#parilia

Night has departed, and Dawn appears; I am summoned for the Paralia: I am not asked in error, if Kind Pales is favorable.

Kind Pales, may You, Sacred to Shepherds, applaud my celebratory singing, if I honor Your festival with my service. Certainly I carry the ashes of a calf, and the stalks of a bean-thing in a full hand, the holy purgations: certainly I have leapt over flames, having been set out three times in a row; the soaked laurel branch has sent off dripping water drops; the Goddess, having been roused, exists and is favorable to my work: the ship departs from the dock-yards, now my sails have their own winds.

Go! Seek, people, the incense of the Virginal Altar: Vesta will bestow it, you will be unpolluted with the service of Vesta. The blood of horses and calves will be the fumigation on hot cinders; the third things are the hard things, the empty tops of beans. Shepherd, perform the fat sheep, the Lustral, sacrifices toward the beginning of dusk! Let water first wet the ground, and let a green branch sweep the ground; let the sheep-things be adorned with foliage and branches having been fastened to them, and let the long garlands veil the decorated doors. Let the blue-black smoke be created by pure sulfur and let the sheep, having been touched with the smoking sulfur, bleat.

Burn! The male olives, the pine-torch, and the Sabine herbs; and the laurel, having been burned in the middle of the hearth, creaks; and let a basket of millet follow cakes made from millet: the Rural Goddess is particularly pleased by this food. And bring! a milk pail to her sacrificial feasts, and with the sacrificial dinner having been cut up, Invoke! Sylvan Pales with tepid milk. Say! “By the consul for the herd and equally by the commander of the herd: let an Offense, having been rejected from my stables, run away. If I have pastured my flock in a sacred place or if I have loitered beneath a sacred tree, and a sheep has grazed ignorant fodder from a gravesite, if I have entered a forbidden, woody-grove, or if there are nymphs, having been driven away by our eyes, and the Half-Goat God: if my pruning hook has stripped the sacred grove of shady boughs, from which place a little basket of foliage had been given to a sick sheep: Make atonement for my crime! I will come while it might hail violently, let it not hinder me to drive my herd into a rustic temple; let it not do harm to have disturbed the ponds. Forgive! Nymphs, the hooves, having been set in motion, which make the water dark. Calm! Goddess, The springs and spring-divinities for us. You calm the Gods having been scattered through every grove! Let us see neither Dryads nor the baths of Diana; nor Faunus, when he lies in the fields in the middle of the day.

“Keep! disease on the skin far away; let both the men and the flock be healthy and let the vigilant watch-dogs, that cautious crowd, be healthy. Let me drive back the multitude, not less than there were in the morning, and let me, carrying the fleece having been snatched from the wolf, not cry. Let injurious hunger be absent: and let the herbs and the foliage remain; and let water wash every limb and let each water be drunk. Let me milk the full udders, let the cheese return in copper coins to me, and let the loose woven basket give way to flowing whey. And let the ram be lustful and let his mate deliver offspring, having been conceived, and let there be many lambs in my stables. And let the wool, that is produced, be an irritant to no girls, and be suitably soft with relation to tender hands. I invoke, that which might happen, and we will prepare a large cake for the coming year for Pales, for the Mistress of Shepherds.”

It is by these things the goddess must be soothed: you, turning around, say these things to the East four times, and wash your hands with living dew! Then, it is Lawful. With the wine-cup having been placed just like you would with a krater, drink the snow-white milk and purple must! Afterwards, throughout the glowing heaps of creaking straw, you might throw nimble limbs with quick feet.

There is a custom, having been explained: the origin of the custom is left to me: disorder creates a doubtful thing and restrains our work, having been begun. The voracious fire cleanses everything and the defects melt out from the metals: for that reason the sheep makes atonement with the leader.

