Shrines to th' immortal twelve he placed,
Who the celestial banquet graced, 65
Ranking with these Alphéus' wave,
To Saturn's hill the name he gave.
(For erst, while old Œnomaus' hand
Possess'd the sceptre of the land,
Upon the nameless mountain's head 70
Their snows unnumber'd ages shed.)
On the first rites with aspect mild
The destinies assistant smiled;
And hoary Time, whose steady ray
Oft brings undoubted truth to day. 67 75
He in his onward course reveal'd
What time Alcides' conquering might
Bestow'd, to found Olympia's field,
The earliest offerings of the fight.
And on each fifth returning year 80
Bade victory's sons the chaplet wear.
Tell, muse, in that illustrious day
Who first the glorious prize obtain'd;
Who bore the wrestler's palm away;
Who the high meed of swiftness gain'd: 85
Or urged his chariot to the goal,
Curbing by deeds the pride of boastful rivals' soul. 75
around the temple of Jupiter is mentioned. Thus Ovid, addressing Bacchus, says, (Fast. iii., 729)—
"Te memorant, Gange, totoque Oriente subacto,
Primitias magno seposuisse Jovi."
And Callimachus, addressing Apollo, (in Del. 278)—
Αλλα τοι αμφιετεις δεκατηφοροι αιεν απαρχαι
Πεμπονται.
On which passage see the learned dissertation of Spanheim, who mentions the same custom to have prevailed among the Jews, who were wont to convey to their holy metropolis the first fruits and tenths of the produce of the soil fort he maintenance of the temple and its service. Spencer (de Legg. Heb. 1161. &c.) shows at great length that many of the rites observed in bringing the first fruits to Jerusalem were borrowed from heathen nations.
