ARPAGUS

ARPAGUS, in ancient inscriptions, signifies a child who died in the cradle.

The Romans made no funerals for their Arpagi—They neither burnt their bodies, nor made tombs, monuments, or epitaphs for them; which occasioned Juvenal to say,—Terra clauditur infansVel minor igne rogus.

In later times it became the custom to burn such as had lived to the age of 90 days, and had cut any teeth; and these they called Rapti.

The word Arpagus signifies the same thing in Greek.



Eustathius assures us, it was the custom among the Greeks never to bury their children either by night or full day, but at the first appearance of the morning, which they called, “Hyteas arpagia.”

ARPAGUS