Page:The Ancient City- A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome.djvu/215

 OHAP. VII, THE RELIGION OF THE CITY. 209 tells us, among the peoples known as CEnotiians, Os- cans, and Ausonians.* Virgil has mentioned it twice in the -^neid. Old Latinus receives the envoys of ^neas, not in his home, but in a temple, "consecrated by the religion of his ancestors; there took place the sacred feasts after the immolation of the victims; there all the family chiefs sat together at long tables." Far- ther along, when ^neas arrives at the liome of Evander, he finds him celebrating a sacrifice. The king is in the midst of his people; all are crowned with flowers ; all, seated at the same table, sing a hymn in praise of the god of the city. This custom was perpetuated at Rome. There was always a hall where the representatives of the curies ate together. The senate, on certain days, held a sacred repast in the Cnpitol, At the solemn festivals, tables were spread in the streets, and the whole people ate at them. Originally the pontiflfs presided at these repasts ; later, this care was delegated to special priests, wlio were called cpidones} These old customs give us an idea of the close tie which united the members of a city. Human associa- tion was a religion ; its symbol was a meal, of which they partook together. We must picture to ourselves one of these little primitive societies, all assembled, or the heads of families at least, at the same table, each clothed in white, with a crown upon his head ; all make the libation together, recite the same prayer, sing the same hymns, and eat the same food, prepared upon the same altar; in their midst their ancestors are present, and the protecting gods shai'C the meaL Neither in- » Aristotle, Politics, IV. 9, 3. ■ Dionysius, II. 23. Aulus Gellius, XII. 8. Livy, XL. 59. 14