ANTITACTAE, or Antitactici, in Antiquity, a kind of Gnostics, who owned that God, the Creator of the Universe, was good and just; but asserted withal, that one of his Creatures had created Evil, and had engaged us to follow it, in order to set us in opposition to God the Creator; and that it becomes our Duty to oppose this Author of Evil, in order to avenge God of his Enemy. See GNOSTICS. Hence comes their Name; which is derived from the Greek ἀντιτάσσω, to oppose, I am contrary.
APATURIA, in Antiquity, Feasts celebrated by the Athenians in honor of Bacchus. See FEAST. The Word is derived from the Greek ἀπάτη, Fraud.
It is said to have been instituted in memory of a fraudulent Victory, obtained by Aegeus King of Athens, over Xanthus, King of Boeotia, in a single Combat, which they agreed upon, to put an end to a Debate between them relating to the Frontiers of their Countries.
Hence Budaeus calls it Festum Deceptionis, the Feast of Deceit. This Feast lasted four days: The first Day, those of the same Tribe made merry together; and this they called Abeaes.
The second Day, which they called Anarrhyzis, they sacrificed to Jupiter and Minerva.
The third Day, which they called Koureotis, such of their young Men and Maids as were of Age, were admitted into their Tribes.
The fourth Day they called Eady.
Other Authors give a different Etymology of this Feast, from what we have now related: They tell us, that the young Athenians were not admitted into the Tribes on the third Day, until their Fathers had first sworn that they were their own Children; and that till that time they were supposed, in some measure, to be without Fathers; whence the Feast, say they, took its Name.
It is said to have been instituted in memory of a fraudulent Victory, obtained by Aegeus King of Athens, over Xanthus, King of Boeotia, in a single Combat, which they agreed upon, to put an end to a Debate between them relating to the Frontiers of their Countries.
Hence Budaeus calls it Festum Deceptionis, the Feast of Deceit. This Feast lasted four days: The first Day, those of the same Tribe made merry together; and this they called Abeaes.
The second Day, which they called Anarrhyzis, they sacrificed to Jupiter and Minerva.
The third Day, which they called Koureotis, such of their young Men and Maids as were of Age, were admitted into their Tribes.
The fourth Day they called Eady.
Other Authors give a different Etymology of this Feast, from what we have now related: They tell us, that the young Athenians were not admitted into the Tribes on the third Day, until their Fathers had first sworn that they were their own Children; and that till that time they were supposed, in some measure, to be without Fathers; whence the Feast, say they, took its Name.
APOCRISIARIUS, or Apocrisiarius, in Antiquity, an Officer appointed to carry or deliver the Messages, Orders, and Answers of a Prince——He afterwards became his Chancellor, and kept the Seal. In the later Latin we sometimes meet with Asecretarius, Secretary, for Apocrisiary.
Zosimus defines the Apocrisiarius, Secretary for foreign Affairs; being the same with what Vopiscus in the Life of Aurelian calls Notarius Secretorum.
The Title and Quality of Apocrisiary became at length appropriated, as it were, to the Pope’s Deputy or Agent, who resided at Constantinople to receive the Pope’s Orders, and the Emperor’s Answer. St. Gregory was Apocrisiary of Pope Pelagius, at the time when he composed his Morals on Job.
Zosimus defines the Apocrisiarius, Secretary for foreign Affairs; being the same with what Vopiscus in the Life of Aurelian calls Notarius Secretorum.
The Title and Quality of Apocrisiary became at length appropriated, as it were, to the Pope’s Deputy or Agent, who resided at Constantinople to receive the Pope’s Orders, and the Emperor’s Answer. St. Gregory was Apocrisiary of Pope Pelagius, at the time when he composed his Morals on Job.
APOLLINARIAN GAMES, in Antiquity, Ludi Apollinares, were solemn Games held yearly by the Romans in honour of the God Apollo. See GAMES.
The Tradition goes, that at the first Celebration hereof, they were suddenly invaded by the Enemy; and obliged to take to their Arms: upon which occasion a Cloud of Darts and Arrows falling upon their Enemies, the Romans soon returned Victors to their Sports.
The Tradition goes, that at the first Celebration hereof, they were suddenly invaded by the Enemy; and obliged to take to their Arms: upon which occasion a Cloud of Darts and Arrows falling upon their Enemies, the Romans soon returned Victors to their Sports.
APOTHEOSIS, in Antiquity, a Heathen Ceremony, whereby their Emperors and great Men were placed among the Gods. See GOD. After the Apotheosis, which they also called Deification and Consecration; Temples and Altars were erected to the new Deity, and Sacrifices, etc., offered to him. See DEDICATION, CONSECRATION, ALTAR, SACRIFICE, etc. It was one of the Doctrines of Pythagoras, which he had borrowed from the Chaldeans; that virtuous Persons, after their Death, were raised into the Order of the Gods. See PYTHAGOREANS. And hence the Ancients deified all the Inventors of things useful to Mankind; and those who had done any important Service to the Commonwealth. Tiberius proposed to the Roman Senate the Apotheosis of Jesus Christ, as is related by Eusebius, Tertullian, and St. Chrysostom. Juvenal, rallying on the frequent Apotheoses, introduces poor Atlas, complaining that he was ready to sink under the Burden of so many Gods as were every day added to the Heavens. See HEAVEN. Seneca ridicules the Apotheosis of Claudius with admirable Humour. Herodian, in speaking of the Apotheosis of Severus, gives us a very curious Description of the Ceremonies used in the Apotheosis of the Roman Emperors.