OR THE BURNING OF THE DEAD. 1 1 



" 



mortal, by her father Phorcys ; who, by means of the vivifying 

 flames, infused new life into her stiffened limbs : 



"Hv OLV&, 



1a,^/.ag zccrctiOuv Xo$»)<riv ooy.r,(raTt } 



A I ' / 1\ ' A' / 



i'zrvviv a toi^xituv xOouav esccv' 



Lycophron. Cassandr. ver. 44. V. Potter, ii. 208. 



It is pretended that the fire, by which, the body of Hercules 

 was consumed, was kindled by the thunderbolt of Jove j and 

 that, in this manner, the son was called into the presence of his 

 divine parent : E/r ixuvtiywye dia, r£ Kepavvia wvpof Tgog tavrov . 

 As the Greeks and Romans forbade the cremation of any who 

 had been killed by lightning f , 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 J." On some of the coins, struck in memo- 

 ry 



* Julian. Imp. Orat. vii. p. 408. ; ap. Spanhem. ut sup. p. 241. 



•f- V. Guther. de Jure Manium, lib. i. c. 3. 



+ 



a 



