancient times sup abroad
without their sons, whilst they were in nonage?
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