all the Sibyls'. He adds that there was a second Herophile, namely, the Erythraean Sibyl, and in this he is followed by Suidas. Herophile, in Eusebius 2, is the Samian; in Solinus, the Delphian: in Varro, the Cumana, which is an additional argument to prove that these are all the same 4. Varro, however, gives two other names for the Cumana, Amalthea and Demophile. The Cumaea, again, is, by Virgil, called Deiphobe; by Servius, Phemonoë 5; by Hyperochus himself, a native of Cumae, Demo 6. In Suidas, the Samian is Phyto, the Cumana both Amalthea and Herophile.

The Hebrew, Chaldaean, or Persian Sibyl is generally named Sabeé, or Sambethé, the daughter of Berosus and Erymanthe.

We may conclude this dissertation with the words of Salmasius, one of the most learned men that ever lived:

'Nihil est quod aeque diverse prodiderint antiqui scriptores, quam Sibyllarum aetatem, patriam, nomina.'

11, 12. Compare the couplet with Ov. E. ex P. 2. 8, 41, where the exile, when imploring the compassion of Tiberius, prays

'Sic pater in Pylios, Cumaeos mater in annos

Vivant: et possis filius esse diu.'

14. Et iactant, i. e. they adapt their gesticulations to the words which they repeat. The Italians have in all ages possessed, in an eminent degree, the power of imparting life and feeling to dumb signs: the development of this faculty constituted the charm of the ancient pantomime, and forms the chief attraction of the modern ballet.

15. Posito...cratere. The drinking cup being laid aside, i. e. quitting their carousal in order to join in the dance. The words can scarcely mean, 'A cup of wine being placed on the altar as an offering, they proceed to join in the sacred dance,' although some commentators endeavour to wring this out of them.

1

According to the Greeks the daughter of Jupiter and Lamia, the daughter of Neptune. See Pausan. 2 Chron. Olymp. 16. 3 The editions of Solinus give 'Erythraea,' but Salmasius says that 'Delphica' is in the MSS.

Herophile is mentioned by Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 304, 323.

5 Virg. Ae. 3. 445- -on 6. 36 he calls her, along with Virgil, Deiphobe. 6 See Pausanias. Hyperochus considered Demo different from and later than the Erythraean Herophile.

ON the Ides of May an altar had been erected to the 'Lares Praestites,' the protectors of the city, by Curius; but this, as well as the ancient statues, in which they were represented as twins, with a dog at their feet, had been destroyed by time, and the poet had sought in vain to discover them.

The notices in common books with regard to the deities termed by the Romans 'Lares' and 'Penates,' are so exceedingly imperfect that it will be useful to the student to state shortly what is known upon the subject.

The word 'Lar' is of Tuscan origin, and in that language was a title of honour, equivalent, apparently, to chief or prince. Thus we read of Lar Porsenna, king of Clusium, Lar Tolumnius, king of the Veiientes 1.

The testimony of those among the Romans who were best qualified to form an opinion upon such a subject, is so precise that we can entertain no doubt that, according to the popular belief, the deities denominated 'Lares' were certain spirits of dead men who were supposed to watch over and protect the living 2. They were very numerous, and were ranked in classes according to the departments over which they presided. In the first place we have the grand division into

1. ‘Lares Privati;' 2. 'Lares Publici 3 ;'

of whom the former were the objects of family worship, while the latter received the adoration of whole sections of the community. We shall examine these separately.

i. The 'Lares Privati,' or 'Domestici,' or 'Familiares,' were

1 In Livy 3. 65, we find 'Lar Herminius' as the name of a Roman Consul, where 'Lar' would be a simple praenomen. The reading is, however, doubtful, since Dionysius calls the same person Larus,' and Diodorus Larinus.' See also Auson. Monosyll. and Val. Max. Lib. 10. 2 See Labeo, quoted by Servius on Virg. Ae. 1. 280, and Varro, quoted by Arnobius adv. Gen. 3. 41. 3 Pliny H. N. 21. 3.

