Note 746 — DAMATER, or CERES.

The persons who resided in these temples are represented as persons of great strength and stature: for many of them were of the race of Anac. There is reason to think, that a custom prevailed in these places of making strangers engage in fight with some of the priests trained up for that purpose. The manner of contention was either with the cæstus, or by wrestling. And as the priest appointed for the trial was pretty sure of coming off the conqueror, the whole was looked upon as a more specious kind of sacrifice. Amycus, who was king of Bithynia, is represented as of a [746]gigantic size, and a great proficient with the cæstus. He was in consequence of it the terror of all strangers who came upon the coast. Cercyon of [747]Megara was equally famed for wrestling; by which art he slew many, whom he forced to the unequal contention. But Cercyon was the name of the [748]place; and they were the Cercyonians, the priests of the temple, who were noted for these achievements. Pausanias gives an account of them under the character of one person. [749]Ειναι δε ὁ Κερκυων λεγεται και τα αλλα αδικος εις τους ξενους, και παλαιειν ου βουλομενοις. Cercyon was in other respects lawless in his behaviour towards strangers; but especially towards those who would not contend with him in wrestling. These Cercyonians were undoubtedly priests of Ceres, or Damater: who seems to have been tired of their service, and glad to get rid of them, as we are informed by the poet.