[466]. Quaest. Rom. 86. This work is undoubtedly drawn chiefly from Varro’s writings, but largely through the medium of those of Juba the king of Mauretania, who wrote in Greek (Barth de Jubae Ὁμοιότησιν in Plutarcho expressis: Göttingen, 1876).
[467]. Parallels in Baumkultus, pp. 170, 178, 211, 409. These are examples of May-trees and other objects, sometimes decked out as human beings, which are hung up in the homestead for a certain time—e. g. in Austria from May-day to St. John Baptist’s day, a period closely corresponding both in length and season to that at Rome, from March 15 to May 15. In the church of Charlton-on-Otmoor, near Oxford, it is hung on the rood-screen from May 1 onwards.
[468]. Ovid, Fasti, 5. 627; Dionys. 1. 38.
[469]. See Macrob. 1. 7. 28. In Dionysius’ version, however, of the line it is Ἅιδης to whom the sacrifice is offered.
[470]. Festus, 334.
[471]. Topogr. ii. 285.
[472]. Lex. s. v. Mercurius, p. 2804.
[473]. Aust, de Aedibus sacris, p. 5.
[474]. It seems to me probable that there was a Mercurius at Rome before the introduction of Hermes; but this cannot be proved. It seems likely that the temple-cult established in 495 B.C. was really that of Hermes under an Italian name, as in the parallel case of Ceres. This was one year later than the date of the Ceres-temple (above, p. [74]).
[475]. Mercuriales, or Mercatores (Jordan, Topogr. i. 1. 278). They belonged to the collegia of the pagi.