女神电子书 > 浪漫言情电子书 > pagan and christian creeds >

第11部分

pagan and christian creeds-第11部分

小说: pagan and christian creeds 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



rass; sand; rock; and tobacco…plant。

'1' See The Golden Bough; vol。 iv; p。 31。

'2' See Andrew Lang; Custom and Myth; p。 104; also Myth; Ritual and Religion; vol。 i; pp。 71; 76; etc。


So we might go on rather indefinitely。 I need hardly say that in more modern and civilized life; relics of the totem system are still to be found in the forms of the heraldic creatures adopted for their crests by different families; and in the bears; lions; eagles; the sun; moon and stars and so forth; which still adorn the flags and are flaunted as the insignia of the various nations。 The names may not have been ORIGINALLY adopted from any definite belief in blood…relationship with the animal or other object in question; but when; as Robertson says (Pagan Christs; p。 104); a 〃savage learned that he was 'a Bear' and that his father and grandfather and forefathers were so before him; it was really impossible; after ages in which totem… names thus passed current; that he should fail to assume that his folk were DESCENDED from a bear。〃

As a rule; as may be imagined; the savage tribesman will on no account EAT his tribal totem…animal。 Such would naturally be deemed a kind of sacrilege。 Also it must be remarked that some totems are hardly suitable for eating。 Yet it is important to observe that occasionally; and guarding the ceremony with great precautions; it has been an almost universal custom for the tribal elders to call a feast at which an animal (either the totem or some other) IS killed and commonly eatenand this in order that the tribesmen may absorb some virtue belonging to it; and may confirm their identity with the tribe and with each other。 The eating of the bear or other animal; the sprinkling with its blood; and the general ritual in which the participants shared its flesh; or dressed and disguised themselves in its skin; or otherwise identified themselves with it; was to them a symbol of their community of life with each other; and a means of their renewal and salvation in the holy emblem。 And this custom; as the reader will perceive; became the origin of the Eucharists and Holy Communions of the later religions。

Professor Robertson…Smith's celebrated Camel affords an instance of this。'1' It appears that St。 Nilus (fifth century) has left a detailed account of the occasional sacrifice in his time of a spotless white camel among the Arabs of the Sinai region; which closely resembles a totemic communion… feast。 The uncooked blood and flesh of the animal had to be entirely consumed by the faithful before daybreak。 〃The slaughter of the victim; the sacramental drinking of the blood; and devouring in wild haste of the pieces of still quivering flesh; recall the details of the Dionysiac and other festivals。〃'2' Robertson…Smith himself says:〃The plain meaning is that the victim was devoured before its life had left the still warm blood and flesh 。 。 。 and that thus in the most literal way; all those who shared in the ceremony absorbed part of the victim's life into themselves。 One sees how much more forcibly than any ordinary meal such a rite expresses the establishment or confirmation of a bond of common life between the worshipers; and also; since the blood is shed upon the altar itself; between the worshipers and their god。 In this sacrifice; then; the significant factors are two: the conveyance of the living blood to the godhead; and the absorption of the living flesh and blood into the flesh and blood of the worshippers。 Each of these is effected in the simplest and most direct manner; so that the meaning of the ritual is perfectly transparent。〃

'1' See his Religion of the Semites; p。 320。

'2' They also recall the rites of the Passoverthough in this latter the blood was no longer drunk; nor the flesh eaten raw。


It seems strange; of course; that men should eat their totems; and it must not by any means be supposed that this practice is (or was) universal; but it undoubtedly obtains in some cases。 As Miss Harrison says (Themis; p。 123); 〃you do not as a rule eat your relations;〃 and as a rule the eating of a totem is tabu and forbidden; but (Miss Harrison continues) 〃at certain times and under certain restrictions a man not only may; but MUST; eat of his totem; though only sparingly; as of a thing sacrosanct。〃 The ceremonial carried out in a communal way by the tribe not only identifies the tribe with the totem (animal); but is held; according to early magical ideas; and when the animal is desired for food; to favor its manipulation。 The human tribe partakes of the mana or life…force of the animal; and is strengthened; the animal tribe is sympathetically renewed by the ceremonial and multiplies exceedingly。 The slaughter of the sacred animal and (often) the simultaneous outpouring of human blood seals the compact and confirms the magic。 This is well illustrated by a ceremony of the 'Emu' tribe referred to by Dr。 Frazer:

