The Religious Experience of the Roman People | Page 3

Prayer; the phrase Macte esto and its importance in explaining Roman
sacrifice. Magical survivals in Roman and Italian prayers; yet they are
essentially religious 169-199
LECTURE IX
RITUAL (continued)
Vota (vows) have suggested the idea that Roman worship was
bargaining. Examination of private vows, which do not prove this; of
public vows, which in some degree do so. Moral elements in both these.
Other forms of vow: evocatio and devotio.
Lustratio: meaning of lustrare in successive stages of Roman
experience. Lustratio of the farm and pagus; of the city; of the people
(at Rome and Iguvium); of the army; of the arms and trumpets of the
army: meaning of lustratio in these last cases, both before and after a
campaign 200-222
LECTURE X
THE FIRST ARRIVAL OF NEW CULTS IN ROME
Recapitulation of foregoing lectures. Weak point of the organised State
religion: it discouraged individual development. Its moral influence
mainly a disciplinary one; and it hypnotised the religious instinct.
Growth of a new population at end of regal period, also of trade and

industry. New deities from abroad represent these changes: Hercules of
Ara Maxima; Castor and Pollux; Minerva. Diana of the Aventine
reflects a new relation with Latium. Question as to the real religious
influence of these deities. The Capitoline temple of Jupiter, Juno, and
Minerva, of Etruscan origin. Meaning of cult-titles Optimus Maximus,
and significance of this great Jupiter in Roman religious experience
223-247
LECTURE XI
CONTACT OF THE OLD AND NEW IN RELIGION
Plan of this and following lectures. The formalised Roman religion
meets with perils, material and moral, and ultimately proves inadequate.
Subject of this lecture, the introduction of Greek deities and rites; but
first a proof that the Romans were a really religious people; evidence
from literature, from worship, from the practice of public life, and from
Latin religious vocabulary.
Temple of Ceres, Liber, Libera (Demeter, Dionysus, Persephone); its
importance for the date of Sibylline influence at Rome. Nature of this
influence; how and when it reached Rome. The keepers of the
"Sibylline books"; new cults introduced by them. New rites: lectisternia
and supplicationes, their meaning and historical importance 248-269
LECTURE XII
THE PONTIFICES AND THE SECULARISATION OF RELIGION
Historical facts about the Pontifices in this period; a powerful exclusive
"collegium" taking charge of the ius divinum. The legal side of their
work; they administered the oldest rules of law, which belonged to that
ius. New ideas of law after Etruscan period; increasing social
complexity and its effect on legal matters; result, publication of rules of
law, civil and religious, in XII. Tables, and abolition of legal monopoly
of Pontifices. But they keep control of (1) procedure, (2) interpretation,
till end of fourth century B.C. Publication of Fasti and Legis actiones;
the college opened to Plebeians. Work of Pontifices in third century: (1)

admission of new deities, (2) compilation of annals, (3) collection of
religious formulae. General result; formalisation of religion; and
secularisation of pontifical influence 270-291
LECTURE XIII
THE AUGURS AND THE ART OF DIVINATION
Divination a universal practice: its relation to magic. Want of a
comprehensive treatment of it. Its object at Rome: to assure oneself of
the pax deorum; but it was the most futile method used. Private
divination; limited and discouraged by the State, except in the form of
family auspicia. Public divination; auspicia needed in all State
operations; close connection with imperium. The augurs were skilled
advisers of the magistrates, but could not themselves take the auspices.
Probable result of this: Rome escaped subjection to a hierarchy. Augurs
and auspicia become politically important, but cease to belong to
religion. State divination a clog on political progress. Sinister influence
on Rome of Etruscan divination; history of the haruspices 292-313
LECTURE XIV
THE HANNIBALIC WAR
Tendency towards contempt of religious forms in third century B.C.;
disappears during this war. Religio in the old sense takes its place, i.e.
fear and anxiety. This takes the form of reporting prodigia; account of
these in 218 B.C., and of the prescriptions supplied by Sibylline books.
Fresh outbreak of religio after battle of Trasimene; lectisternium of 216,
without distinction of Greek and Roman deities; importance of this.
Religious panic after battle of Cannae; extraordinary religious measures,
including human sacrifice. Embassy to Delphi and its result; symptoms
of renewed confidence. But fresh and alarming outbreak in 213; met
with remarkable skill. Institution of Apolline games. Summary of
religious history in last years of the war; gratitude to the gods after
battle of Metaurus. Arrival of the Great Mother of Phrygia at Rome.
Hannibal leaves Italy 314-334

LECTURE XV
AFTER THE HANNIBALIC WAR
Religion used to support Senatorial policy in declaring war (1) with
Philip of Macedon, (2) with Antiochus of Syria; but this is not the old
religion. Use of prodigia and Sibylline oracles to secure political and
personal objects;