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ve sacrificed all the notes； and with them all exact references to my authorities。 Readers who desire to ascertain the source of any particular statement must therefore consult the larger work； which is fully documented and provided with a complete bibliography。
In the abridgment I have neither added new matter nor altered the views expressed in the last edition； for the evidence which has come to my knowledge in the meantime has on the whole served either to confirm my former conclusions or to furnish fresh illustrations of old principles。 Thus； for example； on the crucial question of the practice of putting kings to death either at the end of a fixed period or whenever their health and strength began to fail； the body of evidence which points to the wide prevalence of such a custom has been considerably augmented in the interval。 A striking instance of a limited monarchy of this sort is furnished by the powerful mediaeval kingdom of the Khazars in Southern Russia； where the kings were liable to be put to death either on the expiry of a set term or whenever some public calamity； such as drought； dearth； or defeat in war； seemed to indicate a failure of their natural powers。 The evidence for the systematic killing of the Khazar kings； drawn from the accounts of old Arab travellers； has been collected by me elsewhere。 1 Africa； again； has supplied several fresh examples of a similar practice of regicide。 Among them the most notable perhaps is the custom formerly observed in Bunyoro of choosing every year from a particular clan a mock king； who was supposed to incarnate the late king； cohabited with his widows at his temple…tomb； and after reigning for a week was strangled。 2 The custom presents a close parallel to the ancient Babylonian festival of the Sacaea； at which a mock king was dressed in the royal robes； allowed to enjoy the real king's concubines； and after reigning for five days was stripped； scourged； and put to death。 That festival in its turn has lately received fresh light from certain Assyrian inscriptions； 3 which seem to confirm the interpretation which I formerly gave of the festival as a New Year celebration and the parent of the Jewish festival of Purim。 4 Other recently discovered parallels to the priestly kings of Aricia are African priests and kings who used to be put to death at the end of seven or of two years； after being liable in the interval to be attacked and killed by a strong man； who thereupon succeeded to the priesthood or the kingdom。 5
With these and other instances of like customs before us it is no longer possible to regard the rule of succession to the priesthood of Diana at Aricia as exceptional； it clearly exemplifies a widespread institution； of which the most numerous and the most similar cases have thus far been found in Africa。 How far the facts point to an early influence of Africa on Italy； or even to the existence of an African population in Southern Europe； I do not presume to say。 The pre…historic historic relations between the two continents are still obscure and still under investigation。
Whether the explanation which I have offered of the institution is correct or not must be left to the future to determine。 I shall always be ready to abandon it if a better can be suggested。 Meantime in committing the book in its new form to the judgment of the public I desire to guard against a misapprehension of its scope which appears to be still rife； though I have sought to correct it before now。 If in the present work I have dwelt at some length on the worship of trees； it is not； I trust； because I exaggerate its importance in the history of religion； still less because I would deduce from it a whole system of mythology； it is simply because I could not ignore the subject in attempting to explain the significance of a priest who bore the title of King of the Wood； and one of whose titles to office was the plucking of a boughthe Golden Boughfrom a tree in the sacred grove。 But I am so far from regarding the reverence for trees as of supreme importance for the evolution of religion that I consider it to have been altogether subordinate to other factors； and in particular to the fear of the human dead； which； on the whole； I believe to have been probably the most powerful force in the making of primitive religion。 I hope that after this explicit disclaimer I shall no longer be taxed with embracing a system of mythology which I look upon not merely as false but as preposterous and absurd。 But I am too familiar with the hydra of error to expect that by lopping off one of the monster's heads I can prevent another； or even the same； from sprouting again。 I can only trust to the candour and intelligence of my readers to rectify this serious misconception of my views by a comparison with my own express declaration。
