266 Gronovius, in a note to Tacitus, (Annal. 111. 64.) one is recorded, who had been a Vestal 64 years. As they entered the priesthood very young, at an age not exceeding ten years, it is natural to suppose, that, even after the thirty years of service, that is, at the age of forty or less, the inclination to the married state, and the pleasures of social freedom, from which they had been debarred, might not be subdued. But to the gratification of such a propensity was opposed the loss of many great advantages, for the enjoyment of which long habit must have given them a taste and relish. They would, in particular, ill bear the privation of that respect and honour, to which they had been accustomed, and not endure to see them succeeded by neglect and contempt from the public. For a Vestal, that had quitted her sacred station from worldly motives, was not likely to meet with much regard from a superstitious or prejudiced people. In speaking of the privileges and distinctions, appertaining to the Vestals, we may begin with the words of Dionysius Hal. (11. 67. ed. Reiske): Τιμαὶ δὲ αὐταῖς παραδέδονται παρὰ τῆς πόλεως πολλαὶ καὶ kaλaí—great and noble are the honours which are bestowed upon them by the state. From the moment one was chosen, though only a child, she was put in full possession of all her civil rights; the patria potestas over her ceased: she could make her will (habebat jus testandi, seu testamenti faciundi,) and perform other acts of law, which were competent to a free citizen. See Gellius (1. 12.), and Plutarch (Numa, c. 10.) It is necessary to transcribe the passage from the latter author, in order to correct an inaccuracy, of which he seems to be guilty. He is speaking of Numa instituting the order of the Vestals, and proceeds thus : τιμὰς δὲ μεγάλας ἀπέδωκεν αὐταῖς, ὧν ἐστι καὶ τὸ διαθέσθαι ζῶντος ἐξεῖναι πατρὸς, καὶ τ ̓ ἀλλα πράττειν ἄνευ προστάτου διαγούσας, ὥσπερ αἱ τρίπαιδες;—he (Numa) conferred upon them great honours, of which one is to have the power of making their will, in the life-time of their father, and to perform other acts, being without a curator, as married women with three children. If Plutarch means to say, that Numa gave them what is called, in the Roman law, jus trium liberorum, it is a great oversight for every one who is acquainted with that law, knows that this prerogative did not exist in those early days, but had its origin in the time of Augustus, being founded on the Lex Julia de maritandis ordinibus, enacted in the year of Rome, 736, and the lex Papia Poppaa, de præmiis liberos habentium, of the year 761. The jus trium liberorum conferred some important legal advantages, for instance, that of succeeding to an inheritance without a will and testament, as heir at law: and that of receiving a legacy bequeathed; of which privileges the childless were deprived. That right, or jus, was bestowed upon the Vestals, not by Numa, but by Augustus, as Dio Cassius expressly mentions (Lib. LVI. p. 814. lin. 100. ed. Reimar.) καὶ ταῖς ἀειπαρθένοις πάντ ̓, ὅσαπερ αἱ τεκοῦσαι εἶχον, ἐχαρίσατο—h bestowed upon the Vestal Virgins all the privileges, which the mothers of families enjoyed. This act of Augustus is referred to the year of Rome, 762. 267 ! I will now enumerate some of the honors, by which the Vestals were distinguished. They were preceded by lictors, when they went out, like the first dignities in the state-ῥαβδουχοῦνται προϊοῦσαι. (Plutarch, Num. 10.) This mark of distinction was not of early date, but from the time of the triumvirate of Octavius, M. Antony, and Lepidus, the year of Rome 712. This we learn from Dio Cassius, who likewise informs us of the circumstances, to which that privilege was owing. It happened that one of the Vestals coming home one evening, was insulted by some libertines who did not know who she was; and, to prevent any similar occurrence, the Triumvirs decreed, that each Vestal should have one lictor for her protection when she went out. The original motive of this attendance, therefore, was security. The passage in Dio Cassius is Lib. XLVII. p. 504. lin. 54. ed. Reimar. ταῖς δὲ ἀειπαρθένοις ῥαβδούχῳ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῃ χρῆσθαι· ὅτε τις αὐτῶν ἀπὸ δείπνου πρὸς ἑσπέραν οἴκαδε ἐπανιοῦσα ἀγνοήθη τε καὶ ßpioon they (the Triumvirs,) allowed the Vestals to have each a lictor; because one of them coming home in the evening from a banquet had been mistaken and insulted. When they met any of the magistrates and high dignities, these were obliged to go out of the way for them, and order their lictors to drop the fasces in token of respect. Seneca, Excerpt. Controvers. VI. 8. Magistratus suos fusces submittunt: consules prætoresque viâ cedunt. If a Vestal happened to meet a criminal on his way to execution, he was immediately set at liberty, and exempted from the intended punishment. The Vestal, however, was obliged to declare on her oath, that this meeting was accidental, and not purposely contrived. (Plutarch, Num. 10.) If any one had the presumption to pass under a litter, in which a Vestal was carrying, he was punished with death, (ibid.) Even the power of the tribunes of the people, that uncontrollable