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"From
little things are great things often dependent."
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Contributed by
Marcvs Moravivs Horativs Piscinvs
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Everything in this world is sacred to the gods. Thus in every moment there is the potential for it to become a ritual moment in our lives. Below are offered suggestions on little rites that beginning practitioners of the Religio Romana (tirones; sing. tiro) may wish to adopt into their daily practices. The rites presented below are based on various Roman texts. References are given, although some have been modified for modern practice. Gestures used in prayerWhen approaching an altar the right hand is held out from the waist, palm up, in a gesture of offering. When greeting a god or goddess an adoratio is performed whereby the right hand is held in a loose fist, the thumb tucked slightly down and the index finger wrapped around the tip of the thumb, and a kiss is applied between the thumb and index finger (Pliny N.H. XXVIII.25). Prayers addressed to the heavenly deities are made with the right palm directed skyward, the fingers bent slightly back [supinas manus]. See Virgil Aeneid 3.176: "Raising voice and upturned hand to heaven;" Horace Carmina Liber III.22: "Caelo supinas si tuleris manus nascente Luna (Hold out your hands, palm turned to the sky, when the New Moon is risen)." At times the right hand is bent back at the wrist, or even the forearm is bent slightly backward towards the sky. Prayer addressed to deities of water or fire are made with the same gesture but directed towards a source of fire or water. See Livy A.U.C. 7.6.4-5: "his hands outstretched now to the heavens, now to the yawning chasm in the earth." Prayers addressed to deities of the earth are made with the right palm facing downward [pronus: Varro: puerum imponere equo pronum in ventrem, postea sedentem; Sallustius: pecora quae natura prona finxit.] while both hands should be placed on the ground when vowing to the deities of the earth. Prayers made over an altar fire [focus] are made with the right palm facing downward and fingers arched back. In a scene from the Etruscan Tomb of the Augurs the offering over an altar is seen with the left hand also placed on the forehead, palm out and fingers bent backward. Another gesture used when offering at an altar is with the right hand in a loose fist placed beside the fire, and the index and middle fingers extended forward [Fasti Filocalus, illustration for December] There is some mention of women praying while on bended knees (ILS 5050; CIL vi.32323 lines123-132; Plautus Rudens III.iii.694-701), however prayer is generally offered while standing. With the exception of the household gods - Vesta, the Lares and Penates, and one’s personal genius for men or juno for women, prayers to the gods should be addressed outdoors under an open sky. Daily cleansingAfter washing in the morning, and before meals or performing a rite: Haec aqua a corpore impuritates eluat, ut pluvia aera purgat. May this water cleanse all impurities from my body, as rain cleanses the air. Lararium riteAn important daily rite is that performed before the lararium (see Lararia page). A lararium is a special place set aside in the house that is devoted to the household gods and one’s ancestors. A simpler rite would be to perform an adoratio and then touch the lararium, and perhaps make a small affirmation. Quod omniter hodie facio ut deis honoro. May all that I do today bring honor to the gods. Three adorationes should be performed, one to the Lar Familiaris, and to each of the Penates. Animals Birds are regarded as spirits of our ancestors and messengers from the gods. Feeding wild birds in the morning is an extension of the lararium rite. Wild seed can be blessed to the purpose by holding the right hand, palm down, over the seed and saying, Ab illo benedicaris, in quorum honore edeberis. May you be blessed by those in whose honor you shall be eaten. Then the birds are called, Venite aves. Ponete alas in spirito et venite! Come birds. Put wing on the wind and come! Similarly, other animals —cats, squirrels, rabbits, etc. who roam your neighborhood may be regarded as representing the lares vicorum and setting out food or drink for them may be made in like manner. Morning GreetingThe morning breakfast is usually a drink of wine or other beverage, perhaps with a light meal of fruit. Romans generally arose before dawn and took their breakfast after performing a lararium ritual. A simple greeting of the new day can be made with Tecum surg: tecum bibo. I rise with you; I drink with you. At certain times of the year Romans held wine festivals with which a special toast to one’s health was associated. However such toasts were more commonly made: Novem vetus vinum bibo; novo veteri morbo medeor. New and old wine I drink; from illnesses new and old may I be cured. [Varro De Lingua Latina 6.21] The morning breakfast is usually a drink of wine or other beverage, perhaps with a light meal of fruit. Romans generally arose before dawn and took their breakfast after performing a lararium ritual. A simple greeting of the new day can be made with Tecum surg: tecum bibo. I rise with you; I drink with you. At certain times of the year Romans