An Italian Pagan Custom.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 65

An Italian Pagan Custom.

The Italian police are very anxious to slop a certain game which is played in loiv drink shops, thus : Rotmd a table some men are smoking. At the head sits a man with a flask of wine and a glass before him. He is the president of the party. All ihe company, including the president, have paid for that flask of wine, but not one of them can drink a drop of it unless the president gives permission. He, however, may drink as oftezi as he like.". When he passes the glass to another, that other may drink until the president cries " Stop ! " and the glass is passed on to the next. Sometimes the " Stop ! " comes before a single dro]) is drunk. This is the fun for the others who jire allowed to drink.

A good-natured president rarely reppats tliia joke ; but it sometimes happens that he has a grudge against one of the men, and then the unfortunate victim sits the whole evening smoking and frowning, while lie sees all the others drink but himself. This is making an '" Olmo " of him ! And woe to a president who would make an " Olmo " of the same man twice, for he would soon have a knife run across hi 3 throat. It is the frequency of bucli a tragic end that causes the police to try and prevent the game when possible. I am reminded of this because a man has lately been killed by an infuriated "Olmo."

One of the Popes, hearing of the murders committed at this game, wanted to know what this Passalella was like, and asked his Cardinals to play it with him. They did so. Tho president and vice-president were both Cardinals, and the Pope was made the " Olmo! " When the game was over, the Pope struck his fist on the table, saying. "Per Dio! I know now whj- they kill each other at this game ! " He never played it again.

The Passatclla is essentially a Roman game, and is unknown to other parts of Italy. Like all other popular Roman customs, tho Passatella is of Pagan origin. Jt is a remnant of a custom observed in the banquets of ancient Borne, when a "rex vim " wos elected to direct the number of times and quantity each guest was to drink. Horace tells us that this kind of president was called " Toliarco." He was quite sp arbitrary as the president of the Psssatella. His temporary reign was called " Regnum Yini."