VoLTIL] Fefivals of the Athenians drawn from Ariftephanes. 52g 
were. not permitted to be prefent at 
the celebration. eee , 
Diana had alfo her feftivals at Athens, 
one of the principal of svhich was that 
called Brauroma, inftituted as a repara- 
tion for the death of a fhe-bear, killed, 
through miftake, by the inhabitants of 
the tribe Flavis.. The ceremonies - of 
it were performed by girls of the age of 
ten years, dreffed in yeilow. 
Among the female divinities worfhip- 
ped at Athens, Hecate and the Hume- 
nides fhould not be omitted. Every one 
was obliged to give an entertainment 
once a month in honour of Hecate, and 
thofe who cou'd mot do this at their own 
expence, were authorifed, by their reli- 
gion, to ffea/, rather than fail in the difs 
charge of fo effential a duty. As to the 
Humenides, they were mefdames the 
furies that were defignated by this flat- 
tering name; Eumenides being as much 
as to fay, propitious. By another piece 
of flattery they were called the venerable, 
and-their temple, avith all its depen- 
dencies, ever proyed the fecureft of 
afylums. : 
Ariftophanes makes mention of ‘two 
other goddefies who had their feftivals 
and facrifices at Athens; Peace, to whom: 
an unbloody facrifice was offered on the 
16th of the month Hecatombgan (June) 
at the feaft of the Synoccefes; and 
Galligenia, or feuitfuinefs. Eriéthon had 
erected an altar-for this laft in the citadel, 
and ordained that facrifices fhoald be 
ofiered to her before every other deity. 
Let us pals now to the male divinities, 
ang begin with jupiter. Vhree fetivals 
were celebrated in honour of him at 
Athens—Pandia, Diafia, and Dirpolia. 
Although Mercury be treated very 
cavalierly in the comedies of . Arifto- 
phanes, he was, neverthelefs, one of the 
{uperior deities, and of thofe whom the 
Latins called, Majorum Gentium. He 
was a good-natured fort of a god, how- 
ever, putting up with infults of all kinds 
for the fake of emolument, and even 
affifting thieves to conceal their villainy, 
provided he could come in for a fhare 
of the booty. A feftival was celebrated 
in honour of him, on the 13th of the 
month Anthefterion (anfwering to our 
November) which was calledshe Marmites, 
in which a cauldron, full of all forts of | 
choice viands, was offered to him. The 
fourth day of ihe month was dedicated to 
him, on which they offersa him certain 
Kittle cakes. The words of the month are 
added, not being found in Ariftophanes, 
e 
that none may Juppofe the fourth day of 
the week is alluded to, which, in Latin, 
bears the name of Mercury. The Jews 
had weeks of feven days, which termi- 
nated on the fabbath, and which the 
Chriftians have retained after them: 
the Greeks and Romans, however, 
never computed time by weeks of feven 
days, but divided the month into Nun 
ding, or taarket days, which fell on every 
ninth day fucceflively. 
Weptune prefided over horfe-conrfes, 
and was honoured with particular devo- 
tion by all who were ambitious to exce 
in the conduct of the chariot. 
Many feftivals were devoted to Bace 
chus. The two principal were cele- 
brated, one in the {pring, in the city, 
at the time when the citizens received 
thei rents; and the other in winter, in 
the fields, and was called the feaff of the 
vine-prefs. At this laft no ftrangers 
were admitted. Thefe two feftivals 
were accompanied with public games, 
{pectacles, combats, mufic, dances, &c, 
In the month of Pyanepfion (Q@ober) 
or, according to others, Anthefterion 
(November) another feftival was cele. 
brated in honour of Bacchus, called Choes, 
or ibe Goblets. The ancients did net 
drink as we do, by lifting the cup, or 
goblet, to the lips, but by pouring the 
liquor trom on high, into the open 
mouth, fo that it required addrefs to 
empty 2a goblet with promptitude and 
precifion, 
The ceremonies of the facrifices of 
Bacchus are thus reprefented in #he 
Acharnians of Arvtophanes:—Firft en- 
ters a girl, carrying a bafket filled with 
the firft fruits,and after her walks.a male 
flave, carrying the Ithyphallos. The 
bafket is then fet on the ground, and the 
firft fryits are taken out, in order to 
make the offering: this is done by pour. 
ing fome peafe-foup om a cake, which is 
prefented, refpectfully, to the fon of 
Semele. The damfel and the flave are 
followed by an old man, who chants an 
hymn in honour of the Ithyphallos. 
The: reafon why the Ithyphallos was 
carried in’ thefe myfteries, refembles a 
paflage in facred writing, where the 
Philiftines of Azdod, &e. fent back the 
ark of God, aceompanied with golden 
emrods,’&e.- 5 es 
Itis pretended that E{culapius wrought 
great and wonderful cures in the ifland of 
Megina. Sick perfons were carried there 
who at firft were wafhed tn the fea, and 
afterwards facrificed cakes, figs, &c. 
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