BEAN. See VICIA, BOTANY Index.
The ancients made use of beans in gathering the votes of the people, and for the election of magistrates. A white bean signified absolution, and a black one condemnation. Beans had a mysterious use in the lemuralia and parentalia; where the master of the family, after washing, was to throw a sort of black beans
Beans. beans over his head, still repeating the words, "I redeem myself and family by these beans." Ovid gives a lively description of the whole ceremony in verse.—
v. 4. 435. Abstinence from beans was enjoined by Pythagoras, one of whose symbols is, κλαίειν ἀπὸ βῆναι, abstain à fabis. The Egyptian priests held it a crime to look at beans, judging the very sight unclean. The flamen dialis was not permitted even to mention the name. The precept of Pythagoras has been variously interpreted: some understand it of forbearing to meddle in trials and verdicts, which were then by throwing beans into an urn, others, building on the equivocal of the word κλαίειν, which equally signifies a bean and a human testicle, explain it by abstaining from venery. Clemens Alexandrinus grounds the abstinence from beans on this, that they render women barren; which is confirmed by Theophrastus, who extends the effect even to plants. Cicero suggests another reason for this abstinence, viz. that beans are great enemies to tranquillity of mind. For a reason of this kind it is, that Amphiarus is said to have abstained from beans, even before Pythagoras, that he might enjoy a clearer divination by dreams.