).[392] Thus in outward form this
ritual seems to show but little advance on the Roman prayer of the
Arvales, and indeed it may in substance go back to a time as remote as
that in which the latter had its origin. But when we examine the matter
of the prayer, we find that it is cast in the language of petition
beyond all doubt--if it be rightly interpreted, as we may believe it
is:--

"Te invocavi invoco divum Grabovium pro arce Fisia, pro urbe Iguvina,
pro arcis nomine, pro urbis nomine: _volens sis, propitius sis_ arci
Fisiae, urbi Iguvinae, arcis nomini, urbis nomini. Sancte, te invocavi
invoco divum Grabovium. Sancti fiducia te invocavi invoco divum
Grabovium. Dive Grabovie te hoc bove opimo piaculo pro arce Fisia, etc.
Dive Grabovi, illius anni quiquomque in arce Fisia ignis ortus est, in
urbe Iguvina ritus debiti omissi sunt, pro nihilo ducito. Dive Grabovi,
quicquid tui sacrificii vitiatum est, peccatum est, peremptum est,
fraudatum est, demptum est, tui sacrificii visum invisum vitium est,
dive Grabovi, quicquid ius sit, hoc bove opimo piaculo piando.... Dive
Grabovi, piato arcem Fisiam, piato urbem Iguvinam. Dive Grabovi, piato
arcis Fisiae, urbis Iguvinae, nomen, magistratus, ritus, viros, pecora,
fundos, fruges: piato, _esto volens propitius pace tua_ arci Fisiae,
etc. Dive Grabovi, salvam servato arcem Fisiam salvam servato urbem
Iguvinam .... Dive Grabovi, te hoc bove opimo piaculo pro arce Fisia,
pro urbe Iguvina, pro arcis nomine, pro urbis nomine, Dive Grabovi, te
invocavi."[393]

That in this prayer, and the others which accompany it, exactness of
wording was believed to be essential, as in the ritual which preceded it
exactness of performance, there is no doubt; for at the end of the whole
document (vi. B. 48) we find that if there had been any slip in the
ritual, the Brethren had to go back to the first gate and begin all over
again. There is plainly present the idea, surviving from an age of
magic, that the deities had strong feelings about the right way of
invocation, and would not respond to the performance unless those
feelings were understood and appealed to; that they would miss something
and decline to do their part. Yet are we justified in going on to assume
that they were bound, as by a solemn contract, to perform their part, if
there were no slip in the ritual? I confess it is difficult for me to
take this further step, in view of the language of the prayers, which is
so clearly that of pet