ADO´NIA
ADO´NIA (
Ἀδώνια), a
festival celebrated in honour of Adonis, the beloved of Aphrodite. It had
been introduced into Greece from the East, probably about the time of the
Persian wars, and, like many other Eastern rites, was celebrated in most of
the Greek cities (
Aristoph. Lys. 362
Pax, 410). The time and duration of the
solemnities differed in the different towns and countries; but in Greece
generally they seem to have lasted two days, the first being the day on
which Adonis disappeared (
ἀφανισμός), and
the second on which his body was sought (
ζήτησις) by the women in what were called “the gardens of
Adonis,” i. e. small earthen vessels which were placed before the
door of private houses and at the entrance of the temple of Adonis, and in
which quickly-growing and quickly-decaying herbs were planted as a symbol of
the brief duration of human life. The first of these days was a day of
mourning, and the second one of rejoicing and amusements of various kinds,
such as the proposing of riddles, because on that day Adonis was conceived
to be coming to life again to dwell with Aphrodite for six months (
Plut. Alc. 18;
Nic. 13;
Athen. p. 451 b; Hesych. and Suidas,
s.v. Roulez,
Mélanges, vol. iii. p. 1 ff.). Other
particulars respecting the worship and festivals of Adonis are given under
ADONIS in the
Dict. of Biogr. and
Mythol.
[
L.S]
