-
I. Rome’s Founding: Gods for Each Day of the Week and the Bells that Warned of Revolt
- West Virginia University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
67 I Rome’s Founding: Gods for Each Day of the Week and the Bells that Warned of Revolt In his opening chapter, the author establishes pagan worship as reflecting the woefully inadequate religion that Christianity would replace. Medieval Christians did not altogether deny the existence of the deities worshipped by pagans in ancient times, but they reduced them to the status of devils or demons, reserving the term “god” for the one true God. No written sources survive with anything like the author’s details of Roman worship. Probably he is elaborating on material from early Christian attacks on Rome’s pagan gods passed down in sermons. What he calls the Rotunda is the Pantheon with its large dome, where the Romans kept statues of gods worshiped throughout their empire. In 609, Pope Boniface IV purified and consecrated it as the Rotunda of Saint Mary and the Martyrs. The Venerable Bede’s eighth-century “Sermon for All Saints’ Day,” which contains a full account of this consecration, was frequently copied in its original Latin. An Old Saxon translation of it survives from the ninth century, and it was easily accessible to interested clerics throughout Europe. The Mirabilia Romae, collections of past and present wonders in Rome, which contain the story of the statues and warning bells, circulated widely in many versions in the twelfth century. long ago in heathen times, people everywhere worshipped unclean idols. With no exceptions the heathens had to honor them and pray to them exactly as their kings decreed. Rome with its magnificent buildings and displays was already exalted in the eyes of the world back then. Two powerful brothers were the founders: one was named Romulus, 68 Chapter One the other Remus, and eventually all the lands came to serve them in awe. Three hundred Senators rendered them service in council and spread their fame. They saw to it that everything decided on at Rome was proclaimed throughout the lands. Roman power grew to be really great. Since the ancient Romans had no fear of the true God, they wrought seven idols—I am telling you this exactly as it was—to honor the seven days of the week. If a man broke any of their laws of worship, they would throw him into the river and let it carry him away, or they would burn him to death at the stake. Laws like this spread from Rome to govern all the peoples of the earth. They knew nothing of the true God. When Sunday came the whole city of Rome would do everything you can think of to honor that day’s god. The ones they considered wisest of their leading men would carry a thing made like a wheel with burning lights all around the city. Owî! How greatly they glorified that god! Nobody among them dared to wish that he might see that god with mortal eyes. In this way, they honored the Sun, that he might grant light and joy to them. After this, on Monday, they would all hurry to bring offerings for the love of the Moon with vessels of burning oil. They would light up their vessels in all the streets of Rome. The Romans did this in hopes that the Moon would be merciful to them and give them nights to their liking. In all the city of Rome, no noble youth or maiden over seven years of age was excused from making offerings there. If people found out that some of the maidens were no longer virgins, they sacrificed them to Apollo. They never returned. This was the way they had to honor the Moon. Then after Monday, just like I am telling you, over the whole city of Rome all the knights would arm themselves with helmets and hauberks. With swords and shields in their hands they put on magnificent tournaments in honor of Tuesday’s god and rode their horses in races. The ladies would gather to watch the splendid games that they put on in honor of the god of war. The Romans believed that if this god favored them they would be sure of victory. They were also convinced that no one in this world could injure them as long as they had this god’s protection. Wednesday they established as their market day, and very early in the morning people from the countryside streamed into the city. On a very high [34.237.245.80] Project MUSE (2024-03-19...