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Designed
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F.Apulus
Caesar
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IN
THIS MOMENT
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LUDI
MEGALESIA
April 4-10, 2002
by F.Apulus Caesar
and G.Salix Galeicus (chariot races)
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The
Megalesia were celebrated in a variety of ways.
The celebrations started on April 4th, when patrician
families invited each other to dinners called 'mutitationes'
[Fasti Praenestini], though by a decree of the Senate
in 161 BC they had to swear before the consuls that
they would not spend on each dinner more than 120
'asses' in addition to vegetables, bread and wine,
nor serve foreign wines, nor display more than 120
lbs of silverware [Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae,
2.24]. These banquets are also referred by Ovidius
[Ovidius, Fasti, IV.353-356], though he seems to
imply that other people beside the patricians also
invited each other for dinner. Theatrical performances
honoured the goddess between April 4th and April
10th, and on the birthday of the temple of Magna
Mater on the Palatine Hill, a public sacrifice was
offered by the Praetor before the temple [Dionysius
of Halicarnassus, Antiquities of Rome, 2.19.4].
Chariot races also took place, probably on April
10th only. Ovidius says that the proper offering
to Magna Mater was a salad ('moretum') of white
cheese and herbs: |
""non pudet
herbosum" dixi "posuisse moretum in
dominae mensis. An sua causa subset?" "lacte
mero veteres usi narrantur et herbis, sponte
sua si quas terra ferebat" ait. "candidus
elisae miscetur caseus herbae, cognoscat priscos
ut dea prisca cibos""
""They
think no shame" said I "to set a salad
dish on the tables of the Mistress. Is there
a good reason at the bottom of it?" "People
of old" she answered, "are reported
to have subsisted on pure milk and such herbs
as the earth bore of its free will. White cheese
is mixed with pounded herbs, that the ancient
goddess may know the ancient foods.""
(Ovidius, Fasti, IV.367-372)
From the above, we can easily grasp suitable
ways to honour Magna Mater according to the
more public and traditional practice which everyone
could witness - as opposed to the exotic and
secret rites held as part of the Mysteries of
Magna Mater and Attis, which were private to
the initiates.
The
offering of a salad ('moretum') of white cheese
and herbs to the goddess can be performed as
part of one's daily rites before the 'Lararium',
e.g. after the usual offering to the Lares and
Penates of the family. But it can also constitute
a separate rite. The presiding family member
(typically - but not necessarily - the 'paterfamilias',
which will be referred as such for simplicity
in the description below) performs the offering
as follows (note that you can use either English
or Latin, as you prefer):
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(1)
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Before
the Lararium (the presence of a statue or picture
of Magna Mater on the Lararium is recommended,
so that the 'paterfamilias' can see goddess while
performing the offering), the 'paterfamilias'
starts the ritual addressing Magna Mater as follows:
"Magna
Mater, quod Megalesia hodie celebramus quodque
tibi hodie fieri oportet moreto, harum rerum ergo
quodque melius siet mihi domo familiaeque meae
tibi fiat illo moreto."
"Magna
Mater, as we celebrate the Megalesia today and
as today it is proper to offer a salad to you,
for these reasons and also in order that a better
future may fall on me, my house and my family,
may the offering of that salad be made to you"
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(2)
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The
'paterfamilias' washes his hands. An assistant
can carry the water vessel and the towel, otherwise
these items should be placed near/behind the 'paterfamilias'
before the ritual starts, in order that the ritual
is not interrupted.
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(3)
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The
'paterfamilias' takes the recipient with the salad,
and while placing it before the Lararium or image
of Magna Mater he says the following:
"Magna
Mater, macte hoc moreto esto. Fito volens propitia
mihi domo familiaeque meae."
"Magna
Mater, shall you be honoured by this salad. Be
willing to be propitious to me, my house and my
family."
(Note:
The salad offering will stay before the Lararium
or image of the goddess until the first signs
of degradation - one or two days. Then you can
remove it and throw it away)
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(4)
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4)
The ritual can be concluded with a prayer. If
more people are present such as your family or
other people you have invited to witness the ritual
(e.g. people you have invited to have a 'mutitatio'
dinner in your home!!), they can all participate
by saying the prayer in chorus. Women can kneel
before the rest of the audience as suppliants.
In this collective ritual, the 'paterfamilias'
should preside dictating the words to be repeated
by the chorus. Otherwise, the text of the prayer
can be read by the participants. The following
is a short prayer I have composed, which adds
a public dimension to the rite as it is made for
the roman people as a whole. And my plea is for
you, roman people of the quirites, to join your
voices in a worldwide chorus pleasing Magna Mater,
so that a better future may again fall on the
SPQR.
"Magna
Mater, Mater Deum, uti Ludi Megalesiaci sint aeterni
utique populus romanus quirites tuam tauream tergam
aeterne feriant in mysteria tua, te precor oro
obsecroque uti semper protegas populo romano quiritibus
sicut eis protexisti ab hostibus carthaginis,
utique semper incolumes serves populum romanum
quirites."
"Magna
Mater, Mother of the Gods, in order that the Megalesian
Games may be eternal and in order that your drum
of hide may be beaten forever in your Mysteries,
I pray to you, entreat you and implore to you
so that you may always protect the roman people
of the quirites just as you have protected them
from the Carthaginian enemies, and so that you
may always preserve the roman people of the quirites
unharmed."
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