this difficulty, a fudden fhout announced the arrival of the Theoria of the Tenians, who, befides their own offerings, brought also thofe of the Hyperboreans. The latter people dwell towards the north of Greece : they especially pay adoration to Apollo; and there is still to be feen at Delos the tomb of two of his priefteffes, who came thither to add new rites to the worship of that god. They alfo preserve there, in an edifice dedicated to Diana, the afhes of the last Theori, whom the Hyperboreans fent to their ifland. They unfortunately perifhed; and, fince that event, that nation has sent the first fruits of their harvets through a foreign channel. A neighbouring tribe of the Scythians receive them from their hands, and tranfmit them to other nations, who convey them to the fhores of the Adriatic fea, from whence they are carried to Epirus, cross Greece, arrive at Euboa, and are brought to Tenos ". On the arrival of these facred offerings, nothing was talked of but the wonders that are related of the country of the Hyperboreans there the spring, youth, and health, perpetually reign; and there, during ten complete centuries, men enjoy a tranquil life, in the midst of festivals and pleasures. But this happy country is fituated at one of the extremities of the earth, as the garden of the Hefperides is at the other. Thus have men ever placed the abode of happiness in inacceffible regions. While the Greeks liftened to thefe fictions, which enkindled all the ardour of their imagination, I was attentive to that forest of masts which appeared in the port of Delos. The fleets of the Theoria prefented their prows to the fhore, and these prows art had decorated with the fymbols peculiar to each nation. Thofe of the Phthiotes were diftinguished by f Mem. de l'Acad. des Bell. Lettr. t. vii. p. 113. 127; t. xviii. Hift. p. 192. Herodot. lib. 4. cap. 35. h Id. ibid. cap. 33- Callim. in Del. v. 283. i Pind. Pyth. od. 10. v. 63. Id. et Simonid. ap. Strab. lib. 15. p. 711. Plin. lib. 4. cap. 12. t. i. p. 219. the figures of Nereides. On the Athenian galley, Pallas was reprefented guiding a refplendent car; and the ships of the Baotians were ornamented with an image of Cadmus holding a ferpent *. Some of these fleets were getting under fail; but the beauteous youths they carried back to their country were foon replaced by new beauties. Thus, in the courfe of a long and ferene night, fome stars are loft in the weft, while others rise in the east to replenish the skies. The festivals lasted several days; the horse-races were frequently repeated. On the beach we faw the famous divers of Delos' plunge into the fea, remain beneath its waves, float on its furface, display the image of combats, and justify, by their addrefs, the celebrity they have acquired. CHAP. LXXVII. CONTINUATION OF THE VOYAGE TO DELOS. Marriage Ceremonies. LOVE prefided at the festivals of Delos; and the numerous youth which the god had affembled around him, acknowledged no other laws than his. Sometimes, in concert with Hy-' men, he crowned the conftancy of faithful lovers; sometimes he excited a tender languor and anxiety in hearts before infenfible; and by these multiplied triumphs prepared the way for the most glorious of all-the marriage of Ifmene and Theagenes. As I was a witness to the ceremonies with which this union was accompanied, I fhall proceed to relate them, and defcribe practices which the laws, cuftom, and fuperftition have introduced, to provide for the security and happiness of the most facred of engagements: and if, in this account, fome apparently * Euripid. Iphig. in Aul. v. 240. 1 Diog. Laert. lib. 2. § 22. Id. lib. 9. 11. Suid. in Aña. 19.9 11. frivolous circumftances fhould be found, they will acquire importance and dignity from the fimplicity of the times from which they derive their origin. Silence and tranquillity began to be restored at Delos. The multitude of strangers diminished like a river, which, after having overflowed the plain, gradually retires into its bed. The inhabitants of the island had rifen before the dawn; they were crowned with flowers, and inceffantly offered up, in the temples, and before their houses, facrifices to render the gods propitious to the marriage of Ifmene". The moment when it was to be concluded was arrived. We were assembled in the houfe of Philocles: the door of the apartment of Ifmene opened, and we saw her and Theagenes come out of it, followed by their parents, and a public officer ", who had just drawn up the inftrument of their engagement. The conditions of this engagement were fimple; in it no provifion had been made for any difcuffion of interest between their relatives, nor any cause of divorce between the contracting parties: and, with respect to the marriage portion, as Theagenes was already related to Philocles, it was thought sufficient to mention a law of Solon's, which, to prevent the property of a family from being carried out of it, enacts, that heireffes fhall marry their nearest kinsmen. We were dreffed in magnificent habits, which we had received from Ifmene. That which Theagenes wore was her own work. Her ornaments were, a necklace of precious ftones, and a purple robe embroidered with gold. Both wore on their hair, which flowed on their fhoulders, and was perfumed with effences P, crowns of poppy, fefamum, and other plants facred to Venus . Thus habited, they mounted a Charit. de Char. et Callir. Amor. lib. 3. p. 44 Theod. Prodr. de Rhod. et Doficl. Amor. lib. 3. p. 450. ib. in Av. v. 671. Achill.Tat. 1. 