OR THE BURNING OP THE DEAD. 109 



The language of Virgil proves, that the Romans were not 

 strangers to the same kind of idolatry. As the mountain So- 

 racte was consecrated to Apollo, his votaries manifested their 

 ardour in his service, by rushing through the burning coals of 

 the fire lighted up in honour of their god. 



Summe deum, sancti custos Soractis Apollo, 

 Quem primi colimus, cui pineus ardor acervo 

 Pascitur, et medium freti pietate per ignem 

 Cultores multa premiums vestigia prima ■> 

 Da pater hoc nostris aboleri dedecus armis 

 Omnipotens. . ./En. lib. xi. 



Servius explains the term acervo, " Pyra coacervatione lig- 

 " norum." Perhaps he did not use the word as denoting a fu- 

 neral-pile, as it also signifies a bonefire. There is indeed no 

 reason for supposing, that Virgil referred to the burning of 

 the dead. We learn the meaning of this language from the 

 testimony of Pliny : " Haud procul urbe Roma in Faliscorum 

 " agro familiae sunt paucae, quae vocantur Hirpi^e : quae sacrifi- 

 " cio annuo, quod fit ad montem Soractem Apollini, super 

 " ambustam ligni struem ambulantes non aduruntur." JVat. 

 Hist. lib. vii. c. 2. The same species of worship is described 

 by Silius Italicus, lib. v. ver. 175. 



I need scarcely observe, that, as Apollo was the same with 

 the Sun, the passage affords a proof of the striking analogy be- 

 tween his worship among the Romans, and that which has been 

 already illustrated. Did we know the particular day annually 

 consecrated in this manner, the coincidence might be still 

 more remarkable. 



The early Greeks ascribed the same efficacy to fire. Homer, 

 accordingly, makes Ulysses, after the slaughter of those who 



sought 



