Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 3 (1897).djvu/209

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 189 vindicate their own honour, and that of the Deity ; and the temples of the Roman world were subverted, about sixty years after the conversion of Constantine. From the age of Numa to the reign of Gratian the Romans state of preserved the regular succession of the several colleges of the Kome sacerdotal order.* Fifteen Pontiffs exercised their supreme juris- diction over all things and persons that were consecrated to the service of the gods ; and the various questions which perpetually arose in a loose and traditionary system were submitted to the judgment of their holy tribunal. Fifteen grave and learned Augurs observed the face of the heavens, and prescribed the actions of heroes, according to the flight of birds. Fifteen keepers of the Sybilline books (their name of Quindecemvirs was derived from their number) occasionally consulted the history of future, and as it should seem, of contingent, events. Six Vestals devoted their virginity to the guard of the sacred fire and of the unknown pledges of the duration of Rome ; which no mortal had been suffered to behold with impunity.^ Seven Epulos '^ prepared the table of the gods, conducted the solemn procession, and regulated the ceremonies of the amiual festival. The three Flamens" of Jupiter, of Mars, and of Quirinus, were considered as the peculiar ministers of the three most powerful deities who watched over the fate of Rome and of the universe. The King of the Sacrifices represented the person of Numa, and of his successors, in the religious functions which could be performed only by royal hands. The confraternities of the Salians, the Lupercals, &c,, practised such rites as might extort a smile of contempt from every reasonable man, with a lively confidence of recommending themselves to the favour of the immortal gods. The authority 4 See the outlines of the Roman hierarchy in Cicero (de Legibus, ii. 7, 8), Livy (i. 20), Dionysius Hahcarnassensis (1. ii. p. 119-129, edit Hudson), Beaufort {Ri- publique Romaine, torn. i. p. 1-90), and Moyle (vol. i. p. 10-55). The last is the work of an English Whig, as well as of a Roman antiquary. [The number of Pontiffs and Augurs first reached fifteen in the time of Sulla. A sixteenth Augur was added by Julius Csesar. The emperor (after A. D. 29) had power to create additional Augurs.] 5 These mystic and perhaps imaginary symbols have given birth to various fables and conjectures. It seems probable that the Palladium was a small statue (three cubits and a half high) of Minerva, with a lance and distaff; that it was usually inclosed in a seria, or barrel ; and that a similar barrel was placed by its side to dis- concert curiosity or sacrilege. .See Mezeriac (Comment, sur les Epitres d'Ovide, tom. i. p. 60-66) and Lipsius (torn. iii. p. 610, de Vesta, &c. c. 10). 6 [Cp. Lucan, i. 602. The Epulo was called Septemvir epulonum.] "i [In the later Republic there were also a number of minor Flaniens ; in all fifteen. For some of the names, see Varro, L. L, vii. 44.]