228 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



** of a fécond table are ferved up : while the altars 

 *' are loaded with piles of rich offerings. The Sa- 

 " Hans advance, their brows adorned with boughs 

 " of poplar, and furround the blazing altars, with 

 " fcftive fongs and dances.'* 



Every circumftance, here detailed by the Poet, 

 is far from being a mere poetical fidion, but a real 

 tradition of the Roman Hiftory. According to 

 Titus Lhiusy in the firft Book of his Hiftory, Po- 

 iitius and Pinarhis were the Chiefs of two illuftrious 

 Roman Families. Evander inflrufled them in the 

 ritual of the worfliip to be paid to Herades, and 

 committed the conduâ: of it to their charge. Their 

 pofterity enjoyed the dignity of this prieflhood, 

 down to the cenforfliip of Appius Claudius. The- 

 altar of Hercules , Ara Maxima^ was at Rome, be=- 

 tween the Aventine and the Palatine mountains, 

 in the open place called, forum Boarium. The Sa- 

 lians were the Priefts of Mars, inftituted by Numa, 

 to the number of twelve. Firgil proceeds on the 

 fqppofition, according to feme commentators, 

 that they bad exifted ever fince the days of King 

 Evander, and that they fung in the facrifices of 

 Hercules, But there is a great appearance of pro- 

 bability, that Firgil in this, likewife, followed the 

 Hiftorical tradition ; for we know how carefully 

 he coUedled, with a kind of religious ardor, even 



the 



