It is yet undecided whether the Persians admitted their matrons to their public banquets and private parties;—­but if we can believe the positive testimony of Herodotus, such was the case:  and the summons of Vashti to the annual festival, and the admission of Haman to the queen’s table, are facts which support the affirmation of that historian.  The doubts upon the subject appear to have arisen from confounding the manners of Assyrians, Medes, and Parthians, with those of the more Scythian tribes of Persis.  We read in Xenophon that the Persian women were so well made and beautiful, that their attractions might easily have seduced the affections of the Ten Thousand, and have caused them, like the lotus-eating companions of Ulysses, to forget their native land.  Some little hints as to the mode in which their beauty was enhanced and their persons decorated, may be expected in the Life of Alexander, who, victorious over their fathers and brothers, yet submitted to their charms.

The Persian ladies wore the tiara or turban richly adorned with jewels.  They wore their hair long, and both plaited and curled it; nor, if the natural failed, did they scruple to use false locks.  They pencilled the eyebrows, and tinged the eyelid, with a dye that was supposed to add a peculiar brilliancy to the eyes.  They were fond of perfumes, and their delightful ottar was the principal favourite.  Their tunic and drawers were of fine linen, the robe or gown of silk—­the train of this was long, and on state occasions required a supporter.  Round the waist they wore a broad zone or cincture, flounced on both edges, and embroidered and jewelled in the centre.  They also wore stockings and gloves, but history has not recorded their materials.  They used no sandals; a light and ornamented shoe was worn in the house; and for walking they had a kind of coarse half boot.  They used shawls and wrappers for the person, and veils for the head; the veil was large and square, and when thrown over the head descended low on all sides.  They were fond of glowing colours, especially of purple, scarlet, and light-blue dresses.  Their favourite ornaments were pearls; they wreathed these in their hair, wore them as necklaces, ear-drops, armlets, bracelets, anklets, and worked them into conspicuous parts of their dresses.  Of the precious stones they preferred emeralds, rubies, and turquoises, which were set in gold and worn like the pearls.

Alexander did not limit his liberality to the wedding festivities, but presented every bride with a handsome marriage portion.  He also ordered the names of all the soldiers who had married Asiatic wives to be registered; their number exceeded 10,000; and each received a handsome present, under the name of marriage gift.—­Williams’s Life of Alexander, Family Library, No. 3.

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POEMS, BY W.T.  MONCRIEFF.