Canon LXII.
The
so-called Calends, and what
are called Bota and Brumalia, and the full assembly which takes place
on the first of March, we wish to be abolished from the life of the
faithful. And also the public dances of women, which may do much
harm and mischief. Moreover we drive away from the life of
Christians the dances given in the names of those falsely called gods
by the Greeks whether of men or women, and which are performed after an
ancient and un-Christian fashion; decreeing that no man from this time
forth shall be dressed as a woman, nor any woman in the garb suitable
to men. Nor shall he assume comic, satyric, or tragic masks; nor
may men invoke the name of the execrable Bacchus when they squeeze out
the wine in the presses; nor when pouring out wine into jars [to cause
a laugh
378
], practising in ignorance and vanity
the things which proceed from the deceit of insanity. Therefore
those who in the future attempt any of these things which are written,
having obtained a knowledge of them, if they be clerics we order them
to be deposed, and if laymen to be cut off.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon
LXII.
Let these be taken away from the lives of the faithful,
viz.: the Bota, and the Calends, and the Brumalia, and
salutations in honour of the gods, and comic, satyric and tragic masks,
and the invocation of Bacchus at the wine press, and the laughing at
the wine jars. Whoever shall persist in these after this canon
shall be liable to give an account.
On the
Calends
see Du Cange (
Glossarium
in loc.). The
Bota
were feasts in honour of Pan, the
Brumalia
feasts in
honour of Bacchus. Many particulars with regard to these
superstitions will be found in Balsamon’s scholion, to which the
curious reader is referred. Van Espen also has some valuable
notes on the Kalends of January.
378
Not found in
Mansi.