Archæologiæ Græcæ, or, The antiquities of Greece by John Potter ...

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

A Festival in honour of Aglaurus, King Cecrops's Daughter; or rather of Minerva, who had, from that Lady, the name of Aglaurus (c) 1.1; At this Time they undress'd Minerva's Statue, and wash'd it, whence the Solemnity was call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to wash. It was accounted an unfortunate, or inauspicious Day, and therefore the Temples (as upon all such Days) were surrounded with Ropes, so that no Man could have admission; The reason of which custom, with a farther account of this Solemnity we have in Plutarch's Al••i∣biades;

The Festival (saith he) of the Goddess Minerva, call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, was celebrated on the 26th of Thargelion, with certain Mysterious observances unlawfull to be reveal'd, which were perform'd

by Persons call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, who divested the Goddess's Image of all it's Ornaments, and kept it close cover'd: Whence it is, that the Athenians esteem this Day most inauspicious, and never go about any thing of importance upon it: And therefore it falling out that Alcibiades's return from Exile happen'd upon this Day, many were much concern'd at it, looking upon the time of his arrival to be a dangerous Omen, and imagining that the Goddess did not graciously receive him, but, in token of displeasure, hid her Face from him; But for all this, Things went on prosperously and succeeded according to his wish.

Farther, it was customary at this Festival, to bear in Procession a Cluster of Figgs, which was call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to lead the Way, because Figgs were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. leaders to Humanity, and a civiliz'd course of Life, for when Men left off their ancient and barbarous Diet of Acorns, the next thing they us'd for Food, was Figgs.

Notes

• (c) 1.1

  Hesychius, Plutarchus Alcibiade, Athenaeus lib. III. Pollux lib. VIII. cap. XII.