numa pompilius-第4章

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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
very　well　suit　with　what　we　had　before；　the　lawgiver　wants　to
habituate　us　to　make　our　petitions　to　the　deity　not　by　the　way；　and；
as　it　were；　in　a　hurry；　when　we　have　other　things　to　do；　but　with　time
and　leisure　to　attend　to　it。　By　such　discipline　and　schooling　in
religion；　the　city　passed　insensibly　into　such　a　submissiveness　of
temper；　and　stood　in　such　awe　and　reverence　of　the　virtue　of　Numa；
that　they　received；　with　an　undoubted　assurance；　whatever　he　delivered
though　never　so　fabulous；　and　thought　nothing　incredible　or　impossible
from　him。
　　There　goes　a　story　that　he　once　invited　a　great　number　of　citizens
to　an　entertainment；　at　which　the　dishes　in　which　the　meat　was
served　were　very　homely　and　plain；　and　the　repast　itself　poor　and
ordinary　fare；　the　guests　seated；　he　began　to　tell　them　that　the
goddess　that　consulted　with　him　was　then　at　that　time　come　to　him；
when　on　a　sudden　the　room　was　furnished　with　all　sorts　of　costly
drinking…vessels；　and　the　tables　loaded　with　rich　meats；　and　a　most
sumptuous　entertainment。　But　the　dialogue　which　is　reported　to　have
passed　between　him　and　Jupiter　surpasses　all　the　fabulous　legends　that
were　ever　invented。　They　say　that　before　Mount　Aventine　was
inhabited　or　enclosed　within　the　walls　of　the　city；　two　demigods；
Picus　and　Faunus；　frequented　the　springs　and　thick　shades　of　that
place；　which　might　be　two　satyrs；　or　Pans　except　that　they　went
about　Italy　playing　the　same　sorts　of　tricks；　by　skill　in　drugs　and
magic；　as　are　ascribed　by　the　Greeks　to　the　Dactyli　of　Mount　Ida。　Numa
contrived　one　day　to　surprise　these　demigods；　by　mixing　wine　and　honey
in　the　waters　of　the　spring　of　which　they　usually　drank。　On　finding
themselves　ensnared；　they　changed　themselves　into　various　shapes；
dropping　their　own　form　and　assuming　every　kind　of　unusual　and　hideous
appearance；　but　when　they　saw　they　were　safely　entrapped；　and　in　no
possibility　of　getting　free；　they　revealed　to　him　many　secrets　and
future　events；　and　particularly　a　charm　for　thunder　and　lightning；
still　in　use；　performed　with　onions　and　hair　and　pilchards。　Some　say
they　did　not　tell　him　the　charm；　but　by　their　magic　brought　down
Jupiter　out　of　heaven；　and　that　he　then；　in　an　angry　manner
answering　the　inquiries；　told　Numa；　that；　if　he　would　charm　the
thunder　and　lightning；　he　must　do　it　with　heads。　〃How；〃　said　Numa；
〃with　the　heads　of　onions？〃　〃No；〃　replied　Jupiter；　〃of　men。〃　But　Numa；
willing　to　elude　the　cruelty　of　this　receipt；　turned　it　another　way；
saying；　〃Your　meaning　is；　the　hairs　of　men's　heads。〃　〃No；〃　replied
Jupiter；　〃with　living〃…　〃pilchards；〃　said　Numa；　interrupting　him。
These　answers　he　had　learnt　from　Egeria。　Jupiter　returned　again　to
heaven；　pacified　and　ileos；　or　propitious。　The　place　was；　in
remembrance　of　him；　called　Ilicium；　from　this　Greek　word；　and　the
spell　in　this　manner　effected。
　　These　stories；　laughable　as　they　are；　show　us　the　feelings　which
people　then；　by　force　of　habit；　entertained　towards　the　deity。　And
Numa's　own　thoughts　are　said　to　have　been　fixed　to　that　degree　on
divine　objects；　that　he　once；　when　a　message　was　brought　to　him　that
〃Enemies　are　approaching；〃　answered　with　a　smile；　〃And　I　am
sacrificing。〃　It　was　he；　also；　that　built　the　temples　of　Faith　and
Terminus；　and　taught　the　Romans　that　the　name　of　Faith　was　the　most
solemn　oath　that　they　could　swear。　They　still　use　it；　and　to　the　god
Terminus；　or　Boundary；　they　offer　to　this　day　both　public　and
private　sacrifices；　upon　the　borders　and　stone…marks　of　their　land；
living　victims　now；　though　anciently　those　sacrifices　were
solemnized　without　blood；　for　Numa　reasoned　that　the　god　of
boundaries；　who　watched　over　peace；　and　testified　to　fair　dealing；
should　have　no　concern　with　blood。　It　is　very　clear　that　it　was　this
king　who　first　prescribed　bounds　to　the　territory　of　Rome；　for　Romulus
would　but　have　openly　betrayed　how　much　he　had　encroached　on　his
neighbours'　lands；　had　he　ever　set　limits　to　his　own；　for　boundaries
are；　indeed；　a　defence　to　those　who　choose　to　observe　them；　but　are
only　a　test