Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/300

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The ancient Greek festivals were of four kinds:—

Firstly. In honour of the gods, to whom, besides the every-day worship paid them, some more solemn times were set apart.

Secondly. In order to procure some special favour from their gods.

Thirdly. In memory of deceased friends; and

Fourthly. They were instituted as times of repose and ease for labourers.

In later ages, the number of festivals of the latter kind was much increased; sacrifices were made to the gods on such occasions, and the people afterwards made merry amongst themselves. Games, processions, and many other ceremonies were introduced, in which were depicted the fabulous actions of their gods. The shops and the courts of law were closed on such days; the labourers did no work; even mourners laid aside their sorrow. Such feasts were generally celebrated at the public expense. They took place in various parts of Greece: two are known to have been celebrated at Mægara, a place about forty miles distant from Athens; one of these feasts was styled Alkathoia, the other Diokleia. The former was instituted in memory of Alcathous, son of Pelops, who, when lying under suspicion of having murdered his brother Chrysippus, fled to Mægara, where, having overcome a terrible lion which had wasted that part of the country and slain many people, including the King of Mægara's son, Alcathous, managed so far to ingratiate himself with this monarch that the king gave him his daughter in marriage, and declared Alcathous his successor. The festival called Diokleia took place in the spring of the year, in memory of the Athenian hero Diodes, one of their archons, or chief magistrates, who died in defence of a certain youth whom he loved. Every year, on Easter Tuesday (old style) down to the present time, a festival is held at Mægara, which is possibly (from the season at which it occurs) a remnant of the old