268 SALII AND CURETES COMPARED LUPERCI. The most solemn procession of the Salii was on the first of March, in commemoration of the time when the sacred shield was believed to have fallen from heaven, in the reign of Numa. They resembled the armed dancers of the Greeks, called Curetes, from Crete, where that manner of dancing called PYRRICHE had its origin ; whether invented by Minerva, or, according to the fables of the poets, by the Curetes, who, being intrusted with the care of Jupiter in his infancy, Serv. in Virg. iv. 151., to prevent his being discovered by Saturn his father, drowned his cries by the sound of their arms and cymbals, Dionys. ii. 70. vii. 72. Hygin. 139. It was certainly common among the Greeks in the time of Homer, Il. vi. 494. Strab. x. 467, 468. fin. No one could be admitted into the order of the Salii unless a native of the place, and freeborn, whose father and mother were alive. Lucan calls them lecta juventus patricia, because chosen from that order, ix. 478. The Salii, after finishing their procession, had a splendid entertainment prepared for them, Suet. Claud. 33.; hence SALIARES dapes, costly dishes, Horat. Od. i. 37. 2. Epulari Saliarem in modum, to feast luxuriously, Cic. Att. v. 9. Their chief was called PRÆSUL (i. e. qui ante alios salit), who seems to have gone foremost in the procession, Cic. Div. i. 26. ii. 66.; their principal musician, VATES; and he who admitted new members, MAGISTER, Capitolin. in Antonin. Philos. 4. According to Dionysius, iii. 32., Tullus Hostilius added twelve other Salii, who were called AGONALES, -enses, or Collini, from having their chapel on the Colline hill. ["That is, the Quirinal: consequently they were of Sabine origin: they were the priests of Pavor and Pallor." Nieb. i. p. 259.] Those instituted by Numa had their chapel on the Palatine hill; hence, for the sake of distinction, they were called PALATINI, Id. ii. 70. [" They belonged to the primitive Romans." Nieb. 1. c.] III. LUPERCI, the priests of Pan; so called (a lupo) from a wolf, because that god was supposed to keep the wolves from the sheep, Serv. in Virg. Æn. viii. 343. Hence the place where he was worshipped was called Lupercal*, and his festival Lupercalia, which was celebrated in February; at which time the Luperci ran up and down the city naked, having only a girdle of goats' skins round their waist, and thongs of the same in their hands, with which they struck those whom they met, particularly married women, who were thence supposed to be rendered prolific, Ovid. Fast. ii. 427. 445. v. 101. There were three companies (sodalitates) of Luperci; two ancient, called FABIANI and QUINTILIANI, (a Fabio et Quintilio præpositis suis, Festus), and a third, called JULII, instituted in honour of Julius The Lupercal was a cavern dug in a rock in a corner of Mount Palatine. Some authors, and amongst them Ovid, pretend that Romulus and Remus consecrated this cave, because it had been the retreat of the wolf that had suckled them, "Illa loco nomen fecit, locus ipse Lupercal."-- Fast. ii. 421. In commemoration of this, the Romans placed there a brazen statue, representing a wolf suckling the Twins, which Fulvius Ursinus thinks to be the same which may be seen at present in the Capitol, at the palace of the Conservators; and of which we have a poetical description in Byron's Childe Harold, canto iv. st. 88. See Notes by Hobhouse. "Or the Fabii and the Quinctilii (Ovid. Fast, ii. 375.). The former, who are mentioned as the comrades of Remus, may be considered as the Sabine fra Cæsar, whose first chief was Antony; and therefore, in that capacity, at the festival of the Lupercalia, although consul, he went almost naked into the forum Julium, attended by his lictors, and having made an harangue to the people (nudus concionatus est, Cic. Phil. ii. 34. 43.) from the Rostra, he, according to concert, as it is believed, presented a crown to Cæsar, who was sitting there in a golden chair, dressed in a purple robe, with a golden diadem, which had been decreed him, surrounded by the whole senate and people, ibid. Antony attempted repeatedly to put the crown on his head, addressing him by the title of King, and declaring that what he said and did was at the desire of his fellow-citizens, Dio. xlv. 31. 