DĬŎCLEIA (διόκλεια), a festival celebrated by the Megarians in honour
of an ancient Athenian hero, Diocles, around whose grave young men
assembled on the occasion, and amused themselves with gymnastic and
other contests. We read that he who gave the sweetest kiss obtained
the prize, consisting of a garland of flowers.
DĬŎNȲSĬA (διονύσια), festivals celebrated in various parts of Greece
in honour of Dionysus, and characterised by extravagant merriment
and enthusiastic joy. Drunkenness, and the boisterous music of
flutes, cymbals, and drums, were likewise common to all Dionysiac
festivals. In the processions called θίασοι (from θείαζω), with
which they were celebrated, women also took part in the disguise
of Bacchae, Lenae, Thyades, Naiades, Nymphs, &c., adorned with
garlands of ivy, and bearing the thyrsus in their hands, so that
the whole train represented a population inspired, and actuated by
the powerful presence of the god. The choruses sung on the occasion
were called dithyrambs, and were hymns addressed to the god in the
freest metres and with the boldest imagery, in which his exploits
and achievements were extolled. [CHORUS.] The phallus, the symbol
of the fertility of nature, was also carried in these processions.
The indulgence in drinking was considered by the Greeks as a duty
of gratitude which they owed to the giver of the vine; hence in
some places it was thought a crime to remain sober at the Dionysia.
The Attic festivals of Dionysus were four in number: the _Rural_ or
_Lesser Dionysia_ (Διονύσια κατ’ ἀγρούς, or μικρά), the _Lenaea_
(Λήναια), the _Anthesteria_ (Ἀνθεστήρια), and the _City_ or _Great
Dionysia_ (Διονύσια ἐν ἄστει, ἀστικά, or μεγάλα). The season of
the year sacred to Dionysus was during the months nearest to the
shortest day; and the Attic festivals were accordingly celebrated
in Poseideon, Gamelion, Anthesterion, and Elaphebolion.--The _Rural_
or _Lesser Dionysia_, a vintage festival, were celebrated in the
various demes of Attica in the month of Poseideon, and were under
the superintendence of the several local magistrates, the demarchs.
This was doubtless the most ancient of all, and was held with the
highest degree of merriment and freedom; even slaves enjoyed full
freedom during its celebration, and their boisterous shouts on the
occasion were almost intolerable. It is here that we have to seek
for the origin of comedy, in the jests and the scurrilous abuse with
which the peasants assailed the bystanders from a waggon in which
they rode about. The Dionysia in the Peiraeeus, as well as those of
the other demes of Attica, belonged to the lesser Dionysia.--The
second festival, the _Lenaea_ (from ληνός, the wine-press, from which
also the month of Gamelion was called by the Ionians Lenaeon), was
celebrated in the month of Gamelion; the place of its celebration
was the ancient temple of Dionysus Limnaeus (from λίμνη, as the
district was originally a swamp). This temple was called the Lenaeon.
The Lenaea were celebrated with a procession and scenic contests in
tragedy and comedy. The procession probably went to the Lenaeon,
where a goat (τράγος, whence the chorus and tragedy which arose out
of it were called τραγικὸς χορός, and τραγῳδία) was sacrificed, and a
chorus standing around the altar sang the dithyrambic ode to the god.
