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  3. Systems of divination in Rome and Athens differed no less than religions, an

Systems of divination in Rome and Athens differed no less than religions, an

游客2025-04-16  49
问题     Systems of divination in Rome and Athens differed no less than religions, and the differences lay in the same direction. Roman divination was confined to "a simple question, always the same, and relating strictly to the present or to the immediate future. The question might be formulated thus: ’ Do the gods favor, or not favor the thing that the consultant is about to do, or which is about to be done under his auspices?’ The question admits only of the alternatives ’ yes’ or ’ no’ and recognizes only positive or negative things...As for the methods of divination prescribed by the augural ritual, they were as simple and few in number as possible. Observation of birds was the basis of it; and it would have remained the only source of auspices had not the prestige of the fulgural art of the Etruscans influenced the Romans to ’ observe the sky’ and even to attribute a higher significance to the mysterious phenomena of lightning. Official divination knew neither oracles, nor lots, nor the inspection of entrails. If it refused to become involved in the discussion and appraisal of fortuitous signs, taking account of them only as they occurred in the taking of auspices. With all the more reason it refrained from interpreting prodigies. "
    What the Romans could not find at home, they sought abroad in Greece and Etruria, where a freer imagination was creating new forms of divination. In the importance attached to the plain association of acts and ideas we must seek the explanation of one of the most extraordinary rules of Roman divination, the rule giving a counterfeit augury the same efficacy as a sign that had actually been observed. "He (the augur) could...rest content with the first sign, if it was favorable, or let unfavorable signs pass and wait for better ones. Then again, he could have the assistant augur ’renounce’, that is, ’announce’, that the expected birds were flying or singing in the manner desired a practice, in fact, more trustworthy and which later became the regular procedure. This announcement, the renunciation, made according to a sacramental formula, created an ’original auspice’ equivalent, for the purposes of the individual hearing it, to a real auspice. "
    The Romans dealt with substance according to their convenience, at the same time paying strict regard to forms, or better, to certain associations of ideas and acts. The Athenians modified both substance and forms, The Spartans were loathed to change either. Before the Battle of Marathon the Athenians appealed to Sparta for assistance. "The Spartan authorities readily promised their aid, but unfortunately it was now the ninth day of the moon; an ancient law or custom forbade them to march, in this month at least, during the last quarter before the full moon; but after the full they engaged to march without delay. Five days’ delay at this critical moment might prove the utter ruin of the endangered city; yet the reason assigned seems to have been no pretence on the part of the Spartans. It was mere blind tenacity of ancient habit, which we shall find to abate, thought never to disappear, as we advance in their history. "
    The Athenians would have changed both substance and form. The Romans changed substance, respecting form. In order to make a declaration of war a member of the college of Heralds (Feciales) had to hurl a spear into the territory of the enemy. But how to perform the rite and declare war on Pyrrhus when that king’s states were so far away from Rome? Nothing simpler’ The Romans had captured a soldier of Pyrrhus. They had him buy a plot of ground in the Flaminian Circus; the herald hurled his spear upon that property. So the feeling in the Roman people that there was a close connection between a hurled spear and a just war was duly respected.
    Ancient Roman law presents the same traits that are observable in religion and divination; and that tends to strengthen our impression that it must be a question of an intrinsic characteristic of the Roman mind asserting itself in the various branches of human activity. Furthermore, in Roman law, as in Roman religion and divination, there are qualitative difference that come out in any comparison with Athens. Says Von Jhering, "The written word of the word pronounced under circumstances of solemnity—the formula— strikes primitive peoples as something mysterious, and faith itself ascribes supernatural powers to it. Nowhere has faith in the word been stronger than in ancient Rome. Respect for the word permeates all relationships in public and private life and in religion, custom, and law. For the ancient Roman the word is a power-it bends and it loosens. If it cannot move mountains, it can at least transfer a crop of grain from one man’s field to a neighbor’s. It can call forth divinities (devocare) and induce then to abandon a besieged city (evocatio deorum)". [br] What does the author intend to illustrate by using the example involving the war on Pyrrhus?
选项 A、The Romans wanted to follow practices prescribed by social expectations.
B、The Romans preferred efficacity to social conventions.
C、The Romans intended to capture the true essence of Roman identity.
D、Both B & C
答案 A
解析 本题的四个选项中，只有A项为正确答案。这可从文中倒数第二段的内容推知。
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