by Horatius Piscinus on Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:08 am
Salvete cultores Deorum
Anything that is used for ritual purpose is to be dedicated to that purpose alone - the place, the implements, the offerings themselves - and further they are generally to be dedicated to one deity alone.
The primary example given is that of M. Macellus when he wished to dedicate a single temple to Virtus and Honos. The pontifices interfered "on the grounds that a single sanctuary could not properly be dedicated to two deities, arguing that if some prodigy were to occur therein, it would be impossible to determine to which of the two an expiatory ceremony should be performed and that it was not customary to sacrifice to two deities at once, with some exceptions," or else, "moreover a single victim could not be properly sacrificed to two gods simultaneously except in certain recognized cases." Thus Marcellus ended up having to build two temples, increasing his personal costs and delaying his dedication (Valerius Maxmimus 1.1.8; Livy 27.25.7-10). One of the exceptions would be where there is a collective deity – the Parcae, the Tempestes, the three Junones, or Di indigiti, or of course with the Lares.
Another problem arises when you mix ritual for different categories of deities. Basically there are three categories - the Di caelisti, Di inferi, and Di inferni, or the celestial Gods above, the earthly, lesser gods, and then the Gods and other entities of the Underworld. Among the Manes there is something of the same divisions, with the Lares more or less having a celestial abode, the Lemures bound to the earth, while some Manes and the Larvae would be associated with the Underworld. There are differences in the manner that ritual is performed for each of these categories, so that you really cannot combine them together.
Rites performed for the celestial Gods are to be conducted during daylight, preferably at dawn, when the Light of the Gods enters into the world once more. As such, prayers addressed to the celestial Gods are generally said while facing east towards the rising sun, although other orientations can be used since some deities are associated with specific directions or phenomenon. Rites to the infernal Gods are performed at night, or else beneath a canopy or roof to shelter the rites from the view of celestial Gods. The west or northwest is generally associated with the infernal Gods, and one would face towards the setting sun as rites to infernal Gods began. For the terrestrial Gods rites might more generally be conducted during twilight hours. They can be conducted in daylight, but would also be conducted at night if addressing Their infernal aspect. With terrestrial Gods one orients on Their location - towards a forest if forest deities, towards the sea or river, or towards mountains and hills, or however else may be appropriate.
The gesture used when addressing the celestial Gods is either the right hand or both hands held manus supina with the palm(s) directed toward the sky. For terrestrial Gods and Goddesses the right hand only is held manus supina and the palm is direct toward an earthly feature with which the deity is identified. The infernal deities are addressed using the right hand only, held manus prona. The palm faces down over an altar, or over a pit or chasm. Also, the right hand is used when making offerings to celestial or terrestrial deities or to the Lares, but the left hand is used instead when offering to infernal deities.
The altars used in rites for the celestial Gods are square, and the fire placed upon the altar should be made square, by first forming the square molucum. The simplest were those cut from turf. The individual altars that can be commonly seen were likewise topped with turf. The special U-shaped altars, as with the Ars Pacis or those at Lavinium, were likewise intended for celestial deities. With those, sacrifices were made side by side to more than one deity, but likely squares of turf were placed on these so that separate fires were kept. For the infernal Gods, pits are dug first, and an altar or fire is then placed inside the pit. The altar and/or fire is round, the wood first stacked up to form a cone shape. For terrestrial deities often times no fire is used and neither is an altar constructed for the purpose of sacrificing offerings. Instead offerings would be left at places in nature. That is, flowers were offered into rivers, spring fed ponds, and fountains, or else hung at places dedicated to terrestrial deities, bread, fruits and vegetables were left at their places, and wine or blood was poured on the roots of trees or vines and portions of a victim might be hung on trees. For terrestrial deities there was also a special sort of altar, one that was round and hollow, where a round fire could be built down in its well.
Arbores felices were used for celestial and terrestrial deities when making a fire. They could also be used for infernal deities when called upon to perform some benefit. Trees of purification, like pine, juniper, and cypress were more apt to be used for the infernal deities. Arbores infelices were generally avoided in ritual use, but could be used in some cases with infernal deities, depending on the rite.
The source of water used in ritual could be a consideration as well. Water used to purify a space or person has to be "pure," which is to say it has to come from a flowing source like a natural spring or a river, and never from pipes. For terrestrial deities the location of the source could have some significance. For celestial deities - rain water was collected, but rivers and springs could also be used as these were believed to be connected to celestial waters (see Seneca's Natural Questions as one example). Sulfur springs and volcanic shafts were believed to lead down into the Underworld. We know that some rites were performed near such places. I don't recall any specific mention of sulfurous water being used in rites concerning the Underworld, but it would have been a possibility at such places as Albunea.
Incense was offered to present a pleasing fragrance or else to purify a place. Exotic incense such as myrrh, frankincense, cinnamon, and nard were generally reserved for the celestial Gods. Foul scented sulfur was used for infernal deities, more often to ward off than to attract Them. Herbs of the earth were most commonly used for terrestrial deities. Some trees and herbs were more closely identified with certain deities over others. However it was more often the location from which the herbs came, rather than what herbs, that was important.
In general, milk is the preferred libation to use for terrestrial and infernal deities, while wine is most often used for celestial deities. However, what governs which libation is used depends more on the cultus Dei, the particular rite, and the particular deity. Libations to the celestial Gods were burned on the altar, while libations to infernal deities were poured into pits or chasms. Libations to terrestrial deities would be poured into rivers, lakes, fountains, ponds and the sea, or else onto the earth, and quite often over a large stone. Water was offered not as a libation but for cleaning and thus set out in lebes. Olive oil and honey were common offerings, not considered as libations, but offered in the same way as was appropriate.
The celestial gods were offered white animal victims. Only certain portions of the animal were allotted for the celestial Gods. Black animal victims were used for infernal deities, and the victim had to be burnt whole. Red animal victims were used for Vulcanus and Robigo. Mature animal victims were preferred for celestial deities, immature animal victims were often used for infernal deities. Terrestrial deities were most often treated as celestial Gods in this regard, or else were served special prepared dishes, or else a portion of a meal prepared for mortals. Meals could be shared between mortals and the celestial or terrestrial deities, but never between mortals and infernal deities.
First fruits, fruges primis, were offered to celestial and terrestrial deities. These would be burned on the altar for celestial deities. They might instead be buried for some terrestrial deities, burned in some cases, or otherwise would be left out for terrestrial deities.
Salt was an important offering to give to infernal and terrestrial deities. The specially prepared mola salsa used for sanctifying sacrifices to the Gods was not salt. It was salted grain meal. Bowls of salt would be placed out for terrestrial deities and for Manes, while salt was also poured in pits to infernal deities. I do not recall offerings of salt, as such, being offered to celestial deities.
The above is only a general guideline on some ritual differences. The Lares are dealt with more as celestial deities than as terrestrial, and in spite of their being considered spirits of the honored dead, they are not treated in the same manner as infernal deities.
Thus, to reinforce what I wrote earlier, generally you would not mix other deities in with your Lares, although there would be some exceptions.
Di Deaeque omnes vos bene ament
M Horatius Piscinus
Sapere aude!