were seen coming Antevorta and
Postvorta, the companions of Divinity, of whom it was believed that the
first had power to know whether prayers were or were not to be heard by
the Gods; and the second, who rendered account only of the past, was
able to say whether prayers had or had not been heard; the first being
figured in the comely aspect and habit of a matron, with a lamp and a
corn-sieve in the hands, and a head-dress covered with ants upon the
head; and the second, clothed in front all in white, and figured with
the face of an old woman, was seen to be attired at the back in heavy
black draperies, and to have the hair, on the contrary, blonde, curling,
and beautiful, such as is generally seen in young and love-compelling
women. Then followed that Favour which we seek from the Gods, to the end
that our desires may have a happy and fortunate end; and he, although
shown in the aspect of a youth, blind and with wings, and with a proud
and haughty presence, yet at times appeared timid and trembling because
of the rolling wheel upon which he was seen standing, doubting that, as
is often seen to happen, at every least turn he might come with great
ease to fall from it; and with him was seen Success, or, as we would
rather say, the happy end of our enterprises, figured as a gay and
lovely youth, holding in one of the hands a cup, and in the other an ear
of corn and a poppy. Then there followed, in the form of a virgin
crowned with oriental palm, with a star upon the brow and with a branch
of the same palm in the hand, Anna Perenna, revered by the ancients as a
Goddess, believing that she was able to make the year fortunate, and
with her were seen coming two Fetiales with the Roman toga, adorned with
garlands of verbenae and with a sow and a stone in the hands, to denote
the kind of oath that they were wont to take when they made any
declaration for the Roman people. Behind these, then, following the
religious ceremonies of war, was seen coming a Roman Consul in the
Gabinian and purple toga, and with a spear in the hand, and with him two
Roman Senators likewise in the toga, and two soldiers in full armour and
with the Roman javelin. And finally, concluding that company and all the
others, there followed Money, attired in draperies of yellow, white, and
tawny colour, and holding in the hands various instruments for striking
coins; the use of which, so it is believed, was first discovered and
introduced, as a thing necessary