and punish Of all the Gods they chiefly worship Mercury and sacrifice even Men to him at certain Solemnities They think it not agreeable to the Grandieur of the Gods to paint them as Men or shut them up in Temples but they only consecrate Groves to 'em and adore such as are most solitary They are much given to Auguries and Lots which they perform with little Ceremony They cut a Branch of a certain Fruit-Tree in several pieces and having mark'd them with certain Characters cast 'em carelesly upon a white Cloth then the Priest or Master of the Family if it be a private House after he has made a Prayer to the Gods lifts up each piece three times and interprets them according to the Marks on ' em They also consult the flying and chirping of Birds and the neighing of Horses is with them a certain Presage To this end they feed white Horses in their dedicated Groves and will not suffer them to be prophan'd by the service of Men and when they have a mind to consult 'em they yoke 'em in a Chariot of their Gods and the Priest or King follows them to observe their Neighing there is no Augury to which they give more Credit They make use also of another Invention to know the Event of their Wars They take a Captive of their Enemies and match him with one of their own Party and judg of the issue of the War by the success of their Combat They count by Nights and not by Days as we do and in their Orders of State they set down on such a Night and not on such a Day because as they think the Night was first They meet in Council armed and the Priests alone have power to enjoyn silence as they have also to punish Their Punishments are different according to their Crimes they hang Traytors and Deserters on Trees the cowardly the base and the infamous they smoother in Puddles and then throw an Hurdle upon ' em Their Coat which is all the Garment they wear as I have above observed is fasten'd with a Button or Clasp the rest of their Body is naked The richest of them have their Garments not large and full as the Parthians and Sarmatians but close according to the shape of their Bodies They also clothe themselves with Furs The Womens Garments are much like the Mens save that they wear a kind of Linnen Shift with out Sleeves border'd with Crimson-Silk which leaves their Arms and Bosom naked Their Marriages nevertheless are untainted and their Chastity is not blemished by their Meetings Festivals and publick Shews They neither send nor receive Love-Letters or Billet-Douxes insomuch that Adultery is seldom found among so great a People they allow not second Marriage and a Woman takes an Husband to be united to her as one Body and one Soul 'T is an odious thing among 'em to destroy a Child in the Womb or hinder Conception every one is brought up in his own Family without any other Nurse than his own Mother There are few People that take more pleasure in entertaining Strangers 't is a Crime for any Man to shut his House against them whosoever they be When any one comes to their Houses the Master of it gives him whatever he has and when he has nothing left he will carry him to his Neighbour who receives him with the same Respect and Freedom They drink Beer for no Vines grow in their Country Their Food is very plain wild Fruits Milk curdled and Venison and they live without Dainties and Expence They have but one sort of publick Show their young Men dance naked on the points of Spears and Javelins They do not divide the Year into Four parts as other Nations The Autumn is as little known as the Fruits of it Their Funerals are without any Pomp or Magnificence they only burn the Bodies of some Persons of Quality with a particular sort of Wood putting nothing upon the Pile but their Arms and sometimes the Horse of the deceas'd without Perfumes or Garments their Graves are made of Turfs and they contemn the Costliness of our Tombs In fine they are great Drinkers and very great Gamesters insomuch that they will play away themselves after they have lost all their Goods They celebrate in old Verses of which all their History is compos'd a God born in their Land called Tuisco and his Son Man who were the first Inhabitants of the Country Caesar speaking of the Germans in his Sixth Book De Bello Gallico tells us That they have neither Priests nor Sacrifices and own no Deity but such as they see and feel the Effects of as the Sun the Moon and the Fire and that War and Hunting were their only Exercises ALEMANNIA Germany This Country says Tacitus is bounded with the Rhine Danube and Ocean except on the part next Sarmatia and Dacia where it is bounded with the Mountains on which a very warlike People inhabit The Ocean there makes great Bays and large Isles The Rhine takes it rise in the Country of the Grisons and falling from the top of the Alps discharges it self after a long course into the North-Sea inclining a little toward the West The Danube falls from Mount Abnoba and empties it self into the Euxine-Sea at six Months for the seventh is lost in the Marshes Hercules is said to have been in this Country and Ulysses himself in his long and fabulous Travels was carried by a Tempest into Germany where he built a City upon the Banks of the Rhine which is still called Aschelburg from the Greek Name which he gave it Some add that he had an Altar consecrated to him there under the Title of the Son of Laertes and that there remain to this day some Monuments of him with Greek Inscriptions in the Borders of the Grisons and Germany which I neither assert or call in question the Truth of ALETIDES antient Sacrifices which the Athenians offer'd to Icarus and Erigone in which they danced Puppets Icarus was the Son of Aebalus and Father of Erigone who having receiv'd of Bacchus a Bottle full of Wine gave it the Shepherds of Attica to drink who were very thirsty because of the Heat of their Countrey they drank of it till they lost the use of their Reason and supposing themselves to be poyson'd by that Liquor they fell upon him and killing him cast his Body into a Pit He had a little Bitch named Mara who went and pulling his Daughter Erigone by the lower part of her Garment brought her to the place where the Body of her Father was she seeing him in this condition hang'd herself for grief and many Athenian Virgins who lov'd her extraordinarily follow'd her Example The Bitch also pin'd away with Grief and Jupiter translated her to Haven under the Name of Canicula i. e. the Dog-Star Icarus was chang'd into that Sign of the Zodiac which is called Charles's Wain and Erigone into another Sign call'd Virgo The Oracle of Apollo
oppress'd with a multitude of Business There were also Aediles in municipal Cities like those at Rome AEDILITAS Aedility the Magistracy of the Aediles which lasted a year It included many Magistrates and their different Offices such as these of the Consul the Chief Justice Surveyor of the High-ways and the High Treasurer This Office continued in the Empire according to Justus Lipsius till Constantines's time who suppress'd it together with other Magistracies of the Empire AEDITUUS or AEDITIMUS a Sacrist or Sexton a Treasurer to the Temples of the False Gods who took care of the Offerings and other Ornaments of the Gods AEDITUA a Sucrist of the Female Deities with whom was intrusted the keeping of the Treasures of the Temple AEDON the Wife of King Zethus the Brother of Amphiron she by mistake kill'd her own Son Itylus instead of the Son of her Brother-in-law whom she hated She designed to have kill'd her self when she found her mistake but the Gods in compassion chang'd her into a Linnet who is always complaining of this Misfortune in her Song AEGEON a Giant See Briarens AEGEUS the Son of Pandion King of Athens who begot Theseus upon the Nymph Aethra Minos King of Candia declar'd War against him to revenge the Death of his Son Androgeus whom some of the Athenians had kill'd In this War the Athenians had considerable Losses which forc'd them to desire a Peace and it was granted them on condition that they should send every year six young Men of the better sort of Families to be expos'd to the Minotaure for appeasing the Ghost of his Son The Lot fell upon Theseus the Son of King Aegeus who escap'd the Fury of this Monster But Aegeus seeing the Ship return which had carry'd this cruel Oblation and not percieving the white Flag set up as had been agreed between them he suppos'd his Son was dead which put him into such a Fit of Despair that he threw himself head-long into the Sea The Athenians instituted Feasts to his Honour and sacrific'd to him as a Sea-God and an Adopted Son of Neptune AEGEUM MARE the Aegean Sea otherwise call'd Archipelago or the White-Sea 'T is a part of the Gulph of the Mediterranean Sea which begins at the Eastern part of the Isthmus of Corinth or the Promontory Suniam and reaches as far as the Hellespont dividing Greece and Europe from Asia Suidas would have this Sea call'd the Aegean upon account of Aegeus who threw himself headlong into it supposing his Son Theseus who went to fight the Minotaure had been slain Others give it this Name upon the account of a Rock which lies between the two Isles of Tenedos and Chio having the shape of a Goat The Isles of this Sea were divided by the Antients into Cyclades and Sporades they reckon'd fifty of the Cyclades which encompass'd the Isle of Delos like a Circle but the Sporades were scatter'd here and there towards the Isle of Crete or Candia AEGERIA a Nymph or Deity that was worship'd in the Forest Aricina which Titus Livius places seven miles from Rome but Festus says it lay only a little way without the Gate Collina Numa Pompilius the second King of Rome feign'd that he had frequent Conversation with this Deity that he might add greater Weight and Authority to his Laws and Ordinances and root them deeper in the Minds of the Romans making them believe that this Nymph Aegeria dictated them to him Ovid makes her the Wife of Numa who was changed into a Fountain by Diana Fast lib. 3. ver 275. Aegeria est quae praebet aquas Dea grata Camoenis Illa Numae conjux consiliumque fuit She was reverenc'd by the Romans as a Deity and the Women with child pray'd to her in the time of their Travel that by her Aid they might be safely deliver'd of their Children as we learn from Festus Aegeria nymphae sacrificabant praegnantes quod eam putabant facile conceptum alvo egerere She was also call'd Fluonia because she stop'd the Bloody-flux in Women AEGIALA the Wife of Diomedes whom Venus inspir'd with so brutish a Passion that she prostituted her self to all Commers in revenge for the Wound she had receiv'd from her Husband at the War of Troy Diomedes not being able to endure the Whoredoms of his Wife abandon'd her and retir'd into Italy where he agreed with Danaus for one part of his Kingdom which was call'd Graecia Magna He built there a City call'd Argos Hippium and in after times Argyrippa as Servius says upon the eleventh of the Aeneids AEGINA an Island with a City of the same Name near to Peloponnesus and Attica which was distant only four Leagues from the famous Port Pynaeum in the lower part of Athens It was also so call'd from Aegina the Daughter of Asopus King of Baeotia by whom Jupiter in a Disguise of Fire had two Sons call'd Aeacus and Rhadamanthus AEGIOCHUS a Surname given to Jupiter from a Goat which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the account of the Milk with which he was nourish'd in his Infancy by the Nymphs Amalthaea and Melissa The Poets tell us that when this Goat died Jupiter cover'd his Shield with its Skin but afterwards he brought it to life again and plac'd it among the Celestial Signs AEGIS the Goat-skin of Jupiter a Buckler cover'd with the Skin of the Goat of Amalthaea the Nurse of Jupiter This Buckler he gave to Pallas who painted the Head of Medusa upon it the bare Sight whereof petrifi'd both Men and Beasts Jupiter took upon him the Name of Aegiochus i. e. the Goat-skin-Bearer AEGIS a frightful Monster born of the Earth which vomited Fire wherewith all the Forests of Phrygia were consum'd from Mount Taurus as far as the Indies This forc'd the Inhabitants to abandon the Country But Minerva kill'd this Monster and cover'd her Buckler with its Skin that it might serve not only for Defence but also for a Mark of her Victory Thus Natalis Comes relates the Fable lib. 4. cap. 5. Aegidem feram vocam monstrum prope inexpugnahile obtruncâ—â—it c. AEGISTHUS born of the incestuous mixture of Thyestes with his own Daughter Pelopia He was expos'd to Beasts by his Father in order to conceal his Crime but the Shepherds sav'd him and fed him with the Milk of a Goat from whence he was call'd Aegysthus When he came to age he kill'd his Uncle Atreus the Father of Agamemnon and afterwards Agamemnon also at a Feast by the help of his own Wife Clytemnestra whom he had abus'd But Orestes the Son of Agamemnon reveng'd the Death of his Father by killing Aegysthus and the faithless Clytemnestra AEGIOCHUS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Surname of Jupiter the same with Aegiochus There are several Medals of the Emperours Philip and Valerian upon the Reverse whereof is represented a Goat with this Inscription Jovi Conservatori Augusti and on the other side a Goat carrying Jupiter
they had contemned her Worship made them to prostitute themselves to all Comers AMAZONIUS the Month of December was so called in the Reign of the Emperour Commodus by his Flatterers in honour of a Concubine which he loved extreamly and whom he had caused to be painted like an Amaxon as Lampridius assures us AMAZONES the Amazons Women-Warriours of great Courage They were heretofore Women of Scythia who dwelt near Tanais and Thermodn which conquer'd great part of Asia They liv'd without Men and prostituted their Bodies to Strangers but kill'd all their Male Children and burn'd off the left Pap of their Daughters to make them fit for fighting From whence some say their Name is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non mamma which signifies Without Paps Strabo denies that there ever were any Amazons Pliny and Mela make mention of those of Scythia Hippocrates says that there was a Law among them which condemn'd their Daughters to remain Virgins till they had slain three Men of their Enemies He also says that the Cause why they cut off the Right-pap was that their Right-arm might become the stronger because it gain'd the Nourishment of the Breast and they distorted the Legs of their Male Children that they might always be Mistresses over them Some affirm that in Africk there was a Realm of Women only who slew all the Boys that they brought forth by their Copulation with the Neighbouring Nations as we learn from Juan de los Sanctos a Grey-Fryar of Portugal in his Description of the Eastern Aethiopa Aeneas Sylvius relates that he saw in Bohemia for seven years a Common-wealth exactly like that of the Amazons establish'd by the Valour of a Woman called Valasca The Names of the most famous Amazons were Marthesia Orythea and Penthesilea whom Virgil in his Aeneids supposes to be slain by Achilles Herodotus speaking of the Amazons says that the Greeks having defeated them near the River Thermodon carried away those that remain'd Captives in their Ships who after the Defeat watch'd their opportunity so well that they seiz'd the Arms of the Greeks and made a great Slaughter of them but because they understood nothing of Navigation they were cast by the Winds upon the Coasts of Scythia where mounting upon the Horses that came in their way they fought with the Scythians who being desirous to make an amicable end of the War which they had begun endeavoured to persuade them to surrender themselves and hoping to gain them by their weak side told them that in case they would do so they should not be enjoy'd by their Lame but by the handsomest Men. They stopt their mouths with this Answer That their Lame were their best Men which is since passed into a Proverb among the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nevertheless a Peace was made and the Scythians gave them a part of their Country where they settled themselves on the Southside of Tanais This is what Herodotus says of the Amazons of Asia Philostratus in his Picture of Neoptolemus relates that they which sail upon the Euxine Sea do affirm That along that Coast between the Rivers Thermodon and Phasis there are Amazons which say they are descended of Mars who busie themselves wholly in Warlike matters as to draw a Bow and ride on Horses they will not permit a Man to live among them but when they desire to have any Children they go to seek out Men among their Neighbours and when they bring forth Boys they cause them to be gelt but their Daughters they bring up to warlike Affairs feeding them with the Milk of Cattle and Dew which falls in the form of Honey upon the Reeds in their Marshes The chief Expeditions of the Amazons were the War which they made against King Priamus the Assistance they brought him at the Siege of Troy and their Invasion of Attica to revenge themselves of Theseus who had taken away Antiope As for their Expedition into the Isle of Achilles at the mouth of the Danube it is a Fiction of Philostratus which no ways redounds to their Honour because they shew'd themselves very cruel there 'T is true Philostratus is not the only Man that has represented the Amazons as wicked for Apollonius describes them as Salvages that have neither Faith nor Law The Monuments which preserve the Memory of these Warlike Women are the City of Thermiscira the Metropolis of their State situate in Cappadocia near a River well known by the Name of Thermodon the City of Ephesus and Temple of Diana are two Works of their hands Dionysius Afer says that they built another Temple to Diana upon the Stump of a young Elm. The Cities of Smyrna Thyatira Cuma and Magnesia are commonly thought to be founded by them Apollonius will have it that they consecrated the Temples even in the Areopagus and in the Territories of Lacedaemonia The Statue of Diana at Ephesus was adorned with Paps because the Amazons consecrated those to her which they cut off It appears by some Medals that the Amazons wore Garments like Men but by others they seem cloth'd after the usual manner of their Sex The ingenious Mr. Petâ—â— has written a Treatise which contains things very learned and curious about these Heroines as about their Sepulchres the Reasons why the Names which they bear are all Greek and the Chronology of their History which may be consulted AMBARVALE or AMBARVALIA The Feast of Perambulation The Procession they made about the plow'd and sown Fields in honour of the Goddess Ceres like the Processions of the Papists at this day celebrated upon the Feasts of St. Mark and Rogation-days with larger or shorter Litanies There were two Feasts at Rome of that Name one in April or according to other Authors in the End of January and the other in July Twelve Arval Brothers or Priests of which I shall speak in their place went before a publick Procession of the Citizens who had Lands and Vineyards without the City The same Ceremony was practised in the Country by other Priests among the Inhabitants of the Villages They went three times round the Ground every one being crowned with Leaves of Oak and singing Hymns in honour of Ceres the Goddess of Corn. This Ceremony was called Ambarvalia ab ambiendis arvis the Sacrifices which they offer'd after this Procession they call'd Ambarvales Hostiae There were three sorts of them viz. a Sow a Sheep and a Bull which is the Reason that this threefold Sacrifice was called Suovitaurilia which is a Word compounded of Sus Ovis and Taurus In the first Sacrifice they pray'd to the Goddess Ceres and the God Mars that they would preserve their Corn from Mildew and Hail and bring it to perfect Ripeness and in that of the month of July they pray'd to them to bless their Harvest Cato has left us the Form of Prayer used on this occasion in cap. 141. De Re Rustica but this Prayer was made to Mars only Mars Pater te precor quaesoque
cross ways both of the Town and Country they offered Sacrifices to the Gods Lares which were certain Daemons or Domestick Gods protectors or keepers of the families Macrobius tells us in his Saturnalia that they Sacrificed formerly young children to these Lares and Mania their mother for the conservation of the whole family But Brutus having expelled the Kings out of Rome interpreted otherwise this Oracle of Apollo ordering that instead of the heads demanded by the Oracle they should take Poppy's heads and in this sense he would have the Oracle to be interpreted And the same Author tells us that instead of children that were before immolated to these Gods they made effigies of men and women with straw which they did offer in Sacrifice with some round woollen balls for so many slaves as there was in the family as Festus reports Quibus tot pilae quot capita servorum tot effgies quot essent liberi ponebantur ut vivis parterent essent his pilis simulacris contenti they offered them as many Balls as there was Slaves and as many Effigies as there were free Persons in the Families that they might not hurt the Living and be contented with these Offerings Dionysius Halicarnasseus tells us in his Antiquities that this Feast was celebrated after the Saturnalia viz. at the beginning of January and that it was proclaimed in these words Die nono post Kalend. Jan. Quiritibus Compitalia erunt This Peast was kept by the Slaves according to the Institution of Servins in remembrance of his Fortune that being born a Slave yet he became King of the Romans And Tully says in the 7th Book of his Epistles to Atticus that he would not go into the House of Albus lest he should be troublesom to his Slaves who were about Solemnizing the Compitalia Ego quoniam Compitalitius dies est nolo eo die in Albanum venire molestus Familiae COMUS the God of rejoycing and feasting and President at Dances and Debaucheries Philostratus in the third Book of his Pictures represents him young and fair with a red face by too much drinking a lighted Flamboy in his hand which he holds down to the very ground and seems to burn his Legs with it He is crowned with Garlands of Flowers among Feastings and Pleasures CONCORDIA Concord a Divinity much respected among the Romans Tiberius dedicated her a Temple in Rome which he built by order of Livia his Mother On the Coin or the Medals of the Emperors there is the figure of Concord holding up a Cup with one hand and the Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty with the other to shew that plenty of all things attends a State where the People live in good correspondency and concord She is also represented by two Images holding one another by the right hand On the Medals of Marc-Anthony we see Concord under the Emblem of two Serpents ty'd below and raising up in the figure of a Bow to compass an Altar on which lies the head of Augustus to represent the concord of the Triumvire On the Medals of Caesar Augustus Concord holds with one hand the Horn of Plenty and with the other she presents some Fruits to Lepidus Anthony and young Caesar Trium-vits with this Motto Salus Generls Humani The Crow was particularly consecrated to Concord as Aelianus relates for he tells us that it was the custom among the ancient Romans when they married to call upon the Crow that is to say the Concord that should be between married People Policianus in his Miscellaneous Works confirms this opinion and tell us that he has a Medal of the young Faustina Marcus Aurelius's Daughter on the reverse whereof was represented a Crow the Symbol of Concord with the word Concordia CONFARREATIO the Ceremony of the Confarreation was observed in certain Marriages by eating together a Cake of Wheat Tacitus tells us It was the custom to Name three Persons of a Patrician Family whose Fathers had observed in their Marriages the ceremony of the Confarreation but that cannot be practiced now because this Ceremony was neglected or is too hard to be practised or rather out of the little care they took of things belonging to Religion or in fine because Priests and their Wives had a right to be emancipated from the Paternal Authority in consequence of that Dignity CONGIARIUM a certain Sum of Money which the Roman Emperors distributed from time to time among the People and this Liberality was called among the Latins Congiarium but the largesses that the Emperors bestowed among the Soldiers were called Donativum Tacitus speaking of young Caesar tells us that he gave the Congiarium to the People and the Donativum to the Soldiers Congiarium populo Donativum Militibus dedit During his Reign he bestowed often this Liberality upon the People and gave them thirty little Sesterces to each of them sometimes 40 and sometimes 150 as 't is recorded by Suetonius Children were not excluded of this Liberality in the Reign of Augustus though before that time Children that were not above twelve Years old had no share in it CONGIUS a kind of Measure containing six Sextaries the Sextary two Hemines and the Hemine nine Ounces and was about our Gallon CONISTERIUM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek signifies Dust There was some dust kept in this place for the Wrestlers who were used to spread some upon one another that they might take a better hold upon the anointed Bodies of their fellow-wrestlers CONSECRATIO a Consecration of the Roman Emperors by the Senate and the People after the Emperor was dead These are the Ceremonies observed at this Consecration or Deification as they are related by Herodianus The Emperour being dead the whole City sad and mornful was complaining of her loss They set a waxen Statue of the Emperor upon a Bed of State at the entry of the Imperial Palace The Senators were at the left hand dress'd in Mourning Cloaths and on the Right stood the Roman Ladies dress'd in white Cloaths keeping all a sad and mournful silence for seven Day together During that time the Physicians came from time to time to feel the Pulse of the Patient saying that his Illness was worse and worse The seventh day being expired they published his Death and all things being prepared for his Obsequies the chief among the Knights and Senators carried the Bed upon their shoulders along the Holy Street as far as the Old Market-place where Magistrates us'd to resign their Offices attended with mournful Songs and the noise of Instruments Afterwards they carried him out of the Town into the Field of Mars where was a Funeral Pile dress'd and prepared with sweet Perfumes The outside of the Funeral Pile was adorn'd with Joiners Work and rich Stuffs embroidered with Gold with Ivory Statues and several Pictures This sumptuous Monument was divided in three Stories and the Corps was laid in the middle one then they began the Horse-Race and the Fights of the Gladiators
he says the Furies of Hell are walking that day upon the Earth wherefore Virgil tells us in the first Book of his Georgicks Quintam fuge pallidus Orcus Eumenidesque satae tum partu Terra nefando Caeumque Japetumque â—reat saevumque Typhoea Et conjuratos caelum rescindere fratres The opinion of Plato was that the fourth day of the month was lucky Hesiod assures that it was the seventh day was fortunate because it was Apollo's Birth-day and that the 8th 9th 11th and 12th days were also lucky The Romans accounted also some days lucky and others fatal And the following days after the Kalends Nones and Ides were reckoned fatal and unfortunate And this opinion was grounded upon the answer of a Southsayer For the Military Tribunes Vigilius Manlius and Caelius Posthumius seeing that the Common wealth suffered always some loss presented a Petition to the Senate in the year 363 desiring them to enquire about the cause of these misfortunes The Senate sent for a Southsayer called L. Aquinius who being come into the Assembly they asked him his opinion about the same he answered that when Q. Sulpitius one of the Military Tribunes engaged the Gauls with so bad success near the River Allia he had offered Sacrifices to the Gods the next day after the Ides of July that the Fabians were killed at Cremera because they engaged the Enemy upon the like day After this answer the Senate referred the consideration of the whole Affair to the Colledge of the Pontiffs and desired them to give their opinion therein The Pontiffs forbad to engage the Enemy or to undertake any thing upon the next day after the Kalends Nones and Ides as Livy reports Besides these days that were accounted unlucky there were also some other days that every particular man esteemed unfortunate in respect to his own person Augustus never attempted to perform any thing upon the day of Nones others upon the fourth of Kalends Nones and Ides Vitellius having obtained the dignity of the high Pontiff made Ordinances concerning Religion upon the 15th of the Kalends of August which were ill received because of the loss they had suffered upon that day at Cremera and Allia as Suetonius relates in the life of that Emperor and Tatitus in the second Book of his History c. 24. They took for a bad omen that being made High Priest he ordained something concerning Religion upon the eighteenth day of July which is fatal because of the Battles of Allia and Cremera There was also many other days accounted fatal by the Romans as the day that they offered Sacrifices to the Ghost of deceased persons the day following after the Feasts called Volcanalia the fourth before the Nones of October the sixth of the Ides of November the Holyday called Lemuria in May the Nones of July called Crapotinae the Ides of March because Julius Caesar was killed that day the fourth before the Nones of August because of the defeat of Cannae that happened upon that day the Holydays of the Latins called Saturnalia and many others recorded in the Kalendar However some Romans slighted those ridiculous and superstitious observations for Lucullus answered to those who endeavoured to dissuade him from engaging Tigranes because upon the same day the Cimbri had routed the Army of Caepio I said he I will make it of a good omen for the Romans Julius Caesar transported his Forces over into Africa tho the Augurs opposed his design Dion of Syracusa engaged Dyonisius the Tyrant and overcame him one day when the Moon was eclipsed And so did many others DIES FESTI Holydays See after Festum DIESIS The quarter of a Tone This word is derived from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to pass and run through something the Diesis among Musicians are the lesser parts of a Tone Wherefore Aristotle says that the Diesis are the Elements of the Voice i. e. of Tones However the Pythagoreans who are thought to be the inventers of the name Diesis do not make it so small they divided the Tone in two inequal parts the lesser which we call the Semi-tone minor was called Diesis and the greatest which is our Semi-tone major was called Apotome DII Gods The Romans made two classis or orders of their Gods in the first were ranked the Gods called Dii majorum gentium in the second were the Gods called Dii minorum gentium The Gods of the first order were the most powerful nobiles potentes and were called upon under great exigencies They were twelve in number six Males and six Females Neptunus Mars Mercurius Vulcanus Apollo Jupiter Juno Minerva Ceres Vesta Diana Venus The Gods of the second order whom Ovid comprehends under the word Plebs were of a much lesser consideration and had no power but from the great Gods wherefore they were called upon but in affairs of less moment Tully l. 2. de legibus makes three orders of Gods The first order is of Celestial Gods the second of Demi-Gods or Hero's who were carried up into Heaven on account of their atchievements and in the third order were those who gave men the power to become themselves Gods They divided also the Gods into Gods of Heaven Gods of the Earth Gods of the Sea in Gods of Forests Gods of Rivers and Gods of Gardens There is still another division of Gods into Gods called Consentes and Gods elected in Deos Consentes Electos The Gods called Consentes are the twelve Gods mentioned before They had their share in the Government of the Universe and the chiefest employments in the administration thereof The Gods elected were eight whom the Gods called Consentes had chosen and entrusted with a share of the government relying so far upon them And these twenty Gods viz. twelve Males and eight Females were adored as the Soveraigns of all the little Gods who had but small and limited employments in the government of the Universe are the names of the Gods called Consentes and Gods called elected JANUS JUPITER SATURN GENIUS MERCURY APOLLO MARS VULCANUS NEPTUNE The SUN HELL or PLUTO LIBER TELLUS CERES JUNO The MOON DIANA MINERVA VENUS VESTA The Names of the Gods of the Sea NEPTUNE SALACIA VENILIA EGERIA JUTURNA PORTUNA The names of the Gods of Hell PLUTO ACHERON and STYX his Wife PROSERPINA AEACUS MINOS RHADAMANTHUS CHARON The Three PARCAE the FURIES The names of the Gods called Indigites or of the Heroes or Demi-gods as HERCULES AESCULAPIUS FAUNUS CARMENTA CASTOR POLLUX ACCA LAURENTIA QUIRINUS or ROMULUS The names of the Gods called Semones or Semi-homines who had the protection of men during the course of their life Those that presided at Births were the Goddess MENA or LUNA for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Moon or PRIVIGNA JUNO and JUNO FLUONIA LUCINA or DIANA LATONA or PARTUNDA and EGERIA who assisted Women in their Labour After a Woman was delivered of a Child three Gods were called upon to preserve the Woman lying in
Holy-days was an imitation of the rest of the Sabbath commanded by the Law of God For the Greeks and the Romans kept some Holy-days during eight days together in imitation of the Hebrews and had also their eight and nine days of Devotion For Polybius tells us that to thank the Gods for a Victory obtain'd at Sea the Romans ordered to forbear from all kind of work for nine days together FIBULAE Buckles Clasps This Latin word generally taken signifies All sorts of work that joins two things together Fibula Architectonica that which in Architecture we call a Nail Peg Key and Ring and all that is made use of to join Beams together and other parts of Buildings In this sense Cesar makes use of this word in the description he has made of the Bridge that he built over the River Rhine Binis utrinque fibulis ab extremâ parte distinebantur In Anatomy Fibula is that we call a Cannel-bone Fibula in relation to Cloaths means Buckles and Clasps that keep close or tie up some part of our Cloaths The Greeks and Romans made use of them and often adorned them with precious stones Men and Women did wear them upon their Cloaths and Shoes and used them to keep up their Hairs aliqua fibula comam diffluentem colligans Fibula Gymnastica or Citharaedica used only by Musicians and Comoedians to keep close the prepuce of Children lest they should keep Women company and lose their voice as we learn of Celsus The same thing was used to Players upon the Stage to preserve their voice as 't is reported by Martial Menophili penem tam grandis fibula vostis An Ancient Interpreter of Juvenal observes upon this Verse of the sixth Satyr Nullius fibula durat Vocem vendentis praetoribus ...... Fibulam dicit circellos quos tragaedi sive comoedi in pene habent FICULNEA VIA The way or the Street of the Fig-tree at Rome called Momentania FICUS A Fig-tree Pliny affirms that the white Fig-tree is fortunate but on the contrary that which brings brownish Figs is fatal The Fig-tree called Ruminalis under which the Wolf suckled Remus and Romulus was at at Rome about the place of the Assemblies FIDES Faith A Goddess whom the Ancients honoured and plac'd in Heaven Livy relates that her Priests were cloathed with very white Linnen to shew the candour and sincerity of Faith She was represented by two Hands joined close together and sometimes with two little Images holding one another by the hand See Fidius Dionysius Hallicarnasseus tells us that Numa Pompilius was the first Man who built a Temple to publick Faith and instituted Sacrifices in honour of her at publick charges Her Priests or Flamines sacrificed to her without shedding of Blood cloathed with white Robes and drawn upon a Chariot holding their right hand open FIDIUS The Romans and the Sabins respected this God as the protector of the good Faith that should reign among them There was a Temple at Rome on Mount Quirinalis built to this God where his Feast was kept every year upon the Nones of June And his Image is still seen at Rome in an ancient Marble of three Figures which are under a kind of a Canopy Honour stands at the right under the figure of a middle aged Man Truth at the left represented like a Woman crowned with Laurel holding Honour by the Hand and Love is betwixt them both under the shape of a young Child with this Inscription Simulachrum Fidiī FLAMINIUS Sirnamed Quintius the Son of T. Flaminius whom Hannibal defeated near the Lake Trasymenes Being Consul he marched against the Inhabitants of Milan and routed them Then he made war against Philip King of Macedoniā and vanquish'd him in two pitch'd Battles and by this defeat restored Liberty to all the Cities of Greece that King Philip had made his Tributaries And being ready to engage the Enemy he received Orders from the Senate to return to Rome to quit his Consulate because of some formalities wanting at his Election but he put the Packet into his Bosom and did not open it till after he had obtained the Victory The Senate resented highly his contrivance and endeavoured to deprive him of the triumphal Entry but the People opposed them and allowed him the Triumph Wherefore this great General was attended in his Triumph by a Crowd of his fellow Citizens whom he had made free and followed his Triumphal Chariot with Acclamations which made the Glory of his Triumph shine the more Flaminius is not found among the Consuls neither in the Calendars of Rome nor in the Roman Chronicles The Senate doubtless deprived him of that Honour because he had not obeyed their Orders when he was called back to Rome FLAMEN and FLAMINES in the plural number Numa instituted these Priests of Jupiter Mars and Romulus or Quirinus to perform the Religious Service and called them Flamines Varro in his Book of the Latin Tongue tells us that the Antients had as many Flamines as Gods At first there was but one Flamen created who was called Flamen Dialis or the Priest of Jupiter then another was allowed to Mars called Flamen Martialis and a third to Quirinus or Romulus called Flamen Quirinalis Afterwards the number of Flamines was increased but yet the first were called Majores Plamines and were all of Patrician Families the others were called Minores Flamines and were of Plebeian Families There were likewise Flamines ordained for the Emperors after they were ranked among the Gods The Emperor Augustus had one called Flamen Augustalis The People assembled by Curii chose these Priests and often left their Election to the Pontiffs The High Priest consecrated them and they were under his subjection as to their Discipline Aulus Gellius relates the Ceremonies observed at their Consecration First the will of the Gods was consulted by Augurs about the Man who should be consecrated then the High Priest took him up from the hands of his Kindred and this was called capere Flaminem as we learn from Livy The Priests of Jupiter called Flamen Dialis was the chief of all And it must be observed that all these Priests were allowed to wear the Robe edged with Purple like great Magistrates to keep the Ivory Chair and to sit in the Senate They did wear a kind of a Cap or Hat that was particular to them And Varro tells us that they had the name Flamen because they wore a little Band of Thread about their Head Flamines dicti quòd filo caput cinctum habebant Servius mentions two kinds of Ornaments that the Flamines wore upon their Head one single for conveniency in the Summer viz. this little Band of Thread the other was the Hat which covered their Head during their Functions Verùm festis diebus filo deposito pilea necesse erat accipere Scaliger upon this Text of Varro has described the form of the Hat of the Flamines and tells us that it was called Flammeum that the Crown thereof was
Person were free to accept or quit the Inheritance which was performed by a deed in law In the text of the Roman Law there was three several ways of purchasing or accepting of an Inheritance viz. Aditio Hereditatis which was a solemn Deed performed before the Magistrate Gestio pro Herede Deeds of owners as to fell Estates receive Rents and Debts and gather Fruits This manner of accepting an Inheritance is severally express'd in the Roman Law for in the person of strange Heirs 't is called gestio pro herede but in the person of Children 't is called immixtio and the third way is a single and plain will of accepting or refusing There were also three contrary ways to quit an Inheritance viz. Repudiatio which is a Deed in Law performed in the presence of the Magistrate Abstentio which was for the Children and the last was only a single Will when a man declared that he was unwilling to be Heir Formerly they allowed an hundred days for claiming an Inheritance HERE 's Ex asse an Heir or sole Legate See As. HERMAPHRODITUS An Hermaphrodite one that is both Man and Woman called by the Greeks Androgyne Poets tell us that Hermaphroditus was the Son of Mercury and Venus and that meeting in a Fountain with the Goddess Salmacis she fell in love with him and while she was embracing him she found herself fastned to him by an indissolvable tye both Bodies making but one with both sexes This word comes from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercurius and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venus i. e. composed of Mercury and Venus both Male and Female Monsieur Spon in his curious inquiries after Antiquity has shewn us two precious stones whereon the Fable of Hermaphroditus is engraven The first is a Cornelian where he is represented in the Bath ready to embrace his dear Nymph Salmacis and becoming but one body with her that yet keeps both Sexes On the second he is already turned in the like manner that he is represented at Rome by Marble and Brass Statues By this Figure the Ancients represented a mix'd Deity composed of Mercury and Venus called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to join Eloquence with Pleasure or to shew that Venus was of both Sexes for Calvus a Poet calls Venus a God Polentemque Deum venerem And Virgil in the second Book of his Aenids Discedo ac ducente Deo flammam inter hostes Expedior Levinus speaking of this Divinity ascribes her both Sexes Aristophanes calls her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender and Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine And in the Isle of Cyprus near Amathus she is represented by a Statue with a Beard like a Man HERMES A Sir-name given to Mercury The Hermae were Statues of Mercury commonly made of Marble and yet sometimes of brass without either Arms or Feet set up by the Greeks and the Romans in cross ways Servius in his Commentary on the eighth Book of the Aeneids of Virgil tells us the Origine of the word Hermes and says that Shepherds found Mercury called Hermes asleep on a Mountain and cut off his hands whereupon he was afterwards called Cyllenius as well as the Mountain where this Act was perform'd because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that which has no Arm or which is maiâ—ed of some Member and from hence says he some Statues which have no Arms are called Hermae But this Etymology says Mr. Spon taken from the Epithet Cyllenius given to Mercury is contrary to what ancient Writers report for they derive this word from the place were he was born called Cyllene a Town in Arcadia or a Mountain of the same name Wherefore Pausanias in the Description of Greece l. 8. says that Mount Cyllene is the most famous of Arcadia and that on the top thereof a Temple was built to Mercury Cyllenius and that the name of the Mountain and the Sirname of Cyllenius given to Mercury comes from Cyllenus the Son of Elatus a Hero of that Country And this Etymology comes nearer to the truth than that related by Servius Suidas morally explains this manner of making Statues of Mercury without Arms. The Hermae says he were Statues of Stone erected by the Athenians at the Porches of their Temples or entrance of their Houses For Mercury being esteemed the God of Speech and Truth was represented with square and cubical Statues because square Figures can't be set but upright like Truth that never changes The Hermae were first found out and used at Athens wherefore Suidas tells us that they were peculiar to that City Aeschines in his Oration against Ctesiphon mentions the porch of the Hermae which was in his Time at Athens where among others there were three very remarkable Hermae set up in honour to the Athenians who had routed the Persians near the River Stymon The Inscriptions of these Hermae were Encomiums of the Athenians valour nevertheless out of a wise policy the names of the Athenian Generals were not mention'd in these Inscriptions lest this Nation jealous of their liberty should raise the ambition of these Great Men and give them occasion to aspire to the Soveraign Power The chiefest Hermae of Athens were the Hipparchians which Hipparchus the Son of Pisistratas Tyrant of Athens had erected in the City the Suburbs and the Villages of Attica with ingraven moral Instructions and Sentences to incourage Men to vertue as 't is related by several Authors Cornelius Nepos in the life of Alcibiades tells us that one night the Hermae then at Athens were all cast to the ground only one excepted that stood at the door of the Orator Andocides who says in his speech of the Mysteries that it was dedicated by the Tribe Egeida The Hermae were also set up in cross ways and great Roads because Mercury the messenger of the Gods presided over the high ways Wherefore he was sirnamed both Trivius from the word trivium i. e. a cross way and Viacus from the word via i. e. way in an Inscription of Gruter Tully a great loâ—er of Antiquity being inform'd by the Letters of his Friend Atticus then an Athens that he had found some Hermae writes thus to him in the seventh Letter of the first Book Your Hermae of Marble of Mount Rentilicus with their head of brass rejoyce me before hand wherefore you will oblige me very much to send them to me with the Statues and other curiosities that you can find at Athens of your own liking and approbation The Women honour'd much the Hermae and adorned them with Flowers that they might obtain of them a happy fecundity as we see in a basso relievo of Boissard's Antiquities HERM-ATHENAE Were Statues set upon square feet like the Hermae but represented Mercury and Minerva this word being compounded of Hermae and Athenae which signifies these two Divinities Pomponius Atticus having found at Athens one of these rare Statues writes to his Friend
City beyond Tiber where Workmen and Slaves crowned with flowers went by water to divert themselves and be merry as inhabitants of great Cities commonly do upon holy days The 27th was the feast of the Lares or houshold God 's ' The 28th the feast of Quirinus was celebrated on the mount of the same name and the 30th the feast of Hercules and the Muses were kept in a Temple dedicated to them both JUNO The daughter of Saturn and Rhea and Sister to Jupiter 'T is reported that she was born at Argos a Town of Greece whereupon she was sirnamed by Poets Argiva Juna Others assure us that she was born at Samos and have called her Samia She Married her Brother Jupiter who got into her bosom according to the Fable under the shape of a Cuckow and then re-assuming his own form enjoyed her upon condition he should marry her which he performed The truth is that in that time Brothers and Sisters married together after the custom of the Persians and Assyrians Wherefore Juno is represented by the Figure of a Goddess setting on a Throne holding a Scepter in her hand with a Cuckow on the top of it Poets don't agree among themselves neither about the number of Children she had of Jupiter nor the way she conceived them Pausanius reports that she had Mars Ilithyia and Hebe by him Lucian asserts in one of his Dialogues that she was brought to Bed of Vulcan without having lain with her Husband and that she was big with Hebe for having eaten too much Lettice Dionysius Halicarnasseus writes that King Tullus ordered that a Piece of Money should be brought into her Temple at Rome for every one that was born as they were obliged to bring one to the Temple of Venus Libitina for all those who died and another to the Temple of Youth for those who put on the Viril Gown And thus they kept in their Records a very exact account of all those who were born or died at Rome or were at an Age fit to bear Arms. This Juno who presided over the birth of Men was named by the Romans Lucina and by the Greeks Ilithyia Statuit quanti pretii nummos pro singulis inferre deberent cognati In aerarium Ilithyiae Romani Junonem Lucinam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant pro nascentibus in Veneris ararium in Luco situm quam Libitinam vocant pro defunctis in Juventutis pro togam virilem sumentibus Some Writers report That Lucina is either Diana or another Goddess than Juno but the Pagans confound often the Goddesses with Juno Here is what Lucian says about this matter in his Deo Syria In Syria not far from Euphrates stands a Town called the Holy City because 't is Dedicated to Juno of Assyria Within are the Golden Statues of Jupiter and Juno both in a sitting posture but the one is carried upon Oxen and the other upon Lions That of Juno has something of several other Goddesses for she holds a Scepter in one hand and a Distaff in another Her Head is Crowned with Rays and Dressed with Turrets and her Waste girt with a Scarf like the Celestial Venus She is adorned with Gold and Jewels of divers Colours that are brought from all parts But what is most marvellous is a precious Stone she has upon her Head which casts so much light that by Night it illuminates all the Temple for which reason they have given it the name of Lamp but by day it has hardly any light and only seems like Fire And indeed as some Men have confounded all the Gods with Jupiter those who made the Image of Juno mentioned by Lucian had the like design to Incorporate all the Goddesses in Juno's Person Lactantius tells us that Tully derives the names of Juno and Jupiter from the help and sucour that Men receive of them à Juvando Juno presided over Weddings and Womens Labours and was called upon in these Exigencies as we see in Terence where Glyceria being in Labour has recourse to her Juno Lucina far opem When the Roman Matrons were barren they went into her Temple where having pulled off their Cloaths and lying on the Ground they were lashed by a Lupercal Priest with Thongs made of a Goat's Skin and thus became fruitful wherefore Juno was represented holding a Whip in one hand and a Scepter in the other with this Inscription JUNONI LUCINAE Poets have given many Epithets to Juno calling her Lucina Opigena Juga Domeduca Cinxia Unxia Fluonia She was called Lucina à Luce because she helped Women to bring forth Children and show them the Light and for the same reason she was also named Opigena and Obstetrix because she helped Women in Labour Juga Juno was called because she presided at the Yoke of Matrimony and consequently over the Union of Husband and Wife and because of that Qualification she had an Altar erected to her in one of the Streets of Rome therefore called Vicus Jugarius the Street of Yokes Domiduca because she brought the Bride to the House of her Bridegroom Unxia because of the Bride's anointing the side Posts of the Door of her Husband going in thereat Cinxia because she helped the Bridegroom to unite the Girdle the Bride was girded with in fine she was called Fluonia because she stopp'd the flux of Blood in Womens Labours In one word Juno was like a Guardian Angel to Women in the like manner that God Genius was the keeper of Men for according to the Opinion of the Antients the Genius's of Men were Males and those of Women Females Wherefore Women swore by Juno and Men by Jupiter The Romans gave her several other names and called her sometimes Juno Caprotina Meneta Sospita and sometimes Regina and Calcadaris She was sirnamed Caprotina because as Plutarch reports in the Life of Romulus the Gauls having taken the City of Rome the Sabins and several other Nations of Italy fancying that the Romans were weakened thereby took this opportunity to destroy them Wherefore they raised a considerable Army and proclaimed War against them unless they would send them their Virgins to sport with them The Romans unwilling to comply with their demand accepted the Proposal of Philotis a Maid-Slave who offered herself to go over to them with her Companions promising withal that she would give warning to the Romans when their Enemy should be deeply ingaged in Debaucheries Which she performed thus She got up into a wild Fig-Tree from whence she gave a Signal to the Roman Army who thoroughly routed the Enemy In remembrance of this Victory the Romans ordered a Feast to be kept every Year at Nonae Caprotinae in honour of Juno called also Caprotina from the wild Fig-Tree à caprifico at which time the Maid Slvaes diverted themselves played the Ladies and entertained their Mistresses JUNO MONETA Juno was called Moneta à monendo i. e. to advise or because when the Gauls took Rome she advised the Romans to Sacrifice to her a Sow great
Ancestors were exempted from this Law 'T is true that the Bones of those Men who died in the War or foreign Countries were burned except one of their Fingers which was cut off and brought again to Rome to receive the Funeral honours performed to the dead as we learn of Festus Membrum abscindi mortuo dicebatur quum digitus ei decidebatur ad quod servatum justa ficrent reliquo corpore combusto HOMINEM mortuum endo urbe nei sepeleito neve urito That the Corps should not be neither buried nor burnt in the City This Law is related by Tully HOMINEM mortuum inquit lex duodecim in urbe ne sepelito â—eve urito Nevertheless Great-Men Emperors and Vestal Virgins have been excepted from this Law for Valerius Publicola and Posthumius Tubertus were buried below the Capitol as also the Claudias Family but the other Citizens were buried in their own Lands or in the High-ways of Rome PATRI endo fidiom qui ex se matreque familias natus est vitai necisque potestas estod terque im venundarier jous estod sel pater fidiom ter venomduit fideos d patre leber estod That the Father should have power of life and death over his Son begotten of him and his Wfe in a lawful Marriage that he might sell him three times like a Slave but having been sold three times he became free again and was no more under his Father's Authority Endo instead of in fidiom instead of filium vitai instead of vitae estod instead of esto im instead of eum venundarier instead of venundari jous instead of jus sei instead of si venomdui instead of venundederit