Aut si ultra placitum laudarit, baccare frontem Some made use of certain bracelets, or necklaces, composed of shells, corals, and precious stones; and others applied certain herbs prepared with incantations and magical rites, to this use: these also being esteemed excellent remedies, according to Gratius: Nam sic affectus oculique venena maligni q Vicit tutela pax impetrata deorum. Sometimes the figure of a man's privities was hung about the necks of children", which was also thought a very powerful amulet against fascinations, and for that reason was called fascinum. These or the like representations were thought to avert the eyes of malicious persons, did thy άToжíav Tss, by the oddness of the τὴν ἀτοπίαν ὄψεως, sight, from fixing too stedfastly on the person or thing to which they were affixed. Hence they were sometimes hung upon the doors of houses and gardens, as we are informed by Pliny P; and Pollux affirms, that smiths commonly placed them before their forges. The same author observes from Aristophanes, that their name was βασκάνια ; they are called by Plutarch r προσβασκάνια; in the old glossary, goobaoxávia answers the Latin word mutinum. But we are informed by Phavorinus, that βασκάνιον λέγεσιν οἱ ἀρχαῖοι. the ancients used the word βασκάνιον, the moderns, προσβασκάνιον. It may farther be observed, that these figures were images of Priapus, who was believed to punish such persons, as did Barnaívuv Ti tãv xañãv, prejudice good things by fascination, as we are informed by Diodorus the Sicilians. The Romans had several other deities who averted fascinations. The god Fascinus is mentioned as one of these by Pliny ; and Cunina is said by Lactantius ", to be worshipped, because she did infantes in cunis tueri, et fascinum submovere, protect children in their cradles, and avert fascinations. It was before observed, that some omens were averted by spitting at them, which is an action of detestation and abhorrence. Hence some, chiefly old women, averted fascinations by spitting into their bosoms. Hence the following verse of Callimachus, which is cited by the scholiast upon Theocritus, who farther affirms that the same custom was practised in his time: Δαίμον, το κόλποισιν ἐπιπτύεσι γυναίκες. It may be farther observed, that this was done thrice, three being n Varro, lib vi. • Plutarchus Sympos. lib. v. quæst. 7. P Nat. Hist. lib. xix. cap. 4. 4 Onomast. lib. vii. cap. 24. r Loco citato. s Lib. iv. t Nat Hist. lib. xxiv. cap. 4. u Lib. i. cap. 10. a sacred number, as hath been elsewhere shewn. Hence Damœtas, who is introduced by Theocritus, representing the behaviour of Polyphemus, having praised himself, adds, that by the advice of old Cotyttaris, he had thrice spit into his bosom, to prevent fascination: 'Ως μὴ βασκανθῶ δὲ τρὶς εἰς ἐμὸν ἔπτυσα κόλπον FAWKES. Hence it was usual to reprove arrogant persons, when they assumed more than their due, by bidding them sis xóλous Tu, spit into their bosoms, an example whereof we find in Lucian Another method of averting fascinations from infants was this: they tied a thread of divers colours about the neck of the infant, then spit upon the ground, and taking up the spittle, mixed with dirt, upon their finger, put it upon the infant's forehead and lips. There is an allusion to this custom in Persius *; Ecce avia, aut metuens Divum matertera, cunis DRYDEN. CHAP. XIX. Of the Grecian Festivals in General. FESTIV ESTIVALS were instituted upon four accounts; first, in honour of the gods, to whom, besides the worship every day paid them, some more solemn times were set apart; especially if they had conferred any signal favour upon the public, or upon private persons; had assisted them in defending their country; had given them victory over their enemies; had delivered them out of any apparent danger, or blessed them with success in any undertaking; it was thought but reasonable to set apart some time for offer Theocriti Idyll. vi. ver. 39 W Πλοίῳ, ἢ Εὐχαῖς. VOL. I. * Sat. ii. vers. 31. Ubi, conf. interpretes. Dd ing sacrifices and praises to them, as grateful acknowledgments for the benefits received at their hands. Secondly, in order to procure some special favour of the gods; for (as you may learn from the following chapters) several of the festivals were instituted with a design to render the gods propitious, and willing to grant some particular blessings, as health, children, and such like. And in times of famine, pestilence, or other public calamities, the oracles usually advised their consultants to institute solemn festivals, as the best method to appease the angry gods, and obtain of them deliverance from the evils they laboured under. Thirdly, in memory of deceased friends, of those that had done any remarkable service for their country, or died valiantly in the defence of it. This was no small encouragement to men of generous and noble dispositions to enter upon honourable designs, when they saw that the brave actions of the virtuous did not perish with them, but their memories were ever held sacred by succeeding generations. Fourthly, festivals were instituted as times of ease and rest to labourers; that amidst all their toil and sorrow, and as it were a recompence thereof, some days of refreshment might be allowed them. For some one or more of these ends, most festivals seem to have been first instituted. Aristotle reports, that amongst the ancients they had few or no festivals, besides those after harvest or vintage; for then they used to meet and make merry with the fruits they had gathered, eating and drinking