But concerning the Oblations of the infernal Gods, I fhall difcourfe in another Place. There were also other Gods, to whom, in certain Places, they facrificed without Wine; fuch was Jupiter Ünal, the Supreme, upon whofe Altar the Athenians never offer'd Wine, or living Creatures. The vngánia ice fober Sacrifices, are divided into four Sorts. 1. Ta vdeovJa, Libations of Water. 2. Ta pixiaovda, Libations of Honey. 3. Ta γαλακλόσπονδα, Libations of Milk. 4. τὰ ἐλαιόσπονδα, Libations of Oil. Which Liquors were fometimes mix'd with one another. If Porphyry (y) may be credited, moft of the Libations in the primitive Times, were vngário. And of these Water was firft used, then Honey which is easily to be had, afterwards Oil, and in latter Ages Wine came to be offer'd. It is very probable, whether this Order was obferved, or not, that the moft primitive Oblations, like the Way of living in those Ages, were exceeding fimple, and confifted of fuch Materials as were most easily to be provided. Laftly, it must be further obferved, that Libations were always offer'd in Cups full to the Brim, it being a Sort of Irreverence to the Gods to prefent any Thing, which was not réλor oλor, whole and perfeat. Thus to fill the Cup was term'd ¿mséqev negrñea, to crown it; and the Cup fo filld, ἐπιςεφὴς οίνοιο, crown'd with Wine, ἤτοι υπερχαλὴς ποιείται ωςε διὰ τὸ ποτό ἐσεφανές· the Liquor appearing above the Cup in the Form of a Crown, according to Athenæus (z). The Poets often express this Custom. Hence the following Verse of Homer, Κῖροι ὃ κρητῆρας ἐπεςέψαντο ποτοῖο. And that Allufion of another Poet cited by Athenæus, Αλλὰ Θεὸς μορφὴν ἔπεσι σέφει. ew And Vina coronare, to crown the Wine, is an Expreffion ufed by Virgil. The fecond Thing to be confider'd in the Sacrifices is the Suffitus, in Greek called Ou, which Word doth not originally fignify the Victim, but Tà Lausa, i. e. broken Fruits, Leaves, or Acorns, the only Sacrifices of the Ancients; whence, in Suidas rà un are expounded Juuáuala, or Incenfe. In like Manner the verb Juev is never used by Homer to fignify the Offering of the Victim (for in this Senfe he has made Ufe of pee and Spar) but only of thefe ausd, fays Athenæus (a); which Signification was afterwards changed, and almost appropriated to Animals (b). If Aldrovandus (c) may be credited, there were no Sacrifices in the primitive Times, in quibus arbores, earumque partes, partem haud exiguam fibi non vendicabant; whereof Trees, or fome Parts of them, were not made a confiderable Part of the Oblation. These were chiefly odoriferous Trees, fome Parts whereof πολλοὶ καὶ νῦν ἔτι θύεσι, many do even in this Age offer, faith Porphyry (d). But the most primitive Offerings were only xóa, green Herbs, as we are inform'd by the fame Author. In latter Ages they commonly made Ufe of Frankin (y) De Abftinent. lib. II. (x) Lib. I. cap. 11. Item. lib. XV. cap. 5. (a) Deipu. lib, XIV, (b) Porph. lib. II, de Abftinent, (e) Dendrolog, lib, I, (d) Libro citato. cenfe P 3 Chap. 4 cenfe, or fome Perfume. But it was a long Time before Frankincenfe came to be in Ufe. In the Times of the Trojan War it was unknown, but inftead thereof they offer'd Cedar and Citron, faith Pliny (e); and the Grecian Fables tell us, that Frankincense was firft used after the Change of a devout Youth, call'd Libanus, into that Tree, which has taken its Name from him. It may be farther observed, that some Sorts of Trees were offer'd with Libations of Wine, others only with vnpéγια ἱερά, which are thence call'd νηφάλια ξύλα. There, according to Suidas's Account, were τὰ μήτ' ἀμπέλινα, μήτε σύκινα, μήτε μύρσι va, all befide the Vine, Fig, and Myrrh, which, being offer'd with Wine only, were term'd oivoo worda. Hither alfo may be refer'd the soyuTai, inai, or mola falfa, which were Cakes of Salt and Barley, as irréχεον τοῖς βωμοῖς πρὸ τῆς ἱερεργίας· which they pour d down upon the Al tar, before the Victim was facrificed. At first the Barley was offer'd whole and unbroken, till the Invention of Mills and Grinding, whence they were call'd daiq. onu, faith Euftathius (f). To offer thefe was term'd λobutev, and of this Custom there is frequent Mention in Homer. Of this Kind alfo were the Tonava, being round, broad, and thin Cakes; and another Sort call'd exavor, of which there were several Kinds, and those three reckon'd by Phavorinus, which he calls Θίσιοι, ανάςατοι, and ἀμφιφῶντες. Another Sort of Cakes was call d Eva from the Figure, being broad, and horn'd in Imitation of the New Moon. There was another Sort of Cakes with Horns, call'd also from their Figure Bóes, and ufually offer'd to Apollo, Diana, Hecate, and the Moon. In Sacrifices to the Moon they used, after fix of the Eva, to offer one of thefe, which, for that Reason, was term'd By dop. The