Or, because the seeds of all things are opposite, the two discordant gods, fire and water: have the elements united the ancestors; and have they cleansed the appropriate thing with fires; and have they thought to touch the body with water having been spattered? Or, do they think these two things to be important because in these things there is the cause of life; the exile has squandered these things; the new wife is created by these things?

Indeed, I scarcely believe that some might think those things are to be reported as reference to Phaethon and the flood-waters beyond measure of Deucalion. A part, too, believe it to reference when the shepherds were striking rocks with rocks: they cause a sparklet to have sprung forth suddenly; certainly the first one has vanished, the second one, having been captured, is on the stalks: does the flame of the Parilia keep with this evidence? Or has dutiful Aeneas performed this custom more completely, has the fire given to him, having been conquered, and unharmed journey? Can it be said that it is yet closer to the truth, that when Rome, having been founded, exists, the moving Lares, having been ordered, are to be brought over to new homes, and they are to set their home-place, with rustic abodes of huts about to be abandoned, on fire; is the livestock to have jumped, are the settlers to have jumped through the blazing fires? Which is even now performed in the same way for your birthday, Rome.

This very place creates themes for the Poet, the birth of the city has arrived! Attend, Great Quirinus, with your exploits having been performed! Just now the brother of Numitor had suffered punishments, and all of the shepherds were a flock under the Twin Leader. And it is arranged for the country people to assemble, and to build the city walls for either of the two leaders: it is disputed, either twin might establish the city walls.

“A task with any competition is nonsense,” Romulus said. “The omen of birds is powerful, let us put the birds to the test.” The circumstance is acceptable: one approaches the stones of the woody Palatine, the other, arrives early in the morning at the top of the Aventine. Six are for Remus; Romulus sees twice six birds in a row, he is abiding by their pact, and Romulus has the authority of the city. The appropriate day is chosen, on which the walls might be marked with a plough. The Festival of Pales was due to arrive: then, the work is undertaken. The trench is made down to the solid bedrock, crops are thrown into the bottom and so is earth having been procured from neighboring soil. The trench is refilled with soil, and an altar is built on the full thing, and the new hearth is completed by an attendant with fire. Next, Romulus, pressing the plough shaft, marks out the walls with a ceremonial furrow; a white cow with a snowy ox carry the plough-yoke, this was the speech of the king: “Jupiter! Be present at the founding, in the city, you, too, Father Mavors and Mother Venus! And it is natural to summon those gods, pay attention, all of you! Let the work emerge for the augurs, for you all, for this, for me. May her lifetime be long, and may the power of the earth be for this Mistress, and may the rising sun and the setting sun be subject to Her.” He was praying, and Jupiter has given omens with favorable thunder and lightning having been sent from the favorable pole. The happy citizens lay the foundations by the omen and, in a short time, there is a new. By this, Celer urges the work, who Romulus himself had called upon and had said: “Celer, let that very thing be your worry! Nor let one who either crosses the walls or to pour out of the trench having been built: deliver the one who dares to do such things to a violent death.”

Because Remus, being ignorant, begins to insult the short walls and he starts to say: “By these the community will be safe?” With no delay, he has jumped over them. Celer took the daring one by surprise with a shovel; he, blood-stained, presses into the hard earth. When the King learned these things, he repressed his tears, having risen internally, and he keeps the wound enclosed in his chest. He did not want to publicly lament the shovel, and he kept the powerful precedent, and he says: “Similarly, might an enemy pass over my walls.” Nevertheless, he gave a funeral procession, and yet now he could not tolerate to suspend his weeping, and his love, having been concealed, is exposed; and he has placed his final kisses, with the bier having been arranged, and then he says: “Brother, in unwilling deprivation, be well!” He has anointed the limbs that are about to be burned; they perform as he did, Faustus and Acca, her mournful hair having been untied. Then, the Quirites, having not yet been created, have wept for the young man; the flame, having been applied underneath, is the end for the funeral pure having been grieved for. The city, about to be built, emerges as the conqueror, her foot on the known-lands (back then who might be able to confide to anyone about this?) May you command all things, and please! always be under the rule of Great Caesar; frequently, too, keep a great number of this name! And may you have stood firm on the world, having been subdued, may everything be lower than your position.

