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Readings in Ancient History: Greece and the East
Readings in Ancient History Greece and the East Author:William S. Davis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: display their most varied productions. Beautifully ornamented stuffs from Syria, Phoenician or Hittite jewelry, scented woods and gems from Pnut and Arabia, lapi... more »s and embroideries from Babylon ; coral, gold, iron, tin, and amber from far-distant countries beyond the seas are found scattered pell-mell amongst the native fine linen, jewels, glasswork, and furniture. [The shops are small, square rooms, open in front; and usually behind are some apprentices busy manufacturing the wares which their master sells, unless he is a dealer in foreign products.] There are confectioners, and restaurants where ready cooked meats can be bought either to be taken away, or eaten on the premises. Barbers go roving about in the bazaars; and their customers squat down on the ground wherever they are to have their heads as well as their beards shaved. There are also beer houses near by. The reception room is furnished with mats, stools, and armchairs. Here the customers drink beer, wine, and palm brandy. No sooner has a stranger seated himself than a maid servant comes up to him offering liquor and urging, " Drink with rapture! Listen to the conversation of thy comrades and enjoy thyself !" There is a great deal of hard drinking, but public opinion condemns drunkenness, and moralists urge " Do not forget thyself in the breweries," and again that, " Beer destroys the soul." ' 8. The Life Of The Poor In Old Egypt Abridged from Maspero, " Ancient Egypt and Assyria," p. 6 What life was to the millions of the laboring peasants who built the pyramids, and later the great palaces and temples of Thebes, and cultivated the fertile corn lands of Egypt, is illustrated thus by M. Maspero. The glories of the old Egyptian monarchy were paid for by ceaseless toil, infinite discomfort, and downright gr...« less