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or cropping the herbage in the open glades and dells。 Thus she might come to be the patron goddess both of hunters and herdsmen； just as Silvanus was the god not only of woods； but of cattle。 Similarly in Finland the wild beasts of the forest were regarded as the herds of the woodland god Tapio and of his stately and beautiful wife。 No man might slay one of these animals without the gracious permission of their divine owners。 Hence the hunter prayed to the sylvan deities； and vowed rich offerings to them if they would drive the game across his path。 And cattle also seem to have enjoyed the protection of those spirits of the woods； both when they were in their stalls and while they strayed in the forest。 Before the Gayos of Sumatra hunt deer； wild goats； or wild pigs with hounds in the woods； they deem it necessary to obtain the leave of the unseen Lord of the forest。 This is done according to a prescribed form by a man who has special skill in woodcraft。 He lays down a quid of betel before a stake which is cut in a particular way to represent the Lord of the Wood； and having done so he prays to the spirit to signify his consent or refusal。 In his treatise on hunting； Arrian tells us that the Celts used to offer an annual sacrifice to Artemis on her birthday； purchasing the sacrificial victim with the fines which they had paid into her treasury for every fox； hare； and roe that they had killed in the course of the year。 The custom clearly implied that the wild beasts belonged to the goddess； and that she must be compensated for their slaughter。
But Diana was not merely a patroness of wild beasts； a mistress of woods and hills； of lonely glades and sounding rivers； conceived as the moon； and especially； it would seem； as the yellow harvest moon； she filled the farmer's grange with goodly fruits； and heard the prayers of women in travail。 In her sacred grove at Nemi； as we have seen； she was especially worshipped as a goddess of childbirth； who bestowed offspring on men and women。 Thus Diana； like the Greek Artemis； with whom she was constantly identified； may be described as a goddess of nature in general and of fertility in particular。 We need not wonder； therefore； that in her sanctuary on the Aventine she was represented by an image copied from the many…breasted idol of the Ephesian Artemis； with all its crowded emblems of exuberant fecundity。 Hence too we can understand why an ancient Roman law； attributed to King Tullus Hostilius； prescribed that； when incest had been committed； an expiatory sacrifice should be offered by the pontiffs in the grove of Diana。 For we know that the crime of incest is commonly supposed to cause a dearth； hence it would be meet that atonement for the offence should be made to the goddess of fertility。
Now on the principle that the goddess of fertility must herself be fertile； it behoved Diana to have a male partner。 Her mate； if the testimony of Servius may be trusted； was that Virbius who had his representative； or perhaps rather his embodiment； in the King of the Wood at Nemi。 The aim of their union would be to promote the fruitfulness of the earth； of animals； and of mankind； and it might naturally be thought that this object would be more surely attained if the sacred nuptials were celebrated every year； the parts of the divine bride and bridegroom being played either by their images or by living persons。 No ancient writer mentions that this was done in the grove at Nemi； but our knowledge of the Arician ritual is so scanty that the want of information on this head can hardly count as a fatal objection to the theory。 That theory； in the absence of direct evidence； must necessarily be based on the analogy of similar customs practised elsewhere。 Some modern examples of such customs； more or less degenerate； were described in the last chapter。 Here we shall consider their ancient counterparts。
2。 The Marriage of the Gods
AT BABYLON the imposing sanctuary of Bel rose like a pyramid above the city in a series of eight towers or stories； planted one on the top of the other。 On the highest tower； reached by an ascent which wound about all the rest； there stood a spacious temple； and in the temple a great bed； magnificently draped and cushioned； with a golden table beside it。 In the temple no image was to be seen； and no human being passed the night there； save a single woman； whom； according to the Chaldean priests； the god chose from among all the women of Babylon。 They said that the deity himself came into the temple at night and slept in the great bed； and the woman； as a consort of the god； might have no intercourse with mortal man。
At Thebes in Egypt a woman slept in the temple of Ammon as the consort of the god； and； like the human wife of Bel at Babylon； she was said to have no commerce with a man。 In Egyptian texts she is often mentioned as the divine consort； and usually she was no less a personage than the Queen of Egypt herself。 For； according to the Egyptians； their monarchs were actually begotten by the god Ammon； who assumed for the time being the form of the reigning king； and in that disguise had intercourse with the queen。 The divine procreation is carved and painted in great detail on the walls of two of the oldest temples in Egypt； those of Deir el Bahari and Luxor； and the inscriptions attached to the paintings leave no doubt as to the meaning of the scenes。
At Athens the god of the vine； Dionysus； was annually married to the Queen； and it appears that the consummation of the divine union； as well as the espousals； was enacted at the ceremony； but whether the part of the god was played by a man or an image we do not know。 We learn from Aristotle that the ceremony took place in the old official residence of the King； known as the Cattle…stall； which stood near the Prytaneum or Town…hall on the north…eastern slope of the Acropolis。 The object of the marriage can hardly have been any other than that of ensuring the fertility of the vines and other fruit…trees of which Dionysus was the god。 Thus both in form and in meaning the ceremony would answer to the nuptials of the King and Queen of May。
In the great mysteries solemnised at Eleusis in the month of September the union of the sky…god Zeus with the corn…goddess Demeter appears to have been represented by the union of the hierophant with the priestess of Demeter； who acted the parts of god and goddess。 But their intercourse was only dramatic or symbolical； for the hierophant had temporarily deprived himself of his virility by an application of hemlock。 The torches having been extinguished； the pair descended into a murky place； while the throng of worshippers awaited in anxious suspense the result of the mystic congress； on which they believed their own salvation to depend。 After a time the hierophant reappeared； and in a blaze of light silently exhibited to the assembly a reaped ear of corn； the fruit of the divine marriage。 Then in a loud voice he proclaimed； Queen Brimo has brought forth a sacred boy Brimos； by which he meant； The Mighty One has brought forth the Mighty。 The corn…mother in fact had given birth to her child； the corn； and her travail…pangs were enacted in the sacred drama。 This revelation of the