3. But before they had eaten a mouthful Otho made a sign. Immediately the hall was filled with armed men. The emperor ordered the guests neither to move nor speak, on pain of death, whatever might take place. They trembled, and wished themselves away

from the banquet.

4. One of the emperor's officers stood up and read aloud the names of all who had opposed his authority. These unfortunate men had been invited to the feast, and were now sitting at the table. The emperor commanded them to be dragged into the middle of the hall and put to death. The executioner was in readiness, with a broad and heavy sword. One after another, the heads of the condemned persons rolled upon the floor of the hall. No mercy was shown to any of them.

5. When this dreadful scene was over, the emperor turned his attention to the banquet. His stern and wrathful aspect became mild and pleasing. He endeavored to make the other guests enjoy themselves; but probably their appetites were not increased by the sight of dead bodies on the bloody floor. This is a horrible story, and I only tell it to show you the barbarous and cruel character of the men of those times.

6. In the course of years, Italy was divided into several separate states, or sovereignties. The principal of these were Naples, Tus'ca-ny, Par'-ma, Lom'-bar-dy, Gen'-o-a, and Ven'-ice. Rome, with other territories, was given to the pope. Of these I shall hereafter give you a brief account; but before I proceed farther with the history of Rome, I will tell you something of the manners and customs of the ancient Romans.

7. Let me remark, however, that Rome was now totally changed from what it was in the days of Augustus. Not only was the empire broken in pieces, but the proud city of Rome itself had lost its former glory.

8. The number of its inhabitants had greatly diminished; many of its most splendid edifices were falling into ruins, and the people, having been long mixed with barbarians, had lost their former polish, and become partially barbarous themselves.

9. Even the language of Rome and of all Italy gradually became changed. The people had formerly spoken the Latin language; but this became mingled with the languages of the northern invaders, and thus the modern Italian was gradually formed. Such were the wonderful changes in Rome and Italy!

2-5. What did he do? Describe the banquet. 6. How did Italy become divided? 7. What of the changes in Rome? 8. What of the inhabitants, edifices, &c.? 9. The language of Rome?

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

161

CHAPTER

LXXXIII.-EUROPE-CONTINUED.

Manners and Customs of the Ancient Romans.

1. I AM now going to give you an account of the manners and customs of the great people whose history you have just read. I shall tell you about their domestic habits, and about their public observances; about their state of society, their agriculture, dresses, religion, marriage ceremonies, funeral rites, military institutions, and public edifices.

2. The people of Rome, as you know, were at first divided into two classes, the patricians and plebeians. It was to the struggles for power between these ranks that most of the difficulties in the state were owing. To these ranks a third was afterward added, called equites, or knights; the custom of making slaves of the subjects of conquered nations introduced a fourth division.

3. You have seen that the government of Rome was subject to very numerous changes. At one time it was under a king, at others under consuls, dictators, emperors, &c. The other officers of the state were numerous, and invested with different degrees of power.

4. The ministers of religion among the Romans did not form a distinct order of citizens, but were chosen from the most virtuous and honorable men of the state. These attended to the sacrifices of beasts to the gods, and other religious rites. The superstitions of the time gave rise to the establishment of a college of au'-gurs, whose business it was to explain dreams, oracles, and prodigies, and to foretell future events.

5. They drew their auguries, or presages concerning futurity, from the appearance of the heavens and inspection of the entrails of birds and beasts. Of course, they could no more divine the future than the old women you may sometimes meet with in our villages, who pretend to "tell you your fortune," by examining the grounds of coffee-cups.

6. The weakest and most ignorant are now too well informed to give credit to these pretenses. From this fact you can form some opinion as to the general intelligence of the ancient Romans compared with that of our own countrymen.

7. The augurs at Rome interpreted the will of the gods in the affairs of making war and peace, and none dared to dispute their

CHAP. LXXXIII.-2. Into what four ranks or classes were the Roman citizens divided? 3. What of the government? Officers of state? 4. Ministers of religion? Superstitions? How did the augurs proceed? 6. What is said of these superstitions? 7. What more of the augurs?

authority. No business of importance could be proceeded in, without first consulting them; and their advice, whatever it might be, was, by a decree of the senate, to be strictly observed.

8. The office of an augur was important and honorable, and was sought after by many of the principal families in the Roman senate. Cato, the cen'-sor, was a member of their college, and Cicero also; though they both appear to have been fully sensible of the extravagance and folly of the art they practiced. A remark is attributed to Cato, that he wondered how one augur could look in the face of another without laughing.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.-EUROPE-CONTINUED. About Religion. Deities. Temples. Marriages.

