LIFTING UP THE HAND IN SWEARING.
We find this significant ceremony of lifting up the hand in swearing, practised by the Greeks and Trojans. Thus Agamemnon swears in Homer, (Iliad, 7, 412)
“To all the gods his sceptre he uplifts.”
“To all the gods his sceptre he uplifts.”
“To all the gods his sceptre he uplifts.”
“To all the gods his sceptre he uplifts.”
And Dolon requiring an oath of Hector, (Iliad, 10, 321)
“But first exalt thy sceptre to the skies,”And swear——“
“But first exalt thy sceptre to the skies,”And swear——“
“But first exalt thy sceptre to the skies,”And swear——“
“But first exalt thy sceptre to the skies,
”And swear——“
So in Virgil, (Æn. 12, 196) we find Latinus, when swearing, looking up to heaven, and stretching his right hand to the stars.
And we even meet with traditionary traces of their gods swearing in like manner. Thus Apollo, in Pindar, orders Lachesis, one of the Fates, to lift up her hands and not violate the great oath of the gods.
Giving one’s handunder, or to another was a token of submission. It was acknowledging his own power subject to that of the other. In this manner all the princes submitted to Solomon, (1 Chron. 29, 24) and Hezekiah commands the children of Israel, (2 Chron. 30, 8) to give the hand toJehovah, that is to submit themselves and ascribe the power and the glory to him.
Homage is still performed in many places by the homager’s kneeling down and putting his hands between those of his lord, then taking an oath of fealty to him; after which they kiss each other’s cheek, in token of friendship and fidelity.
Giving the hand, was also a token of promising; it was a kind of staking their active powers for the performance of some promise or engagement. (See Ezra, 10, 19.)
The joining or taking of hands, among theancients, betokened confederacy, or confirmation of some promise. This is illustrated by Homer’s expression, (Iliad, 21, 286) where Neptune and Minerva appear to Achilles, in a human shape, and confirm their promise, by taking his hand in their’s. So (Iliad, 6, 233) Glaucus and Diomed took hold of each other’s hands, and plighted their faith. On which line, Eustathius remarks, they plighted their faith to each other, by the accustomed ceremony of joining their right hands.[47]
We observe the same mode of joining hands in our marriage ceremony; and the custom of shaking hands, has also reference to some engagement for the future, as well as being a token of friendship and amity.