pagan and christian creeds-第13章
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for emu…crop； just as the same certainly HAS happened in the case of men wearing beast…masks of Bulls or Rams or Bears being sacrificed in propitiation of Bull…gods； Ram…gods or Bear…gods or simply in pursuance of some kind of magic to favor the multiplication of these food…animals。
〃In the light of totemistic ways of thinking we see plainly enough the relation of man to food…animals。 You need or at least desire flesh food； yet you shrink from slaughtering 'your brother the ox'； you desire his mana； yet you respect his tabu； for in you and him alike runs the common life…blood。 On your own individual responsibility you would never kill him； but for the common weal； on great occasions； and in a fashion conducted with scrupulous care； it is expedient that he die for his people； and that they feast upon his flesh。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ Themis； p。 140。
In her little book Ancient Art and Ritual＇1＇ Jane Harrison describes the dedication of a holy Bull； as conducted in Greece at Elis； and at Magnesia and other cities。 〃There at the annual fair year by year the stewards of the city bought a Bull 'the finest that could be got；' and at the new moon of the month at the beginning of seed…time ＇？ April＇ they dedicated it for the city's welfare。 。 。 。 The Bull was led in procession at the head of which went the chief priest and priestess of the city。 With them went a herald and sacrificer； and two bands of youths and maidens。 So holy was the Bull that nothing unlucky might come near him。 The herald pronounced aloud a prayer for 'the safety of the city and the land； and the citizens； and the women and children； for peace and wealth； and for the bringing forth of grain and all other fruits； and of cattle。' All this longing for fertility； for food and children； focuses round the holy Bull； whose holiness is his strength and fruitfulness。〃 The Bull is sacrificed。 The flesh is divided in solemn feast among those who take part in the procession。 〃The holy flesh is not offered to a god； it is eatento every man his portionby each and every citizen； that he may get his share of the strength of the Bull； of the luck of the State。〃 But at Athens the Bouphonia； as it was called； was followed by a curious ceremony。 〃The hide was stuffed with straw and sewed up； and next the stuffed animal was set on its feet and yoked to a plough as though it were ploughing。 The Death is followed by a Resurrection。 Now this is all important。 We are accustomed to think of sacrifice as the death； the giving up； the renouncing of something。 But SACRIFICE does not mean 'death' at all。 It means MAKING HOLY； sanctifying； and holiness was to primitive man just special strength and life。 What they wanted from the Bull was just that special life and strength which all the year long they had put into him； and nourished and fostered。 That life was in his blood。 They could not eat that flesh nor drink that blood unless they killed him。 So he must die。 But it was not to give him up to the gods that they killed him； not to 'sacrifice' him in our sense； but to have him； keep him； eat him； live BY him and through him； by his grace。〃
＇1＇ Home University Library； p。 87。
We have already had to deal with instances of the ceremonial eating of the sacred he…Lamb or Ram； immolated in the Spring season of the year； and partaken of in a kind of communal feastnot without reference （at any rate in later times） to a supposed Lamb…god。 Among the Ainos in the North of Japan； as also among the Gilyaks in Eastern Siberia； the Bear is the great food…animal； and is worshipped as the supreme giver of health and strength。 There also a similar ritual of sacrifice occurs。 A perfect Bear is caught and caged。 He is fed up and even pampered to the day of his death。 〃Fish； brandy and other delicacies are offered to him。 Some of the people prostrate themselves before him； his coming into a house brings a blessing； and if he sniffs at the food that brings a blessing too。〃 Then he is led out and slain。 A great feast takes place； the flesh is divided； cupfuls of the blood are drunk by the men； the tribe is united and strengthened； and the Bear…god blesses the ceremonythe ideal Bear that has given its life for the people。＇1＇
＇1＇ See Art and Ritual； pp。 92…98； The Golden Bough； ii； 375 seq。； Themis； pp。 140； 141； etc。
That the eating of the flesh of an animal or a man conveys to you some of the qualities； the life…force； the mana； of that animal or man； is an idea which one often meets with among primitive folk。 Hence the common tendency to eat enemy warriors slain in battle against your tribe。 By doing so you absorb some of their valor and strength。 Even the enemy scalps which an Apache Indian might hang from his belt were something magical to add to the Apache's power。 As Gilbert Murray says；＇1＇ 〃you devoured the holy animal to get its mana； its swiftness； its strength； its great endurance； just as the savage now will eat his enemy's brain or heart or hands to get some particular quality residing there。〃 Evenas he explains on the earlier pagemere CONTACT was often considered sufficient〃we have holy pillars whose holiness consists in the fact that they have been touched by the blood of a bull。〃 And in this connection we may note that nearly all the Christian Churches have a great belief in the virtue imparted by the mere 'laying on of hands。'
＇1＇ Four Stages of Greek Religion； p。 36。
In quite a different connectionwe read＇1＇ that among the Spartans a warrior…boy would often beg for the love of the elder warrior whom he admired （i。 e。 the contact with his body） in order to obtain in that way a portion of the latter's courage and prowess。 That through the mediation of the lips one's spirit may be united to the spirit of another person is an idea not unfamiliar to the modern mind； while the exchange of blood； clothes； locks of hair； etc。； by lovers is a custom known all over the world。＇2＇
＇1＇ Aelian VII； iii； 12： 。 See also E。 Bethe on 〃Die Dorische Knabenliebe〃 in the Rheinisches Museum； vol。 26； iii； 461。
＇2＇ See Crawley's Mystic Rose； pp。 238； 242。
To suppose that by eating another you absorb his or her soul is somewhat naive certainly。 Perhaps it IS more native； more primitive。 Yet there may be SOME truth even in that idea。 Certainly the food that one eats has a psychological effect； and the flesh…eaters among the human race have a different temperament as a rule from the fruit and vegetable eaters； while among the animals （though other causes may come in here） the Carnivora are decidedly more cruel and less gentle than the Herbivora。
To return to the rites of Dionysus； Gilbert Murray； speaking of Orphisma great wave of religious reform which swept over Greece and South Italy in the sixth century B。C。says：＇1＇ 〃A curious relic of primitive superstition and cruelty remained firmly imbedded in Orphism； a doctrine irrational and unintelligible； and for that very reason wrapped in the deepest and most sacred mystery： a belief in the SACRIFICE OF DIONYSUS HIMSELF； AND THE PURIFICATION OF MAN BY HIS BLOOD。 It seems possible that the savage Thracians； in the fury of their worship on the mountains； when they were possessed by the god and became 'wild beasts；' actually tore with their teeth and hands any hares； goats； fawns or the like that they came across。 。 。 。 The Orphic congregations of later times； in their most holy gatherings； solemnly partook of the blood of a bull； which was by a mystery the blood of Dionysus… Zagreus himself； the Bull of God； slain in sacrifice for the purification of man。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ See Notes to his translation of the Bacch of Euripides。
＇2＇ For a description of this orgy see Theocritus； Idyll xxvi； also for explanations of it； Lang's Myth； Ritual and Religion； vol。 ii； pp； 241…260； on Dionysus。 The Encyclopdia Brit。； article 〃Orpheus；〃 says：〃Orpheus； in the manner of his death； was considered to personate the god Dionysus； and was thus representative of the god torn to pieces every yeara ceremony enacted by the Bacchae in the earliest times with a human victim； and afterwards with a bull； to represent the bull…formed god。 A distinct feature of this ritual was （eating the flesh
