in religious rites.

The position of the Roman woman after marriage was very different from
that of the Greek. She presided over the whole household, educated her
children, watched over and preserved the honor of the house, and shared
the honors and respect shown to her husband.

FUNERALS.

When a Roman was at the point of death, his nearest relative present
endeavored to catch the last breath with his mouth. The ring was removed
from the dying person's hand, and as soon as he was dead his eyes and
mouth were closed by the nearest relative, who called upon the deceased
by name, exclaiming "Farewell!" The body was then washed, and anointed
with oil and perfumes, by slaves or undertakers. A small coin was placed
in the mouth of the body to pay the ferryman (Charon) in Hades, and the
body was laid out on a couch in the vestibulum, with its feet toward the
door. In early times all funerals were held at night; but in later times
only the poor followed this custom, mainly because they could not afford
display. The funeral, held the ninth day after the death, was headed by
musicians playing mournful strains, and mourning women hired to lament
and sing the funeral song. These were sometimes followed by players and
buffoons, one of whom represented the character of the deceased, and
imitated his words and actions. Then came the slaves whom the deceased
had liberated, each wearing the cap of liberty. Before the body were
carried the images of the dead and of his ancestors, and also the crown
and military rewards which he had gained. The couch on which the body
was carried was sometimes made of ivory, and covered with gold and
purple. Following it were the relatives in mourning, often uttering loud
lamentations, the women beating their breasts and tearing their hair.

The procession of the most illustrious dead passed through the Forum,
and stopped before the _Rostra_, where a funeral oration was delivered.
From here the body was carried to its place of burial, which must be
outside the city. Bodies were sometimes cremated, and in the later times
of the Republic this became quite common.

EDUCATION.

In early times the education of the Romans was confined to reading,
writing, and arithmetic; but as they came in contact with the Greeks a
taste for higher education was acquired. Greek slaves (_paedagogi_)
were employed in the wealthy families to watch over the children, and to
teach them to converse in Greek.

A full cou