THE YEAR. 



67. In like manner, the fifteenth days of all the great months, 

 and the thirteenth of all the lesser months were called IDES. 



68. The cause of this difference of position of the ides and nones 

 in the greater and lesser months is to be found in the Roman 

 custom of counting time backwards. Thus, in all months, greater 

 or lesser, the ides were the seventeenth days, and the nones the 

 twenty-fifth days, counting backwards from the last day inclusive. 



It was not only the nones and ides themselves that were 

 counted backwards, but also the intermediate days. Thus, in a 

 month of thirty-one days, the first six days were called succes- 

 sively as follows : 



1st day 



2nd 



3rd 



4th 



5th 



6th 



7th 



Calends 



Sixth before the nones 



Fifth 



Fourth ,, ,, 



Third 



The eve of the nones 



The nones. 



In the same manner, the days succeeding the nones were 

 counted backwards from the ides, and those succeeding the ides 

 counted backwards from the calends of the next month. 



Although carried to such an extent, the practice of backward 

 reckoning was absurd ; the method is, in certain cases, obviously 

 convenient, and is still in general use. "When remarkable festival 

 days and anniversaries occur, we all find it convenient to name 

 the preceding day their eve, and we even sometimes refer to the 

 second or third day before such or such a remarkable epoch. 



69. The periodic returns of the seasons taking place at intervals 

 of about 365 days, could not remain long in accordance with a 

 year of 355 days. This was soon perceived; and of all the 

 inexplicable expedients of which the management of chronometric 

 regulation affords any example, certainly the most curious by far 

 was that by which it was attempted to bring the civil iato accord- 

 ance with the natural year. 



Imperfect as the knowledge of astronomy was in these times, 

 the mere observation of the returns of the seasons, such as all 

 agriculturists in the rudest state would have made, was enough 

 to show that 355 days was ten or twelve days less than the period 

 of the seasons ; and, therefore, that by continuing to count time 

 by such a year, the seasons would return ten or twelve days later 

 from year to year. 



70. Numa, the successor of Romulus, who, as has been already 

 stated, modified the calendar, decided that the civil year should 

 be brought into accordance with the period of the seasons, by 

 introducing into every other year a thirteenth month, called 



153 



