Aut fi ultra placitum laudarit, bacchare frontem Some made ufe of certain Bracelets or Necklaces compos'd of Shells, Corals and precious Stones, and others apply'd certain Herbs prepar'd with Incantations and Magical Rites to this Ufe: Thefe also being efteemed excellent Remedies according to Gratius : Nam fic affectus oculiq; venena maligni : 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 Reafon was call'd Fafcinum. These or the like Reprefentations, were thought to avert the Eyes of malicious Perfons Toπíaν Tus ofe, by the Oddness of the Sight, from fixing too ftedfaftly on the Perfon or Thing, to which they were affixed ". Hence they were fometimes hung upon the Doors of Houfes and Gardens, as we are inform'd by Pliny and Pollux P affirms, that Smiths commonly plac'd them before their Forges. The fame Author obferves from Ariftophanes, that their Name was Baova, they are called by Plutarch προ βασκανία, in the old Glofary προσβασκανιον aniwers the Latin Word Mutinum. But we are inform'd by Phavorinus, that βασκάνιον λέγεσιν οἱ ἀρχαῖοι, the Ancients usd the Word βασκανιcy, the Moderns Condvior. It may farther be obferv'd that thefe Figures were Images of Priapus, who was believ'd to punish fuch Perfons, as did sagraire TI Tŵv nadŵv, prejudice good Things by Fafcination, as we are informed by Diodorus the Sicilian The Romans had several other Deities, who averted Fafcinations. The God Fafcinus is mention'd as one of thefe by Pliny; and Cunina is faid by Lactantius ` to be worfhiped, because fhe did Infantes in cunis tueri, & fafcinum fubmovere ; protect Children in their Cradles, and avert Fafcination; it was before obferv'd, that fome Omens were averted by Spitting at them, which is an Action of Deteftation and Abhorrence. Hence fome, chiefly old Women, averted Fafcinations by fpitting into their Bofoms. Hence the following Verfe of Callimachus, which is cited by the Scholiaft upon Theocritus, who farther affirms that the fame Cuftom was practis'd in his Time : Δαίμων, τοὶ κόλποισιν ἐπιπτύεσι γυναίκες» It may be farther obferved, that this was done thrice, three being a facred Number, as hath been elsewhere fhewn. Hence Damætas, who is introduc'd by Theocritus, representing the Behaviour of Polyphemus, having praised himself, adds, that by the Advice of old Cotyttaris he had thrice fpit into his Bofom to prevent Fascinations" : m Varro, lib. vi. lib. xix. cap. iv. jv. vi. ver. 39. n Plutarchus Sympof. lib. v. quæft. vii. • Nat. Hift. Lib. ́u Theocriti Idyll, 9 Loco citato. Lib. i. cap. X, Ως μὴ βασκανθῶ δὲ, τρὶς εἰς ἐμὸν ἔπτυσα κόλπον. when they affum'd lúe, spit into their Another Method of Hence it was ufual to reprove arrogant Perfons, more than their Due, bidding them is nóλos Bofoms, an Example whereof we find in Lucian k. averting Fafcinations from Infants was this: They tied a Thread of divers Colours about the Neck of the Infant, then fpit upon the Ground, and, taking up the Spittle mix'd with Dirt upon their Finger, put it upon the Infant's Forehead and Lips. There is an Allufion to this Cuftom in Perfius': F Ecce avia, aut metuens Divum matertera, cunis Expiat, urentes oculos inhibere perita. CHA P. XIX. Of the Grecian Festivals in General. ESTIVALS were inftituted upon four Accounts: Firft, in Honour of the Gods, to whom, befides the Worship every Day paid them, fome more folemn Times were fet apart. Efpecially if they had conferred any fignal Favour upon the Publick, or upon private Perfons, had affifted them in defending their Country, had given them Victory over their Enemies, had delivered them out of any apparent Danger, or bleffed them with Success in any Undertaking, it was thought but reasonable to fet apart fome Time for offering Sacrifices and Praises to them, as grateful Acknowledgments for the Benefits receiv'd at their Hands. Secondly, In order to procure fome fpecial Favour of the Gods; for (as you may learn from the following Chapters) feveral of the Festivals were inftituted with a Defign to render the Gods propitious, and willing to grant fome particular Bleffings, as Health, Children, and fuch like. And in Times of Famine, Peftilence, or other publick Calamities, the Oracles ufually advised their Confultants to inftitute folemn Festivals, as the beft 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 fmall Encouragement of generous and noble Difpofitions to enter upon honourable Defigns, when they faw that the brave Actions of the virtuous did not perish with them, but their Memories were ever held facred by fucceeding Generations. Fourthly, Festivals were inftituted, as Times of Eafe and Rest to Πλοίῳ ἡ Εὐχαῖς. 