[Home]DiaryEntriesOfIntrest

HomePage | RecentChanges | Preferences

Ref: PaxRomana

Diary Entries Of Intrest

Greek and Latin sources speaking of the offering of children by fire as sacrifices in the Punic city of Carthage, which was a Phoenician colony. Cleitarchus, Diodorus Siculus and Plutarch all mention burning of children as an offering to Cronus, that is to Baal Hammon, the chief god of Carthage. (Ba‘al Hammon, better known to the Romans as Melkarth)

A translation of Cleitarchus' paraphrase of a scholia to Plato's Republic as:
"There stands in their midst a bronze statue of Kronos, its hands extended over a bronze brazier, the flames of which engulf the child. When the flames fall upon the body, the limbs contract and the open mouth seems almost to be laughing until the contracted body slips quietly into the brazier. Thus it is that the 'grin' is known as 'sardonic laughter,' since they die laughing."

Diodorus Siculus (20.14) wrote:
"There was in their city a bronze image of Cronus extending its hands, palms up and sloping toward the ground, so that each of the children when placed thereon rolled down and fell into a sort of gaping pit filled with fire."

Decembus XIII - The augur attached to the temple of the Sybil arrived in secret today. He warned that foul auspices had begun to appear across the city and rotted livers found in the sacred geese. I tried to placate him since the festival of Saturnalia was to start soon and public unease would ruin the celebrations. However the seer was adamant that the omens indicated a great calamity would befall the city, and that he was leaving for Pompeii. I prayed to the gods for guidance, but nothing was forthcoming.

Decembus XIV - My night was plagued with evil dreams... perhaps a result of the scaremongering of that foolish augur combined with a surfeit of goats’ cheese before retiring. I dreamt of an iron idol being fed children into its flaming mouth, whilst in the background I could hear distant chanting. The day was less than pleasing also. Rumours are spreading of a new Baccus cult within the city, one which excels in debauchery and drunkenness. Several senators have complained of their children not returning home at night, but found sleeping off their intoxications most embarrassingly near the grove of Vesta. However, the revenues from the liscenced brothals have also increased so perhaps there is a silver lining.

Decembus XV - The days are becoming more hectic with the approach of Saturnalia. It is not helped by my lack of sleep. I would swear on the altar of Jupiter Optimus Maximus that someone has hired a choir to chant outside my window. The tempo was rather plodding, yet the words escaped me. I shall station some slaves outside tonight to prevent the jokers from annoying me again. Imagine, the festival has not even started yet! The treasury in the Temple of Saturn has now been closed in preparation.

Decembus XVI - Aggravation stacks upon annoyance. Not only did my slaves fail me, but several family members of equestrian families have gone missing, and the evidence points towards the new cult secretly practicing in the city. Angry senators are the last thing I need on my back, so I summoned the chief of the vigiles in the Subura to take account of the situation, but the idiot has less brains than a chicken. He had already been investigating an unusual number of missing persons, young prostitutes mainly, and hadn't wanted to know about the honoribles disappearance... I suspect he realises that his own life would be forfeit if he couldn't locate the runaways. Atop this delicate problem came the rumour that a large number of sorcerers have been drawn to the city, apparently seeking favour from the emperor himself. Only one name came to light, that of Apollonius, a person of some ill repute amongst the priesthood. I should retire to bed soon, since I’m finding myself to be excessively tired, but must go to put the wind up my young client Terga in preparation for my practical joke.

Decembus XVII - Woke up with a throbbing headache. The chanting occurred again last night, 'Vaqccep, Baal Hammon' was repeated till I had to awake and search outside the temple for the miscreants myself. Unfortunately I didn't find anybody. I bet it was that crass buffoon Caius Nemedius Gallicus, trying to one over on me. Well I had my vengeance. I'd placed a large wager on my athlete to win one of the sporting events. Not only did I win a considerable sum from Caius, but I also scared the nine hells out of young Terga who believed I was going to throw him from the rock if he didn't win overall! More strange omens were also reported today, a small earth tremor under the temple of Fortunus, but few people are taking heed since most are enjoying the festivities.

Decembus XVIII - A rather worrying report thankfully woke me early this morning… I was dreaming of thousands of people dying in consuming flames. The murder of a prostitute is not unusual, but it took place near to a particular long forgotten shrine. Some plebeians approached me later asking to whom the shrine was dedicated. I managed to fob them off with an answer which although dishonest, should keep them from uncovering darker knowledge. Few know of Nortia, one of the original Etruscan pagan spirits who humans were sacrificed to when Rome was just a muddy collection of hovels. Maybe it is simply coincidence, but together with my nightmares and the ominous omens, I am suspicious of anything happening near those dark shrines. I wish to sleep, but the words keep pounding in my head, Vaqccep, Vaqccep…

Decembus XIX ­ In desperation I searched all night for a clue to the source of my dreams… I found hints in the volumes of Cleitarchus, Diodorus Siculus and Plutarch of the fiery eater. I also gathered a list of all the primitive gods worshipped by our ancestors, there are too many, too many... I cannot find them all! In the morning another murder was reported to me, a grisly affair the poor girl was ripped asunder by a team of chariot horses, which themselves had been driven mad with blood lust. It was the shrine of Nethuns, lord of seas, now polluted by this act of blasphemy. If only I had access to a copy of Liber Ivonis I might discover the nature of the seal.

<In a more shaking hand>
It is true, the auspice was correct. A great doom shall befall this city; I personally entered the Library of Apollo Palantine and consulted the Sibylline Books. The entry was incomplete, that fool Tarquinius should never have allowed the rest of the volumes to be destroyed, but it was clear what would happen. Those who protect us will fail. Mayhap it is the sorcerers? How can I stop it? The lives of a hundred thousand lay in my hand and I am powerless.

My eyes grow dark. I shall pray to Jupiter, which is all that is left to us before we are consumed. In five days, Vaqccep, Vaqccep, Vaqccep.

<Journal scroll ends>

HomePage | RecentChanges | Preferences
This page is read-only | View other revisions
Last edited November 23, 2005 10:32 pm by DaveF (diff)
Search: