Ηλθ', ἦλθε, Χελιδών, καλὰς, Ώρας άγεσα, &c. It's faid to have been compos'd by Cleobulus the Lindian, as an Artifice to get Money in a Time of publick Calamity. In like manner, to fing the Song wherein a Raven, in Greek Kogavn, was invok'd, they called κεφωνίζειν. And it feems to have been cuftomary for Beggars to go about and fing for Wages; fo Homer is faid to have done, earning his Living by finging a Song call'd Εἰρεσίωνη. 66 ΧΘΟΝΙΑ. מן An anniversary Day kept by the Hermionians, in Honour of Ceres, firnam'd Chthonia, either because she was Goddess of the Earth, which is call'd in Greek XSwv, or from a Damfel of that Name, whom Cere carry'd from Argolis to Hermione, where the dedicated a Temple to the Goddefs. The manner of this Festival is thus described by Paufanias TM: "Ceres herself is nam'd Cthonia, and under that Title is honour'd with a Festival, celebrated every Summer in this Method: A Proceffion "is led up by the Priefts of the Gods, and the Magiftrates that Year in "Office, who are follow'd by a Crowd of Men and Women; the Boys "alfo make a folemn Proceffion in Honour of the Goddefs, being in "white Apparel, and having upon their Heads Crowns compos'd of a "Flower, which is by them call'd Koμsávan☺, but feems to be the "fame with Hyacinth, as appears as well by the Bignefs and Colour, as "from the Letters infcrib'd upon it in Memory of the untimely Death “of Hyacinthus. This Proceffion is follow'd by Perfons that drag an "Heifer untam'd, and newly taken from the Herd, faft bound to the Temple, where they let her loofe; which being done, the Door"keepers, who till then had kept the Temple-gates open, make all faft, " and four old Women being left within, and arm'd with Scithes, they "pursue the Heifer and dispatch her, as foon as they are able, by cutting her Throat. Then the Doors being open'd, certain appointed "Perfons put a fecond Heifer into the Temple, afterwards a third, and "then a fourth, all which the old Women kill in the fore-mention'd 86 manner; and, 'tis obfervable, that all fall on the fame Side." 66 ΧΙΤΩΝΙΑ, In Honour of Diana, firnam'd Chitonia, from Chitone, a Borough in Attica, where this Festival was celebrated ·. Another Festival of this Name was celebrated at Syracufe, with Songs and Dances proper to the Day o. ΧΛΟΕΙΑ, R A Festival celebrated at Athens upon the fixth of Thargelion with Corinthiacis, n Callimachi Scholiaft. Hymn. in Dian. Athenæus, lib. xiv, P • Stepban. Byzantin, v, Xıram, ? Helychius Euftath. Il, í. Peusan, Atticis. Sports Sports and Mirth, facrificing a Ram to Ceres, worfhipp'd in a Temple in or near the Acropolis of Athens, under the Title of Xaón, which Name, tho' Paufanias thought to bear a hidden and myftical Senfe, understood by none but the Priests themselves, yet perhaps it may be derived from Xλón, i. e. Grass, becaufe Ceres was Goddess of the Earth, and all the Fruits thereof; and is the fame with the Epithet of Exo, or fertile, which is apply'd to her by Sophocles 9. Τὼ δὲ Εὐχλός Δήμητρα ἐς ἐπόψιον Where this Conjecture feems to be approv'd by the Scholiaft, who tells us, that Ceres, firnam'd Exλ, was worshipp'd in a Temple near the Acropolis, which can be no other than that already mention'd. Add to this, that Gyraldus is of Opinion that Ceres is call'd Xxón amongst the Greeks, for the fame Reason that amongst the Latins fhe is nam'd Flava, the Cause of which Title is too well known to be accounted for in this Place. A Feftival in Honour of Bacchus, Quoquy, i.e. Eater of raw Flesh, of which I have spoken in the former part of this Chapter. This Solemnity was celebrated in the fame manner with the other Festivals of Bacchus, wherein they counterfeited Phrenzy and Madness; what was peculiar to it was, that the Worshippers us'd to eat the Entrails of Goats raw and bloody, which was done in Imitation of the God, to whom the Sirname by which he was ador'd at this Solemnity was given for the like Actions. ΩΡΑΙΑ, Solemn Sacrifices, confifting of Fruits, and offer'd in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, that Heaven might grant mild and temperate Weather. Thefe, according to Meurfius, were offer'd to the Goddeffes call'd ea, i. e. Hours, who were three in Number, attended upon the Sun, prefided over the four Seasons of the Year, and were honour'd with Divine Worship at Athens ". CHAP. XXI. Of the Publick Games in Greece, and the Principal Exercifes used in them. I COME in the next place to the four publick and folemn Games, which were peculiarly term'd iì, i. e. facred; partly from the Esteem they had all over Greece, from every part of which vaft Multitudes of Spectators flock'd to them; and partly because they were inftituted in Honour of the Gods or deify'd Heroes, and always begun with facrificing to them, and concluded in the fame religious man ner. Their Names, together with the Perfons to whom they were dedicated, and the Prizes in each of them, are elegantly compriz'd by Archias in the two following Diftichs, Τέσσαρες εἰσὶν ἀγῶνες ἀν Ελλάδα, τέσσαρες όροι, Οἱ δύο μὲ θνητῶν οἱ δύο δ' αθανάτων, Αλλα ο κότινος, μῆλα, σέλινα, πίτυς. Such as obtain'd Victories in any of these Games, especially the Olym pick, were univerfally honour'd, nay, almoft ador'd: At their Return home they rode in a triumphal Chariot into the City, the Walls being broken down to give them Entrance; which was done (as Plutarch is of Opinion) to fignify, that Walls are of fmall Ufe to a City that is inhabited by Men of Courage and Ability to defend it. At Sparta they had an honourable Polt in the Army, being plac'd near the King's Perfon. At fome Places they had Prefents made to them by their native City, were honour'd with firft Places at all Shews and Games, and ever after maintain'd at the publick Charge . Cicero reports, that a Victory in the Olympick Games was not much less honourable than a Triumph at Rome. Happy was that Man thought, that could but obtain a fingle Victory: If any Perfon merited repeated Rewards, he was thought to have attain'd to the utmost Felicity that human Nature is capable of: But if he came off Conqueror in all the Exercises, he was elevated above the Condition of Men, and his Actions ftyled wonderful Victories a. Nor did their Honours terminate in themselves, but were extended to all about them; the City that gave them Birth and Education was efteem'd more honourable and au Athenæus, lib. xiv. in Architect. lib. ix. Plutarchus Lucullo, Plutarch, Synopf. lib. ii. Quæft. vi. Vitruvius Præfat. Xenophon Colophonius in Epigram, Orat. pro Flacco. guft ; |