按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
they saw a meteor or shooting star； they inferred that the king had sinned against the deity； and they suspended him from his functions until the Delphic or Olympic oracle should reinstate him in them。 This custom； which has all the air of great antiquity； was not suffered to remain a dead letter even in the last period of the Spartan monarchy； for in the third century before our era a king； who had rendered himself obnoxious to the reforming party； was actually deposed on various trumped…up charges； among which the allegation that the ominous sign had been seen in the sky took a prominent place。
If the tenure of the regal office was formerly limited among the Spartans to eight years； we may naturally ask； why was that precise period selected as the measure of a king's reign？ The reason is probably to be found in those astronomical considerations which determined the early Greek calendar。 The difficulty of reconciling lunar with solar time is one of the standing puzzles which has taxed the ingenuity of men who are emerging from barbarism。 Now an octennial cycle is the shortest period at the end of which sun and moon really mark time together after overlapping； so to say； throughout the whole of the interval。 Thus； for example； it is only once in every eight years that the full moon coincides with the longest or shortest day； and as this coincidence can be observed with the aid of a simple dial； the observation is naturally one of the first to furnish a base for a calendar which shall bring lunar and solar times into tolerable； though not exact； harmony。 But in early days the proper adjustment of the calendar is a matter of religious concern； since on it depends a knowledge of the right seasons for propitiating the deities whose favour is indispensable to the welfare of the community。 No wonder； therefore； that the king； as the chief priest of the state； or as himself a god； should be liable to deposition or death at the end of an astronomical period。 When the great luminaries had run their course on high； and were about to renew the heavenly race； it might well be thought that the king should renew his divine energies； or prove them unabated； under pain of making room for a more vigorous successor。 In Southern India； as we have seen； the king's reign and life terminated with the revolution of the planet Jupiter round the sun。 In Greece； on the other hand； the king's fate seems to have hung in the balance at the end of every eight years； ready to fly up and kick the beam as soon as the opposite scale was loaded with a falling star。
Whatever its origin may have been； the cycle of eight years appears to have coincided with the normal length of the king's reign in other parts of Greece besides Sparta。 Thus Minos； king of Cnossus in Crete； whose great palace has been unearthed in recent years； is said to have held office for periods of eight years together。 At the end of each period he retired for a season to the oracular cave on Mount Ida； and there communed with his divine father Zeus； giving him an account of his kingship in the years that were past； and receiving from him instructions for his guidance in those which were to come。 The tradition plainly implies that at the end of every eight years the king's sacred powers needed to be renewed by intercourse with the godhead； and that without such a renewal he would have forfeited his right to the throne。
Without being unduly rash we may surmise that the tribute of seven youths and seven maidens whom the Athenians were bound to send to Minos every eight years had some connexion with the renewal of the king's power for another octennial cycle。 Traditions varied as to the fate which awaited the lads and damsels on their arrival in Crete； but the common view appears to have been that they were shut up in the labyrinth； there to be devoured by the Minotaur； or at least to be imprisoned for life。 Perhaps they were sacrificed by being roasted alive in a bronze image of a bull； or of a bull…headed man； in order to renew the strength of the king and of the sun； whom he personated。 This at all events is suggested by the legend of Talos； a bronze man who clutched people to his breast and leaped with them into the fire； so that they were roasted alive。 He is said to have been given by Zeus to Europa； or by Hephaestus to Minos； to guard the island of Crete； which he patrolled thrice daily。 According to one account he was a bull； according to another he was the sun。 Probably he was identical with the Minotaur； and stripped of his mythical features was nothing but a bronze image of the sun represented as a man with a bull's head。 In order to renew the solar fires； human victims may have been sacrificed to the idol by being roasted in its hollow body or placed on its sloping hands and allowed to roll into a pit of fire。 It was in the latter fashion that the Carthaginians sacrificed their offspring to Moloch。 The children were laid on the hands of a calf…headed image of bronze； from which they slid into a fiery oven； while the people danced to the music of flutes and timbrels to drown the shrieks of the burning victims。 The resemblance which the Cretan traditions bear to the Carthaginian practice suggests that the worship associated with the names of Minos and the Minotaur may have been powerfully influenced by that of a Semitic Baal。 In the tradition of Phalaris； tyrant of Agrigentum； and his brazen bull we may have an echo of similar rites in Sicily； where the Carthaginian power struck deep roots。
In the province of Lagos； the Ijebu tribe of the Yoruba race is divided into two branches； which are known respectively as the Ijebu Ode and the Ijebu Remon。 The Ode branch of the tribe is ruled by a chief who bears the title of Awujale and is surrounded by a great deal of mystery。 Down to recent times his face might not be seen even by his own subjects； and if circumstances obliged him to communicate with them he did so through a screen which hid him from view。 The other or Remon branch of the Ijebu tribe is governed by a chief； who ranks below the Awujale。 Mr。 John Parkinson was informed that in former times this subordinate chief used to be killed with ceremony after a rule of three years。 As the country is now under British protection the custom of putting the chief to death at the end of a three years' reign has long been abolished； and Mr。 Parkinson was unable to ascertain any particulars on the subject。
At Babylon； within historical times； the tenure of the kingly office was in practice lifelong； yet in theory it would seem to have been merely annual。 For every year at the festival of Zagmuk the king had to renew his power by seizing the hands of the image of Marduk in his great temple of Esagil at Babylon。 Even when Babylon passed under the power of Assyria； the monarchs of that country were expected to legalise their claim to the throne every year by coming to Babylon and performing the ancient ceremony at the New Year festival； and some of them found the obligation so burdensome that rather than discharge it they renounced the title of king altogether and contented themselves with the humbler one of Governor。 Further； it would appear that in remote times； though not within the his