'OR THE BURNING OF THE DEAD. 12!) 



were by the Romans called Bustiiarii, because their blood was 

 shed before the bustum, which was the designation given to the 

 funeral-pile, after the body was combusium, or burnt ; or, a* 

 others say, quasi bene ustum, thoroughly burnt or consumed. 

 For it bore the name of rogus, while the fire continued to 

 burn : because, fis Servius explains it, during this operation 

 the attendants continued rogarc, to call upon or invoke the 

 manes of their departed friend. They sometimes sacrificed 

 beasts, as oxen, swine, &c. which they threw into the blazing 

 pile. 



Multa bourn circa mactantur corpora morti, 

 Setigerasque sue.*, raptasque ex omnibus agris 

 In flammam jugulant pecudes. 



JEn. lib. xi. 



It must be acknowledged, however, that while the ancients, 

 in some passages, unquestionably speak of these offerings as 

 made to the manes, or ghost, of the person whose funeral was 

 celebrated, in others their language can apply only to the Dil 

 Manes, or infernal gods. This inconsistency causes consider- 

 able difficulty in attempting to form a judgment with respect 

 to their proper design in these oblations. 



When the body was consumed, they extinguished the fire by 

 pouring wine upon it. This is said to have been done, that 

 they might more easily collect the bones and ashes. But even 

 this has much the appearance of a sacrifical act, and may ori- 

 ginally have been meant as a libation. Water, because of its 

 purity, might otherwise have been preferred for extinguishing 

 the flames. From the manner in which Homer describes the 

 employment of Achilles, while watching the flaming pile of 

 Patroclus by night, it would seem- that he continued to pour 

 wine on the ground, as a libation to the manes of his friend : 



Omv 



