Tacitus' Lost Letters

Chapter Eight: letter or report

Chapter Eight

Letter or Report

(editor's note: this seems to be more of a report than a letter and it seems to have been written at a later point, but it fits in chronologically here, so I include it at this point)

The ceremony is lovely, quite moving and from my point of view, quite harmless. It is difficult for me to see why it was banned, and under threat of such drastic consequences. It's a moving moment in the life of a girl and the community is quite touched by it when it is celebrated.

They all spend a lot of time getting ready. There is quite a buzz around the village when it becomes known that one of their girls is about to make the journey into womanhood. What exactly they do to get ready, I wasn't able to ascertain, since no particular decorations are put up, no obvious gifting.

An augury determines the exact date and place - that is to say, before which altar in their sanctuary - the pageant is to be performed.

On the appointed night - they do everything in this regard, at night - the entire village marches through the woods into the deep forest, dressed in their newly washed clothing. The girls, who one supposes will soon be in line for this ritual, have mistletoe in their hair. The celebrant is accompanied by a male escort who must be so well known that he has been living in the girl's house, but it does not have to be an actual relative. On approaching the holy spot, they assume a particularly regal posture at a slow step and the girl is allowed to proceed ahead of her escort, arriving at the entrance before him. He leaves her there and rejoins the main group.

When the site has been reached, all proceed around the circle of stone altars, taking an apple out of a bin as they go past it. (The apples have been placed in the bin previously.) The young woman, whose induction ceremony it is, is given these apples as she stands before the entrance to the inside of the circle. Then loaded with apples in baskets and in the apron of her tunic, depending on how many have been obtained for her, an ample supply bodes well for her, she goes into the circle. She puts the apples in front of the altar and sits down in front of it.

A word to her appearance: when she is sitting in front of the altar, it is clear, that she is made up to be an exact reflection of the goddess she is sitting opposite. She wears a close fitting undergarment - a luxury here - over that her tunic, and a fancy brooch - and, perhaps for the first time in her life, a pair of dainty shoes. Where the shoes come from, I do not know. I suspect they are carefully kept in a secret place and produced for this occasion. Especially her hair shows special preparation. It falls loose in long ringlets. Since nearly all the women here have thin straight hair which they either pull back in a low ponytail or do up in braids that are wrapped around the head - and this is true of Aufania, too - it is obvious that some special effort has been made here.

I could image that they learned the technique from us, since Roman women often wear their hair this way and, apparently, know how to get the effect.

The suppliant is soon joined by two older women - one on each side. They are done up to reflect the other women on the altar - which is to say, each wears an enormous circular head-covering that increases the size of their head to at least three times its normal size. This is oddly amusing, and yet, unique and intriguing. The matrones on the altars are always shown wearing this. But, only on altars dedicated to the matrones from the Ubi territory. Although, even here, not all the altars have images. There is no indication of exactly what the head-coverings are for. Just as there is no indication that the head-coverings are heavy or bothersome or are in fact, anything less than an integral part of their being - a bubble of air or a halo of light, a hood or the moon itself, possibly? I suppose it to be a connection to a brightly illuminated full moon.

Torch light has accompanied the ceremony up to this point. However, at this point the torches are extinguished and the group relies on whatever moonlight and stars are to be seen. I do believe that this is of secondary importance to them. They seem to relish the darkness and mystery and sense of danger it imparts. On the night I witnessed, it was overcast, so mostly very dark. However, the moon - a narrow crescent - did appear through the clouds once or twice.

Songs and chants follow - at great length, I might add. At least for one who does not understand what is being said.

When the chanting is over, the group again solemnly departs back down the steep incline, led by the young woman. She is now wearing a silver torque necklace with a crescent moon pendant. On through the woods the long line continues, until she has brought them all back to the safety of their rectangular enclosed village. I imagine this is a sort of final test to show she is able to fend for herself and provide for the welfare of those relying on her.

(editor's note: the fragment ends here.)