Consecration

Consecration took its original frok the Deification of Romulus, which Herodian describes as follows. The Emperors, who leave either sons or designed successors at their death, are consecrated after this manner, and are said to be enroll’d among the number of the gods. On this occasion the whole city maintains a publick grief, mixed as it were with the solemnity of a festival. The true body is buried in a very sumptuous funeral according to the ordinary method. But they take care to have an image of the emperor made in wax done to the life, and this they expose to publick view, just at the entrance of the palace gate, on a stately bed of ivory, covered with rich garments of embroidered work and cloth of gold. The image lies there all pale, as if under a dangerous indisposition, the whole senate dress’d in black sit the greatest part of the day round the bed on the left hand and the matrons, who either on account of their parents or husbands are reputed noble, on the right hand. They wear no jewels, or gold, or other ornaments; but are attired in close white vests. This ceremony continues seven days together, the Physicians being admitted every day to the bed-side and declaring the patient continually to grow worse and worse. At last, when they suppose him to be dead, a select company of young gentlemen of the senatorian order take up the bed upon their shoulders, and carry it through the via sacra, or the holy way, into the old Forum, the place where the Romanmagistrates are us’d to lay down their offices. On both sides there are raised galleries, with seats one above another, one side being fill’d with boys nobly descended, and of the most eminent patrician families; the other with a like set of ladies of quality; who both together sing hymns and Pæns compos’d in very mournful and passionate airs, to the praise of the deceased. When these are over, they take up the bed again and carry it into the Campus Martius, where in the widest part of the field is erected a four-square pile, intirely compos’d of large planks in the shape of a pavillion, and exactly regular and equal in dimensions. This in the inside is filled with dry chips, but without is adorned with coverlets of cloth of gold, and beautified with pictures and curious figures in ivory. Above this is places another frame of wood, less, but set off with the like ornaments with little portico’s. Over this is placed a third and fourth pile, each less than that whereon it stands; and so others perhaps till they come to the least of all, which forms the top. The figure of the structure taken all together may be compar’d to those watch-towers, which are to be seen in harbours of note, and by the fire on their top direct the course of ships into the haven. After this, hoisting up the body into the second frame of building they get together a vast quantity of all manner of sweet odours and perfumes, whether of fruits, herbs or gums, and pour them in heaps all about it; there being no nation, city, or indeed any eminent men, who do not rival one another in paying these last presents to their prince. When the place is quite filled with a huge pile of spices and drugs, the whole order of knights ride in a solemn procession round the structure, and imitate the motions of the Pyrrhic dance. Chariots too in a very regular and decent manner are drove round the pile, the drivers being cloathed in purple, and bearing the images of all the illustrious Romans, renowned either for their councils, or administration at home, or their memorable atchievements in war. The pomp beig finish’d, the successor takes a torch into his ahnd and puts it to the frame, and at the same time the whole company assist in ilghting it in several places; when on a sudden the chips and drugs catching fire, the whole pile is quickly consumed. At last from the highest and smallest frame of wood an eagle is set loose, which, ascending with the flames towards the sky, is supposed to carry the prince’s soul to heaven.

Definition taken from The Universal Etymological English Dictionary, edited by Nathan Bailey (1736)

Conseˊcration * Consoˊle [in Architecture]