iption, being forbidden
to eat even bread, and at other times they only ate it mingled with
hyssop. "The priests in Heliopolis," says Plutarch, "have many fasts,
during which they meditate on divine things."[177:5]

Among the _Sabians_, fasting was insisted on as an essential act of
religion. During the month _Tammuz_, they were in the habit of fasting
from sunrise to sunset, without allowing a morsel of food or drop of
liquid to pass their lips.[177:6]

The Jews also had their fasts, and on special occasions they gave
themselves up to prolonged fasts and mortifications.

Fasting and self-denial were observances required of the Greeks who
desired initiation into the _Mysteries_. Abstinence from food, chastity
and hard couches prepared the neophyte, who broke his fast on the third
and fourth day only, on consecrated food.[177:7]

The same practice was found among the ancient _Mexicans_ and
_Peruvians_. Acosta, speaking of them, says:

"These priests and religious men used great fastings, of five
and ten days together, before any of their great feasts, and
they were unto them as our four ember weeks. . . .

"They drank no wine, and slept little, for the greatest part
of their exercises (of penance) were at night, committing
great cruelties and martyring themselves for the devil, and
all to be reputed great fasters and penitents."[178:1]

In regard to the number of days which Jesus is said to have fasted being
specified as _forty_, this is simply owing to the fact that the number
_forty_ as well as _seven_ was a sacred one among most nations of
antiquity, particularly among the Jews, and because _others_ had fasted
that number of days. For instance; it is related[178:2] that _Moses_
went up into a mountain, "and he was there with the Lord _forty days and
forty nights, and he did neither eat bread, nor drink water_," which is
to say that he _fasted_.

In Deuteronomy[178:3] Moses _is made to say_--for he did not write it,
"When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, . . .
then I abode in the mount _forty days and forty nights_, I neither did
eat bread nor drink water."

_Elijah_ also had a long fast, which, _of course_, was continued for a
period of _forty days and forty nights_.[178:4]

_St. Joachim_, father of the "ever-blessed Virgin Mary," had a long
fast, which was also continued for a period of _forty days and forty
nights_. The story is to be found i