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.

CEREALIA,

& CEREALES LU∣DI, Feasts and Plays appointed in Honour of Ceres. Memmius Aedilis Curulis was the first Institutor of these Feasts, as appears on a Me∣dal on which is the Effigies of Ceres holding in one Hand Three Ears of Corn, and in the o∣ther a Torch, and having her Left-Foot upon a Serpent with this Inscription, Memmius Ae∣dilis Cerealia pri••••s fecit. The Athenians long before had kept Feast to her, which they cal∣led Thesmophoria & Eleusia, upon this Occasion. Ceres searching all Places for her Daughter Pro∣serpina, came to Eleusina, where she undertook to be the Nurse of Triptolemus, the Son of King Elusius, and when he was grown up she taught him the Art of sowing Corn and making Bread. In Requital for so great a Benefit he appointed her a Feast, and Priests called Eumolpides from his Son Eumolpus. Crowns of Flowers were not used in this Feast, but of Myrtle and Ivy, be∣cause Proserpina was stolen while she was ga∣thering of Flowers; they carried light Torches, calling Proserpina with a loud Voice, as Ceres had done, when she was searching for her upon Mount Ida.

The Priests of this Goddess were called Ta∣citi Mystae, because they might not discover their Religious Rites. The Sacrifice offered to her was without Wine, as we learn from Plautus in his Aulularia Act 11. Scen. VI.

Staph. Cererine, mi Strobile, has sunt facturi nuptias? Strob. Quî? Staph. Quia temeti nihil aliatum est.

Sta. Are you celebrating the Marriage of Ceres? Strob. Why ask you that? Staph. Be∣cause you have brought no Wine.

Yet Cato seems to affirm the Contrary, and will have Wine to be used in the Sacrifices of Ceres: Postea Cereri exta & vinum dato. Lam∣binus is much perplexed with these Two Autho∣rities

opposite one to the other, and to free him∣self, flies to the Distinction of the Greeks and Romans, and says, that the Greek Women sacri∣ficed without Wine, but the Romans used it: Yet Plautus, who was a Roman, is against offer∣ing Wine to Ceres. After the Sacrifice was o∣ver, they made a magnificent Feast where every one diverted themselves as far as was convenient, in seeing the Sports of Fencers and Horse-races, over which the Aediles presided. Ne∣vertheless, the Roman Women being cloathed in White, expressed the Sorrow and Com∣plaints of Ceres's Mourning for the taking away of her Daughter Proserpina, holding Torches in their Hands.