An Account of the remains of the worship of Priapus : lately existing at Isernia, in the kingdom of Naples; in two letters : one from Sir William Hamilton ... to Sir Joseph Banks ... : and the other from a person residing at Isernia : to which is added, A discourse on the worship of Priapus : and its connexion with the mystic theology of the ancients / By R.P. Knight.

Date:
1786
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An Account of the remains of the worship of Priapus : lately existing at Isernia, in the kingdom of Naples; in two letters : one from Sir William Hamilton ... to Sir Joseph Banks ... : and the other from a person residing at Isernia : to which is added, A discourse on the worship of Priapus : and its connexion with the mystic theology of the ancients / By R.P. Knight. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the City of Isernia (anciently belonging to the Samnites, and very populous*], a perfon of a liberal education, employed in that work, chanced to be at Isernia juft at the time of the celebration of the Feaft of the modern Priapus, St. Cosmo; and having been ftruck with the ftngularity of the ceremony, fo very ftmilar to that which attended the ancient Cult of the God of the Gardens, and knowing my tafte for antiquities, told me of it. From this Gentleman’s report, and from what I learnt on the fpot from the Governor of Isernia himfelf, having ^ gone to that City, on purpofe in the month of Fe- - bruary laft, I have drawn up the following account, which I have reafon to believe is ftridlly true. I did intend to have been prefent at the Feaft of St. Cosmo this year ; but the indecency of this ceremony having probably tranfpired, from the country’s ha- ving been more frequented ftnce the new road was made, orders have been given, that the Great T^oe-\; ■ of the Saint fhould no longer be expofed. The following * The aftual Population of Isernia, according to the Governor’s account, 155156. •j- See the Italian letter, printed at the end of this, from which it appears the modern Priapi were fo called at Isernia.