fame was fometimes offer'd after a Sacrifice of fix Animals, faith Suidas; and hence Besdou, as being a Lump without Life, is proverbially used for a stupid and fenfelefs Perfon. There were also other Offerings, of this Sort, peculiar to certain Gods, as the Obeliophori to Bacchus, the Merauto Trophonius,with others, which, for Brevity's Sake, I omit. It may here be obferved that no Oblation was thought acceptable to the Gods without a Mixture of Salt. Nulla (facra) conficiuntur fine mola falfa. No Sacrifice is made without Meal mixed with Salt, faith Pliny (g). There is continual Mention hereof in the Poets. Thus in Virgil (h): Mihi facra parari Et fruges falfa d And in Ovid defcribing the primitive Oblations (i) : Ante Deos bomini quod conciliare valebat, Far erat, & puri lucida mica falis. This Cuftom was certainly very ancient and univerfal. To forbear the Mention of other Teftimonies, we find this Precept given to Mofes (k); Every Oblation of thy Meat-offering shalt thou feafon with Salt; neither halt thou fuffer the Salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy ά. (c) Nat. Hift. lib. XIII. cap. 1. (f) In II. d. p. 99. Edit. Bafl. (g) Nat. Hik. Tib. XXXI. cap. 7. (b) Æneid. lib. II. ver, 131, (i) Faftor, lib, III, ver. 337. (4) Levit. II. 13. Meat Meat-offerings; with all thy Offerings thou shalt offer Salt. The Ground of this Custom is by fome affirm'd to be, that Salt was a Token of Friendship and Hofpitality. It, being alfo conftantly used in all the Victuals of Men, was thought neceffary to the Entertainments and Sacrifices of the Gods, as was before obferved. For the fame Reason there was scarce any Sacrifice without Bread-Corn or Bread. Particularly Barley was offer'd more than any other Grain, that being the first Sort of Corn, which the Greeks used after their primitive Diet of Acorns; whence ne is by fome derived from neivew. to difcern, Men being first, by that Sort of Food. distinguish'd from other Animals, with whom they had before lived upon Acorns (k). On the fame Account the Athenians offer'd only fuch Barley as grew in the Field Rharium; in Memory of its having first been fown there(). And instead of the Greek neon, the Romans used another Sort call'd Zed, which was the Sort of Corn first used by them. This Practice remain'd in the Time of Dianyfius the Halicarnaffian (m). The third and chief Part of the Sacrifice was Iepeor, the Victim; concerning which it may be obferved, in the firft Place, that it was requir'd to be whole, perfect, and found in all its Members, without Spot or Blemish; otherwise it was unacceptable to the Gods, who must be ferved with the very beft of all the Flocks and Herds; to which End Solon, in his Laws, commanded the Athenians to offer Enneta izgeia, chofen and select Sacrifices; and it was an ancient Cuftom to cull out of the Flocks the goodlieft of all the Cattle, and put certain Marks upon them, whereby they might be distinguished from the reft. Virgil (n) tells us, their Heads were divided into three Parts, one of which they defign'd for Propagation, another for Sacrifice, and the third for Labour; his Words are these, Poft partum cura in vitulos traducitur omnis, Whether for Breeding this be fet apart, For th'Altar that, a third for Plough or Cart. H. H. The fame is affirm'd by Apollonius Rhodius, in the fecond Book of his Notwithstanding all this Care in the Choice of Victims, yet it was thought unlawful to offer them, till the Priefts had, by divers Experiments, made Trial of them, of which I fhall speak hereafter. The Sacrifice, if it was approved by the Prieft, was call'd Texia Juria,whence comes the frequent Mention of ταῦροι αἶγες, βόες τέλειοι (p). If not, (k) Euftathius loco citato conf. Archæologiæ hujus lib. VI. ubi de convivii materia agitur. (1) Paufanias Atticis pag. 71. Edit. Han. (m) Lib. II. pag. 95. Edit. Leipf. (~) Geor. III. v. 157. (0) V. 355. (p) Conf. Homeri Il. d. ibique vetus Scholiaftes. P 4 another another was brought to the Trial, till one every Way perfect was found. The Spartans, whofe Cuftom was to ferve the Gods, with as little Expence as was poffible, did very often avdaneg Júew, facrifice maim'd and defective Animals (q); out of an Opinion, that fo long as their Minds were pure and well pleafing to their Gods, their external Worhip, in whatever Manner perform'd, could not fail of being accepted. As to the Kinds of Animals offer'd in Sacrifice, they differ'd according to the Variety of the Gods to whom, and the Perfons by whom they were offer'd. A Shepherd would facrifice a Sheep, a Neatherd an Ox, a Goatherd a Goat, and a Fisher, after a plentiful Draught, would offer a Tunny, faith Athenæus, to Neptune; and fo the reft according to every Man's Employment. They differ'd alfo according to the Diversity of