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of the whole people； who thereby returned her thanks for the benefits which in her character of a divinity she was supposed to have conferred upon them。 Once more； the practice of beheading her on a heap of corn and seeds and sprinkling her blood； not only on the image of the Maize Goddess； but on the piles of maize； peppers； pumpkins； seeds； and vegetables； can seemingly have had no other object but to quicken and strengthen the crops of corn and the fruits of the earth in general by infusing into their representatives the blood of the Corn Goddess herself。 The analogy of this Mexican sacrifice； the meaning of which appears to be indisputable； may be allowed to strengthen the interpretation which I have given of other human sacrifices offered for the crops。 If the Mexican girl； whose blood was sprinkled on the maize； indeed personated the Maize Goddess； it becomes more than ever probable that the girl whose blood the Pawnees similarly sprinkled on the seed corn personated in like manner the female Spirit of the Corn； and so with the other human beings whom other races have slaughtered for the sake of promoting the growth of the crops。
Lastly； the concluding act of the sacred drama； in which the body of the dead Maize Goddess was flayed and her skin worn； together with all her sacred insignia； by a man who danced before the people in this grim attire； seems to be best explained on the hypothesis that it was intended to ensure that the divine death should be immediately followed by the divine resurrection。 If that was so； we may infer with some degree of probability that the practice of killing a human representative of a deity has commonly； perhaps always； been regarded merely as a means of perpetuating the divine energies in the fulness of youthful vigour； untainted by the weakness and frailty of age； from which they must have suffered if the deity had been allowed to die a natural death。
These Mexican rites suffice to prove that human sacrifices of the sort I suppose to have prevailed at Aricia were； as a matter of fact； regularly offered by a people whose level of culture was probably not inferior； if indeed it was not distinctly superior； to that occupied by the Italian races at the early period to which the origin of the Arician priesthood must be referred。 The positive and indubitable evidence of the prevalence of such sacrifices in one part of the world may reasonably be allowed to strengthen the probability of their prevalence in places for which the evidence is less full and trustworthy。 Taken all together； the facts which we have passed in review seem to show that the custom of killing men whom their worshippers regard as divine has prevailed in many parts of the world。
Chapter 60。 Between Heaven and Earth。
1。 Not to touch the Earth AT THE OUTSET of this book two questions were proposed for answer： Why had the priest of Aricia to slay his predecessor？ And why； before doing so； had he to pluck the Golden Bough？ Of these two questions the first has now been answered。 The priest of Aricia； if I am right； was one of those sacred kings or human divinities on whose life the welfare of the community and even the course of nature in general are believed to be intimately dependent。 It does not appear that the subjects or worshippers of such a spiritual potentate form to themselves any very clear notion of the exact relationship in which they stand to him； probably their ideas on the point are vague and fluctuating； and we should err if we attempted to define the relationship with logical precision。 All that the people know； or rather imagine； is that somehow they themselves； their cattle； and their crops are mysteriously bound up with their divine king； so that according as he is well or ill the community is healthy or sickly； the flocks and herds thrive or languish with disease； and the fields yield an abundant or a scanty harvest。 The worst evil which they can conceive of is the natural death of their ruler； whether he succumb to sickness or old age； for in the opinion of his followers such a death would entail the most disastrous consequences on themselves and their possessions； fatal epidemics would sweep away man and beast； the earth would refuse her increase； nay； the very frame of nature itself might be dissolved。 To guard against these catastrophes it is necessary to put the king to death while he is still in the full bloom of his divine manhood； in order that his sacred life； transmitted in unabated force to his successor； may renew its youth； and thus by successive transmissions through a perpetual line of vigorous incarnations may remain eternally fresh and young； a pledge and security that men and animals shall in like manner renew their youth by a perpetual succession of generations； and that seedtime and harvest； and summer and winter； and rain and sunshine shall never fail。 That； if my conjecture is right； was why the priest of Aricia； the King of the Wood at Nemi； had regularly to perish by the sword of his successor。
But we have still to ask； What was the Golden Bough？ and why had each candidate for the Arician priesthood to pluck it before he could slay the priest？ These questions I will now try to answer。
It will be well to begin by noticing two of those rules or taboos by which； as we have seen； the life of divine kings or priests is regulated。 The first of the rules to which I would call the reader's attention is that the divine personage may not touch the ground with his foot。 This rule was observed by the supreme pontiff of the Zapotecs in Mexico； he profaned his sanctity if he so much as touched the ground with his foot。 Montezuma； emperor of Mexico； never set foot on the ground； he was always carried on the shoulders of noblemen； and if he lighted anywhere they laid rich tapestry for him to walk upon。 For the Mikado of Japan to touch the ground with his foot was a shameful degradation； indeed； in the sixteenth century； it was enough to deprive him of his office。 Outside his palace he was carried on men's shoulders； within it he walked on exquisitely wrought mats。 The king and queen of Tahiti might not touch the ground anywhere but within their hereditary domains； for the ground on which they trod became sacred。 In travelling from place to place they were carried on the shoulders of sacred men。 They were always accompanied by several pairs of these sanctified attendants； and when it became necessary to change their bearers； the king and queen vaulted on to the shoulders of their new bearers without letting their feet touch the ground。 It was an evil omen if the king of Dosuma touched the ground； and he had to perform an expiatory ceremony。 Within his palace the king of Persia walked on carpets on which no one else might tread； outside of it he was never seen on foot but only in a chariot or on horseback。 In old days the king of Siam never set foot upon the earth； but was carried on a throne of gold from place to place。 Formerly neither the kings of Uganda； nor their mothers； nor their queens might walk on foot outside of the spacious enclosures in which they lived。 Whenever they went forth they were carried on the shoulders of men of the Buffalo clan； several of whom accompanied any of th