124 ON THE ORIGIN OP CREMATION, 



inhuman act of burning the living with the dead. This act is in- 

 variably performed in the vicinity of a river. For all the ashes 

 of the dead are collected, and completely dispersed on the wa- 

 ter; as if they accounted both these elements, which other 

 nations used for purification, necessary for perfecting this hor- 

 rid consecration. 



There can be no doubt that the Greeks and Romans also 

 worshipped fire, under the names of Er<« and Vesta. It may 

 be remarked by the way, that as the Latin name of this deity 

 is evidently from the Greek, some learned writers have with 

 great probability traced the Greek word to that country in 

 which, it has been supposed, fire-worship had its origin. The 

 Chaldaic term Esth signifies fire, synonymous with Hebrew 

 ft#N, ashch *. 



Whether cremation was originally meant as a sacrifice or 

 not, it cannot be denied that a variety of circumstances were 

 conjoined with it, which had the closest connexion with this 

 act of religion. 



The funeral-pile was erected in the form of an altar. Hence 

 the language of Virgil, when describing the obsequies of Mi- 

 senus ; 



- Aramque sepulchri 



Congerere arboribus, cseloque educere certant. 



JEn. lib. vi. 



Cremation was accompanied with the oblation of victims. 

 Originally the blood of captives was shed. Achilles sacrificed 

 twelve gallant Trojans in honour of his friend Patroclus f. 

 Gladiators were afterwards substituted for captives. These 



were 



* V. Stuckii Sacr. p. 151.; Pier. Hieroglyph, fol. 135, b.; Bochart. de 

 Mn. p. 13. 



+ Iliad. * ver. 175. 



