And when we offer victims before we come to the
oracle, and crown them with garlands of flowers and pour
wine on their heads, I see we do not any thing in all this
that is absurd or repugnant to this opinion of ours. For
the priests, who offer the sacrifices, and pour out the holy
wine thereon, and observe their motions and tremblings,
do this for no other reason besides that of learning whether
they can receive an answer from the oracle. For the animal which is offered to the Gods must be pure, entire, and
sound, both as to soul and body. Now it is not very hard
to discover the marks of the body; and as to the soul,
they make an experiment of it in setting meal before the
bulls and presenting pease to the boars; for if they will
not taste them, it is a certain sign they be not sound. As
to goats, cold water is a trial for them; for if the beast
does not seem to be moved and affected when the water is
poured upon her, this is an evident sign that her soul is
not right according to Nature. And supposing it should
be granted that it is a certain and unquestionable sign that
God will give an answer when the sacrifice thus drenched
stirs, and that when it is otherwise he vouchsafes none, I
do not sec herein any thing that disagrees with the account
[p. 61]
of oracles which I have given. For every natural virtue
produceth the effect to which it is ordained better or worse,
according as its season is more or less proper; and it is
likely God gives us signs whereby we may know whether
the opportunity be gone or not.
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