Note 336 — Chapter IV · THE WOMEN’S FESTIVALS. Thesmophoria, Arrephoria, Skirophoria, Stenia, Haloa.
Reading edition
Dr Frazer draws my attention to the curiously analogous ritual practised at Lanuvium, in a grove near the temple of the Argive Hera, described by Aelian (Hist. An. XI. 16) and Propertius (IV. 8. 3 sqq.). Once a year sacred maidens descended with bandaged eyes into a serpent’s cave and offered it a barley cake. If the serpent ate of the cake the people rejoiced, taking it to show that the girls were pure maidens and that the year’s crops would be good:
Si fuerint castae, redeunt in colla parentum; Clamantque agricolae Fertilis annus erit.