Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c7.59

c7.59

**Royal Processions.** The third occasion on which the king came before the public was the occasion of a religious festival or the performance of a religious sacrifice. As Strabo states [XV. 1. 69]: "In the processions at their festivals, many elephants adorned with gold and silver are in the train, as well as four-horsed chariots and yokes of oxen. Then comes a great host of attendants in their holiday attire, with vessels of gold, such as large basins and goblets six feet in breadth, tables, chairs of state, drinking-cups and lavers all made of Indian copper, and set many of them with precious stones—emeralds, beryls, and Indian garnets—garments embroidered and interwoven with gold, wild beasts—such as buffaloes, leopards, tame lions—and multitude of birds of variegated plumage and fine song." Kleitarchos mentions "four-wheeled carriages carrying trees of the large-leaved sort, from which were suspended in cages different kinds of tame birds, among which he speaks of the *orion* as that which had the sweetest note, and of another called the *katreus*, which was the most beautiful in appearance and had the most variegated plumage."