OR THE BURNING OF THE DEAD. 119 



ing, introduces the Brachmans, and refersjto the history of Ca- 

 lanus, who, leaving his own society, followed Alexander the 

 Great from India. " The Brachmans," he says, " do not leap 

 " into the fire like Onesicritus, the Governor of Alexander, 

 " who, it is related, when he saw Calanus burning, flung him- 

 " self into the flames ; but after thev have erected the funeral- 

 " pile, standing immoveable beside it, patiently allow them- 

 " selves to be accosted, then ascending it with dignity, are 

 li consumed, not shrinking in the slightest degree from the ap- 

 " proach of the fire *." But, as it was the design of Lucian to 

 ridicule the philosophers, he assigns no other reason for this con- 

 duct than the love of vainglory. To the same motive does he 

 ascribe the act of Peregrinus, a Stoic, or, as he says, a Cynic 

 philosopher, who devoted himself to the flames. 



Celsus the Epicurean, however, as quoted by Origen, view- 

 ed this suicidal act in a more favourable light. His testimony 

 corresponds with that of Porphyry. His language intimates, 

 that, what virtue soever might be ascribed to the flame of the 

 funeral-pile, in ordinary circumstances, the effect was supposed 

 to be far greater, if any one consigned himself to it alive. Ori- 

 gen thus expresses his sentiments : " Celsus says, that it is im- 

 " pious to violate the laws of our country in regard to the bles- 

 " sed 9 termination of life (as it is accounted) by the funeral- 

 " pile, into which those who voluntarily cast themselves are 

 " perfectly purified in their aberration from life f ." 



Quintilian ascribes the same purifying efficacy to the fune- 

 ral-pile. Speaking of the soul, he says j " Quoties humani pecto- 



" ris 



* Lucian. de Morte Peregrin. Oper. ii. p. 576. 



fii'ov l|<Ad:-iv. 5j TToivraf x.x$xi?icr&xt riii htvtis? ■xx^xdioovrxi ra 7rvgi, xxi rif Six tw^x; olvrx&Xxy?, 

 7ij xtto r» /3i'». Origen. cont. Cels. Lib. v. p. 249« " Kxixi^ua-Sxt," says the learned Stuc- 

 kius, " idem quod Xvftxinm -, expiare, resecrare, purgare, expurgare, purificare." Sacr, Sa= 

 crific. Descript. p. 123. . 



