numa pompilius-第4节

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fears　and　scruples；　forbore；　and　continued　to　old　age　and　death　in　the
strict　observance　of　a　single　life。
　　For　this　condition　he　compensated　by　great　privileges　and
prerogatives；　as　that　they　had　power　to　make　a　will　in　the　lifetime　of
their　father；　that　they　had　a　free　administration　of　their　own　affairs
without　guardian　or　tutor；　which　was　the　privilege　of　women　who　were
the　mothers　of　three　children；　when　they　go　abroad；　they　have　the
fasces　carried　before　them；　and　if　in　their　walks　they　chance　to
meet　a　criminal　on　his　way　to　execution；　it　saves　his　life；　upon
oath　made　that　the　meeting　was　an　accidental　one；　and　not　concerted　or
of　set　purpose。　Any　one　who　presses　upon　the　chair　on　which　they　are
carried；　is　put　to　death。　If　these　vestals　commit　any　minor　fault；
they　are　punishable　by　the　high　priest　only；　who　scourges　the
offender；　sometimes　with　her　clothes　off；　in　a　dark　place；　with　a
curtain　drawn　between；　but　she　that　has　broken　her　vow　is　buried　alive
near　the　gate　called　Collina；　where　a　little　mound　of　earth　stands
inside　the　city；　reaching　some　little　distance；　called　in　Latin　agger；
under　it　a　narrow　room　is　constructed；　to　which　a　descent　is　made　by
stairs；　here　they　prepare　a　bed；　and　light　a　lamp；　and　leave　a　small
quantity　of　victuals；　such　as　bread；　water；　a　pail　of　milk；　and　some
oil；　that　so　that　body　which　had　been　consecrated　and　devoted　to　the
most　sacred　service　of　religion　might　not　be　said　to　perish　by　such
a　death　as　famine。　The　culprit　herself　is　put　in　a　litter；　which
they　cover　over；　and　tie　her　down　with　cords　on　it；　so　that　nothing
she　utters　may　be　heard。　They　then　take　her　to　the　forum；　all　people
silently　go　out　of　the　way　as　she　passes；　and　such　as　follow　accompany
the　bier　with　solemn　and　speechless　sorrow；　and　indeed；　there　is　not
any　spectacle　more　appalling；　nor　any　day　observed　by　the　city　with
greater　appearance　of　gloom　and　sadness。　When　they　come　to　the　place
of　execution；　the　officers　loose　the　cords；　and　then　the　high
priest；　lifting　his　hands　to　heaven；　pronounces　certain　prayers　to
himself　before　the　act；　then　he　brings　out　the　prisoner；　being　still
covered；　and　placing　her　upon　the　steps　that　lead　down　to　the　cell；
turns　away　his　face　with　the　rest　of　the　priests；　the　stairs　are　drawn
up　after　she　has　gone　down；　and　a　quantity　of　earth　is　heaped　up
over　the　entrance　to　the　cell；　so　as　to　prevent　it　from　being
distinguished　from　the　rest　of　the　mound。　This　is　the　punishment　of
those　who　break　their　vow　of　virginity。
　　It　is　said；　also；　that　Numa　built　the　temple　of　Vesta；　which　was
intended　for　a　repository　of　the　holy　fire；　of　a　circular　form；　not　to
represent　the　figure　of　the　earth；　as　if　that　were　the　same　as
Vesta；　but　that　of　the　general　universe；　in　the　centre　of　which　the
Pythagoreans　place　the　element　of　fire；　and　give　it　the　name　of
Vesta　and　the　unit；　and　do　not　hold　that　the　earth　is　immovable；　or
that　it　is　situated　in　the　centre　of　the　globe；　but　that　it　keeps　a
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