—

Nox abiit, oriturque Aurora. Parilia  poscor: non poscor frustra, si favet alma Pales, alma Pales, faveas pastoria sacra canenti, prosequor officio si tua festa meo. certe ego de vitulo cinerem stipulasque fabalis saepe tuli plena, februa casta, manu: certe ego transilui positas ter in ordine flammas, udaque roratas laurea misit aquas, mota dea est operique favet: navalibus exit puppis, habent ventos iam mea vela suos. i, pete virginea, populus, suffimen ab ara: Vesta dabit, Vestae munere purus eris. sanguis equi suffimen erit vitulique favilla, tertia res durae culmen inane fabae. pastor, oves saturas ad prima crepuscula lustra: unda prius spargat, virgaque verrat humum, frondibus et fixis decorentur ovilia ramis, et tegat ornatas longa corona fores. caerulei fiant puro de sulphure fumi, tactaque fumanti sulphure balet ovis. ure mares oleas taedamque herbasque Sabinas, et crepet in mediis laurus adusta focis, libaque de milio milii fiscella sequatur: rustica praecipue est hoc dea laeta cibo. adde dapes mulctramque suas, dapibusque resectis silvicolam tepido lacte precare Palem. ‘consule’ dic ‘pecori pariter pecorisque magistris: effugiat stabulis noxa repulsa meis. sive sacro pavi sedive sub arbore sacra, pabulaque e bustis inscia carpsit ovis: si nemus intravi vetitum, nostrisve fugatae sunt oculis nymphae semicaperque deus: si mea falx ramo lucum spoliavit opaco, unde data est aegrae fiscina frondis ovi: da veniam culpae, nec, dum degrandinet, obsit agresti fano supposuisse pecus, nec noceat turbasse lacus, ignoscite, nymphae, mota quod obscuras ungula fecit aquas, tu, dea, pro nobis fontes fontanaque placa numina, tu sparsos per nemus omne deos. nec Dryadas nec nos videamus labra Dianae, nec Faunum, medio cum premit arva die. pelle procul morbos; valeant hominesque gregesque, et valeant vigiles, provida turba, canes. neve minus multos redigam, quam mane fuerunt, neve gemam referens vellera rapta lupo. absit iniqua fames: herbae frondesque supersint, quaeque lavent artus quaeque bibantur aquae. ubera plena premam, referat mihi caseus aera, dentque viam liquido vimina rara sero. sitque salax aries, conceptaque semina coniunx reddat, et in stabulo multa sit agna meo. lanaque proveniat nullas laesura puellas, mollis et ad teneras quamlibet apta manus. quae precor eveniant, et nos faciemus ad annum pastorum dominae grandia liba Pali.’ his dea placanda est: haec tu conversus ad ortus dic quater et vivo perlue rore manus, tum licet adposita, veluti cratere, camella lac niveum potes purpureamque sapam; moxque per ardentes stipulae crepitantis acervos traicias celeri strenua membra pede. expositus mos est: moris mihi restat origo: turba facit dubium coeptaque nostra tenet. omnia purgat edax ignis vitiumque metallis excoquit: idcirco cum duce purgat ovis. an, quia cunctarum contraria semina rerum sunt duo discordes, ignis et unda, dei, iunxerunt elementa patres aptumque putarunt ignibus et sparsa tangere corpus aqua? an, quod in his vitae causa est, haec perdidit