- Sweet, piercing sweet was the music of Pan’s pipe
The great god Pan, protector of the shepherds and their flocks, was half man, half goat. Every one loved this strange god, who yet ofttimes startled mortals by his wild and wilful ways. When to-day a sudden, needless fear overtakes a crowd, and we say a panic has fallen upon it, we are using a word which we learned from the name of this old pagan god. Down by the streams the great god Pan was sometimes seen to wander— ‘What was he doing, the great god Pan, Down in the reeds by the river? Spreading ruin and scattering ban, Splashing and paddling with hoofs of a goat, And breaking the golden lilies afloat, With the dragon-fly on the river. ‘He tore out a reed, the great god Pan, From the deep cool bank of the river,’ and then sitting down he ‘hacked and hewed, as a great god can,’ at the slender reed. He made it hollow, and notched out holes, and lo! there was a flute ready for his use. Sweet, piercing sweet was the music of Pan’s pipe as the god placed his mouth upon the holes. - The Age of Pericles and down to the year 338 B
The Age of Pericles and down to the year 338 B - The Chiton
The early chiton. At the beginning of the sixth century B.C. men followed the example of the women by adopting the Ionic chiton for general use. The masculine variety was a shortened version of the original worn by the women, and reached to just above the knees. In its early stage (sixth century B.C.) it was no more than a rectangular piece of linen, or wool, folded round the body and fastened on each shoulder by buttons or brooches, and round the waist by a girdle; or it could be girded under the arms. It was worn open down one side, and these two edges were usually finished off with a fringe, probably the raw edges left in the weaving. - The Chlamys and Petasos
The Chlamys and Petasos - The Crinkled Chiton and the Clamys (left) and the Chiton (right)
The later chiton. Approximately at the beginning of the fifth century B.C., the chiton was made on the same principle as the women's Ionic chiton using wider material; and was bound or worked at the top edge, with the portion covering the upper arms slightly gathered. This part was buttoned or clasped back to front, and. later on sometimes sewn together, to form a sleeve. It was girded at the waist and under the arms. It eventually became customary to sew up the open side, thus making the garment a cylinder in shape. The figure on left is a young man wearing a crinkled chiton under the chlamys. His long hair is twisted up and banded. He carries his petasos in his hand. The figure on right represents a young man dressed in accordance with the fashion of the fifth century B.C., but his hair is of the sixth and fifth centuries. The lyre is a development of the more primitive instrument of an earlier Age. - The Crinkled Ionic Chiton
The top part. The crinkled Ionic chiton was shaped like the original garment, but made of even thinner material, almost transparent, for the limbs could be seen through it. It was necessarily thinner, as more material was required in its width. It is seen on statues, the top part being crinkled in some way, in zig-zag or wavy lines, to about the hip level, where it is turned under and secured by an invisible waist-belt. It was fastened by buttons or clasps, or sewn as described earlier, to form sleeves. The skirt part was not crinkled, but, being very full, it hung in many flat folds, which gave a zig-zag effect at the bottom edge. - The Doric Chiton
The Doric Chiton, 550 B.C. {circa)-A.D. 100 About the same time, or shortly after the introduction of the Ionic chiton, a variation of the peplos was adapted under the name of the Doric chiton. It was worn simultaneously with the Ionic chiton, even to the end of the first century A.D., as may be seen on many vase paintings and pieces of sculpture. It was made of fine woollen material and woven complete in itself - The Doric Himation
The Doric Himation - The figure of the goddess was a colossal one
The figure of the goddess [Athene], fashioned by the magic hands of the sculptor Pheidias, was a colossal one. Calm, majestic, with a smile upon her face, she stood in her wondrous temple, clad in a robe of gold. On her head she wore a helmet, in her right hand she held fast a little golden figure of the goddess of victory, while her left lay upon her shield. At her feet a snake lay coiled. - The Gěrănŏs from a vase in the Museo Borbonico, Naples
Grown up men and women did not dance together, but the youth of both sexes joined in the Hormŏs or chain dance and the Gěrănŏs, or crane. The Gěrănŏs, originally from Delos, is said to have been originated by Theseus in memory of his escape from the labyrinth of Crete It was a hand-in-hand dance alternately of males and females. The dance was led by the representative of Theseus playing the lyre. - The Himation, 600-146 B.C.
