Howells, W: Venetian Life, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Venetian Life, Vol. 2

Of Aquileja had long been disturbers of the Republic's dominion, and the people now determined to make an end of these displeasures. They refused, therefore, to release the patriarch, except on condition that he should bind himself to send them annually a bull and twelve fat hogs. It is not known what meaning the patriarch attached to this singular ceremony; but with the Vene tians the bull was typical of himself, and the swine of his canons, and they yearly su¿ered death in these ani mals, which were slaughtered during Shrovetide in the Piazza San Marco amid a great concourse of the people, in the presence of the Doge and Signory. The lock smiths, and other workers in iron, had distinguished themselves in the recapture of Grado, and to their guild was allotted the honor of putting the bull and swine to death. Great art was shown in striking off the bull's head at one blow, without suffering the sword to touch the ground after passing through the animal's neck; the swine were slain with lances. Athletic games among the people succeeded, and the Doge and his Senators attacked and destroyed, with staves, several lightly built wooden castles, to symbolize the abasement of the feudal power before the Republic. As the centuries advanced, this part of the ceremony, together with the slaughter of the swine, was disused in which fact Mr. Ruskin sees evidence of a corrupt disdain of Simple and healthy allegory on the part of the proud doges, but in which I think most people will discern only a natural wish to discontinue in more civilized times a puerile barbarity. Mr. Ruskin himself finds no evidence of.

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