Plutarch's Romane Questions · Plutarch
86.
_Why did not the Romans marie in the moneth of May?_ IS it for that it commeth betweene Aprill and June? whereof the one is consecrated unto _Venus_, and the other to _Juno_, who are both of them the goddesses which have the care and charge of wedding and marriages, and therefore thinke it good either to go somewhat before, or else to stay a while after. Or it may be that in this moneth they celebrate the greatest expiatorie sacrifice of all others in the yeere? for even at this day they fling from off the bridge into the river, the images and pourtraitures of men, whereas in old time they threw downe men themselves alive? And this is the reason of the custome now a daies, that the priestresse of _Juno_ named _Flamina_, should be alwaies sad and heavie, as it were a mourner, and never wash nor dresse and trim her selfe. Or what and if we say, it is because many of the Latine nations offered oblations unto the dead in this moneth: and peradventure they do so, because in this verie moneth they worship _Mercurie_: and in truth it beareth the name of _Maja_, _Mercuries_ mother. But may it not be rather, for that as some do say, this moneth taketh that name of _Majores_, that is to say, ancients: like as June is termed so of _Juniores_, that is to say yonkers. Now this is certaine that youth is much meeter for to contract marriage than old age: like as _Euripides_ saith verie well: _As for old age it_ Venus _bids farewell, And with old folke_, Venus _is not pleasd well_. The Romans therefore maried not in May, but staied for June which immediatly followeth after May.
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