authority, seems to have bowed respectfully before the Vestals. Suetonius, (Tib. 2.) relates, that a Vestal, who was of the Claudian family, was enabled by the respect which her sacred character commanded, to ensure the honour of a triumph to her brother, in opposition to the will of the people: for the tribunes did not venture to use their veto, or stop the procession. Etiam Virgo Vestalis fratrem in jussu populi triumphantem, ascenso simul curru, usque ad Capitolium prosecuta est, ne vetare aut intercedere fas cuiquam tribunorum esset. This circumstance is also mentioned by Cicero, pro Cœlio, c. 14. and by Valer. Max. IV. 6. who both agree in saying that it was her father, and not her brother, whom the Vestal Claudia thus protected. From the veneration in which the Vestals were held, their intercession always had great weight; and was, therefore, often sought by those who were in difficulty and danger. Their good offices, for example, were employed to save Cæsar from the displeasure of Sulla. (Sueton. Jul. 1.) donec per Virgines Vestales, perque Mamercum Æmilium, et Aurelium Cottam, propinquos et affines suos, veniam impetravit. Thus Tiberius paid great regard to the petition of the Vestal Torquata, in behalf of her brother Silurus. Tacit. Annal. 111. 69. And the entreaties of Vibidia, addressed to Claudius in favor of the wretched Messalina, though eluded by Narcissus the Emperor's favorite, could with difficulty be resisted. Tacit. Annal. XI. 34. Vitellius, finding himself hard pressed by his opponents, and almost reduced to extremities, sent the Vestals with letters to one of the generals of Vespasian. Tacit. Hist. III. 81. Obviæ fuere et Virgines Vestales cum epistolis Vitellii ad Antonium scriptis.-Virgines cum honore dimissa. The same is mentioned by Dio Cassius (Lib. LXV. p. 1073. ed. Reimar.) πρεσβεῖς μετὰ τῶν ἀειπαρθένων ἔπεμψε.To do honor to the victorious Octavian, the senate directed that a solemn procession, with the Vestals at the head, should go out to meet him on his return to Rome. This was in the year 724. U. C. Dio Cass. Lib. LI. p. 649. ed. Reimar. καὶ ἐς τὴν πόλιν εἰσίοντι αὐτῷ τάς τε ἱερείας τὰς ἀειπαρθένους, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν τόν τε δῆμον μετά τε τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ μerà Twv Téкvwv áπavτñoai ëyvwoav. -In the theatre, and at every public exhibition, the Vestals had the most honorable place assigned them. Sueton. Aug. 44. Virginibus Vestalibus locum in theatro sepa ratim et contra prætoris tribunal dedit. And Tiberius ordered, that his mother, Livia, to whom he always paid the most marked respect, should, when she went to the theatre, be seated where the Vestals were. Tacit. Ann. IV. 16.: quotiens Augusta theatrum introisset, ut sedes inter Vestalium consideret. The following may also serve as a proof of the extreme veneration in which they were held. Dio Cassius relates that Caligula wishing to testify that high regard which he entertained for his aunt Antonia, conferred upon her the distinctions peculiar to the Vestals; and in the same manner he honoured his sisters. Lib. LIX. p. 904. ed. Reimar. Týy te týðŋv rùv 'Avrwviav πλεῖστα ὅσα εὐσεβῶς ποιήσας—ταύτην γὰρ Αὐγούσταν τε εὐθὺς καὶ ἱερείαν τοῦ Αὐγούστου ἀποδείξας, πάντα αὐτῇ καθάπαξ ὅσα ταῖς ἀειπαρθένοις ὑπάρχει ἔδωκε, καὶ ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς ταῦτά τε τὰ τῶν ἀειπαρθένων. Hence it appears that a Vestal was an important personage, and it will not surprise us that Tacitus mentions the death of such an individual among the remarkable occurrences of the year. (Annal. xv. 22.) Defunctaque Virgo Vestalis Lælia, in cujus locum Cornelia, é familiá Cossorum, capta est. In short, nothing could surpass the respect which the Roman people showed them. Plutarch, therefore, justly asks the question (in Ti. Gracch. 15.): τί δ' οὕτως ἅγιον ἐν Ῥώμῃ καὶ σεμνὸν ὡς αἱ περιέπουσαι παρθένοι καὶ φυλάττουσαι τὸ ἄφθιτον πῦρ; what is there so sacred and so venerable in Rome, as the virgins that tend and guard the imperishable fire? And Seneca, in the same spirit, addresses a similar query to one of the Vestals. (Excerpt. Controv. VI. 8.) Numquid exiguâ mercede virgo es?" are the compensations, which you receive for the duties of your situation, trifling?" 269 THE SHIPWRECK OF ST. PAUL; UNLOOSE the helm, the lofty mast-head scale, Guide me where check'd the sullen billow waits, There milder breaks on Europe's southern shores; Gladly I ride, where heroes plough'd the deep; Shout, where they triumph'd; where they perish'd, weep. Hail, first-born tenants of the watery waste! Nor thou the least in honor mid the throng, Yet round thy rock the Muse her wreath shall twine, Still o'er thy towers, in mystic pomp on high, I Philip II. of Spain. NO. XXX. CI. JI. VOL. XV. T Thy barrier rock still bared its dauntless breast, Nor then alone thy sons the cross rever'd, And view the SAVIOUR in the godlike PAUL. Dark was the night, and loud the tempest's roar, Thine were the gifts of more than Nature's birth- Thine was the look to Heaven's own fire allied, Whose with'ring glance could blast the brow of Pride: But say, doth He, the Just One, thus reward ? |