Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/282

 270 The Ancient Teutonic Priesthood.

practised their rites, in sacred groves.^ This agrees with the well-known fact that reverence for trees was a leading feature in their worship.

From these notices it appears that the Vates and the Druids were distinct classes of persons, though it is not very easy to distinguish between them. Both seem to have taken part in sacrifices. Prophetic power also seems to have been claimed by the Druid as well as by the Vates. Thus, according to Cicero (/.c), Deiuiciacus claimed to have the power of foretelling the future, partly by auguries and partly by conjecture. It is, of course, possible that the two classes are confused to some extent by our authorities through ignorance. It seems probable, however, that the administration of justice belonged exclusively to the Druids. The female Druids, mentioned in later works,'"^ seem to be simply women possessed of prophetic powers.

For information regarding the priestly system of the ancient Germans we are dependent almost entirely upon Tacitus. His account of their duties may briefly be sum- marised as follows : — (i) They had to take omens on public occasions ; this included the casting of lots and the obser- vation of the sacred horses. In the latter duty the priest was accompanied by the king or the princeps chiitatis? (2) They had duties in connection with the meeting of the tribal assembly. They had to open the meeting by pro- claiming silence, and to them alone belonged the right of inflicting punishment both at the assembly and when the host was called out for war.* It seems likely also that the right of proclaiming excommunication against persons guilty of cowardice belonged to them.'' (3) They had the guardianship of the sacred groves and of the symbols and other holy objects which were kept there.^ When the host

' Cf. also Mela, iii., 2, 19.

- Holder, Alt-Celtischer Spmchscliatz, p. 1329 f. ' Germ., 10. ' Ih., 7, 11.


 * Cf. Ger/ii., 6. " If>., 40, 43.