41. xlvi. 5. But Cæsar, perceiving the strongest marks of aversion in the people, rejected it, saying that Jupiter alone was king of Rome, and therefore sent the crown to the Capitol, as a present to that god, Suet. Cæs. 79. Cic. Phil. iii. 5. v. 14. xiii. 8. 15. 19. Dio. xlvi. 19. Vell. ii. 56. Plutarch. Cæs. p. 736. Anton. p. 921. Appian. B. C. ii. p. 496. It is remarkable that none of the succeeding emperors, in the plenitude of their power, ever ventured to assume the name of Rex, King. As the Luperci were the most ancient order of priests, said to have been first instituted by Evander, Ovid. Fast. ii. 279. Liv. i. 5., so they continued the longest, not being abolished till the time of Anastasius, who died A. D. 518. IV. POTITII and PINARII, the priests of Hercules, instituted by Evander, Liv. i. 7. Virg. Æn. viii. 270., when he built an altar to Hercules, called MAXIMA, after that hero had slain Cacus, Liv. i. 7.— said to have been instructed in the sacred rites by Hercules himself, Cic. Dom. 52. Serv. in Virg. Æn. viii. 269., being then two of the most illustrious families in that place. The Pinarii, happening to come too late to the sacrifice, after the entrails were eaten up (extis adesis), were, by the appointment of Hercules, never after permitted to taste the entrails, Ibid. & Dionys. i. 40. So that they only acted as assistants in performing the sacred rites. (Et domus Herculei custos Pinaria sacri, Virg. ibid.) The Potitii, being taught by Evander, continued to preside at the sacrifices of Hercules for many ages; (ANTISTITES Sacri ejus fuerunt, Liv. ibid. Primusque Potitius auctor, Virg. ibid.) till the Pinarii, by the authority or advice of Appius Claudius, the censor, having delegated their ministry to public slaves, the whole race (genus omne, v. GENS, Potitiorum), consisting of twelve familiæ, became extinct within a year; and some time after Appius lost his sight; a warning, says Livy, against making innovations in religion (quod dimovendis statu suo sacris religionem facere posset), ix. 29. SO V. GALLI, the priests of Cyběle, the mother of the gods; called from GALLUS, a river in Phrygia, which was supposed to make those who drank of it mad, so that they castrated themselves, Festus; as the priests of Cybele did, Herodian. i. 11. Ovid. Fast. iv. 361. (genitalia sibi abscindebant cultris lapideis vel Samia testa, with knives of stone or Samian brick), Juvenal. ii. 116. vi. 513. Martial. iii. 81.3. Plin. xi. 49. s. 109. xxxv. 12. s. 46., in imitation of Atys, -y's, Attis, ternity; the more probably, as the Fabian house seems to have belonged to the Sabines the adherents of Romulus were called Quinctilii: the jealousy of the two : -idis, v. Attin, -inis, Ovid. Fast. iv. 223, &c. Met. x. 104. Arnob.; called also CURETES, Lucret. ii. 629., CORYBANTES, Horat. Od. i. 16. 8., their chief ARCHIGALLUS, Serv. in Virg. ix. 116. Plin. xxxv. 10. s. 36.; all of Phrygian extraction, Dionys. ii. 19.; who used to carry round the image of Cybele, with the gestures of mad people, rolling their heads, beating their breasts to the sound of the flute (tibia Berecynthia, v. buxi), making a great noise with drums and cymbals, Horat. Od. i. 16. 7. Virg. Æn. ix. 619. Sometimes also cutting their arms, and uttering dreadful predictions, Lucan. i. 565., Senec. Med. 804. During the festival called HILARIA, at the vernal equinox (viii Kal. April.), Macrob. Sat. i. 21., they washed with certain solemnities the image of Cybele, her chariot, her lions, and all her sacred things, in the Tiber, at the conflux of the Almo, Ovid. Fast. iv. 337. They annually went round the villages, asking an alms (stipem emendicantes), ibid. 350. Pont. i. 1. 40. Dionys. ii. 19., which all other priests were prohibited to do, Cic. Legg. ii. 9. 16. All the circumstances relating to Cyběle and her sacred rites are poetically detailed by Ovid, Fast. iv. 181. 