with a purple border (lana), and a cap of conical form (apex) adorned with a twig of olive. The Flamen Dialis had a lictor, and also a sella curulis and the toga prætexta; his wife was called Flaminica, and aided him in some parts of the worship on the festivals of Jupiter. This priest likewise held a seat in the senate, and enjoyed several other privileges, which were peculiar to the Flamines. Many duties and services were required of the Flamines, especially of the Flamen Dialis. They were distinguished by names derived from the god to whose service they were devoted, as Flamen Neptunalis, Floralis, Pulmonalis; so of those belonging to a deified Cæsar, as Flamen Augustalis, Flavialis, &c.

$215. The Salii were priests of Mars Gradivus, and according to the common opinion had their name from dancing (salire), because on certain festival days they passed about the city dancing, and singing songs in honor of Mars. They were first instituted by Numa; the immediate occasion of their institution, according to the tradition, was the famous shield, Ancile, said to have been sent from heaven; this shield, and the eleven others made exactly like it in order to hinder its being stolen, which were all guarded by the Vestals, were carried by the twelve Salii Palatini, when they made their circuit around the city.

lu. Their chief and leader in the procession was styled Prasul, whose leaping was expressed by the verb amtruure, and the leaping of the others after him by redamtruare. They had their appropriate residence (curia Saliorum) upon the Palatine Hill. Besides the music which accompanied their dancing, they struck their shields together, and in that way noted the measure of their songs, which celebrated the praises of the god of war (cf. P. I. § 114. 4.) and of Veturius Mamurius, the artist who made the eleven shields.

2u. The order was highly respected, and was rendered the more so by the accession of Scipio Africanus as a member, and some of the Emperors, especially M. Aurelius Antoninus. Their term of service was not for life, but only for a certain period.-The Salii Collini or Quirinales were distinct from this body, and established by Tullius Hostilius.

See T. Gutberlethi de Saliis Martis sacerdotibus apud Romanos liber singularis. Franequera, 1704. 8. Seidel, De Saltat. sacr. vet. Rom. Berl. 1826. —A. Apel's Metrik, Th. 2. p. 647.

216. The Luperci, priests of Pan, were of Arcadian origin, and established by Romulus. Their name was derived from that designation, which Pan received from his guarding the flocks against the wolf, Lupercus (ab arcendo lupos). His temple was from the same circumstance called Lupercal, and his most celebrated festival at Rome, Lupercalia. This festival began about the middle of February, and was regarded as a season of expiation for the whole city. The Luperci, on this occasion, ran up and down the streets, naked excepting a girdle of goat's skin about the waist; they carried in their hands thongs of the same material, with which they struck those whom they met; the word to express the action was catomidiare. A peculiar efficacy was ascribed to these blows, particularly in rendering married women prolific. There were three distinct companies (Sodalitates) of these priests; the Fabiani, Quintiliani, and Julii. The last were of later origin and took their name from Julius Cæsar; the others were named after individuals, who had been their chief or head priests. $217. The Galli were priests of Cybele the great mother of the gods, so called from the river Gallus in Phrygia, whose waters were

regarded as possessing singular virtues, rendering frantic those who drank it. The circumstance of their being castrated is referred to the fable respecting Atys. At the festival of their goddess, celebratd in March, and called Hilaria (cf. P. III. § 21), these priests imitated the phrenzy of Atys by strange gestures, violent motions, and selfscourging and cutting. Their chief priest was termed Archigallus. The order was not highly respected. — The Potitii and Pinarii, priests of Hercules, were not held in important estimation, although their pretended origin was traced to the age of the hero himself. The tradition was, that Hercules, during his residence in Italy with Evander, instructed in the rites of his worship the tribes or families bearing this name, which was afterwards retained by the priests.

218. The Vestals, Virgines Vestales, were an order of Priestesses, of very early origin, devoted to the goddess Vesta. The constant preservation of the holy fire, and the guarding of the Palladium (P. III. § 43, 67), were the principal duties of the Vestals. They were first instituted by Numa, four in number; two were added by Tarquinius Priscus or Servius Tullius, and the number ever after remained six. Their leader, the eldest, was called Vestalis or Virgo Maxima. They were selected (capere) between the age of six and ten, particular regard being had to their descent and their bodily vigor and perfection. They were obliged to continue in the office thirty years, unmarried. The first ten years were employed in learning the rites, the second ten in performing them, and the rest in instructing others. Negligence in any of their duties was severely punished. If any one violated her vow of chastity, she was buried alive in a place called Campus sceleratus, near the Porta Collina. Besides the two principal duties of these priestesses, they were accustomed to offer certain sacrifices, whose precise object is unknown. They also had the care of some preparations and services connected with other sacrifices. They enjoyed great respect, and many privile ges; e. g. entire freedom from parental control; authority to deliver from punishment a criminal, who accidentally met them; certain revenues of lands devoted to them; the attendance of a lictor, whenever they went out; a public maintenance, and release from the obligation to take an oath. Their office was abolished under Theodosius, on account of its expense.

