DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13855#0404
TRIUMPHUS.
396
TRIUMPHUS.
the foe. 8. The leaders themselves, and
such of their kindred as had been taken pri-
soners, followed by the -whole band of inferior
captives in fetters. 9. The coronae and
other tributes of respect and gratitude be-
stowed on the imperator by allied kings and
states. 10. The lictors of the imperator in
single file, their fasces wreathed with laurel.
11. The imperator himself in a circular
chariot of a peculiar form, drawn by four
horses, which were sometimes, though rarely,
white. He was attired in a gold-embvoi-
Triumphal Procession. (Zocga, Bassi-rilievi, tav. 9, 76-)
dered robe {toga picta) and flowered tunic Capitoline hill, some of the hostile chiefs
{tunica pal mat a): he bore in his right hand
a laurel bough, and in his left a sceptre ; his
brows were encircled with a wreath of
Delphic laurel, in addition to which in
ancient times, his body was painted bright
red. He was accompanied in his chariot by
his children of tender years, and sometimes
by very dear or highly honoured friends,
while behind him stood a public slave, hold-
ing over his head a golden Etruscan crown
ornamented with jewels. The presence of a
slave in such a place at such a time seems to
have been intended to avert invidia and the
influence of the evil eye, and for the same
purpose a fascinum, a little bell, and a
scourge were attached to the vehicle. Ter-
tullian tells us, that the slave ever and anon
whispered in the ear of the imperator the
warning words Itcspice post te, hominem me-
mento te, but this statement is not confirmed
by any earlier writer. 12. Behind the cha-
riot or on the horses which drew it rode the
grown-up sons of the imperator, together
with the legati, the trihuni, and the equites,
all on horseback. 13. The rear was brought
up by the whole body of the infantry in
marching order, their spears adorned with
laurel, some shouting Io Triumphe, and
singing hymns to the gods, while others
proclaimed the praises of their leader or
indulged in keen sarcasms and coarse ri-
baldry at his expense, for the most perfect
freedom of speech was granted and exer-
cised. Just as the pomp was ascending the
were led aside into the adjoining prison
and put to death, a custom so barbarous that
we could scarcely believe that it existed in
a civilised age, were it not attested by the
most unquestionable evidence. Pompey, in-
deed, refrained from perpetrating this atro-
city in his third triumph, and Aurelian on
like occasion spared Zenobia, but these are
quoted as exceptions to the general rule.
When it was announced that these murders
had been completed, the victims were then
sacrificed, an offering from the spoils was
presented to Jupiter, the laurel wreath was
deposited in the lap of the god, the impe-
rator was entertained at a public feast along
with his friends in the temple, and returned
home in the evening preceded by torches
and pipes, and escorted by a crowd of citi-
zens. The whole of the proceedings, gene-
rally speaking, were brought to a close in one
day; but when the quantity of plunder was
very great, and the troops very numerous,
a longer period was required for the exhibi-
tion, and thus the triumph of Flaminius
continued for three days in succession. But
the glories of the imperator did not end with
the show, nor even with his life. It was
customary (we know not if the practice was
invariable) to provide him at the public ex-
pense with a site for a house, 6uch mansions
being styled triumphales domus. After death
his kindred were permitted to deposit his
ashes within the walls, and laurel-wreathed
statues standing erect in triumphal cars,
396
TRIUMPHUS.
the foe. 8. The leaders themselves, and
such of their kindred as had been taken pri-
soners, followed by the -whole band of inferior
captives in fetters. 9. The coronae and
other tributes of respect and gratitude be-
stowed on the imperator by allied kings and
states. 10. The lictors of the imperator in
single file, their fasces wreathed with laurel.
11. The imperator himself in a circular
chariot of a peculiar form, drawn by four
horses, which were sometimes, though rarely,
white. He was attired in a gold-embvoi-
Triumphal Procession. (Zocga, Bassi-rilievi, tav. 9, 76-)
dered robe {toga picta) and flowered tunic Capitoline hill, some of the hostile chiefs
{tunica pal mat a): he bore in his right hand
a laurel bough, and in his left a sceptre ; his
brows were encircled with a wreath of
Delphic laurel, in addition to which in
ancient times, his body was painted bright
red. He was accompanied in his chariot by
his children of tender years, and sometimes
by very dear or highly honoured friends,
while behind him stood a public slave, hold-
ing over his head a golden Etruscan crown
ornamented with jewels. The presence of a
slave in such a place at such a time seems to
have been intended to avert invidia and the
influence of the evil eye, and for the same
purpose a fascinum, a little bell, and a
scourge were attached to the vehicle. Ter-
tullian tells us, that the slave ever and anon
whispered in the ear of the imperator the
warning words Itcspice post te, hominem me-
mento te, but this statement is not confirmed
by any earlier writer. 12. Behind the cha-
riot or on the horses which drew it rode the
grown-up sons of the imperator, together
with the legati, the trihuni, and the equites,
all on horseback. 13. The rear was brought
up by the whole body of the infantry in
marching order, their spears adorned with
laurel, some shouting Io Triumphe, and
singing hymns to the gods, while others
proclaimed the praises of their leader or
indulged in keen sarcasms and coarse ri-
baldry at his expense, for the most perfect
freedom of speech was granted and exer-
cised. Just as the pomp was ascending the
were led aside into the adjoining prison
and put to death, a custom so barbarous that
we could scarcely believe that it existed in
a civilised age, were it not attested by the
most unquestionable evidence. Pompey, in-
deed, refrained from perpetrating this atro-
city in his third triumph, and Aurelian on
like occasion spared Zenobia, but these are
quoted as exceptions to the general rule.
When it was announced that these murders
had been completed, the victims were then
sacrificed, an offering from the spoils was
presented to Jupiter, the laurel wreath was
deposited in the lap of the god, the impe-
rator was entertained at a public feast along
with his friends in the temple, and returned
home in the evening preceded by torches
and pipes, and escorted by a crowd of citi-
zens. The whole of the proceedings, gene-
rally speaking, were brought to a close in one
day; but when the quantity of plunder was
very great, and the troops very numerous,
a longer period was required for the exhibi-
tion, and thus the triumph of Flaminius
continued for three days in succession. But
the glories of the imperator did not end with
the show, nor even with his life. It was
customary (we know not if the practice was
invariable) to provide him at the public ex-
pense with a site for a house, 6uch mansions
being styled triumphales domus. After death
his kindred were permitted to deposit his
ashes within the walls, and laurel-wreathed
statues standing erect in triumphal cars,