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Dionysius of Halicarnassus · Roman Antiquities §2.21.1-2.21.3

Institution of Priesthoods and Strict Criteria for Election

Passage 112 of 962 · Greek

Summary

Leaving the theoretical discussion of myths to philosophers, the author details the religious institutions established by Romulus, focusing on the abundant appointment of priests and the strict qualification criteria and lifelong privileges for the priesthoods chosen from each phratry based on Varro's account.

§2.21.1ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων τοῖς αὐτὸ μόνον τὸ θεωρητικὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας μέρος ἀποτετμημένοις ἀφείσθω σκοπεῖν, τῆς δʼ ὑπὸ Ῥωμύλου κατασταθείσης πολιτείας καὶ τάδε ἡγησάμην ἱστορίας ἄξια.
But concerning these matters, let it be left to those who have set apart for themselves only the theoretical part of philosophy to consider; whereas, concerning the constitution established by Romulus, I considered these things also to be worthy of history.
πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι πολλοῖς σώμασιν ἀπέδωκε θεραπεύειν τὸ δαιμόνιον.
First, because he assigned to many persons to worship the divine.
ἐν γοῦν ἄλλῃ πόλει νεοκτίστῳ τοσούτους ἱερεῖς τε καὶ θεραπευτὰς θεῶν εὐθὺς ἀποδειχθέντας οὐδεὶς ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοι.
At any rate, in no other newly founded city could anyone point to so many priests and ministers of the gods having been appointed straightway.
§2.21.2χωρὶς γὰρ τῶν ἐχόντων τὰς συγγενικὰς ἱερωσύνας οἱ τὰ κοινὰ περὶ τῆς πόλεως ἱερὰ συντελοῦντες κατὰ φυλάς τε καὶ φράτρας ἑξήκοντα κατεστάθησαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκείνου ἀρχῆς· λέγω δὲ ἃ Τερέντιος Οὐάρρων ἐν ἀρχαιολογίαις γέγραφεν, ἀνὴρ τῶν κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡλικίαν ἀκμασάντων πολυπειρότατος.
For apart from those who held the hereditary priesthoods, those who performed the common sacred rites of the city according to tribes and phratries were appointed to the number of sixty during his reign; I mean what Terentius Varro has written in his Antiquities, a man most learned of those who flourished in the same age.
§2.21.3ἔπειτα, ὅτι τῶν ἄλλων φαύλως πως καὶ ἀπερισκέπτως ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ποιουμένων τὰς αἱρέσεις τῶν ἐπιστησομένων τοῖς ἱεροῖς καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀργυρίου τὸ τίμιον ἀξιούντων ἀποκηρύττειν, τῶν δὲ κλήρῳ διαιρούντων, ἐκεῖνος οὔτε ὠνητὰς χρημάτων ἐποίησε τὰς ἱερωσύνας οὔτε κλήρῳ μεριστάς, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἑκάστης φράτρας ἐνομοθέτησεν ἀποδείκνυσθαι δύο τοὺς ὑπὲρ πεντήκοντα ἔτη γεγονότας τοὺς γένει τε προὔχοντας τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ἀρετῇ διαφόρους καὶ χρημάτων περιουσίαν ἔχοντας ἀρκοῦσαν καὶ μηδὲν ἠλαττωμένους τῶν περὶ τὸ σῶμα· τούτους δὲ οὐκ εἰς ὡρισμένον τινὰ χρόνον τὰς τιμὰς ἔταξεν ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου στρατειῶν μὲν ἀπολελυμένους διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, τῶν δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὀχληρῶν διὰ τὸν νόμον.
Secondly, because, while others made the choices of those who were to preside over the sacred rites in a rather careless and thoughtless manner for the most part, some selling the office for money to the highest bidder, and others distributing it by lot, he neither made the priesthoods purchasable for money nor distributable by lot, but decreed that from each phratry there should be appointed two men who were over fifty years of age, outstanding among others in birth, distinguished in virtue, possessing sufficient abundance of wealth, and having no physical defect; and he ordained that these should hold their offices not for a limited time, but for life, being released from military service because of their age, and from troublesome civic duties by law.

Notes

  1. 278τοῖς αὐτὸ μόνον τὸ θεωρητικὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας μέρος ἀποτετμημένοις — The perfect middle/passive participle `ἀποτετμημένοις` (dative plural) functions as the dative complement of the impersonal passive imperative `ἀφείσθω`. It is best understood in the middle sense ('having cut off/appropriated for themselves'), referring to those who have limited themselves exclusively to the theoretical part of philosophy.
  2. p.v.1p.182τῆς δʼ ὑπὸ Ῥωμύλου κατασταθείσης πολιτείας καὶ τάδε ἡγησάμην ἱστορίας ἄξια — The opening genitive phrase `τῆς ... πολιτείας` is a genitive of relation/respect ('as for the constitution...'). The direct object of the main verb `ἡγησάμην` ('I considered') is the accusative plural pronoun `τάδε` ('these things'), while `ἱστορίας ἄξια` ('worthy of history') serves as its object complement.
  3. 2.21.3τῶν ἄλλων φαύλως πως καὶ ἀπερισκέπτως ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ποιουμένων τὰς αἱρέσεις... — A long genitive absolute construction (`τῶν ἄλλων ... ποιουμένων`) introducing the contrast between the practices of other nations and those of Romulus (`ἐκεῖνος`). Within this clause, the genitive phrases `τῶν μὲν ... ἀξιούντων` and `των δὲ ... διαιρούντων` are nested as subdivisions or appositives of `τῶν ἄλλων`, detailing the two common flawed methods (auctioning and drawing lots).
  4. 279ἐνομοθέτησεν ἀποδείκνυσθαι δύο τοὺς ὑπὲρ πεντήκοντα ἔτη γεγονότας — The verb `ἐνομοθέτησεν` ('decreed by law') governs an accusative and infinitive (A.C.I.) construction. The numeral `δύο` ('two men') serves as the subject of the passive infinitive `ἀποδείκνυσθαι` ('to be appointed'). The subsequent participles with articles, starting from `τοὺς ... γεγονότας` through `μηδὲν ἠλαττωμένους`, are attributive, specifying the physical, moral, and financial qualifications of these two men.

Cite this passage

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities §2.21.1-2.21.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0081.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.21.1-2.21.3

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