Quaestiones Romanae

Why do the Luperci sacrifice a dog?[*](Cf. 290 d, infra; Life of Romulus, chap. xxi. (31 b ff.); Life of Numa, chap. xix. (72 e); Life of Caesar, chap. lxi. (736 d); Life of Antony, chap. xii. (921 b-c); Varro, De Lingua Latina, vi. 13; scholium on Theocritus, ii. 12.) The Luperci are men who race through the city on the Lupercalia, lightly clad in loin-cloths, striking those whom they meet with a strip of leather.

Is it because this performance constitutes a rite of purification of the city? In fact they call this month February, and indeed this very day, februata; and to strike with a kind of leather thong they call februare, the word meaning to purify. Nearly all the Greeks used a dog as the sacrificial victim for ceremonies of purification: and some, at least, make use of it even to this day. They bring forth for Hecatê[*](Cf. 277 b, supra, and 290 d, infra.) puppies along with the other materials for purification, and rub round about with puppies[*](That the puppies were later sacrificed we may infer from the practive elsewhere and on other occasions.) such persons as are in need of cleansing, and this kind of purification they call periskylakismos (puppifrication).

Or is it that lupus means wolf and the Lupercalia is the Wolf Festival, and that the dog is hostile to the wolf, and for this reason is sacrificed at the Wolf Festival?

Or is it that the dogs bark at the Luperci and annoy them as they race about in the city?

Or is it that the sacrifice is made to Pan, and a dog is something dear to Pan because of his herds of goats?

Why on the festival called Septimontium[*](On this festival see J. B. Carter, American Journal of Archaeology (2nd Series), xii. pp. 172 ff.; H. Last in the Cambridge Ancient History, vol. vii. pp. 355 ff.) were they careful to refrain from the use of horsedrawn vehicles: and why even to this day are those who do not contemn ancient customs still careful about this? The festival Septimontium they observe in commemoration of the addition to the city of the seventh hill, by which Rome was made a city of seven hills.

Is it, as some of the Roman writers conceive, because the city had not yet been completely joined together in all its parts?

Or has this nothing to do with Dionysus [*](Nothing to do with the case: Cf.Moralia, 615 a, and Lucian, Dionysus, 5, with Harmon’s note (L.C.L. vol. i. p. 55); see also Moralia 388 e and 612 e.)? But did they imagine, when their great task of consolidation had been accomplished, that the city had now ceased from further extension: and they rested themselves, and gave respite to the pack-animals, which had helped them in their labours, and afforded the animals an opportunity to enjoy the general festival with no work to do?

Or did they wish that the presence of the citizens should adorn and honour every festival always, and, above all, that one which was held in commemoration of the consolidation of the city? Wherefore in order that they might not leave the City, in whose honour the festival was being held, it was not permitted to make use of vehicles on that day.