exul, his nova fit coniunx, haec duo magna putant? vix equidem credo: sunt qui Phaethonta referri credant et nimias Deucalionis aquas. pars quoque, cum saxis pastores saxa feribant, scintillam subito prosiluisse ferunt; prima quidem periit, stipulis excepta secunda est: hoc argumentum flamma Parilis habet? an magis hunc morem pietas Aeneia fecit, innocuum victo cui dedit ignis iter? num tamen est vero propius, cum condita Roma est, transferri iussos in nova tecta Lares mutantesque domum tectis agrestibus ignem et cessaturae supposuisse casae, per flammas saluisse pecus, saluisse colonos? quod fit natali nunc quoque, Roma, tuo. Ipse locus causas vati facit, urbis origo venit, ades factis, magne Quirine, tuis! iam luerat poenas frater Numitoris, et omne pastorum gemino sub duce volgus erat. contrahere agrestes et moenia ponere utrique convenit: ambigitur, moenia ponat uter. ‘nil opus est’ dixit ‘certamine’ Romulus ‘ullo: magna fides avium est, experiamur aves.’ res placet, alter adit nemorosi saxa Palati, alter Aventinum mane cacumen init. sex Remus, hic volucres bis sex videt ordine, pacto statur, et arbitrium Romulus urbis habet, apta dies legitur, qua moenia signet aratro. sacra Palis suberant: inde movetur opus. fossa fit ad solidum, fruges iaciuntur in ima et de vicino terra petita solo. fossa repletur humo, plenaeque imponitur ara, et novus accenso fungitur igne focus. inde premens stivam designat moenia sulco; alba iugum niveo cum bove vacca tulit, vox fuit haec regis: ‘condenti, Iuppiter, urbem et genitor Mavors Vestaque mater, ades; quosque pium est adhibere deos, advertite cuncti. auspicibus vobis hoc mihi surgat opus. longa sit huic aetas dominaeque potentia terrae, sitque sub hac oriens occiduusque dies.’ ille precabatur, tonitru dedit omina laevo Iuppiter, et laevo fulmina missa polo. augurio laeti iaciunt fundamina cives, et novus exiguo tempore murus erat. hoc Celer urget opus, quem Romulus ipse vocarat, ‘sint,’ que ‘Celer, curae’ dixerat ‘ista tuae, neve quis aut muros aut factam vomere fossam transeat: audentem talia dede neci.’ quod Remus ignorans humiles contemnere muros coepit et ‘his populus’ dicere ‘tutus erit?’ nec mora, transiluit. rutro Celer occupat ausum; ille premit duram sanguinulentus humum. haec ubi rex didicit, lacrimas introrsus obortas devorat et clausum pectore volnus habet, flere palam non volt exemplaque fortia servat, ‘sic’ que ‘meos muros transeat hostis’ ait. dat tamen exequias nec iam suspendere fletum sustinet, et pietas dissimulata patet; osculaque adplicuit posito suprema feretro atque ait ‘invito frater adempte, vale!’ arsurosque artus unxit, fecere, quod ille, Faustulus et maestas Acca soluta comas. tum iuvenem nondum facti flevere Quirites; ultima plorato subdita flamma rogo est. urbs oritur (quis tunc hoc ulli credere posset?) victorem terris impositura pedem, cuncta regas et sis magno sub Caesare semper, saepe etiam pluris nominis huius habe; et quotiens steteris domito sublimis in orbe, omnia sint numeris inferiora tuis.

