spirit of the Magian religion, which is undoubtedly the
case, as far as the latest form of the religion is
concerned; but the testimony of Herodotus is so plain that
the fact itself must be considered as indisputable. We may
note that the passage refers to the foundation of a city;
and if we remember how persistent was the custom of human
sacrifice among ancient races at the foundation of
buildings, we shall be led to the conclusion that the
ceremony described by the Greek historian was a survival of
a very ancient usage, which had not yet fallen entirely into
desuetude at the Achæmenian epoch.

[Illustration: 033.jpg THE SACRED FIRE BURNING ON THE ALTAR]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the impression of a Persian
intaglio.

The king, whose royal position made him the representative of
Ahura-mazdâ on earth, was, in fact, a high priest, and was himself
able to officiate at the altar, but no one else could dispense with the
mediation of the Magi. The worshippers proceeded in solemn procession
to the spot where the ceremony was to take place, and there the priest,
wearing the tiara on his head, recited an invocation in a slow and
mysterious voice, and implored the blessings of heaven on the king
and nation. He then slaughtered the victim by a blow on the head, and
divided it into portions, which he gave back to the offerer without
reserving any of them, for Ahura-mazdâ required nothing but the soul;
in certain cases, the victim was entirely consumed by fire, but more
frequently nothing but a little of the fat and some of the entrails
were taken to feed and maintain the flame, and sometimes even this was