labouring Oxen, to have been held unlawful in the Time of theTrojan War, and that the Company of Ulyffes, who are reported by Homer to have fuffer'd very much for their Impiety in killing the facred Oxen of the Sun, were only guilty of killing the ploughing and labouring Oxen, by whose Affiftance we are nourish'd, and fee the Sun. He further adds, that the Athenians were the firft, who fed upon the Flesh of fuch Oxen. Neither was it lawful to facrifice Oxen only, but also Men. Examples of this Sort of Inhumanity were very common in most of the barbarous Nations. Concerning those who border'd upon the Jews, as also concerning the Jews themselves, when they began to imitate their Neighbours, we find several Teftimonies in the facred Scriptures. Cæfar witneffeth the fame of the Gauls; Lucan in particular of that Part of Gallia, where Maffilia ftands; Tacitus of the Germans and Britons. And the first Chriftian Writers do in many Places charge it upon the Heathens in general. Nevertheless, it was not fo common in Greece and other civiliz❜d Nations, as in those which were barbarous. Among the primitive Grecians, it was accounted an Act of so uncommon Cruelty and Impiety, that Lycaon, King of Arcadia, was feign'd by the Poets to have been turn'd into a Wolf, because he offer'd an human Sacrifice to Jupiter (i). In latter Ages it was undoubtedly more common and familiar; Ariftomenes the Meffenian facrific'd three hundred Men, among whom was Theopompus, one of the Kings of Sparta, to Jupiter of Ithome. Themistocles, in order to procure the Affiftance of the Gods against the Perfians, facrific'd fome Captives of that Nation, as we find it related in Plutarch (k). Bacchus had an Altar in Arcadia, upon which young Damfels were beaten to Death with Bundles of Rods; fomething like to which was practis'd by the Lacedæmonians, who scourg'd the Children (fometimes to Death) in Honour of Diana Orthia. the Manes and infernal Gods fuch Sacrifices were very often offer'd : Hence we read of Polyxena's being facrific'd to Achilles; and Homer relates how that Hero butcher'd twelve Trojan Captives at the Funeral of Patroclus. Eneas, whom Virgil celebrates for his Piety, is an Example of the fame Practice (4): Sulmone creatos Quatuor bic juvenes, totidem quos educat Ufens, Captivoque rogi perfundat fanguine flammas. To Whoever defires to fee more Inftances of human facrifices, may confult Clemens of Alexandria (m), Lactantius (n), Minutius Felix (0), Cyril of Alexandria (p), Eufebius (q), and other Chriftian Apologists. It may here be obferv'd that Sacrifices were to be answerable to the Condition and Quality of the Perfon, by whom they were offer'd. As it was thought a Contempt of the Gods for a rich Man to bring a poor fordid Offering; fo on the other Hand, from a poor Man the smallest (i) Paufanias Arcadicis, p. 457, Edit. Hanov. (k) Plutarch in Themift. (1) Æneid⋅ lib, X. ver. 517. (m) Protrept. p. 27. (n) De falfa Relig. cap. 21. & de Juftitia, lib V. cap. 10. () Pag. 99. Edit. Oxon, MDCXXXVI. (p) Adv. Julianum, lib. IV. P. 128. Edit. Parif. (9) Præparat, Evangel, lib. IV, cap, 16, Obla 219 Oblations were acceptable. If his Estate was not able to reach the Price of a living Ox, instead thereof, it was lawful for him to facrifice One made of Bread-corn, faith Suidas*. And on other Accounts when they were not able to provide the accuftom'd Sacrifices. they had Liberty to offer what the Place, or Time would afford. Hence the Cizicenians, being clofely befieged, and unable to procure a black Ox, which they were oblig'd to offer upon a certain anniversary Festival, made one of Corn, and so perform'd the ufual Ceremonies. Ulyffes's Companions in Homer, for Want of Barley, made ufe of Oak-leaves; and inftead of Wine, offer'd a Libation of Water. But from those that were able to procure them, more coftly Offerings were requir'd. Men of Wealth, especially when they had receiv'd, or defir'd any great Favour of the Gods, offered great Numbers of Animals at once. Whence there is frequent Mention of Hecatombs, which confifted of an hundred living Creatures, and of Chiliombs, in which were facrific'd a thousand. An Hecatomb, faith Euftathius (a), properly fignifies a Sacrifice of an hundred Oxen, and fuch a one was offer'd by Clifthenes in Herodotus; but it is generally taken for fuch Sacrifices, as confift of an hundred Animals of any Sort; only the Ox being the principal and most valuable of all the living Creatures us'd at Sacrifices, it has its Name from containing Enarov Bos, an hundred Oxen. Others