held wine festivals with which a special toast to one’s health was associated. However such toasts were more commonly made: Novem vetus vinum bibo; novo veteri morbo medeor. New and old wine I drink; from illnesses new and old may I be cured. [Varro De Lingua Latina 6.21] MealsBefore meals Romans traditionally gathered at the lararium or else at the hearth, the family and servants standing together while the paterfamilias (head of the household) offered incense and perhaps wine to the Lar familiaris (protective spirits). Afterwards, according to Pliny the Elder (N.H. 28.27), a ritual was made of the paterfamilias removing his ring and leaving it with the Lares while he ate. The gods or goddesses were invoked with little prayers: Suggested for Jupiter and the gods: Jovi disque ago gratias merito magnas…Quod bene fecisti referetur gratia. To Jove and all the gods I give great thanks to you deservedly. Let thanks be returned for kindness thus received [Plautus Captivi IV, iv: 922;941]. Or still a more general prayer: Di deaeque omnes, vobis habeo merito magnas gratias, quom hac me laetitia adfectistis tanta et tantis gaudiis. To all you gods and goddesses I duly render thanks for blessing me with such joy and delight [Plautus Poenulus V.4.1274-5]. Prayers to particular gods and goddesses may also be included. For Venus: Venus, de paulo paululum hoc tibi dabo…libenter. Venus, of the little I have I willingly give you a little. [Plautus Curculio 125] Or for Apollo perhaps: Apollo, quaeso te, ut des pacem propitius, salutem et sanitatem nostrae familiae, meoque ut parcas liberis pace propitius. Apollo, may you please, graciously grant peace, safety, and health to our family, and by your gracious favor, preserve my children. [Plautus Mercator 678-680] The Lares would then be included: Vobisque Lares, tectum meum qui funditis curant adoro, gratiasque ago, ab numina meis capitis inclino. And to you Lares, who look after my house, I adore and give thanks. To you I bow my head. The meal itself might be blessed: Cum divis volentibus, quodque bene eveniat, precor ab illo benedicaris in quorum honore edeberis. With the gods willing, that all will be well, I pray that you will be blessed by those in whose honor you will be eaten. Finally a bloodless offering is made to Vesta by placing a bay leaf in the fire of the hearth or into the flame of the lararium altar. After the first course of the meal, a moment of silence may be observed before offering a portion of the main course to the gods, usually a piece of meat along with mola salsa (see Recipes for Offerings page) was placed in the fire using a patella and salinum (see Ritual Tools page). "Give the family gods incense, good men, …and offer patellae to nourish the cinctured Lares as a token of sweet respect (Ovid Fasti 2.631-4)." This offering was called the patellarii (Plautus Cistellaria 522). The patella and salinum were considered essential articles for Romans to maintain their pious rites, and these were brought along in their travels, even by a general when on campaign (Livy A.U.C. 26.36.6; Pliny N.H. 33.153). If the meal was served away from the hearth or lararium, then the statues of the Lares were brought to the table, and a patera for wine offerings was passed around for everyone to pour a libation then set before the Lares. Should any food fall to the floor it should be replaced on the table first, without dusting or blowing it off, bread may be kissed, then it is to be burnt in the fire as an offering to the Lares (Pliny N.H. 28.27). Spilt wine is likewise considered sacred, a portion for the Lares, and should not be wiped up; rather with the hand or by sucking it up into the mouth first it is placed in the patera and made an offering. Leaving and Returning to the HouseThe precepts of Chiron enjoins, "And now, pray, mark all these things well in a wise heart: First, whenever you come to your house, offer good sacrifices to the eternal gods [Scholist on Pindar, vi.19]." The lararium should be placed near the door of the house for just such purpose that the Lares and the gods may be asked to watch over you in your travels. If you are going to a particular place, you may also ask for their assistance in whatever you will be doing. For example, if you were going shopping you might ask that you be able to find what you need and at a fair price. Here is a little prayer based on Plautus for when going out for a meal: Nullum est periclum mihi hinc ire in prandium [cenam] adomo: Cererem mihi meliust quam Venerem sectarier: amori haec curat; tritico curat Ceres. May no danger befall me as I go from my home to lunch [dinner]. May Venus, or better still Ceres, lead me; she cares for lovers, Ceres cares for wheat [Plautus Rudens 144-146]. Returning home, or visiting someone else’s house, a libation can be offered to the spirits of the doors themselves: Bibite, festivae fores, potate, fite mihi volentes propitiae. Drink, doors of festivity, drink and be inclined to favor me [Plautus Curculio, 89]. Entering the house a prayer is then offered to the gods and Lares at the lararium: Dis Laribusque has ago gratias, cum bene re gesta salvos convortor donum. To the gods and my Lares I give thanks for returning me home safely and with good things. |
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Temple of
Religio Romana. |
