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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 Excerpt:... APPENDIX A. HUMAN SACRIFICE AMONG THE ATHENIANS. Reference has been made on page 53 to the Thargalia of the Athenians, at which a man and a woman were annually sacrificed to expiate the sins, of the nation. The custom was to reserve certain worthless persons whom, in case of plague, famine, or other visitations from heaven, they used to throw into the sea, in the belief that they would cleanse away or wipe off the guilt of the nation. These victims were known under the various names of Ka.6app.arO., KaQapcria, irtpiKaOap/iara, all implying expiation or cleansing--the victims through which the nation cleansed itself of its sin. They, as scape-goats for others, were also called 4appMKoi, Trepipiixaru. and 8//ndrtoi. From the circumstance of the victims having been worthless persons fapp.a.Koi became a term of reproach. APPENDIX B. THE INDIAN STYX AND ITS FERRIAGE. The ferriage for Charon referred to on page 138, is, in modern times, paid in India in a black cow. The payment is made a short time, sometimes 2 or 3 days, before death when the rite of Vaitarani is performed. The mantra for the payment says: "At the dreadful gate of death there is the burning river Vaitarani; for crossing it I give this black Vaitarani ' cow." In the ancient ritual I can find no notice of this rite, but in the Atharvaveda Safihita, in which almost all the verses of the burial hymn of the Rig Veda have been quoted with a few slight variations in the reading, there are three verses quoted which refer to crossing a river named As'manvati. The first thereof runs thus: "Here flows the As'manvati, friends, dexterously and boldly cross it; leaving behind you all evils and all diseases, so that you may revel in food on the other side." This verse occurs in the Rig Veda, in a conversation...