numa pompilius-第2章

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gods；　with　a　serious　purpose；　assist　at　the　councils　and　serious
debates　of　such　men；　to　inspire　and　direct　them；　and　visit　poets　and
musicians；　if　at　all　in　their　more　sportive　moods；　but　for
difference　of　opinion　here；　as　Bacchylides　said；　〃the　road　is
broad。〃　For　there　is　no　absurdity　in　the　account　also　given；　that
Lycurgus　and　Numa；　and　other　famous　lawgivers；　having　the　task　of
subduing　perverse　and　refractory　multitudes；　and　of　introducing
great　innovations；　themselves　made　this　pretension　to　divine
authority；　which；　if　not　true；　assuredly　was　expedient　for　the
interests　of　those　it　imposed　upon。
　　Numa　was　about　forty　years　of　age　when　the　ambassadors　came　to
make　him　offers　of　the　kingdom；　the　speakers　were　Proculus　and
Velesus；　one　or　other　of　whom　it　had　been　thought　the　people　would
elect　as　their　new　king；　the　original　Romans　being　for　Proculus；　and
the　Sabines　for　Velesus。　Their　speech　was　very　short；　supposing
that；　when　they　came　to　tender　a　kingdom；　there　needed　little　to
persuade　to　an　acceptance；　but；　contrary　to　their　expectations；　they
found　that　they　had　to　use　many　reasons　and　entreaties　to　induce
one；　that　lived　in　peace　and　quietness；　to　accept　the　government　of
a　city　whose　foundation　and　increase　had　been　made；　in　a　manner；　in
war。　In　presence　of　his　father　and　his　kinsman　Marcius　he　returned
answer　that　〃Every　alteration　of　a　man's　life　is　dangerous　to　him；　but
madness　only　could　induce　one　who　needs　nothing；　and　is　satisfied　with
everything；　to　quit　a　life　he　is　accustomed　to；　which；　whatever　else
it　is　deficient　in；　at　any　rate　has　the　advantage　of　certainty　over
one　wholly　doubtful　and　unknown。　Though；　indeed；　the　difficulties　of
this　government　cannot　even　be　called　unknown；　Romulus；　who　first　held
it；　did　not　escape　the　suspicion　of　having　plotted　against　the　life　of
his　colleague　Tatius；　nor　the　senate　the　like　accusation；　of　having
treasonably　murdered　Romulus。　Yet　Romulus　had　the　advantage　to　be
thought　divinely　born　and　miraculously　preserved　and　nurtured。　My
birth　was　mortal；　I　was　reared　and　instructed　by　men　that　are　known　to
you。　The　very　points　of　my　character　that　are　most　commended　mark　me
as　unfit　to　reign；　love　of　retirement　and　of　studies　inconsistent　with
business；　a　passion　that　has　become　inveterate　in　me　for　peace；　for
unwarlike　occupations；　and　for　the　society　of　men　whose　meetings　are
but　those　of　worship　and　of　kindly　intercourse；　whose　lives　in　general
are　spent　upon　their　farms　and　their　pastures。　I　should　but　be；
methinks；　a　laughingstock；　while　I　should　go　about　to　inculcate　the
worship　of　the　gods　and　give　lessons　in　the　love　of　justice　and　the
abhorrence　of　violence　and　war；　to　a　city　whose　needs　are　rather　for　a
captain　than　for　a　king。〃
　　The　Romans；　perceiving　by　these　words　that　he　was　declining　to
accept　the　kingdom；　were　the　more　instant　and　urgent　with　him　that
he　would　not　forsake　and　desert　them　in　this　condition；　and　suffer
them　to　relapse；　as　they　must；　into　their　former　sedition　and　civil
discord；　there　being　no　person　on　whom　both　parties　could　accord　but
on　himself。　And；　at　length；　his　father　and　Marcius；　taking　him
aside；　persuaded　him　to　accept　a　gift　so　noble　in　itself；　and　tendered
to　him　rather　from　heaven　than　from　men。　〃Though；〃　said　they；　〃you
neither　desire　riches；　being　content　with　what　you　have；　nor　court　the
fame　of　authority；　as　having　already　the　more　valuable　fame　of　virtue；
yet　you　will　consider　that　government　itself　is　a　service　of　God；
who　now　calls　out　into　action　your　qualities　of　justice　and　wisdom；
which　were　not　meant　to　be　left　useless　and　unemployed。　Cease；
therefore；　to　avoid　and　turn　your　back　upon　an　office　which；　to　a　wise
