The inhabitants of Cyprus abstained from it, in order to offer it to Venus.[XVI-1] The Cretans loaded it with acorns and all the comforts of life, because Jupiter was first suckled by a sow in their island.[XVI-2] The Egyptian priests never allowed a ham to grace their feasts; they fled at the sight of pigs, unclean beings, whose presence alone defiled them,[XVI-3] although respected by the whole nation on account of the services they rendered in turning up the earth, and covering the seeds thrown upon it.[XVI-4] The law of Moses forbad the Jews to eat this quadruped, or to touch it after its death,[XVI-5] and more than once they exposed themselves to the most frightful torments rather than be defiled by this proscribed viand.[XVI-6] Tradition, again, strengthened their religious dread, by interdicting the faithful from even pronouncing the name of this animal, from looking at it, or selling it to foreign nations.[XVI-7] The fear of the frightful malady to which the pig was subject in Palestine was, perhaps, the cause of this prohibition. Has not a Jewish doctor observed, that if ten measures of leprosy were to fall in the world, this unhappy animal would take nine parts for his share.[XVI-8] However, some theologians of that nation believe that the Messiah whom they expect will allow them the use of this now odious food.[XVI-9] Like the Jews, the Phœnicians[XVI-10] and Indians[XVI-11] did not eat pork. The followers of Islamism also abstained from it, in consequence of a law of the Koran, which Mahomet borrowed from Moses.[XVI-12] The Greeks and Romans had very different ideas. They knew that their gods showed a particular predilection for those altars on which bacon or swine’s flesh smoked;[XVI-13] they therefore offered this meat in sacrifice to the Earth, the Lares, to Ceres;[XVI-14] and many a time a medal struck at Rome perpetuated the remembrance of this solemnity, in honour of the goddess of harvest.[XVI-15] The pig, emblem of fecundity with these two nations,[XVI-16] became, on the banners of Italy, a sign of pardon and peace.[XVI-17] Kings and princes immolated two on their wedding-day;[XVI-18] and nations subdued by the Roman arms prostrated themselves before the standard, whose image promised them the clemency of their conquerors.[XVI-19] The re-establishment of the succulent quadruped would have been complete, if the cynical carelessness of its rather inelegant habits had not caused it to become a symbol of debauchery and profligacy of manners.[XVI-20]