Greek Short Story

This was an assignment I had to do for Fashion History I last year. A short story based around 400-500 BC describing Greek life and clothing of the era.
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Hello. My name is Agatha, which means good. It is morning in the year 490 BC, and my home in Athens is coming to life. This home is typical of the times- made of mud bricks and the small rooms of my home are arranged in a rectangle plan around an interior courtyard with columns. I dress in my blue Doric chiton. It is beautiful- with its folds of fabric. You may believe by looking at Ancient Greek statues that most of our clothing would be white, but that is not true. We love lots of colors and designs in our fabrics. I pull it on, and then carefully drape the excess down, called an apotyga. Pulling the excess to reach around my hips forms the waistline, and this portion of the blouse is called the kolpos.

We’ve received word today that the Battle of Marathon was successful for our men. The Persians have tried to overcome the Athenians, but this battle has proven that they can be beaten, although they outnumber our men. The Athenians were joined by a small force from Plataea and marched to Marathon. They succeeded in blocking the two exits from the plain of Marathon. For five days, they were at an impasse. Then part of the Persian force, including the cavalry, was sent by sea to attack Athens directly. Needing to act quickly to prevent the conquest of Athens, the Greeks attacked the remaining Persian army at dawn on the sixth day. Despite the numerical advantage of the Persians, the hoplites proved devastatingly effective, routing the Persians wings and achieving a double envelopment of the center.

I will eat a small meal for breakfast- wine soaked bread and after my husband leaves for work, I begin my normal day. As a woman, I’m expected to stay at home and care for the children, two boys, as expected! I must also spend some time spinning, weaving, and sewing clothes for my family. First, I will make sure the new slave woman is capable is using the spinning wheel. I really love using the wheel, but such tasks are now reserved for the servants. After a couple of hours, I’m sure she will have the hang of it and we will need to begin cooking lunch. I’ll have to show her where to fetch the water, but it’s not customary for women to go out of the home. What will the neighbors say? I’m sure they will see me with a new slave woman and understand. It’s a nice walk to the well and it’s nice to get out for a little while! After lunch I’ll check on the boys- they spend much of the day with the male slaves, as they help with tutoring the children. Dinner this evening with my family will be as always- bread, oil, wine, figs and some beans.

I wish I could spend some time visiting my neighbor Xenia to talk about her daughter’s upcoming wedding. It’s been arranged and they both come form good families- Xenia’s daughter has a nice dowry to bring and her hair has been cut. On the night before the wedding, the bride and groom will take rituals baths, and sing hymns to Hymen. Her father will make sacrifices to Hera, Zeus, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Peitho. Then the ceremony begins with a feast at the bride's father's home with bread passed out by a child saying, "They have escaped evil; they have found the good." Throughout the feast, numerous wedding hymns, libations, and blessings will occur ending in the grand procession, from the father's house to the groom's house. Once she arrives at the house, the bride offers a sieve of barley. (representative as her new role as "preparer of food") She enters the home and is taken to the hearth where she is given offerings. The final act, after being received at the hearth, will be the consummation of the marriage inside the wedding chamber, which is closely guarded by a friend.

I’m glad I don’t have a daughter to go through that, but it would be nice to get out of the house for a little while!