The  fashion  of  his  robe  was  compounded  of  the  sacred  stole
of  Phoenicia  and  the  soft  attire  of  the  Mede.  The  Eoraanand
Greek  garments  being  made  of  wool,  '  the  vilest  of  things,'  as
he  used  to  say,  nothing  pleased  him  but  the  webs  of  Syria ;
and  in  celebrating  the  worship  of  his  god,  he  walked  abroad
to  the  sound  of  pipes  and  drums."!

All  this  is  intensely  Oriental.  Heliogabalus  had  completely
understood  and  assumed  the  Eastern  character.
The  following  account  from  Herodian  gives  a  complete  pic-
ture of  an  Oriental  religious  festival.  Heliogabalus  had  re-
solved to  lead  out  his  god  in  a  splendid  procession,  and  made
great  sports,  and  spectacles,  and  feasts  for  the  people  on  the
occasion.  The  deity  was  placed  on  a  chariot,  ornamented
with  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  in  this  way  was  drawn
from  the  town  to  the  countr}'.
*  iElius  Lainpridius,  "Hist.  August.  Scriptores,"  lib.  i,  798.
t  Herodian,  lib.  v,  c  11.
158  CLASSIC    AND    HISTORIC    PORTRAITS.
In  the  chariot  were  yoked  horses  of  great  size,  and  of  a
spotless  white  color,  and  conspicuous  from  their  splendid
trappings.  Heliogabalus  held  the  reins,  but  he  did  not  ascend,
uor  did  an^^  mortal  mount  the  chariot,  which  appeared  to  be
driven  by  the  god  himself  So  in  the  Indian  processions  of
Vishnu,  the  car  pulled  by  his  w^orshippers,  appears  to  be
guided  by  the  divinity  himself  Heliogabalus,  with  the  reins
in  his  hands,  ran  backwards,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  idol,
and  in  this  way  completed  the  w^hole  procession.  To  prevent
his  slipping  his  foot,  gold-dust  was  sprinkled  on  the  road,  and
the  soldiers  guarded  him  on  each  side  for  ear  he  might  fall.
