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was an immoveable Feast appointed by King Numa, which was celebrated every Year, on January 9. in Honour of the God Janus, as we learn from Ovid, Lib. I. Fa∣storum, v. 317.
Quatuor adde dies ductis ex-ordine nonis Janus agonali Lucepiandus erit,The Rex Sacrorum at this Feast sacrific'd a We∣ther to the God Janus. Authors differ in their
opinions about the Occasion of this Feast. Varro will have it so call'd from a Ceremony used in all Sacrifices, where the Priest being ready to offer Sacrifice, asks the Sacrificer, Agon' which was used then for Agamne? Shall I strike? Festus derives this Word ei∣ther from Agonia, which signifies a Sacrifice, which they led to the Altar, ab agendo, from whence these sorts of Ministers were call'd Agones; or from the God Agonius, the God of Action; or from Agones, which signifie Moun∣tains, and so the Agonalia were Sacrifices which were offer'd upon a Mountain. Indeed the Mount Quirinalis was called Agonus, and the Colline-Gate which led thither Porta Agonensis, which the same Festus will have so call'd from the Games which were celebrated without that Gate in Honour of Apollo, near the Temple of Venus Erycina; where the Cirque of Flaminius was overflow'd by the Tiber.
But it is more probable, that this Feast was called Agonalia, from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies Sports and Combats which were us'd in Greece, in imitation of those which Her∣cules appointed at Elis first, and consecrated to Jupiter, as these Verses of Ovid shew, Lib. I. Fastorum, v. 359.
Fas etiam fieri selitis aetate priorum Nomina de Ludis Graeca tulisse diem, Et prius antiquus dicebat, Agonia, sermo Veraque judicio est ultima causa meo.
There are Two Feasts celebrated at Rome of the same Name, one upon April 21. which falls on the day of the Palilia, on which the Buil∣ding of Rome is commemorated; and the other on December 11. according to Festus.