Chap. 5.] 
PEESOlSrS CROWlOiD WITH LEAVES. 
343 
divinity, hence it is that Homer awards them only to the 
gods of heaven and to the entire army ; but never to an indi- 
vidual, however great his achievements in battle may have 
been. It is said, too, that Father Liber was the first of all 
who placed a crown on his head, and that it was made of ivy.^^ 
In succeeding times, those engaged in sacrifices in honour of 
the gods began to wear them, the victims being decked with 
wreaths as well. More recently, again, they were employed 
in the sacred games and at the present day they are be- 
stowed on such occasions, not upon the victor, indeed, but 
upon his country, which receives, it is proclaimed, this crown at 
his hands. Hence arose the usage of conferring wreaths upon 
warriors when about to enjoy a triumph, for them to conse- 
crate in the temples : after which it became the custom to 
present them at our games. It would be a lengthy matter, 
and, indeed, foreign to the purpose of this work, to enter upon 
a discussion who was the first Roman that received each kind 
of crown ; in fact, they were acquainted with none but such as 
were given as the reward of military prowess. It is a well- 
known fact, however, that this people has more varieties of 
crowns than those of all other nations put together. 
CHAP. 5. PEESONS PEESENTED WITH A CEOWIT OF LEAVES. 
Romulus presented Hostus Hostilius^^ with a crown of leaves, 
for being the first to enter Fidense. This Hostus was the 
grandfather of King TuUus Hostilius. P. Decius the elder, 
the military tribune, was presented with a crown of leaves by 
the army which had been saved by his valour, under the com- 
mand of Cornelius Cossus,^^ the consul, in the war with the 
Samnites. This crown was made at first of the leaves of the 
holm oak, but afterwards those of the sesculus^^ were pre- 
ferred, as being a tree sacred to Jupiter : this, however, was 
soon employed indifferently with the quercus, according as 
26 II. xiii, 736. 
2^ See cc. 34 and 35 of the present Book. 
28 The Olympian, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemsean games. 
29 See B. vii. c. 27. 
20 He is called Tullus Hostilius by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, the same 
as his grandson, 
31 A.u.c. 411. The leaves of the holm-oak were employed by Eomulus 
on the occasion above-mentioned. 
32 These varieties of the oak will be considered in the next chapter. 
