Note 44 — FIRST SECTION.

Memorari quoque solent causae physicae, seu marium seu feminarum corporis infirmitatis, quibus floris virginei decerpendi molestia aggravatur. (Certain physical reasons also are mentioned, connected with bodily defects whether of the man or the woman, which aggravate the difficulty of deflowering a virgin), Heyne, loco citato, p. 39. When these partly dietetic and prophylactic relations of the practice disappeared from the memory of the people, the Priapus kept only its fecundating qualities, and accordingly we read in Augustine, De Civitate Dei, bk. VI. ch. 9., Sed quid hoc dicam, cum ibi sit et Priapus nimius masculus, super cuius immanissimum et turpissimum fascinum sedere nova nupta jubeatur more honestissimo et religiossimo matronarum? (But why tell of this, though Priapus is there, with the exaggerated penis of a man, on whose huge and foul organ the newly-wed bride is told to sit, following the custom held highly honourable and religious of matrons?) Comp. Lactantius, I. 20.—Tertullian, Adnot. II. 11. The same is related by Arnobius, bk. VI. ch. 7., of the similar god Mutuus: Etiamne Mutuus, cuius immanibus pudendis, horrentique fascino, vestras inequitare matronas, et auspicabile ducitis et optatis. (Mutuus too, on whose huge pudenda, and horrid organ you think it auspicious and desirable for your matrons to ride).