97.
What is the cause that upon the thirteenth day of December, which in Latine they call the Ides of December, there is exhibited a game of chariots running for the prize, and the horse drawing on the right hand that winneth the victorie, is sacrificed and consecrated unto Mars, and at the time thereof, there comes one behinde, that cutteth off his taile, which he carrieth immediatly into the temple called Regia, and therewith imbrueth the altar with blood: and for the head of the said horse, one troupe there is comming out of the street called Via sacra, and another from that which they name Suburra, who encounter and trie out by fight who shall have it?
May not the reason be (as some doe alledge) that they have an opinion, how the citie of Troy was sometime woon by the meanes of a woodden horse; and therefore in the memoriall thereof, they thus punished a poore horse?
As men from blood of noble Troy descended
And by the way with Latins issue blended.
Or because an horse is a couragious, martiall and warlike beast; and ordinarily, men use to present unto the gods those Sacrifices which are most agreeable unto them, and sort best with them: and in that respect, they sacrifice that horse which wan the prize, unto Mars, because strength and victorie are well beseeming him.
Or rather because the worke of God is firme and stable: those also be victorious who keepe their ranke and vanquish them, who make not good their ground but fly away. This beast therefore is punished for running so swift, as if celeritie were the maintenance of cowardise: to give us thereby covertly to understand, that there is no hope of safetie for them who seeke to escape by flight.
98.
What is the reason that the first worke which the Censors go in hand with, when they be enstalled in the possession of their magistracie, is to take order upon a certaine price for the keeping and feeding of the sacred geese, and to cause the painted statues and images of the gods to be refreshed?
Whether is it because they would begin at the smallest things, and those which are of least dispense and difficultie?