OR THE BURNING OF THE DEAD. 117 
mortal, by her father Puorcys; who, by means of the vivifying 
flames, infused new life into her stiffened limbs : 
"Hy abbis ras ne 
Daeuas nareribay Ao@yiory dounrare, 
, ? fi, > 7, yas 
Acaroy 8 recusouy gdasay becy- 
Lycopuron, Cassandr. ver. 44. V. Porren, ii. 208. 
It is pretended that the fire, by which the body of Hercurzs 
was consumed, was kindled by the thunderbolt of Jove; and 
that, in this manner, the son was called into the presence of his 
divine parent : Eir éravqyarye die oe Keouwvis mueog re0g eauroy *. 
As the Greeks and Romans forbade the cremation of any who 
had been killed by lightning +, it is not improbable that this 
prohibition might originate from the idea, that such persons 
had been already purified, or consecrated, by the stroke of fire 
from heaven. 
It may be observed in addition, that the rites of apotheosis; 
or consecration, an honour given to the Emperors of Rome, 
evidently include the idea that the soul was not completely re- 
leased from its mortal entanglements, save by the influence of 
fire. The body, indeed, was previously burned: But an image 
of the person in wax was substituted; and consumed on a lofty 
and costly pile, with all possible pomp and solemnity. This 
pile consisted of four different frames of wood, gradually de- 
creasing in their dimensions, and placed one: above another. 
When the fire had nearly reached the fourth or highest frame, 
an eagle was let loose from it, “ which, ascending with the 
“« flames towards the skies, was supposed to carry the prince’s 
“ soul to heaven t.” On some of the coins, struck in memo-. 
ry. 
* Juuian. Imp. Orat. vii. p. 408.; ap. Spannem. ut sup. p. 241. 
+ V. Gorner. de Jure Manium, lib. i. c. 3. 
+ V. Heropian. Hist, lib, iy. 
