one of three forms of marriage among the ancient Romans, in which the contracting parties delivered to each other a small piece of money, and repeated at the same time certain formulae. The man asked the woman "an sibi mater familiaris esse vellet;" to which she replied, "se velle." A similar question was put by the woman to the man, and a similar answer received.

CENA (supper), the principal meal of the ancient Romans, usually taken at the ninth hour, i.e., three o'clock p.m., in summer, and at the tenth hour in winter.

CENOBITE (from κοινός common, and βίος life), one of a religious order who live in a convent, or in community; in opposition to an anchorite or hermit, who lives in solitude. Fleury refers the institution of cenobites to the times of the apostles, making it a sort of imitation of the ordinary lives of the faithful at Jerusalem. But St Pachomius is ordinarily acknowledged as the institutor of the cenobite life, as being the first who gave a rule to any community.