Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/127

 more rarely on the breast) of the dead a small coin, which in the environs of Smyrna is actually known as [Greek: to peratiki], passage-money . In the Cyclades and in parts of the Greek mainland I myself have met aged persons who could recall the existence of the custom: a century or two ago it was probably frequent. But there is less evidence that the coin was commonly intended for Charos. Protodikos indeed, the authority for the existence of the custom in Asia Minor, writing in 1860, says expressly that the coin was designed for Charos as ferryman; and the name of 'passage-money' locally given to the coin tends to confirm the statement of a writer whom I have found in some other matters inaccurate. Another authority moreover, writing also in 1860, states that at Stenimachos in Thrace 'until a short time ago' the coin was laid in the mouth of the dead actually for Charos; nor can there be any question that the classical interpretation of the custom survived long in Zacynthos, as is evidenced by the complaint of the poor man's soul in the song translated above,

[Greek: 'sterna eme de moudôkan, de moudôkan tsê kaümenês, mête lephto 'sto stoma mou gia se pou perimeneis],

'No last rites did they give me, they gave me none, poor soul, not even a farthing in my mouth for thee (Charos) who awaitest me.'

Yet Schmidt, who recorded these lines from Zacynthos, found that the actual custom was barely remembered there. He met indeed, in 1863, one old woman aged eighty-two, who as a child had known the practice of putting a copper in the mouth of the dead as also that of laying a key on the corpse's breast; but of the purpose of the coin she knew nothing; the key she believed to be useful for opening the gates of Paradise. For myself, though I have heard mention of the use of the coin, I have never known it to be associated with Charos. I incline therefore to the opinion that in most places where the custom is or has recently been practised, it has outlived the interpretation which was in classical times put upon it.

But was the classical interpretation a true index to the origin of the custom? Was it anything more than an aetiological, p. 14. The form [Greek: peratikion] which the writer gives can hardly be popular. It might be, as Schmidt points out, [Greek: peratikin] in the local dialect. I have given the form which the word would assume in most districts.]in the periodical [Greek: Pandôra], p. 449. Cf. Schmidt, op. cit. p. 238.]