Surely our "Day in Athens" has been spent from morn till
night several times over, so much there is to see and tell. Yet he would
be remiss who left the city of Athena before witnessing at least several
of the great public festivals which are the city's noble pride. There
are a prodigious number of religions festivals in Athens.[1]
They take the place of the later "Christian Sabbath" and probably create
a somewhat equal number of rest days during the year, although at more
irregular intervals. They are far from being "Scotch Sundays,"[2]
however. On them the semi-riotous "joy of life" which is part of the
Greek nature finds its fullest, ofttimes its wildest, expression. They
are days of merriment, athletic sports, great civic spectacles, chorals,
public dances.[3]
To complete our picture of Athens we must tarry for a swift cursory
glance upon at least three of these fête days of the city of
Pericles,
Sophocles, and
Phidias.
William Davis, A Day in Old Athens