The Himation was not exclusively a feminine garment; it was also worn by men. It was an oblong piece of material, woven with a border, and in dimensions approximately eighteen feet by six feet. During the sixth century of the Classic Period, it was often the sole garment worn. How to wear it. It was draped over the left arm, with one end hanging in front, the rest of the material being drawn across the back, round the body on the right side, and over the left shoulder again. As civilisation progressed, it was deemed necessary by ordinary men to add an under-garment—either the chiton or the kolobus. - The Himtation. A garment worn in Greece and Rome between 550 B.C. and 300 A.D.
From this time onward another garment, distinct in itself, came into general use, and remained until the end of the Classic Greek Period. This was the himation, an essential part of a Greek woman's costume, and indispensable with the Ionic chiton. It was often worn in the house, and always out of doors. In shape it resembled a shawl, and was an oblong piece of woollen or linen material, twelve to fifteen feet long, and in breadth about equal to the height of the wearer. - The Ionic Chiton
The costume of these people consisted practically of only two garments for men and women alike—nothing more than rectangular pieces of material—but the manner of wearing them required care, management and perfect taste. These garments were called by the Greeks: THE CHITON and THE HIMATION, but are commonly known to us as "The Tunic" and "The Mantle." The last six centuries B.C. and the nineteenth and twentieth centuries A.D. share a distinction in the history of costume, as being the only periods in which women have dominated the fashions. The women were compelled by law to change their attire, as it was found that the large pins by which the earlier "peplos"* was fastened proved dangerous weapons in the hands of infuriated women, whereas the Ionic chiton generally required no pins. - The Kolobus, 400-146 B. C.
The figure represents a man of this particular epoch (400-146 B.C.) wearing the kolobus ornamented with bands of embroidery. It is girded at the waist, and a himation of small dimensions is draped over the left shoulder, ready for the other end to be thrown over it. He wears the pilos and his hair has been allowed to grow longer than heretofore, in accordance with the new fashion of this age. If this young man had desired to be in the height of fashion, he would have had long close-fitting sleeves added to his kolobus. - The multitude saluted him with loud acclamations
For two years, from 409 b.c. to 407 b.c., Alcibiades stayed at the Hellespont retaking cities which had thrown off their allegiance to Athens and joined Sparta. Then feeling that now he might return with glory, he set sail for Athens. Plutarch tells us that as Alcibiades drew near to the Piræus he was afraid to venture on shore, until he saw friends waiting to welcome him: ‘As soon as he was landed the multitude who came out to meet him scarcely seemed so much as to see any of the other captains, but came in throngs about Alcibiades and saluted him with loud acclamations, and still followed him; those who could press near him crowned him with garlands, and they who could not come up so close, yet stayed to behold him afar off, and the old men pointed him out and showed him to the young ones.’ - The Peplos
The peplos was the chief garment of the Achaean women of the early Archaic Period (circa 1200-600 B.C.). In shape it was a rectangular piece of material, often heavily embroidered and consequently of a solid texture. It was put on in the manner of the Doric chiton, but being made of more substantial stuff it was wrapped tightly round the figure without folds, girded at the waist and open up one side, the top part falling back over the chest and back. It was fastened on the shoulders, and often down the side,by large pins. - The Wind-god sent a gust from the South
Then an ugly passion, named jealousy, awoke in the heart of the god, for he too loved the little hunter Hyacinthus, and would fain have been in Apollo’s place. Zephyrus tarried a while to watch the friends. Once as Apollo flung his disc high into the air, the Wind-god sent a gust from the south which blew the quoit aside. He meant only to annoy Apollo, but Hyacinthus was standing by, so that the quoit struck him violently on the forehead. The lad fell to the ground, and soon he was faint from loss of blood. In vain Apollo tried to staunch the wound; nothing he could do was of any use. Little by little the boy’s strength ebbed away, and the Sun-god knew that the lad would never hunt or play again on earth. Hyacinthus was dead. - The World as known to its first historian
