Chap. XXII.—Of the sacred rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa - ANF07. Fathers of the Third and Fourth Centuries.

Bad Advertisement?

Are you a Christian?

Online Store:

Visit Our Store

Chap. XXII.—Of the sacred rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP

Chap. XXII.—Of the Sacred Rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa.

Faunas was the first in Latium who introduced these follies, who both instituted bloody sacrifices to his grandfather Saturnus, and wished that his father Picus should be worshipped as a god, and placed Fatua Fauna his wife and sister among the gods, and named her the good goddess. Then at Rome, Numa, who burthened those rude and rustic then with new superstitions, instituted priesthoods, and distributed the gods into families and nations, that he might call off the fierce spirits of the people from the pursuits of arms. Therefore Lucilius, in deriding the folly of those who are slaves to vain superstitions, introduced these verses:—
“Those bugbears¹⁴⁷⁰

¹⁴⁷⁰ Terriculas. There is another reading, “terricolas.” See note at Institutes, book i. ch. 22 p. 38, supra.
the Lamiæ, which Faunus and Numa Pompilius and others instituted, at these he trembles; he places everything in this. As infant boys believe that every statue of bronze is a living man, so these imagine that all things reigned are true: they believe that statues of bronze contain a heart. It is a painter’s¹⁴⁷¹

¹⁴⁷¹ See preceding note and reference.
gallery; nothing is real, everything fictitious.”
Tullius also, writing of the nature of the gods, complains that false and fictitious gods have been introduced, and that from thus source have arisen false opinions, and turbulent errors, and almost old womanly superstitions, which opinion ought in comparison¹⁴⁷²

¹⁴⁷² Comparari. Others read “compatari.”
with others to be esteemed more weighty, because these things were spoken by one who was both a philosopher and a priest.

E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH