The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic / An Introduction to the Study of the Religion of the Romans

by W. Warde Fowler

v Id. Oct. (October 11). NP.

MEDITR[INALIA]. (SAB. MAFF. AMIT.)

FERIAE IOVI. (AMIT.)

This was the day on which the new wine was tasted. There is no real evidence of a goddess Meditrina. The account in Paulus is as follows: ‘Mos erat Latinis populis, quo die quis primum gustaret mustum, dicere ominis gratia “Vetus novum vinum bibo, veteri novo morbo medeor.” A quibus verbis etiam Meditrinae deae nomen conceptum, eiusque sacra Meditrinalia dicta sunt[^[1046]].’ Varro had already given the same account: ‘Octobri mense Meditrinalia dies, dictus a medendo, quod Flaccus flamen Martialis dicebat hoc die solitum vinum novum et vetus libari et gustari medicamenti causa: quod facere solent etiam nunc multi quom dicunt: Novum vetus vinum bibo, novo veteri vino morbo medeor.’

Note a. A parallel practice of tasting both old and new crops is to be found in the ritual of the Fratres Arvales, who in May ‘fruges aridas et virides contigerunt,’ i. e. the old grain and the new[^[1047]].

Note b. The belief that the new wine (mustum) was wholesome and non-inebriating is discussed charmingly by Plutarch (Quaest. Conv. vii. 1).

Note c. Mommsen, C. I. L. 1. 2. 332, points out that the real deity here concerned was doubtless Jupiter: see under Vinalia, p. [86].