5

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OP THE DRUIDS. 129
serving in the wars, as well asfrom the expense and
trohle of several offices. They were called Hirpins.
Virgil, much elder than Silius or Pliny, introduces
Aruns, one of that family, forming a design to kill
Camilla, and thus praying for success to Apollo.
O patron of Soracte's kigh abodes,
Phebus, the ruling pow'r among the Gods
Whom first we serve, whole woods of unctuous pine
Burnt on thy heap, and to thy glory shine
By thee protected, with our naked spies
Thro' flames unsing'd we pass, and tread the kindl'd coals.
Give me, propitious pow'r, to wash away
The stains of this dishonorable day*.
Dri/den''i version.
A Celtic antiquary, ignorant of the origin of the
Umbrians and Sabins, wou'd imagine, when reading
what past on Soracte, that it was some Gallic,
Brittish, or Irish mountain, the rites being absolutely
the same. We do not read indeed in our
Irish books, what preservative against fire was us'd
by those, who ran barefoot over the burning coals
of the earns : and, to be sure, they wou'd have the
common people piously believe they us'd none.
Yet that they really did, no less than the famous
fire-eater, whom I lately saw making so great a
* Summe Deftm, sancti custos Soractis, Apollo,
Quern primi colimus, cui pineus ardor Acervo
Fascitur ; et medium, freti pietate, per ignem
Cultores multa premimus vestigia pruoa :
Da, pater, hoc nosttis aboleri dedecus armis.
Aen. lib. 11. ver. 786.