$219 a. A few words must be added respecting the other classes of priests before named (§ 207). The Quindecemviri sacris faciundis had the care of the Sibylline books (cf. § 226). The Fratres Arvales served especially at the festival, called Ambarvalia (P. III. § 63), when the fields were dedicated and blessed, these priests passing over them in procession (cf. P. I. § 114), with a crowd of attendants. The Curiones were thirty priests, who performed the sacred rites common to the several Curiæ (251). The Sodales Titii or Tatii had their name from the Sabine king Titus Tatius: each tribe had seven of them. There were also Sodales Augustales, or priests in honor of Augustus.

lu. The priests had their assistants and servants (ministri). Among these were the waiting boys and maids, camilli and cumilla; the assistants of the priests who offered sacrifices, flaminii and flamina; the keepers of the temples, aditui or æditumni; those who brought the victims to the altars and slew

them, popa, victimarii and cultrarii. The tibicines, tubicines, fidicines, &c. who accompanied the sacrificial rites with music, formed likewise another fraternity.

2. The mystagogi were those who initiated others into mysteries; the name is also given to those who showed to visiters the curiosities of the temples. By some late writers the priests were divided into three classes; antistites, chief priests; sacerdotes, ordinary priests; and ministri, meanest priests. § 219 b. Respecting the emoluments of the Roman priests little is known. When Romulus first divided the Roman territory, he set apart what was sufficient for the performance of sacred rites, and for the support of temples. Numa is said to have provided a fund for defraying the expenses of religion, and to have appointed a stipend for the vestals; but there is no evidence, that the priests received any regular stipend or salary. Yet there can be no doubt that, in some way or other, sufficient provision was made for their support. Burigny, Les honneurs accordes aux pretres &c. in the Mem. Acad. Inscr. xxx1. 108.

$220. Of the vast multitude of religious customs among the Romans, we will notice first some of those pertaining to their prayers to the gods. They prayed with the head covered or veiled (capite velato). They bowed themselves down to the ground, in this posture moved around completely from right to left, placed their right hand on the mouth (adoratio), and directed their face towards the east, where the altars and images of the gods were placed. In a higher degree of devotion they cast themselves upon their knees, or prostrated the whole body upon the ground. They were accustomed to lay hold of the altar and to make offerings of meal and wine with their prayers. The prayer was not always offered with an audible voice. Public prayers (precationes) were made by a priest or a magistrate. The most solemn prayer of this kind was that before the Comitia, by the Roman consul. Thanksgivings (supplicationes) were also public and general, for the purpose of entreating, appeasing and praising the gods; in which view the people made a solemn procession to the temples. Public occasions of this sort were called supplicationes ad pulvinaria deorum; these pulvinaria were cushionlike elevations or stools, on which were placed the statues of the gods. They were also termed supplicia, and were appointed in honor of particular deities, or of all the gods united. The prayers offered on these occasions were called obsecrationes, which term usually has ref erence to the averting of danger.

Burigny, Les prieres des Paiennes, in the Mem. Acad. Inser, vol. XLII. p. 27. — Morin, Baisemains &c. (adoratio), in the same Mem. vol. 111. p. 69.

$221. The sacrifices of the Romans (sacrificia) were very various. They were offered either at stated times (stata, solennia), or on particular occasions (ex accidente nata). Animal sacrifices were termed hostia or victime; the original difference between these words, viz. that the former designated a sacrifice offered on going out against a foe, and the latter a sacrifice on returning victorious, is as little regarded by the writers, as another distinction, which makes the former a smaller and the latter a greater sacrifice.

lu. The animals must be without blemish, and were therefore previously selected. They were brought to the altar, ornamented, like the person offering them, with garlands of flowers; the horns of bullocks and rams were decked with gilt, and white fillets were hung over their necks. The willing approach of the victim was considered as a favorable omen; reluctance and resistance on the other hand as unfavorable; the act of bringing the victim forward was called admovere. The priests then commanded all the profane to

depart, and another priest ordered silence (linguis favete). Then followed the prayer to the gods, and after it the offering of the victim. The knife and the altar were consecrated for the purpose, by sprinkling them with a mixture of salt and the meal of new barley or spelt roasted (mola salsa). The head of the victim was sprinkled with the same, and this is what is properly expressed by the word immolare, although it is often synonymous with mactare.

2u. The cultarius, whose business was to kill the victim, having asked, Agone?, and the consul, prætor or priest having answered, Hocage, then struck the animal in the forehead with his axe or mallet; another next cut or stabbed him in the throat, and a third caught the blood in a sacrificial vase. The entrails were then examined by the haruspex, and if they were found favorable, were, after being cleansed, laid on the altar and burned. Sometimes the whole animal was burned (holocaustum); but usually only a part, the rest being assigned to the sacrificial feast, or to the priests. Upon the burning flesh incense was scattered, and wine was poured out; the latter constituted the libation, and was accompanied with a formal address to the deity, accipe libens. In early times milk was used in the libation instead of wine. After all came the feast, of which the priests and those who presented the sacrifice partook in common, and which was usually accompanied with music and danc ing, and often followed with games.

