The Child in Human Progress
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CHAPTER XIII

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 FEMALE CHILDREN NOT DESIRABLE AMONG GREEKS—PRECAUTIONS FOR SAVING EXPOSED CHILDREN—ORNAMENTS1 AS A MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION—ADOPTION2 UNDER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE Greeks who exposed their children hoped, as a rule, they might possibly be saved by others and precautions were frequently taken to this end. The gruesome task of doing away with the infant was generally entrusted3 to a slave or to a midwife, who were willing, apparently4, to undertake many services.304 The time usually chosen was early in the day, inasmuch as the child would perish if it passed the entire night without attracting attention.
The lexicographers and the scholiasts of the time speak of children being left in deserted5 places. In the “golden days,” they were placed where they could be seen. There is evidence that the most frequented places were the most popular—the hippodromes, the entrances to the temples, and the sacred grottoes, where they would be most in evidence. A watch was kept on the place or it200 was revisited, in order to be sure of the fate of the infant.
Care was usually taken to wrap the child up carefully. When Laymonde, the shepherd, discovered Daphnis, the child was being suckled by a goat. “Struck with natural astonishment6, he advances closer to the spot and discovers a lusty and handsome male child with far richer swathing clothes than suited its fortune in being thus exposed; for its little mantle7 was of fine purple, and fastened by a golden clasp; and it had a little sword with a hilt of ivory.”305
The jests of Aristophanes show that more often children were exposed in large copper8 pots with two handles, called kutrai (κυτρ?ι). The Athenians had been in the habit of making sacrifices to some of their divinities in these kutrai, and it is likely that when children were first abandoned, they were placed in these receptacles that they might

