Chap. 5.] PEESONS CEOWjTOD WITH LEAVES. 343 



divinity, hence it is that Homer 26 awards them only to the 

 gods of heaven and to the entire army ; but never to an indi- 

 vidual, however great his achievements in battle may have 

 been. It is said, too, that Father Liber was the first of all 

 who placed a crown on his head, and that it was made of ivy. 27 

 In succeeding times, those engaged in sacrifices in honour of 

 the gods began to wear them, the victims being decked with 

 wreaths as well. More recently, again, they were employed 

 in the sacred games; 28 and at the present day they are be- 

 stowed on such occasions, not upon the victor, indeed, but 

 upon his country, which receives, it is proclaimed, this crown at 

 his hands. 29 Hence arose the usage of conferring wreaths upon 

 warriors when about to enjoy a triumph, for them to conse- 

 crate in the temples : after which it became the custom to 

 present them at our games. It would be a lengthy matter, 

 and, indeed, foreign to the purpose of this work, to enter upon 

 a discussion who was the first Roman that received each kind 

 of crown ; in fact, they were acquainted with none but such as 

 were given as the reward of military prowess. It is a well- 

 known fact, however, that this people has more varieties of 

 crowns than those of all other nations put together. 



CHAP. 5. PEESONS PEESENTED WITH A CROWtf OF LEAVES. 



Romulus presented Hostus Hostilius 30 with a crown of leaves, 

 for being the first to enter Fidense. This Hostus was the 

 grandfather of King Tullus Hostilius. P. Decius the elder, 

 the military tribune, was presented with a crown of leaves by 

 the army which had been saved by his valour, under the com- 

 mand of Cornelius Cossus, 31 the consul, in the war with the 

 Samnites. This crown was made at first of the leaves of the 

 holm oak, but afterwards those of the sesculus 32 were pre- 

 ferred, as being a tree sacred to Jupiter : this, however, was 

 soon employed indifferently with the quercus, according as 



26 II. xiii, 736. 



27 See cc. 34 and 35 of the present Book. 



28 The Olympian, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemeean games. 



29 See B. vii. c. 27. 



30 He is called Tullus Hostilius by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, the same 

 as his grandson. 



31 a.u.c. 411. The leaves of the holm-oak were employed by Romulus 

 on the occasion above-mentioned. 



33 These varieties of the oak will he considered in the next chapter. 



