numa pompilius-第4部分

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circular　motion　about　the　seat　of　fire；　and　is　not　in　the　number　of
the　primary　elements；　in　this　agreeing　with　the　opinion　of　Plato；　who；
they　say；　in　his　later　life；　conceived　that　the　earth　held　a　lateral
position；　and　that　the　central　and　sovereign　space　was　reserved　for
some　nobler　body。
　　There　was　yet　a　farther　use　of　the　priests；　and　that　was　to　give
people　directions　in　the　national　usages　at　funeral　rites。　Numa　taught
them　to　regard　these　offices；　not　as　a　pollution；　but　as　a　duty　paid
to　the　gods　below；　into　whose　hands　the　better　part　of　us　is
transmitted；　especially　they　were　to　worship　the　goddess　Libitina；　who
presided　over　all　the　ceremonies　performed　at　burials；　whether　they
meant　hereby　Proserpina；　or；　as　the　most　learned　of　the　Romans
conceive；　Venus；　not　inaptly　attributing　the　beginning　and　end　of
man's　life　to　the　agency　of　one　and　the　same　diety。　Numa　also
prescribed　rules　for　regulating　the　days　of　mourning；　according　to
certain　times　and　ages。　As；　for　example；　a　child　of　three　years　was
not　to　be　mourned　for　at　all；　one　older；　up　to　ten　years；　for　as
many　months　as　it　was　years　old；　and　the　longest　time　of　mourning
for　any　person　whatsoever　was　not　to　exceed　the　term　of　ten　months；
which　was　the　time　appointed　for　women　that　lost　their　husbands　to
continue　in　widowhood。　If　any　married　again　before　that　time；　by　the
laws　of　Numa；　she　was　to　sacrifice　a　cow　big　with　calf。
　　Numa；　also；　was　founder　of　several　other　orders　of　priests；　two　of
which　I　shall　mention；　the　Salii　and　the　Fecials；　which　are　among
the　clearest　proofs　of　the　devoutness　and　sanctity　of　his　character。
These　Fecials；　or　guardians　of　peace；　seem　to　have　had　their　name　from
their　office；　which　was　to　put　a　stop　to　disputes　by　conference　and
speech；　for　it　was　not　allowable　to　take　up　arms　until　they　had
declared　all　hopes　of　accommodation　to　be　at　an　end；　for　in　Greek；
too；　we　call　it　peace　when　disputes　are　settled　by　words；　and　not　by
force。　The　Romans　commonly　despatched　the　Fecials；　or　heralds；　to
those　who　had　offered　them　injury；　requesting　satisfaction；　and；　in
case　they　refused；　they　then　called　the　gods　to　witness；　and；　with
imprecations　upon　themselves　and　their　country　should　they　be　acting
unjustly；　so　declared　war；　against　their　will；　or　without　their
consent；　it　was　lawful　neither　for　soldier　nor　king　to　take　up　arms；
the　war　was　begun　with　them；　and　when　they　had　first　handed　it　over　to
the　commander　as　a　just　quarrel；　then　his　business　was　to　deliberate
of　the　manner　and　ways　to　carry　it　on。　It　is　believed　that　the
slaughter　and　destruction　which　the　Gauls　made　of　the　Romans　was　a
judgment　on　the　city　for　neglect　of　this　religious　proceeding；　for
that　when　these　barbarians　besieged　the　Clusinians；　Fabius　Ambustus
was　despatched　to　their　camp　to　negotiate　peace　for　the　besieged；　and；
on　their　returning　a　rude　refusal；　Fabius　imagined　that　his　office
of　ambassador　was　at　an　end；　and；　rashly　engaging　on　the　side　of　the
Clusinians；　challenged　the　bravest　of　the　enemy　to　a　single　combat。　It
was　the　fortune　of　Fabius　to　kill　his　adversary；　and　to　take　his
spoils；　but　when　the　Gauls　discovered　it；　they　sent　a　herald　to　Rome
to　complain　against　him；　since；　before　war　was　declared；　he　had；
against　the　law　of　nations；　made　a　breach　of　the　peace。　The　matter