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1 ornaments 2bf24c2bab75a8ff45e650a1e4388dec     
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
  • Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 adoption UK7yu     
n.采用，采纳，通过；收养
参考例句：
  • An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
  • The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。
3 entrusted be9f0db83b06252a0a462773113f94fa     
v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。
  • She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
5 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
6 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
7 mantle Y7tzs     
n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红
参考例句：
  • The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
  • The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。
8 copper HZXyU     
n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的
参考例句：
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
9 invoke G4sxB     
v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求
参考例句：
  • Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
  • I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。
10 immortal 7kOyr     
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
  • The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
  • The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！
11 immortals 75abd022a606c3ab4cced2e31d1b2b25     
不朽的人物( immortal的名词复数 )； 永生不朽者
参考例句：
  • Nobody believes in the myth about human beings becoming immortals. 谁也不相信人能成仙的神话。
  • Shakespeare is one of the immortals. 莎士比亚是不朽的人物之一。
12 excavations 185c90d3198bc18760370b8a86c53f51     
n.挖掘( excavation的名词复数 )；开凿；开凿的洞穴（或山路等）；（发掘出来的）古迹
参考例句：
  • The excavations are open to the public. 发掘现场对公众开放。
  • This year's excavations may reveal ancient artifacts. 今年的挖掘可能会发现史前古器物。 来自辞典例句
13 foliage QgnzK     
n.叶子，树叶，簇叶
参考例句：
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
  • Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。
14 maternal 57Azi     
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
  • He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
  • The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。
15 straps 1412cf4c15adaea5261be8ae3e7edf8e     
n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带
参考例句：
  • the shoulder straps of her dress 她连衣裙上的肩带
  • The straps can be adjusted to suit the wearer. 这些背带可进行调整以适合使用者。
16 pathos dLkx2     
n.哀婉，悲怆
参考例句：
  • The pathos of the situation brought tears to our eyes.情况令人怜悯，看得我们不禁流泪。
  • There is abundant pathos in her words.她的话里富有动人哀怜的力量。
17 tragic inaw2     
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
  • The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
  • Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。
18 renounced 795c0b0adbaedf23557e95abe647849c     
v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃
参考例句：
  • We have renounced the use of force to settle our disputes. 我们已再次宣布放弃使用武力来解决争端。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Andrew renounced his claim to the property. 安德鲁放弃了财产的所有权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
19 amulets f77e48fcf4600f8cbb307bca4e363b32     
n.护身符( amulet的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Amulets,\"guards,\" as they are popularly called, intended to ward off evil spirits. 护身符――或者象他们普遍的叫法：“警卫”用来抵御妖魔鬼怪。 来自辞典例句
  • However, all oval amulets in a single game are the same. 当然，所有的魔法用品也有类似的情形。 来自互联网
20 suppliant nrdwr     
adj.哀恳的；n.恳求者，哀求者
参考例句：
  • He asked for help in a suppliant attitude.他以恳求的态度要我帮忙。
  • He knelt as a suppliant at the altar.他跪在祭坛前祈祷。
21 supplication supplication     
n.恳求，祈愿，哀求
参考例句：
  • She knelt in supplication. 她跪地祷求。
  • The supplication touched him home. 这个请求深深地打动了他。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
22 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来；以后
参考例句：
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
23 theatrical pIRzF     
adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的
参考例句：
  • The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
  • She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。
24 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
25 subterfuge 4swwp     
n.诡计；藉口
参考例句：
  • European carping over the phraseology represented a mixture of hypocrisy and subterfuge.欧洲在措词上找岔子的做法既虚伪又狡诈。
  • The Independents tried hard to swallow the wretched subterfuge.独立党的党员们硬着头皮想把这一拙劣的托词信以为真。
26 encumbered 2cc6acbd84773f26406796e78a232e40     
v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The police operation was encumbered by crowds of reporters. 警方的行动被成群的记者所妨碍。
  • The narrow quay was encumbered by hundreds of carts. 狭窄的码头被数百辆手推车堵得水泄不通。 来自辞典例句
27 malady awjyo     
n.病，疾病(通常做比喻)
参考例句：
  • There is no specific remedy for the malady.没有医治这种病的特效药。
  • They are managing to control the malady into a small range.他们设法将疾病控制在小范围之内。
28 depicts fd8ee09c0b2264bb6b44abf7282d37f6     
描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述
参考例句：
  • The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
  • He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
29 placate mNfxU     
v.抚慰，平息(愤怒)
参考例句：
  • He never attempts to placate his enemy.他从不企图与敌人和解。
  • Even a written apology failed to placate the indignant hostess.甚至一纸书面道歉都没能安抚这个怒气冲冲的女主人。
30 abominable PN5zs     
adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的
参考例句：
  • Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
  • The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。
31 crooked xvazAv     
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
  • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
  • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
32 acorn JoJye     
n.橡实，橡子
参考例句：
  • The oak is implicit in the acorn.橡树孕育于橡子之中。
  • The tree grew from a small acorn.橡树从一粒小橡子生长而来。
33 oration PJixw     
n.演说，致辞，叙述法
参考例句：
  • He delivered an oration on the decline of family values.他发表了有关家庭价值观的衰退的演说。
  • He was asked to deliver an oration at the meeting.他被邀请在会议上发表演说。
34 orator hJwxv     
n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家
参考例句：
  • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
  • The orator gestured vigorously while speaking.这位演讲者讲话时用力地做手势。
35 dealers 95e592fc0f5dffc9b9616efd02201373     
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者
参考例句：
  • There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
  • The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。
36 mischief jDgxH     
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
参考例句：
  • Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
  • He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。
37 whim 2gywE     
n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想
参考例句：
  • I bought the encyclopedia on a whim.我凭一时的兴致买了这本百科全书。
  • He had a sudden whim to go sailing today.今天他突然想要去航海。
38 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠
参考例句：
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
39 magistrate e8vzN     
n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官
参考例句：
  • The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
  • John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。
40 puny Bt5y6     
adj.微不足道的，弱小的
参考例句：
  • The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
  • Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。
41 chasm or2zL     
n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突
参考例句：
  • There's a chasm between rich and poor in that society.那社会中存在着贫富差距。
  • A huge chasm gaped before them.他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。

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