As the world increased they deified heroes. […] The privileges of the Vestals were great: they had the most honourable seats at the public games and festivals, a lictor preceded them when they walked in public; they were carried in chariots when they pleased, and had the power of pardoning criminals if they encountered them on the way to execution, and the meeting was declared to be purely accidental. […] On the tenth, they were honoured with a funeral by the Gods. […] This was effected by the rays of the sun when they fell on it. […] When they were on the sea shore, they generally resided in grottos and caves, adorned with shells.