DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0344
322 OP THE RELIGION OF GREECE.
merly the solemnities consisted in little or nothing besides offering a sa-
crifice to the gods, and after that making merry themselves ; now a great
many games, processions, and innumerable ceremonies, in imitation of
the fabulous actions of the gods, were introduced and practised, to the
vast charge of the public
The Athenians, as they exceeded all other people in the number of
their gods, so they out-did them in the number of their festivals ; which,
as Xenophon (1) reports, were twice as many as any other city observed :
nor did the number and frequency of them abate any thing of the solem-
nity, splendour, and charges, at their observation. The shops, and
courts of judicature, were shut up, on most of those days ; the labour-
ers rested from their works, the tradesmen from their employments, the
mourners intermitted their sorrows ; and nothing but ease and pleasure,
mirth and jollity, were to be found amongst them. Indeed, x«<v«» tj?t« 5
twv 'EXXsjfwv *, tow (3ag£aguv igi, this was common both to Greeks and barba-
rians, as we are informed by Strabo, to celebrate their religious solemni-
ties with mirth and remission of their labours,
Most of them were celebrated at the public charge ; and lest their
treasury should be exhausted by so frequent evacuations, several means
were contrived to supply and replenish them. For instance, after Thra-
sybulus had deposed the tyrants, their estates were confiscated for this
use, as Harpocration observes out of Philocorus : and when the state
was reduced to its old democracy, if any of the citizens, through too
much wealth, became formidable to the poorer sort, and objects of their
envy, it was customary to compel them to contribute towards the defray-
ing the expences at public festivals ; and so by conferring upon them a
great (though chargeable and dear-bought) honour, at once sweeten the
imposition (if not also oblige those on whom it was imposed), and rid
themselves of those fears and jealousies which the immoderate opulency
of private persons might reasonably give to a popular state.
Thus much of festivals in general: as to the particulars, I have omit-
ted very little that is material in the tracts of Meursius and Castellanus
upon this subject; and some things not taken notice of by either of them5
and perhaps not unworthy your observation, I have added. Yet do I
not pretend that this is a complete or entire collection of the Grecian
festivals ; for that would be endless (seeing almost every man of repute,
and that had done any notable service for the public, had his anniversary
day) and impossible, since hundreds of them (especially those that were
observed by the less considerable cities) are not so much as mentioned
in any author at this day extant; or but barely mentioned, without any
account of the persons to whom they belonged, or the ceremonies used
at their celebration : however, as much as is necessary to the under-
standing of the ancient Greek writers, the following chapters will fur-
aish.
(I) De Repub, Atheniens,
merly the solemnities consisted in little or nothing besides offering a sa-
crifice to the gods, and after that making merry themselves ; now a great
many games, processions, and innumerable ceremonies, in imitation of
the fabulous actions of the gods, were introduced and practised, to the
vast charge of the public
The Athenians, as they exceeded all other people in the number of
their gods, so they out-did them in the number of their festivals ; which,
as Xenophon (1) reports, were twice as many as any other city observed :
nor did the number and frequency of them abate any thing of the solem-
nity, splendour, and charges, at their observation. The shops, and
courts of judicature, were shut up, on most of those days ; the labour-
ers rested from their works, the tradesmen from their employments, the
mourners intermitted their sorrows ; and nothing but ease and pleasure,
mirth and jollity, were to be found amongst them. Indeed, x«<v«» tj?t« 5
twv 'EXXsjfwv *, tow (3ag£aguv igi, this was common both to Greeks and barba-
rians, as we are informed by Strabo, to celebrate their religious solemni-
ties with mirth and remission of their labours,
Most of them were celebrated at the public charge ; and lest their
treasury should be exhausted by so frequent evacuations, several means
were contrived to supply and replenish them. For instance, after Thra-
sybulus had deposed the tyrants, their estates were confiscated for this
use, as Harpocration observes out of Philocorus : and when the state
was reduced to its old democracy, if any of the citizens, through too
much wealth, became formidable to the poorer sort, and objects of their
envy, it was customary to compel them to contribute towards the defray-
ing the expences at public festivals ; and so by conferring upon them a
great (though chargeable and dear-bought) honour, at once sweeten the
imposition (if not also oblige those on whom it was imposed), and rid
themselves of those fears and jealousies which the immoderate opulency
of private persons might reasonably give to a popular state.
Thus much of festivals in general: as to the particulars, I have omit-
ted very little that is material in the tracts of Meursius and Castellanus
upon this subject; and some things not taken notice of by either of them5
and perhaps not unworthy your observation, I have added. Yet do I
not pretend that this is a complete or entire collection of the Grecian
festivals ; for that would be endless (seeing almost every man of repute,
and that had done any notable service for the public, had his anniversary
day) and impossible, since hundreds of them (especially those that were
observed by the less considerable cities) are not so much as mentioned
in any author at this day extant; or but barely mentioned, without any
account of the persons to whom they belonged, or the ceremonies used
at their celebration : however, as much as is necessary to the under-
standing of the ancient Greek writers, the following chapters will fur-
aish.
(I) De Repub, Atheniens,