OR THE BURNING OF THE DEAD. 125 
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were by the Romans called Bustuarii, because their blood was 
shed before the bustum, which was the designation given to the 
funeral-pile, after the body was combustum, or burnt; or, as 
others say, quasi bene ustwm, thoroughly burnt or consumed. 
For it bore the name of rogus, while the fire continued to 
burn; because, as Servius explains it, during this operation 
the attendants continued rogare, to call upon or invoke the 
manes of their departed friend. They sometimes sacrificed 
beasts, as oxen, swine, &c. which they threw into the blazing 
pile. 
Multa boum circa mactantur corpora morti, 
Setigerasque sues, raptasque ex omnibus agris 
Tn flammam jugulant pecudes. 
“En, lib. xi, 
It must be acknowledged, however, that while the ancients, 
in some passages, unquestionably speak of these offerings as 
made to the manes, or ghost, of the person whose funeral was 
celebrated, in others their language can apply only to the Di 
Manes, or infernal gods. This inconsistency causes consider- 
able difficulty in attempting to form a judgment with respect 
to their proper design in these oblations. 
When the body was consumed, they extinguished the fire by 
pouring wine upon it. This is said to have been done, that 
they might more easily collect the bones and ashes. But even 
this has much the appearance of a sacrifical act, and may ori- 
ginally ‘have ‘been ‘meant as a libation. Water, because of its 
purity, might otherwise have been preferred for extinguishing 
the flames. From the manner in which Homer describes the 
employment of AcuitiEs, while watching the flaming pile of 
Parrocius by night, it would seem: that he continued to pour 
wine on the ground, as a libation to the manes of his friend : 
‘Osvov 
