Page:Archaeologia Volume 13.djvu/349

 Greek Sepulchral Monument. 285 much embroidered, the term being derived from the verb which Euftathius, in his Commentary on Homer, explains by COMM. in HOM. p. 1539. The word is fully explained in the Etymologicum Magnum [&], and by an anonymous fcholiaft [c] upon Homer. II. III. 12,6. Of the beauty and magnificence of the -zeras-oi the beft idea may be formed from a palTage in Xenophon Ephefius, where, in defcribing the bed which was prepared for Abrocomas and Anthia, he informs us that it was decorated with a great variety of figures and de- vices [J]. Two circumstances, much dwelled upon in the prefent infcrip- tion, are, that the deceafed died young, and had experienced none ofthofe ceremonies, which ufually accompanied the celebration of a marriage. Nothing among the ancients was a greater object of pity than a young perfon who died unmarried ; and whenever fuch a misfortune did happen, it was cuftomary to paint it in ftrong co- lours upon the tomb-ftone of the deceafed. A remarkable inftancc of this cuftom may be feen in the following infcription publifhed by Fleetwood : b~] IlajT'Of, I) fx ara.partsra.trpdlujv tsrotxjAwy xa-rtcrxsuao'^eyij ffKyvy, yil'is s$rt Kai vupquKos ? fol. r^vo;, xA/vij Xpvpa..''Apy; riv ax unfXKrpevos, aAA.' w y. "Epujf du?ov cy^ysi XattirdSa I'%cc7 ij/XjW^njv Lib. I. p. 10. edit. Cocchii,