 Altar Fires
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| “Khaîre. My name is Philemon. Who is in charge here ?” “Khaîre, Your Grace ! My name is Aristarch, I oversee everything to do with cultual ceremonies. You have brought a young goat with you. Beautiful skin, long ash and fawn-coloured hairs ; very good. You wish to make sacrifice ?” “My three younger brothers are participating in the upcoming Olympiad. The family wishes to entreat the Dioscuri for a victory.” “I see. Congratulations to your brothers for qualifying for such an important contest ! How are they travelling to Greece ?” “By ship.” “No doubt you will want to make another sacrifice for a safe journey. Here, these temple slaves will take charge of the goat for now. They will clean and wash him. Follow me to my office and register yourself and the animal, and the reason for your offering.”
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 “The High Altar is in this hall. It used to be outdoors, in the Second Courtyard, like many altars in the old days. The City Council decreed this temple should modernise. This hall can hold 600 men. Sometimes it’s barely large enough ; at the feast held on the birthday of the emperor’s mother, 700 citizens and foreign dignitaries attended the sacrifice of a Cretan ox ! The purists want to go back to the custom of open-air sacrifices.... The ceiling in here is made of wood panels. When the fire is lit for the offering, we slide the panels open and the smoke rises to heaven.”
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“In this adjacent room are the incense altars. They come in all sorts of convenient sizes, not too heavy, suitable for placing on small tables at home. Can you smell the aroma from this morning’s offerings ?” “Very nice.” “We make a special blend from our own plants. Phials of our incense are for sale at the shop, if you’re interested.” |
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Registry Book (6 posts)
Transvectio Equitum (* Senex Caecilius, Jul 15, 2008 - 00:47 ) home sweet home (* Magus Sargon, Jun 13, 2008 - 17:43 ) Homecoming (* Gaius Pacilus Furius, Jun 12, 2008 - 21:46 )|
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