GREEK FESTIVALS. Festivals were a great feature of ancient Grecian life. There were country festivities in Attica in December, a feast of the wine-press in January, an "All Souls" festival lasting three days in February, a great "City Festival" of Dionysus for five days in March, a festival of first-fruits in May. and the magnificent holiday of Athena for six days in the July of every fourth year. At Sparta the greatest festival was the Carrel& Then there were the great national festivals of Pan-Hellenic interest : at Olympia held in honor of Zeus every four years in Elis; the Pythia. in honor of Apollo at Crissa near Delphi, also every fourth year; the Nemea in Argos every two years; and the Isthmia in honor of Posei don every two years at Corinth. Musical con tests were the chief feature at the Pythia, al though athletic events were also held here as elsewhere. This festival was celebrated in the winter in the third year of every Olympiad. The Nemea were held in the second and fourth years of every Olympiad, alternately in sum mer and winter. Here also contests in playing the flute and the lyre and in singing were in cluded. The Isthmia were held in the spring of the first and in the summer of the third year of every Olympiad. The visitors brought their slaves, who carried tents, bedding and food. Women were not permitted to attend; and even the slaves who accompanied their mas ters could not see the games. The earliest con test, and the one with which each festival opened, was the stallion, or short-distance foot race, corresponding roughly to our 220 yard dash (to be exact 600 Greek feet). Wrestling and boxing were added later. In the 7rth century chariot racing was introduced, and this was followed by the horse-race and the pankra lion, which required the use of all the powers of the contestants. The pentathlon (five events) had been introduced earlier. The prize at Olympia was a crown of wild olive; at the Pythia a wreath of laurel; at the Nemea and the Isthmia a wreath of parsley. See OLYM PIC GAMES.
In Attica there were many Holy Days and Feasts: in August-September the Kronia, which was originally a rural festival, the Synoi kia in honor of Athena and Hestia, the Pana thenaea, the Heracleia, and the Adonia, cele brated especially by women; in September October the Genesia, a day devoted to the dead, Charisteria, or Thanksgiving for the fall of the Thirty Tyrants; in October-November the Pyanepsia, or Feast of Beans, the Oschophoria (Grape-bearing race), the Tfieseia, the F.pita phia, the Apaturia, at which the babies and the young men were registered in the phratry, or clan, the Thesmophoria, celebrated by women in honor of Demeter, the Stenia, the Nesteia (a strict fast), and the Kalligeneia, the festival of the mother of the beautiful child (Persephone) ; in November-December the rural Dionysia and the Haloia; in December-January the Lenza; in January-February the Anthesteria, or merry Feast of Flowers, the Opening of the Wine casks, the Feast of Pitchers, the Feast of Pots, the Lesser Mysteries, and the Diasia; in Feb ruary-March the Greater. Dionysia, the chief
feature of which was the dramatic contests; in March-April the Mounichia, the Aianteia in memory of Ajax, the Brausonia and the Olym pleia; in April-May the Thargelia, the Delia, the Kallynteria, at 'which the little temple, Erechtheum, was purified, and the Bendideia in honor of the Thracian goddess Bendis; and in May-June the Skira, the Arrephoria and the Dipolia.
The Panathenzea included contests in ath letics, music and in literary recitation. In the large Mouseion, or of Song,D was held a Public competition in the delivery of passages of Homer, another in signing to the accompani ment of the harp, and a third in instrumental music on the harp and the flute. The rewards Were prizes in money and a wreath or crown.
song and dance and of torch-races.
The chief day, however, was the day of the great procession. All the people gathered in their most brilliant attire in the
for the purpose of escorting to the Acropolis a large and gorgeous saffron robe, embroidered with legendary exploits of Athena against the Giants. It was spread as a sail 'upon the mast of the model of a ship, which was propelled along the street on wheels, or rollers. The cavalry in their bright cloaks led the procession; the winners in the athletic contests, wearing their crowns and the dignitaries and old men of high repute carrying olive branches, came next; and the women of the resident aliens, carrying the parasols and the camp-stools of the privi leged daughters of Athens, brought up the rear. The procession moved through the public square, wound through the chief streets to the foot of the Acropolis, ascended through the Propylaea, and passed on to the older temple, in front of which a great sacrifice was made. A feast followed, and the whole festival closed with a regatta at the harbor-town of Peiraeus. (For the Dionysiac festival see GREEK THEA TRE, THE; for the Olympic festival see OLYM PIC GAMES). Consult Gulick, The Life of the Ancient Greeks' (New York 1902); Mommsen,