Page "Zalmoxis" Paragraph 5

94.

They believe they are immortal in the following sense: they think they do not die and that the one who dies joins Zalmoxis, a divine being ; some call this same divine being Gebeleizis.

Every four years, they send a messenger to Zalmoxis, who is chosen by chance.

They ask him to tell Zalmoxis what they want on that occasion.

The mission is performed in the following way: men standing there for that purpose hold three spears ; other people take the one who is sent to Zalmoxis by his hands and feet and fling him in the air on the spears.

If he dies pierced, they think that the divinity is going to help them ; if he does not die, it is he who is accused and they declare that he is a bad person.

And, after he has been charged, they send another one.

The messenger is told the requests while he is still alive.

The same Thracians, on other occasions, when he thunders and lightens, shoot with arrows up in the air against the sky and menace the divinity because they think there is no god other than their own.