ROMAN MYTHOLOGY. 153 
the right hand, and a shield in the left, and marched dancing through the 
streets of Rome, striking their swords incessantly upon their shields. 
The Martial Games, which were celebrated annually, constituted the 
principal festival of Mars. Their features were a horse-race in the circus, and 
afterwards the sacrifice of a horse in Mars’s field or Campus Martius. Pl. 
28, jig. 27, represents the ceremony of this sacrifice. A magnificent statue 
of the god stands on a beautiful pedestal, before which is an altar on which 
the fire is burning. At the side of the altar are vases and sacrificial vessels, 
the officiating priest stands before it, and after offering a prescribed prayer, 
casts a laurel twig into the flames. Behind him is seen a youth crowned 
with laurel and playing martial music, and at his left is a boy with the 
sacred casket. Several other priests, adorned with wreaths and engaged in 
minor parts of the sacrifice, appear in connexion with armed men around 
the horse which is to be sacrificed. One man standing behind the statue of 
the god holds a laurel crown. 
The name of our month March (A/artwus) was obviously derived from 
Mars, and being the first in the Roman year, is an evidence of the exalted 
rank which the Romans assigned to him. 
5. Mercurtus (Hermes), after the Romans began their commercial career, 
occupied a distinguished position in mythology. Generally the same func- 
tions were ascribed to him in Rome as in Greece, and as god of traffic he 
was highly honored by merchants. During a holiday appointed in honor 
of Mercury they marched in procession to his fountain at the Porta Capena 
in short tunics, and each carrying with him some of his articles of mer- 
chandise. Taking water from the fountain, and immersing in it a branch 
of laurel, they sprinkled themselves and their goods as an expiation for their 
lying and fraud in business. 
In Rome alone Mercury had five temples. His festival occurred on the 
15th of May, which is named after his mother, d/aia. The representations 
of Mercury were exactly like those of Hermes, and we therefore refer to 
these, mentioning in addition a Roman statue representing him as a youth 
without any distinguishing marks (pl. 24, jig. 28). 
6. Vuicanvs (Hephestos) was worshipped in Rome from the age of Romu- 
lus as the god of smiths. In the Vulcanalia, a festival in honor of him, 
it was customary to offer a boar, a red calf, and other red animals, and 
prayers were made for averting the dangers of fire. Wherever there were 
volcanic mountains or earthquakes, temples were erected to Vulcan and his 
worship was celebrated with great magniticence. He is represented like 
the Grecian Hepheestos, and the same myths are told of both. 
7. Avotto, though at first regarded as simply the god of the bow a 
arrows, was very extensively and magnificently worshipped when the 
aman began to develope a taste for the sciences. During the games of 
Apollo neat Nenttle and goats were sacrificed to him. The Sake. also pre- 
vailed that Apollo, as the deliverer from the curse, would undertake the 
redemption of the sinful world. His history and representation correspond 
with those of the Grecian Apollo. 
8. Venus (Aphrodite) received the same distinctions among the Romans 
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