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the dumb Goddess, or Goddess of Silence, who was thought to have been the Daughter of the River Al∣mo, and called Lalaria, because of her much Babling: This Name she received for discover∣ing to Juno the Amours of Jupiter and Juturna, which incensed Jupiter, so that he cut out her Tongue, to put her for ever in mind of her Fault, and ordered Mercury to carry her into Hell, as being unworthy to see the Light: In
conducting of her thither he was charmed with her Beauty, and enjoyed her, to whom she bore Two Children which were named Lares: The Romans offered Sacrifice to this Goddess for the Prevention of Slanders, and joyned her Festival with that of the Dead, either because she imi∣tated them in Respect to their Silence by reason of her Tongue's being cut out, or because she was the Mother of the Lares, who were account∣ed to be the Genii or Guardian Angels of Men during their Lives.
Ovid describes a pleasant Ceremony that used to be practised upon this Occasion for the Pre∣venting of Slanders, and says, That an old Wo∣man surrounded with a great many young Girls, offered Sacrifice to the Goddess Muta, and put Three Grains of Frankinscence with Three of her Fingers into a little Hole, having at the same Time Three black Beans in her Mouth: Then she takes the Head of an Image, which she be∣smears with Pitch, and makes Holes therein with a Brass Needle, then throws it into the Fire and covers it with Mint, pouring some Wine there∣on, of which she gives some to the Girls to drink, but reserves the best Part for her self, wherewith she makes her self drunk, and so sends them Home, saying, She has stopt the Mouths of Slanderers. Fast. 2. V. 571.
Ecce anus in mediis residens annosa puellis, Sacra facit Tacitae: vix tamen ipsa tacet: Et digitis tria tura tribus sub limine ponit, Quà brevis occultum mus sibi fecititer. Tum cantata tenet cum rhombo liciafusco, Et septem nigras versat in ore fabas: Quodque pice astringit, quod acu trajecit abenâ, Obsutum menthâ torret in igne caput: Vina quoque instillat: vini quodcunque relictum est, Aut ipsa aut comites, plus temen ipsa bibit. Hostiles linguas, inimicaque vinximus ora, Dicit discedens, ebriaque exit anus.