$222. It was very common among the Romans to make vows (vota), which generally consisted in promises to render certain actual acknowledgements or returns, provided the gods should grant the requests of those making the vows. A person doing thus was said vota facere, concipere, suscipere, nuncupare, and was called voti reus; to fulfil the promise was vota solvere, reddere; he who gained his wish was said to be voti damnatus, voti compos. Sometimes the thing desired was itself termed votum. Often public vows were made for the benefit of the whole people; these were considered as the most binding. The vow was usually written upon a wax-tablet, which was preserved in the temple of the god to whom it was made.

1u. Those who had survived shipwreck, especially, were accustomed to hang up in the temple of some god (Neptune often) pictures representing the circumstances of their danger and deliverance (tabulæ votiva). Similar pictures were sometimes carried about by them in order to obtain charitable relief.

2u. Among the vows of a private nature were those, which a person made to Juno Lucina or Genius, on a birth-day (vota natalitia); those made when boys, on passing from childhood, cut off their hair and dedicated it to Apollo (vota capillitia); the vows of the sick in case of recovery; the vows of those in shipwreck for escape; of those on journeys by land. It also became a cus tom for subjects to make vows for the welfare of their emperors, which were renewed after the fifth, tenth, or twentieth year of their reign, and therefore called quinquennia, decennalia, or vicennalia.

H. Dodwell, de diebus veterum natalitiis, in his Prælect. Acad. Ox. 1692. 8. p. 153.

$223. The dedication of the temples, sanctuaries and altars (dedicatio templi, $203), was one of the religious solemnities of the Romans. This was originally performed by the kings, afterwards by the consuls, and often also by two magistrates appointed for the purpose and called duumviri dedicandis templis. The senate must first decree the service; the Pontifex maximus must be present at the solemnity and pronounce the form of dedication, which was accompanied with acclamations from the people. Sacrifices, games, and feasts then followed.

lu. Similar to this was the ceremony of consecration (consecratio); only, the latter expression was applied to a great variety of particular objects, e. g. statues, sacred utensils, fields, animals, &c. Resecration, on the other hand,

was a private transaction, in which the people or individuals were freed from their vows; this was also called religione solvere.

2u. Execration was imprecating evil on an enemy.-Evocation of the gods was a solemn rite by which (certo carmine) they called upon the gods of a besieged city (evocare) to take the side of the Romans; it was attended with sacrifices and consultation of the entrails.

224. Expiation was a solemnity designed to appease offended gods, and the sacrifice or propitiatory offering was called piaculum. Much more frequent and various were the lustrations or purifications (lustrationes), both public and private.

1u. Public lustrations were occasionally connected with certain festivals; the private were annually repeated in the month of February. It was customary before the march of an army or the sailing of a fleet to appoint a lustration, not for reviewing the forces, but to purify them by sacrifices.

2. After the taking of the census, which was done at the end of every five years, a purifying sacrifice was made, consisting of a sow, a sheep, and a bull, which were carried round the whole assembly and then slain. The sacrifice was called suovetaurilia, and he who performed it was said condere lustrum. The name lustrum is said to have been applied to it, because at that time all the taxes were paid by the farmers general to the censors (from luere to pay); the term is also used to signify a space of five years, because the ceremony was performed always at the end of that period. The verb lustrare expressed the act of purifying, and as in doing this the victims were carried round, the word naturally obtained another meaning, viz. to go around, to survey. The lustrum was always made in the Campus Martius.

225. The oaths (jusjurandum, juramentum) of the Romans, which were regarded as holy and inviolable, may be divided into public and private. The first were taken by the magistrates before the Tribunal (§ 243. 1.) often also by the whole senate, the generals, the whole army, all the citizens at the census, and every single soldier. To the latter class belonged judicial oaths, and such as pertained to marriage. They were usually taken before the altars of the gods, who were thus invoked as witnesses; not unfrequently sacrifices were at the same time offered.

lu. Persons taking an oath in a prescribed form were said conceptis verbis jurare.

2u. What was called devotio consisted in a voluntary surrender of one's self (devovere) to capital danger or to violent death, in order to rescue his country or the life of a person particularly dear. Sometimes the term was applied, when a conqueror assigned (devovebat) a captured city or army to destruction, or when an individual was punished.

$226. The Romans had no oracles themselves; but in cases of importance, they resorted to those of Greece, particularly to the Delphic. Roman superstition, however, found nearer sources of information respecting the will and declarations of the gods. Besides the use of their augurium and extispiscium, they had recourse to the Sibylline Books, or the pretended prophecies of the Sibyl of Cumæ.

lu. These Books were received from the Sibyl by Tarquinius Superbus (see P. II. § 16). They were kept with great care in a stone vault under ground in the Capitol, in the custody of the Quindecemviri sacris faciundis § 219). In important emergencies, in general disasters, when omens were inauspicious, or circumstances were perplexing, they consulted the Sibylline predictions and endeavored thence to ascertain, how the offended deities could be appeased.

2u. The burning of the Capitol, B. C. 84, occasioned the destruction of