(_For the Mirror_.)
The dead were ever held sacred and inviolable even amongst the most
barbarous nations; to defraud them of any due respect was a greater
and more unpardonable sacrilege than to spoil the temples of the gods;
their memories were preserved with a religious care and reverence, and
all their remains honoured with worship and adoration; hatred and envy
themselves were put to silence, for it was thought a sign of a cruel
and inhuman disposition to speak evil of the dead, and prosecute
revenge beyond the grave. The ancient Greeks were strongly persuaded
that their souls could not be admitted into the Elysian fields till
their bodies were committed to the earth; therefore the honours (says
Potter) paid to the dead were the greatest and most necessary; for
these were looked upon as a debt so sacred, that such as neglected to
discharge it were thought accursed. Those who died in foreign
countries had usually their ashes brought home and interred in the
sepulchres of their ancestors, or at least in some part of their
native country; it being thought that the same mother which gave them
life and birth, was only fit to receive their remains, and afford them
a peaceful habitation after death. Whence ancient authors afford as
innumerable instances of bodies conveyed, sometimes by the command of
oracles, sometimes by the good-will of their friends, from foreign
countries to the sepulchres of their fathers, and with great solemnity
deposited there. Thus, Theseus was removed from Scyros to Athens,
Orestes from Tegea, &c. Nor was this pious care limited to persons of
free condition, but slaves also had some share therein; for we find
(says Potter) the Athenian lawgiver commanding the magistrates, called
_Demarchi_, under a severe penalty, to solemnize the funerals, not so
much of citizens, whose friends seldom failed of paying the last
honours, as of slaves, who frequently were destitute of decent burial.
Those who wasted their patrimony, forfeited their right of being
buried in the sepulchres of their fathers. As soon as any person had
expired, they closed his eyes. Augustus Caesar, upon the approach of
his death, called for a looking-glass, and caused his hair to be
combed, and his fallen cheeks decently composed. All the offices about
the dead were performed by their nearest relations; nor could a
greater misfortune befal any person than to want these respects. When
dying, their friends and relations came close to the bed where they
lay, to bid them farewell, and catch their dying words, which they
never repeated without reverence. The want of opportunity to pay this
compliment to Hector, furnishes Andromache with matter of lamentation,
which is related in the Iliad. They kissed and embraced the dying
person, so taking their last farewell; and endeavoured likewise to
receive in their mouth his last breath, as fancying his soul to expire
with it, and enter into their bodies. When any person died in debt at
Athens, the laws of that city gave leave to creditors to seize the
dead body, and deprive it of burial till payment was made; whence the
corpse of Miltiades, who died in prison, being like to want the honour
of burial, his son Cimon had no other means to release it, but by
taking upon himself his father's debts and fetters. Sometime before
interment, a piece of money was put into the corpse's mouth, which was
thought to be Charon's fare for wafting the departed soul over the
infernal river.