Ante Diem IV Nonas September

Modern Date : September 2nd

Ante Diem IV Nonas September
Fourth Day to the Nones of September

This is one of the dies fasti on which legal actions are permitted.

On this day in 31 BCE, the famous Battle of Actium was fought, in which Mark Antony was defeated by Octavian, the future Augustus. This heralded the end of the civil wars and brought an extended period of peace to Rome.

This day was Ariadne's Festival in Cyprus. After Theseus has defeated Minos and taken the kingdom for Athens in approximately 1400 BCE, he married the king's daughter Ariadne. On his return to Athens they encountered a storm and Ariadne, who was with child, was put ashore at Cyprus. Theseus continued on to Athens but when he returned he learned that Ariadne had died in childbirth. He endowed a temple on the island in her name.

Cicero delivered the first of his most famous orations, the Phillipics, this day in Rome in 44 BCE. This famous speech would cost him his life at the hands of Mark Antony.

September is the 'magical' seventh month (after March).


Month of the Vine
The Celtic tree month of Muin begins. This is the 1st day of the 10th month in the 13 month Druidic calendar. The sequent letter is M, symbolic of the Vine tree. The month is ruled by Lugh, deity of light, prophecy and spiritual enlightenment, and is especially favorable for adepts who aspire to increased prophetic powers. This is also called the Vine Moon, and celebrates the bounty of the harvest.

Lugh is the Celtic lord of every skill. He was patron of Lugodunum (Lyons) in Gaul. He and his nature goddess consort (Rosmerta) were worshipped during the 30 day Lughnasadh midsummer feast in Ireland. Fertility magic during this festival ensured ripening of the crops and good harvest. He was called Lamfhada or 'of the long arm' in Gaelic because of his great spear and sling. His animal attributes were the raven and the lynx. Lugh mirrors Hindu Karttikeya, the spiritual warrior, and Roman Mercury, the swift messenger. His exploits are recounted in the "Tain Bo Cuailnge", the Cattle-raid of Cooley.


Feast of Osiris
Today is another day devoted to the Egyptian God Osiris. Today is the Feast of Osiris in the Egyptian Calendar (Paopi, month of Ptah, Day 16). Osiris was the Egyptian god of the underworld, although he was also worshipped as a fertility, resurrection, and vegetation god. He was married to Isis, a sky goddess. He was father to Horus, the god of sky, and protector of the dead.