You may be wondering what part Véronique and I have had in this marriage ceremony, so let me fill you in a bit before we get to the events of the day. It may seem odd that a spinster and a bachelor should serve in loco parentis, but there you are. (Véronique has coddled me for years, so I guess the maternal instinct is a strong one!) A typical Greek marriage consists of two parts, and I have had a hand in both. (Véronique can tell you more about her part later in the evening during the marriage feast.) First there were the negotiations with Eudora's uncle about the betrothal and dowry. That part is called engue, and I think we struck a good bargain. The price that I paid for the okidion will be the amount of her dowry! He is a shrewd man. Basically he pays nothing since the house belonged to Eudora's parents in the first place. The second part of the ceremony is the actual transfer of the bride to her new home. That part is called exdosis, and this is when I learned the events of the earlier part of the day. As Genuflex, Eudora, and I traveled by ox cart to her new home, they recounted their earlier hours to me. I get to play several parts in the ceremony, and at that moment, I was acting as paranumphos, or best man, and later, I would be the thyroros, a friend of the groom who guards the bedroom door.

For Eudora, the day began with a nuptial bath in the women's quarters. Water was drawn from a spring and carried in a special vessel called a loutrophoros by a child who was especially appointed for the task. It was thought to provide a purification of the bride as well as to induce fertility. Her aunt, her bridal helpers, and the other women helped her to dress in the same room in which she bathed. The red veil which she wears signifies her virginity, and it will not be removed until later this evening. Genuflex bathed as well, and he wears a garment that Eudora presented to him yesterday, although sometimes the groom wears nothing at all...

The procession itself began with a ritual departure that was symbolic of the pain of leaving her family. Genuflex grabbed Eudora's wrist while her uncle delivered her to her husband's control, saying "In front of witnesses I give this girl to you for the production of legitimate children." After this, the bride was treated as a symbolic captive, and to Eudora the procession reflected a crisis that needed to be endured and overcome, as it was her final transition from childhood to marriage.

 
The Wedding Procession

     

So, here we stand at the door to my home, surrounded by various members of the wedding procession. All along the way, we saw women of the neighborhood standing in their doorways to gawk at the sight. The honored participants in the procession included a special child to represent prosperity and good luck, the leader of the procession, young boys who danced all around, the groom's attendant, the bride's maids, and other friends. Eudora's aunt carried a torch in a protective role. Some women carried baskets and vases filled with things to throw at the couple: sandals, quinces, roses, violets, and fruits. Some men in the procession carried flutes, lyres, drums, and cymbals to provide the music for the wedding songs that celebrated the union. The torches and music were intended to ward off any evil spirits. When the couple finally reached the groom's house, a hymn of thanksgiving to the god of marriage arose to celebrate the successful conclusion of the transit: Hymen! Hymenaios! Genuflex then lifted Eudora from the ox cart, and Véronique welcomed her into her new home and hearth with a torch.

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The Wedding Feast

Véronique, Senex's housekeeper, is the best person to describe the wedding feast and its preparations.

Please excuse me if I seem out of breath... These last minute preparations are almost complete. Eudora's aunt and I have been working for months to assure that everything is perfect for the wedding feast. We have planned the menu, made sure that there were separate tables for the women, engaged musicians and other entertainers, decorated the house with garlands, and assembled the traditional dried dates, nuts, and figs to give to the bride. I had never heard of the bride and groom eating a quince together, but apparently that is part of the ritual to guarantee the future prosperity and fertility of the union. Other objects that feature in the ceremony include a grill for toasting barley, a sieve, a pestle to hang in front of the nuptial chamber, and various grains to recall Demeter, the link between agriculture, fertility, and social life. At least one custom is not going to be observed. There is no need to burn the axle of the ox cart that brought her...

So, find a place to sit and enjoy the feast: a whole roasted suckling pig with all the trimmings, including such delicacies as sesame seeds mixed with honey, and ample wine from Chios. After the meal, a libation will be poured before the professional singers begin. Once the other entertainers have performed, the greatly anticipated unveiling of the bride (anakalupteria) will take place. Shortly thereafter, the newlyweds will retire to the nuptial chamber to consumate the marriage, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like!

Click here for the music.

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