Quaestiones Romanae

Why is the shrine of Aesculapius[*](Cf. Pliny, Natural History, xxix. 1 (16); 4 (72); Livy, x. 47, Epitome, xi.) outside the city?

Is it because they considered it more healthful to spend their time outside the city than within its walls? In fact the Greeks, as might be expected, have their shrines of Asclepius situated in places which are both clean and high.

Or is it because they believe that the god carne at their summons from Epidaurus, and the Epidauria. have their shrine of Asclepius not in the city, but at some distance?

Or is it because the serpent carne out from the trireme into the island,[*](The Insula Tiberina.) and there disappeared, and thus they thought that the god himself was indicating to them the site for building?

Why is it the customary rule that those who are practising holy living must abstain from legumes?[*](Cf. Pliny, Natural History, xviii. 12 (118-119); Aulus Gellius, x. 15. 12.)

Did they, like the followers of Pythagoras,[*](Cf., for example, Juvenal, xv. 9 porrum et caepe nefas violare et frangere morsu; Horace, Satires, ii. 6. 63; Epistles, i. 12. 21.) religiously abstain from beans for the reasons which are commonly offered,[*](The numerous reasons suggested may be found in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopadie, vol. iii. coll. 619-620.) and from vetch and chickpea, because their names (lathyros and erebinthos) suggest Lethê and Erebus?

Or is it because they make particular use of legumes for funeral feasts and invocations of the dead?

Or is it rather because one must keep the body clean and light for purposes of holy living and lustration? Now legumes are a flatulent food and produce surplus matter that requires much purgation.

Or is it because the windy and flatulent quality of the food stimulates desire?