ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

TTepl 8E 2auviTcbv Kai TOIOUTOS TIS Xoyos cpEpETai, 8IOTI TTOXEUOUVTESSapJTvoi TTOXUV xpovov "npos TOUS 'OpfJpiKous EU^OVTO, Ka8aTfEp TCOV'EXXr|VCOV TIV£$, TCC yEVO|iEVa TCp ETEl TOUTCp KaBlEpCOCKIl, VlKT^OaVTES 8E TCOVyEvoiJEVGOV TCX [ikv KaTeOuaav TCX 5E KaSiEpcooavacpopias 8E yEvn8Eior|s, ETTTETIS cos EXP>1 V KaSispcooai Kai TO TEKVO. oi 8' ETroinaav TOUTO Kai TOUSyEvouEvous TOTE TraT8as >\pEcos ETTE^UIOOV, av8pco8EVTas 8'EOTEiXav EISctTroiKiav, riynoaTo 8E Taupos" EV 8E TTJ TCOV 'OTTIKCOV KCtTsuvaoBEVTos(ETviyxavou 8E KCOHTISOV ^COVTES) EK(3CXX6VTES EKEIUOUS i8pu0rioav auTo6i KaiTOV TaOpov eacpayiaoav Tcp "ApEi TCO 86UTI aurov riyEiiova KaTa Tf]v TCOVuavTEcov diTOcpaoiv.Concerning the Samnites there is another story current to this effect: The Sabini,since they had long been at war with the Ombrici, vowed (just as some of theGreeks do) to dedicate everything that was produced that year; and, on winningthe victory, they partly sacrificed and partly dedicated all that was produced;then a dearth ensued, and some one said that they ought to have dedicated thebabies too; this they did, and devoted to Mars all the children born that year; andthese children, when grown to manhood, they sent away as colonists, and a bullled the way; and when the bull lay down to rest in the land of the Opici (who, asit chanced, were living only in villages), the Sabini ejected them and settled onthe spot, and, in accordance with the utterance of their seers, slaughtered the bullas a sacrifice to Mars who had given it for a guide. (Transl. Jones)Strabo's account highlights several important aspects of the ritual: first it can be inferredthat the vow requested of Mars assistance during the current war. Thus, Mars is stillfunctioning as the god of war at the outset of this process. When the Sabines becamesuccessful in their campaign, they sacrificed or dedicated the fruits of the year. Thissacrifice was not sufficient, so the children were added to the scope of the vow.The second important point is that, once the children had reached adulthood, Marstook on the role of guide and guardian. Basically, he became a god of colonization as anoffshoot of his role as warrior. Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Ant. Rom. 1.16.3) adds thatMars continued to grant prosperity to the new colonists:6 TE 6EOS, cp Kcnrovouaa0ETEv aiTEXauvouEvoi, auXXapifiavEiv avrrois cos T &TTOXXCX E86KEI