plentifully; which they esteemed a sort of offering their first fruits to the gods, whom they thought honoured by so doing; and therefore feasts were called oívar q. Déoivai, öti διὰ τὸς θεὸς οἰνῖσθαι δεῖν ὑπελάμβανον, i. e. because they thought they were obliged in duty to the gods, to be drunk. And Seleucus, in the same author, tells us, that the words, Jania, and μion were derived from the same original, Τόν τε οἶνον ἐπὶ πλεῖον, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ήδι πάθειαν θεῶν ἕνεκα προσφέρεσθαι, διὸ τὸ θοίνας, καὶ θαλίας, καὶ μέθας ὠνομασθῆ var i. e. banquets were called Doivas, Farias, and μitas, from us, or God; because it was usual at those times to consume great quantities of wine, and other provisions in honour of the gods. In latter ages, when the gods were increased almost to the number of men, and the frugal way of living was laid aside, the number of festivals was enlarged, and the manner of them quite altered: y Ethic. ad Nicomach. lib. viii, cap. 9. for, whereas formerly the solemnities consisted in little or nothing besides offering a sacrifice to the gods, and after that making merry themselves; now a great many games, processions, and innumerable ceremonies, in imitation of the fabulous actions of the gods, were introduced and practised, to the vast charge of the public. The Athenians, as they exceeded all other people in the number of their gods, so they out-did them in the number of their festivals; which, as Xenophon reports, were twice as many as any other city observed: nor did the number and frequency of them abate any thing of the solemnity, splendour, and charges, at their observation. The shops, and courts of judicature, were shut up, on most of those days; the labourers rested from their works, the tradesmen from their employments, the mourners intermitted their sorrows; and nothing but ease and pleasure, mirth and jollity, were to be found amongst them. Indeed, xovò tỸto xỳ tãv 'Eaλńvwv ›ỳ Tâv Bagbágwv 151, this was common both to Greeks and barbarians, as we are informed by Strabo, to celebrate their religious solemnities with mirth and remission of their labours. Most of them were celebrated at the public charge; and lest their treasury should be exhausted by so frequent evacuations, several means were contrived to supply and replenish them. For instance, after Thrasybulus had deposed the tyrants, their estates were confiscated for this use, as Harpocration observes out of Philocorus: and when the state was reduced to its old democracy, if any of the citizens, through too much wealth, became formidable to the poorer sort, and objects of their envy, it was customary to compel them to contribute towards the defraying the expences at public festivals; and so, by conferring upon them a great (though chargeable and dear bought) honour, at once sweeten the imposition (if not also oblige those on whom it was imposed), and rid themselves of those fears and jealousies which the immoderate opulency of private persons might reasonably give to a popular state. Thus much of festivals in general: as to the particulars, I have omitted very little that is material in the tracts of Meursius and Castellanus upon this subject; and some things not taken notice of by either of them, and perhaps not unworthy your observation, I have added. Yet do I not pretend that this is a complete or entire collection of the Grecian festivals; for that would be endless (seeing almost every man of repute, and that had done any notable service for the public, had his anniversary day) and impos2 De Repub. Atheniens. sible, since hundreds of them (especially those that were observed by the less considerable cities) are not so much as mentioned in any author at this day extant; or but barely mentioned, without any account of the persons to whom they belonged, or the ceremonies used at their celebration: however, as much as is necessary to the understanding of the ancient Greek writers, the following chapters will furnish. Агн CHAP. XX. Grecian Festivals. A гнTOPEION and AгHTOPIA, mentioned by Hesychius, without any notice of the deity, in whose honour they were observed. It is not improbable they might belong to Apollo, and be (at least the latter of them) the same with the Lacedæmonian Kagva. This conjecture is grounded upon the words of Hesychius, who tells us, that Aynths was the name of the person consecrated to the god at the Kagnia and that the festival itself was termed Aynτógia, which name seems to have been derived from yw, that festival being observed in imitation of seat.wriǹ żywyn, or the military way of living, as Athenæus and Eustathius have observed. It is not unlikely the former might belong to Venus, whose priest (as grammarians inform us) was called Ayrwg, in Cyprus. AгPANIA, was celebrated at Argos, in memory of one of Protus's daughters; being, in all probability, the same with ArPIANIA, which (as the same author tells us) was observed at Argos, in memory of a deceased person. It was also celebrated at Thebes with solemn sports. AгPAYAIA, at Athens, in honour of Agraulus, or Aglaurus, the daughter of Cecrops, and the nymph Aglauris, and priestess of Minerva, to whom she gave the surname of Aglaurus, and was worshipped in a temple dedicated to her. The Cyprians also (as Porphyry reports) honoured her by the celebration of an annual festival in the month Aphrodisius, at which they offered human victims; and this custom is said to have continued till the time of Diomedes. d a Lib. iv. b Iliad. . c Hesychius, d De Abstinentia, lib. ii. |