A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

SATURNALIA;

they were Solemn Feasts instituted in Honour of Saturn, and kept at Rome Decemb. 17, or on the 16 Calends of Ja∣nuary, the same lasting a Week: This Feast was instituted long before the Foundation of Rome. Macrobius, L. 1. Saturn. relates Three Opini∣ons concerning the Original thereof: Some say, that Janus appointed it by way of Acknowledg∣ment for the Art of Agriculture, which he had learnt of Saturn: Others attribute the Origin thereof to Hercules his Companions, for their having been kept from Robbers by Saturn, to whom they put up their Prayers for that Pur∣pose: And lastly, Others maintain that the Pe∣lasgi of Greece landing in the Isle of Delos, learnt of the Oracle that they ought to erect an Altar to Saturn, and celebrate a Feast in Honour of him: This Feast was therefore instituted at Rome, according to the Relation of the said Au∣thor, in the Reign of Tullus Hostilius, after he had triumphed over the Albans. This Opinion is opposed by Varro, who says Tarquinius Super∣bus built Saturn a Temple, and that T. Largius the Dictator dedicated the same to the Satur∣nalia. Livy shews us, that they dedicated a Temple to Saturn, and instituted Saturnalia, Three Years after the Victory which Posthumius the Dictator won over the Latins, near the Lake Regillium, which happen'd in the Year 257, in the Consulship of Aulus Sempronius, and M. Mi∣nutius Augurinus: His consulibus, says he, Aedes Saturno dedicata: Saturnalia, institutus festus dies. This Feast lasted but for one Day at first, and this continued to the Reign of Augustus, who ordered it to continue for three; and afterwards they intermixed the Saturnalia with the Sigillaria, which made the Feast last sometimes five, and sometimes seven Days, as Martial says.

Lucian in his Saturnalia brings in Saturn him∣self speaking in this manner concerning the said Feast.

During my whole Reign, which lasts but for one Week, no publick nor private Business is to be done, but only to drink, sing, play, create imaginary Kings, place Servants with their Ma∣sters at Table, smut them with Soot, or make them leap into the Water with Head foremost, when they do not perform their Duty well.

He afterwards recites the Laws of the Saturnalia.

They shall do no publick nor private Business during my whole Reign; and of all Trades, none but common Cooks, Pastry-Cooks, and the like shall follow their Occupation: All Exercises of Body and Mind shall be banish'd, saving such as are for Recreation, and nothing shall be read or recited but what is conforma∣ble to the Time and Place: The Rich, Poor, Masters, Slaves, all shall be equal; there shall be

neither Disputes, nor Quarrels, Reproaches, In∣juries, nor Menaces, nay, Men shall not be al∣lowed to be so much as angry: No Accompt shall be kept of Income or Expence; no Inven∣tory taken of Moveables and Plate used at my Feast. The Rich before-hand shall take an Ac∣count of all such as they are minded to treat, or ought to send Presents to, and for that End lay aside the Tenth part of their Income, with∣out being permitted to apply it to any other use under any Pretence whatsoever: They shall also lay by their Superfluities, whether the same be Moveables or Cloaths, and that which is of no use to them, in order to make a Pre∣sent of the same to their necessitous Friends. After they have on the Eve before cleared the House of all Pollution, and expelled Pride, Ambi∣tion, and Covetousness from thence, in order to sacrifice to Sweetness of Temper, Courtesie and Liberality, they shall read over the List they have made, and having laid every ones Portion by it self; they shall towards Night send their Presents to them by the Hands of some trusty Persons, with Orders to take no∣thing of them, unless a Cup of Drink; and for the surer delivery of the said Present, mention shall be made thereof in a Letter writ for that Purpose: When the Master of the House shall treat his People according to Custom, his Friends shall serve at Table with him, and Li∣berty shall be given them to jest, provided the Raillery be neatly done, and that he who is Raillied laughs first.

Thus Slaves had Liberty to say what they would at this Feast, and to ridicule their Ma∣sters to their Faces for their Faults, as Horace says, Sat. 7. L. 2.

Age libertate Decembri, Quando ita majores voluerunt, utere, narra.

They sacrificed at the Saturnalia bare-headed, contrary to the Custom of other Sacrifices.