A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

Name: A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities
Author: Smith, William

Smith, William

Classical dictionaries; Greece -- Antiquities; Rome -- Antiquities

According to the definition given by
Macrobius, _dies festi_ were dedicated to the gods, and spent with
sacrifices, repasts, games, and other solemnities; _dies profesti_
belonged to men for the administration of their private and public
affairs. _Dies intercisi_ were common between gods and men, that is,
partly devoted to the worship of the gods, partly to the transaction
of ordinary business. _Dies profesti_ were either _dies fasti_, or
_dies comitiales_, that is, days on which comitia were held, or _dies
comperendini_, that is, days to which any action was allowed to be
transferred; or _dies stati_, that is, days set apart for causes
between Roman citizens and foreigners; or _dies proeliales_, that is,
all days on which religion did not forbid the commencement of a war.


DIFFARRĔĀTĬO. [DIVORTIUM.]


DĬĬPŎLEIA (διιπόλεια), also called Διπόλεια or Διπόλια, a very ancient
festival celebrated every year on the acropolis of Athens in honour
of Zeus, surnamed Πολιεύς.


DĬMĂCHAE (διμάχαι), Macedonian horse-soldiers, who also fought on
foot when occasion required, like our dragoons.


DĪMĬNŪTĬO CĂPĬTIS. [CAPUT.]


DĬŎCLEIA (διόκλεια), a festival celebrated by the Megarians in honour
of an ancient Athenian hero, Diocles, around whose grave young men
assembled on the occasion, and amused themselves with gymnastic and
other contests. We read that he who gave the sweetest kiss obtained
the prize, consisting of a garland of flowers.


DĬŎNȲSĬA (διονύσια), festivals celebrated in various parts of Greece
in honour of Dionysus, and characterised by extravagant merriment
and enthusiastic joy. Drunkenness, and the boisterous music of
flutes, cymbals, and drums, were likewise common to all Dionysiac
festivals. In the processions called θίασοι (from θείαζω), with
which they were celebrated, women also took part in the disguise
of Bacchae, Lenae, Thyades, Naiades, Nymphs, &c., adorned with
garlands of ivy, and bearing the thyrsus in their hands, so that
the whole train represented a population inspired, and actuated by
the powerful presence of the god. The choruses sung on the occasion
were called dithyrambs, and were hymns addressed to the god in the
freest metres and with the boldest imagery, in which his exploits
and achievements were extolled. [CHORUS.] The phallus, the symbol
of the fertility of nature, was also carried in these processions.
The indulgence in drinking was considered by the Greeks as a duty
of gratitude which they owed to the giver of the vine; hence in
some places it was thought a crime to remain sober at the Dionysia.
The Attic festivals of Dionysus were four in number: the _Rural_ or
_Lesser Dionysia_ (Διονύσια κατ’ ἀγρούς, or μικρά), the _Lenaea_
(Λήναια), the _Anthesteria_ (Ἀνθεστήρια), and the _City_ or _Great
Dionysia_ (Διονύσια ἐν ἄστει, ἀστικά, or μεγάλα). The season of
the year sacred to Dionysus was during the months nearest to the
shortest day; and the Attic festivals were accordingly celebrated

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman AntiquitiesSmith, William

History

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

Smith, William

Classical dictionaries; Greece -- Antiquities; Rome -- Antiquities

According to the definition given by
Macrobius, _dies festi_ were dedicated to the gods, and spent with
sacrifices, repasts, games, and other solemnities; _dies profesti_
belonged to men for the administration of their private and public
affairs. _Dies intercisi_ were common between gods and men, that is,
partly devoted to the worship of the gods, partly to the transaction
of ordinary business. _Dies profesti_ were either _dies fasti_, or
_dies comitiales_, that is, days on which comitia were held, or _dies
comperendini_, that is, days to which any action was allowed to be
transferred; or _dies stati_, that is, days set apart for causes
between Roman citizens and foreigners; or _dies proeliales_, that is,
all days on which religion did not forbid the commencement of a war.


DIFFARRĔĀTĬO. [DIVORTIUM.]


DĬĬPŎLEIA (διιπόλεια), also called Διπόλεια or Διπόλια, a very ancient
festival celebrated every year on the acropolis of Athens in honour
of Zeus, surnamed Πολιεύς.


DĬMĂCHAE (διμάχαι), Macedonian horse-soldiers, who also fought on
foot when occasion required, like our dragoons.


DĪMĬNŪTĬO CĂPĬTIS. [CAPUT.]


DĬŎCLEIA (διόκλεια), a festival celebrated by the Megarians in honour
of an ancient Athenian hero, Diocles, around whose grave young men
assembled on the occasion, and amused themselves with gymnastic and
other contests. We read that he who gave the sweetest kiss obtained
the prize, consisting of a garland of flowers.


DĬŎNȲSĬA (διονύσια), festivals celebrated in various parts of Greece
in honour of Dionysus, and characterised by extravagant merriment
and enthusiastic joy. Drunkenness, and the boisterous music of
flutes, cymbals, and drums, were likewise common to all Dionysiac
festivals. In the processions called θίασοι (from θείαζω), with
which they were celebrated, women also took part in the disguise
of Bacchae, Lenae, Thyades, Naiades, Nymphs, &c., adorned with
garlands of ivy, and bearing the thyrsus in their hands, so that
the whole train represented a population inspired, and actuated by
the powerful presence of the god. The choruses sung on the occasion
were called dithyrambs, and were hymns addressed to the god in the
freest metres and with the boldest imagery, in which his exploits
and achievements were extolled. [CHORUS.] The phallus, the symbol
of the fertility of nature, was also carried in these processions.
The indulgence in drinking was considered by the Greeks as a duty
of gratitude which they owed to the giver of the vine; hence in
some places it was thought a crime to remain sober at the Dionysia.
The Attic festivals of Dionysus were four in number: the _Rural_ or
_Lesser Dionysia_ (Διονύσια κατ’ ἀγρούς, or μικρά), the _Lenaea_
(Λήναια), the _Anthesteria_ (Ἀνθεστήρια), and the _City_ or _Great
Dionysia_ (Διονύσια ἐν ἄστει, ἀστικά, or μεγάλα). The season of
the year sacred to Dionysus was during the months nearest to the
shortest day; and the Attic festivals were accordingly celebrated

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

No reviews yet