Therefore, as long as it is not ruled by a "king" or a "tyrant", Greek cities will be managed by this liberal class and serve its interests. This system can't work without a slave class whose number is six or seven times that of freemen. Slaves undertook all kinds of hard work for the ancient Greek masters who were lucky enough to be free men, but modern people have to pay most of their time and energy for these jobs to support their families.
The slaves contracted all the cooking, baking bread and making candles in the whole city. They are hairdressers, carpenters, jewelers, primary school teachers and librarians. They are responsible for looking after shops and factories. The host either attends a public meeting to discuss major issues of war and peace; Either go to the theater to see Aeschylus' latest tragedy; Either listen to the heated discussion about euripides's revolutionary thought, because the playwright dares to doubt the majesty of Zeus.
In fact, ancient Athens was like a modern club. All free men are hereditary members, and all slaves are hereditary servants, ready to obey their master's orders at any time. Of course, I'm glad to be a member of this organization.
But when we talk about the word "slaves", I don't mean that they are the kind of people you read in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Of course, it is really uncomfortable to farm for others every day, but those freemen who have fallen into poverty have to be hired to help the rich on their farms. Their lives are actually as miserable as slaves. In cities, many slaves are even richer than the freemen in the lower classes. For the ancient Greeks who pursued moderation in everything, they preferred to treat slaves in a gentle way. After that, the ancient Romans were much more cruel Roman slaves not only had no rights like machines in modern factories, but were often fed to wild animals by their owners because of a little mistake.
The ancient Greeks believed that slavery was a necessary system. Without this system, no city can become a comfortable home for civilized people.
Slaves also engaged in complex jobs, just as businessmen and professionals do today. As for the housework that occupied most of your mother's time and made your father frown after work, the ancient Greeks didn't pay attention to it. They are well aware of the value of leisure life, and by living in the simplest environment, they reduce housework to a minimum.
First of all, the houses of the ancient Greeks were very simple. Even the rich live in big adobe houses. The comfortable conditions that modern workers think should be enjoyed are different in their houses. Greek houses consist of four walls and a roof. There is a door leading to the street, but there is no window. There is an open-air courtyard around the kitchen, living room and bedroom. There is a fountain or some small sculptures in the courtyard, and there are several plants to make the whole environment look spacious and bright. If it doesn't rain or it's not too cold, the family will live in the yard. In the corner of the yard, there are cooks (slaves) cooking food; In another corner of the yard, there is a tutor (also a slave) teaching children to recite Greek letters and multiplication tables; In another corner, the mistress of the house and the tailor (also slaves) are mending the master's coat. The hostess seldom went out, because in ancient Greece, a married woman often appeared in the street, which was considered indecent. In a small office next door, the host is carefully examining the accounts just sent by the farm supervisor (also a slave).
When dinner is ready, the whole family will sit around for dinner. The food is simple and won't last long. The ancient Greeks seem to regard diet as an inevitable evil, unlike entertainment, which can not only kill boring time, but also heal emotions and improve intelligence. They mainly eat bread and drink wine, plus a little meat and vegetables. They only drink water when there are no other drinks to drink, because they think drinking water is unhealthy. They like to invite friends to dinner, but at our modern banquets, they often eat seaweed and indulge in drinking, which can only make the ancient Greeks feel sick. They like to get together at the dinner table, mainly for more interesting conversation and taste.
Delicious wine and drinks. However, they know the virtue of moderation, and getting drunk is an act of contempt.
The simplicity prevailing at the dinner table of the ancient Greeks was also reflected in their choice of clothing and accessories. They like to be clean and tidy, and their hair and beard are combed in an orderly way. They often exercise, such as swimming in the gym, such as practicing track and field, to make themselves feel strong. They never follow the fashion in Asia and wear clothes with bright colors and strange patterns. Men usually wear white clothes and look as fashionable and elegant as modern Italian officials wearing blue shawls.
Of course, they also like their wives to wear some jewels, but they think it is quite vulgar to show off their wealth in public. So once a woman leaves home, she tries not to attract attention.
In short, life in ancient Greece was not only moderate, but also simple. Chairs, tables, books, houses, carriages and other "objects" always occupy a lot of the owner's time, and in the end, they will make the people who own them become their slaves. He must take care of them, wiping, grinding and polishing. What the ancient Greeks wanted first was "freedom", which was the double liberation of body and mind. Therefore, they keep their daily needs to a minimum, so as to maintain real spiritual freedom.