BOOK XVI. III. 8-iv. lo 



platform,'* like a ^vreath crowning the Roman 

 nation. But later they began to be trampled on and 

 polluted by the seditions of the tribunes, and power 

 began to pass from public into private ownership, 

 and to be sought for the advancement of individual 

 citizens, and the sacrosanct tribunes began to make 

 all things profane ; and after this the Rams passed 

 from underneath the feet of the speakers to the 

 heads of the citizens ; th-is Wreath of Rams Augustus 

 bestowed upon Agrippa, but he himself received the 

 Civdc Wreath from the whole of mankind. 



IV. In olden times indeed no Civic Wreath was History o/ 

 presented save to a deity — that is why Homer assigns hmow. "^ 

 a wreath only to heaven ^ and to a whole battle-field,'' 

 but to no man individually even in combat — and 

 it is said that father Liber was the first to set a crown 

 on his own head, a wTeath of ivy. Afterwards persons 

 performing sacrifices in honom* of the gods assumed 

 crowns, the \ictims being adorned with wTeaths as 

 well. Most recently of all they were also brought 

 into use in ritual competitions, but in these and at the 

 present day they are not bestowed on the winner, 

 but an announcement is made that by him a viTeath 

 is conferred upon his native place ; and from this 

 has arisen the custom of also bestowing wreaths on 

 victorious generals about to go in a triumplial pro- 

 cession, for them to dedicate as offerings in the 

 temples, and also subsequently the practice of 

 presenting wreaths at the games. To discuss who 

 was the fiirst Roman to receive each kind of wreath 

 would be a lengthy matter, and not relevant to 

 the plan of this work, and as a matter of fact 

 the Roraans were only acquainted with those given 

 for mihtary achievements ; but it is a well-known 



393 



