breadth, and as many feet long as the subject required. The pages formed a number of transverse compartments, commencing at the left, and proceeding in order to the other extremity, and the reader, holding in either hand one end of the manuscript, unrolled and rolled it up[311] as he read. Occasionally these books were placed on shelves, in piles, with the ends outwards, adorned with golden bosses,[312] the titles of the various treatises being written on pendant labels. ----- Footnote 305: Id. η. 95, seq. Footnote 306: Id. θ. 65. π. 32. Footnote 307: Id. κ. 352, seq. Footnote 308: Lucian, Luc. siv. Asin. § 53. Footnote 309: Antich. di Ercol. t. ii. tav. 2. p. 13.—Books were preserved from the moth by cedar-oil.—Geopon. v. 9. Footnote 310: Luc. de Merced. Conduct. § 41. Footnote 311: Luc. Imag. § 9. Footnote 312: Luc. de Merced. Conduct. 41. ----- If we proceed now to the court[313] dividing the Domos from the Thalamos we shall perceive, on both sides of the door leading out of the Andron, flights of steps ascending to the upper chambers where, in the heroic ages, the young men and strangers of distinction usually slept. Thus, in the palace of Ithaca, Telemachos had a bed-chamber on the second story, whence the poet is careful to observe he enjoyed a good prospect.[314] In later times, however, there were, on the ground floor, suites of apartments, denominated Xenon, appropriated to the use of guests, who there lived freely and at ease as in their own houses. ----- Footnote 313: Similar courts in the houses of Magna Græcia are described as having had in the middle a square tank where the rain-water was collected, and ran into a reservoir beneath.—Sir W. Hamilt. Acc. of Discov. at Pomp. p. 13. Footnote 314: Odyss. α. 425. seq. ----- At the further extremity of the interior court a steep flight of steps led to an elevated basement and doorway, which formed the entrance into the thalamos.[315] This part of the house would appear to have been laid out in a peculiar manner, consisting, first, of a lofty and spacious apartment,[316] where all the females of the family usually sat while engaged in embroidery or other needlework.[317] It likewise formed the nursery, and, at its inner extremity, in a deep recess, the bed of the mistress of the family appears to have stood, on either side of which were doors leading to flights of steps into the garden, set apart for the use of the women. ----- Footnote 315: Eustath. ad Odyss. χ. p. 776.—These female apartments were sometimes hired out and inhabited by men.—Antiph. Nec. Venef. § 3.—Mr. Fosbroke’s account is curious:—“The thalamos was an apartment where the _mothers of families_ worked in embroidery, in tapestry, and other works, _with their wives_, or their friends.”—Encyclop. of Ant. i. 50. Footnote 316: