For an attempt to recover the character of the cults, see W.
Farnell, Cults of the Greek States.
1906), p. 185, according to whom the legends of Virginia and Lucretia (two different versions of one and the same story, connecting the history of Roman liberty with the martyrdom of a woman) are nothing but late elaborations of legends connected with the cults of Ardea.
The belief in human immortality in some form is almost universal; even in early animistic cults the germ of the idea is present, and in all the higher religions it is an important feature.
It is true that the killing of the god plays a prominent part in primitive cults, as has been shown more particularly through the valuable researches of J.