man；　is　a　field　for　great　and　honourable　actions；　for　the
magnificent　worship　of　the　gods；　and　for　the　introduction　of　habits　of
piety；　which　authority　alone　can　effect　amongst　a　people。　Tatius；
though　a　foreigner；　was　beloved；　and　the　memory　of　Romulus　has
received　divine　honours；　and　who　knows　but　that　this　people；　being
victorious；　may　be　satiated　with　war；　and；　content　with　the　trophies
and　spoils　they　have　acquired；　may　be；　above　all　things；　desirous　to
have　a　pacific　and　justice…loving　prince　to　lead　them　to　good　order
and　quiet？　But　if；　indeed；　their　desires　are　uncontrollably　and
madly　set　on　war；　were　it　not　better；　then；　to　have　the　reins　held
by　such　a　moderating　hand　as　is　able　to　divert　the　fury　another　way；
and　that　your　native　city　and　the　whole　Sabine　nation　should　possess
in　you　a　bond　of　goodwill　and　friendship　with　this　young　and　growing
power？〃
　　With　these　reasons　and　persuasions　several　auspicious　omens　are　said
to　have　concurred；　and　the　zeal；　also；　of　his　fellow…citizens；　who；　on
understanding　what　message　the　Roman　ambassadors　had　brought　him；
entreated　him　to　accompany　them；　and　to　accept　the　kingdom　as　a
means　to　unanimity　and　concord　between　the　nations。
　　Numa；　yielding　to　these　inducements；　having　first　performed　divine
sacrifice；　proceeded　to　Rome；　being　met　in　his　way　by　the　senate　and
people；　who；　with　an　impatient　desire；　came　forth　to　receive　him；
the　women；　also；　welcomed　him　with　joyful　acclamations；　and　sacrifices
were　offered　for　him　in　all　the　temples；　and　so　universal　was　the　joy；
that　they　seemed　to　be　receiving；　not　a　new　king；　but　a　new　kingdom。
In　this　manner　he　descended　into　the　forum；　where　Spurius　Vettius；
whose　turn　it　was　to　be　interrex　at　that　hour；　put　it　to　the　vote；　and
all　declared　him　king。　Then　the　regalities　and　robes　of　authority　were
brought　to　him；　but　he　refused　to　be　invested　with　them　until　he　had
first　consulted　and　been　confirmed　by　the　gods；　so　being　accompanied
by　the　priests　and　augurs；　he　ascended　the　Capitol；　which　at　that　time
the　Romans　called　the　Tarpeian　Hill。　Then　the　chief　of　the　augurs
covered　Numa's　head；　and　turned　his　face　towards　the　south；　and；
standing　behind　him；　laid　his　right　hand　on　his　head；　and　prayed；
turning　his　eyes　every　way；　in　expectation　of　some　auspicious　signal
from　the　gods。　It　was　wonderful；　meantime；　with　what　silence　and
devotion　the　multitude　stood　assembled　in　the　forum；　in　similar
expectation　and　suspense；　till　auspicious　birds　appeared　and　passed　on
the　right。　Then　Numa；　apparelling　himself　in　his　royal　robes；
descended　from　the　hill　to　the　people；　by　whom　he　was　received　and
congratulated　with　shouts　and　acclamations　of　welcome；　as　a　holy　king；
and　beloved　of　all　the　gods。
　　The　first　thing　he　did　at　his　entrance　into　government　was　to
dismiss　the　band　of　three　hundred　men　which　had　been　Romulus's
life…guard；　called　by　him　Celeres；　saying　that　he　would　not　distrust
those　who　put　confidence　in　him；　nor　rule　over　a　people　that
distrusted　him。　The　next　thing　he　did　was　to　add　to　the　two　priests　of
Jupiter　and　Mars　a　third；　in　honour　of　Romulus；　whom　he　called　the
Flamen　Quirinalis。　The　Romans　anciently　called　their　priests　Flamines；
by　corruption　of　the　word　Pilamines；　from　a　certain　cap　which　they
wore；　called　Pileus。　In　those　times　Greek　words　were　more　mixed　with
the　Latin　than　at　present；　thus　also　the　royal　robe；　which　is
called；　Laena；　Juba　says；　is　the　same　as　the　Greek　Chlaena；　and　that
the　name　of　Camillus；　given　to　the　boy　with　both　his　parents　living；
who　serves　in　the　temple　of　Jupiter；　was　taken　from　the　name　given
by　some　Greeks　to　Mercury；　denoting　his　office　of　attendance　on　the
gods。
　　When　Numa　had；　by　such　measures；　won　the　favour　and　affection　of　the
