divine event; a _profane_ place, one not
consecrated.[286] But that which man dedicates to the gods (_dedicat_ or
_dicat_) is sacred, or consecrated.[287] Every place which was to be
dedicated was first "liberated" by the augur from common uses; then
"consecrated" to divine uses by the pontiff. A "temple" is a place thus
separated, or cut off from other places; for the root of this word, like
that of "tempus" (time) is the same as the Greek [Greek: temno], _to
cut_.

The Roman year was full of festivals (_feriae_) set apart for religious
uses. It was declared by the pontiffs a sin to do any common work on these
days, but works of necessity were allowed. These festivals were for
particular gods, in honor of great events in the history of Rome, or of
rural occurrences, days of purification and atonement, family feasts, or
feasts in honor of the dead. The old Roman calendar[288] was as carefully
arranged as that of modern Rome. The day began at midnight. The following
is a view of the Roman year in its relation to festivals:--

_January_.

1. Feast of _Janus_, the god of beginnings.
9. _Agonalia_.
11. _Carmentalia_. In honor of the nymph Carmenta, a woman's
festival.
16. Dedication of the _Temple of Concord_.
31. Feast of the _Penates_.

_February_.

1. Feast of _Juno Sospita_, the Savior: an old goddess.
13. _Faunalia_, dedicated to Faunus and the rural gods.
15. _Lupercalia_. Feast of fruitfulness.
17. _Fornacalia_. Feast of the oven goddess Fornax.
18 to 28. The _Februatio_, or feast of purification and atonement,
and the _Feralia_, or feast of the dead. Februus was an old
Etrurian god of the under-world. Also, the _Charistia_, a family
festival for putting an end to quarrels among relations.
23. Feast of _Terminus_, god of boundaries. Boundary-stones anointed
and crowned.

_March_.

1. Feast of _Mars_. Also, the _Matronalia_. The Salii, priests
of Mars, go their rounds, singing old hymns.
6. Feast of _Vesta_.
7. Feast of _Vejovis_ or _Vedius_, i.e. the boy Jupiter.
14. _Equiria_, or horse-races in honor of Mars.
15. Feast of _Anna-Perenna_, goddess of health.
17. _Liberalia_, Feast of Bacchus. Young men invested with the
Toga-Virilis on this day.
19 to 23. Feast of _Minerva_, for five days. Offerings made to her
by all mechanics, artists, and scholars.

_April_.

1. Feast of _Venus_, to