being　debated　in　the　senate；　the　Fecials　were　of　opinion　that　Fabius
ought　to　be　consigned　into　the　hands　of　the　Gauls；　but　he；　being
forewarned　of　their　judgment；　fled　to　the　people；　by　whose
protection　and　favour　he　escaped　the　sentence。　On　this；　the　Gauls
marched　with　their　army　to　Rome；　where　having　taken　the　capitol；
they　sacked　the　city。　The　particulars　of　all　which　are　fully　given
in　the　history　of　Camillus。
　　The　origin　of　the　Salii　is　this。　In　the　eighth　year　of　the　reign
of　Numa；　a　terrible　pestilence；　which　traversed　all　Italy；　ravaged
likewise　the　city　of　Rome；　and　the　citizens　being　in　distress　and
despondent；　a　brazen　target；　they　say；　fell　from　heaven　into　hands
of　Numa；　who　gave　them　this　marvellous　account　of　it：　that　Egeria
and　the　Muses　had　assured　him　it　was　sent　from　heaven　for　the　cure　and
safety　of　the　city；　and　that；　to　keep　it　secure；　he　was　ordered　by
them　to　make　eleven　others；　so　like　in　dimensions　and　form　to　the
original　that　no　thief　should　be　able　to　distinguish　the　true　from　the
counterfeit。　He　farther　declared；　that　he　was　commanded　to
consecrate　to　the　Muses　the　place；　and　the　fields　about　it；　where　they
had　been　chiefly　wont　to　meet　with　him；　and　that　the　spring　which
watered　the　fields　should　be　hallowed　for　the　use　of　the　vestal
virgins；　who　were　to　wash　and　cleanse　the　penetralia　of　their
sanctuary　with　those　holy　waters。　The　truth　of　all　which　was
speedily　verified　by　the　cessation　of　the　pestilence。　Numa　displayed
the　target　to　the　artificers　and　bade　them　show　their　skill　in
making　others　like　it；　all　despaired；　until　at　length　one　Mamurius
Veturius；　an　excellent　workman；　happily　hit　upon　it；　and　made　all　so
exactly　the　same　that　Numa　himself　was　at　a　loss　and　could　not
distinguish。　The　keeping　of　these　targets　was　committed　to　the
charge　of　certain　priests；　called　Salii；　who　did　not　receive　their
name；　as　some　tell　the　story；　from　Salius；　a　dancing…master；　born　in
Samothrace；　or　at　Mantinea　who　taught　the　way　of　dancing　in　arms；
but　more　truly　from　that　jumping　dance　which　the　Salii　themselves　use；
when　in　the　month　of　March　they　carry　the　sacred　targets　through　the
city；　at　which　procession　they　are　habited　in　short　frocks　of
purple；　girt　with　a　broad　belt　studded　with　brass；　on　their　heads　they
wear　a　brass　helmet　and　carry　in　their　hands　short　daggers；　which　they
clash　every　now　and　then　against　the　targets。　But　the　chief　thing　is
the　dance　itself。　They　move　with　much　grace；　performing；　in　quick　time
and　close　order；　various　intricate　figures；　with　a　great　display　of
strength　and　agility。　The　targets　were　called　Ancilia　from　their　form；
for　they　are　not　made　round；　nor　like　proper　targets；　of　a　complete
circumference；　but　are　cut　out　into　a　wavy　line；　the　ends　of　which　are
rounded　off　and　turned　in　at　the　thickest　part　towards　each　other；
so　that　their　shape　is　curvilinear；　or；　in　Greek；　ancylon；　or　the　name
may　come　from　ancon；　the　elbow；　on　which　they　are　carried。　Thus　Juba
writes；　who　is　eager　to　make　it　Greek。　But　it　might　be；　for　that
matter；　from　its　having　come　down　anecathen；　from　above；　or　from　its
akesis；　or　cure　of　diseases；　or　auchmon　lysis；　because　it　put　an　end
to　a　drought；　or　from　its　anaschesis；　or　relief　from　calamities；　which
is　the　origin　of　the　Athenian　name　Anaces；　given　to　Castor　and　Pollux；
if　we　must；　that　is；　reduce　it　to　Greek。　The　reward　which　Mamurius
received　for　his　art　was　to　be　mentioned　and　commemorated　in　the
verses　which　the　Salii　sang；　as　they　danced　in　their　arms　through
the　city；　though　some　will　have　it　that　they　do　not　say　Veturium
Mamuium；　but　Veterem　Memoriam；　ancient　remembrance。
　　After　Numa　had　in　this　manner　instituted　these　several　orders　of
priests；　he　erected；　near　the　temple　of　Vesta；　what　is　called　to
this　day　Regia；　or　king's　house；　where　he　spent　the　most　part　of　his
time　performing　divine　service；　instructing　the　priests；　or　conversing
with　them　on　sacred　subjects。　He　had　another　house　upon　the　Mount
Quirinalis；　the　site　of　which　they　show　to　this　day。　In　all　public
processions　and　solemn　prayers；　criers　were　sent　before　to　give　notice
to　the　people　that　they　should　forbear　their　work；　and　rest。　They
say　that　the　Pythagoreans　did　not　allow　people　to　worship　and　pray
to　their　gods　by　the　way；　but　would　have　them　go　out　from　their　houses
direct；　with　their　minds　set　upon　the　duty；　and　Numa；　in　like
manner；　wished　that　his　citizens　should　neither　see　nor　hear　any
religious　service　in　a　perfunctory　and　inattentive　manner；　but；　laying
aside　all　other　occupations；　should　apply　their　minds　to　religion　as
to　a　most　serious　business；　and　that　the　streets　should　be　free　from
all　noises　and　cries　that　accompany　manual　labour；　and　clear　for　the
sacred　solemnity。　Some　traces　of　this　custom　remain　at　Rome　to　this
day；　for；　when　the　consul　begins　to　take　auspices　or　do　sacrifice；
they　call　out　to　the　people；　Hoc　age；　Attend　to　this；　whereby　the
auditors　then　present　are　admonished　to　compose　and　recollect
themselves。　Many　other　of　his　precepts　resemble　those　of　the
Pythagoreans。　The　Pythagoreans　said；　for　example；　〃Thou　shalt　not　make
a　peck…measure　thy　seat　to　sit　on。　Thou　shalt　not　stir　the　fire　with　a
sword。　When　thou　goest　out　upon　a　journey；　look　not　behind　thee。
When　thou　sacrificest　to　the　celestial　gods；　let　it　be　with　an　odd
number；　and　when　to　the　terrestrial；　with　even。〃　The　significance　of
each　of　which　precepts　they　would　not　commonly　disclose。　So　some　of
Numa's　traditions　have　no　obvious　meaning。　〃Thou　shalt　not　make
libation　to　the　gods　of　wine　from　an　unpruned　vine。　No　sacrifices
shall　be　performed　without　meal。　Turn　round　to　pay　adoration　to　the
gods；　sit　after　you　have　worshipped。〃　The　first　two　directions　seem　to
denote　the　cultivation　and　subduing　of　the　earth　as　a　part　of
religion；　and　as　to　the　turning　which　the　worshippers　are　to　use　in
divine　adoration；　it　is　said　to　represent　the　rotatory　motion　of　the
world。　But；　in　my　opinion；　the　meaning　rather　is；　that　the　worshipper；
since　the　temples　front　the　east；　enters　with　his　back　to　the　rising
sun；　there；　faces　round　to　the　east；　and　so　turns　back　to　the　god　of
the　temple；　by　this　circular　movement　referring　the　fulfilment　of
his　prayers　to　both　divinities。　Unless；　indeed；　this　change　of　posture
may　have　a　mystical　meaning；　like　the　Egyptian　wheels；　and　signify
to　us　the　instability　of　human　fortune；　and　that；　in　whatever　way
God　changes　and　turns　our　lot　and　condition；　we　should　rest　contented；
and　accept　it　as　right　and　fitting。　They　say；　also；　that　the　sitting
after　worship　was　to　be　by　way　of　omen　of　their　petitions　being
granted；　and　the　blessing　they　asked　assured　to　them。　Again；　as
different　courses　of　actions　are　divided　by　intervals　of　rest；　they
might　seat　themselves　after　the　completion　of　what　they　had　done；　to
seek　favour　of　the　gods　for　beginning　something　else。　And　this　would