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the golden bough-第250章

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ever sacrificed; but even bulls might not be sacrificed unless they had certain natural marks; a priest examined every bull before it was sacrificed; if it had the proper marks; he put his seal on the animal in token that it might be sacrificed; and if a man sacrificed a bull which had not been sealed; he was put to death。 Moreover; the worship of the black bulls Apis and Mnevis; especially the former; played an important part in Egyptian religion; all bulls that died a natural death were carefully buried in the suburbs of the cities; and their bones were afterwards collected from all parts of Egypt and interred in a single spot; and at the sacrifice of a bull in the great rites of Isis all the worshippers beat their breasts and mourned。 On the whole; then; we are perhaps entitled to infer that bulls were originally; as cows were always; esteemed sacred by the Egyptians; and that the slain bull upon whose head they laid the misfortunes of the people was once a divine scapegoat。 It seems not improbable that the lamb annually slain by the Madis of Central Africa is a divine scapegoat; and the same supposition may partly explain the Zuni sacrifice of the turtle。

Lastly; the scapegoat may be a divine man。 Thus; in November the Gonds of India worship Ghansyam Deo; the protector of the crops; and at the festival the god himself is said to descend on the head of one of the worshippers; who is suddenly seized with a kind of fit and; after staggering about; rushes off into the jungle; where it is believed that; if left to himself; he would die mad。 However; they bring him back; but he does not recover his senses for one or two days。 The people think that one man is thus singled out as a scapegoat for the sins of the rest of the village。 In the temple of the Moon the Albanians of the Eastern Caucasus kept a number of sacred slaves; of whom many were inspired and prophesied。 When one of these men exhibited more than usual symptoms of inspiration or insanity; and wandered solitary up and down the woods; like the Gond in the jungle; the high priest had him bound with a sacred chain and maintained him in luxury for a year。 At the end of the year he was anointed with unguents and led forth to be sacrificed。 A man whose business it was to slay these human victims and to whom practice had given dexterity; advanced from the crowd and thrust a sacred spear into the victim's side; piercing his heart。 From the manner in which the slain man fell; omens were drawn as to the welfare of the commonwealth。 Then the body was carried to a certain spot where all the people stood upon it as a purificatory ceremony。 This last circumstance clearly indicates that the sins of the people were transferred to the victim; just as the Jewish priest transferred the sins of the people to the scapegoat by laying his hands on the animal's head; and since the man was believed to be possessed by the divine spirit; we have here an undoubted example of a man…god slain to take away the sins and misfortunes of the people。

In Tibet the ceremony of the scapegoat presents some remarkable features。 The Tibetan new year begins with the new moon which appears about the fifteenth of February。 For twenty…three days afterwards the government of Lhasa; the capital; is taken out of the hands of the ordinary rulers and entrusted to the monk of the Debang monastery who offers to pay the highest sum for the privilege。 The successful bidder is called the Jalno; and he announces his accession to power in person; going through the streets of Lhasa with a silver stick in his hand。 Monks from all the neighbouring monasteries and temples assemble to pay him homage。 The Jalno exercises his authority in the most arbitrary manner for his own benefit; as all the fines which he exacts are his by purchase。 The profit he makes is about ten times the amount of the purchase money。 His men go about the streets in order to discover any conduct on the part of the inhabitants that can be found fault with。 Every house in Lhasa is taxed at this time; and the slightest offence is punished with unsparing rigour by fines。 This severity of the Jalno drives all working classes out of the city till the twenty…three days are over。 But if the laity go out; the clergy come in。 All the Buddhist monasteries of the country for miles round about open their gates and disgorge their inmates。 All the roads that lead down into Lhasa from the neighbouring mountains are full of monks hurrying to the capital; some on foot; some on horseback; some riding asses or lowing oxen; all carrying their prayer…books and culinary utensils。 In such multitudes do they come that the streets and squares of the city are encumbered with their swarms; and incarnadined with their red cloaks。 The disorder and confusion are indescribable。 Bands of the holy men traverse the streets chanting prayers; or uttering wild cries。 They meet; they jostle; they quarrel; they fight; bloody noses; black eyes; and broken heads are freely given and received。 All day long; too; from before the peep of dawn till after darkness has fallen; these red…cloaked monks hold services in the dim incense…laden air of the great Machindranath temple; the cathedral of Lhasa; and thither they crowd thrice a day to receive their doles of tea and soup and money。 The cathedral is a vast building; standing in the centre of the city; and surrounded by bazaars and shops。 The idols in it are richly inlaid with gold and precious stones。

Twenty…four days after the Jalno has ceased to have authority; he assumes it again; and for ten days acts in the same arbitrary manner as before。 On the first of the ten days the priests again assemble at the cathedral; pray to the gods to prevent sickness and other evils among the people; and; as a peace…offering; sacrifice one man。 The man is not killed purposely; but the ceremony he undergoes often proves fatal。 Grain is thrown against his head; and his face is painted half white; half black。 Thus grotesquely disguised; and carrying a coat of skin on his arm; he is called the King of the Years; and sits daily in the market…place; where he helps himself to whatever he likes and goes about shaking a black yak's tail over the people; who thus transfer their bad luck to him。 On the tenth day; all the troops in Lhasa march to the great temple and form in line before it。 The King of the Years is brought forth from the temple and receives small donations from the assembled multitude。 He then ridicules the Jalno; saying to him; What we perceive through the five senses is no illusion。 All you teach is untrue; and the like。 The Jalno; who represents the Grand Lama for the time being; contests these heretical opinions; the dispute waxes warm; and at last both agree to decide the questions at issue by a cast of the dice; the Jalno offering to change places with the scapegoat should the throw be against him。 If the King of the Years wins; much evil is prognosticated; but if the Jalno wins; there is great rejoicing; for it proves that his adversary has been accepted by the gods as a victim to bear all the sins of the people of Lhasa。 Fortune; however; always favours the Jalno; who throws sixes with unvarying success; while his opponent turns up only ones。 Nor is
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