—

P. Ovidius Naso, “Fastorum Libri Sex,” Lib. IV 721-862

Rome is founded by Romulus (according to tradition).

“Elsewhere we have seen that in many parts of Eastern Europe herdsmen are wont to drive out the cattle to pasture from the winter quarters for the first time on St. George's Day, the twenty-third of April, a date that nearly coincides with that of the Parilia, the shepherds' festival held at Ancient Rome on the twenty-first of April. [1]

The Festival of Pales, by Joseph-Benoît Suvée (1783).

(Source: Joseph-Benoît Suvée, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

St. George, by Donatello (c. 1416-17).

(Source: Donatello, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

"The custom is observed on St. George's Day in various parts of Hungary; but before driving out the cattle on that day the herdsmen are careful to lay a ploughshare on the threshold for the purpose of guarding the animals against the insidious arts of ‘the wicked ones,’ the witches. A powder made of the holy wafer burnt at Christmas, of onions and the bones of the dead, is a powerful specific against the witches, and on St. George's Day shepherds strew this powder on the fields as a protection against wild beasts.

The shaman-like Hungarian táltos.

(Source: Árpád Feszty, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

"In some districts of Hungary women stark naked run round the herd before they drive it out and commit it to the care of the herdsmen.

Reclining Woman, János Thorma (c. late-19th-early-20th-cent.).

(Source: János Thorma, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

"In the district of Baranya-Ozd they put an egg on the ground for every head of cattle that is driven out. The shepherd takes the eggs in his hand and says, ‘God save the master and his cattle, and may they come home as round as this egg.’

Baranya County.

(Source: Györkő Zsombor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Ózd.

(Source: szalmasi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

"At Vep, in the county of Vas, Western Hungary, when the cattle are driven out they are beaten with the branches of the elder and green twigs, and a chain with eggs is put before the stalls. It is believed that their feet will then be as strong as the chain, and the poor, who get the eggs, will pray for the cattle.

Hungarian Grey Cattle in Vas County.

(Source: Nxr-at, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

"At Gӧmӧr, northern Hungary, there is another explanation for the same custom. There is a lock on the chain, and this is said to ensure that the cattle will never be hungry; the egg means that they should be as round as an egg. Here again the cattle are whipped, this time that they may grow like young trees. When they arrive at the end of the village there is another chain with an ants’ nest in the middle; and so the cattle will stop together like the ants in a nest.

Historic Gӧmӧr County.

(Source: Peppe83, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

"At Besenyotelke [i.e., Besenyőtelek] the cattle are never driven out to pasture before St. George's Day, because on the eve of that day the witches are prowling about to gather the profit or virtue of the cows. They manage to do this by pulling a blanket in the grass and collecting all the dew. It is against these maleficent beings that all sorts of precautions are taken on the eve of St. George's Day. Branches of the birch are then stuck on the fence, the cattle are beaten with wild-rose branches, and so on.

Besenyőtelek.

(Source: Civertan, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)

"In Eastern Hungary people strew millet round the stalls on St. George's Eve. The witch must collect all the grains before she can steal the milk. In 1854 there was a witch's trial at Kolozsvar [i.e., Cluj-Napoca, now part of Romania]. The charge against a certain woman was that she had been gathering dew in a three-cornered blanket on the eve of St. George's Day.

Kolozsvár, in a painting by Josef Hofreit (c. 1810).

(Source: Josef Hofreit, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

"At Kecskemet it is the shepherds who do this, and when they do it they say ‘I gather, I gather the half of everything.’

Kecskemét.

(Source: Samat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

"In Borsod they say ‘I gather, but I leave some,’ and the ceremony is performed either on St. George's Eve or on Good Friday. They must be naked to do this.” [2]

—J. G. Frazer, Aftermath: A Supplement to The Golden Bough (1936, pp. 186-187)

Study of a Seated, Nude Young Man, by László Mednyánszky (1875).

(Source: László Mednyánszky, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

[1] Frazer’s footnote: “The Golden Bough: The Magic Art and the Evolution of Kings, ii. 324 sqq.”

Roman cityscape from the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Festa di Pales by Joseph-Benoît Suvée, 1783. Musee des Beaux-Artes de Rouen. (via Wikipedia Commons)

Today marks the 2,769th anniversary of the founding of Rome. It began as a rural festival honoring the androgynous deity Pales, during which shepherds purified themselves and their flocks. With urbanization, the festival was reinvented to include a sacrifice to Tellus for the well-being of herds and crops. Julius Caesar added games to the festival, and Caligula inaugurated a procession of priests, noblemen, boys and girls of noble birth. Around this period, the Parilia became the celebration of the founding of the city of Rome.