PALILIA;
they were Feasts, and Publick Rejoycings made as well in the City as Country, April 20th, in Honour of Pales the Goddess of Flocks, to intreat her to make them fruitful, and preserve them from the usual Diseases. Fires were kindled both in City and Country, such as are at this Day used in Popish Territories on St. John's Eve: And the same were made with Bean-straw, Horse-blood and Calves-Ashes, which Calf they took out of the Cow's Belly, that they sacrificed on the Day of the Fordicidia, at what time the Chief of the Vestal Virgins burnt those Calves, and gathering the Ashes very carefully up, they reserved the same for a Per∣fume on the Day of the Palilia, that so the Peo∣ple and their Cattle might be purified there∣with: 'Twas to her that they went to fetch those Ashes, which afterwards they threw in∣to the Fire, as Ovid tells us, Fast. L. 4. V. 731.
I, pete virgineâ populus suffimen ab arâ: Vesta dabit, Vestae numine purus eris. Sanguis equi suffimen erit, vitulique favilla. Tertia res, durae culmen in ane fabae.
The People danced about the Fire, and purified themselves thus: In the Country they lighted a great Fire in the Morning, made of the Branch∣es of Olive, Pine and Lawrel, and threw some Brimstone upon it, then went to fetch their Cattle, which they drove round it, and drew in the Smell that came therefrom: This Cere∣mony Ovid describes at large:
Pastor oves saturas ad prima crepuscula lustret. Ʋda priùs spargat, virgaque verrat humum. Frondibus & fixis decorentur ovilia ramis, Et tegat ornatas longa corona fores. Caerulei fiant puro de sulfure fumi, Tactaque sumanti sulfure balet ovis. Ʋre mares oleas, tedamque, herbasque Sabinas, Et crepet in mediis laurus adusta focis.
They afterwards offered Sacrifice to the Goddess which consisted of Milk, boiled Wine and Mil∣let, the same being accompanied with Vows and Prayers for the Fruitfulness and Preservation of their Flocks, then they fell to eat and divert themselves, leaping over the Fire which they had kindled with Straw or Bean-straw. These Feasts were also performed in Honour of Rome's Original, which was on that Day founded by Romulus.