derive it, faith my Author, from Énalòv Baσes,йToi wodos, i. e. an hundred Feet, and then it must have confifted only of twenty-five Animals. Others think a finite Number is here put for an indefinite, by a Figure very ufual among the Poets; and then an Hecatomb amounts to no more than a Sacrifice confifting of many Animals. Others will have this Name deriv'd not from the Number of Creatures offer'd, but of the Perfons present at the Sacrifice. Laftly, it may be observ'd from Julius Capitolinus(b), that an Hecatomb was fometimes offer'd after this Manner: They erected an hundred Altars of Turf, and then kill'd an hundred Sows, or Sheep, &c. Suidas (c) mentions another Sacrifice, which confifted of seven Offerings, viz. a Sheep, Sow, Goat, Ox, Hen, Goose, and, after all, an Ox of Meal, whence fome derive the Proverb 68s &ßdoμ, of which before. Another Sacrifice, in which were offer'd only three Animals, was call'd. Tperlus, or Terlua. This confifted,faith (d) Euftathius, of two Sheep, and an Ox, according to Epicharmus; fometimes of an Ox, Goat, and Sheep; fometimes of a Boar, Ram, and Bull; and at other times of a Sow, He-goat, and Ram, for fuch an one is mention'd by Ariftophanes. Sometimes the Sacrifice confifted of twelve Animals, and then, faith my (e) Author, it was call'd Swdenais Juría, and the reft in like ManThus much concerning the Matter of Sacrifices. ner. The next Things to be confider'd are the preparatory Rites required before, and the Ornaments used in the Time of Sacrifice. No Man was admitted to fome of the folemn Sacrifices, who had not purified himself certain Days before, in which he was to abftain from all carnal Pleasures. To this Purpose Tibullus (ƒ): * In voce Bus. (a) Iliad. d. p. 36. Edit. Baf. (b) In Maximo & Balbino. (c) In rocę Bus. (d) Odyli, aλ'. p. 423. Edit, Bafil. (e) Ibidem, (f) Lib. II. Eleg I. Dif Difcedite ab aris, Queis tulit hefterna gaudia notte Venus. You, who to Venus paid Devoir laft Night, J. A. They were fo rigid in obferving this Cuftom at fome of their Solemnities, that the Priest and Prietteffes were forced to take an Oath that they were duly purified. Such an one was impofed upon the Priesteffes of Bacchus at Athens in this Form (g); Aysévw, x) sipi nadaga, xy ἁγνὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ἄλλων J & καθαρευόντων, καὶ ἀπ ̓ ἀνδρὸς συνεσίας καὶ τὰ Θεόμνια και Ιοβακχεία γεραίρω το Διονύσῳ κατὰ τὰ πάτρια, καὶ ἐν τοῖς xadhuroi xgovors, I am pure, undefiled, and free from all Sorts of Pollu tion, and particularly that, which is contracted by lying with a Man ; and do celebrate the Festival of Bacchus at the ufual Time, and according to the received Cuftom of my Country. This feems to be meant not only of Adultery and Fornication, but alfo of the lawful Pleasures of the Marriagebed; for at the Celebration of divine Solemnities, they thought more than ordinary Purity and Sanctity was required of them, and therefore abftained from Delights, which at other Times they might lawfully enjoy. Yet by fome of them this Sort of Purification was thought unneceffary, for Theano, an Athenian Prieftefs, being afk'd, when it might be lawful for a Woman to go from the Company of a Man to the divine Mysteries: answered, From her own at any Time, from a Stranger never. At least every Perfon, who came to the folemn Sacrifices, was purified by Water, to which End, at the Entrance of the Temples, there was commonly plac'd a Veffel full of holy Water. This Water was confecrated by putting into it a burning Torch taken from the Altar.. The fame Torch was fometimes made ufe of to besprinkle those who enter'd into the Temple (b). Thus we find in Euripides (i) : Μέλλων δὲ δαλὶν χερὶ δεξιά φέρει, Εἰς χέρνιβ' ὡς βάψειν, Αλκμήνης τόκα. Alfo in Ariftophanes (k} ; Φέρε δὲ τὸ δαδίον, τόδ' ἐμβαψω λαβών. Where the Scholiaft obferves, that this Torch was us'd, because of the Quality of Fire, which is thought to purify all Things. Inftead of the Torches, they fometimes us'd a Branch of Laurel, as we find in Pliny (4). Thus Sozomen(m), where he speaks of Valentian following Jupiter into a Pagan Temple, relates, that, when they were about to enter, a Priest θαλλὲς τινας διαβρόχες κατέχων, νόμω Ελληνικῷ περίεῤῥαινε, holding (g) Demoft. Orat. in Neær. (b) Athenæus lib. IX. p. 409. Edit. Lugd. (i) Hercul. Furent, ver. 2.8. (*) Pace pag. 696. Edit. Aurel. Allobrog. (1) Nat, Hift, lib. V. cap. 30. (m) Hiftor. Ecclef, lib. VI. cap. 6. p. 644. Edit. Parif. certain certain green Boughs dropping Water, befprinkled them after the Grecian