§2.67.1αἱ δὲ θεραπεύουσαι τὴν θεὸν παρθένοι τέτταρες μὲν ἦσαν κατʼ ἀρχὰς τῶν βασιλέων αὐτὰς αἱρουμένων ἐφʼ οἷς κατεστήσατο δικαίοις ὁ Νόμας, ὕστερον δὲ διὰ πλῆθος τῶν ἱερουργιῶν ἃς ἐπιτελοῦσιν ἓξ γενόμεναι μέχρι τοῦ καθʼ ἡμᾶς διαμένουσι χρόνου δίαιταν ἔχουσαι παρὰ τῇ θεῷ, ἔνθα διʼ ἡμέρας μὲν οὐδεὶς. ἀπείργεται τῶν βουλομένων εἰσιέναι, νύκτωρ δὲ οὐδενὶ τῶν ἀρρένων ἐναυλίσασθαι θέμις.
The virgins who served the goddess were at first four, when the kings chose them according to the regulations which Numa established; but later, because of the multitude of the sacred rites which they perform, having become six, they remain so down to our time, having their residence near the goddess, where during the day no one of those who wish to enter is barred, but at night it is not lawful for any male to pass the night.
§2.67.2χρόνον δὲ τριακονταετῆ μένειν αὐτὰς ἀναγκαῖον ἁγνὰς γάμων θυηπολούσας τε καὶ τἆλλα θρησκευούσας κατὰ νόμον, ἐν ᾧ δέκα μὲν ἔτη μανθάνειν αὐτὰς ἔδει, δέκα δʼ ἐπιτελεῖν τὰ ἱερά, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ δέκα διδάσκειν ἑτέρας.
And it was necessary for them to remain pure from marriage for a period of thirty years, offering sacrifices and performing the other religious rites according to the law, during which time they had to learn for ten years, perform the sacred rites for another ten, and teach others for the remaining ten.
ἐκπληρωθείσης δὲ τῆς τριακονταετίας οὐδὲν ἦν τὸ κωλῦσον τὰς βουλομένας ἀποθείσας τὰ στέμματα καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ παράσημα τῆς ἱερωσύνης γαμεῖσθαι.
When the thirty years had been completed, there was nothing to prevent those who wished from laying aside their wreaths and the other insignia of the priesthood and marrying.
καὶ ἐποίησάν τινες τοῦτο πάνυ ὀλίγαι, αἷς ἄζηλοι συνέβησαν αἱ τελευταὶ τῶν βίων καὶ οὐ πάνυ εὐτυχεῖς, ὥστε διʼ οἰωνοῦ λαμβάνουσαι τὰς ἐκείνων συμφορὰς αἱ λοιπαὶ παρθένοι μένουσι παρὰ τῇ θεῷ μέχρι θανάτου, τότε δὲ εἰς τὸν τῆς ἐκλιπούσης ἀριθμὸν ἑτέρα πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἱεροφαντῶν ἀποδείκνυται.
Indeed, some few did this, whose ends of life turned out to be unenviable and not at all happy; so that the remaining virgins, taking their misfortunes as an omen, remain with the goddess until death, and then another is appointed in turn by the pontiffs to fill the number of the deceased.
§2.67.3τιμαὶ δὲ αὐταῖς ἀποδέδονται παρὰ τῆς πόλεως πολλαὶ καὶ καλαί, διʼ ἃς οὔτε παίδων αὐταῖς ἐστι πόθος οὔτε γάμων, τιμωρίαι τε ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτανομένοις κεῖνται μεγάλαι, ὧν ἐξετασταί τε καὶ κολασταὶ κατὰ νόμον εἰσὶν οἱ ἱεροφάνται, τὰς μὲν ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐλαττόνων ἁμαρτανούσας ῥάβδοις μαστιγοῦντες, τὰς δὲ φθαρείσας αἰσχίστῳ τε καὶ §2.67.4ἐλεεινοτάτῳ παραδιδόντες θανάτῳ.
And many and fine honors are granted to them by the city, because of which they have desire neither for children nor for marriage, and great punishments are established for their transgressions, of which the pontiffs are examiners and punishers according to the law, scourging with rods those who commit any other of the lesser transgressions, but delivering those who have been defiled to the most shameful and most pitiable death.
ζῶσαι γὰρ ἔτι πομπεύουσιν ἐπὶ κλίνης φερόμεναι τὴν ἀποδεδειγμένην τοῖς νεκροῖς ἐκφοράν, ἀνακλαιομένων αὐτὰς καὶ προπεμπόντων φίλων τε καὶ συγγενῶν, κομισθεῖσαι δὲ μέχρι τῆς Κολλίνης πύλης, ἐντὸς τείχους εἰς σηκὸν ὑπὸ γῆς κατεσκευασμένον ἅμα τοῖς ἐνταφίοις κόσμοις τίθενται καὶ οὔτʼ ἐπιστήματος οὔτʼ ἐναγισμῶν οὔτʼ §2.67.5ἄλλου τῶν νομίμων οὐδενὸς τυγχάνουσι.
For while still alive they are carried in procession on a litter in the funeral procession appointed for the dead, with friends and relatives lamenting and escorting them; and having been carried as far as the Colline Gate, they are placed inside the wall into a chamber constructed underground, along with the funeral ornaments, and they receive neither a tombstone, nor funeral offerings, nor any other of the customary rites.
πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα δοκεῖ μηνύματα εἶναι τῆς οὐχ ὁσίως ὑπηρετούσης τοῖς ἱεροῖς, μάλιστα δὲ ἡ σβέσις τοῦ πυρός, ἣν ὑπὲρ ἅπαντα τὰ δεινὰ Ῥωμαῖοι δεδοίκασιν ἀφανισμοῦ τῆς πόλεως σημεῖον ὑπολαμβάνοντες, ἀφʼ ἧς ποτʼ ἂν αἰτίας γένηται, καὶ πολλαῖς αὐτὸ θεραπείαις ἐξιλασκόμενοι κατάγουσι πάλιν εἰς τὸ ἱερόν· ὑπὲρ ὧν κατὰ τὸν οἰκεῖον καιρὸν ἐρῶ.
Indeed, many other things are thought to be indications of a priestess not serving the sacred rites piously, and especially the extinguishing of the fire, which the Romans fear above all terrors, considering it a sign of the destruction of the city, from whatever cause it may happen, and with many rites of expiation they bring it back again into the temple; concerning which things I shall speak at the proper time.