CEREAIA, in Antiquity, a festival of Ceres, instituted by Triptolemus, son of Celeus king of Eleusis, in gratitude for having been instructed by Ceres in agriculture and the art of making bread. The cerealia passed from the Greeks to the Romans, who celebrated them with games in the Circus Maximus, commencing generally on the 13th of April, or as some suppose on the 7th. The spectators always appeared in white; and the wanderings of Ceres in search of Proserpine were represented by women in white robes, and holding lighted torches in their hands.