ABLUERE
se, (a Term of Religion us'd in the ancient Sacrifices) to wash and purifie our selves before we offer Sacrifice. The Ro∣mans look'd upon it as a part of Religious Wor∣ship, to wash their Hands and Feet, sometimes the Head, and oftentimes the whole Body, when they were to sacrifice to their Gods. And therefore Virgil brings in Aeneas telling Anchi∣ses, that he could not discharge his Duty to his Houshold-Gods, till he was purified in some running Water, because he was defiled with Blood and Slaughter, at the Sacking of Troy, Donec me flumine vivo abluero. We read also in the same Poet, that Dido, having a mind to sacrifice to the Infernal-Gods, told her Sister, that she must first wash and purifie her self in running Water,
Dic corpus properet fluviali spargere lympha.The People and Assistants were also purified with a Water which was called Lustral, accor∣ding to the Practice of Aeneas at the Funerals of Misenus in Virgil, for he tells us that he sprinkl'd Lustral Water three times upon his Compani∣ons with an Olive-branch,
Idem ter socios pura circumtulit unda Spargens rore levi & ramo felicis oliva.They us'd sometimes a sprinkling Instru∣ment to throw that Lustral Water, which they esteemed holy, because the Link or Torch which had been used at a Sacrifice was extin∣guished in it. It was their Custom also to place, at the Entrance into their Temples, Ves∣sels made of Marble triumphant (as Du Choul calls it) fill'd with Water, wherewith they wash'd themselves. A Custom which, with∣out doubt, they learn'd from the Jews, since we read in Scripture, that Solomon plac'd at the Entry into the Temple, which he erected to the true God, a great Laver, which the Holy Text calls a Sea of Brass, where the Priests wash'd themselves before they offer'd Sacrifice, having before-hand sanctified the Water by throwing into it the Ashes of the Victim that was slain in Sacrifice.