The world as known to Herodotus is shown by the white part of this map, indicating the limited range of ancient geographical knowledge. - They crashed into the Persian army with tremendous force
From their camp on a hill above the plain of Marathon, the Greeks looked down upon the vast army of the Persians. For several days no battle was fought, the Persians being unable to attack the Athenians without danger as they were on the hill. At length Miltiades, whom the other nine generals were willing to follow, resolved to wait no longer. He ordered his men to advance at a sharp run down the hill and to charge the enemy. When they had started, the soldiers could not stop themselves. Quicker and quicker they ran, until, when they reached the plain, they crashed into the Persian army with tremendous force. - Two Cretan Vases
We must realize, of course, that the Greeks were much indebted to the Ægeans; for discoveries about the shores and islands of the Ægean Sea show that long before the advent of the Greeks they used tools and weapons of rough and then of polished stone, and later of copper and tin and bronze; that they lived on farms and in villages and cities, and were governed by monarchs who dwelt in palaces adorned with paintings and fine carvings, and filled with court gentlemen and ladies who wore jewelry and fine clothing. Exquisite pottery was used, decorated with taste and skill; ivory was carved and gems were engraved, and articles were made of silver and bronze and gold. As early as the sixth century B. C., the Greeks made things more beautiful than had ever been made before. One almost feels like saying that the Greeks invented beauty. Such a declaration would be absurd of course: but it seems to be a fact that the Greeks had a conception of beauty that was wholly original with them, and that was not only finer than that which any other people had ever had before, but finer than any other people have had since. - Vase-painting
Vase-painting - Vase-painting by Brygos
Vase-painting by Brygos - Vase-painting by Euphronios
Vase-painting by Euphronios - Vase-painting by Euxitheos
Vase-painting by Euxitheos - Vase-painting by Falerii
Vase-painting by Falerii - Vase-painting by Hieron
Vase-painting by Hieron - Vase-painting from Lucania
Vase-painting from Lucania - Vase-painting in the Polygnotan Style
Vase-painting in the Polygnotan Style - Vase-painting—Dress with two Overfold
Vase-painting—Dress with two Overfold - Vase-painting—Ionic Dress
Vase-painting—Ionic Dress - With an effort he looked at them as they passed
A rumour that he was dead reached the Macedonians, and they hastened to the palace, begging to be allowed to see their king once more. Alexander was not dead, but he was too weak to speak, as one by one the soldiers were permitted to walk quietly past his bed. With an effort he looked at them as they passed, and feebly raised his hand in farewell. ‘After I am gone will you ever find a king worthy of such heroes as these?’ he murmured as they slowly filed out of the room. Then he drew his signet ring from his finger and gave it to an officer, saying that he left his kingdom ‘to the best man.’ So the great king passed away at the age of thirty-three. - Women’s Head-dress
Women’s Head-dress - Yea, verily, thou art Odysseus
But at length the queen dried her tears and called to Eurycleia to come wash the feet of the stranger, who was of the same age as her master. The old woman answered, ‘Gladly will I wash his feet, for many strangers travel-worn have ere now come hither, but I say that I have never seen any so like another as this stranger is like Odysseus, in fashion, in voice, and in feet.’ Then the king feared lest his old nurse should know him, and he turned his face from the hearth. But she, as she tended him, saw a scar on the spot where a boar had wounded him long years before, and she knew her master had come home. Tears well-nigh choked her, yet she touched his chin lightly and said, ‘Yea, verily, thou art Odysseus, my dear child.’