a great Roman festival, celebrated in honour of Cybele at the vernal equinox. It was begun on the 22d of March and brought to a close on the 25th. The last day of the feast was the most important, and the inhabitants of the city then abandoned themselves to the most extravagant merry-making. All kinds of amusements were in vogue, especially masquerading, which, from the earliest times, has been popular in Italy. The only religious ceremony was the solemn procession of the priests, who bore round the streets the statue of the great mother of the gods with many solemnities. The only object of the festival was to celebrate the departure of winter with its snows and gloom, and to hail the approach of spring.