BELLONA,
the Goddess of War, the Wife, Mother, or Nurse of Mars; some will have her to be Minerva, and Pallas. This false Deity was so much honoured by the Cappadocians, that they built a Tem∣ple to her in the City Comana, and her Priest, or Sacrificer was the first Person in Ho∣nour and Dignity next to the King. She is painted in Armour with a menacing or furious Countenance, holding a Trumpet, and a Whip in her Hand, and sometimes a lighted Torch.
Appius Claudius, who was after stricken blind for having profaned the Priesthood of Hercules, built her a Temple at Rome, ac∣cording to the Vow he had made to her in the Battle against the Samnites. This Temple was in the Circus of Flaminius near the Carmental Gate. In it, foreign Em∣bassadours were admitted to audience, and they hung up their Bucklers, and other Arms, as Appius did according to Pli∣ny. Posuit in Bellonoe aede Majorum suorum Cly∣peos.
There was near this Temple a Pillar na∣med BELLICA, from which the Con∣suls, or Herald cast a Javelin, as far as they could, as if they had cast it into the Ene∣mies Countries, to declare War against them.
The Feast of this Goddess was kept up∣on the Fourth Day before the Nones of June, because on that Day, Appius dedica∣ted a Temple to her.
The Priests of this Goddess, which from her Name were called Bellonarii, drew Blood from all parts of their Bodies, to appease her with that Sacrifice. Some thought that they had a Gift of Prophecy, to foretel the great Events of War. For that end they entred in a Fury, and holding naked Swords in their hands, they cut deep Gashes in their Arms, and Thighs, and with the Blood that issue out of the Wounds, ma∣king a Sacrifice to Bellona, not giving her any other Victims, as Tibullus tells in these Verses,
Haec ubi Bellonae motu est agitata, nec acrem Flammam, non amens verbera torta timet. Ipsa bipenne suos caedit violenta Lacertos. Sanguineque effuso spargit inepta Daeam. Statque latus praefixa veru, flat saucia pectus, Et canit Eventus, quos Dea magna movet.