Plutarch's Romane Questions · Plutarch
87.
_What is the reason that they divide and part the haire of the new brides head, with the point of a javelin?_ IS not this a verie signe, that the first wives whom the Romans espoused, were compelled to mariage, and conquered by force and armes. Or are not their wives hereby given to understand, that they are espoused to husbands, martiall men and soldiers; and therefore they should lay away all delicate, wanton, and costly imbelishment of the bodie, and acquaint themselves with simple and plaine attire; like as _Lycurgus_ for the same reason would that the dores, windowes, and roofes of houses should be framed with the saw and the axe onely, without use of any other toole or instrument, intending thereby to chase out of the common-weale all curiositie and wastfull superfluitie. Or doth not this parting of the haires, give covertly to understand, a division and separation, as if mariage & the bond of wedlock, were not to be broken but by the sword and warlike force? Or may not this signifie thus much, that they referred the most part of ceremonies concerning mariage unto _Juno_: now it is plaine that the javelin is consecrated unto _Juno_, insomuch as most part of her images and statues are portraied resting and leaning upon a launce or or javelin. And for this cause the goddesse is surnamed _Quiritis_, for they called in old time a speare _Quiris_, upon which occasion _Mars_ also (as they say) is named _Quiris_.
_What is the reason that the monie emploied upon plates and publike shewes is called among them, Lucar?_ MAY it not well be that there were many groves about the citie consecrated unto the gods, which they named _Lucos_: the revenues whereof they bestowed upon the setting forth of such solemnities? _Why call they_ Quirinalia, _the Feast of fooles_? WHETHER it is because (as _Juba_ writeth) they attribute this day unto those who knew not their owne linage and tribe? or unto such as have not sacrificed, as others have done according to their tribes, at the feast called _Fornacalia_. Were it that they were hindred by other affaires, or had occasion to be forth of the citie, or were altogether ignorant, and therefore this day was assigned for them, to performe the said feast.
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