people；　he　set　himself　without　delay　to　the　task　of　bringing　the
hard　and　iron　Roman　temper　to　somewhat　more　of　gentleness　and
equity。　Plato's　expression　of　a　city　in　high　fever　was　never　more
applicable　than　to　Rome　at　that　time；　in　its　origin　formed　by　daring
and　warlike　spirits；　whom　bold　and　desperate　adventure　brought　thither
from　every　quarter；　it　had　found　in　perpetual　wars　and　incursions　on
its　neighbours　its　after　sustenance　and　means　of　growth；　and　in
conflict　with　danger　the　source　of　new　strength；　like　piles；　which　the
blows　of　the　hammer　serve　to　fix　into　the　ground。　Wherefore　Numa；
judging　it　no　slight　undertaking　to　mollify　and　bend　to　peace　the
presumptuous　and　stubborn　spirits　of　this　people；　began　to　operate
upon　them　with　the　sanctions　of　religion。　He　sacrificed　often　and　used
processions　and　religious　dances；　in　which　most　commonly　he　officiated
in　person；　by　such　combinations　of　solemnity　with　refined　and
humanizing　pleasures；　seeking　to　win　over　and　mitigate　their　fiery　and
warlike　tempers。　At　times；　also；　he　filled　their　imaginations　with
religious　terrors；　professing　that　strange　apparitions　had　been
seen；　and　dreadful　voices　heard；　thus　subduing　and　humbling　their
minds　by　a　sense　of　supernatural　fears。
　　This　method　which　Numa　used　made　it　believed　that　he　had　been　much
conversant　with　Pythagoras；　for　in　the　philosophy　of　the　one；　as　in
the　policy　of　the　other；　man's　relations　to　the　deity　occupy　a　great
place。　It　is　said；　also；　that　the　solemnity　of　his　exterior　garb　and
gestures　was　adopted　by　him　from　the　same　feeling　with　Pythagoras。　For
it　is　said　of　Pythagoras；　that　he　had　taught　an　eagle　to　come　at　his
call；　and　stoop　down　to　him　in　his　flight；　and　that；　as　he　passed
among　the　people　assembled　at　the　Olympic　games；　he　showed　them　his
golden　thigh；　besides　many　other　strange　and　miraculous　seeming
practices；　on　which　Timon　the　Philasian　wrote　the　distich…

　　　　　　　　〃Who；　of　the　glory　of　a　juggler　proud；
　　　　　　　　　With　solemn　talk　imposed　upon　the　crowd。〃

　　In　like　manner　Numa　spoke　of　a　certain　goddess　or　mountain　nymph
that　was　in　love　with　him；　and　met　him　in　secret；　as　before　related；
and　professed　that　he　entertained　familiar　conversation　with　the
Muses；　to　whose　teaching　he　ascribed　the　greatest　part　of　his
revelations；　and　amongst　them；　above　all；　he　recommended　to　the
veneration　of　the　Romans　one　in　particular；　whom　he　named　Tacita；
the　silent；　which　he　did　perhaps　in　imitation　and　honour　of　the
Pythagorean　silence。　His　opinion；　also；　of　images　is　very　agreeable　to
the　doctrine　of　Pythagoras；　who　conceived　of　the　first　principle　of
being　as　transcending　sense　and　passion；　invisible　and　incorrupt；
and　only　to　be　apprehended　by　abstract　intelligence。　So　Numa　forbade
the　Romans　to　represent　God　in　the　form　of　man　or　beast；　nor　was　there
any　painted　or　graven　image　of　a　deity　admitted　amongst　them　for　the
space　of　the　first　hundred　and　seventy　years；　all　of　which　time
their　temples　and　chapels　were　kept　free　and　pure　from　images；　to　such
baser　objects　they　deemed　it　impious　to　liken　the　highest；　and　all
access　to　God　impossible；　except　by　the　pure　act　of　the　intellect。　His
sacrifices；　also；　had　great　similitude　to　the　ceremonial　of
Pythagoras；　for　they　were　not　celebrated　with　effusion　of　blood；　but
consisted　of　flour；　wine；　and　the　least　costly　offerings。　Other
external　proofs；　too；　are　urged　to　show　the　connection　Numa　had　with
Pythagoras。　The　comic　writer　Epicharmus；　an　ancient　author；　and　of　the
school　of　Pythagoras；　in　a　book　of　his　dedicated　to　Antenor；　records
that　Pythagoras　was　made　a　freeman　of　Rome。　Again；　Numa　gave　to　one　of
his　four　sons　the　name　of　Mamercus；　which　was　the　name　of　one　of　the
sons　of　Pythagoras；　from　whence；　as　they　say；　spr