the Gods, for to the infernal and evil Gods they offer'd black Victims; to the Good, white; to the Barren, barren ones; to the Fruitful, pregnant ones; laftly, to the mafculine Gods, Males; to the Feminine, Females were commonly thought acceptable. Almoft every God had fome of the Animals confecrated to him, and out of thefe, Sacrifices were often chosen ; for Inftance, to Hecate they facrificed a Dog; to Venus, a Dove or Pigeon. Choice was alfo made of Animals, according to the Difpofitions of the Gods, to whom they were to be offer'd. Mars was thought to be pleased with such Creatures as were furious and warlike, as the Bull. The Sow was facrificed to Ceres, as being apt to root up the Seed-Corn, and, on that Account, an Enemy to her. Many Authors affirm, that this Animal was, for that Reason, firft kill'd, when before it was held unlawful to put living Creatures to Death: and that it was first of all others eaten by Men, and facrificed to the Gods. Hence its Greek Name σus, term'd in Latin alfo Sus, is thought to have been fo call'd by changing into σ, from Júew to kill or facrifice (r). The fame Animal is alfo allow'd, by Porphyry () to have been offer'd in Sacrifice before any other, tho' upon a different Account; for he derives it from a Command of Apollo, who, to excufe Clymene's killing a Sow, order'd, that in Times to come that Animal should be offer'd in Sacrifice. Next to the Sow, the Goat came to be facrificed, which happen'd by Reason of its browzing upon the Vines, and thence becoming an Enemy to Bacchus. Thus we find in Ovid (†) : Et prima putatur Hoftia Sus meruiffe necem, quia femina pando Ducitur ultoris: nocuit fua culpa duobus. The Animals molt commonly facrificed were, befide the two fore mention'd, the Bull, Ox, Cow, Sheep, Lamb, &c. and amongst the Birds, the Cock, Hen, &c. Some were more acceptable at one Age than another. For Example, an Heifer a Year old, which had never (g) Plato Alcib. II. pag. 458. Edit. Francofurt. (r) Atban. lib. II. Clemens Alexandrin. Stromat. II. p. 401. Varro de Re Ruft. lib. II. cap. 4. (f) Lib. II. de Abftinent. (t) Metam, lib. XV. been been put to the Yoke, was most grateful to the Gods. Σοὶ δ ̓ ἐγὼ οὖ ῥέξωβεν ἦνιν εὐξυμέτωπον, Such an one Another is elsewhere promised by Neftor (w). The fame may also be observed in other Poets. And the Jews were commanded to facrifice an Heifer, without Spot, wherein is no Blemish, and upon which newer came Yoke (x); fuch as had been employ'd in the Service of Men, being unworthy to be made Victims to God. Athenaus (y) tells us out of Agatharchides, that the Baotians were wont to facrifice certain Eels of an unusual Bignefs, taken in Copais, a Lake of that Country, and about these they perform'd all the Ceremonies ufual at other Sacrifices. It will be difficult to guess the Reason of this Cuftom, for my (2) Author tells us, that when a Stranger once happen'd to be prefent at thefe Sacrifices, and enquir'd what might be the Caufe of them, the Baotians made him no other Anfwer, than that they were oblig'd to obferve the Customs of their Ancestors, but thought themselves not bound to give Foreigners any Reafon for them. The only Animal, almoft unlawful to be facrificed, was the ploughing and labouring Ox, and from him the Athenians abftained, because he afflifted them in tilling the Ground, and was, as it were, Man's Fellow-labourer, faith Elian (a). Nor did the Athenians only, but almost all other Nations, think it a very great Crime to kill this Creature, infomuch that the Offender was thought to deserve Death, faith Varro(b): Ælian, (c) in particular, witneffeth as much of the Phrygians; and Pliny (d), in his Natural History, mentions a Perfon banished Rome on that Account. But in latter Times, as Plutarch (e) tells us, they were used at Feasts, and then 'twas no Wonder if they were also facrificed to the Gods; and that they were fo, Lucian (f) affures us. Nay, to eat and facrifice Oxen came at length to be fo common, that Cler was used as a general Term in the Place of Jue, matare. Thus in Ariftophanes (g): Καὶ νῦν ὁ δεσπότης μὲν ἔνδον βαθύτε γν, καὶ τράγον, καὶ κειὶν ἐςεφανωμένα. The Perfon, who first adventur'd to kill a labouring Ox, was Cecrops, according to Eufebius, as was observed in the Beginning of this Chapter, Aratus charges it upon the Men of the brazen Age (b); πρῶτοι γὲ βοῶν ἐπάσαντ ̓ ἀροτήρων. But Theon, in his Commentary upon that Paffage, affirms the killing of (*) Iliad. x. v. 292. (w) Odyss. Y'. v. 282. (x) Numer. XIX. 2. (y) Deipn. lib. VII. (x) Athenæus loc. cit. (a) Var. Hift. lib. V. cap. 14. (b) De Re Ruftic. lib. II. (c) De Animal. lib. XII. cap. 14. (d) Lib. VIII. cap. 45. (e) De Efu Animal. lib. II, (f) Dialog, de Sacrific, (g) Pluti A&t. IV. Scen. I, (b) Pag. 19, Ed. Oxon, labour |