The ring had been
previously taken from the finger, and now the body was washed and
anointed by undertakers, who had been called from a place near the
temple of Venus Libitina, where the names of all who died were
registered, and where articles needed for funerals were hired and sold.
[Footnote: Libitina was an ancient Italian divinity about whom little
is known. She has been identified with both Proserpina (the infernal
goddess of death and queen of the domain of Pluto her husband) and with
Venus.]
A small coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased to pay Charon the
ferryman who was to take it across the rivers of the lower world, the
body was laid out in the vestibule, with its feet toward the door,
wearing the simple toga, in the case of an ordinary citizen, or the
toga _pr?texta_ in case of a magistrate, and flowers and leaves
were used for decorations as they are at present. If the deceased had
received a crown for any act of heroism in life, it was placed upon his
head at death. We have already seen that cypress was put at the door to
express to the passer-by the bereavement of the dwellers in the house.
If the person had been of importance, the funeral was public, and
probably it would be found that he had left money for the purpose; but
if he had omitted to do that, the expenses of burial would devolve on
those who were to inherit his property.
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