Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
_Solution._ Is the reason of their naming no other God, because
they are of opinion that Hercules was but a half God? And, as some say,
Evander built an altar to him and brought him a sacrifice, whilst he
was yet here among men. And of all creatures he had most enmity to a
dog, for this creature always held him hard to it, as did Cerberus; and
that which most of all prejudiced him was that, when Oeonus, the son
of Licymnius, was slain for a dog’s sake by the Hippocoontidae, he was
necessitated to take up the cudgels, and lost many of his friends and
his brother Iphicles.
_Question 91._ Why was it unlawful for the patricians to dwell
about the Capitol?
_Solution._ Was it because M. Manlius, whilst he dwelt there,
affected arbitrary government; upon whose account the family came under
an oath of abjuration that no Manlius should for the future bear the
name of Marcus? Or was this an ancient suspicion? For the potent men
would never leave calumniating Publicola, a most popular man, nor would
the common people leave fearing him till he had plucked down his house,
which seemed to hang over the market-place.
_Question 92._ Why do they put on a garland of oaken leaves on him
that saves a citizen in battle?
_Solution._ Is it because it is easy to find an oak everywhere
in the military expeditions? Or is it because a crown is sacred to
Jupiter and Juno, who in their opinion are the city guardians? Or was
it an ancient custom among the Arcadians, who are something akin to the
oak? For they repute themselves the first men produced of the earth, as
the oak among the vegetables.
_Question 93._ Why do they for the most part use vultures for
soothsaying?
_Solution._ Was this the reason, because twelve vultures appeared
to Romulus upon the building of Rome? Or because of all birds this is
least frequent and familiar? For it is not easy to meet with young
vultures, but they fly to us unexpectedly from some remote parts;
therefore the sight of them is portentous. Or haply they learned this
from Hercules, if Herodotus speak true that Hercules rejoiced most in
the beginning of an enterprise at the sight of a vulture, being of
opinion that a vulture was the justest of all birds of prey. For first,
he meddles not with any living creature, neither doth he destroy any
thing that hath breath in it, as eagles, hawks, and other fowls do that
prey by night, but lives only upon dead carcasses; and next, he passeth
by all those of his kind, for none ever saw a vulture feeding on a
bird, as eagles and hawks do, which for the most part pursue birds like
themselves, and slay them, even as Aeschylus hath it,
A bird that preys on birds, how can’t be clean?
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