Their only good educational institutions were those of jurisprudence. Students of other branches had to resort to the Greek schools. As late as the year 162 B. C. philosophers and rhetoricians were banished from Rome by a decree of the Senate. But eloquence was soon recognized as the readiest path to fame and honors, and its study was diligently pursued. The literature of Rome, though considerably inferior to that of Greece, attained such proportions that toward the end of the Republic the trade in manuscripts had already grown to be a profitable business.
high position of the wife above alluded to proves that marriage was based upon mutual inclination. The state to a cer tain extent encouraged marriage, and it even imposed a special tax on bachelors. The result was that the Romans married earlier than the Greeks. Marriage had all the significance of a sacred institution, but was legal only among free citizens. There were three grades of matri monial union, all of which were legal. The betrothal was the occasion of a feast at which the young couple exchanged presents. The wedding was celebrated among the better classes by solemn festivities which were intended to stamp the sacred act with its full importance. They sought, above all, by the study of omens and auspices, to avoid an unpropitious day. (See p. 218.) The ceremony began with a sacrifice at which the bride consecrated to the Lares or domestic gods the toys which had rejoiced her child hood. Then, in presence of her female friends, she clad herself in her bridal costume (fig. 2). This consisted of a specially woven tunic, girdled with a woollen belt which was knotted in an antique manner. A net, veil, and shoes, all of golden color, belonged also to her costume. The hair was arranged in six curls, three on each side. The marriage ceremony was sometimes introduced by a pretended abduction of the bride, in accordance with an ancient custom. Accompanied by her spin ning articles, she was led in festal procession to the gayly-decorated house of the groom, the doorposts of which she herself festooned with garlands and anointed with oil. The groom then carried her over the threshold, and presented to her articles symbolizing her dominion over the house; both then formally pledged their marriage vows, after which the priests blessed the union by sacrifices. A banquet and hymeneal hymns con
chided the ceremonies. On the morning following the bride made her first offering as mistress of the house, and thenceforward she wore the dress of a matron. Divorce could easily be obtained.
Domestic Service was always performed by slaves, who were generally captives taken in war. These slaves did not possess the right to marry, and children born to them were also kept in slavery. Many examples show its that the lot of the master's male servants was much better than that of the female servants of the mistress, for the Roman women were not distinguished for gentleness. Slaves also cultivated the soil. Under the Empire the wealthy prided themselves on their immense retinues of servants, and it often happened that shrewd domestics acquired great influence in the household. Slavery was nowhere else so cruel as among the Romans, and yet liberated slaves did more harm to the country than victorious barbarians. Negroes were preferred for certain posts, and even dwarfs and deformed servants were prized for their ill shapes. Stewards, scribes, artisans, teachers, etc. belonged to the higher grade of servants.
Food. —Up to the time of the Punic wars the master ate with the whole household, to which indeed the name family peculiarly belonged.' The food was in the highest degree simple, consisting principally of bran cakes and of vegetables; even bread was unknown. But in this particular also the Romans eagerly appropriated all that they became acquainted with among foreign nations, and during the Empire the kitchens of the wealthy surpassed the highest point which the culinary art had previously reached. Breakfast was taken toward noon, and the principal meal at about four o'clock. The latter meal, if complete, ordinarily consisted of three courses, between which the hands were washed. Before the diners reclined at the table their feet were bathed and anointed by slaves. Drinking-bouts were separated from meals, and conducted, not very suc cessfully, in imitation of Greek manners. During the better times of Rome wreaths were not used at the banquets, being reserved exclusively as a reward of military merit.