SĪTOU DĬCĒ

( σίτου δίκη ). If anything happened to sever a marriage contract, the husband or his representative was bound to repay the marriage portion ( προῖξ ); or, if he failed to do so, he was liable to pay interest upon it at the rate of eighteen per cent. per annum. A woman’s fortune was usually secured by a mortgage of the husband’s property; but whether this was so or not, her guardian might bring an action against the party who unjustly withheld it; δίκη προικὸς , to recover the principal, δίκη σίτου , for the interest. The interest was called σῖτος (alimony or maintenance), because it was the income out of which the woman had to be maintained. The word σῖτος is often used generally for provisions, just as we use the word bread .