DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0343
of the religion ok greece.
321
CHAP. XIX.
of the grecian festivals in general.
Festivals were instituted upon four accounts ; first, in honour of the'
gods, to whom, besides the worship every day paid them, some more soj
lemn times were set apart; especially if they had conferred any signal
favour upon the public, or upon private persons ; had assisted them in
defending their country ; had given them victory over their enemies ;
had delivered them out of any apparent danger, or blessed them with
success in any undertaking; it was thought but reasonable to set apart
some time for offering sacrifices and praises to them, as grateful acknow-
ledgments for the benefits received at their hands.
Secondly, in order to procure some special favour of the gods ; for
(as you may learn from the following chapters) several of the festivals
were instituted with a design to render the gods propitious, and willing
to grant some particular blessings, as health, children, and such like.
And in times of famine, pestilence, or other public calamities, the ora-
cles usually advised their consultants to institute solemn festivals, as the
best method to appease the angry gods, and obtain of them deliverance
from the evils they laboured under.
Thirdly, in memory of deceased friends, of those that had done any
remarkable service for their country, or died valiantly in the defence of
it. This was no small encouragement to men of generous and noble dis-
positions to enter upon honourable designs, when they saw that the brave
actions of the virtuous did not perish with them, but their memories were
ever held sacred by succeeding generations.
Fourthly, festivals were instituted as times of ease and rest to labour-
ers ; that amidst all their toil and sorrow, and as it were a recompence
thereof, some days of refreshment might be allowed them. For some
one or more of these ends, most festivals seem to have been first insti-
tuted.
Aristotle (1) reports, that amongst the ancients they had few or no
festivals, besides those after harvest or vintage ; for then they used to
meet and make merry with the fruits they had gathered, eating and
drinking plentifully ; which they esteem a sort of offering their first
fruits to the gods, whom they thought honoured by so doing ; and there-
fore feasts were were called ©oi'vai q. B-iotvcu; on 8ia r«j 3-ssV «i»stf^ai ScTv
xiKSX&iiGctieH) i. e. because they thought they were ohligedin duty to the gods,
to be drunk. And Seleucus, in the same author, tells us, that the words4
S-aXi'a, and (xs'^»? were derived from the same original, Tov ts aim tv\ ttXi-
7ov,£tjjv uh\y\i jjSvTroL&imv 3-swv ivsxa rfgotftpegedQctt, 810 *j S-olvas, S-aA/ag, $ (Xs*
6ag ufoiMotinfiu* i. e. banquets were called B-ohxi, S-otXiui, and ^edxi, from
©sog, or God; because it was usual at those times to consume great quantities/
of wine, and other provisions in honour of the gods.
In latter ages, when the gods were increased almost to the number of
men, and the frugal way of living was laid aside, the number of festivals
was enlarged, and the manner of them quite altered : for, whereas foy^
(1) Ethic, ad Nicomach. lib, viii. cap, 9,
41
321
CHAP. XIX.
of the grecian festivals in general.
Festivals were instituted upon four accounts ; first, in honour of the'
gods, to whom, besides the worship every day paid them, some more soj
lemn times were set apart; especially if they had conferred any signal
favour upon the public, or upon private persons ; had assisted them in
defending their country ; had given them victory over their enemies ;
had delivered them out of any apparent danger, or blessed them with
success in any undertaking; it was thought but reasonable to set apart
some time for offering sacrifices and praises to them, as grateful acknow-
ledgments for the benefits received at their hands.
Secondly, in order to procure some special favour of the gods ; for
(as you may learn from the following chapters) several of the festivals
were instituted with a design to render the gods propitious, and willing
to grant some particular blessings, as health, children, and such like.
And in times of famine, pestilence, or other public calamities, the ora-
cles usually advised their consultants to institute solemn festivals, as the
best method to appease the angry gods, and obtain of them deliverance
from the evils they laboured under.
Thirdly, in memory of deceased friends, of those that had done any
remarkable service for their country, or died valiantly in the defence of
it. This was no small encouragement to men of generous and noble dis-
positions to enter upon honourable designs, when they saw that the brave
actions of the virtuous did not perish with them, but their memories were
ever held sacred by succeeding generations.
Fourthly, festivals were instituted as times of ease and rest to labour-
ers ; that amidst all their toil and sorrow, and as it were a recompence
thereof, some days of refreshment might be allowed them. For some
one or more of these ends, most festivals seem to have been first insti-
tuted.
Aristotle (1) reports, that amongst the ancients they had few or no
festivals, besides those after harvest or vintage ; for then they used to
meet and make merry with the fruits they had gathered, eating and
drinking plentifully ; which they esteem a sort of offering their first
fruits to the gods, whom they thought honoured by so doing ; and there-
fore feasts were were called ©oi'vai q. B-iotvcu; on 8ia r«j 3-ssV «i»stf^ai ScTv
xiKSX&iiGctieH) i. e. because they thought they were ohligedin duty to the gods,
to be drunk. And Seleucus, in the same author, tells us, that the words4
S-aXi'a, and (xs'^»? were derived from the same original, Tov ts aim tv\ ttXi-
7ov,£tjjv uh\y\i jjSvTroL&imv 3-swv ivsxa rfgotftpegedQctt, 810 *j S-olvas, S-aA/ag, $ (Xs*
6ag ufoiMotinfiu* i. e. banquets were called B-ohxi, S-otXiui, and ^edxi, from
©sog, or God; because it was usual at those times to consume great quantities/
of wine, and other provisions in honour of the gods.
In latter ages, when the gods were increased almost to the number of
men, and the frugal way of living was laid aside, the number of festivals
was enlarged, and the manner of them quite altered : for, whereas foy^
(1) Ethic, ad Nicomach. lib, viii. cap, 9,
41