Lost_Warrior Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 This was being discussed on a Pagan forum and it was mentioned in an article referenced that blood oaths were common in the Greek and Roman world (especially in religion, but probably in other places as well). I was wondering what everyone here's thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 LW, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "blood oath". Is that an oath taken with the understanding that the breaking of that oath will result in death? If so, then George Long of Trinity College, Cambridge (in the 19th century), in his article for Smith's Dictionary titled "Jusjurandum", gave an account of ancient writers who reported that Roman soldiers customarily took a military oath, and that this military oath, being the most sacred of all possible oaths, carried the penalty of death if broken. Was this what you had in mind? -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 No, I meant oaths taken by the use of blood (signing in blood, blood brothers, blood offerings, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 No, I meant oaths taken by the use of blood (signing in blood, blood brothers, blood offerings, etc.) Oh, I see now. What was the article referenced over in the other forum? -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) No, I meant oaths taken by the use of blood (signing in blood, blood brothers, blood offerings, etc.) Salve, LW Here comes Titus Livius Patavinus, Ab Urbe Condita, Liber XXI, cp. XLV: Eaque ut rata scirent fore, agnum laeua manu, dextra silicem retinens, si falleret, Iouem ceterosque precatur deos ita se mactarent quemadmodum ipse agnum mactasset, et secundum precationem caput pecudis saxo elisit. Tum uero omnes, uelut dis auctoribus in spem suam quisque acceptis, id morae quod nondum pugnarent ad potienda sperata rati, proelium uno animo et uoce una poscunt. "To convince them of his determination to carry out these promises, he held a lamb with his left hand and a flint knife in his right and prayed to Jupiter and the other gods, that, if he broke his word and forswore himself they would slay him as he had slain the lamb. He then crushed the animal's head with the flint. They all felt then that the gods themselves would guarantee the fulfilment of their hopes, and looked upon the delay in bringing on an action as delay in gaining their desires; with one mind and one voice they clamoured to be led into battle." Edited June 12, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Oh, I see now. What was the article referenced over in the other forum? No, I think the article was on Witchvox (I read that for amusement only). I immediately questioned the validity of it, especially as they stated that the Greeks took 'blood oaths' by cutting each others arms and licking the blood off. But, I had wondered if it was in fact a legitimate practice in some way. "To convince them of his determination to carry out these promises, he held a lamb with his left hand and a flint knife in his right and prayed to Jupiter and the other gods, that, if he broke his word and forswore himself they would slay him as he had slain the lamb. He then crushed the animal's head with the flint. They all felt then that the gods themselves would guarantee the fulfilment of their hopes, and looked upon the delay in bringing on an action as delay in gaining their desires; with one mind and one voice they clamoured to be led into battle." Now that seems like something that would be, at the very least, reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 No, I think the article was on Witchvox (I read that for amusement only). I immediately questioned the validity of it, especially as they stated that the Greeks took 'blood oaths' by cutting each others arms and licking the blood off. But, I had wondered if it was in fact a legitimate practice in some way. I would say, LW If unsourced, I would take it as a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Oh, I see now. What was the article referenced over in the other forum? No, I think the article was on Witchvox (I read that for amusement only). I immediately questioned the validity of it, especially as they stated that the Greeks took 'blood oaths' by cutting each others arms and licking the blood off. But, I had wondered if it was in fact a legitimate practice in some way. Is this the article?: Blood Oaths: Making Them and Breaking Them Blood covenants were particularly common in the Middle East, and played a highly significant role in both Islam and Judaism. Dennis Trumble in his landmark book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Is this the article?: Blood Oaths: Making Them and Breaking Them That's the one. As it's Witchvox...well I generally treat everything on Witchvox as a joke, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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