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ANTHESPHORIA

Volume 2 · 86 words · 1797 Edition

in antiquity, a Sicilian festival instituted in honour of Proserpine. The word is derived from the Greek ἀνθος, flower, and ἄγω, I carry; because that goddess was forced away by Pluto when she was gathering flowers in the fields. Yet Petrus does not ascribe the feast to Proserpine; but says it was thus called by reason ears of corn were carried on this day to the temples.—Anthesphoria seems to be the same thing with the floriferum of the Latins, and answers to the harvest-home among us.