Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 355 



LIX. — On the Ceremonial Turn, called "Desiul." By Saiiuel 

 Ferguson, Q.C., LL.D., V.P. 



[Bead June 12, 1876.] 



I wotted preface what I propose to say by adducing a fable, hitherto, 

 I believe, unexplained, from Hyginus (Fab. ccv.) : — 



" Arge, a huntress, pursuing a stag, said, ' Although thou followest the 

 course of the Sun, yet will I follow thee ;' at which the Sun, being displeased, 

 changed her into a doe." 



[Arge venatrix, cum cervum sequeretur, cervo dixisse f ertur : Tu licet Solis 

 cursum sequaris, tamen te consequar. Sol, iratus, in cervam earn convertit.] 



Ovid has not dignified this fable by admitting it into his Metamor- 

 phoses ; and Arge' s offence remains only thus obscurely indicated. We 

 shall find its explanation here in the west of Europe ; but will better 

 approach it by the way of some further illustration from the Classics. 



Plutarch, in his Lives, relates the following incident, which hap- 

 pened to Marcellus when he led the Eoman Legions against the Gauls, 

 under their king Yiridomarus : — 



" He was now advancing to the charge, when his horse, terrified with the shouts 

 of the Gauls, turned short and forcibly carried him back. Marcellus, fearing that 

 this, interpreted by superstition, should cause some wonder in his troops, quickly 

 pulled the rein, and, turning his horse again towards the enemy, paid his adorations 

 to the sun, as if that movement had been made, not by accident but design, for 

 the Romans always turn round when they worship the Gods." 



[ v H8t7 8e irais els e/j.0o\T]v iiricrTpecpovTos avrov, crwrvyxdvei rbv 'lirirov itTvpeuTa 

 Tjj yavp6r7]Ti twv iro\e/j.(wv airoTpaireadai Kai /8ia cpepeiv OTrlcra> rbv MdpKeWov. 5 

 8e tovto Seicras, fj.7] rapaxv v e ' K deiffiSaifiovlas ro7s 'Pou/xaiois evepyd<T7]Tcu, raxv 

 irepHTirdcras i<(>' r\v'iav t£ xaAfi/aJ/zcai ■Kepiarpiipas rbv 'linrov Ivavriov tols TraiXe/xiois, 

 rbv rjKiov avrbs irpo<TeKvvricrei>, &s 5tj [XT] Kara tvxv\v aAA' eveKa rovrov rrj 

 irepiayoiyrj ^pTjcra^e^os, ovtoo yap edos earl 'Pwfiaiois irpoffKvveiv tovs deobs irepi- 

 aTpe<pofx£vovs.~\ 



If we inquire how it was that Marcellus, in his career, performed 

 the ceremonial of worshipping the sun, we may refer again to the same 

 source, where, in his Life of JSTuma, Plutarch, — after stating that the 

 Pythagoreans place the element of fire in the centre of the Universe, 

 supposing the earth " not to be without motion, nor situated in the 

 centre of the world, but to make its revolution round the sphere of 

 fire," — goes on to say, " Many of his institutions resemble those of 

 Pythagoras; as, inter alia, to turn round when you worship;" and 

 adds — 



" The turning round in adoration is said to represent the circular motion of the 

 world. But I rather think that, as the temples opened towards the East, suchasentered 

 them, necessarily turning their backs upon the rising sun, made a half turn to that 

 quarter, in honour of the God of day, and then completed the circle as well as their 

 devotion "3 with their faces towards the God of the temple." 



SEK. II., VOL. I., POL. LIT. & ANTIQ. 3 B 