J。 G。 FRAZER。 1 BRICK COURT； TEMPLE； LONDON； June 1922。
Note 1。 J。 G。 Frazer； The Killing of the Khazar Kings； Folk…lore； xxviii。 （1917）； pp。 382…407。
Note 2。 Rev。 J。 Roscoe； The Soul of Central Africa （London； 1922）； p。 200。 Compare J。 G。 Frazer； The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa； Man； xx。 （1920）； p。 181。
Note 3。 H。 Zimmern； Zum babylonischen Neujahrsfest （Leipzig； 1918）。 Compare A。 H。 Sayce； in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society； July 1921； pp。 440…442。
Note 4。 The Golden Bough； Part VI。 The Scapegoat； pp。 354 sqq。； 412 sqq。
Note 5。 P。 Amaury Talbot in Journal of the African Society； July 1916； pp。 309 sq。； id。； in Folk…lore； xxvi。 （1916）； pp。 79 sq。； H。 R。 Palmer； in Journal of the African Society； July 1912； pp。 403； 407 sq。
Chapter 1。 The King of the Wood。
1。 Diana and Virbius
WHO does not know Turner's picture of the Golden Bough？ The scene； suffused with the golden glow of imagination in which the divine mind of Turner steeped and transfigured even the fairest natural landscape； is a dream…like vision of the little woodland lake of Nemi Diana's Mirror； as it was called by the ancients。 No one who has seen that calm water； lapped in a green hollow of the Alban hills； can ever forget it。 The two characteristic Italian villages which slumber on its banks； and the equally Italian palace whose terraced gardens descend steeply to the lake； hardly break the stillness and even the solitariness of the scene。 Diana herself might still linger by this lonely shore； still haunt these woodlands wild。
In antiquity this sylvan landscape was the scene of a strange and recurring tragedy。 On the northern shore of the lake； right under the precipitous cliffs on which the modern village of Nemi is perched； stood the sacred grove and sanctuary of Diana Nemorensis； or Diana of the Wood。 The lake and the grove were sometimes known as the lake and grove of Aricia。 But the town of Aricia （the modern La Riccia） was situated about three miles off； at the foot of the Alban Mount； and separated by a steep descent from the lake； which lies in a small crater…like hollow on the mountain side。 In this sacred grove there grew a certain tree round which at any time of the day； and probably far into the night； a grim figure might be seen to prowl。 In his hand he carried a drawn sword； and he kept peering warily about him as if at every instant he expected to be set upon by an enemy。 He was a priest and a murderer； and the man for whom he looked was sooner or later to murder him and hold the priesthood in his stead。 Such was the rule of the sanctuary。 A candidate for the priesthood could only succeed to office by slaying the priest； and having slain him； he retained office till he was himself slain by a stronger or a craftier。
The post which he held by this precarious tenure carried with it the title of king； but surely no crowned head ever lay uneasier； or was visited by more evil dreams； than his。 For year in； year out； in summer and winter； in fair weather and in foul； he had to keep his lonely watch； and whenever he snatched a troubled slumber it was at the peril of his life。 The least relaxation of his vigilance； the smallest abatement of his strength of limb or skill of fence； put him in jeopardy； grey hairs might seal his death…warrant。 To gentle and pious pilgrims at the shrine the sight of him might well seem to darken the fair landscape； as when a cloud suddenly blots the sun on a bright day。 The dreamy blue of Italian skies； the dappled shade of summer woods； and the sparkle of waves in the sun； can have accorded but ill with that stern and sinister figure。 Rather we picture to ourselves the scene as it may have been witnessed by a belated wayfarer on one of those wild autumn nights when the dead leaves are falling thick； and the winds seem to sing the dirge of the dying year。 It is a sombre picture； set to melancholy musicthe background of forest showing black and jagged against a lowering and stormy sky； the sighing of the wind in the branches； the rustle of the withered leaves under foot； the lapping of the cold water on the shore； and in the foreground； pacing to and fro； now in twilight and now in gloom； a dark figure with a glitter of steel at the shoulder whenever the pale moon； riding clear of the cloud…rack； peers down at him through the matted boughs。
The strange rule of this priesthood has no parallel in classical antiquity；