Abstract
The Roman calendar had a very large number of festivities scattered throughout the year.
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Notes
- 1.
On the goddess Fortuna as represented in the sky by the new Moon, see Chap. 8; see also Magini 1996, pp. 32–34; Magini 2006, pp. 123–134; Magini 2008, pp. 184–188.
For a more detailed examination of the feasts of Fors Fortuna and the Saturnalia, see Magini 2008, pp. 207–214.
- 2.
Different authors place the summer solstice at different times: for Ovid, Fasti, 6.790, it falls on 26 June; for Columella, de re rustica, 11.2.48, between 24 and 26 June; for Pliny, Naturalis Historia, 18.256, 264 and 288, on 24 June.
As for the winter solstice, according to tradition (see Chap. 26)—notably, Varro, de lingua latina, 6.8, Ovid, Fasti, 1.163–4, and the Praenestine Calendar—it falls on 21 December; for Pliny, Naturalis Historia, 18.221, it is fere, “around”, the 25.
- 3.
As for the Sun’s entry into Cancer, as far as Ovid, Fasti, 6.727, and Columella, de re rustica, 11.2.48, are concerned, it takes place on 19 June. Pliny, Naturalis Historia 18.221, limits himself to writing “bruma capricorni […] solstitium cancri, the winter solstice (occurs) in Capricorn […] the summer solstice in Cancer”.
For Columella, de re rustica, 11.2.94, the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn on 17 December, the first day of the Saturnalia.
- 4.
As with the tropics, the entrance to Cancer—or Boreas—faces north, and the entrance to Capricorn—or Notus—faces south.
- 5.
Homer, Odyssey, 13.109–12: εν δ υδατο αεναοντα. δυω δε τε οι θυραι εισιν, / αι μεν προς βορεαο καταιβαται ανθρωποισιν, / αι δ αυ προς νοτου εισι θεωτεραι : ουδε τι κεινη / ανδρες εσερχονται, αλλ αθανατων οδος εστιν.
- 6.
Britton-Walker 1996, p. 49.
- 7.
Porphyry, The Cave of the Nymphs, 21: […] δυο ειναι εν ουρανω ακρα, ων ουτε νοτιωτερον εστι του χειμερινου τροπικου ουτε βορειοτερον του θερινου. εστι δ ο μεν θερινος κατα καρκινον, ο δε χειμερινος κατ αιγοκερων. και προσγειοτατος Σεληνη απεδοθη, αϕανους δ ετι οντος του νοτιου πολου τω μακραν ετι αϕεστηκοτι και ανωτατω των πλανωμενων παντων ο αιγοκερως απεδοθη.
- 8.
The lunar cycle and the solar cycle are not in synch. The moon is new on 24 June once every 19 years; before and after this, it is in a different phase. The mechanism is the same one that regulates the cadence of Easter for Christianity, which falls on the first Sunday following the full moon after the spring equinox.
- 9.
Ovid, Fasti, 6.775–80: Ite, deam laeti Fortem celebrate, Quirites: / in Tiberis ripa munera regis habet. / Pars pede, pars etiam celeri decurrite cumba, / nec pudeat potos inde redire domum. / Ferte coronatae iuvenum convivia lintres, / multaque per medias vina bibantur aquas.
- 10.
Porphyry, The Cave of the Nymphs, 10: […] τας των υδατων προεστωσας δυναμεις ιδιως […] τας εις γενεσιν κατιουσας ψυχας κοινως απασας.
- 11.
Porphyry, The Cave of the Nymphs, 23: […] οι νυν οντες δια την γενεσιν δουλοι δια της Κρονικης εορτης και του ανακειμενου Κρονω οικου ελευθερουνται, αναβιωσκομενοι και εις απογενεσιν απερχομενοι.
- 12.
Ernout-Meillet 1979, s.v.
- 13.
For example, as regards the feasts of Regifugium (24 February) and of the Vestalia (9 June), see Chap. 16. For a more detailed explanation, please see Magini 2001, pp. 93–104, and Magini 2005, pp. 1–5.
- 14.
19 solar years of 365.2422 days make a total of 6,939.6018; 235 lunations of 29.5306 days total 6,939.6910 days.
- 15.
Britton-Walker 1999, p. 46.
- 16.
Diodorus, Bibliotheca historica, 2.47.6.
- 17.
For the ‘Lot of Fortune’, see in particolar Manilius, Astronomica, 3.160–202.
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Magini, L. (2015). The Solstice Feasts: Fors Fortuna and Saturnalia . In: Stars, Myths and Rituals in Etruscan Rome. Space and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07266-1_12
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