DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0211
of THE RELIGION OF SltBfcCE.
18«
Hv oi Tit i» TpaWo-i Aaf«c, «<fivs/o?, d/jcufA.m ,
If-iu; Hq>cuVo<G----
There was in Troy one Dares, blest with wealth,
The priest of Vulcan.
These are the most general orders of priests : others were appropriat-
ed to certain gods, and sometimes certain feasts, of which I shall have
occasion to speak hereafter, as likewise of those that attended the ora-
cles, and those who were any way concerned in the art of divination.
CHAP. IV.
of the grecian sacrifices, sacred presents, and tithes.
Didymus, in his Annotations upon Pindar (1) reports, that one Mehs-
seus, a king of Crete, was the first that offered sacrifice to the gods, and
invented religious rites and ceremonies, and that Amalthea and Melissa,
who nursed Jupiter, and fed him with goat's milk and honey, were his
daughters. Others relate, that Phoroneus, some that Merops, was the
first who erected altars and temples, and offered sacrifices (2). And
others will have the use of (i^a^ou B-\xSiai) propitiatory sacrifices to have
first begun by Chiron the centaur (3). But passing by these and the like
fabulous narrations, I shall endeavour to describe the customs in use
amongst the ancient Greeks at their solemn sacrifices. In doing which,
I shall first treat of the occasion and end of them. 2. Of their matter.
3. Of the preparations required before them, with all the ornaments both
of the sacrifices, victims, and altars. 4. Of the sacred rites used at and
after their celebration.
As to the causes and occasions of them, they seem to have been chiefly
four : For sacrifices were,
1. EmtoTu, or Xctgss-sjgia, vows, or free-will offerings; such were those
promised to the gods before, and paid after a victory ; as also the first-
fruits offered by husbandmen after harvest, being grateful acknowledg-
ments to the gods, by whose blessing they had received a plentiful re-
ward for their labour and toil in tilling the ground. These are by Sui-
das (4) called €>v<fiai <?w£o0o£ixa/, because they were free gift< ■ and
rhfo7r~hririxct>, because thereby they fulfilled some vow made to tht g,uus ;
both which being effects of gratitude, 1 have reduced under one head.
It may not be improper here to correct the mistake of Saubertus f5),
who takes zvxreux for ahr,<rixu, petitionary sacrifices ; whereas, the proper
meaning of suxthTov, is, according to Hesychius, to xcxt* ev^v a^o^'iJofxsvav,
that which is disch rged to pay a vow.
2. 'iXocrixa, or CioiAXaxTixa., propitiatory <fferings> to avert the anger of
some offended deity. Such were all the sacrifices used in expiation:?.
3. A<Vsj<nxa, petitionary sacrifices, for success in any enterprise. .So re-
ligious were the heathens, that they would not undertake any thing of
moment without having first asked the advice, and implored the assistance
of the gods, by sacrifices and presents.
(1) Csel. Rhod. lib. xii. cap. 1. (4) In voce Qvalai.
(2) Clemens. Alex. Protrept. p. 28. (5) Libro de S^crificiis,
r3) Idem, Strom, i. pag, 306.
18«
Hv oi Tit i» TpaWo-i Aaf«c, «<fivs/o?, d/jcufA.m ,
If-iu; Hq>cuVo<G----
There was in Troy one Dares, blest with wealth,
The priest of Vulcan.
These are the most general orders of priests : others were appropriat-
ed to certain gods, and sometimes certain feasts, of which I shall have
occasion to speak hereafter, as likewise of those that attended the ora-
cles, and those who were any way concerned in the art of divination.
CHAP. IV.
of the grecian sacrifices, sacred presents, and tithes.
Didymus, in his Annotations upon Pindar (1) reports, that one Mehs-
seus, a king of Crete, was the first that offered sacrifice to the gods, and
invented religious rites and ceremonies, and that Amalthea and Melissa,
who nursed Jupiter, and fed him with goat's milk and honey, were his
daughters. Others relate, that Phoroneus, some that Merops, was the
first who erected altars and temples, and offered sacrifices (2). And
others will have the use of (i^a^ou B-\xSiai) propitiatory sacrifices to have
first begun by Chiron the centaur (3). But passing by these and the like
fabulous narrations, I shall endeavour to describe the customs in use
amongst the ancient Greeks at their solemn sacrifices. In doing which,
I shall first treat of the occasion and end of them. 2. Of their matter.
3. Of the preparations required before them, with all the ornaments both
of the sacrifices, victims, and altars. 4. Of the sacred rites used at and
after their celebration.
As to the causes and occasions of them, they seem to have been chiefly
four : For sacrifices were,
1. EmtoTu, or Xctgss-sjgia, vows, or free-will offerings; such were those
promised to the gods before, and paid after a victory ; as also the first-
fruits offered by husbandmen after harvest, being grateful acknowledg-
ments to the gods, by whose blessing they had received a plentiful re-
ward for their labour and toil in tilling the ground. These are by Sui-
das (4) called €>v<fiai <?w£o0o£ixa/, because they were free gift< ■ and
rhfo7r~hririxct>, because thereby they fulfilled some vow made to tht g,uus ;
both which being effects of gratitude, 1 have reduced under one head.
It may not be improper here to correct the mistake of Saubertus f5),
who takes zvxreux for ahr,<rixu, petitionary sacrifices ; whereas, the proper
meaning of suxthTov, is, according to Hesychius, to xcxt* ev^v a^o^'iJofxsvav,
that which is disch rged to pay a vow.
2. 'iXocrixa, or CioiAXaxTixa., propitiatory <fferings> to avert the anger of
some offended deity. Such were all the sacrifices used in expiation:?.
3. A<Vsj<nxa, petitionary sacrifices, for success in any enterprise. .So re-
ligious were the heathens, that they would not undertake any thing of
moment without having first asked the advice, and implored the assistance
of the gods, by sacrifices and presents.
(1) Csel. Rhod. lib. xii. cap. 1. (4) In voce Qvalai.
(2) Clemens. Alex. Protrept. p. 28. (5) Libro de S^crificiis,
r3) Idem, Strom, i. pag, 306.