Feltria, a town of Italy at the north of Venice.
Fenestella, a Roman historian in the age of Augustus. He died at Cumæ.——One of the gates at Rome. Ovid, Fasti, bk. 6, li. 578.
Fenni, or Finni, the inhabitants of Finningia, or Eningia, now considered as Finland. Tacitus, Germania, ch. 46.—Pliny, bk. 4, ch. 13.
Ferālia, a festival in honour of the dead, observed at Rome the 17th or 21st of February. It continued for 11 days, during which time presents were carried to the graves of the deceased, marriages were forbidden, and the temples of the gods were shut. It was universally believed that the manes of their departed friends came and hovered over their graves, and feasted upon the provisions that the hand of piety and affection had procured for them. Their punishments in the infernal regions were also suspended, and during that time they enjoyed rest and liberty.
Ferentīnum, a town of the Hernici at the east of Rome. The inhabitants were called Ferentinates, or Ferentini. Silius Italicus, bk. 8, li. 394.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 50; bk. 9, chs. 43 & 44.
Ferentum, or Forentum, a town of Apulia, now Forenza. Horace, bk. 3, ode 4, li. 15.—Livy, bk. 9, chs. 16 & 20.
Fĕrētrius, a surname of Jupiter, a ferendo, because he had assisted the Romans, or a feriendo, because he had conquered their enemies under Romulus. He had a temple at Rome built by Romulus, where the spoils called opima were always carried. Only two generals obtained these celebrated spoils after the age of Romulus. Livy, bk. 1, ch. 10.—Plutarch, Romulus.—Cornelius Nepos, Atticus, ch. 20.
Feriæ Latīnæ, festivals at Rome instituted by Tarquin the Proud. The principal magistrates of 47 towns in Latium usually assembled on a mount near Rome, where they, together with the Roman magistrates, offered a bull to Jupiter Latialis, of which they carried home some part after the immolation, after they had sworn mutual friendship and alliance. It continued but one day originally, but in process of time four days were dedicated to its celebration. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 4, ch. 49.—Cicero, ltr. 6.—Livy, bk. 21, &c. The feriæ among the Romans were certain days set apart to celebrate festivals, and during that time it was unlawful for any person to work. They were either public or private. The public were of four different kinds. The feriæ stativæ were certain immovable days always marked in the calendar, and observed by the whole city with much festivity and public rejoicing. The feriæ conceptivæ were movable feasts, and the day appointed for the celebration was always previously fixed by the magistrates or priests. Among these were the feriæ Latinæ, which were first established by Tarquin, and observed by the consuls regularly before they set out for the provinces; the Compitalia, &c. The feriæ imperativæ were appointed only by the command of the consul, dictator, or pretor, as a public rejoicing for some important victory gained over the enemies of Rome. The feriæ Nundinæ were regular days in which the people of the country and neighbouring towns assembled together and exposed their respective commodities to sale. They were called Nundinæ, because kept every ninth day. The feriæ privatæ were observed only in families, in commemoration of birthdays, marriages, funerals, and the like. The days on which the feriæ were observed were called by the Romans festi dies, because dedicated to mirth, relaxation, and festivity.
Fērōnia, a goddess at Rome, who presided over the woods and groves. The name is derived a ferendo, because she gave assistance to her votaries, or perhaps from the town Feronia, near mount Soracte, where she had a temple. It was usual to make a yearly sacrifice to her, and to wash the face and hands in the waters of the sacred fountain, which flowed near her temple. It is said that those who were filled with the spirit of this goddess could walk barefooted over burning coals without receiving any injury from the flames. The goddess had a temple and a grove about three miles from Anxur, and also another in the district of Capena. Livy, bk. 33, ch. 26.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, lis. 697 & 800.—Varro, de Lingua Latina, bk. 4, ch. 10.—Silius Italicus, bk. 13.—Strabo, bk. 5.—Horace, bk. 1, satire 5, li. 24.
Fescennia (iorum, or ium), a town of Etruria, now Galese, where the Fescennine verses were first invented. These verses, the name of which conveys an idea of vulgar obscenity, were a sort of rustic dialogue spoken extempore, in which the actors exposed before their audience the failings and vices of their adversaries, and by satirical humour and merriment endeavoured to raise the laughter of the company. They were often repeated at nuptials, and many lascivious expressions were used for the general diversion, as also at harvest home, when gestures were made adapted to the sense of the unpolished verses that were used. They were proscribed by Augustus as of immoral tendency. Pliny, bk. 3, ch. 5.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, li. 695.—Horace, bk. 2, ltr. 1, li. 145.