Amongst the orders of Priests were Some of Numa Pompilius his institution, and called by the name of Flamines: their habit of their head was a hat, as the high Priest had also: but vp∣on the top of it, they wore a tufte of white wollen thred: therefore were called Flamines qua∣si Pilamines hairy, or tufted crownes: some deriue it of Pileus, a hat, but that cannot be, for so had the high Priests Some againe say their name came of Filum, a thred, because in the heate of Summer when it was to hot to weare their hats, they wrapped their heads about with thred of linnen cloth: for to go bare headed-abroade, their religion forbad them: but vpon feast daies they were bound to weare their hats in the ceremonies, Appian of Alexandria saith that the Iouiall Flamine wore his hat and vaile both vpon feast and no feast daies. Others say that they were called Flamines a Flamineo, which was a kind of yellow head-tire, but more pro∣per to women then them. These kind of Priests Numa first ordained, and that three of them: one for Iupiter, called the Diall of Dios, Ioue or Iouiall: one to Mars, the Martiall; and one to Quirinus, the Quirinall. Other gods might haue no Flamines, nor might one of those Gods haue more then one, but in processe of time the number increased, and became fifteene: be∣sides those which flattery consecrated to the dead Caesars, as one to C. Caesar, by Antonyes law, (which Cicero reproueth (Phillippic 2.) one to Augustus, and so to diuers others. But those that Numa made were the principall alwaies, and the principall of them was Ioues Flamin the Di∣all: he onely of all the rest went in a white Hat, and was held the most reuerend: His ceremo∣nies and lawes are recounted both by Plutarch in his Problemes and also by Gellius (lib. 10.) out of Fabius Pictor, Massurius Sabinus, Varro, and others. The lowst in degree of all the Fla∣mines, was the Pomonall Flamine, because Pomona, the goddesse of Apples, was of the least es∣teeme. Others there were of meane dignity, as Vulcanes, Furidàs, Father Falacers, The God∣desses that pretected mount Palatine, and mother Floràs. (d) which kind of Priesthood] Though the Flamines were of great authority yet were all obedient vnto the chiefe Priest: for so the people commanded it should be, when in the second warre of Affrike: L. Mettellus, being chiefe Priest with-held the consul Posthumus, being Mars his Flamine, and would not let him leaue his order, nor his sacrifices: and likewise in the first warre of Asia, P. Licinius, high Priest, staid Q. Fabius Pictor then Praetor and Quirinall Flamine from going into Sardinia (e) as their crests they wore] Apèx, is any thing that is added to the toppe, or highest part of a thing: here it is that which the Flamine bore vpon his head, his cap, or his tufte of woll. Lucane.
Et tollens opicem generoso vertice Flamen: The Flamine with his cap, and lofty crest:
Sulpitius lost his Priesthood because his crest fell of whilst he was a sacrificing, saith Valerius, (lib. 1.) The Romaines gaue not this crest but vnto their greatest men in religion: as now we giue Miters, they called it Apex (saith Seruius vpon the eight Aenead) ab apendo, which is, to ouercome: and hence comes Aptus, & Apiculum filum, that was the small tufted thred which the Flamines folded their Crests in: Fabius speaketh of these Crests and Virgill.
Hin•…•… exultantes Sal•…•…os, nudosque Laper cos,
lanigerosque apices,—
Here Salii danc'd naked Lupe•…•…ci there,
and there the tufted crownes. Aenead. 8.
(f) Onely three of those their chiefe and true Flamines, inheritours of the auncient Flaminshippe (g) the loue of his cittizens] Romulus being dead, the people began to suspect that the Senate had butchered him secretly amongst them-selues. So Iulius Proculus, appeased the rage of the multitude by affirming that hee saw Romulus ascending vp into heauen. Liuye in his first booke. Ennius brings in the people of Rome lamenting for Romulus in these words.
O Romule, Romule, dic,
qualem te patriae custodem Dij genuerunt,
Tu proauxisti nos intra lvmi•…•…s oras,
O Pater, O genitor patriae, O sanguine diso•…•…iunde.
O Romulus, O Romulus, shevv vs,
hovv they, thy countries gard, the gods begat,
Thou brought vs first to light, O thou our father,
thy countries father borne of heauenly seed.
(h) called Quirinus] many of such mens names haue beene chaunged after their deyfying, to make them more venerable, hauing cast of their stiles of mortality, for so was Laeda (so called when she was aliue) after her death and deification stiled Nemesis: and Circe, Marica: and Ino, Matuta; And Aeneas, Iupiter Indiges, Romulus was called Quirinus to gratifie the Sabines; In which respect also the Romaines were called Quirites of Cures a towne of the Sabines, or else as Ouid saith.