2. p.85. P Ariftoph. in Plut. ibid. Euripid. in Iphig. in Aul. v. 903Schol. Ariftoph. in Pac. v. 869; in Ariftoph, in Plut. v. 529. Schol. Av. v. 159. "Schol. ibid. chariot, and proceeded towards the temple. Ifmene had Theagenes on her right, and on her left a friend of Theagenes, who was to follow him in this ceremony. The people who thronged around them scattered flowers and perfumes in their way. They cried out, Thefe are not mortals; it is Apollo and Coronis; it is Diana and Endymion; it is Apollo and Diana. They fought to procure us favourable omens, and to prevent fuch as were of evil portent. One faid, I faw this morning two turtles long hover in the air, and at length rest together on a branch of that tree. Another faid, Drive away the folitary crow, and let her go far hence to mourn the lofs of her faithful companion; for he brings the most ill-boding of auguries ". The bride and bridegroom were received at the gate of the temple by a priest, who prefented to each of them a branch of ivy, the symbol of the bonds by which they were to be forever united. He then conducted them to the altar, where every thing was prepared for the facrifice of a heifer to Dianay, to the chafte Diana, whom, as well as Minerva 2, and the other divinities who had never fubmitted to the yoke of Hymen, they thus endeavoured to appeafe. They alfo implored Jupiter and Juno, whose union and loves shall be eternal; the Heavens and the Earth, the concurrence of which produces fertility and plenty; the Parcæ, because they hold in their hands the life of mortals; the Graces, because they embellish the pleasures of happy marriages; and, lastly, Ve Euripid. in Helen. v. 728. Suid. in Zayos. Lucian. de Conv. t. iii. p. 450. s Suid. ibid Poll. lib. 10. cap. 7. $33. Euftath. in Iliad. lib. 6. t. ii. p. 652. lin. 45. t Charit. de Char. et Call. Amor. lib. 3. p. 44. ficl. Amor. lib. 9. p. 422. y Euripid. Iphig. in Aul. v. 1110. z Potter. Archæol. Græc. lib. 4. cap. II. p. 610 Z Ariftoph in Thermoph. v. 982. Schol. ibid. Poll. lib. 3. cap. 3. Suid. in Τελεία. ulian de Animal. lib. 3. cap. 9. 26. Orus Apoll. Hieroglyph. 8. Theod. Prodr. de Rhod. et Do b Procl. in Tim. lib. 5. p. 293, lin. c Poll. lib. 3. cap. 3. nus, from whom Love derives his birth, and who bestows happiness on mortals 4. The priests, after having examined the entrails of the victims, declared that the gods approved the marriage. To conclude the ceremonies, we proceeded to the Artemifium, where the lovers depofited each a lock of their hair on the tomb of the last Theori of the Hyperboreans. That of Theagenes was wound about a handful of grass, and that of Ifmene round a fpindle. This cuftom reminded them of the first inftitution of marriage, at which time it was intended to fignify that the husband was to be occupied in the labours of the field, and the wife to manage the household affairs. Philocles now took the hand of Theagenes, and, joining it to the hand of Ifmene, pronounced these words: "I beftow on you my daughter, that you may give legitimate citizens to the republic f." The bride and bridegroom then swore to each other an inviolable fidelity; and their parents, after having received their oaths, ratified them by new facrifices %. Night began to come on when we came out of the temple to return to the house of Theagenes. The proceffion, lighted by numberless torches, was accompanied by bands of musicians and dancers"; the house was hung with garlands, and splendidly illuminated i. As foon as the new married couple fet their feet on the threshold of the door, a basket of fruit was, for a moment, placed on their heads, as a prefage of the plenty they were to enjoy. We at the fame time heard the name of Hymenæus re-echoed on all fides'. This was a young man of Argos, who formerly restored to their country fome Athenian maidens who had been taken by pirates. He obtained for his reward d Etymol. Magn. in Tauna. e Herodot. lib. 4. cap. 34. Callim. in Del v. 296. Menander. ap. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 2. p. 502. % Meurf. Lect. Att. lib. 3. cap. I. Hefiod. Scut. Herc. v. 275. Euripid. in Alceft. v. 915. Id. in Helen. v. 728. i Heliod. Æthiop. lib. 6. p. 278. k Pierr. Grav. de Stoich. planch. 70. 1 Homer. ibid. Anacr. od. 18. Cal lim, in Del. v. 296. |