Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/515

CERES. 437 at Elcusis in Attica, where were celebrated tlic Kleusiuian Mysteries (q.v. ). There was also a very important cult at Athens, where the Thes- niophoria (see Grekk Tkstivals) were cele- brated. In Arcadia the goddesses were distinct- ly chthonic, and regarded as awful deities of the lower world. Swine and horses were especially connected with these deities, and they are often distinguished in works of art by a bunch of urain. or a tordi. or somewhat rarely by the myotic box. Deuieter also a])|)ears as a Couro- trophos. that is. a guardian of children, repre- sented as a seated figure holding a child. 'On vases representations of the Eleusinian story are not infrccpicnt, and the rape of Persephone is frecjient on sarcophagi, but statues of the goddesses are not common. The most striking is the beautiful seated figure from Cnidus, now in the Britisli Museum, fragments of the colos- sal cult statues at I.vco>ura. the work of De- mophon. are now at Athens. The Romans adopt- ed the worshij) of the Greek Demeter about B.C. 493, and identified her with their own goddess of the growth of the harvest, Ceres, who along with Tellus, the earth, was honored with .special sacrifices, both after seed-time and just before the harvest. Her great festival was the Cerealia, on April 19, which was celebrated with games in the circus. In addition to JIannhardt and Frazer, cited above, consult Preller, Demeter viid Persephone (Hamburg. 1S37), and a long article by Lenormant in Daremberg and Saglio, Dictioniiaire des antii]uites qrecques et romaines (Paris. 1892). CEBES. The earliest known of the planetoids (q.v.). It was first seen by Piazzi at Palermo, January 1, 1801, the very first day of the Nine- teenth Century. Piazzi continued to observe its motion till February 13. when illness obliged him to discontinue his observations. Xews traveled slowly in those days, and the Continental astron- omers did not hear of Ceres until the end of March. By that time the planet had approached too near the sun for observations to be possible. Xor did the astronomers of that day possess a method of computing planetary orbits, when the observations ipon which such computations are nased extended over a period of time as short as six weeks. Under these circumstances, it was not possible to predict what would be the planet's e.xact position on the sky when it should become visible in the following winter. There was consequently gieat danger of the planetoid being lost again. Fortunately. Gauss (q.v.), then only 24 years of age. quickly devised a new method of orbit computation, and succeeded in predicting the planet's motions with sufficient accuracy to enable Von Zach and others to re- observe Ceres at the end of the year, when Gauss's computations had l>ecome available. CERES. An ancient statue of the Grecian goddess of the grain, now standing in the Munich Gh-ptothek. It is a striking example of sculp- ture in different colored stone. The head and lines are of white, the draperies of black marble. CE'BEUS (Lat., waxy, from cera, wax). A genus rif plants of the order Cactacca?. contain- ing 100 or more species, among which are some of the most splendid flowers of that order. The species abound in the southwestern part of the I'nited States, extending through Slexico and Central America into South America. One of CERINTHUS. these is (.'eretis siieriomis, one of the most com- mon greenhouse plants in the Inited States, and sometimes cultivated even in windows. Its large llowers are of a fine scarlet color, the inner petals with a violet tinge. The fruit, when well ripened, is of a delicious flavor. The plant is a native of .Mexico. A number of s|)ecies are grown under the name of night-blooming cereus. Of these, Cereus iii/c/i- ealiis, I'enus Iriniifii'Idris. and <'crciis yrandijiu- rus are the best known. Their large, fragrant, white flowers are exceedingly beautiful. Some of the species are truly arborescent — the Su- «arro, Cereus gif/anteiis, of .rizona, California, and northern Mexico, attaining a heiglit of 50 feet or more and 18 inches to 2 feet in diameter. The fruits of this species are eagerly sought for food by the natives. ('«?<».? pasacana, of Ar- gentina, is a similar treelike form. They branch sjiaringly and resemble huge candelabra in out- line. The night-blooming forms have cylindrical or angled stems, and are trailers or climbers. The others vary in form between these extremes. CE'RIAOilS, Petilius. A Roman general, first encountered in connection with his defeat, as legate of the ninth legion, by the insurgent British forces of Boadicea. In a.d. 09, when Vespasian claimed the Empire, Cerialis has- tened to join Vespasian's army in Italy, and was appointed a general under Antonius. He was assigned to the command of an advance body of cavalry, and was afterwards defeated in a slight skirmish just without Rome. Having crushed the revolt of Civilis he was sent in a.d. 71 to Britain as consular legate to the Roman Govern- ment there, and in that capacit.v in great part subjugated the Brigantes. Agricola served under him as coiiiniander of the twentieth legion. CERIGNOLA, cha're-nyo'la. An ancient city in southern Italy. 23 miles southeast of Foggia, on a hill in a fertile but treeless plain (Map: Italy. K 6). It markets cotton and oil. and is celebrated for the victory won April 2S. 1503. by the Spaniards over the French, which established Spanish authoritv in Naples. Popu- lation, in 1881 (commune)", 24.000; in 1901. 34,195. CERIGO, cha're-go. or Kyth'era (anc. Cythe- >■(/. h'ljlhini). One of the largest of thfe Ionian islands, situated off the southern coast of Greece in about latitude 36° 15' X., longitude 23° E. (Map: (ireece, D 0). Area. 107 square miles. Its surface is mountainous, reaching an altitude of IGoO feet, and the soil is barren. Corn, wine, and olives are raised, and some cattle. The island is noted for its two beautiful caverns. In ancient times Cythera was considered the sacred abode of Venus. Population, in 1889, 10,524. The chiif port is Kapsali. CER'IMON. A lord of Ephesus, in Shake- speare's Pericles. He has been a student of medicine and saves the life of Thaisa, daughter of Simonides, who was supposed to have died at sea. CERIN'THirS (Lat.. from Gk. K-^ptuffos. Ke- riiillii)>i) . A heretic who lived at the dose of the Apostolic .ge. but of whom we have nothing better than uncertain and confused accounts. It is said that he was an Kgv'ptian. perhaps also a .Jew by liirth. and studied philosophy in .lex- andria. From Eg^-pt he passed into Asia Minor.