1. THE religion of the Romans was borrowed from the Greeks, and included the worship of Ju'-pi-ter, and a multitude of other deities. Every virtue and vice of the human heart, every faculty of the mind and body, every property of the real and imaginary

8. The office of an augur? Cato and Cicero? Remark of Cato?

CHAP. LXXXIV.-1. What of religion?

world, was presided over by its peculiar god. Every grove, and mountain, and stream, had its nymph or naiad, and every hero and sage of the country was elevated to the rank of a divinity.

2. Every religious sect was tolerated at Rome except the Jews and the Christians. These were persecuted with unrelenting cruelty, until the mild precepts of the true religion triumphed over superstition and ignorance. Christianity at length prevailed over conflicting opinions, and was adopted as the religion of the state, A. D. 311.

3. The number of deities whom the Romans worshiped occasioned the erection of a great multitude of temples. Many of these were very splendid edifices, adorned with all the arts of sculpture, and filled with offerings and sacrifices. The priests attended at the temples, and sacrificed sheep, bulls, oxen, and other animals.

4. Those temples erected to the inferior deities were of less magnificence and grandeur, and were merely styled sacred houses. In the dwelling of every wealthy family there was a private chapel, in which they worshiped their household gods. Ancient Rome is said to have contained four hundred and twenty temples, dedicated to different deities.

5. Marriage was very much favored by the laws of Rome, and severe penalties were inflicted on those who remained single. At one period, the censors obliged all the young bachelors to make oath that they would marry within a certain time. Augustus increased the penalties on bachelors, and bestowed rewards on those who were parents of a numerous offspring.

6. The parties were betrothed some time before the actual celebration of the marriage. This was attended with many ceremonies, at which the priests and augurs assisted. The contract of marriage was drawn up in the presence of witnesses, and confirmed by the breaking of a straw between the engaged pair.

7. The bridegroom then presented his bride with the weddingring, and the father of the bride gave a great entertainment. The wedding-ring was worn on the third finger of the left hand, from a notion that a nerve of that finger communicated directly with the heart.

8. In dressing the bride, they never failed to divide her locks with the point of a spear, to signify that she was about to become the wife of a warrior. They then crowned her with a chaplet of flow- · ers, and put on her a vail proper for the occasion.

2. Toleration? Christianity? 3. What is said of the Roman deities? Their tenples? Household gods? 5. Marriage? Penalties? 6. Describe the marriage cere

monies.

9. Her toilet being completed, she was led in the evening toward the bridegroom's house, by three boys, whose parents were still alive. Five torches were carried before her, and also a distaff and spindle. Having come to the door, she herself bound the posts with wreaths of wool, washed over with melted tallow, to keep out witchcraft.

10. In going into the house, she was by no means to touch the threshold, but was to be lifted over by main strength. When she had entered, the bridegroom presented her with the keys, and with two vessels containing fire and water.

11. The bridegroom then gave a grand supper to all the company. The festival was accompanied with music and dancing, and the guests sang verses in praise of the new-married couple.

CHAPTER LXXXV.-EUROPE-CONTINUED.

About Funeral Rites and Ceremonies.

1. THE funeral rites of the Romans present a very interesting subject. Burning the dead, though practiced by the Greeks from very early times, was not adopted in Rome till the later ages of the republic. It afterward became universal and was continued without interruption till the introduction of Christianity. It then gradually fell into disuse.

2. Among the Romans, the bed of the sick was never abandoned to hired nurses and servants. It was attended by the relatives and intimates, who waited till the last hour, and bade a last farewell to their dying friend.

3. The body of the dead was bathed in perfumes, dressed in rich garments, and laid out on a couch strewed with flowers. The outer door of the house was shaded with branches of cypress. According to the heathen my-thol'-o-gy, Cha'-ron would not convey the departed spirit across the Styx without payment of a fixed toll. A small coin was therefore placed in the mouth of the deceased to meet this demand.

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4. The funeral took place by torchlight. The body was borne by near friends and relatives, on an open bier covered with the richest cloth. Lictors dressed in black regulated the procession. If the deceased had been a soldier, the badges of his rank were displayed,

CHAP. LXXXV.-1. What is said of burning the dead? 2. The bed of the dying? 3. The body of the dead? Notion in regard to Charon?