fidios instead of filius leber instead of liber The Father's Authority was great among the Romans and the Emperor Justinian tells us that this Right was particular to the Romans Jus potestatis quod habemus in liberos proprium est civium Romanorum Nulli enim sunt homines qui talem in liberos habeant potestatem qualem nos habemus Dionysius Halicarnassaeus says that this soveraign Authority was granted to the Fathers by Romulus Hanc autem potestatem nei recentem fuisse sed jam inde ab Romulo permissam In the time of the Emperors it was not lawful for Fathers to kill their Children nor to make them Slaves nor to disinherit them but in some cases of great consequence which they were obliged to declare before the Praetor PATREI libereis suis quosque habet in potestate cujuscumque sexûs tutoris testamento dandi jous estod That a Father might appoint Tutors to his Children by his Last Will. SI QUIS tutor pupillum fraudarit remque ejus intervorterit infamiâ notator peuâque moltator duplionis If a Guardian defrauds his Pupil and waste his Estate let him be branded with infamy and fined the double of the Trespass For a Guardian is not only bound to give an account of what he has received out of the Estate of his Pupil but also of all that he might or could honestly have received and that with as much and more diligence than if it was his own affairs and if he was convicted of having fraudulently dealt in that matter he was not only bound to a single restitution of what he had taken or converted to his own use but also to pay the double of the Trespass by Action called by the Lawyers de rationibus distrahendis and was branded with infamy SEI Fousiosos esit adnatorum genteiliumque endo eo pequniâque ejus potestas estod Si furiosus est agnatorum gentiliuâ—â—que in eo pecuniâque ejus potestas esto 'T is enacted by this Law of the twelve Tables that if a Pupil who is come to age becomes a fool or mad and uncapable of managing his own Estate he must be left to the Guardianship of his nearest Relations who are to take care of his Estate and Person PATER familias utei soper familiâ pecuniâque souâ lagasit ita jous estod That the Master of the Family should have power to dispose of his Estate by his last Will. Utei instead of uti soper instead of super souâ instead of suâ legasit instead of legaverit jous instead of jus estod instead of esto By the Law of the twelve Tables which is the most ancient Law of the Romans it was allowed to a Testator to dispose of his Estate which way he thought fit but most often when Testators had thus disposed of their wealth in private Legacies the Executors of the Will seeing that there remained nothing for them quitted it and by this means the whole Will was made void and the Legatees got nothing Wherefore to prevent this premunire the Law called Falcidia was made by which it was enacted that Testators should have power to dispose by their Last Will but of three fourth parts of their Wealth and should be bound to leave the other fourth part to the Heir appointed by their Will And therefore this Law is called Quarta Falcidia or only Falcidia which was made a little time before the Empire of Augustus during the Trium-virat FILII filiaeque familias bonorum paternorum sui suaeque heredes sunto The Law of the twelve Tables instituted but two kinds of Heirs or Inheritors abiutestat i. e. without making a Will viz. suorum and agnatorum of Children and Kindred The Male line was so much regarded in the ancient Roman Law and the Female so neglected that Children did not inherit the Goods of their Mother and the Mother was no Heir to her Childrens Estate But afterwards a decree of the Senate was made setting a mutual Succession viz. Orficianum jus impowering Children to inherit after their Mother and Tertyllianum jus settling the right of Mothers to the Inheritance of their Children SEI QUA molier post virei mortem in decem proximeis mensebos pariat quei quave ex eâ nascatur souus suave in virei familia heres estod If a Woman is delivered of a Child ten Months after the death of her Husband let the Child born either Boy or Girl be Heir to his Father Ulpian's opinion is that a Child born eleven Months after the death of his Father is not able to inherit post decem menses mortis natus non admittitur ad legitimain hereditatem However the Emperor Adrian has declared that an honest woman lying in the eleventh month after the death of her Husband the Child then born might lawfully inherit his Fathers Estate grounded therein upon the authority of Physicians and Philosophers Wherefore Varro says in a Satyr intitled Testamentum Si quis undecimo mense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natus esto heres Whereupon Cujacius tells us that this must be understood of the eleventh month began and not over PATREBOS cum plebed counubia nec sunto That Marriages should be forbidden between the Patricians and Plebeians i. e. between the Nobles and the People By making this Law which was afterwards repealed the
Sheeps Wool Cui mea virginitas avibus libata sinistris Castaque fallaci zona revincta manu Juno who presided over Marriages took divers Names according to the divers Actions performed thereat First from the Conjunction of Man and Wife they gave her the Epithet of Juga from the Conduct of the Bride in her Husband's House she was called Domiduca and Iterduca from the Woman's Girdle Cinxia and from the Perfumes they anointed her with she got the Name of Vnxia St. Aug. Lib. 6. de Civ Dei Cap. 11. Laughs at the Superstition of the Gentiles for introducing so many Gods into the Ceremony of Marriage The God Jugatinus says he presides over the Habitation of the Man and Woman Another God called Domiducus is required to conduct the Bride to her Husband's House The God Domicus his Office is to keep her there whereunto they also added the Goddess Munturna to make her continue to dwell with her Husband They likewise filled the Room with a Company of Gods when the Paranymphs came thither In short the Goddess Virgo Father Subiguus Mother Prima Partunda Venus and Priapus assisted hereat The Goddess Virgo was to be present to undress the Bride God Subiguus in order to put her to Bed the Goddess Prima to hinder her from resisting the Carresses of her Husband Priapus must be there also and in pursuance to a most Civil and Religious Custom of the Roman Ladies they made the Bride sit in the Lap of this infamous Diety under a Pretence of preventing thereby the Power any Charms and Witchcrafts might have over her The Bride had a Flame-coloured Vail called Flammeum on and under it wore a Crown of Vervein which she had gathered her self Flammea texantur sponsae And Tacitus C. 15. Annal. speaking of Nero says They vail'd him with such a Vail as Brides wore The Hymenea Torches were lighted and these were made of white Thorn or Pine by the Light whereof the Bride in the Evening was conducted to her Husband's House Mopse novas incide faces tibi ducltur uxor The Bride amongst the Greeks and the Egyptians was conducted to her Husband's House in a Chariot but among the Romans she was lead by the Hand and the Doors of the House were adorned with Garlands of Flowers and green Boughs The Bride 's Toilet was carried by a Lad in a Basket that was covered And when she came to the Bridegroom's House the Bride was asked who she was to which she presently answered Caia as Val. Maximus informs us Allusion being thereby made to Caia Caecilia Tarquinius Priscus his Wife who was the Mother of a most exemplary Family and who spent her Life in Spining This being over the Bride put some Wool at the Door of the Bridegroom's House and sprinkled it with Oil or Wolf's Grease as Pliny observes Novas nuptas adipe lupino postes inungere solitas And Servius upon the 4th Book of the Eneids writes to this Purpose Moris erat ut nubentes puellae simul ac venissent ad limen mariti postes antequam ingrederentur ornarent laneis vittis oleo ungerent When this was done she jump'd over the Threshold and was very careful not to touch it which otherwise would have been a very ill Omen according to Lucan Translatâ vitat contingere limina plantâ Servius upon the 8th Eclogue of Virgil says That the Bride in going into her Husband's House took care not to touch the Threshold for fear of becoming guilty of Sacriledge by touching the Place that was consecrated to Vesta Ideò Sponsas limen non tetigisse ut ne à sacrilegio inchoarent si rem Vestae calcarint MATRONALIA they were Feasts instituted by Romulus and celebrated by the Roman Ladies Ovid gives divers Reasons why they were instituted 1st Because the Roman Ladies interposed between their Husbands and Relations in the Battle with the Sabins and also terminated the Difference between them for having stole them in Commemoration of which Action Romulus would have the Day of the said Pacification which was the First of March celebrated as a Festival 2dly In order to pray unto Mars that he would favour them to bring forth Children as happily as Ilia on whom he had begot Romulus 3dly Because in this Month the Earth began to bring forth and grow fertile 4thly Because on that Day a Temple had been dedicated to Juno Lucina upon the Mount called Esquiliae who presided over Women's