Manner. Instead of Laurel, Olive was fometimes us'd. Thus we find in Virgil (n): Idem ter focios pura circumculit unda, Spargens rore levi ramo felicis olive. This Cuftom of furrounding, here exprefs'd, was fo conftant in purifying, that most of the Terms, which relate to any Sort of Purification, are compounded with περὶ, around. Thus περιῤῥαίνειν, περιμάτεπαι, περ fidey, Tepia [view, &c. The Veffel which contain'd the Water of Purification, was term'd eg ipparnpsov. And the Latin Word luftrare,which fignifies to purify, or expiate, came hence to be a general Word for any Sort of furrounding, or encompassing. Thus it is us'd by Virgil (0) :, dum montibus umbræ Luftrabunt convexa Spondanus tells us, that before the Sacrifices of the celestial Gods, the Worshipers had their whole Bodies wafh'd, or, if that could not be, at least, their Hands; but for those that perform'd the facred Rites to the infernal Gods, a fmall Sprinkling was fufficient. Sometimes the Feet were wash'd, as well as Hands; whence come the Proverbs, drie los xeggir, and avilors woriv, in Latin, illotis manibus, & illotis pedibus, which are ufually applied to Men, who undertake any thing without due Care and Preparation. Porphyry (p) tells us, there was a Programma fix'd up, that no Man fhould go beyond the Ieg‹ppævýprov, till he had wash'd his Hands; and fo great a Crime was it accounted to omit this Ceremony, that Timarchides (q) hath related a Story of one Afterius, who was ftruck dead with Thunder, because he had approached the Altar of Jupiter with unwash'd Hands. Nor was this Cuftom only used at folemn Sacrifices, but also at the smallest Parts of their Worship. Hector tells us, he was afraid to make so much as a Libation to Jupiter before he had wafh'd; Χερσὶ δ ̓ ἀνίπζοισιν Διὶ λέβειν αιθοπα οἶνον (r). I dread with unwash'd Hands to bring My incens'd Wine to fove an Offering. J. A. And Telemachus is faid, in Homer's Odysses, to have wash'd his Hands, before he adventur'd to pray to the Gods. This they did, out of a Conceit, that thereby they were purified from their Sins; and withal fignifying, that nothing impure ought to approach the Deities. On the fame Account they fometimes wash'd their Cloaths, as Homer relates of Penelope, before the offer'd Prayers to the Gods. The Water used in Purifications was required to be clear, and without Mud, and all other Impurities. It was commonly fetch'd from Fountains and Rivers. The Water of Lakes, or standing Ponds, was unfit for this Pur (7) Æneid. lib. VI. ver. 229. (0) Eneid, lib, I, ver, 611, (p) De Victim. (2) Libro de Coronis. (~) Iliad. C. ⚫ver, 206, poft. pofe. So was also the pureft Stream, if it had been a confiderable Time feparated from its Source. Hence recens aqua, fresh Water, is apply'd to this Ufe in Virgil (c): Occupat Eneas aditum, corpufque recenti The fame Cuftom prevail'd in other Countries. The Jewish Essenes made ufe of καθαρωτέρων του προς αγνείαν υδάζων the purer fort ofWaters for cleanfing, as we are inform'd by Porphyry (d). The Apostle feems to allude to the fame Practice in the following Words: Let us draw near-having our Hearts Sprinkled from an evil Confcience, and our Bodies wash'd with pure Water (e). The Prophet Ezekiel, in like Manner : Then I will sprinkle clean Water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your Filthinefs, and from all your Idols will 1 cleanfe you (f). But if the Sea-waters could be procur'd, they were preferred before all others, becaufe by reafon of their Saltners, φύσει τὸ ὕδωρ σ θαλάσης καθαρτικόν 451, the marine Waters are naturally cathartick, as we are inform'd by the Scholiaft upon Homer (g). Hence Arifteas reports concerning fome of the Jews, who liv'd near the Sea, that every Day before Mattins they usd απονίψαθαι θαλάσσῃ τὰς χεῖρας to wafh their Hands in the Sea. The Argonauts in Apollonius are faid to find Circe washing her Head in the Sea (b): -Κίρκην Εὗρον ἀλὸς νοτίδεσσι κάρη ἐπιφαιδρύνεσαν, And that Saying of Euripides; Θάλασσα κλύζει παντα τ ̓ ἀνθρώπων κακά. All human Ills are wash'd away by the Sea; is apply'd to fuperftitious Men, Oi Jandoon weenalaiporia, who pu- Προλον, ἔπειτα δ' ἄλεσσι μεμιγμένον, ὡς νενόμισαι, The fame Custom is alfo mention'd by Juvenal (k), Sulphura cum tædis, & fi foret humida laurus. (c) Æneid. lib. VI. ver. 635. Conf. Æneid. lib. IV. ver. 635. & lib. II. ver. 71. (d) De Abftinent. lib. IV. cap. 12. (e) Heb. X. 22. (g) Iliad d. ver. 3, 4. (b) Argonaut, lib. IV. ver. 662. (k) Sat. II. ver. 157. (f) Eżek. XXXVI. 25. (i) Myst, XXIV. ver. 94. |