the of August and the 15th of December.
On the former date, the flamen Quirinalis, assisted by the vestals,
offered sacrifice, and the pontifices presided at horse and chariot
races in the circus. It was a day of public rejoicing; all kinds of
rustic amusements took place, amongst them running on ox-hides rubbed
with oil (like the Gr. [Greek: haskoliasmos]). Horses and mules, crowned
with garlands, were given rest from work. A special feature of the games
in the circus was chariot racing, in which mules, as the oldest draught
beasts, took the place of horses. The origin of these games was
generally attributed to Romulus; but by some they were considered an
imitation of the Arcadian [Greek: hippokrateia] introduced by Evander.
There was a sanctuary of Consus on the Aventine, dedicated by L.
Papirius Cursor in 272, in early times wrongly identified with the altar
in the circus.

See W. W. Fowler, _The Roman Festivals_ (1899); G. Wissowa, _Religion
und Kultus der Roemer_ (1902); Preller-Jordan, _Roemische Mythologie_
(1881).

CONTANGO, a Stock Exchange term for the rate of interest paid by a
"bull" who has bought stock for the rise and does not intend to pay for
it when the Settlement arrives. He arranges to carry over or continue
his bargain, and does so by entering into a fresh bargain with his
seller, or some other party, by which he sells the stock for the
Settlement and buys it again for the next, the price at which the
bargain is entered being called the making-up price. The rate that he
pays for this accommodation, which amounts to borrowing the money
involved until the next Settlement, is called the contango.

CONTARINI, the name of a distinguished Venetian family, who gave to the
republic eight doges and many other eminent citizens. The story of their
descent from the Roman family of Cotta, appointed prefects of the Reno
valley (whence Cotta Reni or Conti del Reno), is probably a legend. One
Mario Contarini was among the twelve electors of the doge Paulo Lucio
Anafesto in 697. Domenico Contarini, elected doge in 1043, subjugated
rebellious Dalmatia and recaptured Grado from the patriarch of Aquileia.
He died in 1070. Jacopo was doge from 1275 to 1280. Andrea was elected
doge in 1367, and during his reign the war of Chioggia took place
(1380); he was the first to melt down his plate and mortgage his
property for the benefit of the state. Other Contarini doges were:
Francesco (1623-1624), Ni