1 Sat. ii. ver. 31. Ubi. conf. Interpretes. Labourers, a Chap. 19. Labourers; that amidst all their Toil and Sorrow, and as it were Recompence thereof, fome Days of Refreshment might be allowed them. For fome one or more of these Ends, moft Festivals feem to have been first instituted. Ariftotle reports, that amongst the Ancients they had few, or no Festivals, befides thofe after Harveft or Vintage; for then they used to meet and make merry with the Fruits they had gathered, Eating and Drinking plentifully; which they efteem'd a fort of Offering their First-fruits to the Gods, whom they thought honour'd by fo doing; and therefore Feafts were called Ooiva, q. Jéoivai, õti dia tès Der's ciršodus deiv úæenáμbavov, i. e. because they thought they were obliged, in Duty to the Gods, to be drunk. And Seleucus, in the fame Author tells us, That the Words Sania and μ were derived from the fame Original, Τον τε οἶνον ἐπὶ πλεῖον, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἡδυπάθειαν θεῶν· ἕνεκα προσφέρεσθαι, διὸ καὶ θοίνας, καὶ θαλίας, και μέθας ὠνομασθῆναι. i. e. Banquets were called Doiva, daríai, and dai, from Oeds, or God; because it was ufual at thofe Times to confume great Quantities of Wine, and other Provifions in Honour of the Gods. In later Ages, when the Gods were increased almoft to the Number of Men, and the old frugal Way of living was laid afide, the Number of Festivals were enlarged, and the Manner of them quite altered: For whereas formerly the Solemnities confifted in little or nothing, befides offering a Sacrifice to the Gods, and after that making merry themfelves; now a great many Games, Proceffions, and innumerable Ceremonies, in Imitation of the fabulous Actions of the Gods, were introduced and practised, to the vast Charge of the Publick. The Athenians, as they exceeded all other People in the Number of their Gods, fo they out-did them in the Number of their Festivals; which, as Xenophon reports, were twice as many, as any other City obferved: Nor did the Number and Frequency of them abate any thing of the Solemnity, Splendor, and Charges at their Obfervation. The Shops and Courts of Judicature were shut up on moft of thofe Days; the Labourers refted from their Works, the Tradesmen from their Employments, the Mourners intermitted their Sorrows; and nothing but Eafe and Pleasure, Mirth and Jollity were to be found amorgit them. Indeed κοινὸν τῖτο κὶ τῶν Ελλήνων καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων ἐςι, this was common both to Greeks and Barbarians, as we are informed by Strabo, to celebrate their religious Solemnities with Mirth and Remiffion of their Labours. Most of them were celebrated at the publick Charge; and, left their Treasury should be exhausted by so frequent Evacuations, several Means were contrived to fupply and replenish them. For Instance, after Thrafybulus had depoled the Tyrants, their Eftates were confifcated for this Ufe, as Harpocration obferves out of Philocorus: And when the State was reduc'd to its old Democracy, if any of the Citizens, though too much Wealth, became formidable to the poorer Sort, and Objects of their Envy, it was cuftomary to compel them to contribute towards the defraying of the Expences at publick Festivals; and fo by Ethic. ad Nicomach. lib. vii. c. ix. De Repub. Athenienf. con conferring upon them a great (tho' chargeable and dear-bought) Honour, at once fweeten the Impofition (if not also oblige those on whom it was impofed) and rid themselves of thofe Fears and Jealoufies, which the immoderate Opulency of private Perfons might reasonably give to a popular State. Thus much of Feftivals in general: As to the Particulars, I have omitted very little that is material in the Tracts of Meurfius and Caftellanus upon this Subject; and fome things not taken notice of by either of them, and perhaps not unworthy your Obfervation, 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 (feeing almoft every Man of Repute, and that had done any notable Service for the Publick, had his anniversary Day) and impoffible, fince Hundreds of them (efpecially thofe that were obferv'd by the lefs confiderable Cities) are not fo much as mention'd in any Author at this Day extant ; or but barely mention'd, without any Account of the Perfons to whom they belong'd, or the Ceremonies used at their Celebration: However, as much as is neceffary to the Understanding of the ancient Greek Writers, the following Chapters will furnish. M СНАР. ХХ. ΑΓΗΤΟ ΡΕΙΟΝ and ΑΓΗΤΟ ΡΙΑ, Entioned by Hefychius, without any Notice of the Deity, in whofe Honour they were obferved. It is not improbable they might belong to Apollo, and be (at least the latter of them) the fame with the Lacedæmonian Xagveia. This Conjecture is grounded upon the Words of Hefychius, who tells us, that AynTs was the Name of the Perfon confecrated to the God at the Kapveia and that the Festival itself was term'd Ayurea, which Name feems to have been deriv'd from yw, that Festival being obferv'd in Imitation of sin, aywyn, or, the military Way of Living, as Athenæus and Euftathius ↳ have obferv'd. It is not unlikely the former might belong to Venus, whose Prieft (as Grammarians inform us) was call'd Aynwg in Cyprus. c ΑΓΡΑΝΙΑ Was celebrated at Argos in memory of one of Prætus's Daughters ; being in all Probability the fame with ΑΓΡΙΑΝΙΑ, Which (as the fame Author tells us) was obferv'd at Argos in memory of a deceas'd Perfon. It was alfo celebrated at Thebes with folemn Sports. a Lib, iv. Iliad, a. Hefychius. ΑΓΡΑ ΑΓΡΑΥΛΙΑ, At Athens, in Honour of Agraulus, or Aglaurus, the Daughter of Cecrops, and the Nymph Aglauris, and the Prieftefs of Minerva, to whom he gave the Sirname of Aglaurus, and was worship'd in a Temple dedicated to her. The Cyprians alfo (as Pompey d reports) honour'd her by the Celebration of an annual Feftival in the Month Aphrodifius, at which they offer'd human Victims; and this Custom is faid to have continued till the Time of Diomedes. ΑΓΡΙΩ Ν Ι Α, In Honour of Bacchus, firnamed Ayev for his Cruelty, as Plutarch is of Opinion; or becaufe he convers'd with, and was attended by Lions, Tigers, and other favage Animals, which procur'd him the other Name of unsis, which properly denotes an Eater of raw Flesh. This Solemnity was obferv'd in the Night after this Manner: The Women being affembled made a ftrict Search after Bacchus, as if he had fled from them; but after fome time, finding their Labour to be in vain, faid, that he had retir'd to the Muses, and conceal'd himself amongst them. This being done, and the Ceremony ended, they regaled themselves with an Entertainment; after which, the Time was pafs'd away in propofing Riddles and cramp Questions. Large Quantities of Ivy were us'd at this Time 5, because that Plant was accounted facred to Bacchus ; and fo great Exceffes were fometimes committed, that once the Daughters of Minya, in a furious Ecftafy of Devotion, flaughter'd Hippafus, the Son of Leucippe, and ferv'd him up to the Table In Memory of which Murder their whole Family was ever after excluded from this Festival upon Pain of Death; which, as Plutarch » reports, was inflicted upon one of them, that had furreptitiously convey'd herself in among the reft of the Worshipers, by Zoilus a Charonean Priest. ΑΓΡΟΤΕΡΑΣ ΘΥ Σ Ι Α, An anniversary Sacrifice of five hundred Goats, offer'd at Athens to Minerva, firnam'd Ay porig, from Agra in Attica. The Occafion of it was this: When Darius the Emperor of Perfia made an Invafion upon Attica, Callimachus, who was at that Time in the Office of a Polemarch, made a folemn Vow to Minerva, that if she would grant them Victory over their Enemies, they would facrifice to her as many He goats as fhould equal the Number of the Slain on their Enemy's fide: Minerva granted his Requeft, but the Number of the Perfians that fell in the Battle being fo great, that all the He-goats they could procure did not come near it; instead of them they offer'd all the She-goats they could find; and thefe alfo falling infinitely fhort of the Number, they made a Decree, that five hundred Goats fhould be offer'd every Year, till it fhould be completed, Plutarch. Sympof. lib. viii. Quæft. i. Xenoph. Exped. Cyri, |