373. The rites of Cybele were disgraced by great indecency of expression, Juvenal. ii. 110. Augustin. de Civ. Dei, ii. 14. VIRGINES VESTALES (Παρθένοι Εστιάδες), Virgins consecrated to the worship of Vesta, a priesthood derived from Alba, Liv. i. 20., for Rhea Sylvia, the mother of Romulus, was a vestal, Ibid. 3., originally from Troy, Virg. Æn. ii. 296., first instituted at Rome by Numa, Liv. ibid., four in number, Dionys. ii. 64, 65.; two were added by Tarquinius Priscus, Id. iii. 67., or by Servius Tullius, Plutarch. in Numa, which continued to be the number ever after, Dionys. ibid. Festus in SEX. The Vestal Virgins were chosen first by the kings, Dionys. ibid., and after their expulsion, by the Pontifex Maximus; who, according to the Papian law, when a vacancy was to be supplied, selected from among the people twenty girls, above six and below sixteen [according to others ten] years of age, free from any bodily defect, (which was a requisite in all priests, SACERDOS INTEGER SIT, Senec. controv. iv. 2. Plutarch. Q. Rom. 72.) whose father and mother were both alive, and freeborn citizens. It was determined by lot in an assembly of the people, which of these twenty should be appointed. Then the Pontifex M. went and took her on whom the lot fell, from her parents, as a captive in war (manu prehensam a parenti, veluti bello captam abducebat), addressing her thus, TE, AMATA, CAPIO; that being, according to A. Gellius, the name of the first who was chosen a Vestal : Hence CAPERE Virginem Vestalem, to choose; which word was also applied to the Flamen Dialis, to the Pontifices and augurs, Gell. i. 12. But afterwards this mode of casting lots was not necessary. The Pontifex M. might choose any one he thought proper, with [some say without] the consent of her parents, and the requisite qualifications (cujus ratio haberi posset), ibid. Tacit. Ann. ii. 86. If none offered voluntarily, the method of casting lots was used, Suet. Aug. 31. The Vestal Virgins were bound to their ministry for thirty years. "Plut. Numa, c. 10., in ascribing the last augmentation to Servius, is aware of a preceding one, from two to four. The object was, that each tribe might have its own." - Nieb. i. p. 258. OFFICE, DRESS, ETC. OF THE VESTAL VIRGINS. 271 For the first ten years they learned the sacred rites; for the next ten, they performed them; and for the last ten, taught the younger virgins, Senec. de Vit. beat. 29. Dionys. ii. 67. They were all said præsidere sacris, Tacit. Ann. ii. 86., ut assiduæ templi ANTISTItes, v. -tæ, Liv. i. 20. The oldest (Vestalium vetustissima, Tacit. Ann. xi. 32.) was called MAXIMA, Suet. Jul. 83. (ʼn πpeobεúovoa, Dio. liv. 24.) After thirty years' service they might leave the temple and marry; which, however, was seldom done, and always reckoned ominous, Dionys. ii. 67. - The office of the Vestal Virgins was, 1. To keep the sacred fire always burning, Flor. i. 2. CUSTODIUNTO IGNEM FOCI PUBLICI SEMPITERNUM, Cic. Legg. ii. 8., whence Eternæque Vestæ oblitus, Horat. Od. iii. 5. 11., watching it in the night-time alternately, Liv. xxviii. 31., and whoever allowed it to go out was scourged (flagris cædebatur) by the Pontifex M., Valer. Max. i. 1. 6. Dionys. ii. 67. (nuda quidem, sed obscuro loco et velo medio interposito), Plutarch. Num. p. 67., or by his order, Liv. xxviii. 11. This accident was always esteemed unlucky, and expiated by offering extraordinary sacrifices (hostiis majoribus procurari), ibid. The fire was lighted up again, not from another fire, but from the rays of the sun, Plutarch. ibid., in which manner it was renewed every year on the first of March; that day being anciently the beginning of the year, Macrob. Sat. i. 12. Ovid. Fast. iii. 143. 2. To keep the secret pledge of the empire, Liv. v. 52. xxvi. 27., supposed to have been the Palladium, Lucan. ix. 994., or the Penates of the Roman people, Tacit. Ann. xv. 41. Dionys. ii. 66., called by Dio, rà iɛpá; kept in the innermost recess of the temple, visible only to the virgins, or rather to the Vestalis Maxima alone, Lucan. ibid. & i. 598. Herodian. i. 14.; sometimes removed from the temple of Vesta by the virgins, when tumult and slaughter prevailed in the city, Dio. xlii. 31, or in case of a fire, rescued by Metellus the Pontifex M. when the temple was in flames, A. 512, Liv. Ep. xix. Dionys. ii. 66. Ovid. Fast. vi. 437. &c. at the hazard of his life, and with the loss of his sight, Plin. vii. 43., and consequently of his priesthood, Senec. contr. iv. 2., for which a statue was erected to him in the Capitol, Dionys. ii. 66., and other honours conferred on him, see p. 15. and 3. To perform constantly the sacred rites of the goddess, Senec. de prov. 5. Their prayers and vows were always thought to have great influence with the gods, Cic. Font. 17. Dio. xlviii. 