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| Chapter XII.
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Chapter
XII.
It remains for us to examine the
“spectacle” most noted of all, and in highest favour. It is
called a dutiful service (munus), from its being an office, for
it bears the name of “officium” as well as
“munus.” The ancients thought that in this solemnity
they rendered offices to the dead; at a later period, with a cruelty
more refined, they somewhat modified its character. For formerly,
in the belief that the souls of the departed were appeased by human
blood, they were in the habit of buying captives or slaves of wicked
disposition, and immolating them in their funeral obsequies. Afterwards
they thought good to throw the veil of pleasure over their
iniquity.357
| 357 [The authority of
Tertullian, in this matter, is accepted by the critics, as of historic
importance.] | Those, therefore,
whom they had provided for the combat, and then trained in arms as best
they could, only that they might learn to die, they, on the funeral
day, killed at the places of sepulture. They alleviated death by
murders. Such is the origin of the “Munus.” But by degrees
their refinement came up to their cruelty; for these human wild beasts
could not find pleasure exquisite enough, save in the spectacle of men
torn to pieces by wild beasts. Offerings to propitiate the dead then
were regarded as belonging to the class of funeral sacrifices; and
these are idolatry: for idolatry, in fact, is a sort of homage to the
departed; the one as well as the other is a service to dead men.
Moreover, demons have abode in the images of the dead. To refer also to
the matter of names, though this sort of exhibition has passed from
honours of the dead to honours of the living, I mean, to
quæstorships and magistracies—to priestly offices of
different kinds; yet, since idolatry still cleaves to the
dignity’s name, whatever is done in its name partakes of its
impurity. The same remark will apply to the procession of the
“Munus,” as we look at that in the pomp which is connected
with these honours themselves; for the purple robes, the fasces, the
fillets, the crowns, the proclamations too, and edicts, the sacred
feasts of the day before, are not without the pomp of the devil,
without invitation of demons. What need, then, of dwelling on the place
of horrors, which is too much even for the tongue of the perjurer? For
the amphitheatre358
| 358 [Though this was
probably written at Carthage, his reference to the Flavian theatre in
this place is plain from the immediate comparison with the
Capitol.] | is consecrated to
names more numerous and more dire359
| 359 [To the infernal deities
and first of all to Pluto. See vol. I. note 6, p. 131, this
Series.] | than is the
Capitol itself, temple of all demons as it is. There are as many
unclean spirits there as it holds men. To conclude with a single remark
about the arts which have a place in it, we know that its two sorts of
amusement have for their patrons Mars and Diana.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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