Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/96

 78 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, arduous duty of a christian to preserve himself pure ' and undefiled by the practice of idolatry. The reli- Abhoirence gion of the nations was not merely a speculative doc- tians for * trine professed in the schools or preached in the tem- idolatry. pies. The innumerable deities and rites of polytheism were closely interwoven with every circumstance of busi- ness or ])leasure, of public or of private life ; and it seemed impossible to escape the observance of them, without, at the same time, renouncing the commerce of mankind, and all the offices and amusements of so- Ceremonies. ciety^ The important transactions of peace and war were prepared or concluded by solemn sacrifices, in which the magistrate, the senator, and the soldier, were obliged to preside or to participated The public spec- tacles were an essential part of the cheerful devotion of the pagans ; and the gods were supposed to accept, as the most grateful offering, the games that the prince and people celebrated in honour of their peculiar festi- vals ^ The christian, who with pious horror avoided the abomination of the circus or the theatre, found him- self encompassed with infernal snares in every convivial entertainment, as often as his friends, invoking the hos- pitable deities, poured out libations to each other's happiness". When the bride, struggling with well- affected reluctance, was forced in hymeneal pomp over the thi'eshold of her new habitation ''; or when the sad procession of the dead slowly moved towards the fune- ■■ Tertullian has written a most severe treatise against idolatry, to cau- tion his brethren against the hourly danger of incurring that guilt. Re- cogita sylvam, et quantae latitant spinae. De Corona Militis, c. 10. Aulus Gellius, xiv. 7. Before they entered on business, every senator dropt some wine and frankincense on the altar. Sueton. in August, c. 35. ' See Tertullian, De Spectaculis. This severe reformer shows no more indulgence to a tragedy of Euripides, than to a combat of gladiators. The dress of the actors particularly offends him. By the use of the lofty buskin, they impiously strive to add a cubit to their stature : c. 23. " The ancient practice of concluding the entertainment with libations, may be found in every classic. Socrates and Seneca, in their last moments, made a noble application of this custom. Postquam stagnum calida; aquaj introiit, respergens proximos servorum, addita voce, libare se liquorem ilium Jovi Liberator!. Tacit. Annal. xv. 64. '^ See the elegant but idolatrous hymn of Catullus, on the nuptials of Manlius and Julia: O Hymen, Hymenaee lo ! Quis huic dec compararier ausit?
 * The Roman senate was always held in a temple or consecrated place.