In response to the request presented to the College of Augurs, I have the following comments:

Lemures, shades of the restless dead, generally wander about the world of the living at fixed times of the year. However, the lemur of one who was not afforded proper burial and appropriate cult rites by his family was known to appear in frightening or disturbing ways at other times of the year. In his Fasti, Ovid describes such vagrant spirits as "unsatiated" and in need of affectionate propitiatory rites by the living to prevent them from becoming vengeful di manes. In other words, shades could become either lares or di manes depending on the attention paid to decedents by their family.

On the days of the Lemuria, the head of household was required to rise at midnight on each of the three nights, wash his hands three times and then stride through the house spitting or tossing black beans behind him for the lemurs to gather. This sequence was repeated nine times. He would then wash his hands and strike a brass vessel and call out nine times: "Ancestral spirit, depart!"

With regard to Rome herself, my recommendation would be for the Senior Consul to accept the role of "head of household" and perform the correct propitiatory rites for dealing with a potentially hostile lemur who may be on the verge of becoming one of the di manes. (The Pontifex Maximus does not serve the same function as head of household for the City.) No doubt an outpouring of public affection could prevent this and ensure the role of Numidicus as a Lar for the City of Rome.

As to the private sector, those who bear affection toward Lucius Junius Brutus Numidicus ought to offer the proper private propitiatory rites. I have conveyed my recommendation to Aemilia Paulla and she has agreed to do so. However, her performance of these rites will necessarily occur in Hispania and may be attenuated and therefore less effective than those conducted in Rome. Numidicus' son is in the custody of his nominal father. Perhaps one of the senior magistrates of Rome can convey a formal request to M. Junius Brutus that he might guide the child's hand in propitiatory sacrifice to his father.