These few observations may be of some utility in the elucidation of the remarks which will be found in the Notes to the Fasti on the risings and settings of the various Constellations.

It is also worthy of notice that Julius Cæsar, in his arrangement of the year, intended to make the beginning of summer correspond with the heliacal rising of the Pleiades; that of winter, with the cosmical setting of the same Constellation; and that of autumn, with the cosmical setting of the Lyre. The blowing of Favonius or Zephyrus, the West wind, was, with the Romans, the sign of the arrival of spring.

THE ROMAN FASTI.

66

THE complex state of the Roman Calendar long remained one of the sources from which the priesthood and the Patrician order derived their power and influence over the Plebeians. For a long period of time, having no other method of ascertaining what days were "fasti," and what were nefasti," the lower classes were obliged either to apply to the priests for information, or to await their proclamation of the various festivals which were about to take place. The priesthood also, in early times had the sole privilege of proclaiming what was to be the length of the ensuing month, and in their hands. was the sole right of intercalating. The difficulties and uncertainty experienced by the commonalty very naturally tended to render them dependent upon the Patricians, who, by their superior opportunities for gaining knowledge on these subjects, were enabled to give them advice and assistance in all points, (especially legal matters), which in any way depended upon the effluxion of time.

At length, in the year A.U.c. 440, or B.c. 334, Flavius, the secretary of Appius Claudius Cæcus, made a code of forms for the regulation of litigation, and secretly transcribed the tables of the Calendar or plan of the year, and set them up in the Forum. Though this step gave considerable offence to the Senate, the people, in their gratitude to one who had rendered them so essential a service, elected him to the Edileship, and subsequently to the Prætorship. These tables were called Fasti," probably because this was the first word of their title; and, in time, this name was extended to all plans of the

year,

whether in reference to religious ceremonials or to matters of a purely civil or military nature. Of the latter kind, the most distinguished seem to have been the "Fasti Consulares," which, so far from containing directions and instructions intended for all future time, were simply records formed from year to year, containing the names of the yearly magistrates, and especially the Consuls. Events, as they occurred, being set down in them, formed, when grouped together, a series of annals; and though they had no character in common with the "Fasti sacri," or Calendares," they became, as authentic records, of the greatest use to the statesmen and historians of Rome for chronological reference; to these, consequently, we are indebted for much of the knowledge that we possess, after the lapse of 2,000 years, relative to the history of that wonderful Republic.

THE ROMAN CALENDAR

FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR,

ACCORDING TO THE FASTI OF OVID.

(Those days are omitted on which there is nothing worthy of remark.)

JANUARY.-Book I.

The Consular procession, 75. The festival of Janus, 89. The dedication of the temples of Jupiter and Esculapius, on the Sacred Island, 290.

The setting of the Crab, 311.

The rising of the Lyre, 315.

The Agonalia, 317. The rising of the Dolphin, 457.
The middle of Winter, 459.

The Carmentalia, 461. The dedication of the temple
of Juturna, on the Campus Martius, 463.
A wether is slain to Jupiter Stator, 587. The Pro-
vinces are restored to the government of the people,
589. Octavius receives the surname of Augustus,
590.

The Carmentalia are repeated, 617. The sacred
rites of the Deities Porrima and Postverta, 631.
The dedication of the temple of Concord in the Ca-
pitol, 637.

The Sun enters Aquarius, 651.
The Lyre sets, 653.

The star on the breast of the Lion sets, 655. The
Sementive moveable feast is proclaimed about this
period, 657. The feast of the Paganalia, 669.
The dedication of the temple to Castor and Pollux,
near the Lake of Juturna, 705.

The dedication of an altar to Peace.

FEBRUARY.-Book II.

A temple is dedicated to Juno Sospita, 55. The
people resort to the grove of the Asylum, 67. A
sheep is sacrificed to Jupiter Tonans, 69.
The setting of the Lyre, 73. The middle of the
Lion sets, 77.

The Dolphin sets, 79.

Augustus is entitled the Father of his Country, 119.
The middle of Aquarius rises, 145.

The beginning of Spring, 149.
Arctophylax rises, 153.

The rites of Faunus, 193. The anniversary of the
slaughter of the Fabii, 195.

The rising of the Crow, the Snake, and the Cup, 243.

The Lupercalia are celebrated in honour of Faunus,
267. The winds are changeable for six days, 453.
The Sun leaves Aquarius, and enters the Fishes,
457.

The sacrifice to Quirinius, 475. The festival of
Fools, 513. The Fornacalia, 527.

The Feralia, or last day for propitiation of the Manes,
567. The rites of Muta, 571.

The Caristia, or feast of the relations, 617.
The Terminalia, 639.

The banishment of the Kings, 685. The arrival of
the swallow, 853.

The Equiria, or horse-races in honour of Mars, 857.

MARCH.-Book III.

The laurels are replaced in the houses of the Flamens,
the temple of Vesta, and other public buildings,
and the fire of Vesta is rekindled, 137. The Ma-
tronalia, 170. The festival of the Salii, 259.
One of the Fishes sets, 399.

Arctophylax sets, 403.

Sacrifices to Vesta; the anniversary of the appointment of Augustus Cæsar to be Pontifex Maximus, 415.

The temple of Vejovis is consecrated, 429. The
neck of Pegasus rises, 449.

The Crown of Ariadne rises, 459.
The Equiria are repeated in the Campus Martius,
517. Or on the Cælian Hill, 521.
The rites of Anna Perenna, 523.
Cæsar, 697.

The death of Julius

16 XVII. Calends of The Scorpion partly sets, 711. The Argei are visited

on this and the following day, 791.

The Liberalia are celebrated in honour of Bacchus 713. The assumption of the Toga Virilis, 771. The rising of the Kite, 793.

The Quinquatrus, in honour of Minerva, 809. The
birth-day of Minerva, 811. The Minerval, or
schoolmaster's fee, is paid, 829. The dedication
of the temple to Minerva Capta, 835.

The second and three following days of the Quin-
quatrus celebrated with gladiatorial shows, 818.
The Sun enters the Constellation of the Ram, 851.
The fifth and last day of the Quinquatrus; and the
Tubilustria, 849.

The Vernal Equinox, 877.

The festival of Janus, Concord, Health, and Peace, 879.

The rites of Diana on the Aventine Hill, 833.