The Anatomy of Melancholy

If you love the person, do the same: a good education and beauty are an adequate dowry; do not insist on money. “There were golden men in former times,” says Theocritus, “and those they loved loved them in return.” People acted so in the golden age—presumably in the reign of Ogyges, before drunken Ninus began to lord it over others—if everything reported is true. And a few nowadays will do as much, one here and another there. I think they do well, and may every happiness come to them for it.

Leontius, a philosopher of Athens, had a beautiful daughter called Athenais, “with great physical grace and charm,” as my author says, and a lovely bearing. He gave her no dowry except her upbringing, “through a secret presentiment inspired by her beauty,” through some hidden foreknowledge of her fortune, distributing what little he had among his other children.

But with these accomplishments she was recommended by friends for service to Pulcheria, the emperor’s sister, at Constantinople; through her she was baptized and named Eudocia. Before long the emperor Theodosius noticed her exceptional beauty and abilities, and soon afterwards, on his sister’s recommendation alone, made her his wife. It was nobly done by Theodosius.

Rodope was the most beautiful lady of her day in all Egypt. She went to bathe, and by chance, while her maids were carelessly watching her clothes, an eagle carried off one of her shoes and dropped it into the lap of Psammetichus, king of Egypt, at Memphis. He marvelled at the exquisite shoe and pretty foot, but still more at “the eagle’s deed,” the way it had been brought to him. He immediately had a proclamation issued that the shoe’s owner should come at once to court. The maiden came and was immediately married to the king.

I say this was nobly done, as became a prince. I commend him for it, and all those with means who will either do as he did themselves, or marry their children for love in the same way, and so on. If a man is rich, let him take a woman who lacks money, provided she is virtuous; for, as Sirach 7:19 advises, “Do not forgo a wife who is a good woman, for her grace is worth more than gold.” If a woman has a fortune of her own, let her establish a man in life.

Danaus of Lacedaemon had many daughters to marry and enough means for them all. He never bothered to seek grand matches as others usually do, but sent for a company of handsome young men to come to his house, and told each daughter to choose the one she liked best and take him for her husband, without further fuss. This action of his was much approved in those days.

But in our iron age we value wealth alone—for a maiden must now buy her husband with a large dowry if she wants him. Greed and filthy gain, or some such ulterior consideration, spoil all good marriages.