19. Horat. Od. i. 2. 28. In their devotions they worshipped the god Fascinus to guard them from envy, Plin. xxviii. 4. s. 7. The Vestal Virgins wore a long white robe, bordered with purple ; their heads were decorated with fillets (infulæ, oriμμata, Dionys. ii. 67. viii. 89.) and ribands (vitta), Ovid. Fast. iii. 30.; hence the Vestalis Maxima is called VITTATA SACERDOS, Lucan. i. 597., and simply VITTATA, Juvenal. iv. 10., the head-dress, SUFFIBULUM, Festus, described by Prudentius, contra Symmach. ii. 1093. When first chosen, their hair was cut off and buried under an old lotos or lote-tree in the city, Plin. xvi. 44. s. 85., but it was afterwards allowed to grow. The Vestal Virgins enjoyed singular honours and privileges. The prætors and consuls, when they met them in the street, lowered their 272 PRIVILEGES OF THE VESTAL VIRGINS, ETC. They had a lictor to attend them in public, at least after the time of the triumvirate, Dio. xlvii. 19. Senec. contr. i. 2. Plutarch says always, in Numa. They rode in a chariot (carpento v. pilento), Tacit. Annal. xii. 42.; sat in a distinguished place at the spectacles, Id. iv. 16. Suet. Aug. 44.; were not forced to swear, Gell. x. 15., unless they were inclined, Tacit. Annal. ii. 34., and by none other but Vesta, Senec. ibid. They might make their testament, although under age; for they were not subject to the power of a parent or guardian, as other women, Gell. ibid. They could free a criminal from punishment, if they met him accidentally, Plutarch. in Numa; and their interposition was always greatly respected, Cic. Font. 17. Agr. ii. 36. Tacit. Annal. xi. 32. Hist. iii. 81. Suet. Jul. 1. Tib. 2. Vit. 16. They had a salary from the public, Liv. i. 20. Suet. Aug. 31. They were held in such veneration, that testaments and the most important deeds were committed to their care, Suet. Jul. 83. Aug. 102. Tacit. Annal. i. 8. Dio. xlviii. 12. 37. 46. Tacit. Annal. iv. 16., and they enjoyed all the privileges of matrons who had three children, Dio. lvi. 10. When the Vestal Virgins were forced through indisposition to leave the ATRIUM VESTE, probably a house adjoining to the temple, and to the palace of Numa, REGIA parva NUME, if not a part of it, Ovid. Trist. iii. 1. 30. Fast. vi. 263., where the virgins lived, they were intrusted to the care of some venerable matron, Plin. Ep. vii. 19. If any Vestal violated her vow of chastity, after being tried and sentenced by the Pontifices, she was buried alive with funeral solemnities in a place called the CAMPUS SCELERATUS, near the Porta Collina, and her paramour scourged to death in the Forum; which method of punishment is said to have been first contrived by Tarquinius Priscus, Dionys. iii. 67. The commission of this crime was thought to forebode some dreadful calamity to the state, and, therefore, was always expiated with extraordinary sacrifices, Liv. viii. 15. xxii. 57. Epit. xiv. lxiii. Dionys. i. 78. ii. 67. viii. 89. ix. 40. Dio. fragm. 91, 92. Plutarch, Q. Rom. 83. Ascon. in Mil. 12. Suet. Dom. 8. Plin. Ep. iv. 11. Juvenal. iv. 10. The suspected virtue of some virgins is said to have been miraculously cleared, Valer. Max. viii. 1. 5. Liv. xxix. 14. Plin. vii. 35. These were the principal divisions of the Roman priests. Concerning their emoluments the Classics leave us very much in the dark; as they also do with respect to those of the magistrates. 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, Dionys. ii. 7. So Livy informs us, that Numa, who instituted the greatest number of priests and sacrifices, provided a fund for defraying these expenses (unde in eos sumptus pecunia erogaretur), i. 20., but appointed a public stipend (stipendium de publico statuit) to none but the Vestal Virgins, Ibid. Dionysius, speaking of Romulus, says, that while other nations were negligent about the choice of their priests, some exposing that office to sale, and others determining it by lot; Romulus made a law that two men, above fifty, of distinguished rank and virtue, without bodily defect, and possessed of a competent fortune, should be chosen from each curia, to officiate as priests in that curia or parish |