Via, R. The high road. These were so constructed by the Romans that following generations used them without repair for more than a thousand years. The earliest was the Appian or the Great South Road from Rome to Brindisi, made B.C. 312; the Great North Road continued through Gaul was the Flaminian Road. The construction of a Roman road was the following:—between trenches thirteen to fifteen feet apart, the gremium or foundation was made firm, if necessary, in a marsh, with piles; this was covered with large stones of a regulated size, such as London streets were formerly paved with (statumen), and this with macadamized stones cemented with lime (rudus), rammed down hard, and nine inches thick; then came small shards of pottery, six inches thick, also cemented with lime (nucleus), and over this the pavement of large blocks of the hardest stone (see Silex), irregular, but fitted and joined with the greatest nicety, and perfectly smoothed with a slope for drainage.
Viaticum, R. A provision for a journey. Adopted by the Christian Church in reference to the last offices of religion to the dying, with the obvious symbolical significance.
Vibia, R. A cross-bar and uprights forming a trestle.
Vibrella, Med. Lat. A cannon.
Vices. The seven Vices commonly met with in Christian allegory are: Anger, Avarice, Envy, Lust, Pride, Revenge, and Sloth.
Vicessis, R. Twenty pounds weight = 14·987 lbs. avoirdupois.
Victima, R. The animals used for sacrifices were mostly domestic; as bulls, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, or horses; each god had his favourite animals. The head of the victim was generally strewed with roasted barley meal, mixed with salt, and adorned with garlands, and sometimes its horns were gilt. A bunch of hair was cut from its forehead and thrown into the fire as primatiæ. It was killed by a person called the popa, not by the priests; and part of the intestines were burned, or to river-gods, thrown into the river, &c.
Fig. 685. Victoria Cross.
Victoria Cross is of bronze, and was instituted by the Queen in 1856 to render honour to “conspicuous bravery” in actual conflict by sea or land. It is worn on the left breast attached to a blue ribbon for the Navy, and a red for the Army.