Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/549

 day, and the [Greek: enata] on the eighth day: how regular was the custom of bringing them may be judged from the passing references of Aristophanes, Isaeus , and Aeschines. In addition to these two meals there were others either on the thirtieth day after the funeral or on the thirtieth of each month—for the interpretation to be put on the term [Greek: triakades] seems doubtful—also [Greek: genesia], apparently a birthday-feast given to the dead, and [Greek: nekysia] to commemorate the anniversary of the death. The exact details of date however are of minor importance; the significant fact is this, that at certain intervals after the well-known [Greek: perideipnon] or funeral-feast, held on the day of burial, other meals were served to the dead; and the Greek words themselves corroborate the view that 'meals,' not 'sacrifices,' is the right term to use; for as the funeral-feast is [Greek: perideipnon], so also the [Greek: nekysia] are called by Artemidorus not [Greek: hiera] but [Greek: deipna]. These meals, being burnt over the place where the dead body lay, or being deposited unburnt in some large vase set up at the head of the grave, were thereby devoted to the use of the dead and became [Greek: enagismata] in that curious half-way sense between 'sacred' and 'accursed' for which our language has no equivalent save the imported word 'taboo'—objects devoted to a sacred purpose and bringing the curse of desecration on anyone who should pervert them to another use. The Greek language then was careful to mark the difference between gifts presented to the dead and propitiatory offerings made to the gods; and the difference was observed, not because the presents differed in kind, but because the conceptions of their purposes were different. The gods demanded sacrifices under pain of their displeasure; the dead needed food as living men need it, and their friends supplied it, not in fear, but in love.

These old pagan customs were at first discountenanced by the Church. But the common people clung to them with great tenacity, and after a while they appear to have received even.]