the golden bough-第226章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nd privations of the fast。
In the evening all the people assembled at the temple； the courts of which they lit up by a multitude of lanterns and candles。 There they passed the night without sleeping； and at midnight； while the trumpets； flutes； and horns discoursed solemn music； a portable framework or palanquin was brought forth； bedecked with festoons of maize…cobs and peppers and filled with seeds of all sorts。 This the bearers set down at the door of the chamber in which the wooden image of the goddess stood。 Now the chamber was adorned and wreathed； both outside and inside； with wreaths of maize…cobs； peppers； pumpkins； roses； and seeds of every kind； a wonder to behold； the whole floor was covered deep with these verdant offerings of the pious。 When the music ceased； a solemn procession came forth of priests and dignitaries； with flaring lights and smoking censers； leading in their midst the girl who played the part of the goddess。 Then they made her mount the framework； where she stood upright on the maize and peppers and pumpkins with which it was strewed； her hands resting on two bannisters to keep her from falling。 Then the priests swung the smoking censers round her； the music struck up again； and while it played； a great dignitary of the temple suddenly stepped up to her with a razor in his hand and adroitly shore off the green feather she wore on her head； together with the hair in which it was fastened； snipping the lock off by the root。 The feather and the hair he then presented to the wooden image of the goddess with great solemnity and elaborate ceremonies； weeping and giving her thanks for the fruits of the earth and the abundant crops which she had bestowed on the people that year； and as he wept and prayed； all the people； standing in the courts of the temple； wept and prayed with him。 When that ceremony was over； the girl descended from the framework and was escorted to the place where she was to spend the rest of the night。 But all the people kept watch in the courts of the temple by the light of torches till break of day。
The morning being come； and the courts of the temple being still crowded by the multitude； who would have deemed it sacrilege to quit the precincts； the priests again brought forth the damsel attired in the costume of the goddess； with the mitre on her head and the cobs of maize about her neck。 Again she mounted the portable framework or palanquin and stood on it； supporting herself by her hands on the bannisters。 Then the elders of the temple lifted it on their shoulders； and while some swung burning censers and others played on instruments or sang； they carried it in procession through the great courtyard to the hall of the god Huitzilopochtli and then back to the chamber； where stood the wooden image of the Maize Goddess； whom the girl personated。 There they caused the damsel to descend from the palanquin and to stand on the heaps of corn and vegetables that had been spread in profusion on the floor of the sacred chamber。 While she stood there all the elders and nobles came in a line； one behind the other； carrying saucers full of dry and clotted blood which they had drawn from their ears by way of penance during the seven days' fast。 One by one they squatted on their haunches before her； which was the equivalent of falling on their knees with us； and scraping the crust of blood from the saucer cast it down before her as an offering in return for the benefits which she； as the embodiment of the Maize Goddess； had conferred upon them。 When the men had thus humbly offered their blood to the human representative of the goddess； the women； forming a long line； did so likewise； each of them dropping on her hams before the girl and scraping her blood from the saucer。 The ceremony lasted a long time； for great and small； young and old； all without exception had to pass before the incarnate deity and make their offering。 When it was over； the people returned home with glad hearts to feast on flesh and viands of every sort as merrily； we are told； as good Christians at Easter partake of meat and other carnal mercies after the long abstinence of Lent。 And when they had eaten and drunk their fill and rested after the night watch； they returned quite refreshed to the temple to see the end of the festival。 And the end of the festival was this。 The multitude being assembled； the priests solemnly incensed the girl who personated the goddess； then they threw her on her back on the heap of corn and seeds； cut off her head； caught the gushing blood in a tub； and sprinkled the blood on the wooden image of the goddess； the walls of the chamber； and the offerings of corn； peppers； pumpkins； seeds； and vegetables which cumbered the floor。 After that they flayed the headless trunk； and one of the priests made shift to squeeze himself into the bloody skin。 Having done so they clad him in all the robes which the girl had worn； they put the mitre on his head； the necklace of golden maize…cobs about his neck； the maize…cobs of feathers and gold in his hands； and thus arrayed they led him forth in public； all of them dancing to the tuck of drum； while he acted as fugleman； skipping and posturing at the head of the procession as briskly as he could be expected to do； incommoded as he was by the tight and clammy skin of the girl and by her clothes； which must have been much too small for a grown man。
In the foregoing custom the identification of the young girl with the Maize Goddess appears to be complete。 The golden maize…cobs which she wore round her neck； the artificial maize…cobs which she carried in her hands； the green feather which was stuck in her hair in imitation （we are told） of a green ear of maize； all set her forth as a personification of the corn…spirit； and we are expressly informed that she was specially chosen as a young girl to represent the young maize； which at the time of the festival had not yet fully ripened。 Further； her identification with the corn and the corn…goddess was clearly announced by making her stand on the heaps of maize and there receive the homage and blood…offerings of the whole people； who thereby returned her thanks for the benefits which in her character of a divinity she was supposed to have conferred upon them。 Once more； the practice of beheading her on a heap of corn and seeds and sprinkling her blood； not only on the image of the Maize Goddess； but on the piles of maize； peppers； pumpkins； seeds； and vegetables； can seemingly have had no other object but to quicken and strengthen the crops of corn and the fruits of the earth in general by infusing into their representatives the blood of the Corn Goddess herself。 The analogy of this Mexican sacrifice； the meaning of which appears to be indisputable； may be allowed to strengthen the interpretation which I have given of other human sacrifices offered for the crops。 If the Mexican girl； whose blood was sprinkled on the maize； indeed personated the Maize Goddess； it becomes more than ever probable that the girl whose blood the Pawnees similarly sprinkled on the seed corn personated in like manner the female Spirit of the Corn； and so with the other human beings whom other races have slaughtered for the sake of promoting the growth of the crops。
Lastly； the concluding act of the sacred drama； in which the body of the dead Maize Goddess was flayed and her skin worn； together with all her sacred insignia； by a man who danced before the people in this grim attire； seems to be best explained on the hypothesis that it was intended to ensure that the divine death should be immediately followed by the divine resurrection。 If that was so； we may infer with some degree of probability that the practice of killing a human representative of a deity has commonly； perhaps always； been regarded merely as a means of perpetuating the divine energies in the fulness of youthful vigour； untainted by the weakness and frailty of age； from which they must have suffered if the deity had been allowed to die a natural death。
These Mexican rites suffice to prove that human sacrifices of the sort I suppose to have prevailed at Aricia were； as a matter of fact； regularly offered by a people whose level of culture was probably not inferior； if
