The humblest house had its little chapel or shrine, its image and lamp; while almost every one seemed to exercise some religious function and responsibility.
Colleges, composed for the most part of slaves and of the poor, provided for the service of the Compitalian Lares--the gods who presided, respectively, over the several quarters of the city.

In one street, Marius witnessed an incident of the festival of the patron deity of that neighbourhood, the way being strewn with box, the houses tricked out gaily in such poor finery as they possessed, while the ancient idol was borne through it in procession, arrayed in gaudy attire the worse for wear.

Numerous religious clubs had their stated anniversaries, on which the members issued with much ceremony from their guild-hall, or schola, and traversed the thoroughfares of Rome, preceded, like the confraternities of the present day, by their sacred banners, to offer sacrifice before some famous image.

Black with the perpetual smoke of lamps and incense, oftenest old and [186] ugly, perhaps on that account the more likely to listen to the desires of the suffering--had not those sacred effigies sometimes given sensible tokens that they were aware?
The image of the Fortune of Women--Fortuna Muliebris, in the Latin Way, had spoken (not once only) and declared; Bene me, Matronae! vidistis riteque dedicastis! The Apollo of Cumae had wept during three whole nights and days.

The images in the temple of Juno Sospita had been seen to sweat.