s.]

[Footnote 45: _Not really._--Ver. 365. That is to say, not
understood by him in the sense in which Myrrha meant it.]

[Footnote 46: _To insert her neck._--Ver. 378. 'Laqueoque
innectere fauces Destinat,' is translated by Clarke, 'And resolves
to stitch up her neck in a halter.']

[Footnote 47: _Of her nurse._--Ver. 382. Antoninus Liberalis gives
this hag the name of Hippolyte.]

[Footnote 48: _Festival of Ceres._--Ver. 431. Commentators, in
general, suppose that he here alludes to the festival of the
Thesmophoria, which was celebrated in honour of Demeter, or Ceres,
in various parts of Greece; in general, by the married women,
though the virgins joined in some of the ceremonies. Demosthenes,
Diodorus Siculus, and Plutarch, say that it was first celebrated
by Orpheus; while Herodotus states, that it was introduced from
Egypt by the daughters of Danaues; and that, after the Dorian
conquest, it fell into disuse, being retained only by the people
of Arcadia. It was intended to commemorate the introduction of
laws and the regulations of civilized life, which were generally
ascribed to Demeter. It is not known whether the festival lasted
four or five days with the Athenians. Many days were spent by the
matrons in preparing for its celebration. The solemnity was
commenced by the women walking in procession from Athens to
Eleusis. In this procession they carried on their heads
representations of the laws which had been introduced by Ceres,
and other symbols of civilized life. They then spent the night at
Eleusis, in celebrating the mysteries of the Goddess. The second
day was one of mourning, during which the women sat on the ground
around the statues of Ceres, taking no food but cakes made of
sesame and honey. On it no meetings of the people were held.
Probably it was in the afternoon of this day that there was a
procession at Athens, in which the women walked bare-footed behind
a waggon, upon which were baskets, with sacred symbols. The third
day was one of merriment and festivity among the women, in
commemoration of Iaembe, who was said to have amused the Goddess
during her grief at the loss of Proserpine. An atoning sacrifice,
called +zemia+, was probably offered to the Goddess, at the end of
this day. It is most probable that the ceremonial lasted but three
days.