tutelary spirits who received the homage of all the individuals residing under the same roof. The spot peculiarly sacred to them was the 'focus,' or hearth, situated in the principal apartment, atrium,' and considered the central point of the mansion. Here stood the altar for domestic sacrifice, and near to this there was usually a niche, containing little images of these gods, and denominated 'lararium,' or 'aedicula,' which, in the sumptuous palaces of later times, was not unfrequently enlarged into a chapel, with magnificent decorations. The offerings to the Lares consisted chiefly of flowers, frankincense, and wine, which were presented from time to time, and regularly on the Kalends of each month. A portion of the viands consumed at each meal was also placed before them in little dishes, and victims were occasionally sacrificed. Marked reverence was paid to the Lares at the most important periods of life; to them the youth dedicated his 'bulla' when he assumed the manly gown; to them the bride presented a piece of money when betrothed, according to the form termed 'coemptio;' to them she made a solemn offering on the day after her nuptials, before entering on the discharge of her matron duties; to them a grateful salutation was addressed by the master of the mansion when he returned in safety from a foreign land; and to them the soldier dedicated his arms when the toils and dangers of war were over. In order to fix these details on the memory, we may quote a few of the more important authorities. In the Aulularia of Plautus, the Prologue is spoken by a 'Lar Familiaris,' to whose guardianship the father of the actual proprietor of the house had committed a treasure buried beneath the hearth. The spirit, after complaining of the neglect of the son, continues thus,

'Huic filia una est: ea mihi quotidie

Aut ture, aut vino, aut aliqui semper supplicat:
Dat mihi coronas:'

in the Trinummus, 1. 2, 1

'Larem corona nostrum decorari volo,
Uxor, venerare: ut nobis haec habitatio

Bona, fausta, felix, fortunataque eveniat.'

Cato, when describing the duties of a Villica, R. R. 43 'Focum purum circumversum quotidie, priusquam cubitum eat, habeat. Kalendis, Idibus, Nonis, festus dies cum erit, coronam in focum indat. Per eosdem dies Lari familiari pro copia supplicet.'

In the above passage, a single Lar only is supposed to belong to the dwelling; the plural, however, is quite common, as in Juv. S. 9. 137

'O parvi nostrique Lares, quos ture minuto,

Aut farre, et tenui soleo exorare corona.' Compare also S. 12. 83.-Again, in Ov. Fast. 2. 633 'Et libate dapes, ut grati pignus honoris Nutriat incinctos missa patella Lares.'

and Pers S. 3. 25

'Est tibi far modicum, purum et sine labe salinum, Quid metuas? cultrixque foci secura patella.'

Also Hor. Od. 3. 23, 2

'Nascente luna, rustica Phidyle,

Si ture placaris et horna

Fruge Lares avidaque porca.'

Compare also Tibull. 1. 3, 33; 1. 10, 15–27; 2. 1, 59, all of which are in the present collection. Also Cato R. R. 2, Ov. Trist. 4. 8, 21. Finally, we may quote Pers. S. V. 30

'Cum primum pavido custos mihi purpura cessit,
Bullaque succinctis Laribus donata pependit.'

and Prop. 4. I, 131

'Mox, ubi bulla rudi dimissa est aurea collo,
Matris et ante deos libera sumpta toga.'

Consult also Macrob. S. 1. 15, Nonius, p. 531.

We now pass on to the consideration of the 'Lares Publici,'

S

which will not detain us long. Of these the most important were,

i. 'Lares Rurales,' guardians of the flocks, and herds, and fruits of the earth, propitiated by sacrifices of calves and lambs. The poet addresses these in the lines before us.

ii. 'Lares Compitales,' worshipped at the spot where two or more roads crossed each other. The 'Compitalitia' or 'Ludi Compitales' were instituted in honour of them by Servius Tullius, according to the legend narrated by Dionysius! and Pliny 2. This festival was celebrated annually on a day fixed by the praetor, but always soon after the Saturnalia. Augustus introduced the practice of decorating the statues of the 'Lares Compitales' with flowers twice a year, in spring and in summer 3.

iii. 'Lares Viales.' Probably the same with the preceding, so called because their images were erected in streets and highways: their protection was invoked by travellers when setting forth on a journey. Thus Charinus, in the Mercator of Plautus, 5. 2, 23, when about to quit his native city,

....'invoco

Vos, Lares Viales, ut me bene iuvetis.'

Their

iv. ‘Lares Vicorum 4,' guardians of the streets. V. 'Lares Praestites,' protectors of the city. appearance and festival is described by Ovid, Fast. 5. 129, who at the same time gives a fantastic legend regarding their parentage.

vi. 'Lares Permarini,' worshipped by mariners. A temple was dedicated to them in the Campus Martius, 179 B.C., which had been vowed eleven years before by L. Aemilius Regillus, in a sea-fight against the captains of Antiochus 5. There can be little doubt that they are the same with the 'Lares Marini' of Varro, as quoted by Nonius".

1 R. A. 4. 14.

2 H. N. 36. sub fin. See also Cic. Epp. ad. Att. 6. 7, and in Pison. Macrob. Sat. 1. 7, A. Gell. 10. 24, Festus in voce 'Conceptivae.' 3 Suet. Octav. 31. 4 Arnob. adv. Gen. 3. 41. 6 14. n. 8 and 32.

4,

5 Livy 40. 52.