Lying-in 5thly Because Mars was Juno's Son who presided over Marriages This Feast was remarkable upon Account that the Men sent Presents to the Women as they did again to the Men at the Saturnalia Sicut Saturnalibus says Suetonius dabat viris apophoreta ita Calendis Martii faeminis And inasmuch as the Men treated their Slaves at the Saturnalian-Feasts and made them their Companions so the Women did the same thing now in respect to their Slaves and served them at Table for which Reason the said Day was called Saturnalia faminarum Batchellors did not assist at these Feasts which gave Horace occasion to tell Maecenas that he would be surprized to find that he who was not married celebrated the Calends of March Martiis caelebs quid agam Calendis Quid velint flores accerra turis Plena miraris positusque carbo in Cespite vivo MATUTA Break-of-day a Goddess called Leucothoe by the Greeks MAUSOLUS was a King of Caria born at Mylasa who built a stately Palace in Halicarnassus adorned with Proconnesian Marble His Queen Artemisia erected a stately Funeral Monument for him and called it according to his Name Mausoleum the which in ancient Times passed for one of the 7 Wonders of the World MAXENTIUS was Maximian's Son Hercules Victor says That Eutropia his Wife had put a suppositious Child upon him When he understood that Constantine was chosen Emperor he got himself also declared so at Rome by the Pretorian Bands whom he corrupted with large Donatives He was infamous for his Cruelties and Vices and was defeated by Constantine near unto Pons Milvins or the Milvian Bridge upon the Tiber which breaking under him he was drowned after he had reigned Seven Years MAXIMINUS was a Person of a mean Birth but succeeded Alexander Severus in the Empire He was of a Gigantick Stature being Eight Foot and a Half high insomuch that his Wife's Bracelet served him for a Thumb-ring He was robustick and strong as if he were another Milo which made every Body dread him so that Balbinus trembled when he heard but his Name mentioned He had a long and sharp-pointed Chin which is a common Sign of a fierce and cruel Nature and so indeed he was violent and cruel to the highest Degree that being his Maxim that he could not maintain himself in the Empire but by Severity Moreover as he was a Person of an extraordinary Size and had a large Mouth as great Eaters usually have 't is the less to be wondered at what Historians write that he sometimes
PRAETEXTATI were such Children as still wore the Robe called Praetexta Praetextata verba and Praetextatus sermo they were lascivious and wanton Expressions used by Children when a young Woman was married Praetextata Comoedia a Comedy wherein Kings and Magistrates who had a Right to wear the Robe edged with the Purple Border were represented upon the Stage Praetextatae actiones were such Things as appertained to the Actions of Kings and Magistrates PRAETOR a great Magistrate in Rome At first all the Magistrates were called Praetors But afterwards the Generals of the Army and even the Emperors themselves were called Praetors Afterwards they constituted Praetors to administer Justice to the Citizens and others to Strangers And lastly there were Praetors made for the Government of Provinces His Power was very great for the Praetor could alter Laws repeal them and make new ones from whence you have in the Law mention made often of the Praetor's Edict For the better understanding the Dignity of the Praetors it will be proper fully to examine the Reason of their Name Institution Number Dignity and what their Power and Charge was The Word Praetor was peculiarly applied to this new Magistrate for before it belonged to the Consuls and all Persons in Authority whether in Civil or Sacred Things hence it is that we read in some ancient Epitaphs Praetor Sacrorum Praetor Juventutis Which is confirm'd by Asconius Pedianus Non solùm veteres omnem Magistratum cui pareret exercitus Praetorem appellarunt Sed quemcunque in re profanâ sive etiam sacrâ praefectum The Ancients not only called those Praetors who commanded the Armies but also such as had the Charge either of Sacred or Civil Things The Occasion of creating this Magistrate was a Multiplicity of Business upon the Consul's Hands and this was Anno 388 and the Necessity the Republick found it self under of granting to the People a Consul of their own Order for the Senate did not allow it but upon Condition that a new Magistrate should be created that is the Praetor who was taken out of the Patrician Order But in the Year 416 Q. Philo a Plebeian got himself advanced to the Office of Praetor notwithstanding the Opposition made by the Consul Sulpicius against him There was no more but one of them from the Year 388 till 510 according to Lipsius but Business coming to increase so much by reason of the great Number of Citizens and Strangers that came to live in Rome and one being not enough they thought it proper to constitute another and their Business was distinct for one administred Justice to the Citizens of Rome and for that Reason was called Praetor urbanus and the other took Cognizance of the Suits that happened between the Citizens and Strangers and he was called Praetor peregrinus The first was more honourable than the other and so he was entitled Praetor honoratus and his Edicts named Jus honorarium as the Lawyers say But towards the Year 520 when Sicily and Sardinia were reduced into Provinces they appointed Two new Praetors whom they sent thither in the Quality of Governours and Judges and this was likewise done when the Spaniards were conquered as Livy informs us who says they made Six Praetors for that Year sex Praetores eo anno primùm creati Sylla also encreased the Number of them with two more but the Triumvirs increased them to 64 according to Dion However Augustus reduced them to 12 and Tiberius being sollicited to increase the Number refused it as Tacitus says L. 1. Tiberius afterwards named 12 Praetors the Number established by Augustus and as the Senate pressed him to increase them he swore he would not do it However he increased them to 15 in the Year 786 according to Dion The Emperor Claudius enlarged the Number to 18 but upon the Declension of the Empire they were reduced to 3 only as we may see by the Laws of the Emperors Valentinian and Macrinus set forth L. 2. C. de Off. Praet The Praetorship was the second Office for Dignity in Rome since 't was conferred by the same Auspices as the Consulship and that the Praetors were in History called Collegae Consulum as Livy observes L. 7. Decad 1. The exterior Ensigns of this Office were the Robe called Praetexta the Curule Chair and six Lictors This Office was Annual and he who discharged the same with Honour and without any Disgrace had a Right for all his Life-time to wear the Praetexta and white Trabea but such as were guilty of Male-Administration were forced to lay it down as it happen'd to Bembius Pamphilus All their Business in general consisted in Three Things viz. to administer Justice to Citizens and Strangers to preside over Games and to take Care of the Sacrifices Justice was administred by these Three Words Do Dico Addico Do signified to receive and admit the Plaintiff to commence his Suit Dico to summon or give a Summons upon Oath or deliver it to the Person in Possession to dispatch Matters of Adoptions and Emancipations and to make Edicts as a Supplement to the Civil Law and Addico to adjudge condemn and pronounce Sentence He was to oversee the Games as Livy has it L. 8. Decad 1. as also Martial and Juvenal They took Care of the Sacrifices offered to the Goddess called Bona Dea as Plutarch says in Caesar's Life and Cicero L. 1. Ep. 10. ad Articum PRAETORES CEREALES or FRUMENTARII Praetors whose Business it was to see that Rome was supplied with Corn they were establish'd by Julius Caesar PRAETORES AERARII the Officers of the Treasury or Exchequer PRAETORIUM the Place where the Praetor administred Justice it was also his Palace and sometimes his Pleasure-house Besides which it signified the Tent or Pavillion of the General of the Army where the Council of Warmet PRAETORIANI the Soldiers who were the Emperor's Guards Scipio Africanus was the first who established a Company of the Bravest of his Army whom he chose for his Guards and who did not forsake him in Battle PRAXITELES a Native of Great Greece and honoured with the Priviledge of a Roman Citizen an excellent Statuary whose Works were all Master-pieces Among others there was Cupid's Statue which the Thespians bought for 800 Golden Minae Atticae and was brought to Rome by Julius Caesar But the most Considerable was the Statue of Venus which half opened her Lips as if she smiled The Industry of the Artist overcame the Stone it self insomuch that the Hardness of the Marble exprest the most delicate Features of so beautiful a Body There was a Mole upon the Goddess's Thigh which was the more conspicuous because the rest was of white Marble finely polished Lucian in his Dialogue of the Lovers does also discover unto us the Cause of this Mole The Sacristan he or she that officiated there for they say 't was a Woman told us somewhat that amazed us she said that a young Man of Noble Birth but one whose