BEANS. beans over his head, still repeating the words, "I re-
deem myself and family by these beans." Ovid* gives
a lively description of the whole ceremony in verse.—
Abstainence from beans was enjoined by Pythagoras, one
of whose symbols is, κωμην ἀπέρξεται, abstine 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 ver-
dicts, which were then by throwing beans into an urn,
others, building on the equivocal of the word κωμην,
which equally signifies a bean and a human testicle, ex-
plain it by abstaining from venery. Clemens Alexan-
drinus grounds the abstainence 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 abstainence, viz.
that beans are great enemies to tranquillity of mind.
For a reason of this kind it is, that Amphiaraus is said
to have abstained from beans, even before Pythagoras,
that he might enjoy a clearer divination by dreams.