〃In order to multiply Emus which are an important article of food; the men of the Emu totem in the Arunta tribe proceed as follows: They clear a small spot of level ground; and opening veins in their arms they let the blood stream out until the surface of the ground for a space of about three square yards is soaked with it。 When the blood has dried and caked; it forms a hard and fairly impermeable surface; on which they paint the sacred design of the emu totem; especially the parts of the bird which they like best to eat; namely; the fat and the eggs。 Round this painting the men sit and sing。 Afterwards performers wearing long head…dresses to represent the long neck and small head of the emu; mimic the appearance of the bird as it stands aimlessly peering about in all directions。〃'1'

'1' The Golden Bough i; 85with reference to Spencer and Gillen's Native Tribes of Central Australia; pp。 179; 189。


Thus blood sacrifice comes in; and(whether this has ever actually happened in the case of the Central Australians I know not)we can easily imagine a member of the Emu tribe; and disguised as an actual emu; having been ceremonially slaughtered as a firstfruits and promise of the expected and prayed…for emu…crop; just as the same certainly HAS happened in the case of men wearing beast…masks of Bulls or Rams or Bears being sacrificed in propitiation of Bull…gods; Ram…gods or Bear…gods or simply in pursuance of some kind of magic to favor the multiplication of these food…animals。

〃In the light of totemistic ways of thinking we see plainly enough the relation of man to food…animals。 You need or at least desire flesh food; yet you shrink from slaughtering 'your brother the ox'; you desire his mana; yet you respect his tabu; for in you and him alike runs the common life…blood。 On your own individual responsibility you would never kill him; but for the common weal; on great occasions; and in a fashion conducted with scrupulous care; it is expedient that he die for his people; and that they feast upon his flesh。〃'1'

'1' Themis; p。 140。


In her little book Ancient Art and Ritual'1' Jane Harrison describes the dedication of a holy Bull; as conducted in Greece at Elis; and at Magnesia and other cities。 〃There at the annual fair year by year the stewards of the city bought a Bull 'the finest that could be got;' and at the new moon of the month at the beginning of seed…time '? April' they dedicated it for the city's welfare。 。 。 。 The Bull was led in procession at the head of which went the chief priest and priestess of the city。 With them went a herald and sacrificer; and two bands of youths and maidens。 So holy was the Bull that nothing unlucky might come near him。 The herald pronounced aloud a prayer for 'the safety of the city and the land; and the citizens; and the women and children; for peace and wealth; and for the bringing forth of grain and all other fruits; and of cattle。' All this longing for fertility; for food and children; focuses round the holy Bull; whose holiness is his strength and fruitfulness。〃 The Bull is sacrificed。 The flesh is divided in solemn feast among those who take part in the procession。 〃The holy flesh is not offered to a god; it is eatento every man his portionby each and every citizen; that he may get his share of the strength of the Bull; of the luck of the State。〃 But at Athens the Bouphonia; as it was called; was followed by a curious ceremony。 〃The hide was stuffed with straw and sewed up; and next the stuffed animal was set on its feet and yoked to a plough as though it were ploughing。 The Death is followed by a Resurrection。 Now this is all important。 We are accustomed to think of sacrifice as the death; the giving up; the renouncing of something。 But SACRIFICE does not mean 'death' at all。 It means MAKING HOLY; sanctifying; and holiness was to primitive man just special strength and life。 What they wanted from the Bull was just that special life and strength which all the year long they had put into him; and nourished and fostered。 That life was in his blood。 They could not eat that flesh nor drink that blood unless they killed him。 So he must die。 But it was not to give him up to the gods that they killed him; not to 'sacrifice' him in our sense; but to have him; keep him; eat him; live BY him and through him; by his grace。〃

'1' Home University Library; p。 87。


W

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的