Februarius (February)

“Be present O Queen of the Heavenly Gods, we Your chaste daughters pray and bring forth this venerable gift, we, all the Roman women of noble name, have woven this mantle with our own hands, embroidered it for You with threads of gold. This veil You shall wear for now, O Juno, until we mothers grow less fearful for our sons. But if You will grant that we may repel these  African storm clouds from our land, we shall set upon You a flashing crown of diverse gems set in gold.”
                                          (Silius Italicus Punica 7.78-85).
 

2 IV Non Feb N: Dies Ater Juno Februa Place roasted spelt and salt on doorsill. “These are the Principles of Law: to live honestly, to harm no one, and to give each his due” (Gaius De Institutiones Justiniani 1.2).

3 III Non Feb N: “May the Gods Immortal make happy results come from pious acts” (Livy 6.26.6-7).

4 Pridie Nonas N: Death of Septimus Severus, ascension of Caracalla and Geta, 211 CE. “As bread feeds the stomach, so reading feeds the mind” (Anonymous).

5 Nones Feb N: NONAE Faunus; Concordia, goddess of harmonious relations in marriage.

6 VIII Idus Feb N: Dies Ater “Radiant Concordia, ever reside in this marriage, and so, fitly joined in matrimony, may Venus always bless with children this couple” (Martial IV.13.7-8)

7 VII Idus Feb N: Arrival of Favonius, the westerly winds, “that begins the spring and opens the earth; it is moderately cool, but health” (Pliny Nat. Hist. 18.77)

8 VI Idus Feb N: “Invincible Holiness, with venerating prayers I ask that You send good portents to signify a change for the better for the people of our nation” (Accius Aenead sive Decius fr. 4).

9 V Idus Feb N: “As soon as (Favonius) begins to prevail, it indicates that the time has arrived for pruning the vine, weeding the corn, planting trees, grafting fruit-trees, and trimming the olive, for its breezes are productive of the most nutritious effects” (Pliny NH 18.77).

10 IV Idus Feb N: “I pray by the Gods that everything will be made fortunate” (Afranius Fabula Togata fr. 11).

11 III Idus Feb N: FORNICALIA Festival held by the Curiae, on an unfixed date, roasting grain in the Forum by ancient fashion to honor Fornax, goddess of ovens and bakers.

12 Pridie Idus N: “The diligent farmer plants trees he will never see” (Cicero Tusculanae 1.14.31).

13 IDIBUS NP: FAUNALIA Dedication of the temple of Faunus on an isle in the Tiber, 193 BCE. Parentalia performed by the Vestal Virgins at the tomb of the first Vestal Virgin, Tarpeia. Feralia begins at the sixth hour of daylight and continues until 21 Feb, honoring the Manes.

14 XVI Kal Mart N: Dies Ater “Amorous Faunus, from whom the Nymphs flee, step lightly across my boundaries and sunny fields, and soon depart, leaving your blessing on my young lambs and kids, and leveled tender shoots” (Horace Carmina Liber III.xviii.1-8).

15 XV Kal Mart NP: LUPERCALIA Purification rite of the februatio, beginning with the sacrifice of a buck in the Lupercal cave on the Palentine, followed by the running of the Luperci.

16 XIV Kal Mart N: “Romulus, O Romulus, may You eternally live in Heaven among the children of the Gods” (Ennius Annales I.121)

17 XIII Kal Mart NP: QUIRINALIA Sacrifices to Quirinus and Hora on Quirinal. Temple of Quirinus rebuilt by Augustus, 16 BCE. Feriae Stultorum of those who did not make sacrifice at the Fornicalia now make their offerings in the Curiae. Battle of Lugdunum, 197 CE, Septemus Severus defeats Clodius Albinus.

18 XII Kal Mart C: Parentalia Family procession to the tombs of relatives, bring gifts of wine, water, milk, honey, oil, salt and black sacrificial victims, and decorate tombs with flowers.

19 XI Kal Mart C: Septimus Severus defeats Clodius Albinus at Lugdunum, 197 CE. Constantius orders removal of statues and closing of the temples, 356 CE.

20 X Kal Mart C: “Divine Penates of our ancestors, to you I commend the good fortune of my parents, and to you, Spiritual Father of our family, that you safeguard them well” (Plautus Merc ator 834-5).

21 IX Kal Mart F: FERALIA Offering to the Manes of gifts of wine, water, milk, honey, oil, and salt on pottery shards at crossroad shrines, decorated with flowers. First ceremony held for the Temple of the Religio Romana, 2002 CE.

22 VIII Kal Mart N: Carista “Lares, care for our house that you established” (Ennius Annales I.141).

23 VII Kal Mart NP: TERMINALIA “Holy Terminus, You define people and cities and nations within their boundaries. All land would be in dispute if without You. You seek no offices or anyone’s favour; no amount of gold can corrupt Your judgement. In good faith You preserve the legitimate claims to rural lands” (Ovid Fasti II.658-62)

24 VI Kal Mart N: Regifugium The Rex Sacrorum, attended by the Salii, made a sacrifice in the Comitia, from which he then would flee, as an act of purification to renew the City. By the Late Republic it was believed to represent the flight of Tarquinius Superbus from Rome. Theodosius bans all blood sacrifices, 391 CE.

25 V Kal Mart C: “Has Procne, spring’s herald, come unafraid of winter’s return?” (Ovid Fasti 2.853-54).

26 IV Kal Mart EN: “Io! Lares, give us fine harvests and fruitful vines” (Tibullus 1.1.24).

27 III Kal Mart NP: Equirria Horse races held in the Campus Martius, to honor Mars. Birth of Constantine, 272/273 CE. Martyrdom of priests Nestorius and Priskus ends the Eleussian mysteries, 380 CE.

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