As the dithyramb was the element out of which, by the introduction of
an actor, tragedy arose [CHORUS], it is natural that, in the scenic
contests of this festival, tragedy should have preceded comedy. The
poet who wished his play to be brought out at the Lenaea applied to
the second archon, who had the superintendence of this festival, and
who gave him a chorus if the piece was thought to deserve it.--The
third festival, the _Anthesteria_, was celebrated on the 11th,
12th, and 13th days of the month of Anthesterion. The second archon
likewise superintended the celebration of the Anthesteria, and
distributed the prizes among the victors in the various games which
were carried on during the season. The first day was called πιθοιγία:
the second, χόες: and the third, χύτροι. The first day derived its
name from the opening of the casks to taste the wine of the preceding
year; the second from χοῦς, the cup, and seems to have been the day
devoted to drinking. The third day had its name from χύτρος, a pot,
as on this day persons offered pots with flowers, seeds, or cooked
vegetables, as a sacrifice to Dionysus and Hermes Chthonius. It is
uncertain whether dramas were performed at the Anthesteria; but it
is supposed that comedies were represented, and that tragedies which
were to be brought out at the great Dionysia were perhaps rehearsed
at the Anthesteria. The mysteries connected with the celebration
of the Anthesteria were held at night.--The fourth festival, the
_City_ or _Great Dionysia_, was celebrated about the 12th of the
month of Elaphebolion; but we do not know whether they lasted more
than one day or not. The order in which the solemnities took place
was as follows:--the great public procession, the chorus of boys,
the _comus_ [CHORUS], comedy, and, lastly, tragedy. Of the dramas
which were performed at the great Dionysia, the tragedies at least
were generally new pieces; repetitions do not, however, seem to have
been excluded from any Dionysiac festival. The first archon had
the superintendence, and gave the chorus to the dramatic poet who
wished to bring out his piece at this festival. The prize awarded to
the dramatist for the best play consisted of a crown, and his name
was proclaimed in the theatre of Dionysus. As the great Dionysia
were celebrated at the beginning of spring, when the navigation was
re-opened, Athens was not only visited by numbers of country people,
but also by strangers from other parts of Greece, and the various
amusements and exhibitions on this occasion were not unlike those
of a modern fair.--The worship of Dionysus, whom the Romans called
Bacchus, or rather the Bacchic mysteries and orgies (_Bacchanalia_),
are said to have been introduced from southern Italy into Etruria,
and from thence to Rome, where for a time they were carried on in
secret, and, during the latter period of their existence, at night.
The initiated, according to Livy, not only indulged in feasting and
drinking at their meetings, but when their minds were heated with
wine they indulged in the coarsest excesses and the most unnatural
vices. The time of initiation lasted ten days; on the tenth, the
person who was to be initiated took a solemn meal, underwent a
purification by water, and was led into the sanctuary (_Bacchanal_).
At first only women were initiated, and the orgies were celebrated
every year during three days. But Pacula Annia, a Campanian matron,
pretending to act under the direct influence of Bacchus, changed the
whole method of celebration: she admitted men to the initiation,
and transferred the solemnisation, which had hitherto taken place
during the daytime, to the night. Instead of three days in the year,
she ordered that the Bacchanalia should be held during five days in
every month. It was from that time that these orgies were carried
on with frightful licentiousness and excesses of every kind. The
evil at length became so alarming, that, in B.C. 186, the consuls,
by the command of the senate, instituted an investigation into the
nature and object of these new rites. The result was that numerous
persons were arrested, and some put to death; and that a decree of
the senate was issued, commanding that no Bacchanalia should be held
either in Rome or Italy; that if any one should think such ceremonies
necessary, or if he could not neglect them without scruples or making
atonements, he should apply to the praetor urbanus, who might then
consult the senate. If the permission should be granted to him in
an assembly of the senate, consisting of not less than one hundred
members, he might solemnise the Bacchic sacra; but no more than five
persons were to be present at the celebration; there should be no
common fund, and no master of the sacra or priest. A brazen table
containing this important document was discovered near Bari, in
southern Italy, in the year 1640, and is at present in the imperial
Museum of Vienna. While the _Bacchanalia_ were thus suppressed,
another more simple and innocent festival of Bacchus, the _Liberalia_
(from _Liber_, or _Liber Pater_, a name of Bacchus), continued to
be celebrated at Rome every year on the 16th of March. Priests and
aged priestesses, adorned with garlands of ivy, carried through the
city wine, honey, cakes, and sweetmeats, together with an altar with
a handle (_ansata ara_), in the middle of which there was a small
fire-pan (_foculus_), in which from time to time sacrifices were
burnt. On this day Roman youths who had attained their sixteenth year
received the _toga virilis_.
DĬŎSCŪRĬA (διοσκούρια), festivals celebrated in various parts of
Greece in honour of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux). Their worship
was very generally adopted in Greece, especially in the Doric and
Achaean states; but little is known of the manner in which their
festivals were celebrated. At Athens the festival was called Anaceia.
DĬŌTA, a vessel having two ears (ὦτα) or handles, used for holding
wine. It appears to have been much the same as the amphora. [AMPHORA.]
DIPHTHĔRA (διφθέρα), a kind of cloak made of the skins of animals,
and worn by herdsmen and country people. It had a covering for the
head (ἐπικράνον), in which respect it would correspond to the Roman
_cucullus_.
DIPLŌMA, a writ or public document, which conferred upon a person
any right or privilege. During the republic, it was granted by the
consuls and senate; and under the empire, by the emperor and the
magistrates whom he authorised to do so. It consisted of two leaves,
whence it derived its name.
DIPTỸCHA (δίπτυχα), two writing tablets, which could be folded
together. They were commonly made of wood and covered over with wax.